Free Essay

Porter Kelly Education

In:

Submitted By fadigeorge
Words 1136
Pages 5
Houston is the largest city in the state of Texas and the fourth-largest in the United States. As of 2006, the city had a population of 2.14 million and anchors a metropolitan area of 5.5 1 million people. Houston is the economic and cultural center of the western Gulf Coast Region and southeastern Texas. Over the past several decades the city has rapidly added population and developed in a low density autocentric form. Houston is well known for being the largest city in the nation with no zoning. This laissez-faire government structure allowing for the market to dictate urban form is one of the reasons why Houston has remained an affordable and viable place for people and businesses to relocate. However, the loosely regulated growth throughout Metropolitan Houston is having many negative impacts on the quality of life and poses serious implications to the future viability and livability of Houston in the future. In most cities, zoning is one the most effective instruments used by planners to shape the built environment. However, since Houston and Harris County have no zoning powers, deed restrictions and ordinances are used as land use planning tools. Many planning decisions in Houston are made at the neighborhood level and are spear headed by non-profits such as the Gulf Coast Institute 2 . The Gulf Coast Institute (GCI) is an organization that seeks to create a livable community with a dynamic economy that revitalizes and protects neighborhoods, improves access, increases mobility choices, improves air and water quality,

1 2

US Census Bureau Gulf Coast Institute.org

protects green space and natural resources, and builds a sense of place and community. GCI brings to the region an entity committed to instilling sustainability in Houston’s planning process. It leads and manages fundamental change in the broad discussions of urban growth and its implications on quality of life in Houston. The primary purpose of the group is to study the process of urban growth, to explore and communicate problems and possible solutions, and to foster dialogue and collaborative initiatives to improve the quality of the economy, community, and environment in the region. The basis of its work is the set of principles and concepts based on sustainable practices. GCI creates links among leaders within public agencies, business associations, and nonprofit community organizations in order to share expertise and projects leading to a more livable community. GCI sponsors regular meetings, publishes an online magazine, maintains many Web sites, and actively disseminates educational information relevant to various. GCI encourages community representatives to take leadership roles in initiatives that are intended to improve the health of the community as it grows. GSI provides education to these group on how their decisions can help make Houston a more livable city in all its meanings, including health, education, environment, physical development, mobility, and other important factors. GCI produces publications, studies, and plans that give Houstonians an alternative view to how urban growth has been shaped in the past and will be in the future.

Target Demographic GCI collaborates with a diverse group of entities such as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the American Institute of Architects/Houston, Greater Houston Builders Association, the Houston-Galveston Area Council, the Houston Homeowners Association, the Texas Southern University Center for Transportation, HARC Center for Global Studies, and many other community organizations. Strategic partners such as Texas Southern University (HBCU) allow the organization to engage Houston’s many inner city African-American communities which have been historically left out of the planning process. The following is a list of examples of the many ways the Gulf Coast Institute creates alternative plans as well as education through publications, focus groups, and seminars: • Creation an alternative plans such as the highly controversial freeway expansion plan set for I-10. o The current plan calls for 10 main lanes, 4 HOT Lanes and 6 lanes of frontage road (total: 21 lanes) o GCI plan called for a more modest expansion and commuter rail 3 • Imagine Houston o A community-wide visioning process designed to bring people together to share information, learn about each other’s viewpoints, and to develop a consensus on the issues, goals, and opportunities that will shape Houston’s future.

3

www.houstonarchitecture.info, www.gulfcoastinstitute.org

o

Each of the nine focus groups gathered information and wrote a paper on a specific topic on sustainability and livability Community Safety Fostering Our Cultural Resources In Service to the Public Learning For Life Minding Our Natural Resources Taking Care of Ourselves Where We Live Where We Meet Where We Work



Livable Houston Magazine 4 o Online Magazine o Features various articles and essays on topics from housing, land use, transportation, all centered around principles of sustainability



Large Conferences o Density by Design This conference was held jointly with GCI, HoustonGalveston Area Council as well and The Texas Cooperative Extension Covers topics such as metropolitan strategies, mixed-use financing, and transit-oriented design

4

www.livablehoustonmagazine.org



Livable Houston Meetings General discussion about current issues of sustainability in Houston Presentations about innovations and concepts of sustainable principles



Houston Green Initiative 5 o Committee dedicated to a green infrastructure system in Houston o Commissioned a study on the impact of lost tree coverage and the positive impact on rebuilding the canopy

Conclusion The Gulf Coast Institute is an innovative organization which combines functions of a think-tank, research foundation, grass roots coalition and advocacy group. The alternative projects allow people to see how things might be different if they had been designed form a different viewpoint and philosophy. This gives the public a tangible alternative future. Livable Houston Magazine brings new ideas to the public at large. The publication shows people that there is something other than status quo suburban style development in Houston and there are other more sustainable ways to create a livable city. The concepts in this magazine also allow people to create there own visions of a more livable city based on the sustainable concepts. The conferences held by GCI allow Houstonians to become more active in there planning process. They are not only informative to the participants but the experts that speak at the conferences also become more enlightened about the
5

http://www.gulfcoastinstitute.org/houstongreen/

social context by listening to citizens. This further lessens the disconnect between politicians, planners, civic leaders and their public. Overall, GCIs approach is holistic in nature. The approach covers many topics and allows the organization to be heard in many different mediums. Education and visioning are excellent means to empower the public and to promote social and environmental change. However, the organization should go further in strengthening its relationship with the city and other governments to ensure that there efforts can be realized for true substantive in change. Ideology is nice but results are better.

.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Oscar Micheaux: African American Filmmakers

...Lincoln Motion Picture Company, a successful black film production company. Ultimately, Micheaux turned that offer down and created his own firm, which was called “Micheaux Film and Book Company (Butters). Oscar’s first film, “The Homesteader” was released in 1919 in Chicago. He film was released during the era of silent film. This film was considered the first full-length film made by an African-American. Soon after the release of his first film, Oscar Micheaux continued to release films that not only the African American Community wanted to see, but other races wanted to also. His films led the way for other “race films” that told a more realistic story of black people and their lives. Micheaux’s films often dealt with controversial issues. (Kelly). Oscar’s films were based on two themes, the exposure of racial hostility and prejudice toward African Americans, and alternative depictions of black manhood (Butters). Unfortunately, Oscar Micheaux passed away on a business trip in 1951. It is important to know African American Filmmakers looked inspired to be like Micheaux, and this included Spike...

Words: 700 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Cosmopolitanism, Neo-Liberalism, and Global Corporate Social Responsibility

...Cosmopolitanism, Neo-liberalism, and Global Corporate Social Responsibility Introduction With the rise of globalization come several opportunities as well as threats. On one hand there is the opportunity to overcome problems such as world hunger, poverty, and abuse of human rights. However, on the other hand, globalization could pose as a threat against cultural diversity, as well as allow large corporations and rich governments to exploit human and natural resources in less developed countries. There has been much discussion and debate over how to approach globalization in a way that maximizes opportunities and minimizes threats, but of course it is not always clear which approach will do this. Two approaches in particular, which have been come to known as cosmopolitanism and neoliberalism, have developed and made lasting impacts on ideologies as well as policies. There are avid supporters as well as opponents of both, but in this paper, rather than compare the pros and cons of the two and argue for which one is superior, I would like to discuss if these approaches oppose each other or if in fact they compliment each other as an approach to globalization. As well, I will discuss the issue of social responsibility of multinational corporations in a globalized environment. Cosmopolitanism In order to evaluate the relationship of cosmopolitanism and neoliberalism as approaches to globalization, it is important to first have a clear understanding of the basic tenants and...

Words: 1968 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Work and None Work Models

...Psychological Bulletin 1980, Vol. 88, No. I. 60-77 Work and Nonwork: A Review of Models, Methods, and Findings Boris Kabanoff School of Social Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, South Australia This article examines theory and research in the field of work/nonwork relations. Three different theories of work/leisure relations are examined—compensation, generalization, and segmentation. All three theories have received some support; however, the review indicates that much of the available research evidence is constrained by conceptual and methodological problems. A number of paradigms for describing work/leisure patterns are reviewed, and it is concluded that most of these paradigms are more suitable for classifying leisure definitions than for guiding empirical research. Research in this field requires objective definitions of attributes common across life spheres. A task-based description of work and nonwork is discussed, and its research utility is illustrated. It is recommended that future research be concerned with describing different work/leisure patterns, the processes underlying these patterns, and the life consequences associated with different patterns. The meaning and the relationships between labor and leisure, work and contemplation, or in the most general sense, work and nonwork have been a source of intellectual, political, and religious debate for a considerable period in Western history. However, the view that the interplay...

Words: 11863 - Pages: 48

Premium Essay

What Is Culture

...relating to our topic are below. Banks, J.A., Banks, & McGee, C. A. (1989). Multicultural education. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. "Most social scientists today view culture as consisting primarily of the symbolic, ideational, and intangible aspects of human societies. The essence of a culture is not its artifacts, tools, or other tangible cultural elements but how the members of the group interpret, use, and perceive them. It is the values, symbols, interpretations, and perspectives that distinguish one people from another in modernized societies; it is not material objects and other tangible aspects of human societies. People within a culture usually interpret the meaning of symbols, artifacts, and behaviors in the same or in similar ways." Damen, L. (1987). Culture Learning: The Fifth Dimension on the Language Classroom. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. "Culture: learned and shared human patterns or models for living; day- to-day living patterns. these patterns and models pervade all aspects of human social interaction. Culture is mankind's primary adaptive mechanism" (p. 367). Hofstede, G. (1984). National cultures and corporate cultures. In L.A. Samovar & R.E. Porter (Eds.), Communication Between Cultures. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. "Culture is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one category of people from another." (p. 51). Kluckhohn, C., & Kelly, W.H. (1945). The concept of culture. In R. Linton (Ed.). The Science of Man in the World...

Words: 567 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Case: Deviance at Rkga Llp

...Issues in Accounting Education Volume 27, No. 2, 2012   CASE: DEVIANCE AT RKGA LLP Rick Berry slouched over his desk in the audit room at Videonics, his largest year-end client. Busy season was always tough, but this year it seemed even tougher. Since being promoted to senior manager a year and a half ago, Rick felt like he was being even more heavily scrutinized by his partners—including Joe Trumbell, his mentor and long-time friend. While Joe and other partners remained generally complimentary of Rick’s work, they seemed particularly teed up over the work behavior of several staff members of the firm—including some who were on multiple jobs with Rick. When Joe approached Rick and told him that Rick’s proximity to the staffers involved made him the perfect guy to investigate this matter further, Rick accepted the assignment. That was four months ago. The clock on the wall behind him ticked closer to 11:00 p.m. and the faint hum of a vacuum cleaner could be heard down the hall. Rick really wished Joe had asked someone else to shoulder this burden but, unfortunately, he had not—and Rick knew he had a meeting with Joe tomorrow morning to update him on some of his work. He glanced at his notes, and rehashed conversations with firm members and clients during that period: a staffer with a penchant for surfing the web; another who appeared to somewhat regularly ‘‘disappear’’ for brief periods of time during the workday; two others who submitted reimbursement reports with personal...

Words: 7388 - Pages: 30

Premium Essay

The Long Civil Rights Movement

...Randolph, an African American Civil rights and labor leader played an integral role in enabling the legislation that allowed Black Americans economic opportunity that they had so desperately been alienated from. Randolph most notably began his political work with creating the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in 1925 and pushing for the rights of Black workers on that organization. He successfully unified a disparate and disaffected population of Black workers who had been largely excluded from major labor union organizations (Marable, 9). The Railway Labor Act of 1926 was a law that “granted collective bargaining rights to railway workers but excluded service workers such as porters, cooks, and waiters”( Marable, 16). This exclusion effectively disempowered Black workers, who were the primary demographic of these railway service workers, from furthering any economic improvements. Randolph, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and with the help of the American Federation League and Senator Robert F Wagner successfully lobbied legislators to remove this exclusion in 1935 (Marable, 16). This victory continued the legislative gains that civil rights groups...

Words: 1455 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Coffee Shop

...Table of Contents 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 2.0 SITUATION ANALYSIS 4 2.1 PESTEL ANALYSIS 6 Political 6 Economic……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6 Technology 7 Environmental/Ecosystem 7 2.2 PORTER’S FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS 8 High threat of new entrant to the market 9 Medium bargaining power of suppliers 9 Medium -high bargaining power of customers 9 Low threat of substitute products and high level of competition. 9 2.3 SWOT ANALYSIS 10 STRENGTHS 10 WEAKNESS 10 OPPORTUNITIES 10 THREATS 10 2.4 SWOT MATRIX 11 2.5 COMPETITION 12 MARKET LEADERS 12 3.0 KEY ISSUES IDENTIFIED 14 3.1 ASSUMPTIONS 15 4.0 OBJECTIVES TO BE PURSUED 15 4.1 The Keys to Success of the business 15 4.2 Mission Statement 16 4.3 Company Summary 16 4.4 Unique Selling point: 16 5.0 MARKET SEGMENTATION ,TARGETING AND POSITIONING. 17 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this report is to conduct a three years marketing plan for Fortune coffee and cake shop which is a family business. The family is interested in setting up a retail outlet at 200 King Street, Aberdeen because of the closeness to University of Aberdeen, Unite student hostel, Robert Gordon University student hostel and the presence of corporate offices like First Nation bus headquarters, Police Scotland office and others. The major sources of information and data are textbooks, journals, internet and personal interview. The marketing plan is divided into four sections: the situation analysis...

Words: 3277 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

Heyy

...organizations and the business environment, strategic planning, international business, and quality assurance. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS Required Resources Kelly, M., McGowen, J., & Williams, C. (2014). BUSN (6th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. (Note: This is a textbook uniquely created for Strayer and can only be purchased via Strayer’s Virtual Bookstore, available through iCampus. The chapters within this custom textbook are the same as those from the national title, only rearranged in a different order.) Supplemental Resources Asare, S. K., & Wright, A. M. (2012). Investors’, auditors’, and lenders’ understanding of the message conveyed by the standard audit report on financial statements. Accounting Horizon, 26(2), 193-217. Aytaç, G., & Turan, O. Z. (2012). Issues of business ethics in domestic and international businesses: A critical study. International Journal of Business Administration, 3(5), 82-88. Bulu, I., Radojicic, M., & Nesic, Z. (2012). Some considerations on modern aspects of marketing promotion. Technics Technologies Education Management, 7(4), 1741-1750. Franks, R. A., & Spalding, A. D. (2013). Business ethics as an accreditation requirement: A knowledge mapping approach. Business Education & Accreditation, 5(1), 17-30. Pathak, A. (2012). Understanding Michael Porter: The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy. Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, 37(2), 153-155. Singh, K., P. (2012). Management of business...

Words: 913 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Education

...Transformational leadership in nursing practice Owen Doody and Catriona M Doody Traditionally, nurses have been over-managed and led inadequately, yet today they face unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Organisations constantly face changes that require an increasingly adaptive and flexible leadership. This type of adaptive leadership is referred to as ‘transformational’; under it, environments of shared responsibilities that influence new ways of knowing are created. Transformational leadership motivates followers by appealing to higher ideas and moral values, where the leader has a deep set of internal values and ideas. This leads to followers acting to sustain the greater good, rather than their own interests, and supportive environments where responsibility is shared. This article focuses on transformational leadership and its application to nursing through the four components of transformational leadership. These are: idealised influence; inspirational motivation; intellectual stimulation; and individual consideration. Key words: Transformational leadership n Nursing n Motivation n Staff support n Personal qualities ffectivenursingleadershipisavehiclethroughwhich healthcare delivery and consumer demands can be fulfilled. Traditionally, nurses were over-managed andinadequatelyled;theynowfaceunprecedented challengesandopportunities(BowlesandBowles,2000). Thenotionofleadershipisconstantlychanging,withmany theoriesandframeworksavailable...

Words: 5120 - Pages: 21

Free Essay

Assignment 3 Reflection

...Transformational leadership in nursing practice Owen Doody and Catriona M Doody Traditionally, nurses have been over-managed and led inadequately, yet today they face unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Organisations constantly face changes that require an increasingly adaptive and flexible leadership. This type of adaptive leadership is referred to as ‘transformational’; under it, environments of shared responsibilities that influence new ways of knowing are created. Transformational leadership motivates followers by appealing to higher ideas and moral values, where the leader has a deep set of internal values and ideas. This leads to followers acting to sustain the greater good, rather than their own interests, and supportive environments where responsibility is shared. This article focuses on transformational leadership and its application to nursing through the four components of transformational leadership. These are: idealised influence; inspirational motivation; intellectual stimulation; and individual consideration. Key words: Transformational leadership n Nursing n Motivation n Staff support n Personal qualities ffectivenursingleadershipisavehiclethroughwhich healthcare delivery and consumer demands can be fulfilled. Traditionally, nurses were over-managed andinadequatelyled;theynowfaceunprecedented challengesandopportunities(BowlesandBowles,2000). Thenotionofleadershipisconstantlychanging,withmany theoriesandframeworksavailable...

Words: 5120 - Pages: 21

Premium Essay

Westpac Strategic Report

...Company Report: Strategy Evaluation 8 February 2013 Table of Contents Executive Summary 3 Industry: Banking and Financial Services in Australia 4 Overview 4 PESTLE 5 Porter’s Five Forces of Competition 6 Firm: Westpac 7 Overview 7 McKinsey’s 7 S Framework 7 Competition Analysis 11 Blue Ocean Analysis 13 SMSF and Strategy Recommendations 13 What is a SMSF? 13 Three tiers of Non-Customers 13 Strategic Canvas – SMSF 14 3 Keys to Success: Tagline, Focus and Differentiation 14 Option 1 14 VRIO 15 Option 2 15 VRIO 15 Appendix 17 Industry Analysis Charts 17 Porters 5 Forces Analysis Detail 20 Westpac Strategic Priorities 22 Material issues 23 Executive Summary Westpac Bank is Australia’s first Bank, founded in 1817 and is currently one of the “big four” group of lending banks in Australia. Listed on the stock exchange in 1970, Westpac has a history of acquisitions, notably the recent (2008) purchase of St George, which contributes 19% of Westpac’s Cash Earnings. Westpac has a market capitalisation of $76.5 billion in an industry with an overall value of $208.6 billion, or roughly 10% of Australia’s GDP. The financial services industry in Australia is an Oligopoly, with the big four banks accounting for over 80% of the market. A mature market, players are converging, and the industry is forecast to grow at around 8% year on year to 2018. Competition in this industry is fierce, though there is also speculation that there may be significant price signaling...

Words: 6332 - Pages: 26

Premium Essay

Strategic Analysis

...impact of the recent ‘crisis’, the complexity of each industry forms a demanding context that affects consistently both the internal and external environment of organizations. As a result, the majority of the firms need to maintain their competitive advantage. However, a firm have to constantly increase the value of their products offered to clients in order to sustain their competitive advantage (Barney, 2008), as well as being profitable in order to exist (Egan, 1998). The industries can be described as a set of external and internal environment so, every firm is affected by external environment such as the market, client, etc and the internal environment including the employees of the firm, contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers etc. (Kelly and Bowles, 2006). The key research question is to investigate what are the forces...

Words: 4118 - Pages: 17

Premium Essay

Pest Analysis Case Study E-Shop

...of the recent ‘crisis’, the complexity of each industry forms a demanding context that affects consistently both the internal and external environment of organizations. As a result, the majority of the firms need to maintain their competitive advantage. However, a firm have to constantly increase the value of their products offered to clients in order to sustain their competitive advantage (Barney, 2008), as well as being profitable in order to exist (Egan, 1998). The industries can be described as a set of external and internal environment so, every firm is affected by external environment such as the market, client, etc and the internal environment including the employees of the firm, contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers etc. (Kelly and Bowles, 2006). The key research question is to investigate what are the forces affecting the organization’s macro business context. The purpose of the study is practical and will be conducted in order to examine the forces affecting the organization’s macro business...

Words: 4087 - Pages: 17

Premium Essay

Finance

...impact of the recent ‘crisis’, the complexity of each industry forms a demanding context that affects consistently both the internal and external environment of organizations. As a result, the majority of the firms need to maintain their competitive advantage. However, a firm have to constantly increase the value of their products offered to clients in order to sustain their competitive advantage (Barney, 2008), as well as being profitable in order to exist (Egan, 1998). The industries can be described as a set of external and internal environment so, every firm is affected by external environment such as the market, client, etc and the internal environment including the employees of the firm, contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers etc. (Kelly and Bowles, 2006). The key research question is to investigate what are the forces...

Words: 4118 - Pages: 17

Premium Essay

Strategy

...Introduction Part A Economic Regulation Part B Ratio Analysis Decision making techniques Part C Benefits and Limitations of Budgeting and Planning SDCCC Reflection Appendices Analysis for Ratio Sample Income and Expenditure Balance Sheet Proposed Monthly Review Introduction In 2000 the National Development Plan in Ireland allocated funding to the development of childcare with the specific aim of improving the quality, and increasing childcare provision and places through the introduction of a more coordinated approach. As a result thirty three County Childcare Committees, (CCC) were formed in the Republic of Ireland, each with an agreed set of objectives for the various county/areas. They are currently under the Office for the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA) which was set up by the Government in December 2005. On Wednesday, 9th March 2011, the establishment of a new ‘Department of Children’ was announced, together with the appointment of a new minister. This is on the back of a general election in February 2011, where a new coalition government was voted into power. This means that there could be extensive changes as a new program for government is announced and introduced. As this Office will now become a government department in its own right, it reflects the prioritization that childhood development is now taking in modern Ireland. However as the new Department has not been fully established I will use the previous...

Words: 6185 - Pages: 25