Literature Survey on Project Cost Management

Literature Survey on Project Cost Management Introduction to coursework Introduction of Literature Survey Literature survey is a surface level of literature review, which typically a major part of the introduction of a research paper. The literature survey can be defined as the process of analyzing, summarizing, organizing, and presenting novel conclusions from the result of technical review based on scholarly articles that has been published (Espanta, 2013). By doing the literature survey it will help the researcher to identify their research topic. Literature survey is the way how the researchers make their research. According to Oxford Dictionaries, research means the systematic investigation into and review of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. Most of the researchers define that the literature review is a collection of summaries of papers or an elaborated annotated bibliography of multiple research manuscripts. Other than that, a quotation from Levy and Ellis (2006) said that literature survey is the use of ideas in the literature in order to justify the particular approach to the topic, the selection of methods, and demonstration that this research contributes something new. In this case, project cost management is the topic of my literature survey and as a sub-topic in project management. It is important for me to view literature which is appropriate to my topic and at the same time will help me to know and learned about project cost and why it is important in project management. Objective of Literature Survey The purpose of the literature survey is to draw on and critique previous studies in an orderly, precise and logical manner (Coughlan, 2013). Most of the literature survey is shown the research fits in the existing knowledge that helping the researcher to understand the topic of the survey, the strength and the weaknesses of the research. Besides that, the reason why we do the literature survey is to substantiating the problems from the previous research which related to what is needed to be known. Other than that, some of the problems in the research paper are not totally solved by the researcher due to the lack of information and sources from the participant. Because of that, a good literature survey will help to extract and evaluate the issues that have emerged from previous work in order to overcome the problems. The objective of literature survey in the project management subject is to analyze and identify the previous work on project cost management in order to produce a summary of the knowledge on this topic. Once an initial overview has been done, it is necessary to critique and framing the new research methodologies, approach, goals, and research questions for the proposed survey of this topic. Approach of Literature Survey Before starting the literature survey, we need to determine the types of approaches that we want to use in our study. There are two approaches in the literature survey which is quantitative and qualitative studies. Quantitative research studies are usually driven by the context of previous knowledge, with specific research questions in mind based on conducting a broad literature review before data collection commences (Coughlan, 2013). While the qualitative studies is typically adopt a less structured approach to do a literature review at the outset (Coughlan, 2013). To get a broad of information about research question or topic of interest, we must be honest in using the input based on data that has been collected. This approach is more focusing on emerging of the data rather than pre-existing knowledge. The approach that I will use in this literature survey is more quantitative studies. Quantitative studies are easier and faster compared to qualitative studies where need a lot of time to complete the task. By summarizing, comparing and contrasting the findings of the previous task, and offering new idea is much easier to evaluate rather than describe it. Discussion of the selected review topic: Introduction of project cost management Almost all the projects that have been planned by an organization need to be guided properly in order to receive the expected output and can achieve the goals at the end of the project. In project management there are has of triple constraint that must be faced by the project team especially project manager. The three constraints in project management are scope goal, cost goal, and time goal. The control of various costs is a very important task for any project where the project manager needs to oversee. The project managers is the person that is striving to meet the triple constraint by balancing these three goals in order to meet the project goals. In this literature survey is more focusing on the topic of project cost management. Oxford Business English Dictionary defines costs as an amount of money that we need in order to buy, make or do something. Other than that, in the accounting field, cost is the large amount money that a company need to pay, which affects its financial results. As we know, money is a resource that we need and used to achieve a specific objective. Because of that, it is important for project managers to understand clearly about project cost management in order to achieve the budget goals. Project cost management includes the process required to ensure that a project team finish the project within an approved budget (Schwalbe, 2011). The most responsible person in project team is project managers because he or she need to ensure that their projects are well managed, have accurate time and cost estimates, and have a realistic budget which has been approved. According to Project Management Professional (PMP), a successful project manager must be able to plan, predict a budget, and control the costs of a project. Project cost control state that the effectiveness of project management depends on the project manager itself. If the project manager fails to manage this aspect, it can be difficult to handle because the project manager would essentially determine whether can or not the organization make a profit or face a loss. A factor that is common in Project Cost Management Project Resources The common factors that have been discussed on project cost management is project resources. This is because all the project resources involve the cost in project management. Thats why project resources need to be pointed in order to complete each project. Resources is most important things to be considered in project management as a part of the planning process where the project manager must determine what resources are needed. To complete the project all the resources are required is such as labor, materials, supplies, equipment, and contingency and escalation. (Source: Project Management Professional) The project manager needs to consider with internal and external resource in organizations, the capacity, and demand while planning the resources. Besides that, the project manager also must know what resource utilization, realization, and profitability for the project. At the same time, the project manager needs to identify on how each resource is utilized on the project, program, or business area. Because of that, resource planning is the first aspects that the project manager needs to handle in order to complete the project. A factor that is similar in Project Cost Management Project cost management process The financial and human resources that are required in cost management in order to complete a project within an approved budget. Cost management can be defined as the application of management accounting concepts, methods of data collection, analysis and presentation in order to cater the information needed to plan, monitor and control costs (Frank, 2011). According to Frank, Schwalbe, Richard, and Mohammad, there are three processes in project cost management that are used by them and which described in the PMBOK Guide: Estimate costs The first steps in cost management is to estimate the costs of human resources and physical resources for each activity in the project. Cost estimating can be defined as a process of calculating all the resources costs that involved in the project work. The main outputs of the cost estimating process are activity cost estimates, basis of estimates, and project document updates (Schwalbe, 2011). This step often occurs in the planning phase and it is important for project managers to understand the estimated cost of each activity. Determine budget The next step in project cost management is to create a realistic project budget. In the project budgeting process, the main outputs is cost performance baseline, project funding requirement and project document updates. The process of determining the budget should involve the overall cost estimates to individual work items for establishing a baseline for measuring performance. A good project budget will help the project manager to make decisions based on the schedule and resource allocation. Control costs The last process in project cost management is controlling the costs. Controlling costs is a process to control the changes of the project budget. The project manager needs to regularly monitor and measure the performance of the budget and revise forecasts as required for effective cost controls. The main output at the end of the cost control process are work performance measurements, budget forecasts, organizational process asset updates, change requests, project management plan updates, and project document updates. A factor that is difference in Project Cost Management Resource Planning The use of resource planning is to identify all of the required resources in the project. It is very important in project management because it will help the project manager to examining the project work and determining what are the resources, people, and equipment are needed to complete the project. Besides that, resource planning also are used to identify the expected quantity of the needed resources so the predicted cost can be calculated. Based on the survey that has been done some of the survey stated different item in resource planning. According to Richard, he stated that the resource planning inputs is consist of six that are enterprise environmental factors, organizational process assets, activity attributes, resource availability, and project management plan. The tools and technique that are used are expert judgment, alternative analysis, published estimate data, project management software, and bottom-up estimate. Finally, the output to resource planning resource requirements, activity attributes update, resource breakdown structure (WBS), resource calendar update, and requested changes. (Source: Richard) Based on Project Management Professional (PMP), the input to resource planning consist of six, which is work breakdown structure (WBS), historical information, scope statement, resource pool description, organizational policies, and activity duration estimates. The tool and techniques that are used is based on expert judgment, alternative identification, and project management software. And resource requirement is the output of this resource planning. (Source: Project Management Professional) A factor that is unique in Project Cost Management Costs Control Techniques Based on a survey that has been done, there are several of the valuable and primary techniques used in order to get an efficiency and effectiveness of project cost control: Planning the Project Budget The project manager needs to convince when make a budget at the beginning of the planning session with regard to the project resources. By planning the budget, it will help the project manager to identify all payments that need to be made and costs that will occur during the project life cycle. Keeping a Track of Costs The second technique is keeping track of all actual costs to prepare a budget based on time. This technique will help the project manager to detect all the budget of a project in each of its phases. Besides that, it will be easier for the project manager to work with the team members. Effective Time Management Effective time management technique is an important technique to be applied by the project manager because can help to remind the project team of the deadlines of the project in order to make sure that the project is completed on time. Project Change Control By having the project change control system, it can help to find any possible changes that could happen during the project. Use of Earned Value Earned value is the accounting technique that helpful for large projects in any quick change. Conclusion Project cost management is a traditionally weak area of IT projects, and project managers must work to their ability to convey the projects within approved budgets (Schwalbe, 2011). The aim of a cost management system is to assign direct costs and allocated indirect costs to products and services (Frank, 2011). Based on the survey that has been done by the researcher, most of the topics that discussed in project cost management is quite similar and interrelated. For example, the importance of project cost, and the basic project cost management principle, concept, and terms. Besides that, all the research has stated that the project manager is an important and responsible person in project teams. To be a project manager, we must acknowledge the importance of cost management and take responsibility for understanding basic concepts, cost estimating, budgeting, and cost control. If we have the ability in all this aspect so that we can be a project manager. As a conclusion, this literature survey has provided a comprehensive picture of the knowledge relates to my topic which is project cost management. It also helps me with provides justification for the proposed research by right information. In addition, a good review will interpret and critically obtain the pertinent findings and issues that have emerged from previous work. Therefore, the literature survey needs to be done in the context of all information related to my topic. At the same time, it can help me to encourage and create new ideas by highlighting inconsistencies in current knowledge. References Coughlan, M. (2013). What is a literature review?. Retrieved March 29, 2014, from http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/55172_Coughlan.pdf Espanta. (2013). Literature review versus literature survey. What is the difference?. Retrieved March 29, 2014, from http://academia.stackexchange.com /15080/literature-review-versus-literature-survey-what-is-the-difference. Frank, H. M. (2011). Public sector cost management practices in the Netherlands. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 24(6), 492-506. Levy, Y. and Ellis, T. J. (2006). A systems approach to conduct an effective literature review in support of information system research. Informing Science Journal, (9), 181-212. Mohammad A. Rajabi. Chapter 7: Project Cost Management (PMBOK Guide). Retrieved April 4, 2014, from http://www.marajabi.com/PMBOK/Chapter07. pdf Parkinson,D., Noble,J. (2005). Oxford business English dictionary: For learners of English. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press. Project cost control. Retrieved April 1, 2014, from http://www.tutorialspoint.com/ management_concepts/project_cost_control.htm Project management professional (PMP): 7 Introducing Project Cost Management. Retrieved April 3, 2014, from http://www.euroi.ktu.lt/lt/images/stories/ Paskaitos/ch07.pdf Research: Definition of research in Oxford dictionary (British World English). (n.d.). RetrievedMarch27, 2014, from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/ definition/english/research Richard, B. Project cost management. RetrievedApril4, 2014, from http://www2. parkland.edu/businesstraining/documents/CostMgmt_000.pdf Schwalbe,K (2011). Managing Information technology projects. (6thed.). Cambridge, Ma: Course Technology.

Product Level Planning

Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Market analysis 3 SWOT Analysis 4-7 Objectives 7 Marketing Strategy 8 Action Program 9 Financial Projection 10 Feedback & Control 10 Conclusion 11 References 11 Executive Summery Cement Industry is highly important segment of Bangladesh’s Industrial sector & Plays a vital role in socio-economic development.Although cement industry of Bangladesh has witnessed its ups & down in recent past but in last decade it has recovered & now it’s a self-sufficient industry of Bangladesh not only fulfilling domestic needs of Bangladesh also exporting a huge amount of cement to other countries, bringing foreign reserves & help in up lifting Bangladesh’s GDP. Bangladesh is currently operating at their maximum capacity due to the boom in commercial & industrial construction within Bangladesh.In this report I have selected ‘Anchor' cement, Olympic Cement Ltd (OCL) of ‘Khansons Group’ simply called gray cement & we will descr ibe how they do product planning for that? Khansons Group has extended its industrial arena by putting-up a clinker grinding cement plant named as ‘Olympic Cement Ltd'. The plant is located at Rupatoli, Barisal all in a row along with its textile industries. The finished product (cement) has been branded as ‘Anchor' & the same has become popular in the local market. This cement project commenced its initial production at 800 tpd and gradually increased the production to the level of 1,600 tpd.Olympic Cement Ltd (OCL) is one & only cement factory which has targeted to meet the entire demand of cement in Southern Bengal. As a result, OCL has concentrated its sales on a soaring trend by increasing production volume. OCL is maintaining the reputation of its quality product and aiming at the extended project in days to come. Current Market Situation Overall Market Situation Bangladesh cement industry is the 40th largest market in the world. There are 70+ cement factories in B angladesh and daily production capacity is 16. 687 Million MT.In January 2012, Bangladesh’s Export Promotion Bureau released data confirming that cement exports had witnessed a 21% increase in the first seven months of the current fiscal year (July 2011 – January 2012). The boost in the cement sector is because of the rising construction activity in the country & increasing development expenditure by the govt. Due to this the sales of cement sector will also rise every year. Product Situation Since Cement is a specialized product, requiring sophisticated infrastructure & production location, so, Most of the cement industries in Bangladesh are located near/within a river side that are rich in clay.Iron & mineral capacity so ‘Anchor’ cement is situated near to the bank of river ‘Kirton Khola’. Anchor cement installed capacity is 1,600 tpd at present with the turnover of 50 crore in a year. Competitive Situation: In competitive situation we will describe all the competitors of Anchor Cement producing gray cement. There are 70 + firms in the market along with Anchor Cement. All these companies are using different marketing tactics to grape as much market share as possible but they are acting like a cartel under the tree of APCMA.They are producing same quality of cement with all most same price and features that’s why competition in the market is very tough for local as well as foreign market. All are using same bulk & penetration strategies to cover major portion of the market. Some are using cost leadership strategy but due to cartel act behavior they are not getting the target results that they want to achieve. Currently Crown cement is the market leader while Anchor cement is a niche in the national market but it is the leader in the local market of Barisal & southern part of Bangladesh. Distribution Situation:Anchor Cement Company uses different channels of distributions to transfer the gray cement from company t o the different part of Bangladesh. †¢ACC > Whole Sellers > Retailor> Customer †¢ACC > Retailors> Customer †¢ACC > Customer †¢ACC > Regional Offices > w/s Retailors Macro-Environmental Situation Macro environmental factors directly or indirectly effect the production of the company & its market. Macro- Environmental factors are the factors that are not in the control of the company. These factors are†¦.. 1. Political 2. Law & order situation 3. Cultural values 4. Technological change . Demographic trends 6. Economic Condition 7. Inflation Opportunity & Issue Analysis After completing the market analysis now we will do analysis of opportunities & issues for the ACC. Opportunity is a chance of progress or advancement that is available in the market & the company has to avail it for the progress and profitability while issues are the weakness or threat for the company to avoid or settled down. For this purpose we have to do SWOT analysis of ACC. Strength of ACC Strengths are the internal positive factors of advantage that a company possesses. Following is the strength of ACC. Installed Capacity: Installed capacity of company is 16. 687 Million MT daily & they are producing 6007. 32 MT per annum so they can exceed the production easily by proper implementing their marketing mix strategies & it will directly increase profits of the company. oRaw Material: Anchor Cement Company is situated near the bank of the river kirtonkhola. So they can easily avail the huge reserve of raw materials with a very low cost as compare to other competitors’ as their cost of material is high. oHigh Quality of ACC: Quality of ACC is much better than the standard set by Bangladesh & importers.Quality of production is better than most of the competitors in the market. oCheap Labor: They are using cheap labor market of Bangladesh which is strength of them & due to this their price is low as compare to other compotators. oGood Govt. Policies: Local & federal govts. Policies are supportive & favorable to the cement sector. They are getting many benefits in term of electricity etc from BD govt. So over all ACC is enjoying good environment created by Government. Weakness of ACC Weaknesses are the internal negative factors of a company that should be avoided or to be controlled.Following are the negative factors of ACC. oNot Utilization of Full Capacity: ACC is not utilizing its full capacity of production of gray cement. They can produce more per annum so not utilizing their full capacity is also their disadvantage which they should convert it into opportunity. oFuel & Electricity Charges: ACC cost comprises more than 50% costs of fuel & electricity. So they should minimize these expenses as much as they can. It can really help them in uplifting their market share & growth & profit as well. They can convert their system or can generate their own electricity by investing in this sector. Management: ACC major boards of directors are from th e same family which is also a negative factor of them. So they should introduce competent personnel’s in the company for the growth. oFreight Charges: Freight or transportation charges to other parts of the country are also a problem for them which should be settled down as soon as possible. They should minimize their expenses to avail greater markets present in other parts of Bangladesh. Opportunities for ACC Opportunities are chances for progress or advancement that is available in the market and the company has to avail it for the progress and profitability.These are positive external factors. Following are the opportunities available for ACC. oGovernment Development Expenditure: Govt: is spending huge amount on development projects like roads, schools, hospitals, dams & infrastructure etc. ACC can avail these opportunities by responding on time to these projects. oConstruction of Big projects: Recently there are many big projects are going on Bangladesh like construction of Jamuna future park, many high rise buildings etc, also in nationwide & in Barisal.ACC should explore all these opportunities to increase its market share. oDemand of Bangladeshi Cement: Recently Bangladeshi cement demand is increasing day by day in foreign markets so ACC can improve its foreign market share. This will be very favorable & profitable for them. Threats for ACC Threats are the negative factors that are available in the external environments. These are unhidden threats that are waiting for & company should be ready or prepared to tickle down all these threats for their existence & survival. Following are the threats available for ACC. High Energy Prices: Energy prices are constantly increasing in Bangladesh & worldwide which is directly affecting the profitability of ACC because major portion of cost consists of fuel & energy expenses so they should find out alternative source of energy to minimize the cost of goods. oHigh level of Taxes & Custom duty: High level of c ost & custom duty are affecting its profitability. So govt. should take constructive steps for the development of the industries. oCompetitors: There are 70+ firms in cement industry which make the competition very tough.Each firm is striving to get as much share as they can and they are using different tactics to excel their sales. So, ACC should take proper steps for its growth while taking into consideration all the Competitors. oPolitical Instability: It is also a main threat for ACC because it brings changes in laws & regulation accordingly. Objectives After analyzing all the factors now we will set the objectives or targets we can say, for ACC that is going to be achieved in the next financial year of the company. Our objectives should be ? Specific ?Measurable ?Achievable ?Realistic ?Time bound There are 2 kinds of objectives which are: Financial Objectives †¢Marketing Objectives Financial Objectives: Financial objectives are related with the financial performance of the company or simply objectives that relate to finance. Following are the financial objectives that we can set for ACC for 2013. ?Profit after taxes should be 60 crore ?Cash flow should be 10% high Marketing Objectives Financial objectives should be convertible to marketing objectives. Marketing objectives are related to market or overall industry. Following are the marketing objectives of ACC. Sales should be 50% high Exports should be 40% Average price should be up to 450 pgSales of 5,00,000 tons should be achieved in 2013 Expand the number of dealers Market share should be up to 5% Marketing Strategies Strategies are the game plan or road map to achieve the objectives set by the company by utilizing its resources. Following are the marketing strategies that should be used: oNew Markets New markets in outside & inside of the country should be achieved. oDistribution outlets Distribution outlets or big distributors must be located in all the targeted markets. oAdvertisement 2% budget should be allocated for advertisement campaign on bill boards & certain media channel. Low pricing strategy Low pricing strategy should be adopted as compared to competitors. oAlliance Alliances should be made with distributors & realtors in important markets & preference should be given to them. oSales force Sale force or sales agents should also be hired in remote areas with 5-8% commission. oMarket Research 10% Budget should be allocated to market research to know competitors, customer behavior & new markets. oLower cost of goods strategy Cost of the cement should be low down to earn maximum profit Action Programs Marketing strategies should be supported with action programs or day to day plans.Each strategy should be broken down in to small programs or action that can easily be implemented. It tells us that which marketing strategy is to be completed by whom, when how & what will be the cost of that? ?Sales department have to do 25 crore sales after every 4 months. ?Production department have to produce 0. 25 million tons after every 4 months. ?Purchase department should purchase furnace oil & raw materials 5% less as compared to previous year. ?Management should reduce unproductive expenses @10% as compared to last year. ?Other incomes should be increased up to 10 crore as compared to last year. Marketing department should achieve their target within given budget on the basis of six months. Financial Projections †¢Following are the overall projection for year 2013. In millionsIncrease Sales500060% Cgs (Cost of goods sold)(3200)36% Gross Profit120080% Other Expenses18010% Other Income2040% Profit Before Taxes800 Taxes200 Net Profit60020% Feedback & Control In the last stage of product level planning we will consider does the company actually achieved its objectives or not. In this step we will compare the actual results with the standards set out there in the planning stage.According to the above results & figures ACC has achieved all the targets & g oals efficiently & effectively. They have properly implemented the planning as compared to previous year so they have achieved the level of performance what they want. Even more fruitful results have been achieved. Usually, Anchor Cement Company carries out three types of controlling strategies which are as under.. oAnnual Plan Control ACC usually do audit or check up at the end of year that whether that have achived their annual goals/objectives or not regarding sales, profits, market share & growth etc.They want to know the gap between actual & standard, if found any & then will fix it down in the upcoming period. If they have performed much better then they watch out the reasons behind that to implement forever in the organization. oAudit Control Internal Audit is carried out by the internal auditors. External Audit is carried out by external auditors. oStrategic Control Strategic Control is the step of the last section. In strategic control usually they evaluate whether the Anch or Cement Company marketing strategy is appropriate to the market condition or not.If not they do Changes in it to make implementable in the market. They change their strategy according to the market situation that changes so rapidly. Conclusion From the above analysis we can easily conclude that how a company usually does their product or marketing planning. I pick Anchor Cement Company collect data from different sources (mainly from web) & then make the palling for them accordingly. All the above discussion gives us a bird’s eye view regarding a good product planning that a marketer can do. References http://www. khansonsgroup. com www. scribd. com Marketing Management- Philip Kotler, 11th edition

Feature Writing – Concert Review

Review on Marilyn Manson’s Concert: Rock Am Ring Marilyn Manson is a band looked up upon by millions of teens in desperation and discontent across the world, a band that empathizes; it seems, to their avid fans. Pulling off extravagant pyrotechnic performances with a gothic overall outdo in his concert ‘Rock am Ring’, the band consists of Brian Hugh Warner, the lead vocalist, largely known a ‘Marilyn Manson’ on stage performances, with ever changing background guitarists, drummers, bassists and keyboardists.Manson grew up with never ending ordeals in his life. As a kid, he witnessed the sadomasochism sexual fetishes of his grandfather, forming traumatizing images of disturbance and disgust as he grew up. In his elementary Christian school years, he was taunted and constantly brought to the epitome of shame and embarrassment by people he called friends; this episode formed his mindset of the antichrist. Having dwelled in the darkest corners amidst grow ing up, the memories of Mason’s past left him deranged and helpless with fear; something he never grew out of.Set side by side American icons alike that of Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson- ironically alike characters of life, it is a band that reveals the terrible and crude circumstances of life, and very much so, the pains of growing up and having grown up. Donned in heavy, gothic make up and apparel, Manson’s music genre consists mainly of heavy metal, shock rock, and industrial metal, containing subliminal messages of intoxication, hate, suicide and sexually explicit content like that of sadomasochism and all that alike.Marilyn Manson’s performance took place on 1st June 2012, in Nurburgring; Germany. Along with thousands of other avid fans on scene anxiously waiting at the entrance of the concert, I felt no less nervous on the impending performance that drew closer with each passing second. Marilyn Manson’s appearance, I knew then, would be no less majestic like I have imagined prior to the concert. True enough, it only took mere seconds before the outburst of cheers and roars throughout the crowd with Manson’s appearance n stage. Throwing forward the signature ‘rock and roll’ hand sign- the mass of audience followed suit, in heated ‘worship’ and fervor. The live performance was like no other and the stage display was nothing less than immaculate. On the main vocals was Marilyn Manson himself, having Twiggy Ramirez on the guitar, Fred Sablan on the bass and Jason Sutter on the drums. The first song â€Å"Hey Cruel World† kicked off and I felt the immediate rush of excitement surge through my body.Alike the usual heavy rock concerts, the crowd started head banging to the music as the guitarist introduced the song, moshing in hype of their enjoyment, forming the ‘ring of death’ , a trademark where people run towards each other in an apparent attack through the slamming of bodi es, eventually running in a circle. Crowd surfing was the run-of-the-mill in every concert, and Manson’s concert was no exception.The exhilaration of the atmosphere seeped right through me, and I couldn’t help but to throw my hands up, madly jumping to the beats. Delving in on the second song â€Å"Great Big White World† with his raspy voice, the song spoke of individualism opposing conformity in this chaotic age. As the crowd echoed after the lyrics of the song â€Å"But I’m not attached to your world and nothing heals and nothing grows†, I immediately felt the true connection from the crowd to his music.The props on stage used by the band helped the focus of the theme of the concert and Manson’s artistic visions displayed in the concert pushed the hype to its climax, stretching the limits of onstage music performances having a few songs sung even better than his studio recording. This was a definite media-grabbing show as Manson brought ou t the best in his music, proving his fans right of their loyalty. Personally, growing up was a process like that of torment, the various events and experiences I had gradually landed me in a severe depression – something that I never managed to pull myself out of.His lyrics in songs like ‘Coma White’ and ‘Tourniquet’ are two songs that outwardly describe the feelings I never found words to say. From â€Å"All the drugs in this world, won’t save her from herself† to â€Å"Take your hatred out on me, make your victim my head, you never ever believe in me, I am your tourniquet†, the former being lyrics in ‘Coma White’ and the latter from ‘Tourniquet’. Being one of the many fans of Marilyn Manson, I find correlation in his music to my life.These lyrics depict much of my aloneness and frustration, how my parents never took pride in me- something every child needs from their parents. Growing up for me was like an everyday battle, each day only getting tougher and harsher. Though the explicit content portrayed in Manson’s music can be considered a blasphemy for many religious masses, I believe the lyrics in the music of Manson’s concert are a correlation to the many lives of the 21st century, a melodramatic century where the oxymoron of peace and chaos coexist.Each singer and songwriter is only so in due to their emotions and feelings, their past experiences and their learning lessons in life. I believe that music in any form, are life’s most soulful expressions, one where dreams and life’s stories are penned and sung, where pain and happiness is held on to and let go of. Through this concert, I finally understood the true influence of music and its lyrics, how the lyrics of a song can be the correlation to life’s worst tragedies and most blessed moments.Thus, in weightage of the pros and cons of music and its influence, I end with the consensus, that an y genre of music can bring out the deepest unsaid words and emotions of a person, either helping, defining, or ruining a person, all depending on how the written lyrics speak to each individual and how each individual chooses to bring it forward. This review article is intended for the Metal Hammer magazine, as I feel that it would probably be a good addition into the columns of concert reviews and interviews. (Word Count: 1029)

Dachau The First Nazi Concentration Camp

Auschwitz might be the most infamous camp in the Nazi system of terror, but it was not the first. The first concentration camp was Dachau, which was established on March 20, 1933, in the southern German town of the same name (10 miles northwest of Munich). Although Dachau was initially established to hold political prisoners of the Third Reich, only a minority of whom were Jews, Dachau soon grew to hold a large and diverse population of people targeted by the Nazis. Under the oversight of Nazi Theodor Eicke, Dachau became a model concentration camp, a place where SS guards and other camp officials went to train. Building the Camp The first buildings in the Dachau concentration camp complex consisted of the remnants of an old World War I munitions factory that was in the northeastern portion of the town. These buildings, with a capacity of about 5,000 prisoners, served as the main camp structures until 1937, when prisoners were forced to expand the camp and demolish the original buildings. The â€Å"new† camp, completed in mid-1938, was composed of 32 barracks and was designed to hold 6,000 prisoners. The camp population, however, was usually grossly over that number. Electrified fences were installed and seven watchtowers were placed around the camp. At the entrance of Dachau was placed a gate topped with the infamous phrase, Arbeit Macht Frei (Work Sets You Free†). Since this was a concentration camp and not a death camp, there were no gas chambers installed at Dachau until 1942, when one was built but not used. First Prisoners The first prisoners arrived in Dachau on March 22, 1933, two days after the acting Munich Chief of Police and Reichsfà ¼hrer SS Heinrich Himmler announced the camp’s creation. Many of the initial prisoners were Social Democrats and German Communists, the latter group having been blamed for the February 27 fire at the German parliament building, the Reichstag. In many instances, their imprisonment was a result of the emergency decree that Adolf Hitler proposed and President Paul Von Hindenberg approved on February 28, 1933. The Decree for the Protection of the People and the State (commonly called the Reichstag Fire Decree) suspended the civil rights of German civilians and prohibited the press from publishing anti-government materials. Violators of the Reichstag Fire Decree were frequently imprisoned in Dachau in the months and years after it was put into effect. By the end of the first year, there had been 4,800 registered prisoners in Dachau. In addition to the Social Democrats and Communists, the camp also held trade unionists and others who had objected to the Nazis rise to power. Although long-term imprisonment and resulting death were common, many of the early prisoners (prior to 1938) were released after serving their sentences and were declared rehabilitated. Camp Leadership The first commandant of Dachau was SS official Hilmar Wà ¤ckerle. He was replaced in June 1933 after being charged with murder in the death of a prisoner. Although Wà ¤ckerle’s eventual conviction was overturned by Hitler, who declared concentration camps out of the realm of the law, Himmler wanted to bring in new leadership for the camp. Dachau’s second commandant, Theodor Eicke, was quick to establish a set of regulations for daily operations in Dachau that would soon become the model for other concentration camps. Prisoners in the camp were held to a daily routine and any perceived deviation resulted in harsh beatings and sometimes death. Discussion of political views was strictly prohibited and violation of this policy resulted in execution. Those who attempted to escape were put to death as well. Eicke’s work in creating these regulations, as well as his influence on the physical structure of the camp, led to a promotion in 1934 to SS-Gruppenfà ¼hrer and Chief Inspector of the Concentration Camp System. He would go on to oversee the development of the vast concentration camp system in Germany and modeled other camps on his work at Dachau. Eicke was replaced as commandant by Alexander Reiner. Command of Dachau changed hands nine more times before the camp was liberated. Training SS Guards As Eicke established and implemented a thorough system of regulations to run Dachau, Nazi superiors began to label Dachau as the â€Å"model concentration camp.† Officials soon sent SS men to train under Eicke. A variety of SS officers trained with Eicke, most notably the future commandant of the Auschwitz camp system, Rudolf Hà ¶ss. Dachau also served as a training ground for other camp staff. Night of the Long Knives On June 30, 1934, Hitler decided it was time to rid the Nazi Party of those who were threatening his rise to power. In an event that became known as the Night of the Long Knives, Hitler used the growing SS to take out key members of the SA (known as the â€Å"Storm Troopers†) and others he viewed as being problematic to his growing influence. Several hundred men were imprisoned or killed, with the latter being the more common fate. With the SA officially eliminated as a threat, the SS began to grow exponentially. Eicke benefited greatly from this, as the SS was now officially in charge of the entire concentration camp system. Nuremberg Race Laws In September 1935, the Nuremberg Race Laws were approved by officials at the annual Nazi Party Rally. As a result, a slight increase in the number of Jewish prisoners at Dachau occurred when â€Å"offenders† were sentenced to internment in concentration camps for violating these laws. Over time, the Nuremberg Race Laws were also applied to Roma Sinti (gypsy groups) and led to their internment in concentration camps, including Dachau. Kristallnacht During the night of November 9-10, 1938, the Nazis sanctioned an organized pogrom against the Jewish populations in Germany and annexed Austria. Jewish homes, businesses, and synagogues were vandalized and burned. Over 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and approximately 10,000 of those men were then interned in Dachau. This event, called Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), marked the turning point of increased Jewish incarceration in Dachau. Forced Labor In the early years of Dachau, most of the prisoners were forced to perform labor related to the expansion of the camp and the surrounding area. Small industrial tasks were also assigned to make products used in the region. But after World War II broke out, much of the labor effort was transitioned to create products to further the German war effort. By mid-1944, sub-camps began to spring up around Dachau in order to increase war production. In total, over 30 sub-camps, which worked more than 30,000 prisoners, were created as satellites of the Dachau main camp. Medical Experiments Throughout the Holocaust, several concentration and death camps performed forced medical experiments on their prisoners. Dachau was no exception. The medical experiments conducted at Dachau were ostensibly aimed at improving military survival rates and bettering medical technology for German civilians. These experiments were usually exceptionally painful and unneeded. For example, Nazi Dr. Sigmund Rascher subjected some prisoners to high altitude experiments using pressure chambers, while he forced others to undergo freezing experiments so that their reactions to hypothermia could be observed.  Still, other prisoners were forced to drink salt water to determine its drinkability. Many of these prisoners died from the experiments. Nazi Dr. Claus Schilling hoped to create a vaccine for malaria and injected over a thousand prisoners with the disease. Other prisoners at Dachau were experimented on with tuberculosis. Death Marches and Liberation Dachau remained in operation for 12 years—nearly the entire length of the Third Reich. In addition to its early prisoners, the camp expanded to hold Jews, Roma and Sinti, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and prisoners of war (including several Americans.) Three days prior to liberation, 7,000 prisoners, mostly Jews, were forced to leave Dachau on a forced death march that resulted in the death of many of the prisoners. On April 29, 1945, Dachau was liberated by the United States 7th Army Infantry Unit. At the time of liberation, there were approximately 27,400 prisoners who remained alive in the main camp. In total, over 188,000 prisoners had passed through Dachau and its sub-camps. An estimated 50,000 of those prisoners died while imprisoned in Dachau.