Effects of the Slave Trade on West Africa - 1135 Words

DSC Date:12th/3/13 History Assignment Topic: Examine the social, economic and political effects of the slave trade on West Africa The trans- Atlantic slave trade was a system developed in the late 15th century which exploited and brought the African people into enslavement by transporting them to the colonies of the new world where they served their purpose as a ‘’cheap’’ labour force . As a result of this, the slave trade brought about many social, economic and political effects on West Africa. Firstly, the population in West Africa decreased significantly in order to meet the great demand for†¦show more content†¦Great fear of being enslaved developed among many Africans who even abandoned their homes for safety. This gave rise to distrust and divided communities as aggressive tribalism increased and in some cases entire tribes and nations were virtually destroyed. Another effect of the slave trade on West Africa was that it led to cultural diversity. As Europeans (such as the Dutch and Portuguese) began to settle in African states they spread their cultural practices such as language; many African tribes and European languages were mixed thereby forming new languages like ‘swahili’. The slave trade also contributed to spiritual erasure. Certain religious institutions were so focused on meeting the needs of the trade and consequently, became depraved. They developed a deep desire for Europeans goods and this also resulted in a new class of African e ntrepreneurs. The Europeans traded goods such as firearms, iron, horses, cloth and tobacco in return for slaves. And with the supply of these goods, the Africans created businesses by selling the valuable products to the public and received great profits. The trans-Atlantic trade also had several effects on the economy of West Africa. The slave trade resulted in West Africa being robbed of its most valuable raw material, which was its human resource. The economic development of the nation was therefore hindered by exporting and exploiting its human labor force. Additionally, they neglected theirShow MoreRelatedImpact Of Slave Trade On West Africa1055 Words   |  5 PagesIn addition to the impacts of the slave trade on the social history of Africa, there were also major impacts on the political history. Below, three major impacts of the slave trade on the political history of West Africa will be discussed. To begin with, an impact that the slave trade had on West Africa is that it made the area more susceptible to colonization by European powers. There were two main ways in which the slave trade made it easier for European powers to colonize; the ways are the lossRead MoreImpact Of Trans Atlantic Slave Trade On African Societies1314 Words   |  6 PagesFor 300 years, Africa participated in the Atlantic slave trade, providing humans in exchange for other goods. During that 300 years, some twelve million Africans were transported to the Americas. This mass, forced migration had many consequences for Africa, in many aspects of its history. In World History classes—both high school and college— these consequences for Africa are usually omitted, and a more Eurocentric view of the Atlantic slave trade dominates. Because of this, many are not aware ofRead MoreEffects Of The Atlantic Slave Trade On Africa1516 Words   |  7 PagesEffects of the Atlantic Slave Trade on Africa The Atlantic slave trade existed from the 16th to the early 19th century and stimulated trade between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Over 12 million Africans were captured and sold into chattel slavery off the coast of West Africa, and more than 2 million of them died crossing the Atlantic. These outcomes of the slave trade are rarely disputed among historians; the effect of the Atlantic slave trade in Africa, however, is often a topic of debate.Read MoreImpact Of Slave Trade On West Africa1153 Words   |  5 PagesFor 300 years, Africa participated in the Atlantic Slave Trade, providing humans in exchange for other goods. During that 300 years, some twelve million Africans were transported to the Americas. This mass, forced migration had many consequences for Africa, in many aspects of its history. In World History classes—both high school and college— these consequences for Africa are usually omitted, and a more Eurocentric view of the Atlantic Slave Trade domina tes. Because of this, many are not aware ofRead MoreWest Africa during the Nineteenth Century1563 Words   |  7 PagesThe Atlantic slave trade was abolished by the British parliament in 1807. This caused great problems for West African slave traders who had witnessed a period of vast growth in the industry towards the end of the eighteenth century. They now had to focus on more lawful, legitimate means of trading. The types of industry that often replaced the slave trade were produce based, agricultural goods such as palm oil. The potential problems faced by traders were ‘exacerbated by the fact that it coincidedRead MoreImmediate and Far Reaching Effects of the Slave Trade Essay examples614 Words   |  3 Pagestrans-Atlantic slave trade set in motion a series of events that ultimately crippled a continent, and forever change how those of African descent became viewed around the world. The effects of the slave trade were both immediate and far reaching. In this essay I wil l discuss a few of the immediate effects of the slave trade as well as some of it farther reaching consequences. One of the most impactful immediate effects of the slave trade was the effect it had on the population of West Africa. In classRead MorePrimary Source Evaluation Essay1018 Words   |  5 PagesTitle of Primary Source: ACCOUNT OF THE SLAVE TRADE ON THE COAST OF AFRICA by ALEXANDER FALCONBRIDGE The book was published in 1788 -- substantially after the events described took place. The time gap did not seriously affect the main content of the material because the events he describes were very serious and unforgettable ones. He wrote the material at the time he had already been a member of the Anti- Slavery Society leaving room for a little suspicion of his tendency to exaggerate some descriptionsRead MoreThe Effects Of Afrique Engagee On Africa1083 Words   |  5 Pagescountries outside of Africa that played a big role in the Atlantic Slave trade and in the long run caused Africa to have a huge delay in it’s development. This concept includes exports of slaves by sex and age, prices of exports, changes in quantity of slaves, and the products/resources that were big in trade. Afrique Engagà ©e caused Europe to have so much power and success over Africa based on Africa’s goods and people. Emergent Africa, which includes the issue of Africa was just an effect of Afrique Engagà ©eRead MoreThe Atlantic Slave Trade, Commerce Between Asia And The West And Connection Through Agriculture976 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Trade has been an essential part of the world dating back to the Stone Ages, in which man was known to trade obsidian and flint. Trade has been the key for the human race to interact and bring together cross-cultural contact all throughout the world. Strayer and Nelson prove this point to be true throughout their book with examples like the Atlantic Slave Trade, commerce between Asia and the West and connection through agriculture. It is seen throughout history that trade is an importantRead MoreAfrican Slave Trade in American History1725 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"African Slave Trade in American History† Slavery has taken place throughout the world since before ancient times, and the act of trading slaves was a common act throughout the world for centuries. Slavery previously existed in certain parts of Africa, Europe, Asia, and also in America before the beginning of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. What initially started out as an enormous search for trade in gold, spices, and etc., ended up turning into an callous human trading system of exporting African

Qualities of Servant Leadership Free Essays

string(42) " discuss some of his qualities – 1\." QUALITIES OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP (From the life of Nehemiah) If we look around the world today people are crying for leaders who will be able to bring changes for the betterment of society, community, organizations, and nations. This has been true in the secular world and Christian organizations throughout history. Today, specifically talking about Christians, we know that different churches and Christian organizations are in need of good godly leaders, and this has been one of the greatest needs since the beginning of the Church. We will write a custom essay sample on Qualities of Servant Leadership or any similar topic only for you Order Now So we know that leaders are vitally important for the well-being and growth of the Church. Leaders play an important role in churches and societies, yet their responsibilities are not easy at all. Throughout history we can see that leaders have played an important part in leading, guiding, encouraging, and leaving a heritage for the generations to come. Many leaders fail to do the task they were responsible to perform, and some perform with flying colors but last for only a short time. But no matter how good a leader is, he does not stay forever. So, the most important thing a leader can do is leave a heritage for the generations to come and glorify God in all he does. Good leaders will always leave godly footprints which will guide future generations in the way they should go. If one were going to talk about good leaders in the Bible, Nehemiah would be a prominent one. There are not many leaders like Nehemiah who completed the task of leadership successfully. Many leaders in the Bible are known as good ones, but they failed at certain points in their live. However, the Bible has no record of failure for Nehemiah. So in this paper, my intention is to present qualities that made Nehemiah a great leader. It is my prayer that we will be encouraged and learn something from the life of Nehemiah. I hope we will truly be applying these principles in our lives and be challenged and transformed. I believe we will be effective servant leaders if we prepare our hearts to do God’s work as Nehemiah did. Background History of Nehemiah To talk about Nehemiah it would be good to begin with his historical background and a brief history of the Israelites so that we can better understand him. Nehemiah was the son of Hachaliah. He was born of Jewish parents in exile. His name â€Å"Nehem-Yah† means â€Å"the comfort of Jehovah. From this it is possible to assume that Nehemiah’s home was a godly one. (Jensen, 46) He also had a brother Hanani (Neh. 1:2) Looking back on the history of Israel, we know that after King Solomon reigned in Israel, the nation split into two kingdoms in 931 B. C. – the northern kingdom (Israel) and the southern kingdom (Judah). After that there were no good kings in Israel, but in Judah there were a few partially good kings. Kings like Asa, Jehoshaphat, and a few others followed God’s will for some time; but they did not continue to follow God fully and wholeheartedly. So they failed at some time in their lives. Josiah was the only good king without blame that Judah had after Israel became two kingdoms (2 Kings 22:2). Due to their wickedness God punished Israel and Judah. The two kingdoms were taken into captivity several times. The Northern Kingdom fell first, and the people were taken into captivity by the Assyrians in 772 B. C. After a few years, the southern kingdom was conquered by the Babylonians, and they were taken into captivity in 586 B. C. After forty-eight years in captivity, in 538 B. C. , the Israelites first returned to Judah from captivity under the leadership of Zerubbabel (Ezra 1:1-2:2). The second return was in 458 B. C. led by Ezra (Ezra 7:1-10). In 444 B. C. Nehemiah returned to Judah, and God used him to guide Judah in rebuilding the city walls and reordering the people’s social and economic lives (Zuck, 673). So there is a possibility that Nehemiah’s great-grandparents were taken into captivity in 586 B. C. when Jerusalem fell into Babylonian hands. This tells us that Nehemiah was born in Persia. Dr. Knoblet says, â€Å"Nehemiah was probably born in Persia around Susa sometime during or soon after Zerubbabel’s ministry in Jerusalem. (Knoblet, 19) Apart from all this information Nehemiah’s genealogy is not known. Nehemiah was just a mere man; but he left his mark on history because he was an available man. (Stewart, 22) We don’t know how a Jewish born, son of a slave become a palace servant; but we do know that Nehemiah was the king’s cup bearer while he was in Susa. (Neh 1:11). When Artaxerxes, the king of Persia gave p ermission to Nehemiah to return to Judah with his people and rebuild the wall, Nehemiah returned to Judah and served as the governor of Judah and led his people in rebuilding the city wall. Though there are different views on the chronology of the years of Nehemiah’s service as governor, it is probable that he was in Jerusalem for twelve years (444-432 B. C. ), went to Susa for two years (432-430 B. C. ), and returned. (Knoblet, 129) If we are going to find a man in the Bible who shows us what true leadership is really all about, it is no doubt Nehemiah. (Knoblet, 150) Now, the question is – What made him a great leader? Why was he so effective in his ministry? Let us discuss the qualities that made Nehemiah a great leader. Qualities of Nehemiah Without spirituality one cannot be a good leader. Jenses says, â€Å"Nehemiah was not a priest, scribe, prophet, rabbi, theologian or pastor. As a public official his vocation was secular, not religious. And yet, he clearly demonstrated in his service that spirituality is for the secular as well as for the religious vocation. † (Jensen, 64) So, what makes Nehemiah a good and effective leader must obviously be his spiritual walk with God. Let us discuss some of his qualities – 1. You read "Qualities of Servant Leadership" in category "Essay examples" A Man who Feared God: Nehemiah’s qualities of leadership are all tied to his fear of God. It would not be possible for him to do what he did without the fear of God. When Nehemiah returned to Judah he found the Jews were going through hard times. Talking about the condition of the Jews in Judah, George and Syme said, â€Å"There had been drought, poor crops and recession. But people had to eat, and taxes inexorably fell due. Many were so heavily in debt that, having no more property to mortgage, they were reduced to selling their children into slavery. † (George and Syme, 92) All these things happened due to the corrupt practices of the leaders and moneylenders; but Nehemiah, unlike the other leaders, stayed pure. So, it is evident that when Nehemiah was the Governor of Judah, he did not practice any corruption because he feared God. (Neh. 5: 15) Not only in reference to corruption, but in everything Nehemiah feared the Lord; and as a result, he lived a life which was pleasing to the Lord. His fear of God gave him boldness for he knew God was happy with his life. So, when Shemiah told Nehemiah to meet him in the house of God, intending to kill him, Nehemiah was not scared because he knew that God was with him. Seume comments on Nehemiah’s boldness by saying, â€Å"He feared man little because he feared God much. (Seume, 71) That’s the secret of his success in his leadership. 2. A who Knew God’s Word: Though Nehemiah was born and brought up in the land of captivity, it is evident that he read and learned God’s Word and knew God’s promises for his people. This is evident because he quotes the book of Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Exodus in Nehemiah 1: 8-11. It w ould not be possible for Nehemiah to enquire about his brethren in Judah from Hanani who returned from Judah, if he was not aware of God’s promise for His people. 3. A Man of Right Burden: When Nehemiah heard that the survivors who were left from the captivity in the province were there in great distress and the wall of Jerusalem was also broken down, and its gates were burned with fire, he was burdened by it. (Neh. 1:3) This was the right burden because he knew God’s promises for the Israelites. But what he heard was the opposite of what God had intended for the Israelites. Since Nehemiah knew God’s promises for the Jews he was burdened because the Israelites were in distress and Jerusalem wall was broken. He was so burdened that the king Artaxerxes could see it in his face. Neh. 2: 2) He wanted to rebuild the wall and point his people back to God’s promises and commandments. That’s the right burden because it is God’s burden. It is not possible to have the right burden without knowing the Almighty God and His promises. If Nehemiah’s burden was not right he could have just enquired and been emotionally s ad but never acted upon it to put things back in order. What a leader was by having a burden about God’s work! 4. A Man of Prayer: When Nehemiah heard about the situation of Jerusalem and the Jews in Judah, he prayed to God. (Neh. :5-11) He interceded for his people and begged God’s forgiveness for himself and his people. Paul N. Benware says, â€Å"Nehemiah spent about four months in prayer. He confessed the sins of Israel and prayed for the favor of king Artaxerxes. † (Benware, 152) This makes it clear that before Nehemiah did something he saught God’s will first. 5. A Man of Patience: After Nehemiah heard about the reproach and distress of the Jews and the broken down wall of Jerusalem, he prayed to God and wept. (Neh. 1: 3-4) He also prayed to God so that the king would have mercy on him and llow him to go to rebuild the city wall. (Neh. 1: 11) But four months passed, and Nehemiah was patient to wait for God’s time. Wiersbe comments on Nehemiah ’s patience saying, â€Å"†¦Nehemiah patiently waited on the Lord for directions; because it is through faith and patience that we inherit the promise (Heb. 6:12). He that believeth shall not make haste. (Isa. 28:16). True faith in God brings a calmness to the heart that keeps us from rushing about and trying to do in our own strength what only God can do. We must know not only how to weep and pray, but also how to wait and pray. (Wiersbe, 638) 6. A Man of Action and Example: Nehemiah not only interceded for himself and his people, he prayed to God that he would find favor in the sight of the king. (Neh1: 11b) Moreover, he boldly told his burden to the king and asked his favor to go to Judah to do the business of the Lord. (Neh 2: 3-8) God never fails those who seek His will and do His work. It is because of God’s work that Nehemiah found favor in the sight of the king. (Neh. 2: 8b) As a leader Nehemiah did not just give commands, but he associated himself with h is people, and he took part in rebuilding the wall. Neh. 4:21-23) Moreover, he did not depend on people, but he used his own things for his business. (Neh. 5: 15-16) It is because of his actions that he was respected as a leader. He guided and led his people by setting an example. He put into practice what he said. 7. A Man of Careful Planning: As a leader Nehemiah studied the problems before he did the work. He was careful to select a few men along side of him, and they enquired about the walls and gates at night and told no one before they knew what needed to be done. Neh 2: 12-16) Before Nehemiah began the work, he already had an inspection of the place and knew what the situation was and what needed to be done. (McGee, 86) Secret goals and plans are what leaders should have in any ministry. Also, be careful not to make the secret too concealed that no one will know anything about it and it will bring no fruit at all. Nehemiah carefully handled this. Though he had a secret, he kn ew when and what to share about his secret plan. In the right time he revealed enough things to his people so that they would get to work and be able to achieve the set goals. Neh. 2: 16) Commenting on Nehemiah’s secret plans Swindoll says that before Nehemiah began his work, he did not say anything about his plans for three days. (Swindoll, 49) This shows that Nehemiah kept secrets when he planned, and after he carefully studied and made an architectural plan of the way to achieve the goals, he shared the plans with his people. That showed his incredible ability to balance things at the right time and in the right place. 8. A who Motivates: After Nehemiah studied the problems and had a plan, he motivated his people to build the wall of Jerusalem. It is because of his preparation that he knew what to say and the people understand his intention. So, without any hesitation all the Israelites followed his leadership. (Neh. 2: 18b) The source of his motivation was in the Lord. Nehemiah trusted the Lord in all things. He had seen many things that the Lord had done for Israel and he believed that the Lord would continue to do so. In motivating his people Nehemiah said, â€Å"Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome! † (Neh. 4: 14) By saying this Nehemiah meant to say that, â€Å"God helped us before and He’ll help us again! He is our covenant God! That’s why I’m here! That’s why the wall is half up! He is great! He is awesome! Let’s continue to trust Him! Let’s not give up now! † (Getz, 81) What an encouragement for the Israelites, having such a leader who motivated in the right way! 9. A Who knows well his People: When the time came to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, Nehemiah appointed leaders in different areas; and they began the work. Looking at the work strategy, it is evident that Nehemiah knew his people’s ability, talents, and strengths. (Neh. 3) This is an extraordinary ability of Nehemiah. As a leader it is important to know well the people that we serve. This also tells us that Nehemiah was good in building relationship because it would not be possible to know people well without knowing them well. 10. A Man who is ready to face Challenges: As rebuilding of the wall began there was opposition from enemies. Nehemiah was not afraid of them, and he was not discouraged. In the midst of challenges Nehemiah prayed to God and was ready to defend. (Neh. 4: 9) But that was not the end for him. It is important to pray, but it was not the only thing they needed. To have prayed only would have been presumption and to have watched only would have indicated a lack of faith. Campbell, 39) Nehemiah balanced it all, and he was ready for challenges that came along his way. 11. A Man who relies on God: When the Jews were opposed, Nehemiah turned to God and prayed to Him. Not only that, he directed his people to rely on God’s strength and readied to fight for the Lord. (Neh. 4: 14) Throughout the course of rebuilding the wall, opposition came. Bu t Nehemiah always prayed to God which tells us that he always relied on God for God’s work. Foullah says that, â€Å"as a godly leader, Nehemiah was dependent upon God from whom he received his personal support and encouragement, which motivated him enough to succeed. Foullah) What a leader, seeking God’s will and relying on God’s strength rather than self confidence! 12. A Man of Compassion and Justice: With the poverty situation among the Jews, there were richer people who did business with their fellow brothers. When the rich oppressed the poor in many unjust ways, there was an outcry of the poor against their own Jewish brethren, and Nehemiah acknowledged that. So, he assembled all his Jewish brethren and rebuked all those who treated others unjustly. (Neh. 5: 9) Nehemiah was bold to stand up for the poor and rebuke the sins of the rich because of his compassionate and just heart. His justice resulted in taking action against any sin immediately. Commenting on Nehemiah’s instant reaction with sin Kidner says, â€Å"Ever realistic, Nehemiah leaves no room for postponement or for second thoughts, and make sure that the promises are upgrade into oaths, properly sworn in the presence of the priests. † (Kidner, 97) Nehemiah was a leader who was impartial. He valued all people equally. 13. A Man of Generosity: Nehemiah not only spoke for the poor he also shared what he had with others. He fed one hundred and fifty Jews and rulers. Moreover there were others from the nations around them. So, Nehemiah prepared one ox and six sheep daily for them. Also, fowl, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine was prepared. (Neh. 5: 18) 14. A Man of Wisdom: When Nehemiah was invited by the enemy to meet in the house of the Lord to talk about business, Nehemiah sensed that he would be in trouble if he went there so he decided not to go. (Neh. 6) This is wisdom. Leaders should be sensitive of dangers and should deal with things carefully and wisely. That’s the wisdom Nehemiah had as a leader. 5. A Man who Respects others: Though Nehemiah was the governor of Judah and knew God’s Word, he had a high respect for Ezra the scribe and worked together with him. (Neh. 8: 1-9) Nehemiah did not ever rule his people as his property but allowed others to serve in different ways. Moreover, he also appointed many leaders in different ways. (Neh. 3) This makes it clear that Nehemiah highly respected others. Th is is a good attitude for leaders. 16. A Man who is bold for God: After Nehemiah returned from Jerusalem he found that Eliashib repared a room for Tobiah in the courts of the house of God. Nehemiah was angry and threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room and commanded the room to be cleansed. He also found out that the Levites had not been given their portions. So, Nehemiah gathered the leaders and commanded that portions for Levites should be brought to the house of the Lord. (Neh. 13: 1-13) Moreover, Nehemiah strongly forced the people to observe the Sabbath, and gave warning to those who broke the law. (Neh. 13: 21) He also contended with the Jews who married foreign women. Nehemiah cursed them, struck some of them, and pulled out their hair, and made them swear in God’s name that they should not allow their sons and daughters to intermarrying with foreigners. (Neh. 13: 25) It is evident that Nehemiah was bold for the things of the Lord. His actions would not be necessarily bad for that time period, in that culture and with the situations. If Nehemiah was bold enough to do that, it shows that he was right in doing what he did because no one was against what he did. As a leader, dealing with problems takes courage and Nehemiah did it successfully. Moreover, he cleansed every pagan thing and assigned duties to the priests and the Levites, each to his service. (Neh. 13: 30) 17. A Man with a Thankful Heart: After the wall was completed they dedicated it to the Lord. They celebrated the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgiving and singing. (Neh. 12: 27) Nehemiah brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall, and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs. (Neh. 12: 31) This shows that Nehemiah always remembered how he prayed to God from the very start, and now he came to God with a thankful heart because God allowed him to complete his project. The city was full of joy at the day of dedication. McIntire comments of Nehemiah’s joyful heart saying, â€Å"The fullness of the joy of Jerusalem is in the heart of Nehemiah, too. Speaking of the people upon the walls, he says, ‘So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and half of the rulers with me. ’ Jerusalem is a city of joy. Jerusalem is the city of the king. Jerusalem is the holy city. † (McIntire, 99-100) A godly leader will always remember God’s goodness and will worship God with a thankful heart. 18. A Man of Humility: In whatever he did Nehemiah did not seek fame or popularity. He did what he ought to do with humility. Talking about Nehemiah’s humility Maciariello says it well – Whatever his strengths or weaknesses of character, Nehemiah does not seek temporal rewards. Although, after completing the city wall, he leads remarkable religious and social reforms during his two terms as governor of Judah, his account ends with a simple request that God remember his deeds on behalf of the people: â€Å"Remember me, O my God, for good† (Neh 13:31). Nehemiah’s behavior exemplifies the Christ-exalting characteristics of leadership enumerated in this article (sincerity, tenacity, mood, scope, realm, and rewards). His example endures as proof of the wisdom of godly principles of leadership and management. (Maciariello, 8) What can we Learn from Nehemiah The story of Nehemiah gives us an extraordinary example of a servant-leader motivated and acting for God’s ends. It also provides an example of the use of godly means in the pursuit of excellence in leadership and management, and the focus upon achieving positive results. Looking at the footsteps Nehemiah left for the generation to come is incredible. What a great model of leadership he was! Today in the Christian and secular world, there are great things that need taken care of. How are we going to begin the process? I believe the only way to begin is to turn our hearts to the Lord as a leader, and motivate others to do so. It is so evident from Nehemiah’s life that without God nothing is possible. Man’s strength is fallible and weak in itself, but God is infallible, mighty, and powerful. So, leaders should trust God in everything. That’s what Nehemiah did! The leadership qualities of Nehemiah mentioned above are important for leaders in communities, Churches, and any Christian organization. The only way to begin is to fear the Lord and submit ourselves to Him. If we honestly take God seriously, I believe the other leadership qualities will be evident in our lives. The problem with leaders today in the secular and Christian world is the lack of the fear of God. We fail time and time again because we try to do things by our own strength. The Psalmist says it well in Psalm 127:1, â€Å"Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. † Let us remember that God is the source of every good thing, and to make the world better we have to turn to the Lord. Leaders should seek God first for wisdom and understanding in all they do. I believe there will be a difference in community, society, churches and any ministry if God is the first and foremost priority that every leader seeks as Nehemiah did. Bibliography Benware, Paul N. Survey of the Old Testament. Chicago, Il: Moody, 1993. Campbell, Donald K. Nehemiah Man in Charge. Wheaton, Il: Victor, 1979. Foullah, Leopold A. â€Å"The Characteristics of Good Leadership. † Ezine Articles. Web. . Getz, Gene A. Nehemiah A Man of Prayer and Persistance. Ventura, CA: Regal, 1981. Jensen, Irving L. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. Chicago, Il: Moody, 1970. Kidner, Derek. Ezra, Nehemiah. Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity, 1979. Maciariello, Joseph. â€Å"Lessons in leadership and management from Nehemiah. † BNET, Oct. 2003. Web. . McGee, J. Vernon. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. Nashville. TN: Thomas Nelson, 1991. McIntire, Carl. The Wall of Jerusalem is Broken Down. Collingswood, NJ: Christian Beacon, 1954. Stewart, Paul A. Nehemiah the Involved Layman. Glendale, Ca: Gospel Light, 1974. Sueme, Richard H. Nehemiah God’s Builder. Chicago, Il: Moody, 1978. Swindoll, Charles R. Hand Me Another Brick. Nashville, TN: W Group, 1998. Syme, George S. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. Denver, CO: Accent-B/P Publications, 1981. Walvoord, John F. , and Roy B. Zuck. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: The Old Testament, Colorado Springs, Colorado: Victor, 1983. Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary: Ole Testament History (Joshua-Esther). Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 2003. Williamson, H. G. M. Israel In The Books of Chronicles. New York, NY: Cambridge UP, 1977. Knoblet, Jerry. Exile and Restoration. Bradley, WV: Appalachian Bible College, 2010. How to cite Qualities of Servant Leadership, Essay examples

Our Kind of People Essay Example For Students

Our Kind of People Essay LAWRENCE OTIS GRAHAM: Our Kind of PeopleI: Inside Americas Black Upper Class (5 .5 pp) Through six years of interviews with more than three hundred prominent families and individuals, journalist and commentator Lawrence Otis Graham weaves together the revealing stories and fascinating experiences of upper-class blacks who grew up with privilege and power. Previously known for his provocative New York magazine expos of elite golf clubs, when he left his law firm and went undercover as a busboy at an all-white Connecticut country club, Graham now turns his attention to the black elite. Bibliography lists 2 sources. BBblkeli.doc LAWRENCE OTIS GRAHAM: Our Kind of PeopleInside Americas Black Upper Class Written by Barbara Babcock for the Paperstore, Inc., July 2000Debutante cotillions. Arranged marriages. Summer trips to Marthas Vineyard. All-black boarding schools. Memberships in the Links, Deltas, Boul, or Jack and Jill. Million-dollar homes. An obsession with good hair, light complexio ns, top credentials, and colleges like Howard, Spelman, and Harvard. This is the world of the black upper class, exclusive, mostly hidden group that lives awkwardly between white America and mainstream black America. Through six years of interviews with more than three hundred prominent families and individuals, journalist and commentator Lawrence Otis Graham weaves together the revealing stories and fascinating experiences of upper-class blacks who grew upwith privilege and power. Previously known for his provocative New York magazine expos of elite golf clubs, when he left his law firm and went undercover as a busboy at an all-white Connecticut country club, Graham now turns his attention to the black elite. Simply looking at the table of contents gives an overview of this quiet class of privilege: The Origins of the Black Upper Class; Jack and Jill: Where Elite Black Kids Are Separated from the Rest; The Black Child Experience: The Right Cotillions, Camps, and Private Schools; Howard, Spelman, and Morehouse: Three Colleges That Count;and The Right Fraternities and Sororities. As well as The Links and the Girl Friends: For Black Women Who Govern Society ; The Boule, the Guardsmen, and Other Groups for Elite Black Men; and Vacation Spots for the Black Elite. We also become acquainted with the Black Elite in Chicago,Washington, D.C., New York City; Memphis, Detroit, Atlanta, and receiving honorable mention: Nashville, New Orleans, Tuskegee, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. And finally:Passing for White: When the Brown Paper Bag Test Isnt Enough. According to Kirkus Reviews (1998), this non-fiction work is a record of the pleasures and the follies of an elevated black society. According to Gr aham, all racial, ethnic, and religious groups lay claim to their own privileged class that group which,either because of family name, wealth, title, education, or other circumstance fashions itself a cut above the rest. This class sets itself apart with their clubs, their fraternities, and their sororities,while looking skeptically at any outsiders who can never make the grade. The reasons for forming such exclusive groups are often perfectly honorable, most commonly because members have been denied access to other organizations in the larger population. But matters can get out of hand, as Graham (Member of the Club: Reflections on Life in a Racially Polarized World, 1995) perhaps unwittingly demonstrates in his examination of what he calls the black elite. His is less of a critical examination and more of a glossary of people, places, and things constituting the black upper class. And as one might expect, this realm of the right colleges and degrees and pedigrees is downright ince stuous, a world where cotillions and coming-out parties still matter. Graham, an insider and attorney,knows it well. Yet his contemporary savvy matters less, in the end, than does his appetite for historical detail. Graham insights into the story of blacks in vacation spots like Marthas Vineyard in Massachusetts and Sag Harbor on Long Island, N.Y., for instance, are fascinating. Nevertheless, the ongoing claustrophobia of privilege (with many of the same people andtheir cliques cycling and recycling) can weary a reader. One walks away with the impression that Grahams effort could have been cut in half and all one would have missed is an extra afternoon of ceaseless croquet, followed by cucumber sandwiches down by the gazebo. Diversity of Hawthorne's Writings in Young Goodma EssayCorrespondingly, I also know that, I would not read or recommend books about the Kennedys or Princess Diana. I know that there are others who do not live as I do, but there is a part of me that doesnt care. I do not need to feel guilty about that decision, and have chosen instead to save basic guilt issues for my relationship with my mother. I know that there are class divisions in society, and readily admit I would rather have money than do without it; but I really do not care to read about the elite, since I feel that all of us have elitist tendencies, some base them around money, some around race, and some around knowledge or experience. I suppose that if I were really honest, there is a part of me that would wonderohyou are in that personal space now. That is all right.With experience and maturity, you will soon be out of it and set your sights on new horizons. And at the same time always striving for balance, I found the following personal review of Our Kind of People from someone who knew Graham in high school: I DO believe that this author is living his transformation within the pages of his books. Notthat this is BAD or WRONG, I actually think it has been helpful to all the color lines in America because he has walked the tight rope that splits the hard truths about racism on BOTH sides (Black ;White).I tip my hat to this writer for being able to present his HARD TRUTHS in a provocative way to spark so much success and interest. Two sides of the same coin? Certainly good art is anything that makes us think. ____. 1998, December 15. Our Kind of People : Inside Americas BlackGraham, Lawrence Otis. 1999, January 1. Our Kind of People : Inside Americas Black Upper Class. Bibliography:

Life of Indian Education Essay Example

Life of Indian Education Essay 1A 26 October 2010 Life of Indian Education Indian education; it doesn’t necessarily mean to get an Indian education rather to be taught how to be Indian. In Sherman Alexie’s short story â€Å"Indian Education† the main character, Junior, is taught the lessons of being an Indian. The story is about Junior’s life in school from first to twelfth grade with a class reunion at the end. Through each grade we see Junior growing up as well as lessons to be learned. Junior finds himself facing many stereotypes, racism, and discrimination towards him, his people, and culture. The short story ends with Junior beating the odds and overcoming all the obstacles he faced. Throughout the story â€Å"Indian Education† Alexie’s character learns to be an Indian and learns many lessons of how tough it is to be Indian. The first lesson being learned of being Indian is being poor. In the first grade Junior was picked on because he was different than the other boys. â€Å"My hair was too short and my U. S. Government glasses were horn-rimmed, ugly. † The narrator states how he is different by having his hair too short and ugly glasses. We will write a custom essay sample on Life of Indian Education specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Life of Indian Education specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Life of Indian Education specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Having his hair too short shows the other Indian boys that he’s different because in Indian tradition the guys usually grow their hair out. He also states that his glasses are provided by the government which tells the reader that he is poor. Experiencing this poverty is common amongst Indians because many of them aren’t educated enough to get a good job to support themselves. Another example from the first grade is when Junior is given nicknames like â€Å"Junior Falls Down† and â€Å"Cries-Like-a-White-Boy. His nickname â€Å"Cries-Like-a-White-Boy† hints that there is some tension between the Whites and Indians because as said in the story they’ve never heard a white boy cry. These examples show the narrator is learning of being an Indian because being poor is common within the Indian culture and having unfriendly tensions between the Whites is something Indians have had for decades. In the second grade Junior faces racism and discrimination fro m his teacher. â€Å"‘Tell me you’re sorry,’ she said. ‘Sorry for what? ’ I asked. ‘Everything,’ she said. Here, his teacher is punishing him for no reason. This shows the teacher views herself higher than him and thinks of Indians as at the bottom. This is the first time he faces racism and he’s only a young kid at this time. This is one of the many difficulties Indians have to face every day because they look, act, and are viewed differently. In the fourth grade he is shown encouragement for the first of few times. His teacher tells him he should be a doctor, because he is very smart, so he can come back and help his tribe. At this same time the narrator’s mom and dad are sitting in their own darkness drinking and being depressed because of their lives. Junior, having to face his parents like this, knows what he has to do to help not only his family but his entire culture. It’s the first time he looks himself in the mirror and sees himself becoming something and wants to do something with his life. This can be seen by the many difficulties Indians face versus how much encouragement and belief they get from others and their selves. It can also be seen as him breaking away from the Indian culture and fighting to be different than everyone else in his reservation because it’s almost a â€Å"tradition† for Indians to get criticism from others that they’re never going to be anything in life and for the Indians to stop believing in their selves. These were the first lessons he learned of becoming an Indian. Going through the fifth grade the narrator shot his first basketball and air balled everything. However, instead of giving up he looked at the positive and saw math and geometry in it and kept on trying. This can also be seen as a metaphor; As Indians, and the culture of Indians, hardly anything goes right for them. They’re poor, they have poor education, and a lot of them become alcoholics, but for Junior he doesn’t give up, he keeps his head up and despite all of these negative events happening around him he is still able to know that he can choose how his life turns out and not become like everyone else in his tribe. At this same time he shot a basketball his cousin was sniffing cement and his cousin saw beauty and chemistry in this. Junior, learning to be Indian, sees his own family making the wrong decisions on his own because no one is there to tell him what’s right or wrong. Learning to be an Indian can be tough with no supervision and guidance from a more responsible person. He also learns lessons of being an Indian during the seventh grade when he separated from his tribe. â€Å"But on the day I leaned through the basement window of the HUD house and kissed the white girl, I felt the good-byes I was saying to my entire tribe. † Junior left his tribe to get a better ducation at a white school. Leaving your own people to go live with the enemy is a hard thing to cope with for Junior and his tribe. This teaches him lessons of being Indian because he realizes that living on his reservation is not going to get him the education he needs to be successful because Indians have a poor education system. All the way until the twelfth grade Junior faced many obstacles, stereotypes, and racism in the white world. In the twelfth grade the narrator graduates as valedictorian and states that his hair is longer than ever. I walk down the aisle, valedictorian of this farm town high school, and my cap doesn’t fit because I’ve grown my hair longer than it’s ever been. † This shows the audience that he’s very smart and that he beat all the challenges and obstacles put in front of him. This teaches him how to be Indian because it shows the narrator that being Indian is tough and he knows it’s not easy for people with an Indian background to become a successful person out in the world. However, he accomplished things no one believed he could. He beat the odds and proved a lot of people wrong. His long hair symbolizes that he hasn’t forgotten where he’s come from. It’s a symbol his Indian heritage and even though he’s been going to a white school for some years he still hasn’t forgotten about his life back at home. He’s always kept a part of him everywhere he went. Throughout the story Junior grows up to become a new person beating the odds and defeating all the obstacles he had to face. Even though he came from an Indian reservation where people saw themselves as failures, he overcame those odds and saw that he can choose how his life turns out. The narrator is educated of being an Indian facing racism and discrimination. The story talks about the narrator’s education from the first through twelfth grade but doesn’t necessarily give the image of him getting an education but rather it sends out the message of him learning to be an Indian.

How the Beatles influenced America

How the Beatles influenced America Perez 7Gema PerezCara RosenthalWorld History, Period 9May 20, 2014The Beatles' Invasion in AmericaThe 1960's was an era of changing and denying in U.S History. "There has always been a difference in tastes between parents and their children; very often parents do not understand their children's feelings and attitudes. In result, the wealth of material brings the emptiness of spiritual life. The teens saw everything meaningless; they do not want that kind of life" (Fanyi). They sought for a better life than the one their parents passed on to them. However, in the sixties the gulf between these two groups was even wider than it had ever been before. In the world there was a feeling of discontent with the state of society among the young. In their opinion they were consumption-oriented and corrupt. At this time the boundary between mainstream culture and subculture was falling apart.English: Paul McCartney, George Harrison and John ...Music is an exit that gave them a chance to express their thoughts about people, war, government, society and especially Rock music. When The Beatles' arrived in America, they restyled the United States by their use of unique sound, charming appearances, and influence on the youth culture. The group was consisted of John Lennon,[vocals, rhythm guitar] Paul McCartney, [vocals, rhythm guitar] George Harrison, [lead guitar, vocals] and Ringo Starr [drums, vocals, percussion].These fabulous foursome [their nickname] were the most successful Rock band in the 1960's because they became a culture icon to this generation in America and Europe. Their songs fulfilled their spiritual life and had a great impact on the American culture. By understanding how The Beatles' influenced America, the reader comprehends how the development of Rock and Roll music influenced rebellion in youth today.In the 1960s The Beatles' journey started of changing the world...

Cantwell v. Connecticut (1940)

Cantwell v. Connecticut (1940) Can the government require people to get a special license in order to spread their religious message or promote their religious beliefs in residential neighborhoods? That used to be common, but it was challenged by Jehovahs Witnesses who argued that the government didnt have the authority to impose such restrictions on people. Fast Facts: Cantwell v. Connecticut Case Argued: March 29, 1940Decision Issued: May 20, 1940Petitioner: Newton D. Cantwell, Jesse L. Cantwell, and Russell D. Cantwell, Jehovahs Witnesses proselytizing in a predominantly Catholic neighborhood in Connecticut, who were arrested and convicted under a Connecticut statute banning the unlicensed soliciting of funds for religious or charitable purposesRespondent: The state of ConnecticutKey Question: Did the Cantwells’ convictions violate the First Amendment?  Majority Decision: Justices Hughes, McReynolds, Stone, Roberts, Black, Reed, Frankfurter, Douglas, MurphyDissenting: NoneRuling: The Supreme Court ruled that statute requiring a license to solicit for religious purposes constituted a prior restraint upon speech violating the First Amendments guarantee of free speech as well as the First and 14th Amendments guarantee of the right to the free exercise of religion. Background Information Newton Cantwell and his two sons traveled to New Haven, Connecticut, in order to promote their message as Jehovahs Witnesses. In New Haven, a statute required that anyone wishing to solicit funds or distribute materials had to apply for a license - if the official in charge found that they were a bona fide charity or religious, then a license would be granted. Otherwise, a license was denied. The Cantwells did not apply for a license because, in their opinion, the government was in no position to certify Witnesses as a religion - such a decision was simply outside the governments secular authority. As a result they were were convicted under a statute which forbade the unlicensed soliciting of funds for religious or charitable purposes, and also under a general charge of breach of the peace because they had been going door-to-door with books and pamphlets in a predominantly Roman Catholic area, playing a record entitled Enemies which attacked Catholicism. Cantwell alleged that the statute they had been convicted under infringed upon their right to free speech and challenged it in the courts. Court Decision With Justice Roberts writing the majority opinion, the Supreme Court found that statutes requiring a license to solicit for religious purposes constituted a prior restraint upon speech and gave the government too much power in determining which groups were permitted to solicit. The officer who issued licenses for solicitation was authorized to inquire whether the applicant did have a religious cause and to decline a license if in his view the cause was not religious, which gave government officials too much authority over religious questions. Such a censorship of religion as the means of determining its right to survive is a denial of liberty protected by the First Amendment and included in the liberty which is within the protection of the Fourteenth. Even if an error by the secretary can be corrected by the courts, the process still serves as an unconstitutional prior restraint: To condition the solicitation of aid for the perpetuation of religious views or systems upon a license, the grant of which rests in the exercise of a determination by state authority as to what is a religious cause, is to lay a forbidden burden upon the exercise of liberty protected by the Constitution. The breach of the peace accusation arose because the three accosted two Catholics in a strongly Catholic neighborhood and played them a phonograph record which, in their opinion, insulted the Christian religion in general and the Catholic Church in particular. The Court voided this conviction under the clear-and-present danger test, ruling that the interest sought to be upheld by the State did not justify the suppression of religious views that simply annoyed others. Cantwell and his sons may have been spreading a message that was unwelcome and disturbing, but they did not physically attack anyone. According to the Court, the Cantwells simply did not pose a threat to public order merely by spreading their message: In the realm of religious faith, and in that of political belief, sharp differences arise. In both fields the tenets of one man may seem the rankest error to his neighbor. To persuade others to his own point of view, the pleader, as we know, at times, resorts to exaggeration, to vilification of men who have been, or are, prominent in church or state, and even to false statement. But the people of this nation have ordained in the light of history, that, in spite of the probabilities of excesses and abuses, these liberties are in the long view, essential to enlightened opinion and right conduct on the part of the citizens of a democracy. Significance This judgment prohibited governments from creating special requirements for people spreading religious ideas and sharing a message in an unfriendly environment because such speech acts do not automatically represent a threat to public order. This decision was also notable because it was the first time that the Court had incorporated the Free Exercise Clause into the Fourteenth Amendment - and after this case, it always has.

Write about the arguments for and against developing a genetic Essay

Write about the arguments for and against developing a genetic fingerprint profile for all members of society - Essay Example The fragments produced are invisible at this stage and so the fragments are transferred to a nylon membrane using southern blotting which involves adding a layer f absorbent paper to the nylon membrane. The DNA is then drawn upwards by capillary motion. The DNA fragments are then denatured by heating to give single stranded DNA. A radioactive isotope f phosphorus with a base sequence identical to one f the VNTR sequences is used to locate the particular bands. This is also known as a DNA probe and it binds to its complementary single stranded DNA. Any excess probe is washed off. The probes are accurately located by placing X-ray film over the nylon membrane. DNA fingerprinting is a method that compares the fragments f DNA. DNA fingerprinting was first invented to detect the presence f genetic diseases. Today, DNA fingerprinting is used in different ways. DNA is analyzed using a Southern Blot, which allows scientists to observe the base pair patterns. DNA fingerprinting can be used in a few different ways. First, to find out if the child belongs to a person DNA fingerprinting may be used. When a child is born, it inherits the VNTR's from the father and the mother. VNTR's are variable number tandem repeats, which is repeated sequences f base pairs. The VNTR patterns are used to determine the father or mother.

Halil Inalcik and Marshall Hodgsons views on the Ottoman Empire Term Paper

Halil Inalcik and Marshall Hodgsons views on the Ottoman Empire - Term Paper Example There was an accepted mode of coexistence that was not occasionally as disruptive as a society as such would be in the modern world. This, however, did not mean that the different religious factions existed in absolute peace without any animosity or bad blood. On the contrary, there were documented cases of massacres and discrimination all over the empire that seemed to have been sparked by hatred and a religious bias.   The breakdown of the empire of the Seljuk Turks was the catalyst in the formation of the Ottoman Empire1 which was one of the few surviving empires at the time. The Ottoman Empire started as one of the small states that were formed after the initial breakdown and existed as thus for a longer period of time before the reign of Muhammad II saw the absorption of all neighboring Turkish states in one unified monarch that was referred to as the Ottoman Empire. The rulers in the Ottoman Empire were primarily the descendants of Ghazi warriors who were very successful in t he formation of a superpower in Europe at the time when all the other empires around them were disintegrating2. The Ottoman Empire existed peacefully with the other nations around it except for the occasional war that was primarily aimed at expanding trade routes or spreading the holy word of Islam. An alliance between the French and the Turks was formed later on with the driving force being a common enemy in Austria Hapsburg and Spain although it did not have much in the bearing of war. The then leader Sulayman (popularly referred to as Sulayman the magnificent) of the Ottoman Empire was responsible for creating this alliance. He was instrumental in the organization of the judicial system among many other accolades that he had and he was arguably one of the most successful rulers of the empire if not the greatest. In addition, his reign saw the flowering of Turkish literature, Ottoman architecture, and arts which served to expand the reach of the empire as scholars were attracted b y them. Furthermore, traders also followed suit as the world was beginning to have an appreciation for the arts and literature although every culture had its own. The leader of the Ottoman Empire was popularly referred to as the sultan. The sultan was primarily charged with upholding the Muslim canonical law among many other implied responsibilities which were overshadowed by the fact that he was viewed as the representative of the Muslim God, Allah, on the ottomans. After the death of Sulayman, the Janissaries, who were largely Christians converted to Islam and trained to be deadly in war gained power and this was the cue for the empire to begin crumbling. Corruption then became the order of the day as the holders of the office of the day were charged with fleecing the people as they scrambled to keep what they would for themselves at the expense of the very people they were meant to be representative of. The first signs of the waning power of the empire lost in the battlefront, wi th enemies aligning with Austria in a bid to ceasing parts of the territory that was initially under the Ottoman Empire.

Project Management and Innovation Past and Future Essay Example for Free

Project Management and Innovation Past and Future Essay It is unsurprising that development of innovation is often run as a project. Yet, theoretically both project management and innovation studies have evolved over time as distinctively separate disciplines. In this paper we make an attempt to conceptualize the innovation project management and past as well as future of same. By doing so, we contribute to the nascent academic debate on the interplay between innovation and project management. This paper is concerned with three topics and the interplay between them, namely â€Å"Innovation†, â€Å"Research and Development (RD)† and â€Å"Project Management†. The interest in these topics has exploded recently as they emerged both on the policy agenda and in the corporate strategies. The contribution of technological innovation to national economic growth has been well established in the economic literature. In the last couple of decades, new technologies, new industries, and new business models have powered impressive gains in productivity and GDP growth. While originally there was a tendency to equate RD and innovation, contemporary understanding of innovation is much broader than purely RD. RD is one component of innovation activities and knowledge creation among others. Innovation emerges as a pervasive and complex force, not only in the high-tech sectors in advanced economies, but also as a phenomenon existing in low-tech industry of developing, or catching-up economies. Still, the link between RD and innovation is often at the core of the innovation studies. Presently, we are witnessing â€Å"projectification† of the world as a growing number of specialists organise their work in projects rather than on on-going functional basis. The connection between RD and project management has a long history. Most tools of project management have been developed from the management of RD, often with military purposes (Lorell, 1995). The most vivid example of managing RD projects in the public sector is the PRINCE2 method (UK OGC, 2005). Due to the above mentioned difference between RD and innovation, RD projects should be distinguished from innovation projects too. Innovation is a non-linear process, not necessarily technology-led and may not necessarily result from formal RD investments. Innovation is the exploration and exploitation of new ideas and recombination of existing knowledge in the pursuit of sustained competitive advantage. Besides, both innovation and RD projects by their nature differ from conventional projects. Thus, there is a need to examine the Innovation Project Management (IPM) as a distinctive area of managing innovation in projects, using the tools and methods of the project management. The Evolution of Project Management Theory The genesis of the ideas that led to the development of modern project management can arguably be traced back to the protestant reformation of the 15th century. The Protestants and later the Puritans introduced a number of ideas including ‘reductionism’, ‘individualism’ and the ‘protestant work ethic’ (PWE) that resonate strongly in the spirit of modern project management. Reductionism focuses on removing unnecessary elements of a process or ‘ceremony’ and then breaking the process down into its smallest task or unit to ‘understand’ how it works. Individualism assumes we are active, independent agents who can manage risks and create ideas. These ideas are made into ‘real things’ by social actions contingent upon the availability of a language to describe them. The PWE focuses on the intrinsic value of work. Prior to the protestant reformation most people saw work either as a necessary evil, or as a means to an end. For Protestants, serving God included participating in and working hard at worldly activities as this was part of God’s purpose for each individual. From the perspective of the evolution of modern project management, these ideas were incorporated into two key philosophies, Liberalism and Newtonianism. Liberalism included the ideas of capitalism (Adam Smith), the division of labour, and that an industrious lifestyle would lead to wealthy societies Newton saw the world as a harmonious mechanism controlled by a ‘universal law’. Applying scientific observations to parts of the whole would allow understanding and insights to occur and eventually a complete understanding. LITERATURE REVIEW In this paper we seek to establish bridges between two distinctive disciplines – project management and innovation management (innovation studies). Despite seemingly interrelated nature of both subjects, these two research domains have been developing relatively isolated from each other. Innovation Studies Innovation studies are rooted in the seminal writing of Joseph Schumpeter in the 1920s-1930s (e. g. Schumpeter, 1934), whose ideas started to gain popularity in the 1960s, as the general interest among policymakers and scholars in technological change, RD and innovation increased. The field formed as a distinctive academic discipline from the 1980s. Scholars like Richard Nelson, Chris Freeman, Bengt-Ake Lundvall, Keith Pavitt, Luc Soete, Giovanni Dosi, Jan Fagerberg, Bart Verspagen, Eric von Hippel and others have shaped and formed this discipline. The seminal publications in the area include, inter alia, Freeman (1982), Freeman and Soete (1997), Lundvall (1992), Nelson and Winter (1977, 1982), von Hippel (1988). Regarding the definition of innovation – a general consensus has been achieved among innovation scholars who broadly understand this phenomenon as a transformation of knowledge into new products, processes and services. An in-depth review of the innovation literature is beyond the scope of this paper (refer to Fagerberg (2004) for such analysis). Our intention is to outline main directions of research. In a recent paper, Fagerberg and Verspagen (2009) provide a comprehensive analysis of the cognitive and organizational characteristics of the emerging field of innovation studies and consider its prospects and challenges. The authors trace evolution and dynamics of the field. Reflecting the complex nature of innovation, the field of innovation studies unites various academic disciplines. For examples, Fagerberg and Verspagen (2009) define four main clusters of innovation scholars. They are â€Å"Management† (cluster 1), â€Å"Schumpeter Crowd† (cluster 2), â€Å"Geography and Policy† (cluster 3. 1), Periphery† (cluster 3. 2) and â€Å"Industrial Economics† (cluster 4). For the purposes of our analysis we shall have a closer look at the â€Å"Management† cluster, since it is here where the connection between innovation and Project Management can be found. In fact â€Å"Management† is the smallest cluster within the entire network of innovation scholars, consisting of only 22 scholars, mainly sociologists and management scholars, with a geographical bias towards the USA. This small number of scholars (22) is in sharp contrast with the biggest clusters ? â€Å"Geography and Policy† (298 scholars) or â€Å"Schumpeter Crowd† (309). In terms of publication preferences, apart from Research Policy, the favorite journal for innovation scholars, members of â€Å"Management† cluster see management journals as the most relevant publishing outlets, particularly Journal of Product Innovation Management, Management Science and Strategic Management Journal. Fagerberg and Verspagen (2009, p. 29) see a strong link between innovation and management and provide a following description: â€Å"Management is to some extent a cross-disciplinary field by default and firm-level innovation falls naturally within its portfolio. †¦. So between innovation studies and management there clearly is some common ground†. Project Management The project management as a human activity has a long history; e. g. construction of Egyptian pyramids in 2000 BC may be regarded as a project activity. However, the start for the modern Project Management era, as a distinctive research area, was in the 1950s. Maylor (2005) determines three major stages of the PM historical development. Before the 1950s, the PM as such was not recognized. In the 1950s, tools and techniques were developed to support the management of complex projects. The dominant thinking was based on â€Å"one best way† approach, based on numerical methods. The third stage, from the 1990s onwards is characterized by the changing environment in which projects take place. It is more and more realized that a project management approach should be contingent upon its context. It is also noted that a shift is observed over time in development of project management – from focus on sole project management to the broader management of projects and strategic project management (Fangel, 1993; Morris, 1994; Bryde, 2003). Reflecting these changes in the managerial practices, the body of academic literature on PM has evolved and burgeoned. International Journal of Project Management and Project Management Journals became the flagship publication outlets for PM scholars and practitioners. A large number of (managerial) handbooks outlining the methods and techniques of PM have been published, e. g. Andersen et al (2004), Bruijn et al (2004) Kerzner (2005), Maylor (2005), Meredith and Mantel (2006), Muller (2009), Roberts (2007), Turner (1999), Turner and Turner (2008). Despite a growing number of publications, there is no unified theoretical basis and there is no unified theory of project management, due to its multidisciplinary nature (Smyth and Morris, 2007). Project management has a more applied nature than other management disciplines. Although the PM has formed as a distinct research field, there is no universal, generally accepted definition of a project and project management. Turner (1999) develops a generic definition of a project: A project is an endeavor in which human, financial and material resources are organized in a novel way to undertake a unique scope of work, of given specification, which constraints of cost and time, so as to achieve beneficial change defined by quantitative and qualitative objectives. There have been several attempts to provide an overview of the state-of-the-art research in PM and outline its trends and future directions (e. g. , PMI, 2004; Betts and Lansley, 1995; Themistocleous and Wearne, 2003; Crawford et al, 2006; Kloppenberg and Opfer, 2002). In a recent article, Kwak and Anbari (2009) review relevant academic journals and identify eight allied disciplines, in which PM is being applied and developed. These disciplines include such areas as Operation Management, Organizational Behavior, Information Technology, Engineering and Construction, Strategy/Integration, Project Finance and Accounting, and Quality and Management. Notably, one of these eight allied disciplines is â€Å"Technology Application / Innovation / New Product Development / Research and Development†. The authors found that only 11% of journal publications on the subject of project management fell under the â€Å"Innovation† heading. Yet, importantly, this area showed sustained upward interest, and hence the number of publications, since the 1960s. Overall, Kwak and Anbari (2009) conclude that the mainstream PM research proceeds largely in the â€Å"Strategy / Integration / Portfolio Management / Value of PM / Marketing† direction (30% of all publications examined by the authors). PM AND INNOVATION: THE PAST Projects in one form or another have been undertaken for millennia, but it was only in the latter part of the 20th century people started talking about ‘project management’. Earlier endeavors were seen as acts of worship, engineering or nation building. And the people controlling the endeavors saw themselves as members of groups focused on specific callings such as generals, priests and architects. There is an important distinction to be drawn here between projects: ‘a temporary Endeavour undertaken to create a unique product, service or result’ and the profession of project management; or at least ‘modern project management’. For a discipline to be considered a profession a number of attributes are generally considered necessary; these are: †¢ Practitioners are required to meet formal educational and entry requirements, †¢ autonomy over the terms and conditions of practice, a code of ethics, †¢ a commitment to service ideals, †¢ a monopoly over a discrete body of knowledge and related skills. Within this context, project management is best considered an ‘emerging profession’ that has developed during the last 30 to 40 years. Over this period project management associations around the world have developed a generally consistent view of the processes involved in ‘project management’, encoded these views into ‘Bodies of Knowledge’ (BoKs), described competent behaviors and are now certifying knowledgeable and/or competent ‘Project Managers’. Certainly, if ‘modern project management’ does not qualify as a fully fledged profession at this point in time, it will evolve into one fairly quickly. The Evolution of Project Management Tools The central theme running through the various project management concepts is that project management is an integrative process that has at its core, the balancing of the ‘iron triangle’ of time, cost and output. All three facets must be present for a management process to be considered project management. The evolution of cost and scope control into relatively precise processes occurred during the 14th and 18th Centuries respectively. Time management lacked effective measurement and control until the emergence of ‘critical path’ scheduling in the 1960s. The branch of management that gave rise to the development of the Critical Path Method of scheduling was Operational Research (OR). OR is an interdisciplinary science which uses methods such as mathematical modeling and statistics to assist decision making in complex real-world situations. It is distinguished by its ability to look at and improve an entire system, rather than concentrating on specific processes which was the focus of Taylor’s ‘scientific management’. The growth of OR was facilitated by the increasing availability and power of computers which were needed to carry out the large numbers of calculations typically required to analyze a system. [pic] Figure 1. The Iron Triangle The first ‘project’ to add science to the process of time control was undertaken by Kelley and Walker to develop the Critical Path Method (CPM) for E. I. du Pont de Numours. In 1956/57 Kelly and Walker started developing the algorithms that became CPM. The program they developed was trialled on plant shutdowns in 1957 And the first paper on critical path scheduling was published in 1959. The critical meeting to approve this project was held on the 7th May 1957 in Newark, Delaware, where DuPont and Remington Rand jointly committed US$226,400 to fund the project. The foundations of modern project management were laid in 1957; but it took another 12 years before Dr Martin Barnes first described the ‘iron triangle’ of time, cost and output in a course he developed for his UK clients in 1969 called ‘Time and Money in Contract Control’. PM AND INNOVATION: THE FUTURE Defining PM for Future The biggest challenge facing project management is answering the question ‘what is a project? ’ Until this question can be answered unambiguously the foundation of project management cannot be defined. Current definitions such as the PMBOK’s ‘a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service or result’ can apply to the baking of a cake as easily as the construction of a multi story building. They are both temporary endeavors to create a unique outcome but in all probability the baking of a cake is not a project. The traditional view of projects embedded in the various BoKs is derived from both the management theories underpinning ‘modern project management’ and the industrial base of early project management practitioners (construction / defense / engineering). The BoKs tend to treat projects as naturally occurring entities that need to be managed. This is an easy enough assumption when focusing on a building or a battle ship. There is a physical presence that occupies a defined space that needs creating in a defined timeframe to a defined scope. This view assumes project exists and project management is about transforming the raw materials of the project into a finished and useful form. Consequently it is the presence of the project itself that defines ‘project management’. The PMBOKs version is ‘The application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements’. However, if we cannot precisely define a ‘project’, there is no basis for project management and consequently no foundation for a useable theory of project management. Researchers and academics are starting to reverse the idea that a project is necessary for project management to exist and suggest it is the application of ‘project management’ to an endeavour that creates a project. Some of the ideas being discussed include: †¢ Projects as ‘Temporary Knowledge Organizations (TKOs)’. This school of thought focuses on the idea that the primary instrument of project management is the project team and the recognition that predictability is not a reality of project management. Some key ideas include: o The concept of the project team as a ‘complex adaptive system (or organism)’, living on the ‘edge of chaos’; responding and adapting to its surroundings (ie the project’s stakeholders) offers one new set of insights. o The idea of ‘Nonlinearity’ suggests that you can do the same thing several times over and get completely different results. Small differences may lead to big changes whilst big variations may have minimal effect. This idea questions the validity of ‘detailed programming’ attempting to predict the path of a project (the ‘butterfly effect’, constrained by ‘strange attractors’). The concept of ‘Complex Responsive Processes of Relating’ (CRPR) puts emphasis on the interaction among people and the essentially responsive and participative nature of the human processes of organizing and relating. According to the modern trend in these field, consequence of accepting these theories is to shift the focus of ‘project management’ from the object of the project to the people involved in the project (ie, its stakeholders), and to recognize that it is people who create the project, work on the project and close the project with all innovation. Consequently the purpose of most if not all project ‘control documents’ such as schedules and cost plans shift from being an attempt to ‘control the future’ this is impossible; to a process for communicating with and influencing stakeholders to encourage and guide their involvement in the project. Notwithstanding the advantages of project management, it would be unreasonable to expect all innovation to be carried out through projects. In fact, many ideas are generated by employees in a company on a regular basis, not only within project teams. Thus, there is certainly a room for functional, on-going organization of innovation process. Even more so, in certain situations project management can be detrimental to innovation. Aggeri and Segrestin (2007) show that the recent project development methods in automotive industry can induce negative effects on collective learning processes and these effects have managerial implications for innovative developments. Argument for Managing Innovation in Projects The origins of project management in the manufacturing and construction ndustries determine an engineering perspective, viewing a project as a task-focused entity, proceeding in a linear or similar way from the point of initiation to implementation. This view prevailed until comparatively recently. This view is seemingly in stark contrast with the nature of innovation. It is increasingly being acknowledged that the innovation is a complex non-linear process. The earliest view on innovation process as a pipeline model (whereby a given input is transformed to a specific output) has been largely abandoned. Presently, however, project management is increasingly recognised as a key generic skill for business management (Fangel, 1993), rather than a planning-oriented technique or an application of engineering sciences and optimization theory, in which project management has its roots (Soderlund, 2004). The â€Å"management by projects† has emerged as general mode of organizing for all forms of enterprise (Turner 2003). This new conceptualization of project management enables to embrace the non-linear nature of innovation. Even a creative and non-linear nature of innovation is often characterized as an organizational or management process, rather than spontaneous improvisation. Davila et al. (2006) state, Innovation, like many business functions, is a management process that requires specific tools, rules, and discipline. Hence, a project, with its defined objective, scope, budget and limitations, can be an appropriate setting of innovation. The other closely linked element in the new world of project management with innovation is embracing uncertainty. Writing on paper cannot control the future! Schedules do not control time; cost plans do not control costs. Plans outline a possible future and provided a basis for recognizing when things ‘are not going to plan’. For innovation project management to succeed, both project and senior management are going to need to embrace uncertainty and learn skills to manage it rather than expecting predictability and inevitably being disappointed by the variability of ‘reality’ as it unfolds. Challenges of Empirical Studies Scarcity and unreliability, or even lack of data poses a big challenge in research in both innovation and project management. A macro-level research n PM is obstructed by the lack of data on the number of projects, carried out by firms and public institutions, and their characteristics. Problems stem from the definition of a project and the non-disclosure policy of most companies. In such circumstances, PM research has tended to rely on case-studies or on small-scale tailor-made surveys. There i s a widely acknowledged lack of large-scale empirical research in PM (Kloppenborg and Opfer, 2002; Soderlund, 2004). It is claimed that the Independent Project Analysis (IPA) is the market leader in quantitative analysis of project management systems, i. . in project evaluation and project system benchmarking (IPA, 2007). All IPA analyses and research are based on proprietary databases. As of mid-2009, IPA’s databases contain more than 11,000 projects of all sizes ($20,000 to $25 billion) executed across the world. Each year, approximately 1,000 projects are added with representation from the many different industries served by IPA. Each project in our databases is characterized by over 2,000 project attributes, including technology, project scope, project type, project costs, year of authorization, and geographical location (IPA 2009). All information contained in the IPA databases is carefully protected and kept as confidential proprietary data (IPA, 2009). Due to the issues of confidentiality, access for academic researchers is restricted. In the innovation field, academic community has been increasingly using several sources of data, such as granted patents, tailor-made surveys, as well as other data provided by national statistical offices. European research on innovation uses several instruments to obtain data on innovation indicators and to assess national innovation performance. The two main instruments are the Community Innovation Survey (CIS) and the European Innovation Scorecard (EIS). As of 2009, five successful CIS surveys have been carried out: CIS1 (1992), CIS2 (1996), CIS3 (2001), CIS4 (2004) and CIS 2006. Each new round was characterized by an improved questionnaire, in line with the evolution of understanding of the phenomenon of innovation. The more recent surveys embraced understanding of innovation in a broader sense, and for example, paid more attention to service innovations. Further, it is expected that the future surveys will also include management techniques, organizational change, environmental benefits, and design and marketing issues. We argue that, taken into consideration the growing relevance of innovation projects, a clearer and explicit wording should be used in CIS questionnaire for determining whether innovation is organized and carried out in projects or functionally. CONCLUSIONS Innovation studies and project management as distinctive disciplines have been developing in a relative isolation from each other. The analysis in innovation studies domain has rarely explored the mechanisms and patterns of innovation in projects in contrast to traditional (functional or hierarchical) organization. However, since innovation management in companies is increasingly organized in projects, it is of utmost importance to directly address the interplay between innovation management and project management. In this paper, based on the relevant literature and insights from practice, we conceptually examined the relationships between these two research areas aiming at bridging the gap between them. It is widely acknowledged within the discipline of innovation studies that there is a high percentage of failure of innovation initiatives, in other words, failure is inevitable when managing innovation. The key skill set of the competent project manager will be identifying and managing stakeholder expectations using tools such as the Stakeholder circle to help identify the project’s key stakeholders. Innovation is perceived as a luxury, not as a necessity. Therefore, it is of high priority to manage innovation effectively and efficiently with constrained budgets.

Autism and Implications of Evidence Based Research on Therapeutic Inter

Autism and Implications of Evidence Based Research on Therapeutic Interventions in Youth The field of Autism continues to be an evolving and dynamic theme of exploration and research for professionals in the medical, educational, behavioral, and social science disciplines. The research around evidenced based therapies in these realms guides professional practice, interventions, programs, and long-term care for individuals with Autism. A review of the research studies published within the past five years on the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports in the management of behaviors for students with Autism within the educational setting will occur within this paper. The review of each research study will address the focus of the study, the questions the research study aims to answer, the sample the research study investigates, the experimental or research design used in the study, and finally the statistical tests used to derive the research results. The Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (2009) published the article, Updating a meta-analysis of intervention research with challenging behaviour: Treatment validity and standards of practice, which reviews the previous research pertaining to best practice and the success rate of different strategies to address challenging behavior in children with developmental disabilities. Authors Shane Harvey, Diana Boer, Luanna Meyer, Ian Evan sought to conduct an extensive systematic meta-analysis of the literature published on research studies in regards to problem behaviors in children with developmental disabilities. Harvey, Boer, Meyer, and Evans attempt to replicate as closely as possible a research study first published approximately two decades ago on a ... ...y, S. T., Boer, D., Meyer, L. H., & Evans, I. M. (2009). Updating a meta-analysis of intervention research with challenging behaviour: Treatment validity and standards of practice [Abstract]. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 34(1), 67-80. doi:10.1080/13668250802690922 Kraemer, B. R., Cook, C. R., Browning-Wright, D., Mayer, G. R., & Wallace, M. D. (2008). Effects of Training on the Use of the Behavior Support Plan Quality Evaluation Guide with Autism Educators: A Preliminary Investigation Examining Positive Behavior Support Plans. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 10(3), 179-189. doi:10.1177/1098300708318796 National Autism Center (2009). National Standards Project-Addressing the Need for Evidence-Based Practice Guideline for Autism Spectrum Disorders (978-0-9836494-2-7). Retrieved May 26, 2012, from http://nationalautismcenter.org

Caso Camry Essay

1) There are three types of reference group influence – informational, normative, and identification. Assuming Bianca is a representative for the group consisting of successful, urban, professional African American women, which type(s) of group influence do you see operating in this campaign? Informational influence is a potential since a member of the target group is implicitly saying, â€Å"You are like me and I like this car, so you will too†. Normative influence is not really being utilized in this campaign. There is no threat of punishment or promise of a reward by the group for compliance (buying the Camry) Identification influence is likely the strongest influence being utilized. The goal here is to have the target market identify and internalize group values and beliefs and then act on them. The implicit belief is that Camry is part of an active, adventurous, urban lifestyle. Notice the strategy of showing a member of the target group using the automobile which is consistent with an identification influence strategy 2) What are the primary core American values that this campaign is attempting to tap into Active (rather than passive) – the excitement and adventure aspect of the espionage theme, along with the â€Å"on-the-go† professional woman. Change – this campaign is based on the reality of existing females and African-American professionals as role models, not stereotypes. Individual – this campaign revolves around Bianca and her individual accomplishments. Diversity – this campaign is reaching out to African American professional women and indicating their desire to be their car of choice. Youth – this campaign is clearly targeting a youth audience – Bianca is a young urban professional. 3) What values and aspirations does this campaign tap into relating to the sub-groups of professional women and professional African American women? This campaign taps into both professional women and African American women – values and aspirations relating to modern gender roles and upward mobility and status for women and blacks and so on. 4) In Chapter 5, we describe 11 African American market segments  identified by Yankelovich. Which group or groups do you think the target market of professional African American women best represents? Explain. Answers will vary here and there is no perfect match. The closest would be the female members of the Black Onliners followed by the female members of the New Middle Class. Black Onliners come close in that they fit the age and income demographics and are tech savvy and brand conscious, which fits the description of the target professional African American women, and fits the featured aspects of the car and the Interactive nature of the campaign. While this group trends male, the female members of this group could be targeted. This group is described in the text as follows: Black Onliners (7 percent) – Younger (18-34), male, middle/upper income, brand conscious, place strongest importance on being around people of own ethnicity, most stressed about work, family, academics, and straddling black and white worlds, heaviest users of such technology as blogs and IM.

Art and Philippine Literature Essay

How the Subject Philippine Literature Help the TIP Graduate Attributes? Many important things can be learned in the study of Philippine literature. Studying Philippine literature is important because these are reflections of history. Works of art and literature are not separate from history. In fact, these are intricately intertwined along with the contradictions in the society in a given point in time. Works of art and literature do not stand by themselves. Writers and artists are not creators who fashion words and works. These texts and pieces of art are products of the political institutions and ideological stance of the writers which are shaped by the social conditions. We, students, study literature so that we can better appreciate our literary heritage. We cannot appreciate something that we do not understand. Through a study of our literature, we can trace the rich heritage of ideas handed down to us from our forefathers. Then we can understand ourselves better and take pride in being a Filipino and future professionals. Like other races of the world, we need to understand that we have a great and noble tradition which can serve as the means to assimilate other cultures. Through such a study, we will realize our literary limitations conditioned by certain historical factors and we can take steps to overcome them. We will also learn the value of life and how can we interact with other people properly. Above all, as Filipinos, who truly love and take pride in our own culture, we have to manifest our deep concern for our own literature and this we can do by studying the literature of our country.

Narrative Techniques Used in Shakespeares The Tempest

Narrative Techniques Used in Shakespeares The Tempest There is rigid difference between mimic techniques in theatrical performance and literary representation of the play. In particular, the former allow to demonstrate certain actions and convey feelings with the help of gestures, eye contact, silence, and other nonverbal patterns of behavior.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Narrative Techniques Used in Shakespeare’s The Tempest specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In contrast, literary presentation is narrowed to language resources, imagination, and cultural propriety which are the only tools for understanding the boundaries between supernatural and human actions. In this regard, Shakespeare makes use of specific narrative techniques while depicting certain actions and events in his play the Tempest. The playwright resorts to tricky narrative elements that make the play be reminiscent of palimpsest, a world of illusions and fictitious perception. The protagonists of the play refer to different genres and stylistics decides within one discourse to underscore social subordination and concept of freedom. A density of narrative elements used in the play creates dynamics between the character and the plot, motif and problem by including techniques implied by the sources. Those attractive variations ignite explanation and expansion. Due to the fact that The Tempest is more typical of a â€Å"science fiction† genre, a reader expects to see a male protagonist of great intellectual gifts who appears to be isolated and who should exert all his intelligence and power to solve the problem of survival. His solitary existence, hence, is revealed in deficiency in intercourse and cooperation with other characters in the play. Prospero is unlikely to be engage in dialogues with other characters; so, all his solutions seem to be mechanical and even robotic. While analyzing these aspects in general, it is possible to understand whether a character is a hu man or not, associative or reserved. More importantly, a reader can also understand the extra factors influencing characters’ actions, decisions, making contextual means a powerful literary device as well.Advertising Looking for essay on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Protagonists of the play resort to different stylistic genres of communication revealing their social and class affiliation. This can be explicitly viewed in case of Calliban’s speaking in iambic pentameter comparing to Trinculo’s narrative in blank verse. While referring to more advanced and sophisticated verse forms, one can notice Caliban’s superiority and higher social position, which is seen in this poetical expression. In contrast, Trinculo’s narrative is presented in mundane prose, which is typical of working class. Additionally, Caliban’s beauty of the language empowers him with grea ter advantage over Trinculo. His narrative, therefore, provokes more sympathy and compassion as fight for freedom seems much more persuasive when conveyed by poetical means. In general, narrative means that both characters make use of define their social status and affiliation to a particular estate regardless of Calibain’s being enslaved by Prospero. In conclusion, narrative techniques used in Shakespeare’s The Tempest are mostly directed at depicting character’s social affiliation, their intelligence level, and salient features. In particular, through literary representation, it is possible to identify Prospero’s unsociability and reluctance to cooperate with other characters, Caliban’s desperate fight for freedom and rights, and Trinculo’s veritable origin and position in society. Further more, using specific stylistic devices, such as allegory and metaphors, Shakespeare strives to endow the play with a shade of uncertainty, supernatural controlled by the reason. Using language resources and various densities of dialogues and discourses, the author also succeeds in providing fictitious perception of the play.

Hydraulic Fracturing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hydraulic Fracturing - Essay Example Apart from that, the chemicals also prevent corrosion of tools being used, control pH and kill bacteria. Propponants, on the other hand, include frac sand and bauxite and they are usually useful in preventing opened fractures from collapsing (King). Generally, the process has been hailed as a great advancement in the energy sector since it has made it possible for oil and natural gas reserves that in the past were difficult to reach be easily tapped..While some section of people heap praises on the process, another section is quick to point out the risks and hazards that the process posses to the environment and human health (Hassett and Mathar). This paper seeks to support the opinion that the benefits of the process outweigh the risks. Benefits of Hydraulic Fracturing After participating in the class debate and carrying out further research, I am of the opinion that the economic benefits derived from the hydraulic fracturing process outweigh the risks and hazards associated with it . Firstly; the process has lead to increased production of oil and natural gas and thereby increasing employment opportunities in the energy sector. ... Apart from that, increased production of natural gas and oil has resulted to a decrease in the prices of the same enabling energy to be cheaply accessed (American Forum). In addition to that, increased production of natural gas means increased usage of clean energy. It is important to note that natural gas usage reduces the production of greenhouse gasses as it is pollutant free. As more natural gas is produced, electricity plants that previously used coal are starting to embrace natural gas since it is cheaper thus ensuring a cleaner environment because natural gas does not emit pollutants (Hassett and Mathar). Increased usage of natural gas will come as a relief to all stakeholders in the mitigation of climate change (American Forum). Concerns raised about Hydraulic Fracturing During the debate, several concerns about the environmental impact of the process were raised, it was argued that the resulting fractures after the process might rub up to the shallow rocks that hold water us ed for human consumption thereby contaminating it. In addition to that, it was stated that in case the wall’s casing failed, the fluids used in the process would come in contact with underground water and contaminate the supply of domestic water. The fluids also risked spilling over the surface thus contaminating surface water (King). This Contaminated water posses a huge threat to the health of people and animals that may consume it since most companies using the process never reveal the chemicals used in it (Hasset and Mathur). The opposition thus strongly insisted that hydraulic fracturing process should be eliminated. More negatives impacts of the process such as the