Risk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Risk - Essay Example The action taken dispels negativity, creating enhanced cohesion and saving the group. Goleman & Boyatzis (2013) contribute that a self-managed team is a team that learns and manages itself through collective responsibility in managing the group. Every member of the group raises questions about the methods and procedures adopted to steer the group to a common preconceived direction. Members share the vision and take charge of all activities including reprimanding other members to stick to the group norms in case of deviation. In self-managed groups, new ideas are protected by members and negative criticisms avoided encouraging the innovativeness, continuous creativity and happiness among all members. In such a team, there is enhanced creativity and continual reinforcement of resonance. Empathetic team is one, which all the group associates are cognizant of the other team affiliate’s emotions. Members of the team put themselves in the shoes of their fellow team mates and thinking beyond own concerns. Selfishness is not experienced at all in such teams because members think in favor of one another and concentrate on building relationships through socializing with teammates. Members work hand in hand and involve extensive consultation in all undertakings with no limits irrespective of social or educational levels held. According to Perkins (2000), it is appropriate to take risks after analysis of the specifics of the prospective risk. Analysis of the risk helps in the creation of awareness and putting a fallback strategy in place in case the risk actualizes. When the risk involved is a long-term possibility with the effects not likely to cause huge losses, it is worth taking the risk. After reviewing the worst-case scenario collectively and assessment is made to conclude that the risk makes sense. Contrarily if it does not make

Strategic risks †thinking about them differently Essay Example for Free

Strategic risks — thinking about them differently Essay One of the most important aspects to put into consideration when taking up a project is project risk management. A project risk is an event / condition, which is uncertain that, upon it occurrence brings either a positive or a negative impact on the project. A positive manager should consider this as one of the ten knowledge areas where competence is highly regarded. Risk management is critical, especially to organizations working in multi-project environments and the maturity for risk is high (Loftus, 1999). A wide range of risks is apparent when working in projects involving construction among other engineering work. These risks are mostly attributed to government policy, diversity in stakeholders’ aspirations and the challenges of adding multiple projects. For a good risk management process, there must be a clear statement and understanding of roles and responsibilities, proper skills on technical analysis and the prevailing organizational factors should support the project. Project risk management involves identifying, assessing and prioritizing of risks: and thereafter putting resources to use in order to reduce, monitor and control those risks that could affect the project negatively and increase realizing of opportunities (Jaafari, 2001). This report seeks to outline the knowledge acquired on management of risk in projects among other basic knowledge gathered on management of projects. Discussion             All organizations exist for their own different purposes, and that of public engineering organizations in the construction business, the purpose is to deliver a service, which brings a beneficial result in the public/ stakeholders interest (Harrison, 2004). Decisions to pump resources into investments on capital infrastructure are prompted by needs that are meant to enhance the achievement of the major purpose. According to Flanagan and Norman (1993), the benefits of efficient risk management are evident especially in projects involving capital infrastructure because they are dynamic in nature and bring positive cost implications from the construction related decisions. Risk management should be taken as an intrinsic part of capital infrastructure investment decisions mainly because, as project, ventures get more elaborate, the role of risk management is exemplified (Kutsch Hall, 2010). Regarding this realization, some countries have enacted government policies o n constructors emphasizing on the need to incorporate risk management in capital infrastructure schemes (Uher Loosemore, 2004). Risk is therefore, in many occasions, viewed as a condition or event whose occurrence will have adverse effects on the project and may hinder the attainment of set objectives. Hence, risk management relates decisions to such probable harmful effects (Chapman et al, 2012). This philosophical approach to risk management enables the process to be broken down into four fundamental sub-processes (Culp, 2001). These involve identification, analysis, response and monitoring. The former step of identification is the most critical step because it has the biggest effect on decisions emanating from the process of risk management. Reviewing risk management, in his article, Williams (1995), notes that there is little structured work in publication about typical risks. According to Chapman (1998), as much as risk identification is critical on the risk assessment and response phases, very little empirical evidence is available at this early phase. The heavier task in risk management remains in the analysis and response to the risk, yet the reasoning stands that unless the risks are identified, they cannot be analyzed and responded to. For most engineers, the need to have a set out program is critical for it provides an umbrella under which all current projects fall so that an outcome can be delivered massively in general, and greater than the total sum of all others. A program is usually temporary, and flexible; created to direct and oversee the implementation of a set of related projects and activities for the deliverance of beneficial outcomes that relate to the organization’s strategic objectives. Several projects are undertaken under this umbrella. This explicitly differentiates between program management outcomes and project management outputs. However, there is a link between projects and strategy through the program. Risk management is becoming an increasingly important process due to external pressures in existence. However, good risk management is seen as a critical attribute of organizational success in the field of engineering. The assumption that programs are merely extensions of projects should cease to exist because many will tend to reflect program risk management to project risk management (Allan, 2008). Program management is a broad extension of the varied, yet related, projects. On projects, it is important to define one or more objective functions like capital expenditure and completion time to represent it to measure the probability of achieving the set targets. Risk management then goes on to model the project’s objectives against the projects variables like costs and the quantity of inputs. These variables are usually uncertain as time goes on, hence the uncertainty of a hundred percent achievement of the objectives set. The most ideal situation would be identifying and characterizing the variables in advance providing that they will remain unchanged by time. This would make it easy to estimate the possible risks and the consequent variance of the project’s objective(s). However, not all project variables can be identified as new variables might surface as the project goes on while the probability of occurrence of the initial variables may vary (Kerzner Saladis, 2009). The impacts of the initial variables, both positive and negative, may c hange too hence making risk management even more hard (Drummond, 1999). Certainty and uncertainty of realizing a project’s objectives are measurable, only ideally. The possibility of a project not breaking even could be considered as a representative of the whole project: and then used in turn to evaluate against the variable and try to reduce the risks involved. This becomes a basis for decision-making. Some projects may proceed normally in a stable environment, hence making the uncertainty high at the time it is conceptualized. Pro-active planning and making prudent decisions will see the uncertainty reduce (Royer, 2001). However, uncertainty in complex projects within a changing environment will not necessarily reduce/ diminish as time goes by Chapman (1998). It is necessary to keep on checking on the project’s variables and re-evaluating of the objective function’s status to facilitate adjustments in the project’s strategies. Uncertainty surrounds many parts of a project; hence early resolution of variables may not be poss ible always. Variables change over time leading to exposure to new threats and risks along the way. This fact should not be refuted and a lot of work is required in the planning evaluating phases, where most of the critical work is done. In spite of all the uncertainty and complexity surrounding risk management and project management, it is important to seek methods of improving the project’s base value (Drummond, 1999). Conceptualization, planning, and implementation of a project are complex process that requires management based on set strategic objectives, which vary from time to time. The objectives should be integrative and holistic in the sense that it caters for social, political, environmental, and community aspects (Sears et al, 2010). Traditionally, planning in project management should form the basis of planning, alongside other functions of project management including; human resource, time, scope, integration, quality and procurement. These should be the fundamental factors f consideration along each phase. A variety of guidebooks, protocols and codes of practice in the engineering field have been made available for use in risk management in project management. In the United Kingdom, the ‘Orange book’ is a framework that is set to offer guidance on basic risk management concepts and as a resource for developing risk management processes and implementing them I the public sec tor (Aritua et al 2011). It is also aimed at using a risk based decision-making on investment. There have been many more publications and publications aimed at dictating hoe risk management should look like. These guidelines have offered a basis upon which projects are appraised and their investment viability tested. This has enhanced the process and shifted its reception and perception from project risk management to a risk management strategic level (Melton, 2011). In engineering and construction professions, program management and project management came to existence due to the changing procurement environment (Cox et al 2006). In the United Kingdom, procurement of infrastructural assets was done in a sequential manner, which involved a clear differentiation in the project life cycle phases. Currently there are three major procurement systems. These systems are prime contracting, Design and Build procurement and Private Finance Initiative (Aritua et al 2011). These methods were because of the need to adopt integrative and collaborative project delivery methods. The procurement systems have features like framework agreements, the use of specifications that are output based, and more importantly, emphasis on the lifelong value of the structures (Shehu and Akintoye, 2009). The office of Government Commerce has facilitated the change in construction procurement in the public sector too. The agency’s main agenda is to ensure that policies ar e followed and enhancing promotion of the best performance practices. These systems ensure that the project undertaken is of high quality and regard set policies and guidelines. These sanctions in the public works and construction sector have acted as strategic risk management tools for they ensure quality assurance as well as proper quality management. Project management should incorporate the use of a strategy-based management approach. This will facilitate the integration of planning, risk management and decision-making hence ensuring real time real time realization of an optimum of the project’s strategic objective against its variables (Schmidt, 2009). The project’s promoters are not always the investors. Investors are not always actively involved in the management of the project, but invest resources into the project hoping to get dividends. The promoters’ objective, on the other hand, is to deliver a facility that will ensure a long term balanced and financially viable business entity. The project is therefore a compromise between the attainment of investors’ interests and that of the community (Pinto Morris, 2010). Project development should be based on a set of strategic objectives, which stamp the project as a business and entwining project decisions to strategic business decisions (Wearne, 198 9). Amid all risks, the project should be planned proactively regarding its variables and with a focus on the life cycle objective functions (Westland, 2007). All life cycle functions should be observed. These are: financial functions, customer satisfaction, and policy observance/ adherence to statutory concerns. Statutory concerns could be like those regarding projects adjacent to ecological systems or highly populated areas (Jha, 2011). Proactive planning of the project ensures real time minimization of risk. Effective risk management ensures that there is typical conceptualization of projects and their subsequent implementation using strategic objectives. It also ensures any further variables are assessed and managed accordingly to optimize the project’s strategic outcome, that which of a business entity (Heagney, 2011). Since projects are subjected to changes in objectives and variables due to external factors, it is important to incorporate a continuous risk management p rocess that involves continuous risk and uncertainty management process conducted in real time to bring value to the project manager. Strategies made from risk analysis are a basis upon which decision-making is based going forward. Objectives of the life cycle are the vessel for analysis. Ethical practices are important factors to put into consideration when taking up/ procuring a project (Ralf et al, 2014). There exists codes of conduct and these codes may vary depending on the government regulations from one country to another. These codes guide management of projects, operations and supervision of work, and the technical aspect of the project, which is building. Since the work done is of great importance, the designed code of conduct and ethical measures should be used as they set standards for the output as well as achieving business objectives with the community in regard (Haukur et al, 2011). Reflective assessment Group activities that included vast research and group projects were vital in broadening my understanding of the project management theory, which of great importance to establishing and undertaking successful projects. According to Turner (1993), scope management is what the project management theory regards. Scope management involves three fundamental issues; ensuring that an adequate amount of work has been done, avoiding doing any unnecessary work and ensuring that the work done fulfills the intended business purpose as stated. The recognition of the sequential state in which activities are undertaken helped us as a group in determining what had to be done at a particular time and by what particular persons as well as accounting for what had been spent on completed work in anticipation of costs that would be accrued in the next steps. I came to understand project management by likening it to production operations management. The crystallization of project management theory to oper ations management theories made it easy for us to recognize the resounding reliance on the transformational theory, which is production oriented. This is because project management involves injecting inputs on which transformational processes occur to bring the result, which is the output (Nell, 1998). Goals are set on the output, upon which a basis for control is placed: control systems are put in place to ensure activities align with achieving intended goals and putting improvement measures in place. This deep understanding of the theory has been enhanced mainly by the critical analysis and discourse that we have engaged ourselves with in the group to widen knowledge on the process. Relevant knowledge on management theories on planning, execution and control has expanded from these activities as well as project theories pertaining flow of production (which projects have been likened with) (Sulliman, 2014). These productions method include incorporating techniques such as lean prod uction and just in time (JIT) (Gilbereath, 1922). Ethical practices in governance for contemporary organizations are also a major factor for consideration (Ralf et al, 2014). Conclusively, exploration on the area of project management has instilled in me management skills, which are very critical in handling projects and managing every aspect in them including risk. References Allan, N., Davis, J., 2006. Strategic risks — thinking about them differently.Proceedings of ICE 159 Aritua B., Nigel J. Smith, Denis Bower (2011) International Journal of Project Management. United Kingdom: University of Leeds Chapman, C. B., Ward, S., Chapman, C. B. (2012). How to manage project opportunity and risk: Why uncertainty management can be a much better approach than risk management : the updated and re-titled 3rd ed of Project risk management, processes, insights and technoiques. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley. Cox, A., Ireland, P., Townsend, M. (2006). Managing in construction supply chains and markets: Reactive and proactive options for improving performance and relationship management. London: Thomas Telford. Culp, C. L. (2001). The Risk Management Process: Business Strategy and Tactics. New York: John Wiley Sons. Drummond H 1999. Are we any closer to the end Escalation and the case of Taurus? International Journal of Project Management Flanagan, R., Norman, G. (1996). Risk management and construction. Oxford [u.a.], Blackwell Science.Gilbreath, R. D. (1992). Managing construction contracts: Operational controls for commercial risks. New York: Wiley. Harrison, F. L., Lock, D. (2004). Advanced project management: A structured approach. Aldershot, England: Gower. Haukur, I. J., Ingason, H. T. (2013). Project ethics. Farnham, Surrey: Gower. Heagney, J. (2011). Fundamentals of Project Management. New York: AMACOM. Jaafari A. (2001) International Journal of Project Management. Sydney: University of Sydney Jha, K. N. (2011). Construction project management: Theory and practice. New Delhi: Dorling Kindersley. Kerzner, H., Saladis, F. P. (2009). Project management workbook and PMP/CAPM exam study guide. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Kutsh E. Hall M. (2010) International Journal Paper of Project Management. United Kingdom Loftus, J. (1999). Project management of multiple projects and contracts. London: Thomas Telford. Means, J. A., Adams, T. (2005). Facilitating the Project Lifecycle the Skills Tools to Accelerate Progress for Project Managers, Facilitators, and Six Sigma Project Teams. Hoboken, John Wiley Sons. http://www.123library.org/book_details/?id=9130. Melton, T. (2008). Real project planning developing a project delivery strategy. Amsterdam, Butterworth-Heinemann. Nell, E. J. (1998). The general theory of transformational growth: Keynes after Sraffa. New York: Cambridge University Press. Pinto, J. K., Morris, P. (2013). The wiley guide to project, program, and portfolio management. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Ralf M., Rodney T., Erling S.A, Jingting S., Oyvind K. (2014). Ethics, Trust, and Governance in Contemporary Organizations. Norway: Project Management Institute Royer, P. S. (2001). Project risk management: A proactive approach. Vienna, Virg: Management Concepts. Schmidt, T. (2009). Strategic project management made simple: Practical tools for leaders and teams. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley Sons. Sears, S. K., Sears, G. A., Clough, R. H. (2010). Construction Project Management: A Practical Guide to Field Construction Management. New York: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Shehu, Z., Akintove, A., 2010. Major challenges to the successful implementationand practice of programme management in the constructionenvironment: a critical analysis. International Journal of Project Management Suliman Saleh Al Fredi (2014) International Journal of Science and Technology. Saudi Arabia: Al Qassim University Uher, T. E., Loosemore, M. (2004). Essentials of construction project management. Sydney: UNSW Press. Westland, J. (2007). The project management life cycle: a complete step-by-step methodology for initiating, planning, executing closing a project successfully. Williams, T., 1995. A classified bibliography of recent research relating to project risk management. European Journal of Operational Research Zhang Lianying et al (2012) Procedia Engineering. China: Tianjin University Source document

Role of Church in Ethnic Conflict

Role of Church in Ethnic Conflict Write about a recent ethnic conflict in your context showing the role of social, political and religious institutions in the conflict. Discuss what the Church has done (or should be doing) to ease ethnic hostilities. Despite the persistent contribution of governments worldwide to ensure that there is a balanced socio-economic development in all spheres in the society, social inequality is still rife and embedded in all aspects of social development. However, it is worse in developing countries and highly manifested in ethnicity. In multi- ethnic communities, ethnic identity is an additional variable in social-economic development over and above those normally present in the more homogenous communities. The role of ethnicity in development can be negative or positive and it can also be a problem or a potentially rewarding challenge. Unfortunately it is the negative aspect of ethnicity that has been publicized or researched. According to the Oxford advanced learners dictionary, the term ethnic is defined as that which is of a national, racial or tribal group that has a common cultural tradition or of a particular ethnic group. Brown (2000) defines an ethnic group as that community which claims common ancestry and sees the proof of this in the fact that its members display distinctive attributes relating to language, religion, and physiognomy or homeland origin. Young (1994) argued that ethnicity is a concept that has no significance in isolation. His thesis is that any analytical attempt should begin from the premise that ethnicity is a relational concept. According to Young and Turner (1985), we can only find relevance in they. In most cases those who define themselves as we ascribe to themselves positive attributes and give negative and disparaging ones to the they group. Positive ethnicity refers to the constructive social-cultural identification with and a sense of belonging to a particular ethic group. Negative ethnicity mostly in the form of tribalism or ethnocentrism is the pathological and destructive nature of ethnicity. It is when a particular ethnic community considers itself superior to other communities. This form of hatred or repulsion of particular communities or individuals of a particular community is referred to as ethnic bigotry. Ethnic bigotry manifests in various ways including speech, actions, and subtle or hidden repulsion of outsiders. It may also result in ethnic tensions or protracted physical or non-physical conflict between ethnic groups (TJRC, 2013). Kenya, which is a multi-ethnic society with over 42 ethnic communities, is an invention of colonialists, an invention which seemed to have been flawed from the start and hence was a crisis in the making because the invented territory brought together different ethnic communities, some of which had little or nothing in common culturally. In Kenya, the dominance of ethnic affiliations comes to the fore in almost all aspects of human life. In cases where ethnic affiliations are strong like in politics, no one would like to think freely. People always imagine that ethnic based thinking is the solution to every issue of concern but it is worth noting that such ethnic based thinking is a big challenge and threat to development. For instance in Kenya, the majority of the citizens who qualify for opportunities in government and state run organizations are never considered. Instead, politicians practice nepotism and those who wield power fill the positions in their ministries or state run org anizations with their relatives and constituents who are close associates. In Kenya, negative ethnicity has contributed to ethnic tensions which have culminated into violence. Proximate causes of violence are intrinsically related to democratization and the electoral cycle; its roots are to be found in recent times and are politically instigated, and not primordial. As the move to multi-partyism became increasingly probable, senior politicians in many political rallies issued inflammatory statements and utterances, asking for people to go back to their ancestral lands or they be forced out. The advent of the violent ethnic clashes closely followed these rallies. As new political parties emerged, a clear enduring pattern of ethno-regional interests appeared. The violence then in Kenya appeared to be ethnicized expression of political conflict. Ethnicity in this case, was the medium of political violence and not its cause. However, the system once in place, became self-perpetuating for instance it increased the likelihood of future conflict by sharpening ethn ic identity and chauvinism, as well as promoting the doctrine that specific region of the Country belonged to the groups that originally occupied them. This led to coming up of terms such us outsiders, foreigners, strangers or aliens, and this is regardless to the legal ownership of land and the constitutional right of all Kenyans to live anywhere of their choosing within their country (Ndegwa, 1997). Until late 2007, Kenya was considered one of the most stable countries in Africa. It had functioned as East Africas financial and communications hub, the headquarters of many international non-governmental organizations and a magnet for tourism. The violence that erupted in the wake of the controversial 2007 presidential election tested Kenyas political stability more than never before, almost plunging the country into full-blown civil strife. Like a festering wound, it exposed the structural rot embedded in the countrys system. A convergence of irregularities, pertaining to land allocation, an overbearing presidency, a pervasive culture of impunity, and ethnicisation of power, malfeasance and sheer mendacity among both the political elite and the rabble almost pushed Kenya over the precipice. Prior to the 2007 elections, the political elite had been conducting a lot of campaigns, but a closer look at these campaigns revealed that most of it was on ethnicity and the different ethnic identities that exist in the country. It turned out that the political elite had actually exploited the fact of Kenyan different ethnic identities to forward their political agendas. The disputed 2007 elections spurred outbreaks of violence across the country whose carnage was horrific: 1,500 dead, 3,000 innocent women raped and 300,000 people left internally displaced. Most of this atrocities happened in the first 14 days after the election. The severity of this conflict unfolded in a span of 59 days between the general election day, December 27th, 2007 to February 28th, 2008 when a political compromise was reached. The magnitude of the trauma and structural violence that took place in Kenya after the fourth multi-party general election took both Kenyans and the international community, alike, by surprise (Maupeu 2008). In retrospect, the violence that occurred could not only have been predicted, it could most likely have been prevented. Social issues which are both cultural and historical factors also played a role in causing the ethnic violence that was witnessed. Social inequality is not only the income gap between the upper and lower class but it also involves differences that exist in terms of access to education, health, employment and infrastructure development, political rights and representation. In Kenya, historical data suggests that public resources such as education facilities, health facilities and services, water, land, employment opportunities and amenities such as shelter, electricity, fuel, and physical infrastructure have tended to be distributed to the elite and those close to political power. For instance, economic growth has largely continued on the lines set by the earlier colonial structure and Kenyanization has radically changed the racial composition of the group of people in the center of power and many of its policies, but has had only limited effect. This extreme social inequality has res ulted in differences in regional or geographic wellbeing which apparently coincide with ethnic identities as ethnic groups reside in specified geographical regions in the country. Economic aspects of life are so dear to all persons. The ethnic violence experienced after the 2007 election also attributed to economic issues. Economic issues include; unequal distribution of resources and scarcity of resources. Ethnic conflicts are also an outcome of unequal economic opportunities. Another cause of the violence was cultural domination together with political suppression. Ethnic groups tend to have perceptions of another ethnic group being favored by the structures in place economically. Marginalization is also another key concept in this context. Kenya has faced a high rate of unequal distribution of resources across ethnic divides. The political ethnic game plays too along economic activities. For example, since independence in Kenya, the Kikuyu has always been granted a huge share of economic infrastructures. Land has been in question ever since. The distribution of the colonial settler land to the local communities in Kenya took and ethnic twist. For instance, in the buildup to the 2007 elections, in some parts of Rift Valley, Kikuyus were told that they will have to vacate their land before the elections, there were rumors that if Raila won, Kikuyus will have to go Jane Njoki a resident of Burnt Forest. When the election results were announced, they started burning our things and beating people because we are Kikuyus added Njoki. Economic causes also revolve around appointments into public positions in government. This applies in both age and ethnic grounds. The youth in Kenya feel left out as all key positions are given to older people. This leaves the youths to be used by interested parties in violent conflicts. They also engage in these violent conflicts to obtain identity and let out their frustrations. Job opportunities are a way to economic welfare. Ethnic based appointments are also a cause of ethnic conflicts in Kenya. The ethnic group in power favors the ethnic community from which the leading individuals hail from. This leaves the other individuals from the other ethnic groups who qualify for the same appointment deprived and feeling left out. The political factors that cause ethnic conflicts are far more considered than all the other factors in the form of economic and social. Access to political power has, by and large, determined the distribution of socio-economic and political benefits. The old Kenya constitution conferred vast powers to the president including power to allocate by nomination cabinet positions and make appointments to constitutionally protected offices. Regimes therefore entrenched their rule, assigned strategic administrative positions and directed political resources to support the then provinces or ethnic groups. Every political regime tends to allocate more of the national cake to their ethnic group or supporters at the expense of others. When one group is endowed with its interests the other groups feel marginalized and left out thus the urge to speak out by violence upon the explosion of the frustrations from within as witnessed in 2007 post-election violence. Discriminatory government policies also play a significant role in aggravating ethnic conflicts because the political class in Kenya influences all the other aspects. The politicians formulate, make, implement and amend laws. Distribution of wealth or resources follows the directives of the leaders. This is always the argument behind ethnic conflicts in Kenya whereby the politics play an integral role in driving the nation away from nationhood to negative ethnicity. Such ethnic divisive policies leads to the development of the feelings of being excluded, ignored, and discriminated against on the part of some ethnic communities. Kenyan politics are based on ethnic aspirations by political parties and also the regime power. Political alliances are made with regard to gaining ethnic support often resulting to formation of ethnically instigated opposition political parties to find ways and means to access political power as was witnessed in the build up to the 2007 presidential elections . Political inequalities also apply to the youth in Kenya and it is a factor for ethnic violence. The youth in Kenya aged between 18-35 years of age comprises about 60% of the national population. This shows how the demographic factor also plays part in the ethnic conflicts in Kenya. General elections are the highly lucratively rewarding season for the youth. This is the most volatile cohort and politically salient because of three main factors: the group is highly mobile, most educated and networked and also the most unemployed. Therefore they become most vulnerable to be politically lured or politically radicalized. For instance, the 2007/2008 post-election violence demonstrates how violently the youth engaged in the conflict. They were funded and mobilized by the non-youth to be volatile. A trend in Kenyan politics is the rise of youth militia, which have sometimes been identified to work for individual politicians. The youth involvement in violence and ethnic conflicts is purely in strumentalist and attributed to the youth claiming political space after being neglected. Political exclusion of the youth in Kenya is rampant thus the violence either on the ethnic based conflicts or other forms of demonstrations. Kenyas population is mainly Christian and comprised of Protestants and Catholics. There is also a good fraction of Muslims and Hindus and other traditional religions. While religion is domesticated by morals that are illuminated by faith, most states are guided by politics whose orientation is generally practical empirical and in most cases the church. Although the church has been focal in articulating issues that destroy morality of the nation (Anderson Lochery, 2008), chronological events show that the church has been intertwined with issues of ethnic identities. The church leadership has not taken a united approach towards promoting positive ethnicity thus mixing religion and politics. On one hand, the church has been guilty of silence when it should have spoken and on the other, it has been guilty of actively precipitating negative ethnicity. Thus many religious leaders are unable to quell negative ethnicity because some of them have contributed immensely to it. For instance, in Nakuru County, there is a strong presence of the church yet the area has witnessed ethnic tension which has always resulted to tribal violence and ethnic killings in almost all election years. This could be an indication that the society has not received the voice of the church. In the run up to the 2007 general elections in Kenya, the church was seen as being openly partisan along ethnic lines. Christian believers were clearly confused by conflicting prophesies of prominent Christian leaders who predicted victory for various candidates and prayed and anointed them as Gods choice for president. The uncertainty generated by these conflicting views fuelled the divisions in the church. Reports from the Rift Valley indicate that the church leaders used civic education, prayer meetings and other occasions to openly campaign for their preferred parties and candidates. During the post-election violence that erupted, some Christians withheld the biblical principles of love, peace and reconciliation and gave in to ethnic hatred and violence. I will never trust a Kikuyu again in my life. I cant express what has gone on in my heart. I cant live with you and fellowship in the same church for more than 10 years and instead of protecting me you are the first person to thr eaten me said Ken Okoth who lived in Naivasha prior to the 2007 elections. The church leaders also could not rise above their partisanship and give the country a clear moral direction and the church was reduced to a helpless spectator to the emerging tragic drama. The burning of over 400 churches during the violence was a sad reminder that many had come to regard churches not as sacred and neutral places of worship and sanctuary, but as part of the contested terrain of partisan politics. I recognized members of my own congregation in the mob that burnt down the church and my home says Rev. John Maina The church has a duty to speak forceful on broader issues of justice yet this has not been evident in Kenya. In March 2008, the National Council of Churches of Kenya apologized to the nation for having taken sides during the 2007 general election. This was an important step in the long road to the church recovering its credibility and playing its role of being the conscience of society. Several other churches also joined forces in an initiative that was dubbed Msafara the wheels of hope in which over 500 believers joined a caravan from Mombasa through Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret to Kisumu praying to cleanse the nation from demonic influences and taking humanitarian relief to internally displaced persons. Therefore, the church needs to do a lot more particularly in evaluating its own role in promoting positive ethnicity. Some of the things that the church needs to do or is already doing are as below; Discipling the nation There is need to ask ourselves how is it that Christians so easily turned on each other. The church needs to be at the forefront of fighting tribalism and forging an abiding spirit of nationhood. There is need to seriously address issues such as the gospel and culture, which go to the ethnic divisions that have plagued Kenya for many years. There is also need to connect spiritual warfare with rigorous socio-political analysis and engagement. The post-election violence was evidence enough that there is very little that is binding the different tribes together. Politicians have also made it very clear that if left to their own devises, they shall continue to mobilize for support along ethnic lines and therefore continue to fracture this fragile country. The church therefore needs to urgently step into the void especially as we are nearing another election period in 2017 by defining the spirituality of our nationhood. Reconciliation initiatives The church has a prominent role to play in reconciliations all over the world. As the salt of the earth, Christians have a mandate from God to make the world livable. Church leaders have a duty to promote unity in the multiethnic churches. The church must understand its mission before God, not only to promote peace and reconciliation, but to develop structures that will sustain peace and overcome any incitement to violence. Whereas certain individuals can take partisan positions, the church as an institution should not be drawn into ethnic party politics. The church should teach the vanity of negative ethnicity and the value of unity in diversity by being guided by the bible. In Kenya where ethnic conflicts recur, the church should often strategically engage the citizenry with biblical lessons on creation and Gods purpose for them to experience meaningful and selfless relationships. As the salt of the earth, the church should always use its flavor to influence others to seek value of harmony. The impact of the church is the only hope of peace and reconciliation. Every person regardless of race, religion, color, culture, class, sex, or age has an intrinsic dignity because of which he or she should be respected and served but not exploited. The church needs to reconcile people to God and, in the same manner, reconcile people to people. Embodying authentic community The church must embody authentic community, to show the world what relationships are to be. Community in African perception is alive in the sense that all people are connected to the community through spiritness of the community. It is therefore necessary for the church to provide a Christian definition of community that goes beyond ancestral connection. Community includes the wider human family. This community is generated and sustained by the grace of God in Christ by the Holy Spirit. Without this divine intervention, humanity is incapable of transcending the hatred and exclusion that hinder authentic community. Thus, sin has to be conquered for genuine community to be possible. Understanding the church as a family is a theological motif that conquers ethnic divisions. The term family refers not merely to the nuclear family, but to the biblical idea of those who share a common ancestor, the founder of the church, Jesus Christ. In the family of God, there are no distinctions of soci al relations. Paul argued in his letter that individual differences are merged and unified into a common life in Christ (Ephesians 2:14-17). Therefore the divisions along ethnic lines must not exist in the church. Exhibiting a counter-cultural faith The world can only be convinced that the church is a better alternative when the church constantly revisits and evaluates itself on the basis of John 13:34-35: a new command I give you: Love one another as I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (NIV). One of the ways Jesus demonstrated his love for his followers was that he broke the walls of division and embraced all his disciples as his brothers and sisters, irrespective of their tribe, race or nationality (Matt. 12:46-50). The church community should exhibit a counter-cultural faith; a faith that rises above the tides of ethnic divisions. The Christian faith is a way of being. It is to know God and become a changed person. Being a changed person calls for a counter-cultural expression of faith. To be a changed Christian means exhibiting the inward transformational reality outwardly. It means expressing an alternative faith, an alternative prevailing culture. By being counter-cultural, the church exhibits to the world, a world characterized by divisions and violence, a different way of being human. Counter-cultural faith also means harmony, cooperation, and reconciliation. It also means representing Jesus in the world. Such representation calls for a heroic faith, the interruption of status quo including power, politics, and domination, and introducing a different way of practicing these realities. By interrupting the status quo, the church embodies how it is to live differently. It shows that it is pos sible to transcend negative practices that have for a very long time resulted in ethnic violence. References Anderson, D. Lochery E. (2008). Violence and exodus in Kenyas Rift Valley: Predictableand preventable? Journal of East African Studies, 2(2), 328-343. Brown, D. (2000). Contemporary Nationalism Civic, Etnocultural Multicultural Politics.London and New York: Routledge. Easton David (1965). A Framework for Political Analysis, Englewood Cliffs: N. J., Prentice-Hall, p4 Gachanga Timothy (April 2012). Kenya. Ethnic Agendas and Patronage Impede the formationof a Coherent Kenyan Identity. Africa File at issue Ezine Vol. 14 Laswell, D. Harold, (1936). Politics: Who Gets What, When, How. New York: Whittessey, p.3Laws of Kenya. The Constitution of Kenya, 2010. Maupeu, H. (2008). Revisiting post-election violence. Lafargue, J. (Ed.). The generalelections in Kenya, 2007. (pp. 187-223). Dar es Salaam: Mkuki na Nyota PublishersLtd. Muhula, Raymond (2009). Horizontal Inequalities and Ethnic-regional Politics in Kenya.Kenya Studies Review. I, I, 85-105 Ndegwa, Stephen. Citizenship and Ethnicity: An examination of two transition moments inKenyan politics, American Political Science Review 91, 3, 1997 Njonjo, M. (2008) Regaining Our Saltiness: The role model of the Church in Post-ElectionKenya. An address to the Reunion and Annual General Meeting of the Kenya ChurchAssociation. Ostieno Namwaya. Referendum Exposed Dominance of Tribalism The Sunday Standard,January 8th 2006 p.16 The Report of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) (2013): Volume III. Nairobi, 2013. Retrieved from www.tjrckenya.org Yieke, F. (2010). Ethnicity and Development in Kenya: Lessons from 2007 GeneralElections. Kenya Studies Review. 3, 3, 5-16. Young, C. (1994). Ethnic Diversity and Public Policy. Draft occasional paper for the UNResearch Institute for Social Development, World Summit on Social Development,Geneva, August. Interviews Jane Njoki, 42 year old mother of two who used to live in Burnt Forest area in Rift Valley before the 2007 PEV 12 October 2016 Ken Okoth a former flower farm worker in Naivasha and currently a trader in Kibera area of Nairobi. Nairobi 8 October 2016 Rev John Maina was chased out of his home in Molo, Rift Valley Province, in a wave of violence that rocked many areas of Kenya following the disputed elections in December 2007 Nakuru, 9 October 2016

Mohandas Gandhi`s Use of Nonviolent Methods to Achieve Independence Ess

The mission of Gandhi’s life was to help the people of India free themselves from British rule. Many people have struggled for independence. They have fought bloody battles or used terrorism in an attempt to achieve their goals. Gandhi’s revolution was different. He succeeded as an independence leader with the use of nonviolent methods. The young Mohandas Gandhi did not seem as a boy that would become a great leader. He changed as he studied in Britain and practiced in South Africa. He fought for the rights of Indians in both South Africa and India. Gandhi believed that all people in the world are brothers and sisters. He didn’t hate the English. Actually, he saw a lot that was good about them. His nonviolent means of revolution was referred to as satyagraha, which is a combination of two Sanskrit words, satya, meaning truth and love, plus agraha, meaning firmness. Many people were influenced by satyagraha. Mohandas Gandhi was born into a Hindu family of the Vaisya caste. This was the third ranking caste in the class structure of Hinduism. This class was for farmers and merchants. The whole system was so complex that in Gandhi’s lifetime it had begun to disintegrate. Gandhi’s father and grandfather were not farmers or merchants. They were prime ministers of the tiny principality of Porbandar in Gujarat. Mohandas was extremely shy. He rushed to and from school, too nervous to talk to any of his classmates. Then a pretty and strong-willed girl was married to him by an arranged marriage at the age of 13. Her name was Kasturbai. A marriage at this age was typical in Hindu custom. He was a strict husband and kept control over actions. Kasturbai disliked this. They didn’t spend more than the first five years of their marriage together, since it was typical for the girl to visit her family. At this point in his life, he was very depressed. He was little and suffered fears that didn’t bother his wife. An athletic and older boy who was Muslim fascinated him. He told Mohandas to eat meat if he wanted to become bigger and stronger. He said the Indians were weak and small people, because they didn’t eat meat, and this is why the British, who did, had the strength to rule over them. This was against his religion, but he tried anyway. He ate the meat in secrecy, but after a few meals he stopped. He didn’t like the taste of meat and fe... ...ndence. He demonstrated the value of love and humanity. He never hated anyone and never wanted to harm his enemy. Gandhi sacrificed his family life and personal possessions for what he thought was right. His mission started when he was insulted and decided to take a stand against it. He didn’t start out as a leader but developed into one throughout his years in South Africa. His goal in India was to gain independence for India. Even after the independence of India he sought to resolve the religious conflicts that existed between the Muslims and the Hindus. He was dedicated to serving people. Gandhi succeeded as an independence leader with the use of nonviolent methods. Satyagraha proved to be a technique that required courage, patience and life. When done properly the results were positive. This figure in world history will never be forgotten, but admired for years to come. Bibliography Nigel, Hunter. Gandhi. New York: The Bookwright Press. 1987 Schlesinger, Arthur. Gandhi. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. 1985 Severance, John. Gandhi; Great Soul. New York: Clarion Books. 1997 Sherrow, Victoria. Mohandas Gandhi. Connecticut: Brookfield. 1994

Academic Performance and Use of Electronic Gadgets Essay

Development in the world is expanding to new levels. Let it be anything, technology has made things more knowledgeable and convenient. Today, the world has turned into a world of electronic gadgets. The electronic gadgets have advanced in various ways. Today, you will find gadgets that fulfill your everyday needs. These gadgets can be anything from a grinder to a camcorder to a laptop. The origins of the word â€Å"gadget† trace back to the 19th century. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, there is anecdotal evidence for the use of â€Å"gadget† as a placeholder name for a technical item whose precise name one can’t remember since the 1850s; with Robert Brown’s 1886 book Spunyarn and Spindrift, A sailor boy’s log of a voyage out and home in a China tea-clipper containing the earliest known usage in print. These can be given as gifts to boys as well as girls. You can gift a play station or any game to a school going boy on his birthday or any occasion. A college going boy can be gifted a laptop or a handy cam, whichever is important and useful to him. Videos are not only created for college projects but, today they can also be created during family or friends. Get-togethers or some family functions. They store family memories for years which can be watched whenever you feel like watching them. Gadgets like cellular phones are used on a daily basis to communicate with your near and dear ones. You can also gift it to them. In the software industry, â€Å"Gadget† refers to computer programs that provide services without needing an independent application to be launched for each one, but instead run in an environment that manages multiple gadgets. There are several implementations based on existing software development techniques, like JavaScript, form input, and various image formats It is on this situation that the researcher was intended to conduct an investigation to identify the perception of secondary students about the use of electronic gadgets, the advantages, disadvantages and effects as well. Statement of the Problem The main purpose of this study is to determine the academic performance and use of electronic gadgets among secondary students of CSULS S.Y: 2012-2013. In addition, the advantages, disadvantage and effectiveness of these problems were also determined. This is done through descriptive survey using questionnaire to be answered by students of CSULS. Specifically, the survey will answer the following questions: 1. What is the profile of CSULS students in terms of: a. Age b. Gender c. Year and Section d. Academic Performance e. Monthly Income 2. What are the different electronic gadgets that are used by CSULS students? 3. Does the frequent use of electronic gadgets affects and influences students’ academic performance? 4. Is there any relationship between the profile and the kind of electronic gadget used by CSULS students? Significance of the Study The result of this research study determined the academic performance and the use of electronic gadgets among secondary students of CSULS; S.Y 2012- 2013. In that way, one will have an idea on what teenage magazine shall he/she use. The Parents, this research would tell them on what particular electronic gadgets brings usefulness and harm to their children. The Students, themselves will know on what electronic magazine shall be a help and a hindrance for their academic performance. The Researcher, this research study will aid the students and the parents as well on the limitations of use of electronic gadgets. Scope and Delimitations The study is conducted to determine the academic performance and use of electronic gadgets among secondary students of Catanduanes State University Laboratory Schools. From Grade-7 to Fourth year students SY: 2012-2013. It focuses mainly on the perception of secondary students about the use of teenage magazine during vacant times. It comprises 8 sections namely; 7-Amethyst, 7-Pearl, II- Chrysanthemum, II-Daffodils, III- Platinum, III- Gold, IV- Einstein, IV- Galileo. The demographic characteristics included in this research are age, gender, year, and section, academic performance and monthly income. Definition of Terms * Gadget- the main factor of this study that affects academic performance * CSULS- school where the study was focused * Respondent – the one who will answer the study * Academic Performance- performances shown by students regarding academic matters. (Quizzes, Periodic Test, Recitation, etc) * Secondary Students- scope of the study * CSU Lab Students referring to all officially enrolled students of CSU Laboratory School CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE & STUDIES READINGS * Nabisunsa Girls School – no phones Grace Kitego, a teacher at Nabisunsa Girls School, says they do not allow students to carry mobile phones because they distract students and impact negatively on their academic performance * Kiira College Butiki – confiscated Isaac Tibasima, a teacher at Kiira College Butiki, says the school does not allow students to carry mobile phones because they increase the risk of moral decay. * Vienna College – times change Vienna College offers both local and international education curriculums and has an enrolment of both Ugandan and foreign students. Mohammed Kakiika, the headmaster, says they have no option but to accept their students to carry mobile phones to school since they are a necessity for communication. LITERATURE Cellphones Affect Academic Performance By Michael Kanaabi and Vicky Wandawa A study was conducted by Kanaabi and Wandawa on Aug. 3, 2010 that cellularphones affects the academic performance of students. This study indicates that cellular phones is a huge distraction to one’s attention especially on school hours. Thus, some schools prohibits the use and bringing their cellphones at school. Some of them use phones to call examiners and other students who may have access to examination papers. This is common during national, regional and district examinations. This causes panic and confusion among students because they get varying information from different sources and on many occasions, focus on revising the wrong way, thus failing. Conceptual Framework This study is anchored with the theory that those secondary students’ frequency of usage of electronic gadgets of the said sections has an effect on each of their academic performances. This can be proven in their perceptions used as the independent variable and the academic performance as dependent variable. Figure 1 THE CONCEPTUAL PARADIGM INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE Academic Performance Frequency of usage of electronic gadgets HYPOTHESES There is no significant difference between the academic performance and use of electronic gadgets of secondary students of CSULS S.Y: 2012-2013. RESEARCH DESIGN The study will use the longitudinal survey design in its attempt to determine, describe and analyze the relationship of each. It tries to find out if the independent variable significantly influences the dependent variable. References DiCaprio, N. (1976). The good life: models for a healthy personality. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc. â€Å"Elizabeth.† (2004, July). Real Pretty [Letter to the editor]. Seventeen, 014. Hager, S. E. (1998). Using self-esteem as a concept for guiding early adolescent females toward healthy eating behaviors: A learning module. (Unpublished Masters of Science thesis, Michigan State University, 1998). McFarland, R. (1988). Coping through self-esteem. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. Media Awareness Network. (2004). Beauty and body image in the media. Retrieved November 9, 2004, from http://www.mediaawareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_beauty.cfm. Media Awareness Network. (2004). Masculinity and advertising. Retrieved November 9, 2004, from http://www.mediaawareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/men_and_masculinity/masculinity_advertising.cfm. Media Awareness Network. (2004). Media and girls. Retrieved November 9, 2004, from http://www .mediaawareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_girls.cfm. Media Awareness Network. (2004). Resisting stereotypes and working for change. Retrieved November 9, 2004, from http://www.mediaawareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/wome n_reform.cfm. 16Meyers, M. (Ed.). (1999). Mediated women: Representations in popular culture. Creskill, NJ: Hampton Press, Inc. Nachbar, J.G., Lause, K., & Nachbar, J. (1992, October 1). Popular culture: an introductory text. Ohio: Bowling Green University Popular Press. [Excerpt Retrieved November 9, 2004, from http://www.serve.com/shea/stereodf.htm.] Plotnik, R. (2005). Introduction to psychology. (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Thomson Learning. Waltz, T. (2004, November)

Environmental changes Essay

Organizations adapt to environmental changes such as the adoption of a new technology, a change in market dynamic or new regulatory policies and as such the Affordable Care Act was put into place (Frates, 2014). The Affordable Care Act puts consumers back in charge of their health care. Under the law, a new â€Å"Patient’s Bill of Rights† gives the American people the stability and flexibility they need to make informed choices about their health (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2014). This has made leaders feel as if the government is making all the health decisions about a patient instead of allowing the physicians to do so. With that said, leaders must apply strategic management into their organizations by creating short term strategic planning which allows the office to meet incremental milestones on the path to an ultimate goal creates an opportunity to highlight achievements, identify and resolve setbacks, and encourage forward motion (Burger & Giger, 2014). Contingency Theory and Resource Dependence Theory are applicable to health care organizations due to the environmental dependency. With health care as unpredictable as it is having both theories used allows the facilities to be prepared for multiple different outcomes. Frates, J. (2014). Health care management: Theory in action. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Burger, J., & Giger, A. (2014, February 13). How Healthcare Organizations Can Improve This Year. Retrieved from http://businessjournal.gallup.com/content/167108/healthcare-organizations-improve-year.aspx U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2014, October 2). About the Law | HHS.gov/healthcare. Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/rights/ Markets have been increasingly complex, turbulent, and interrelated. Actual and potential opportunities and threats to an organization’s existing market(s) must be identified and evaluated (Hitt, Ireland, & Hoskisson, 2013). Today’s business environment requires the decision makers to shape the organization as a dynamic organization that can rapidly initiate and implement strategic processes and respond quickly to strategic changes in the industry or to strategic processes of competitors in as short a period of time as possible. This Discussion also asks: How can healthcare leaders apply strategic management to their organizations? Healthcare leaders can apply strategic management to their organizations by ensuring all the task and activities include it in small bits and pieces of the change. Once that change is completed with no problems a new task can be added to the list. Sometimes smaller changes go unnoticed and are quicker to be accepted than a larger change that employees feel are pushed onto them.