The value of GCC currencies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

The value of GCC currencies - Research Paper Example Conclusion: 14 8. Bibliography: 15 1. Introduction: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is also known as the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (CCASG). It is a political and economic union of the Arab states neighboring the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula. The six member states of the GCC are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. They are often known as â€Å"The GCC States.† Some of the general objectives of GCC countries are a follows: promotion of scientific and technical progress in different industries like mining, agriculture, water and animal resources; setting up joint ventures among the member states; cheering cooperation of the private sectors; strengthening ties between the peoples of the member countries; and establishing and developing a common currency for all the member countries. The common currency of GCC is known as Khaleeji (meaning Gulf in Arabic). At present, the GCC monetary union is the third moneta ry union in the world in terms of GDP, after the Euro and 2) the unofficial monetary union between the United States and the Latin American countries which declared the US dollar as their currency. There are certain problems now facing the GCC council. According to IMF report (1997), the key challenge facing the GCC countries was the financial condition and valuation of the currency in the member countries of GCC. ... The exception in GCC is Kuwait, where the currency is valued to a group of currencies that is heavily weighted in favor of the US dollar. Therefore, the exchange of the Kuwaiti Dinar to the US dollar remains relatively stable. In last five year the rate of Kuwaiti Dinar is always within 0.27-0.29 to US dollar (QNB, 2012, p.31). During 2008, GCC countries were facing the inflation as it was reached up to 11. 2%. According to the financial analyst, revolution of the economy in the upward direction was helpful in order to control the inflation rate which helped to bring down the import cost. According to the report the GCC monetary union project was mainly inspired by the Euro. The problem which was face by different countries that have Euro as their currency is a helpful tool for the monetary policy makers in GCC countries to figure out the loopholes and act accordingly. This evaluation is helpful to figure out whether introducing a common currency for all the member countries of GCC i s efficient or not (QNB, 2012, p.31). 1.2. Economic Structure: It is very clear from different research that the growth of GCC as one of the strongest economy of the world is mainly on the basis of highs price of gas and oil (energy sector), and also with the help of rapid economic growth. During 2007-2011, the world GDP growth rate was 2.8% where as, GDP growth in GCC was a staggering 4.7% making it the fastest growing group of country in the world (QNB, 2012, p.4). According to the report of QNB (2012), the GCC economy has seen a golden period during 2003- 08, when GDP grew at the rate of 19.9%. This was a result of continuously increasing demand for energy sources as an outcome of robust global development, particularly in Developing Asia (QNB,

Hope Leslie Paper Essay Example for Free

Hope Leslie Paper Essay In Catharine Sedgwick’s novel, Hope Leslie, Magawisca is one of the Main female characters and she runs into many hardships in the book. Magawisca is the daughter of well known Indian chief Mononotto but is separated from her father and her tribe when they are all attacked. After Magawisca and her brother’s mother dies the children get sent to work at the home of the Fletchers an English family. Magawisca gets caught in the middle of two cultures when she is raised by an English family but knows of her original culture, Magawisca responds well and helps the reader understand how big the cultural gap is in the 1600s. Magawisca’s tribe, the Pequots, are attacked by the English and when Magawisca, her brother Oneco and their mother escape they travel to a new city. When Magawisca and Oneco’s mother dies the two kids are sent to Mr. Fletchers home to be Indian servants. After living with the Fletcher family for a while Magawisca’s father, Mononotto, appears at the Fletchers abode. With the feeling that the Fletchers have captured his son and daughter, Mononotto kills all of the Fletchers but one much against Magawisca’s protest. Magawisca begs and pleads against her father’s actions but does no good, she wants to save what is considered her family for a short but meaningful amount of time but doesn’t want to go against her father’s will. Magawisca is thrown into a very hard situation but handles everything calmly and maturely. She is stuck between two cultures that despise each other but she ends up with her tribe the Pequot’s for a long time. In a time of need Magawisca still helps the one remaining Fletcher child by risking her own limb to protect part of her â€Å"family†. Towards the end of the book Magawisca has taken both sides, the English and the Pequot’s and that pays off. When Magawisca is captured by the English the remaining Fletcher child puts his own safety in danger to help save Magawisca. Magawisca never broke down or really chose sides but she is in fact always there for both of her â€Å"tribes†. This book was places in the 1600’s and Magawisca’s predicament really helps the readers understand the cultural gap between The Indians and The English.  The hatred between the two cultures is so large that they destroy each other. Magawisca shows the line between the Indian tribes and the English where as she isn’t fully accepted in either culture. For spending time with the English I’m sure some members of the Pequots find her as a trader and for originating and being known as a Pequot she is never truly accepted by the English. Although Magawisca gets caught in the middle of two cultures when she is raised by an English family, Magawisca responds well and helps the reader understand how big the cultural gap is. Without Magawisca really drawing the line between the two cultures the readers wouldn’t have gotten a full picture of how big the division between the two cultures are. Magawisca is really a main character because of the bond she shares with both cultures.

Psychoanalytic Case Study of Preston Essay Example for Free

Psychoanalytic Case Study of Preston Essay Preston was concerned over his aggressive behavior towards other males in and outside of the home. He had frequent altercations with his brother, both of whom lived with their parents. Preston was adopted at a very young age. This was a major cause of his recent issues. He feared that his emotions would progressively get worse, and that something detrimental would happen. In accordance with psychoanalysis, Preston was allowed to explore these issues through free association. Preston was shown that his subconscious had been concealing issues related to his early adoption. Preston was shown constructive ways to deal with these issues. Preston continues to make progress in this area, and is exhibiting less signs of his previous issues. Psychoanalytic Case Study of: Preston A Conceptualization and Treatment Plan The individual in this case study presents a multitude of symptoms that are affecting his daily life. The individual has many factors from his childhood that would contribute to these issues. This study goes to show how the subject’s childhood has a direct relationship to the issues that he is currently experiencing. The identification of these issues is necessary in order for treatment to be successfully implemented. Presenting Concerns Preston presents himself as suffering from multiple issues that affect his daily life. He claims to have issues with forming any relationships with other males. He states that he is overtly competitive when dealing with these other males. His biggest issues arise when dealing with his brother. Preston was adopted at a very young age, and has always had issues getting along with this brother. This aggression has moved from just dealing with his brother to all males in general. There have been instances where the police have been involved in altercations that Preston has had at home. He fears that this will continue until he is arrested outside of the home. Preston still lives with both of his adopted parents and his brother. Preston has stated that he is constantly vying for his parents’ attention, and his aggression increases whenever someone else is monopolizing their time. He does not feel that he will always become violent, but that his anxiety is constantly increasing in situations such as this. He is afraid that his frustration and need to outdo others will end very negatively. Case Conceptualization It appears that one of Preston’s main issues is that of Displacement. According to Murdock (2013), this occurs when a subject shows anger towards someone who is less dangerous than the real cause of an issue (p. 40). Preston shows that he has issues in dealing with the fact that he still lives at home with his parents. He verbally abuses those that he sees as â€Å"better† than him. Preston does not wish to abuse himself over this issue. So, he abuses others that he believes will accept the abuse. He seems to blame others for whatever failings he has in life. He takes his frustrations out on whoever is the most convenient to him. This involves rage towards his brother, as well as friends of his parents. The fact that Preston was adopted as such an early age raises the issue of attachment bonds as well. It appears that Preston may have become overly attached to his adopted parents. Much of this may have to do with the way that they raised him. His parents were very protective, and would cater to his every need. This seems to have created a kind of subconscious reliance on his parents, and the need for their constant approval. This leads to the constant need for their attention as well as the need to outdo peers. The aggressiveness towards peers does not seem to have started until Preston was old enough to identify that was adopted. He seemed to be displacing fear that his current parents would abandon him onto others. This is the main subconscious issue that is affecting Preston. His fear of abandonment has caused him to irrationally fear any force outside of his parental relationship, including his brother. This affects his appraisal tendency, which is the way his brain perceives threats and relates to his aggression and depression (Gilbert, 2007, p. 47). This is the disconnect that is causing most of Preston’s issues. He feels threats that just are not there. He remains living with his parents, constantly vigilant of anyone that will take them away from him, including his brother. This has manifested itself in a sort of hyper-masculinity. Preston’s ego identifies no other way to express these abandonment issues other than with aggressiveness. Also, the fact that Preston’s aggression has continued to increase could be directly correlated with his parents aging. Perhaps he fears that not only could people take his parents away, but the fear that death is closing in on them. This could also be manifesting itself in Preston’s fear and frustration. Treatment Plan Goals for Counseling The goal for psychoanalytic therapy is to get Preston in touch with his subconscious. This serves to identify the root causes of his present issues. Preston will need to identify specific defense mechanisms that he created in childhood. The material that has shifted from the subconscious to the conscious will need to be readily identified (Murdock, 2013, p. 37). Once these mechanisms and thoughts are out in the open, it will be easier to discuss them and change present behavior. Interventions The fundamental intervention to employ with Preston will be â€Å"free association†. According to Murdock (2013), free association encourages the client to reveal whatever he is thinking even if it seems irrelevant or offensive (p. 49). This will be particularly helpful for Preston, and can reveal what his thought process is when he has these aggressive bouts. It seems that Preston has not been totally honest with himself. Free association can help him to bring out deep-rooted ideas for analysis and discussion. This intervention can provide logic and reason to the seemingly illogical thoughts he is experiencing. Establishing the Relationship I realized that Preston had issues in dealing with other males. I asked him if he would feel more comfortable dealing with a female counselor. He indicated that he did not react the same way to me as with other males. He stated that he realized that my sole purpose was to help him with his issues, and this made him not feel anxious or aggressive. I relayed that I was glad this was the case, but that I needed to be immediately notified if these sentiments changed. Whenever I felt that Preston was actually getting anxious or aggressive, I made him aware. I explained to him that he was projecting these feelings onto me, and that it was harmful to the counselor/client relationship. He quickly calmed down, and apologized. He seemed to genuinely understand my concern for his well-being. Analysis of Transference The occasions that Preston did display anxiousness/aggressiveness, he did seem to understand that he was doing so after it was brought to his attention. He realized that I was not causing his issues, and I attempted to apply this to his other personal relationships. We would analyze why he was feeling this way, and how it related to his childhood and parents. He came to the conclusion that if he did not get these feelings under control in session, then he was never going to get them under control outside of it. Insight Preston came to realize that he had subconscious issues regarding his adoption as a child. He understood that he was so shocked by learning he was adopted that he was afraid it was going to happen again. He learned that he was very afraid of losing his parents. He acknowledged that his aggressive outbursts were not about the people he was dealing with, but about his fear that his parents would somehow like them better and abandon him. Preston identified that this is not considered normal behavior for someone his age. He picked up various calming techniques, and needed to constantly remind himself that the issue was him, not others. I was able to assist Preston in identifying the root causes of different scenarios and emotions that he discussed. His visible anxiety and aggression seemed to be kept to a minimum. With his understanding of why he was experiencing these emotions, Preston seemed to be doing better in his daily life. He reports being able to hold a discussion with other males without feeling the need to be dominant. He has also taken steps in explaining his fears and issues with his parents. Conclusions The next main milestone for Preston will be to find a home of his own. This will take time and adjustment, but will be a great leap forward. Also, he is noticing some of the same issues he is dealing with in his brother. Hopefully, Preston can persuade his brother to seek the same sort of help that he has received. This will have to be gradual so as to not induce any sort of separation anxiety. However, if Preston continues with treatment and making positive choices, then he will be continuing on the path to recovery.

A Strategy Proposal for Obstetric Emergencies

A Strategy Proposal for Obstetric Emergencies REPORT: A STRATEGY PROPOSAL FOR MANDATORY SKILLS AND DRILLS SESSIONS FOR OBSTETRIC EMERGENCIES 1  Executive Summary 1.1 This proposal was carried out following the need for drills as identified and recommended by the CEMACH report. 1.2 The situation was reviewed in the light of current directives regarding inter-professional collaboration. This report will express the necessity to involve all obstetric and neonatal staff, ensuring competency and continuous professional development. The report has identified mechanisms suggested for the introduction of obstetric drills in such a way that they are viewed by the potential participants as a non-threatening mechanism that is highlighting good areas of practice and areas for improvement. The process will stand jointly with a programme of targeted education to address areas of weakness. The process of drills and their feedback will be monitored and refinements made. This system of risk management will feed into the process areas of concern suitable for drill evaluation. 2.  Rationale for Choice of Topic Maternity care has been identified as an area for improvement (Department of Health 2000 An Organisation with a Memory). This topic of drills was chosen because there are clear calls for its use by a number of bodies (these include CEMACH, 1999, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ â€Å"Towards Safer Childbirth† document and CNST) and it well illustrates the importance of multidisciplinary team working. These drills are a requirement of CNST level 2 which confers a 20% reduction in insurance premiums on trusts. Drills have been of proven benefit in improving performance in eclampsia simulations (Thompson, 2004). It is likely that drills in other areas of obstetrics will also lead to improved performance (Thompson, 2004). The midwifery statutory body, the Midwifery Committee of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and formerly the UKCC are concerned with the regular updating of skills requiring at least five days of training every three years. Humanistic approach The very nature of improving patient care for its own sake should be sufficient impetus to create an environment receptive to this change. The proposal is; The introduction of mandatory skills and drills sessions for obstetric emergencies: WHY: To involve all staff and ensure competency and continuous professional development. To identify staff who need more training e.g. study days. WHO: Midwives and other clinical staff, to encourage professional development and capability to deal with emergency situations. WHAT: Shoulder dystocia Antepartum and post partum haemorrhage Eclampsia Undiagnosed breech presentation Neonatal and Maternal resuscitation Placental abruption CNST actually recommends the following drills annually; Cord Prolapse Vaginal Breech delivery Shoulder Dystocia Antepartum Haemorrhage / Severe postpartum Haemorrhage HOW: Monthly skills and drills Change skill monthly Each drill twice a year Each midwife to attend a minimum of one of each skill per year 3.  Critical Discussion Background: The drills will be a part of evidence-based training through practical skills, on emergency situations occurring in the antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum period to prevent maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity (CEMACH). The latest report of the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths sates that â€Å"emergency drills for maternal resuscitation should be regularly practised in clinical areas in all maternity units.† The Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts (CEMACH) has Maternity Clinical Risk Management Standards. CNST (level 2, April, 2005) Criterion 5.2.1 states; â€Å"There is a system in place to ensure that all relevant staff participate in  an annual skills drill.† The CNST documentation advises that; â€Å"Collaborative, multidisciplinary practice sessions or â€Å"drills†, for dealing with emergency situations, allow for all members of staff, especially new and junior staff, to know and understand their specific roles and  responsibilities in an emergency.† The CNST also states; â€Å"Critical incident analysis is an effective educational and management  tool, and its use should be incorporated into the philosophy and daily  management of Labour Wards.† For CNST satisfaction in this criterion there must be verification records of all those who attend each drill. The rills should be linked to a training programme. There should be at least 75% attendance and ideally 100% attendance. Critical incidents in obstetrics are uncommon. Whilst the risk management already in place may highlight weaknesses in provision of care and remedial measures may subsequently be taken such as further training it is advantageous to simulate these uncommon but acutely life-threatening situations in order to feed the results into the risk management process. Inter-Professional Team: It is especially important that the drills involve the multidisciplinary team. The following members will be regularly involved; Midwives Maternity assistants Obstetricians of all grades Anaesthetists Operating department assistants Porters Neonatal paediatricians and nurses Students It is important that all the people involved in an actual emergency are considered when setting up a drill. In some scenarios the haematology team may be involved following consultation beforehand. The more realistic the drill the more valuable it will prove. Strategy The proposal consists of a number of aspects (Roberts, 1998) such as assembling a project team, planning the drills, implementation, evaluation, modification then further implementation of the drills, further evaluation and so on. With regard to strategy introducing drills does not fit so well into there being an agreed process in advance with the likely participants in the drill. This will make the drill less realistic and, especially if the subject matter is known in advance, it will enable participants to prepare. A fine balance will be sought between gaining the support of the individuals affected via effective interpersonal sills and leadership to enable an atmosphere of trust. This approach is of proven benefit (Kassean, 2005). This will involve informing the clinicians that drills will take place and the reasons why and that they should enable improvement in practice and team working with emphasis on this being in a non-threatening manner. During initial drills the performance will depend on the abilities, clinical and team working of all the clinicians attending and will also depend on the drill itself. There are two things to evaluate; staff performance and the drill itself. The drill can be modified. The weak areas in the performance of staff can be evaluated and training issues made good. On repetition of the drills subsequent staff performance will reflect and can be used as a measure of the success or otherwise of the implementation of the drills. Discussion: It will be important to pay particular attention to discussion and accurate planning of the drills. Meetings will be set up involving management and including the Professional Development Officer, Risk Management Officer, Head of Midwifery and Clinical Liaison Officer. Although it is proposed to cover the above lists the needs and timing and degree of repetition of specific drills will be determined by incident reports. The risk management process will feed into the drill planning. The teaching elements will be modified in timing, content and repetition according to specific performance in the drills. Individual training can then be addressed where needed and appropriate and more general sessions also provided with the relevant attendance facilitated. The objective, which will be made transparent, is to maximise the combined motivation and effort of all those likely to be involved in the change. Resources needed: There are some resource implications although these are fairly minimal compared to the likely gains. Staff time is involved in setting up the drills. Rooms need to be available. However clinical rooms will be used for instance (but not confined to) the delivery suite when it is quiet. Standard equipment will be used and this will incur costs. It may be necessary to purchase models or these may already be available on the unit. Some handouts may be necessary and documentation will need to be kept of attendance registers and the progress and evaluation of the drills. Management of change There are many change theories. Particularly illustrative of the inertia to change is a major component of Lewin’s (1951) theory of change. Here people are â€Å"frozen† in a particular manner of doing things. There are many reasons for this rigid position. Whilst some of the reasons relate to external factors the crucial resistance to change is at the level of the individual. In order for the individual to change, their way of thinking about the factor needs to be addressed. Too much pressure however can make an individual more resistant to change (Broome, 1998). Too many stressors will decrease the level of performance (Broome, 1998). An example of a successful change implementation emphasised the importance of communication at this stage in the change process (Kassean, 2005). Once the individual accepts the reasons for the change rather than just that change is necessary they can make the change, then further freezing in the new position effects the change. Ethical and legal considerations Midwives must be accountable for the actions and they have a duty of care to be up to date with their training. There are fitness to practice issues inherent here. Dimond (2006) describes the outcomes of some recent legal cases concerning interdisciplinary communication and management of obstetric emergencies. Evidence of team working and adherence to appropriate guidelines will help in the defence of such problems. The process of drills and further training and repeat drills will help to create a learning culture (Garcarz, 2003). Burke (2003) compares their own study of the effectiveness and the subsequent changes in practice following drills to large awards where delivery was less timely than in their drills. Evaluation Feedback will be obtained in a variety of formats including questionnaires and in reflective practice interviews. This will enable qualitative data to be obtained and analysed. Quantitative data will be obtained and statistically analysed. This evidence will be used to evaluate just how effective the drills and the associated training are in improving clinical practice and team working in the simulation environment. Informal feedback will be acquired from discussion in team meetings of those involved in the drills as trainers and trainees. Such feedback will be helpful in assessing problems not identified elsewhere and will also be illustrative of the real barriers to change and how these might be addressed. 4.  Conclusion The introduction of obstetric drills is mandatory for CNST level 2 and is also recommended practice from a number of other bodies. There is evidence in the literature that such drills can be introduced in a manner which is accepted by participants and which is effective in the subsequent improvement of performance criteria. 5.  References Broome A 1998 Managing Change 2nd Edition. Basingstoke, Macmillan Burke C 2003 Scenario training: how we do it and the lessons we have learned. Clinical risk 9 103-6 CEMACH [WWW] http://www.cemach.org.uk/publications/WMD2000_2002/wmd-intro.htm accessed 23 April 2006-04-23 Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts Maternity Clinical Risk Management Standards April 2005 http://www.nhsla.com/NR/rdonlyres/EE1F7C66-A172-4F0C-8A36-7FCCD31A52A0/0/CNSTMaternityStandardsApril2005final.pdf accessed on 23 April 2006 Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts CNST [WWW] Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths in the United Kingdom 1999 Why mothers die. London: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Department of Health 2000 An organisation with a memory. Report of an expert group on learning from adverse events in the NHS, chaired by the Chief Medical Officer. London: Stationery Office Dimond B 2006 Legal Aspects of Midwifery, 3rd edition. Butterworth-Heinneman, UK Garcarz W Chambers R Ellis S 2003 Make your healthcare organisation a learning organisation. Radcliffe. Oxford Kassean HK Jagoo ZB 2005 Managing change in the nursing handover from traditional to bedside handover – a case study from Mauritius BMC Nursing 2005, 4:1 1472-6955 Lewin K 1951 Field Theory in Social Science. New York: Harper and Row Roberts K Ludvigsen C Project management for health care professionals Butterworth Heineman Oxford Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 1999 Towards safer childbirth. London; RCOG Thompson S Neal S Clark V 2004 Clinical risk management in obstetrics: eclampsia drills BMJ328:269-271

dikes :: essays research papers

â€Å"When flood waters from the Mississippi River and it’s tributaries surge down the river the volume of water is physically impossible to contain. In general, there is just to much Water!!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The â€Å"pools† behind the navigation dams have no effect in preventing or causing floods. Like a bathtub it doesn’t matter if the pools are empty or full when the floodwaters come. Within a very short time the excess water can create an over flow (Army Corps of Engineers).† What is a Flood? A flood occurs when water is poured over the land and the ground and rivers cannot cope with it (Waterlow 8). Once a basin has filled, water will overflow its rim and resume it’s downward progress. â€Å"Gravity ensures that water must drain the land into the sea (Allaby 12).† When snow melts from a divide it is joined by more snow, and it will eventually reach the low lands. Hills down below will also shed water into the same low lands and if there is enough of this it can result in a flood (Allaby 12). The Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio drain an area of 1,243,700 square miles, this goes from the Rocky Mountains to the Canadian boarder and Pennsylvania (Allaby 13). All of this watershed result in floods each year the snow up north melts. How a Dam Affects Flooding A dam is made to make pools at least 9 ft. deep so that barge traffic can navigate freely through out the river. A lock is made so the barges can move from one pool to another (Army Corps of Engineers). The combination of these two make up a lock and dam system. Between St. Anthony Falls, MN, and Granite City, IL there are 29 lock and dam systems. It is said, in the beginning of this page in fact, that dams do not control flooding. Dams weren’t made to control floods and they never will, because floods are so unpredictable and so uncontrollable (Army Corps of Engineers). What is a Dike A dike is an embankment built to control or hold back the water of a river, stream, sea, etc. (Waterlow 25). In building a dike you can use sandbags, dirt, or both put together. You will build up a wall, getting it as compact as possible, as high as you think is needed to hold back the floodwaters. In the Netherlands farmers have used dikes to protect their farms from floods for hundreds of years (Waterlow 25).

Affirmative Action Should Not Be Continued Essay -- argumentative, pers

Affirmative action started in the 1960’s as a way to end discrimination against African American and later all minorities - including women. By migrating people of all color into workplaces and colleges/universities seemed to be the suitable solution to diversify our nation. Although blacks had been freed for a 100 years, they continually struggled with segregation. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned the segregation of all sort in the United States, however that was not enough. Congress mandated the affirmative action program as a plan of desegregation. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy made reference to this plan, but it was not until September 1965 that it was enforced by President Lyndon Johnson. The program affected federal jobs, to include federal contracting company, and universities. In order to receive federal funding, each entity had to hire and enroll minorities. Affirmative action was a good jump start to get our nation to where it is today. However, affi rmative action should not be continued because it is a form of discrimination, it is more harmful than helpful, and it supplements race or gender for one’s qualification. The government thinks that implementing affirmative action will repair inequality, but it cannot. In the midst of tying to promote equality, they are promoting discrimination. Discrimination is the violation of one’s human rights based on gender, sex, race, ethnicity and/or relation. President Johnson felt that blacks being free and able to go to the same school as Caucasians were not just enough for the past discrimination and turmoil the African Americans went through. Affirmative action was used as a cure to remedy lost times. Sandal made some valid points; he noted that th... .../wp-srv/politics/special/affirm/stories/aaop031595.htm Murphy, S. (2010 July 23). Judge tells city to hire four white firefighters. Retrieved from http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2003/08/26/judge_tells_city_to_hire_four_white_firefighters/ Plous, S. (2003). Ten myths about affirmative action. Retrieved from http://www.understandingprejudice.org/readroom/articles/affirm.htm Pottinger, J. (1972). The drive toward equality. New York: Change Magazine. Sandel, M. (2009). Justice: What’s the right thing to do? New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux Sargis, D. (2004 March 2). Race-based college scholarships. Retrieved from http://www.intellectualconservative.com/article3183.html Timeline of Affirmative Action Milestone (2010 July, 05). Retrieved from http://www.infoplease.com/spot/affirmativetimeline1.html

Advance Strategic Planning

Advanced Strategic Planning was written by Aubrey Malphurs and was first published in 1999 with the over-all purpose of providing the church and its leadership a good strategic planning process that will help it them move from a stage of stagnant growth to a period of change and revitalization.   The book offers a nine-step strategic thinking and acting models and diagrams that help illustrate concepts.   The updated edition of the book has put emphasis on disciple making.Malphurs, who has authored many books on church leadership and strategy, is a professor of Pastoral Ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary. He specializes in teaching pastors how to think strategically and move their congregation to growth and accomplishment of goals.He is also the president of the Malphurs Group, a consulting organization which provides training and consultation services for churches that sees the need for help in the area of church growth.Malphurs started the book by stating that almost all institutions today, such as churches, go through a sigmoid or S-curve pattern of growth or life cycle, in which a church begins and experiences rapid growth in all areas, achieves a point a comfort zone of routines and programs, and later on declines and eventually dies.Malphurs, in his book, perceives the S-curve life cycle pattern as a problem besetting most churches by stating that:â€Å"The message or lesson of the sigmoid curve is that all good things (and even some bad things) end†¦ Even brand-new institutions and organizations such as a church will, in time, plateau and then die. No matter what institution it is, organizational â€Å"dry rot† sets in.   The institution becomes brittle, ceases to function, and expires† (Malphurs 2005, 11).Given the abovementioned problem Malphurs argues that as soon as the church feels that it now reached the point of staggering growth and plateau, it should in a way re-invent itself through careful planning and adoption of new set of core values (whenever necessary) in order to propel it back to a period of significant growth.This will mean reviewing and restructuring the various aspects of church life such as its core values, personnel, congregation, prevailing culture, finances, community where it is interacting, among others, through a strategic planning process.A handful of suggestions on how to carry out the conduct of this strategic planning was provided lengthily and was discussed in an almost detailed manner by Malphurs.StrengthsDrawing from a wealth of experience as a pastor, professor and consultant, Malphurs have provided significant and doable ways of carrying out the strategic revitalization process.   Perhaps using his personal experience of leading a church, he was able to address a lot of pitfalls and traps that a pastor and church leader should avoid in strategic planning.His experience and love for the ministry and church transcends all throughout the book, making a pastor or a leader, whose church is going through a period of plateau in terms of growth, reading the book feel that the book was written specifically for him and his flock.   Malphurs has a heart for the local church.   The strategic planning is simply his response to the problem that he perceives. [1]It was also made clear in the book that the pastor or church leaders can’t do the process and implement changes alone, every member of the congregation must be informed properly for them to be involved in all facets of the process.   The need to effectively communicate the vision was emphasized and strongly recommended. Malphurs writes:If you conduct secret meetings and fail to communicate in general what happens in those meetings, you will not be able to lead the congregation because they will no trust you (63).An unwavering support on the ongoing strategic planning process will only come from a church member who clearly understands the what and why’s of his/her churchâ€℠¢s call for a strategic planning.Although the book is in fact a â€Å"how-to† sort of manual, Malphurs succeeded in finding a biblical basis for the conduct of the strategic planning.   This makes the book grounded on the godly and biblical principles of leadership.An obvious strength of the book is the manner it challenged church pastors and leaders to think critically regarding its mission, vision, values, and congregational structure. Provoking questions are injected throughout the book to guide its readers in propelling the church in a certain direction that will eventually lead to the realization of their mission and vision.Malphurs is very strong in recommending the necessity of adopting a mission and vision statements in churches. To further guide his readers, Malphurs also made a clear distinction between values, missions, and functions.Armed with the understanding that churches will definitely look different in varying contexts, he stresses the value of injecting p rofessionalism and excellence in all ministry undertakings which is and should be a characteristic of any church desiring to grow.David Murrow also sees this need when he wrote, â€Å"Men appreciate excellence†¦Excellent doesn’t mean slick, canned or superficial. It simply means everything done well (Col. 3:23).†[2]Malphurs also tediously provided helpful tools and sample evaluation forms that will help a church start the strategic planning process.   He make sure that churches who will decide to embark in the strategic planning process already have the tools, which can be modified if they opt to, to keep the process going and evaluated.WeaknessesAlthough well-written, the book still has some few unhelpful aspects and needs thoughtful consideration from a critical reader.Malphurs have excellently provided a book for strategic thinking pastors but have missed out those who are implementers and dreamers in nature, reality will tell us that there are pastors who se e that their calling evolves on activities such as teaching, preaching, evangelism, visitation, etc.Strategic planning is not an exciting and needed activity for pastors and leaders who fall under these characteristics, for them church growth and dynamism depends on going out and reaching the unreached.Another important concern that Malphurs alluded is the average period of time it will take for the whole process of defining the church’s mission, discovering their values, catching the vision, and actually coming up with a plan will be done.He noted that it could take five (5) years just to get everybody on board. Unfortunately, nowadays,   a pastoral longevity in a certain church is only 3 to 4 years.   George Barna stated: â€Å"The average tenure of a pastor in Protestant churches has declined to just 4 years—even though studies consistently show that pastors experience their most productive and influential ministry in years 5 through 14 of their pastorate.† [3]The book also failed in considering the value of preaching the Word of God, reaching out the lost, and healthy fellowship among members of the congregation, in spurring growth in the church.The â€Å"Readiness for Change† inventory contains factors necessary for organizational change, but it is interesting to note that Malphurs have missed to include prayer. For any change to take place in a church, the leaders and members of the church should devote time in praying.ConclusionOverall much is to be commended in Malphurs’ book. It is a very practical book.   The strengths of the book outweigh the weaknesses.   The weaknesses stated should not detract a one from reading the book.Although there are some suggestions made by Malphurs that in one way or another is not supported biblically, such as not putting older men and women in the leadership as opposed to the scripture’s advice to have the older men and women teaching the younger ones, the book still off ers sound and helpful principles of strategically leading and managing a church.The objectives set by Malphurs in writing the book are achieved, he perceived a problem, and he has provided in great detail a solution to the problem. He has skillfully presented a sys aforementioned, his wealth of experience have made every argument he presented convincing and worth trying for.The book is a valuable reading and tool for young, soon-to-be pastors, pastors, elders, church staff members, and lay leaders, or for anyone who is in one way or another involved in church leadership.However, a word of caution, one should be very careful in accepting that the book is the cure-all answer to the problems besetting the churches today.   It is a guide, a good and helpful guide, but it doesn’t contain all the answers to church issues and problems.   Pastors and leaders of the church should still bear in mind what is stated Proverbs 16:9 says â€Å"The mind of man plans his way; But the LOR D directs his steps.†Ã‚   The Lord is still the sovereign one, if it is His Will it will definitely happen. [1]. Owen Strachan,   Reviews: Advanced Strategic Planning by Aubrey Malphurs, (9Marks Reviews , 2008) [article available online], www.alliance.net, date accessed July 21, 2009 [2]. David Murrow, How Women Help Men Find God, (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2008) [3].   George Barna, The Second Coming of the Church, (Nashville: Word Publishing, 1998), 5. Advance Strategic Planning Advanced Strategic Planning was written by Aubrey Malphurs and was first published in 1999 with the over-all purpose of providing the church and its leadership a good strategic planning process that will help it them move from a stage of stagnant growth to a period of change and revitalization.   The book offers a nine-step strategic thinking and acting models and diagrams that help illustrate concepts.   The updated edition of the book has put emphasis on disciple making.Malphurs, who has authored many books on church leadership and strategy, is a professor of Pastoral Ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary. He specializes in teaching pastors how to think strategically and move their congregation to growth and accomplishment of goals.He is also the president of the Malphurs Group, a consulting organization which provides training and consultation services for churches that sees the need for help in the area of church growth.Malphurs started the book by stating that almost all institutions today, such as churches, go through a sigmoid or S-curve pattern of growth or life cycle, in which a church begins and experiences rapid growth in all areas, achieves a point a comfort zone of routines and programs, and later on declines and eventually dies.Malphurs, in his book, perceives the S-curve life cycle pattern as a problem besetting most churches by stating that:â€Å"The message or lesson of the sigmoid curve is that all good things (and even some bad things) end†¦ Even brand-new institutions and organizations such as a church will, in time, plateau and then die. No matter what institution it is, organizational â€Å"dry rot† sets in.   The institution becomes brittle, ceases to function, and expires† (Malphurs 2005, 11).Given the abovementioned problem Malphurs argues that as soon as the church feels that it now reached the point of staggering growth and plateau, it should in a way re-invent itself through careful planning and adoption of new set of core values (whenever necessary) in order to propel it back to a period of significant growth.This will mean reviewing and restructuring the various aspects of church life such as its core values, personnel, congregation, prevailing culture, finances, community where it is interacting, among others, through a strategic planning process.A handful of suggestions on how to carry out the conduct of this strategic planning was provided lengthily and was discussed in an almost detailed manner by Malphurs.StrengthsDrawing from a wealth of experience as a pastor, professor and consultant, Malphurs have provided significant and doable ways of carrying out the strategic revitalization process.   Perhaps using his personal experience of leading a church, he was able to address a lot of pitfalls and traps that a pastor and church leader should avoid in strategic planning.His experience and love for the ministry and church transcends all throughout the book, making a pastor or a leader, whose church is going through a period of plateau in terms of growth, reading the book feel that the book was written specifically for him and his flock.   Malphurs has a heart for the local church.   The strategic planning is simply his response to the problem that he perceives. [1]It was also made clear in the book that the pastor or church leaders can’t do the process and implement changes alone, every member of the congregation must be informed properly for them to be involved in all facets of the process.   The need to effectively communicate the vision was emphasized and strongly recommended. Malphurs writes:If you conduct secret meetings and fail to communicate in general what happens in those meetings, you will not be able to lead the congregation because they will no trust you (63).An unwavering support on the ongoing strategic planning process will only come from a church member who clearly understands the what and why’s of his/her churchâ€℠¢s call for a strategic planning.Although the book is in fact a â€Å"how-to† sort of manual, Malphurs succeeded in finding a biblical basis for the conduct of the strategic planning.   This makes the book grounded on the godly and biblical principles of leadership.An obvious strength of the book is the manner it challenged church pastors and leaders to think critically regarding its mission, vision, values, and congregational structure. Provoking questions are injected throughout the book to guide its readers in propelling the church in a certain direction that will eventually lead to the realization of their mission and vision.Malphurs is very strong in recommending the necessity of adopting a mission and vision statements in churches. To further guide his readers, Malphurs also made a clear distinction between values, missions, and functions.Armed with the understanding that churches will definitely look different in varying contexts, he stresses the value of injecting p rofessionalism and excellence in all ministry undertakings which is and should be a characteristic of any church desiring to grow.David Murrow also sees this need when he wrote, â€Å"Men appreciate excellence†¦Excellent doesn’t mean slick, canned or superficial. It simply means everything done well (Col. 3:23).†[2]Malphurs also tediously provided helpful tools and sample evaluation forms that will help a church start the strategic planning process.   He make sure that churches who will decide to embark in the strategic planning process already have the tools, which can be modified if they opt to, to keep the process going and evaluated.WeaknessesAlthough well-written, the book still has some few unhelpful aspects and needs thoughtful consideration from a critical reader.Malphurs have excellently provided a book for strategic thinking pastors but have missed out those who are implementers and dreamers in nature, reality will tell us that there are pastors who se e that their calling evolves on activities such as teaching, preaching, evangelism, visitation, etc.Strategic planning is not an exciting and needed activity for pastors and leaders who fall under these characteristics, for them church growth and dynamism depends on going out and reaching the unreached.Another important concern that Malphurs alluded is the average period of time it will take for the whole process of defining the church’s mission, discovering their values, catching the vision, and actually coming up with a plan will be done.He noted that it could take five (5) years just to get everybody on board. Unfortunately, nowadays,   a pastoral longevity in a certain church is only 3 to 4 years.   George Barna stated: â€Å"The average tenure of a pastor in Protestant churches has declined to just 4 years—even though studies consistently show that pastors experience their most productive and influential ministry in years 5 through 14 of their pastorate.† [3]The book also failed in considering the value of preaching the Word of God, reaching out the lost, and healthy fellowship among members of the congregation, in spurring growth in the church.The â€Å"Readiness for Change† inventory contains factors necessary for organizational change, but it is interesting to note that Malphurs have missed to include prayer. For any change to take place in a church, the leaders and members of the church should devote time in praying.ConclusionOverall much is to be commended in Malphurs’ book. It is a very practical book.   The strengths of the book outweigh the weaknesses.   The weaknesses stated should not detract a one from reading the book.Although there are some suggestions made by Malphurs that in one way or another is not supported biblically, such as not putting older men and women in the leadership as opposed to the scripture’s advice to have the older men and women teaching the younger ones, the book still off ers sound and helpful principles of strategically leading and managing a church.The objectives set by Malphurs in writing the book are achieved, he perceived a problem, and he has provided in great detail a solution to the problem. He has skillfully presented a sys aforementioned, his wealth of experience have made every argument he presented convincing and worth trying for.The book is a valuable reading and tool for young, soon-to-be pastors, pastors, elders, church staff members, and lay leaders, or for anyone who is in one way or another involved in church leadership.However, a word of caution, one should be very careful in accepting that the book is the cure-all answer to the problems besetting the churches today.   It is a guide, a good and helpful guide, but it doesn’t contain all the answers to church issues and problems.   Pastors and leaders of the church should still bear in mind what is stated Proverbs 16:9 says â€Å"The mind of man plans his way; But the LOR D directs his steps.†Ã‚   The Lord is still the sovereign one, if it is His Will it will definitely happen. [1]. Owen Strachan,   Reviews: Advanced Strategic Planning by Aubrey Malphurs, (9Marks Reviews , 2008) [article available online], www.alliance.net, date accessed July 21, 2009 [2]. David Murrow, How Women Help Men Find God, (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2008) [3].   George Barna, The Second Coming of the Church, (Nashville: Word Publishing, 1998), 5.