Analysis of Nigerian Business Environment Essay Example

Analysis of Nigerian Business Environment Paper The project concerns the investigation of the current renewable energy market entry and opportunities for Finnish mall and medium-sized enterprises (Seems) in the Nigerian economy. The goals is to support growth and accelerate the internationalization of small and medium-sized Finnish renewable energy companies within developing countries and to determine how they can achieve market entry in the renewable energy resource business in Nigeria. There is great demand for electricity in the country due to its high consumption, and this thesis will study the demand for renewable energy resources in Nigeria, identify the main competitors and discover the best periods for market entry in Nigeria. A qualitative method of analysis was used in this thesis project, and a questionnaire survey was sent to three energy organizations in Nigeria. These included the International Centre for Energy, Environment Development; the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ACNE); and the Council for Renewable Energy in Nigeria. The investigation of this thesis project provides information needed to establish renewable energy in rural and urban areas in Nigeria. The Nigerian government is encouraging energy companies to invest in the country and special energy policies for foreign investors have been organized, such as a ax reduction plan for energy investors, and the relaxing of energy policy. Nigeria is a nation with great potential for renewable energy solutions, such as sunlight which might be productive for solar power solution, and plentiful bio-waste for biomass energy production. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Nigerian Business Environment specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Nigerian Business Environment specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Nigerian Business Environment specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The key research questions are as follows: Is it advisable for the Finnish renewable energy companies invest in Nigeria? What renewable energy sources have a better potential to be a growing and developing investment in Nigeria? 8 1. 2 Methodology The method used in thesis projects is qualitative research method, which can be refers as scientific researches that consist of investigation that collect evidence, produce findings that are undetermined in advance, need answers to a question, producing informations that are application beyond the immediate areas of study and use a predefined set of procedures to answer the question. It is also important for information collections to maintain clear boundaries between information they received by the participant and what they ask the participant. Furthermore, questionnaire was carefully prepared and directed to renewable energy Nos (International Centre for Energy, Environment Development and Council for Renewable Energy in Nigeria) and the Nigerian government organization called the Ministry of Energy. The questionnaire was vital for the aims and objectives of the thesis as part of the CONNECT project requirement. Majority of the questions asked were related to the PESTLES actors. The questionnaire format is related to questions based on suggestions, energy situation and government incentives and support in establishing a company in the Nigerian market. The questionnaires are based on their understanding of the energy situation, the availability of renewable energy resources, the level of energy competition companies in the country, the economic and environmental competitive, which were sent to them, via their email address and there was also a follow up by telephone in other to hastening them for responses. The investigation of this thesis project revives information needed to establish renewable energy in the rural and urban areas that are in need of energy in the country. Literature reviews is still part of the methodology used in the PESTLE analysis of the project where information are being gathered from different sources, documented, evaluated and presented. 1. 3 Key definition Renewable energy can be refers to as a natural energy at which its energy supply is limited. Renewable energy can never run and can be used again and again. Renewable energy has been in use for so many years in different ways. An example is how the primordial human used the application of wind for sailing; rather the same wind is now used for electricity generation in the modern era. 9 Some of the renewable energy resources are as follows. Wood, Biomass, Wind, Hydro, Wave, geothermal, tidal and solar. (Clean Energy Ideas, 201 2) 1. 4 Structure of the thesis Figure 1 Thesis structure The Introduction and Objectives of the thesis was described in chapter one. In chapter TV, PESTLE analysis of Nigeria has been examined. In chapter three, the energy market situation in general and rates Of demand and supply was analyzed. In chapter four, the renewable energy market demand, its vital resources have been concluded. In the chapter five, research method analysis was conducted via interview questions to different organizations related to renewable energy business. 2 The Business Operating environment in Nigeria (PESTLE Analysis) The PESTLE factors consist of the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal. It is a strategic technique that gives useful information for analyzing the environmental tension in a particular environment. For example, in this project, it means to analyze the Nigerian equines operating macro environment for renewable energy opportunities. 10 Figure 2: PESTLE analysis political Factors refers to changes in government impact, its priorities for the Nigerian relationships with other countries which closes or open the market bond between them which includes the forms of government, bureaucracy, international relationship, corruption, public ownership right and many more. Economy factors refers on how the economics of a particular place can affect business such as changes in wage rate, inflation, Economic stability, employment rate, labor force, division of income. Social Factors refers to changes in trends which include lifestyles, behavior, attitude, business culture, cultural changes, family change, demographics and expectations. Technological factors refers to as the level of technology in Nigeria which will helps with the introduction of renewable energy solution in the country which Includes, electricity, infrastructures and modern communications. Environmental factors includes geographical sites and locations, climatic changes, natural resources related to renewable energy solutions, level of infrastructures, Public opinion, cost implications and frequency of environmental catastrophe. 11 Legal factors includes the Nigerian rules and regulations related to energy, Cocoas and African union legislations and Nigeria directives 2. 1 Political factors 2. 1. Politics and Administration Nigeria is a republic nation which operates a Federal system of government, with three different authorities- The Federal, State and the Local government. The division of power is among the three arms of government. The Federal Government consist of the Judiciary which interprets the laws, for examples supreme court, court of appeal and the district court; the executive enforces ND carry out the laws, for example federal and the legislature makes the laws for example senate and house of representative. The state government consist of (36 States including the Federal Capital Territory Baja) some of the states in the northern Region consist of Kane, Sudan, Sotto, Born, Dammar, Catkins, Gumbo, Samara and others can be shown on the map. The western region consists of Lagos, Gun, Indo, Sun, Kite, Oho, Awkward etc. The states in the South and East consist of ABA, Belays, Delta, Umbra, Rivers Imo; Ensue (Teach anywhere 2009). Figure 3: Map of Nigeria 12 The Nigeria government consists of 774 local government areas (CIA 2012). The political terrain is becoming attractive to business in Nigeria since the country became a democratic system in the year 1999. For the past 13 years, Nigeria has been experiencing an uninterrupted democracy and the latest election was held from the month of April to June 2011 which was a democratic form of choosing a representative to the Nigerian government and its various States. Those elected on the federal level are the head of states (The President and Vice President) and legislature system which is (National Assembly). The Nigerian President is elected by the People via election voting system. The national assembly is a form of two chambers, House of Representatives with 360 seats and the Senate which has 109 seats and all are elected for a four years term each. The political terrain is becoming positive except for the northern region of Nigeria that is experiencing instability due to religions unrest, security operatives are deployed to the region in other to neutralized the situation and the government have begun in negotiating with the religious crisis cabals (BOOK HARM) in the northern region in other to address the annoyance of he group which will improve the business day to day in the region. The southern region of Nigeria is very suitable for businesses day to day which control the economy power of the country. 2. 1. 2 Government Policy The government policy in Nigeria varies in different situations, for example changes in government regime every four years. According to the Industry analysis in Nigeria, government policies usually have a great impact.

Principles of Macroeconomics Essays

Principles of Macroeconomics Essays Principles of Macroeconomics Essay Principles of Macroeconomics Essay Principles of Macroeconomics Name: Institution: Course: Date: Principles of Macroeconomics The consumer price index measures the overall costs of consumer goods and services purchased by a typical consumer. The consumer price index is measured as follows Consumer Price Index = price of basket of goods and services in current year/price of basket in base year*100 (Mankiw, 2011) A = 1.25*125/100 = 1.562 B = 1/1.34*100 = 74.63 C = 1*100/146 = 0.684 The consumer price index measures the change in living standards over a specified period. An increase in the consumer price index means that consumers will have to spend more today for the same quantity of goods. For instance, the consumer price index rose from 100 to 125 in 2007. The consumer price index is therefore used to measure the inflation in an economy. Inflation refers to the increase in the price levels in the economy. The following are the rates of inflation in 2007 and 2009 Inflation rate is calculated as follows CPI in the second year-CPI in the first year/CPI in the second year*100 Inflation rate in 2007 was 25%, calculated as follows 125-100/100*100=25% The inflation rate in 2009 was 95.6%, calculated as follows 146-74.63/74.63*100=95.6% The high increase in the inflation rate seen in 2009 can be attributed to the fact that the consumer price index in 2008, decreased from the previous year. There were lower prices that year, compared to the base year. In the following year, the market prices at that time were higher than the base year prices, and this caused the consumer price index to increase. GDP measures the total spending of goods and services in an economy. While the consumer price index measures the prices for different consumers, GDP measures the overall cost for an economy. Some of the items used to measure the consumer price index are not included when measuring the GDP. For instance, the consumer price index includes all the goods and services that the consumers purchase, regardless of whether they are imports. When calculating the GDP imports are not included, since the GDP only measures the goods and services produced in the country. Real GDP measures how the production of products changes over time, using past prices, fixed at some point. Nominal GDP on the other hand measures the cost of production using the current prices. The nominal and real GDP of prices would differ because of the inflation rate. When calculating real GDP, the prices used are constant. When calculating nominal GDP, current prices are used, and they reflect the change of inflation. Real GDP is not affected by the changes in price, but it is affected by the quantity of output. Since nominal GDP is measured using current prices, it is affected by the output and the changing prices. Thus, measurements in real and nominal GDP would differ because of the two factors. If the inflation in the country is high, such as the case in 2009, the nominal GDP will increase significantly, but the real GDP will not reflect these changes. Real GDP is used to compare the economic growth in different countries over a specified period. High GDP is usually good for the economy, but it may also be a cause of inflation, either because of the increase in prices or because of increase in money supply (Boyes Melvin, 2010). References: Boyes, W., Melvin, M. (2010). Macroeconomics. New York, NY: Cengage Learning Mankiw, G. N. (2011). Principles of macroeconomics. New York, NY: Cengage Learning

Qualitative methods - Participant observation Research Paper

Qualitative methods - Participant observation - Research Paper Example Literature Review: Introduction: Participant observation has its roots in anthropological studies, where researchers would go to a far away place to study the customs and practices of less known societies (Lakono et-al, 2009). With regard to a qualitative method such as semi-structured interviews, the process involves a researcher speaking to research subjects and then attempting to make sense of what has been said by reviewing the transcript of the conversation (Tolhurst, 2012).To avoid biased remarks, the researcher has to learn to put aside their preconceptions (Kutsche, revised 2008). Challenges: The challenges that face researchers in the field of qualitative research, otherwise referred to as ethnographic fieldwork, which encompasses participant observation are enormous and disorienting. These short theoretical explanations make it clear that we are dealing with a social phenomenon that confronts researchers with a new complexity in terms of special disruption, and at the same time, a highly connected social formation (Richter, 2012). The social sciences have particularly advanced in application of qualitative methods, including gender concerns. The desire to overcome the separation of productive and reproductive labour in the lives of both sexes is a desire that can only be achieved if labour unions perceive gender relations as a political challenge demanding their attention (Morgenroth, 2012). Jun Li, in her research in the field of female gambling, sums up some of her challenges in a slightly disturbing fashion. By assuming a covert research role, I was able to observe natural occurrences in gambling settings, but unable to make peace with disturbing feelings of my research concealment. By uncovering my research identity, I was able to fulfill ethical obligations as a researcher, but unable to get he female gamblers to speak their minds (Jun Li, 2008). According to Jun Li, she may never have succeeded in uncovering the individual secrets behind their p erformance in the game, and for any other matters they considered her an outsider. Participant Observation Definition Participant observation is a method of acquiring information for a study that requires the researcher to undertake their study in the target society. For this reason, the researcher gets ‘absorbed’ into the society and makes direct observations while in the assumed position of a member of the society. For this reason they participate directly in the affairs of their target, and therefore have a clearer understanding of the aspects of their study. Application of Participant Observation in Business management The method of participant observation has over time spread in application from the initial sociological fields to gain application in more disciplines, including business management. The managers of a business expect to be provided with forthright information about all aspects of the business that could help them to make advised decisions in running t he business. For this reason, they may decide to plant ‘informers’ to update them on curious operational details. They may as well decide to engage in relatively lower ranked duties in the firm in order to have clearer control of operations. A business proprietor interested in

Promoting Health in the Community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Promoting Health in the Community - Essay Example Rates for attempted suicide related to depression register at a rate of 0.3% for men and 0.5% for women (Commonwealth of Australia, 2009). These statistics in Australia are alarming which incidentally reflect similar rates in the global scene. To address the problems of depression in the country, causes, risk factors, and prevention in the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels will be discussed to include strategies to overcome some barriers. Causes of depression Depression is caused by various factors. One is the cumulative negative life experiences such as violence, chronic poverty, divorce, and death (Burns, Andrews, & Szabo, 2002). In the same study, adversities experienced by individuals specifically in adolescents during their teen age years are identified as another cause. Teenagers with poor interpersonal skills and with negative thoughts result in peer relationship difficulties and in coping with family issues (Robinson, et.al. 2008). In addition, the individual’s c ognitive qualities exert some influence into a person’s interpretation of negative life events. ... Low self esteem is also considered a predictor of adolescent depression as reflected in their poor physical and academic performance in school. Individuals with poor social skills are likely to develop symptoms of depression of particular concern are those experiencing difficulties in maintaining social relationship (Cole, et.al. 2001). Lastly, workplace stress is also related to high incidents of depression. Potential health outcomes Depression can lead to a variety of health outcomes. First, it can bring about physical symptoms such as increased blood pressure, heart rate, palpitation, and headache which may result to stroke or heart attacks if it persists (Horn and Miller, 2008). Second, it alters the emotional aspect as evident in the person experiencing sadness, irritability, mood swings, and hostility. Next, it affects behaviour so that the person starts blaming others, becomes defensive among others. Eventually, it alters the cognitive dimension of the person predisposing him to poor memory, excessive daydreaming, trouble concentrating, and preoccupation. Prevention strategies Primary prevention Primary prevention involves reducing the incidences of the disorder to include modifying risk factors. Initially, the individual should involve herself in sport activities of his interest. Such physical activity may not only maintain physical wellness but it diverts the brain from processing depressive thought (Weaver, 2009) and it also turn off the mind from boring daily routines. Another is to practice relaxation exercises like yoga, meditation, and listening to soft music since these may unwind and recharge the body and soul. Exercise for adult has become a part of community

The various stages in the development of warfare Essay Example for Free

The various stages in the development of warfare Essay Technology defines the strategic agenda of a nation at any given time; in particular, the concepts of war, crisis, terrorism and therefore military warfare. Military technology has allowed for Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles, Precision Guided Munitions, Long Range Theatre Nuclear Weapons, Ballistic Missile-Carrying Submarines and many more. New military concepts have arisen out from the advancement of military technology, for example arms races or Mutually Assured Destruction; all of these complex military terminologies were unheard of in the middle of the 19th century, therefore showing how drastic warfare has developed since then. As military warfare has an extremely strong influence on the state of international relations as it affects the balance of power and the polarity of the world, it is important to understand both why and how the wars that happen today have expanded. The industrial revolution in the middle of the 19th century brought about a fundamental transformation in military technology; gone were the cavalry wars with spears as weapons and castles as defence, in was the mass production of war machinery. Nearly every aspect of warfare changed, and has been advancing and increasing ever since. The firepower of guns and bombs evolved from 3/4 rounds per minute muzzle loading muskets to machine guns capable of firing 650 rounds per minute1; although first used in the 1883 American Civil War which led to 600,000 dead, machine guns were widely used in World War One and helped make 400,0002 British casualties in the Battle of the Somme. From the middle of the 20th century the focus moved to weapons of mass destruction, in particular nuclear weapons, where technology allowed for more range and accuracy, and ICBMs and PGMs are capable of wiping out whole towns. Due to this, war has extended from armies to ordinary civilians, therefore potentially increasing death tolls and creating more fear among inhabitants of a country at war as attacks can be secret. The mobility and transport of armies has also changed which has an effect on the development of warfare; the pre-mid 19th century wooden sail powered ships with cannons used during many of the British invasions of India, Australia and Africa proved impractical and from the 1870s onwards, iron steam powered battleships were built. This allowed for access to enemy lands by sea with a lower risk of being sunk, and so invasions became easier, for example the Boer War from 1899 to 1902. The industrial revolution of the mid 1800s created advanced railways so soldiers could be deployed rapidly; this increased the speed of wars from the traditional wars on foot, and prevented enemy stated from having time to prepare for war. The introduction of the motorcar in the beginning of the 20th century also helped the mobility of warfare, with army trucks being used in most of the wars since then; in addition, the invention of tanks and submarines combined strong defence with the ability to attack, therefore causing more damage with fewer home casualties. The development of aircraft since the mid 19th century has been extremely significant; the first victims of air war were Arab villagers in Libya during the Italian war on Turkey 1911-123, and although aircraft was used in World War One, the turning point of air warfare was the Second World War, where the Blitzkrieg strikes on British civilian towns by the German Luftwaffe created a new warfare that involved ordinary inhabitants. Similarly, in recent air strikes on Afghanistan and Iraq by technologically advanced fighter planes such as B-1 and B52 bombers have further increased the speed and devastation caused by war. Protection has also changed over the years, from impractical individual heavy metal armour used by armies before the mid 19th century to much more alternative methods of protection. In World War One, the use of trenches to protect soldiers proved ineffective, however the civilian attacks during the Second World War meant that new types of protection were introduced: air raid sirens, blackouts and gas masks from enemy air warfare. Technology in the late 20th century extended methods of protection to Electronic Counter Measures to locate enemy weapons even before they are deployed the ultimate method of protection. This would not have been possible without the advancement in artificial intelligence through sophisticated computers to perform operations such as detecting long-range missiles from satellite cameras. The advancement of military warfare is due to a number of things: the progression of science and development of human intelligence mainly as a result of better education and more of a desire to be all-knowing has created more effective and practical ideas for warfare. In addition, the influx capitalism after the industrial revolution has meant that the munitions industry has profit to be made, and as capitalism seems ever increasing the production of weapons has also amplified. Also, countries around the world have increased their defence spending budgets therefore more money is constantly being spent on inventing the best, most destructive, powerful weapons. This, along with the enlarged competition between states to have the most advanced technological warfare machinery has led to a number of disputes which set the agenda for international relations at the time. The Cold War between Russia and the United States from the middle of the 20th century until the collapse of the Soviet Union mainly consisted of an unofficial arms race: repeated, competitive and reciprocal adjustments of their war making capacities between two nations4, with both countries building up baroque arsenals of ICBMs and the most advanced nuclear bombs. Action-Reaction models such as the Cold War creates a security dilemma not just for those involved but for the whole world: An action by any state to increase its military strength will raise the level of threat seen by other states and cause them to react by increasing their own strength5. An example of this recently could be the nuclear proliferation of the nine states who presently have nuclear weapons; countries who dont have nuclear arms may feel threatened by those who do and wish to build up their arms, and so this potential horizontal proliferation would in turn make those who have arms build up theirs even more, creating increased vertical proliferation. Nuclear multi-polarity in the world is likely to be dangerous as there is more chance of rogue states using their weapons and creating more prolific, devastating wars. While many argue the move to nuclear warfare is better than outdated methods of warfare such as battles as it creates deterrence between states to use their weapons. This could be proven by the fact that since the invention of nuclear weapons in the middle of the 20th century there has been no nuclear wars; however the example of the United States atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 show how much devastation and horror they could cause. Also, the new threat of biological and chemical weapons has added to the potential threat of large-scale modern warfare that no longer involves a countrys army only; it seems like the world could potentially be moving into a second nuclear age. The progress between offensive and defensive warfare has also changed since the middle of the 19th century; however it seems to have followed a regular pattern. Pre 19th century cavalry wars were largely offensive wars, with attacks on foot and high casualties; the first World War consisted of mainly defence tactics like building extensive trenches; the second World War was again offensive, with air warfare bombing campaigns; the evolution of nuclear arms is largely as a defence mechanism, for example the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction; and recent wars such as the US attacks on Iraq and Afghanistan have been mostly offensive bombing campaigns. Another factor to consider of how warfare has changed is how the world is not entirely a multi-polar earth; recently, it seems like a potentially unstable combination of unifying centripetal and separating centrifugal forces struggling over the periphery. In addition, the threat of non state actors has also changed warfare; until recently, the enemy could be located in one state, however the main problem for western democracies in international relations today is the threat of terrorism, with the Al Quaida network appearing all over the world. This creates the problem of not knowing where to attack, and counties such as America attacking countries like Afghanistan just because they believe they were harbouring terrorists after the September the 11th attacks. It is likely that warfare technology will advance in the future despite the disarmament issue over the past few decades. While superpower countries like the United States continue with their arms building, refuse to ratify the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty or participate in talks regarding the Antiballistic Missile Treaty in June, and continue to own 95% of the 31,000-plus nuclear weapons along with Russia6, the Doomsday Clock might actually reach midnight. After World War One, Sir Edward Grey said that the horrors of the Great War would make it possible for states to find as least one common ground on which they should come together in confident understanding: an agreement that, in the disputes between them, war must be ruled out as a means of settlement that entails ruin7. Obviously, this idea seems much too idealistic when we look back at the technological advancements in warfare since World War One, which can maybe suggest that states will always dispute and technology will always adva nce the terrifying thought of a future super-war is very possible. BIBLIOGRAPHY Buzan, Barry, Strategic Studies: Military Technology and International Relations, London: Macmillan, 1987 Freedman, Lawrence, The Evolution of Nuclear Strategy, London: Macmillan, 1989 Goldstein, Joshua, International Relations, New York: Longman, 1999 Gray, Colin, The Second Nuclear Age, Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 1999 Waltz, Kenneth, Man, the State and War, New York: Colombia University Press, 1959 www.thebulletin.org 1 Buzan, Barry, Strategic Studies: Military Technology and International Relations, London: Macmillan, 1987 2 http://www.phoenixpress.co.uk/articles/events/somme-battle-of-pp.asp 3 Freedman, Lawrence, The Evolution of Nuclear Strategy, London: Macmillan, 1989, p4 4 Steiner, Barry, Arms Races, Diplomacy and Recurring Behaviour: Lessons from Two Cases, Beverly Hills: Sage, 1973 5 Rathjens, G. W., The Dynamics of the Arms Race, in Herbert York (ed.), Arms Control, San Francisco: Freeman, 1973 6 www.thebulletin.org 7 Grey, Edward, Twenty Five Years, New York: Frederick A Stokes Co., 1925, p285

Role of Greed and Grievance in Civil War

Role of Greed and Grievance in Civil War The role that greed and grievance play in civil war is its emergence. Their role is a crucial and controversial one in the creation of civil wars. There have been various arguments concerning their role in its emergence, with most for greed as the key factor as the backbone of all conflict including civil war while a few others also consider grieves role. However, it is my opinion that both work hand in hand to create the violence that is civil war. Some could even see how one begets the other, legitimizing the creation of one through the existence of the other. Either way the role both greed and grieve play is one of an instigator. This paper will illustrates how both factors have intertwining roles in the occurrence of civil war; the aim is to show how one factors role influences the other and how one factors role can overlap and blur the other out. This will be done by looking at various explanations for civil war attributed to greed and grieve individually. To discuss these terms and their role in the emergence of civil war it is crucial to understand what they mean and why they are considered active role players in the creation of civil war. Civil War is conflict that arises when militant groups of people attack a government and or civilians persistently (Collier, 2003:54).What exactly is greed and how does it come into play in the occurrence of civil war? Greed according to the English dictionary (dictionary.com) is ‘excessive or rapacious desire especially for wealth or possessions. It is the need to acquire more than you need taking or having more of what you already have. So who is the greedy in civil war? Based on the definition, do the greedy exist in the sense of the word? If they do, then it is crucial to ‘investigate how the greed generates grievance and rebellion, legitimizing further greed (Keen,2000:32) as part of its role in the occurrence of civil war through, the actions of the greedy. Various economic and political factors contribute to the emergence and creation of civil war starting from inequality in terms of resource allocation to participation in the decision making process. There have been various arguments as to what really causes civil war; the prominent answer is economic inequality. The general idea is that people want more access to resources and because they cannot get it, they take it by force. In this sense, then yes the greedy exist and play a major role in the occurrence of civil war. On the other hand, those who do not have access to recourses at all and just want to enjoy the benefits and access to it in the first place (not more access) are not greedy but needy. The actual participants(people doing the actual fighting, and protesting) of civil war are not acting according to greed, for greed as earlier defined is wanting more of what you already have. They on the other hand just want access to resources denied of them, denoting previous lack. It is easy to link economic need and lack of resources to greed even more so as the focus is often on how the elite manipulate the situations to create civil unrest and strife, and how they and a few others benefit from it. The error is in considering these groups of people to be the only actors of civil war. The aim here is not to diminish the role of greed, for it plays just as important a role as grieve does as will be later discussed. The aim is to point out that it is important to consider those acting from greed and those from grieve, and the role of grievance in causing civil war before giving all the credit to greeds role as the dominant player in the creation of civil conflict. It is impossible for one factor (grieve or greed) to stir up conflict without the presence of the other factor. The greedy, often times are some entrepreneurs, rebel lords and their gangs, and a few elites (including some governments) that have something to gain from civil unrest are motivated by their greed, their desire to hoard more resources, their access to it, and the benefits gained from said resources (in form of employment, education, wealth etc). Their interest is vested in the continuation of war and so they manipulate the grieve that exists in the society which more often than not is a result of their greed. These are the few Collier talks about when he says, ‘civil war creates economic opportunities for a minority of actors even as they destroy it for the majority (Collier, 2000:91). This brings me to the point that the greedy are few but their impact and influence on the occurrence of civil war is big. Greed plays a minor yet visible role in civil war. The greedy few use the genuine grieve of the majority to advance their own economic agenda. According to Collier (2000), gr ieve is used to recruit actors in civil war. To understand the role of grieve; it is important to define it and consider what constitutes the sentiment. Grieve refers to pain over injustice or unfortunate circumstances as used in the English dictionary ‘grieve is to feel great sorrow, be mentally distressed or oppressed and wronged (Dictionary.com). This attribute is evident when considering factors that contribute to civil war. Looking at the case of Rwanda (Caplan, 2007) where the Tutsi had previously oppressed the Hutus during colonialism. The Hutu ethnic group embarked on an ethnic cleansing mission of the Tutsi ethnic group when they gained political power. This example illustrates how grieve came into play for Rwandas civil war. Ethnic differences, which resulted in oppression of one group by the other, created tension and grieve that erupted into violence. The role of Grieve and greed as creators of civil war is evident in that they are the foundations for each explanatory factor given for the occurrence of civil war. They are the driving forces behind factors contributing to civil war like ethnic differences, manipulative leaders and so forth. For each factor attributed to greed, there is grieve working with it making it possible for greed to be pursued, and for each grieve backed reason for civil war, greed is presently active. Both factors work together, greed creates grieve and it is also possible for greed to emerge from that grieve (Cramer, 2002) without one, the other really does not exist in civil war. Thus far, the contribution and role of greed and grieve as individual factors in the occurrence of civil war in a country has been show, now focus is directed to illustrate how their individual roles intertwine and work hand in hand. This aspect of the essay is going to examine the roles both grieve and greed play in different gr eed or grieve specific explanations offered for the cause of civil war. The most prominent explanation or contributing factor to civil war in literature and media seems to be economic agenda (Collier 2003) (greed explanation) and inequality (grieve explanation) between groups and people in the society as previously noted. The idea behind this is that people engage in conflict in order to advance their own economic agenda, be it access to previously denied resources or to gain more access to said resources. Collier (2000:93-95) uses a number of proxies to explain how greed motivates conflict. For instance, the availability of primary loot-able resources(also discussed in Collier, 2008) in a country creates an avenue for conflict to develop out of greed because of what is to be gained from looting (be it profit from actual sale of good or use of it). Another proxy used was the number of young men without job prospects whose income earning potentials and educational levels are low (Collier, 2000:95). According to this analogy jobless young men with no prospects living in a country with an abundance or somewhat large number of â€Å"primary resources† is a recipe for conflict in said society because of idleness and availability of loot-able resources and of course greed. These young jobless men without prospects do not have jobs or proper paying jobs because they have been denied access to proper and good or any form of education(also a factor that contributes to grieve). They may even have one but cannot get any or good employment because of inequality in the society. A country with large â€Å"commodity exports† obviously has the resources to make things better for these people or at least the means (sale of said commodity resources) to make things better. The availability of young men and primary export commodities shows how greeds role as a generator of civil war works. The explanation also illustrates how grieve (also an instigator of civil war) plays its role i n this dominantly greed backed explanation. Grieve experienced over the unfavorable conditions and employment status or lack thereof of these â€Å"young men† led them to resort to conflict to acquire some of the economic resources not made accessible to them. Colliers argument is that countries with â€Å"large primary resources† are prone to more civil war. The logic of his argument is that ‘resource-rich countries have a higher probability for conflict than resource-poor ones (Soya, 2000:120). Well certainly, there is some credit to this logic because resource poor countries have little or no resources. The difference between these two types of countries is that resource rich countries have resources. The scarcity of said resources within the country where the benefits of such resources are not visible or made equally available to its citizens are bound to experience rebellion from the majority of the population considering how only a minority benefits. The sense of injustice and feeling of unfairness likely to arise from the knowledge that certain resources are available but to only a few elite is enough to bring about grieve. This is also likely to motivate rebels and cause an uprising, and not only the idea that there is excess to acquire and more to be made from black market so let us loot and make our own profits like Collier and Soya would have us believe. The greed proxies (available young men, primary resource and education level) and explanations show greeds role at work, and shows that of grieve in civil war, illustrating how one cannot work without the other. The grievance factors of civil war and some of the grieve backed explanations for civil war like differences and animosity existing between groups in the society, and how they contribute to the emergence of civil war also illustrate the role of greed. The first of many is ‘raw ethnic or religious hatred (Collier, 2000:95). The logic behind this is that people are afraid of what they do not know or understand. Therefore, a society that is deeply separated based on different ethnicities and religious views will experience civil unrest at some point or the other because the society is invested in the differences that exist. Take for instance the Biafra war of Nigeria. The Biafra civil war broke out because of the three major ethnic groups (Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo) in the country, out of which the Igbo were not represented in government. They no longer were actively included in politics after years of being at the forefront of Nigerian politics, and running the country with the las t president (removed through a coup dà ©tat) being from the Igbo ethnic group (Ralph, 2004). Their lack of representation meant their access to certain resources were limited. The ethnic groups in power based on solidarity-favored members of their own ethnic group, their regions had better systems of education, and employment opportunity was regularly based on whom you knew and what ethnic group you belonged to. They only cared about and helped â€Å"their own people† while members of other ethnic groups were being slaughtered and maltreated. This goes to show how deeply rooted the society was in ethnic identities and differences. So much so, that the Igbo felt oppressed and resentment grew. The situation escalated because of problems surrounding the presence of crude oil in the region of the country occupied by the Igbo. The profits made from the resources found in their regions or â€Å"their lands† was not distributed equally around the regions of the nation and es pecially not in the regions, they were found in. In addition, the Igbo leaders decided to keep the profits to themselves to improve the standard of living of maltreated ethnic group members (Global Security.org). Out of grieve over the extent of inequality in the nation the Igbo felt the need to secede. The Nigeria Biafra war illustration of ethnic identities and differences creating civil strife supports the idea that ‘societies that are highly fractionalized by both ethnicity and religion (Collier, 2000:95) will have more incidence of civil war. Furthermore, the illustration not only shows grieve playing its role as a creator of civil war by supporting the grieve backed explanation for causes of civil, in this case ethnic differences and inequality, it also shows greeds role in the occurrence of the Nigerian Biafra civil war. The Igbo were oppressed, agreed but they did not threaten to secede up until they lost their position of power in government (an Igbo was in the presidential office) and found an excuse (Using the proceeds to help the oppressed) to keep the benefits and profits from the valuable natural resource found in the southeast region of Nigeria, where the Igbo reside to themselves. The presence of such a valuable resource like crude oil turned the Igbo greedy an d their state of oppression created an avenue for that greed to show. They wanted to keep the benefits from crude oil to themselves and break from the country. With the already existing situation of the ruling ethnic groups (Hausa and Yoruba), isolating resources based on ethnicity, and their greed in taking and keeping the benefits of the resources without any of it trickling down to the Igbo added to the existing rage and grieve over inequalities that abound in the society and oppression. More importantly, it legitimized the greed of the Igbo group; if it was all right for the ruling groups to hoard resources, it was all right for them to take their resource and keep it for themselves. The ruling groups out of greed kept resources for themselves, this resulted in the neglected groups (Igbo) grieve. Because of their greed, the ruling ethnic groups (Hausa and Yoruba) desired to keep the resource within their grasps and power so they can benefit more from it. This greed possibly led them to resist the secession of the Igbo group away from the nation. The Igbo on the other hand out of grieve over limited access to resources grew greedy and wanted to break from the country at the discovery of a valuable resource (crude oil) they wanted to keep to for themselves. This just goes to show how greed causes grieve and how both factors work together to manipulate situations in a way that results into violence. Another grieve backed factor for civil war that shows the role of both grieve and greed as creators of civil war is the idea of economic inequality again. This factor shows the perfect relationship between the roles of greed and grieve. The latter stemming from the unavailability of certain things like land for instance which Collier (2000) uses as proxy for inequality to others because the elite of the society have access to it. The greed of some in accumulation of resources for themselves and in the process causing grieve for those who do not have access to or are unable enjoy certain benefits derived from it. Ultimately greed from one side coupled with grieve from another equals civil war or at least leads to some form of conflict and even more so in a country with weak governance. A weak government implies ‘government economic incompetence (Collier, 2000:96) and an inability to control or prevent an outbreak of conflict in case one arises from said incompetence. Where there is an incompetent government, greed and grieve have an avenue to breed and reinforce each other in the creation of civil war. An incompetent government is to some extent responsible for economic inequality. The government is tasked with the duty of making resources available to its citizens equally or at the very least provides social safety nets when and where needed. If the government fails to provide these resources in an equal manner and create an equal atmosphere, inequalities are bound to be more apparent in the society and grieve from such inequalities as explained earlier may erupt into civil war. In addition, having a government that supports greed and is itself greedy and corrupt is another aspect in which a weak governance can and often adds to the incidence of civil war an d reinforce the role of greed and grieve as its creators. Through its greedy activities like accepting bribes from elites to maybe get more electricity in certain parts of the country or a government that fails to maintain public amenities such as the public school system because funds for such maintenance out of greed are diverted into their personal accounts creates grieve. Those that cannot afford private school for their kids or those that cannot afford to bribe them are ultimately denied the use of and access to basic resources. This type of behavior creates the foundation for inequality starting from basic education, which would later reflect in other areas of life like employment and income amongst other things. Government incompetence enhances the role of grieve and greed and creates a breeding ground for them to fester. A government with no desire to end conflict because of how they benefit from it be it through bribes from those that want to keep the situation the way it i s or based on their own interest legitimizes greed which goes on to create grieve which may or may not turn into greed and the cycle continues. Ultimately the role of greed and grieve in civil war is the creation of civil war. Factors that explain why civil wars occur are based on greed or grieve and are generally categorized as grieve based or greed based showing how important their role is in civil war. Without the presence of these factors (Greed and Grieve) civil war does not exist, it does not escalate and it does not continue. They are the fuel to the fire that is civil war. In conclusion, greed and grieve as creators of civil war reinforce each. One does not exist without the other and so to ignore the role of one in causing civil war is to leave the glass half-empty. To understand how various explanations of civil war factors work, it is important to recognize that both grieve and greed work together to effectively create the situation. For without greed, grieve cannot effectively play its role and create civil war, and neither can greed without grieve. Bibliography Amartya Sen. (2008). Violence, Identity, and Poverty. Journal of Peace Research. 45 (1), p Caplan, Gerald. (2007). Rwanda:Walking the Road to Genocide. In: Allan Thompson The media and the Rwanda genocide. London: Pluto Press. p20-40. Collier, Paul. (2008). The Conflict Trap. In: Collier The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It. New York: Oxford University Press. p17-37. Collier, Hoeffler, and Sambanis. (2005). The Collier-Hoeffler Model of Civil War Onset and the Case Study Project Research Design. In: Paul Collier, and Nicholas Smbanis Understandying Civil War. 2nd ed. Washington DC: World Bank. p1-35. Collier, Paul. (2003). What makes a country Prone to Civil War. In: Paul Collier,World Bank Breaking the conflict trap: civil war and development policy. Washington, DC: Oxford university press and World Bank. p53-91. Collier, Paul. (2000). Doing Well out of War: An economic Perspective. In: Mats Berdal and David M. Malone Greed and Grievance: Economic Agendas in Civil Wars. London: Lynne Rienner. p91-112. Cramer, C. (2002). Homo Economicus Goes to War: Methodological Individualism, Rational Choice and the Political Economy of War. World Development. 30 (11), p1845-1860. David Keen. (2008). Greed: Economic Agendas. In: Keen Complex emergencies. Cambridge: Polity Press. p25-50. David Keen. (2008). Combatants and their Grievances. In: Keen Complex emergencies. Cambridge: Polity Press. p50-62. David Keen. (2000). Incentives and Disincentives for Violence. In: Mats Berdal and David M. Malone Greed and Grievance: Economic Agendas in Civil Wars. London: Lynne Rienner. p19-42. Global Security. (nd). Biafra War. Available: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/biafra.htm. Last accessed 5 January 2010. Indra de Soya. (2000). The Resource Curse: Are Civil Wars Driven by Rapacity or Paucity. In: Mats Berdal and David M. Malone Greed and Grievance: Economic Agendas in Civil Wars. London: Lynne Rienner. p113-136. Jacoby, Tim. (2008). Grievance. In: Jacoby Understanding Conflict and Violence: Theoretical and Interdisciplinary Approaches. London: Routledge. 103-123. Raph Uwechue. (2004). The Revolution of January 1966- Mismanaged and Misunderstood. In: Reflections on the Nigerian Civil War: Facing the Future. Victoria: Trafford. p23-33.

Cultural Brokers in Colonial America

During the settlement of North America there were many people who crossed cultural borders becoming cultural brokers. Three such people were Isabel Montour, Samson Occom and Susannah Johnson. These three possessed strong language skills or the ability to learn new languages quickly, this was perhaps the most important skill needed to cross cultural borders and communicate with â€Å"outsiders. † Another necessary skill was a complete understanding of their culture and the cultures of other groups. This skill was used to convey traditional customs, political protocol, and to avoid any misunderstandings between the people of the each culture.The cultural broker would also have an agreeable disposition. Likeability and the ability to get along well with most people would be an asset in a cultural broker. Intelligence and diplomacy were also attributes necessary for the success of a cultural broker. I believe the cultural broker would have to be able to take rejection because of t he possibility of those in their culture ostracizing them for their association with the â€Å"other† culture. A combination of these skills would allow a person to move easily from one culture to another and sometimes have a foot in both at the same time.Isabel Montour was born in Canada to a French father and Abenaki mother. She was about ten years of age when warriors of the Five Nations of Indians raided her village during war with the Canadians and took her captive. The Iroquois Indians adopted her and she was raised as one of their children. Upon maturity she married an Oneida war captain named Carondawana. In 1711, New York Governor Robert Hunter enlisted Madame Montour’s assistance regarding negotiations with the Iroquois. Governor Hunter would make her a central figure in Indian negotiations in New York. He considered her to be one of his â€Å"most trusted advisers. Her duties included acting as interpreter at conferences, and helping to write speeches to be delivered. Another aspect of her work involved relaying messages and explaining the expectations and mannerisms of the Indians to the colonists. Through her work she aided the colonists’ in their quest to understand the culture of the Iroquois. She had great knowledge of the customs, ideas and the language of the Iroquois. Her ability to fluently speak English, French, Oneida, Mohawk, Delaware, and possibly Huron and Miami along with her many relatives located throughout Canada and the Great Lakes region identified er as a person â€Å"in the know† about the issues facing both cultures for the majority of her life. She was â€Å"trustworthy, and unafraid to tell the truth†. In the 1720s her family moved to Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna River Valley to live in an Indian community. Here she also served as interpreter for the colonists’ in negotiations with the Iroquois. As in New York she was known for her knowledge and often asked for her advice regar ding Indians affairs. In 1729, while on his way home from war with the Catawba Indians, her husband, Carondawana was killed.After his death she focused her attention on teaching her son Andrew the skills necessary to be a successful diplomat and cultural broker. Madame Montour had no real memory of her birth culture. Because of her mixed heritage she could blend in with many cultures by emphasizing or de-emphasizing certain aspects of her background. Madame Montour moved easily between the cultures of the Indians and the colonists. She was very adaptable. This was probably derived from her early capture and assimilation into the Iroquois culture.Despite having family among Iroquois and supporters among the white settlers at times it seems she did not quite belong to any specific group. Even after being adopted by the Iroquois they still referred to her as the French woman who was married to an Indian. It seems Madame Montour was a woman of many cultures but also a woman with no true culture of her own maybe that is why she was successful as a cultural broker. Madame Montour both gained and lost by crossing cultures. She gained the respect of government officials in the colonies beginning with Governor Hunter of New York.Her work as an interpreter and assistance in the understanding of the Iroquois provided financial resources for her and her family. She also gained a well-deserved reputation as an important person who was well versed in the manners, customs, and languages of the Indians. Due to her own cultural brokerage she trained her son Andrew Montour to be a cultural broker providing him with a career. Madame Montour also lost as a result of her cultural brokerage. Her mixed heritage set her apart and her association with the colonists caused ill will among some of the Natives.Although she was respected among the colonists and Indians alike, this did not necessarily â€Å"translate into acceptance† among either group. After the death of her husband even the Oneida community â€Å"began to marginalize her family† and she moved around frequently alone or with her son. She received little â€Å"in the way of reward from the white colonial or Indian societies whom she served†. Madame Montour was used by both the colonists and the Indians. The colonists respected her and actively sought the knowledge she held regarding the Indians but as soon as she was no longer needed she was cast aside and forgotten until they needed her again.An Oneida headman Shickellamy used Madame Montour’s contacts and influences to grow his status as a representative of the Iroquois Confederacy. Then he and a Seneca headman accused her of being untruthful and ended her public career. â€Å"She never again appeared at a conference in any recognized capacity. † Madame Montour used her fluency of language; her family connections and knowledge of Native customs to help the colonists’ come to understand the Natives. Like Mada me Montour, Samson Occom was a cultural broker but he used a different path to achieve his brokerage.Samson Occom was Mohegan by birth. During the â€Å"Great Awakening† he converted to Christianity. Tutored by Reverend Eleazar Wheelock he learned to read and write in English. Additionally, he learned Latin, Greek, some Hebrew, Oneida, and Mohawk. Occom became an ordained minister. He used the path of â€Å"Reformed Protestantism, namely, Congregationalism and Presbyterianism† to cross cultural borders. He built a two story frame house in Mohegan where his family lived for twenty-five years. To his people and the English the house represented his moving from his birth culture to the English culture.Wheelock asked Occom to travel to Britain to raise funds for Dartmouth College which he said would be used to educate Native youth. In Britain Occom was somewhat of a celebrity and preached to the people there and in Scotland. Upon his return to North America Occom learned W heelock had deceived him regarding Dartmouth College. The target students were to be young English men. Occom had made the trip to Britain because he believed Native youth would make up the majority of the students. Occom never traveled to Dartmouth College and severed his ties with Wheelock.After a period of depression Occom gained a â€Å"renewed sense of self-worth† as a sermon he had delivered was published as a temperance tract. While in Britain Occom had collected hymnals and in 1772 he published a book of his favorite hymns. Later his knowledge of English law and his recordkeeping would enable the Mohegan to retain land in the community he started called Brothertown. When Occom died Mohegan, Iroquois, and Algonquian Indians attended his funeral which was preached by an Englishman/American and was held in Brothertown.The many different cultures present reflected his experience as a cultural broker but the place his funeral was held said even more: â€Å"Samson Occom ha d come home. † Occom adjusted well to the English culture in the beginning. It could be said he even preferred the English culture over his own. But Occom never forgot about his people as to do so would have been irresponsible. Occom was well received in Britain where he was considered â€Å"a unique attraction. † In Scotland he was a living example of the success of their â€Å"commitment to education and conversion† important because they funded Wheelock’s ventures.Occom became less enchanted by the Europeans when he discovered Wheelock had deceived him about Dartmouth College. He decided that his faith was the only good thing to be taken from the English culture and severed ties with Wheelock and the English culture. This was a reverse of his early years when he had offended the Oneida by telling them to â€Å"to grow their hair long as the English do and not to wear wampum or other such things† which suggested he agreed with the concept of confo rmity. Occom gained the ability to read and write by crossing cultural borders.Additionally he gained his lifelong faith in God through Protestant Religion. He became an ordained minister and used his preaching to help his culture. Occom learned the English laws regarding property ownership which eventually led to his people keeping the lands among the Oneida. He gained recognition through publication of one of his sermons and his popular book of hymns. In contrast he lost a part of his own culture for a brief time at the beginning of his association with the English. His knowledge of the English ways also â€Å"created a bone of contention with the splintered loyalties of the Mohegan tribe. Occom sacrificed time away from his wife due to his service to the English and Wheelock. Eventually the English culture lost appeal to Occom due to their abuse of his trust and confrontations of â€Å"English antagonism. † Occom was used by several people. The Boston Board used him to pr ove a Native could be used as an educator and cheap labor at the same time. Wheelock used him to obtain funds to create Dartmouth College and to prove his ability to convert and educate the Native people showing he was worthy of the donations he had received.Even though he eventually withdrew from the English culture Samson Occom achieved many things during his time as a cultural broker just as those before and after him. Roughly the same time as Occom was using his religious faith to cross cultures another person, Susannah Johnson, was pursuing cultural brokerage through another path. Susannah Johnson was a cultural broker. Her ability to adapt to any environment and â€Å"attract and remember the kindness of others† was the main path of her brokerage. Susannah’s empathy for those in her culture and other cultures helped her cross cultural borders.Through the telling of her and her family’s trials as captives of the Abenaki Indians she helped challenge many ide as about the Indians that were not always true. Susannah was born on the Massachusetts frontier to Moses and Susannah Willard. She married and her husband and family lived on the New Hampshire frontier in Charlestown. On August 30, 1752, a group of Abenaki Indians raided their house and took her captive along with her husband, their three children, her sister, kinsman Ebenezer Farnsworth and a friend Peter Labarree.She was pregnant at the time and on the second day of their captivity she went in to labor and delivered a baby girl she named Captive. Susannah considered the Abenaki to be â€Å"by no means void of compassion† as they helped her to deliver, clothed the baby and provided shelter for mother and baby. Additionally the Abenaki built a litter to carry Susannah and baby Captive but the other captives tired after a couple of miles and she was offered a horse to ride which she accepted for fear of being left behind in the wilderness with a newborn. Susannah spoke of how the Abenaki showed mercy to her family and the other captives.Susannah also spoke of the Abenaki modesty. Upon being sold to Governor Ange Duquesne de Menneville, Marquis Duquesne, in Montreal Captive became ill and Susannah allowed her to be baptized a Roman Catholic and named the governor as her godfather. As Susannah was a Puritan this was a huge leap into another culture. Her husband James raised the money for his release and was allowed to return to New Hampshire to obtain the money to pay the ransom for Susannah and their children. Due to Massachusetts preparing to expeditions against Acadia and Fort St. Frederic James was not allowed to return to Canada.When James did not return to Montreal Susannah and her two youngest daughters and her sister were cast out of Canadian society and made a living as seamstresses. When he finally returned to Montreal due to the escalation of war, James was considered a parole violator and posed a risk to military intelligence. Later, Susannah, James and the two youngest daughters were sent to Quebec to a criminal prison where conditions were poor and disease rampant. Intendant Francois Bigot used his influence to allow the Johnsons to be moved to a civilian prison where conditions were more comfortable.There the family had a garden and Susannah was allowed to travel to town weekly to buy necessary goods. While in prison she gave birth to a stillborn son and learned her father had been killed by the Abenaki during another raid. Her baby girl Captive spoke only French and Susannah learned enough to understand her daughter. The Johnsons were given permission to go home via England but at the last minute they said her husband James could not go but she and all but her son still with the Abenaki and her daughter in Montreal went on the boat alone.She arrived home after being gone for three years three months and eleven days. † James having been released arrived home about the same time. Susannah’s son Sylvanus was redeemed from the Abenaki but could only speak their language and broken French. Her oldest daughter finally arrived home after six years in Montreal. Susannah’s family had become a â€Å"mixture of nations. † In later years she loved telling about her adventures which she saw as â€Å"an instructive tale of suffering and redemption. † She always credited the Abenaki with kindness. Susannah had some difficulty adjusting to life with the Abenaki.She was not very good at canoe making and agreed with their adoptive sister’s occasional complaints that she was â€Å"a no good squaw. † Susannah adapted better to life in Canada in Governor Duquesne’s house. She met many other captives there and found the people kind and she was treated like a daughter. Even after being cast out of Canadian society she survived by working as a seamstress. She never did adapt to the criminal prison but in the civilian prison she made do with the little she had. Duri ng weekly outings she met other captives and had conversations with them.During her captivity Susannah met many people who were kind to her and her family. She never forgot that kindness and persevered until she was once again home. As a cultural broker Susannah gained knowledge of Native culture and personal insight into their lives. She became aware the Natives were capable of kindness and were a good moral people. She always believed the Abenaki were nicer to her family than the English would have been to a Native family had the situation been reversed. She found their community very favorable. Susannah further related surprise that the Abenaki adopted her as a sister and treated her as one of their own.Although Susannah gained as a cultural broker she also experienced loss. She had a stillborn son and lost a son to the Abenaki. She later regained this son but he always considered himself an Abenaki. The six years her oldest daughter spent in Montreal were lost to her. One positi ve loss she experienced was her loss of fear over time. Susannah was used by the Indians as trade to the Canadians. She was also used by the Canadians as a prisoner to be bargained for political reasons. The three biographies relate much about intertribal relations and interaction between the Europeans and Natives. Inter-tribal relations were not always positive.The tribes were many times split between loyalties to different cultures. They often looked upon cultural brokers as outsiders or a kind of traitor. There were also good things about tribal relations shown by Occom who never forgot his people. He became a cultural broker more for the benefit of his people than himself. The Indians were usually loyal to one another and treated most captives as family members. The interaction between English and Natives was usually strained. Neither group knew what to expect from the other or understood the other culture. The English were far worse in their treatment of the Natives.They were g enerally unfair and untruthful. They used the Natives far more than the reverse. They considered them backward and perceived them as stereotypical savages. When captured Susannah was surprised to be treated as well as she was for she knew the English would treat their captives far worse. Madame Montour, Samson Occom, and Susannah Johnson were all successful cultural brokers. Cultural brokers played a large role in the colonization of the United States. Although they used different methods to cross cultural borders the intent was universal. They strived to bring understanding to both their culture and the culture of the English.

Health and Wellness Education

*Health And* Wellness Education HWE 100 HUMAN NUTRITION 3 CREDITS Introduces basic principles of nutrition with emphasis on personal nutrition. Satisfies nutrition requirement of students entering healthcare professions. HWE 108 WEIGHT LOSS 1 CREDIT Focuses on combining a healthy diet and exercise to shed unwanted pounds and inches. The course will include online sessions that will focus on personal habits including diet that lead to weight gain and exercise session appropriate for the student. *HWE 111 HEALTH AND FITNESS * 3 CREDITs Studies health and fitness in the U. S. today. The course will look at personal health issues, managing stress, nutrition and healthy life styles. HWE 122 RESPONDING TO Provides standard first aid and CPR, with a more in-depth look at sudden illness, specific disease, and emergencies. *HWE 124 FITNESS AND WELLNESS * 2 CREDITS Provides information on fitness and wellness and to serve as a guide to design, implement, and evaluate a complete personal fitness and wellness program. The course integrates the basic components of fitness and wellness in understanding human health in order to achieve well-being. This course offers current information in the health field and provides self-assessments for health risk and wellness behaviors. This includes lifestyle modification, nutrition, weight management, stress management, cardiovascular and cancer risk reduction, exercise and aging, exercise related injury, exercise and the environment, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse (including tobacco, alcohol and other psychoactive drugs), and analysis and interpretation of research publications and Web sites in health and wellness. *HWE 125 INTRO* TO HUMAN PERFORMANCE 3 CREDITS This class is a survey of the discipline of kinesiology, including knowledge derived from performing physical activity, studying about physical activity, and professional practice centered in physical activity. It includes an analysis of the importance of physical activity in daily life, the relationship between physical activity and the discipline of kinesiology, the general effects of physical activity experiences. The course surveys the general knowledge base of the discipline as reflected in the major subdisciplines and reviews selected concepts in each, showing ow they contribute to our understanding of the nature and importance of physical activity. In addition, the course introduces students to the general characteristics of the professions to Specific types of physical activity professions typically pursued by those graduating from a program of kinesiology, and assists them in making some early career decisions. *HWE 136 SKILLS & Methods* OF This course is intended for HUP ma jors. It is designed to acquaint the student with the basic skills, methods and techniques necessary to be a competent exercise leader in he area of resistance training. Emphasis will be placed on understanding selection of appropriate teaching progressions that relate to the weight room and fitness facility as well as the science of human motion and muscle/joint structure and function as it relates to fitness. HWE 230 EXERCISE AND SPORTS Teaches students how to apply behavioral principles and techniques that may help people increase their motivation to exercise and change health-impairing behaviors. The course is based on research, theory, and practical application in the field of physical activity. Examination of theories and current research related to sport and exercise behavior will be covered. The student will be introduced to the field of kinesiology by providing a broad overview of the major topics in the area. *HWE 237 EXERCISE*, NUTRITION Discusses the concepts of improved performance in all fitness areas. Emphasis is placed upon updated information associated with nutrition and human performance. Measurement of body composition is used as it correlates to training and diet/ exercise programs. Introduces the student to the physiological responses nd adaptations of individuals to exercise as well as the application to sports medicine, rehabilitation and general fitness. The laboratory provides experiences that demonstrate the underlying theoretical constructs that govern physiological responses and adaptations to exercise. PREREQUISITE: BIO 201, â€Å"C† or better. HWE 248 EXERCISE TESTING AND Provides the student with the opportunity to conduct laboratory fitness assessments, evaluate test results and develop exercise prescriptions. In addition, the student will be expected to become knowledgeable about the promotion and marketing f fitness programs. HWE 255 CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER Provides the student with theoretical knowledge and practical skills in preparation for a nationally recognized personal training certification approved by the Colorado Community College System. These Certifications are limited to the following: ACSM, ACE, NSCA, NCSF, AFAA, and AEA. Upon certification, the student will have the ability to develop and implement exercise programs for healthy populations and/or those individuals with medical clearance to exercise. Designed for all majors in the Human Performance Program and provides the student on-the-job training. The student will have the opportunity to further integrate academic knowledge and apply those skills gained through the Human Performance degree curriculum. Working in various capacities within the ACC Fitness/Aquatic Center, Physical Education department and the Employee Wellness Program will be required. Students should receive entry-level proficiency at the completion of the HWE 248, HWE 237 and HWE 122 or current CPR-PR/AED and First Aid Certification.

In The Womb essays

In The Womb essays The National Geographic Video, In the Womb makes use of 3-dimensional and 4-dimensional sonar technology to depict a babys development in its mothers womb. It depicts the development from a collection of cells, to a fully formed baby in the last months of pregnancy. Inside its mothers womb, the baby is shown in real time, making movements such as sucking its thumb, smiling, blinking, and making finger movements. The film also includes scenes of in-utero surgery to correct a genetic defect before birth. The film is an example of how technology can be used to not only improve physical human health, but also emotional health. Being able to see, in real time, the development of the fetus inside her body can have a powerful effect on an expectant mother and father, especially with their first-born. They are able to see, right from the beginning, the development and growth of their baby. This technology provides a very strong emotional bond between the parents and child, as well as between the parents. This can bring about an emotional process that may encourage the mother to take better care of her and thus her infants physical health as well. Feeling movement inside her body, the mother can now visualize the growing baby, and find the process of pregnancy and birth more meaningful and possibly somewhat easier to handle. The National Geographic video can therefore make people even more aware of the precious nature of new life. While it is not possible to make such a video for every expectant mother, seeing this video can help expectant parents to be more aware of the process inside the womb. Furthermore, if technology or funds are not available for 4-D sonar photography, the video can supplement normal sonar technology to help parents be more aware of the coming child. In this way, National Geographic has created a well-constructed video to answer many of the questions regarding the begi...

Battle of Omdurman in the Mahdist War

Battle of Omdurman in the Mahdist War The Battle of Omdurman took place in present-day Sudan during the Mahdist War (1881-1899). Battle of Omdurman - Date The British triumphed on September 2, 1898. Armies Commanders British: Major General Horatio Kitchener8,200 British, 17,600 Egyptian Sudanese Mahdists: Abdullah al-Taashiapprox. 52,000 men Battle of Omdurman - Background Following the capture of Khartoum by the Mahdists and the death Major General Charles Gordon on January 26, 1885, British leaders began contemplating how to retake power in Sudan. Over the next several years, the urgency of this operation waxed and waned as William Gladstones Liberal Party exchanged power with Lord Salisburys Conservatives. In 1895, the British consul-general of Egypt, Sir Evelyn Baring, Earl of Cromer, finally convinced Salisburys government to take action citing the desire to create a Cape-to-Cairo chain of colonies and the need to prevent foreign powers from entering the area. Concerned about the nations finances and international opinion, Salisbury gave permission for Cromer to began planning the reconquest of Sudan, but stipulated that he was to use only Egyptian forces and that all actions were to appear to take place under Egyptian authority. To lead Egypts army, Cromer selected Colonel Horatio Kitchener of the Royal Engineers. An efficient planner, Kitchener was promoted to major general (in Egyptian service) and appointed sirdar (commander-in-chief). Taking command of Egypts forces, Kitchener began a rigorous training program and equipped his men with modern weapons. Battle of Omdurman - Planning By 1896, the sirdars army numbered around 18,000 well-trained men. Advancing up the Nile in March 1896, Kitcheners forces moved slowly, consolidating their gains as they went. By September, they had occupied Dongala, just above the third cataract of the Nile, and had met little resistance from the Mahdists. With his supply lines badly stretched, Kitchener turned to Cromer for additional funding. Playing on the governments fears of French intrigue in East Africa, Cromer was able to secure more money from London. With this in hand, Kitchener began building the Sudan Military Railroad from his base at Wadi Halfa to a terminus at Abu Hamed, 200 miles to the southeast. As the construction crews pressed through the desert, Kitchener dispatched troops under Sir Archibald Hunter to clear Abu Hamed of Mahdist forces. This was accomplished with minimal casualties on August 7, 1897. With the completion of the railroad on in late October, Salisbury decided to expand the governments commitment to the operation and began sending the first of 8,200 British troops to Kitchener. These were joined by several gunboats. Battle of Omdurman - Kitcheners Victory Concerned about the Kitcheners advance, the leader of the Mahdist army, Abdullah al-Taashi sent 14,000 men to attack the British near Atara. On April 7, 1898, they were badly defeated and suffered 3,000 dead. As Kitchener prepared for the push to Khartoum, Abdullah raised a force of 52,000 to block the Anglo-Egyptian advance. Armed with a mix of spears and antique firearms they mustered near the Mahdist capital of Omdurman. On September 1, British gunboats appeared in the river off Omdurman and shelled the city. This was followed by the arrival of Kitcheners army in the nearby village of Egeiga. Forming a perimeter around the village, with the  river at their back, Kitcheners men waited for the arrival of the Mahdist army. Around dawn on September 2, Abdullah attacked the Anglo-Egyptian position with 15,000 men while a second Mahdist force continued moving north. Equipped with the latest European rifles, Maxim machine guns, and artillery, Kitcheners men mowed down the attacking Mahdist dervishes (infantry). With the attack defeated, the 21st Lancers were ordered to reconnoiter in force towards Omdurman. Moving out, they met a group of 700 Hadenoa tribesman. Switching to the attack, they were soon confronted by 2,500 dervishes which had been hiding in a dry streambed. Charging through the enemy, they fought a bitter battle before rejoining the main army. Around 9:15, believing the battle won, Kitchener ordered his men to begin advancing on Omdurman. This movement exposed his right flank to a Mahdist force that was lurking to west. Shortly after beginning their march, three Sudanese and one Egyptian battalion came under fire from this force. Compounding the situation was the arrival of 20,000 men under Osman Shiekh El Din which had moved north earlier in the battle. Shiekh El Dins men soon began attacking the Sudanese brigade of Colonel Hector MacDonald. While the threatened units made a stand and poured disciplined fire into the approaching enemy, Kitchener began wheeling the rest of the army around to join the fight. As at Egeiga, modern weaponry triumphed and the dervishes were shot down in alarming numbers. By 11:30, Abdullah gave up the battle as lost and fled the field. With the Mahdist army destroyed, the march to Omdurman and Khartoum was resumed. Battle of Omdurman - Aftermath The Battle of Omdurman cost the Mahdists a stunning 9,700 killed, 13,000 wounded, and 5,000 captured. Kitcheners losses were a mere 47 dead and 340 wounded. The victory at Omdurman concluded the campaign to retake Sudan and Khartoum was quickly reoccupied. Despite the victory, several officers were critical of Kitcheners handling of the battle and cited MacDonalds stand for saving the day. Arriving at Khartoum, Kitchener was ordered to proceed south to Fashoda to block French incursions in the area.

Barriers to growth for potential high growth organizations Essay

Barriers to growth for potential high growth organizations - Essay Example Recklies (2001) enlists several indicators of growth in an organization that include a substantial increase in revenue, subsidiaries, employees, and the organization’s assets. He further adds that growth should be gauged in terms of sustainability, improved value of shares held in the organization, and profitability. There are several barriers and drivers to growth of organizations alike. The following discussion focuses on some of the major growth drivers and the main barriers to growth in relation to high growth enterprises. Drivers to Growth To begin with, drivers to growth are those factors that enhance rapid growth in organizations. They may include the following: Proper Financing A high growth organization is boosted a lot by good finances. This can be in terms of availability, sufficiency, and the rate of interest; otherwise referred to as the costs of financing. When there are cheaper sources of financing that are available to the organization, the organization is able to invest in ventures easily and with speed to be able to take advantage of any opportunity that brings more return to the organization. ... For instance, the government may decide to restrict importation of commodities related to a particular industry to help growth in that industry. The result is that a first growing organization in that industry will have a favorable environment of expansion in terms of capacity because of the ready market for its product and reduced completion from substitute products. This will in turn add onto its revenue, which can then also be ploughed back to certain agreed proportions despite increasing the value of shares held by its owners. A Larger Unexploited Market Segment or Market Share A larger market indicates a larger proportion of potential customers to the organization. In cases where the organization still has some sort of a large catchment area of customers that have the potential of being the company’s buyers, growth is favored than in a closed market where every consumer has already identified with a brand. The motivation of reaching to the untapped market is massive and, therefore, leads to growth because as the organization reaches out to more and more consumers, and there is an additional turnover or growth in sales that ensures that revenue is boosted. Arrival of new customers in a totally new segment adds onto the profits eventually; hence, it provokes a rapid growth to the organization. Good Information Management Structure Information flow is very essential to any organization. An organization with an effective and efficient management system for information flow; therefore, it is likely to grow at a faster rate (Stalk et al 1992). This is because organizations are likely to have complex structures at every level that also involves

Sustainability for the Future Global Supply Chain Essay

Sustainability for the Future Global Supply Chain - Essay Example iled in the activity participate actively in all facets of the business process as they strive to institute sustainable competitive advantage for their businesses or organizations. The founding of a new or existing venture requires the conceptualization of the supply chain management in the business process and the institution of the concepts entailed in the practice to facilitate successful and sustainable supply chain (Palevich, 2012, p 13). The company Coffee Warehouse is a new business established to provide high quality, full service distribution of specialty beverages and related supplies to coffee houses and espresso stands throughout London. The combined effort of the principle owners brings the management office of the business at high levels of customer engagement service and experience in managing distribution and sales. Thus, from this perspective, the business will benefit significantly in exploring the concepts entailed in facilitating sustainable global supply chain. The Coffee Warehouse business provides high quality and full service distribution of coffee in the region of its operations. The ownership, which constitutes of Steve and Jennifer Smith both combine their experience in the capacity of office management, customer service and distribution and sales management. The firm has commitments to facilitate distribution to independent retailers throughout the London market and its outskirts, as it initializes its financial arrangements and progress in the supply chains. The sales projections of the firm began at $2, 229,000 the first year and increased accordingly in the second year and third year of operation to $2, 936,000. The net profit projection extends to $406,000 at the last part of this third year of operation. Therefore, observing the progress of the firm in its existent operation structures, the development of a sustainable supply chain is key to the projection of the business accordingly to higher levels of success. The firm has