Large Scale Software Development Research Paper

Large Scale Software Development - Research Paper Example College diploma courses take three years and are offered by various colleges across the country. The majority of the people i.e. 80% live in abject poverty i.e. they cannot spend more than one dollar per day. Due to this most students cannot afford to pay for their education expenses which cover tuition, building and development expenses, food and catering, money to buy books and lastly the school uniform. Before free education was introduced most of the student dropped out of school due to lack of school fees. The government at that time was corrupt and very inefficient, these lend to a massive deterioration of the country education sector, and international funds were also not available as donor funds were withheld due to the many corruption scandals. In January 2003, the national rainbow coalition government took power with the promise to bring free primary education to help the poor illiterate student to attain basic education. Free primary education was implemented. This saw a massive enrollment of a student with classes which had 50 students now have more than 100 students . In Nairobi, the student population tripled. Free primary education has been advantageous. Many unlearned Kenyan have benefited from it. It was surprising that even old men joined the primary school. The limitations were however noticeable as the teacher's workload became enormous such that they were not able to handle the number of students. This, in a way, lends to a decline in the overall performance of public primary schools or. The classes are typically overcrowded. In 2008 the government implemented free secondary education, free secondary education has many setbacks as a student are still required to pay some amount in terms of development fees. Education in private schools, unlike the public school, is high tech with state of the art computers, swimming pools, well-trained teachers, student boarding facilities among other facilities. The student is however required to pay a lot of money to join these schools, these schools are dominated by the middle class and high-class citizens who can afford the fees charged.

Accident Prevention Program Essay Example for Free

Accident Prevention Program Essay The committee is made up of management-designated representatives and one employee-elected representative each from the office, factory and outside sales divisions of our company. Employees in each division will elect from among themselves a representative to be on the committee. If there is only one volunteer or nomination, the employees will approve the person by voice vote at a short meeting called for that purpose. If there is more than one volunteer or nomination, a secret paper ballot will be used to elect the representative. Elected representatives will serve for one year before being re-elected or replaced. If there is a vacancy then an election will be held before the next scheduled meeting to fill the balance of the term. In addition to the employee-elected representatives, management will designate no more than three representatives but a minimum of one who will serve until replaced by management. A chairperson will be selected by majority vote of the committee members each year. If there is a vacancy, the same method will be used to select a replacement. In addition to the committee responsibilities explained above, duties of safety committee members include: A monthly self-inspection of the area they represent Communicating with the employees they represent on safety issues and Encouraging safe work practices among co-workers. The regularly scheduled meeting time is 7:30 am for one hour on the first Thursday of each month, at the employee lunchroom. This may be changed by vote of the committee. A committee member will be designated each month to keep minutes on the attached minutes form. A copy will be posted on the employee bulletin board after each meeting. After being posted for one month, the minutes will be filed for one year. The minutes form contains the basic monthly meeting agenda. (Customize by adding any additional safety committee information that you may have and/or deleting any that do not apply to your company. ) Employee Safety Meetings (Optional for employers with 10 or fewer employees or employers with 11 employees or more who are segregated on different shifts or work in widely dispersed locations in crews of 10 or less) All employees are required to attend a monthly safety meeting held on the first Thursday of each month in the lunchroom. This meeting is to help identify safety problems, develop solutions, review incidents reports, provide training and evaluate the effectiveness of our safety program. Minutes will be kept on the attached minutes form. Meeting minutes will be kept on file for one year. (Customize by adding any additional Employee Safety Meeting information that you may have and/or deleting any that do not apply to your company. ) Hazard Recognition Record Keeping and Review Employees are required to report any injury or work related illness to their immediate supervisor regardless of how serious.

Factors Causing Youth Violence Measures To Prevent It Criminology Essay

Factors Causing Youth Violence Measures To Prevent It Criminology Essay The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) of the American Psychiatric Association (2000) describes the essential feature of a conduct disorder diagnosis is a persistent pattern of behavior, which violates the basic rights of others or disregards major societal norms or rules as demonstrated by a child. Oppositional defiant disorder is characterized by negative, disobedient, or defiant behavior that exceeds the normal testing behavior that most children display and may later lead to a diagnosis of conduct disorder in some youth. Many of the children diagnosed with conduct disorder end up committing criminal offenses because they lack empathy which overwhelms them to the extent that they act out in the face of social stigma or criminal laws. The present review has four purposes: (a) to identify the clinical and theoretical framework of violent youths, (b) to focus on specific risk factors that contribute to youth violence, (c) to outline protective factors t hat buffer youth violence, and (d) to explore preventive system-ecological therapeutic methods to address youth violence. For these purposes several articles and the data collected will be discussed. Youth Violence In recent years attention has been focused on the apparent rise in youth violence. Most of this attention has been fueled by several high profile cases in the media. Events like the Columbine shootings and the Virginia Tech massacre provide good case examples. Violence as defined legally refers to the use of physical force, specifically physical force with malice that attempts to or harms someone (Webster, 2010). Youth violence refers to violence that has started at the time of life between childhood and maturity. A number of behaviors such as the use of weapons, physical/sexual assault, bullying, etc., may be a part of violent behavior in young adults as illustrated in the cases denoted above. Studies have analyzed the prevalence of mental disorders and or behavioral issues such as schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, conduct disorder (CD) and as of late bipolar disorder in the development of violent youth (Juvenile Delinquency, 2010). For the purpose of this literary review I will focus on conduct disorder as the precursor to antisocial personality disorder which statistics show has been diagnosed in 80-85% of incarcerated criminals (Long, 2009). Conduct disorder accounts for approximately 50% of incarcerated youth males and females (Fazel et al., 2008). Conduct disorder develops during childhood and manifests itself during adolescence. The DSM-IV-TR Codes 312.xx (where xx varies upon the specific subtype exhibited) delineates that adolescents diagnosed with conduct disorder disregard social norms and show lack of empathy. Violent youth who have gone through the criminal justice system on several occasions are likely to have been diagnosed with conduct disorder. This is particularly true of those violent youth who time and time again show a disregard for their own and others safety and property (Juvenile Delinquency, 2010). A documented history of conduct disorder before the age of fifteen represents one of the criteria used in diagnosing a young adult with antisocial personality disorder. An antisocial personality disorder diagnosis indicates a greater risk on the part of a young adult of exhibiting persistent and serious criminal behavior. Both conduct disorder and antisocial personality disorder are characterized by unpredictable violent behavior and lack of empathy. Consequently, adolescents who have persistently been involved with the criminal system and have been diagnosed with conduct disorder are at a higher risk showing signs of antisocial personality disorder as they develop into adults (Conduct Disorder, 2010). Antisocial personality disorder is a common diagnosis for serial killers who often fantasize about killing several victims and then fulfill their impulsivity when they are no longer capable of suppressing it. Youth violence develops in different ways. Children/ adolescents who are diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder exhibit problem behavior early in childhood. This problem behavior can persist and increase as the child develops into a young adult. Studies suggest that aggression in childhood is a good predictor for the same in adolescence and young adulthood (CDC, 2002). The research indicates that there are several risk factors that contribute to youth violence. There are individual factors that are comprised of biological, psychological, and behavioral issues which may be exhibited in childhood or adolescence. A childs family, friends, culture and social setting may influence the individual factors. Of particular interest in most studies is the impact that family has and which is greatest in childhood and the peer impact which is of greater influence in adolescence (CDC, 2008). Some of the individual factors observed are; low IQ (substandard academic performance), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, drug and/or alcohol abuse, tobacco use, early history of problem behavior and or violent victimization. The latter is strongly associated with youth violence. A link between low IQ and violence is strongest among boys who have the following traits; dysfunctional family, exposure to violence, antisocial beliefs/attitudes, history of treatment for emotional issues, strong stressors, poor social cognitive abilities, poor impulse control and lower socioeconomic status (CDC, 2002). Parental behavior and family environment are central factors when it comes to youth violence. Parents who do not monitor and supervise their children and who discipline with harsh corporal punishment have been shown to be strong predictors of youth violence (CDC, 2008). As indicated, the onset of violent behavior in youth is strongly linked to parental conflict in early childhood as well as poor attachment between children and parents. In addition traits such as a large number of children in the family, a mother who had her first child at an early age, possibly as a teenager, and a low level of family cohesion have been shown to contribute to youth violence. These factors can have a detrimental effect on a childs social and emotional functioning and behavior barring the lack of social supports (CDC, 2002). Consequently, violent youths who have witnessed violence in the home, and or have been physically or sexually abused may see violent behavior as an acceptable way to resolving conflict (CDC, 2002). Social influences, in particular, peer pressure during adolescence may normally be seen as positive and important in shaping interpersonal relationships. Nevertheless, these influences may also have a negative effect if the peer pressure stems from aggressive and violent youth. That is, delinquency can cause peer bonding which, inversely causes delinquency (Harding, 2009). In fact, young adults with depression who socialize with youth offenders they are more likely to act out violently towards others. Harding (2009), indicated that the most significant contributing factors to youth violence were depression and having youth offenders as peers in addition to parents psychological abuse of a partner, antisocial personality, negative relationships with adults and family conflict. The composition of a family has also been shown to be a significant factor in the development of violent behavior in youth. Findings from studies conducted in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States suggest that there is a higher risk for violence in youth from single-parent households (CDC, 2002). The risk factors attributed to family include; dysfunctional family functioning, lack of child supervision, parental substance abuse or criminal history, parental lack of formal education, harsh and/or authoritarian parenting styles or inconsistent disciplinary practices. In terms of peer risk factors these are socializing with peers that are in gangs, who are themselves juvenile delinquents, being socially rejected by others, no involvement in extracurricular activities a little interest in school or school performance (CDC, 2009). Likewise the social groups in which children and adolescents live have a significant role in how they relate to their parents, friends and the circumstance in which they may be exposed to situations that lead to violence. Consequently, males in urban areas will most likely be involved in violent behavior than those living in rural areas. Similarly in urban settings children and adolescents who live in neighborhoods with high levels of crime are more likely to be involved in violent behavior than those living in other neighborhoods. In addition, a correlation has been found between children and adolescents who come from a low socio-economic status and youth violence (CDC, 2008). A national survey of young people in the United States indicated that the prevalence of self-reported assault and robbery among youths from low socio-economic classes was about twice than among middle-class youths (CDC, 2002). The effects that youth violence has on a community or community risk factors include ; neighborhoods that are in social disarray, little community cohesiveness, increase in family disruption, increase in transiency, greater numbers of poor residents and less economic opportunities (CDC, 2009). It is of equal importance to note the influence of culture on youth violence. There are cultures which endorse violence as an accepted manner to resolve conflicts. In these cultures the young adopt the norms and values that support violence. These cultures lack the ability to provide their youth with non-violent alternatives to resolve conflicts and consequently have been shown to have higher rates of youth violence. A study by Bedoya Marin and Jarramillo Martinez on gangs in Medellin, Colombia, analyzed how low-income youths are influenced by the culture of violence, in society in general and in their particular community. The authors indicated that the community enables a culture of violence through the growing acceptance of easy money and of whatever means are necessary to obtain it, as well as through corruption in the police, judiciary, military and local government (CDC, 2002). When considering the possible biological factors which contribute to youth violence, studies have focused on areas such as injuries and complications associated with pregnancy and delivery. The interest in these areas is fueled by the belief that they may contribute to neurological damage and in turn lead to violent behavior. The CDC noted that complications during delivery have been shown to contribute significantly to future violence when a parent had a history of psychiatric illness. It should be noted that complications during delivery when in conjunction with other familial factors is the stronger predictor of youth violence (CDC, 2002). Other studies of interest have indicated that low heart rates-studied in males have a correlation with behaviors such as sensation seeking and risk taking. These behaviors may act as a catalyst to violence in that they provide the necessary stimulation and arousal levels (CDC, 2002). Deficiencies of executive functions of the brain which are housed in the frontal lobe may be connected to impulsiveness, attention problems, low intelligence and low educational attainment. Additional deficiencies include the inability to sustain attention and concentration, abstract reasoning and concept formation, goal formation, anticipation and planning, effective self-monitoring and self-awareness of behavior, and inhibitions regarding inappropriate or impulsive behavior (CDC, 2002). The literature indicates that hyperactivity, impulsiveness, poor behavioral control and attention problems are behavioral/ personality factors that may precede violent acts by youths. Hyperactivity, high levels of daring or risk taking behavior, poor concentration and attention difficulties in youth younger than thirteen years have been shown to be good predictors of youth violence (CDC, 2008). The CDC also found that among some juvenile offenders, situational factors may act as a catalyst to youth violence. In order to conduct a situational analysis of the events it is necessary to determine the motives for the violent behavior, where the behavior occurred, whether alcohol or weapons were present, all parties involved to include the victim and aggressor, and if other actions were involved such as a robbery that would lend itself to violence (CDC, 2002). In terms of gender, the literature indicates that most of the perpetrators of youth violence are males. Feminist theorists who have analyzed this phenomenon have indicated that the concept of masculinity may put males more at risk to be violent. Behaviors such as appearing to be tough, powerful, aggressive, daring and competitive are ways in which males express their masculinity. Nevertheless, expressing these behaviors may be conducive to males participation in antisocial and criminal behavior. It should be noted that males may act in this manner due to societal pressure to conform to masculine cultural standards like in Colombia as mentioned earlier. However, one must keep in mind that males may be biologically more aggressive and greater risk takers than females (Juvenile Delinquency, 2010). This review of the literature shows that youth violence is a growing problem that affects and is affected by family, community and society at large. More and more children are not attending school out of fear of what can happen on their way to school or at school. A nationwide survey indicated that about 6% of high school students reported not going to school on one or more days in the 30 days preceding the survey (CDC, 2009). Additional ways in which Youth violence impacts the community at large are disrupts social services, decreases property value, decreases productivity, and it raises the cost of health care (Mercy et al., 2002). Health care is a topic that is on the nations political forefront. It is impacted by youth violence which contributes to the costs of health care and welfare services. The CDC reports that violent youth are also involved in a range of crimes and other problems which include truancy, dropping out of school, substance abuse, compulsive lying, reckless driving and high rates of sexually transmitted diseases. According to the CDC more than 780,000 young adults age ten to twenty sustain injuries due to violence and are treated in emergency rooms yearly (CDC, 2009). Factors that have been shown to buffer the risk of youth violence include individual/family protective factors listed as; high involvement with parents, high parental academic expectations, healthy family communication, good familial and/or adult support, healthy social orientation, high IQ and/or grade point average and no tolerance for antisocial behavior. The consistent presence, during at least one, of parents when their children wake up, arrive home from school, during dinner, at bed time and involvement in their social activities are also seen as protective factors . Peer/social protective factors are noted as involvement in extracurricular activities and an interest and commitment to school (Resnick et al., 2004). Based on the literature review, youth violence is embedded and linked to traits of the youth, youths family, peer group, school environment and community. A socio-ecological model would aim to ease the risk factors (individual/family, peer/social, etc.) by focusing on the youth and youths family strengths and doing so on a highly individualized and comprehensive basis. Of particular interest and focus would be the protective factors outlined earlier. This could be provided via home-based family services in order to assists those violent youth and their families who have limited access to therapeutic services. This would help the therapist to focus on parental empowerment in order to change the natural social network of the youth in order to maximize the treatment outcomes. The therapist would focus risk factors in the youths social network that are contributing to their problem behavior. The goals may include but would not be limited to; improving social support and network system, getting the youth involved in positive extracurricular activities, minimizing the youths association with juvenile delinquents, improving family functioning and communication, and improving the parenting skills of caregivers. The techniques used can be drawn from cognitive behavioral, behavioral and family therapies. The therapy sessions could take place at home, school or a community environment (a comfortable setting for the youth and the youths family). The treatment plan would be agreed upon with the help of family members and should then be driven by the family and not the therapist. In doing so the therapist would empower the family to promote healthy changes through the mobilization of the child, family and community resources. Given the information provided on youth violence, the therapist should focus specifically on the risk factors in the child/adolescent, and familys social networks that are linked to the violent behavior. Therefore, special attention would be given to improving a youths outlook on academics and academic performance, improving social and familial support systems, and decreasing the influence of violent peers by removing the youth from the negative environment. These therapeutic gains would in turn have a positive effect on the youth, the youths family and the community at large. This may begin to address and prevent the health care issues outlined earlier and other subsets of youth violence such as school shootings and cyber bullying to name but two.

Irony in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart :: Things Fall Apart essays

Things Fall Apart  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   That year the harvest was sad, like a funeral, and many farmers wept as they dug up the miserable and rotting yams.   One man tied his cloth to a tree branch and hanged himself.   Okonkwo remembered that tragic year with a cold shiver throughout the rest of his life.   It always surprised him when he thought of it later that he did not sink under the load of despair.   He knew that he was a fierce fighter, but that year had been enough to break the heart of a lion.   Ã‚   "Since I survived that year," he always said, "I shall survive anything."   He put it down to his inflexible will.   His father, Unoka, who was then an ailing man, had said to him during that terrible harvest month:   "Do not despair.   I know that you will not despair.   You have a manly and a proud heart.   A proud heart can survive a general failure because such a failure does not prick its pride.   It is more difficult and more bitter when a man fails alone."   Ã‚  Ã‚   The above passages were taken from the end of chapter three, part one.   After finishing reading this book and then going back through it, I found these passages very ironic in regards to how the story eventually ended.   Okonkwo believed that because he was such a fierce fighter, he could conquer anything life threw at him.   However, it was his fierce, proud, fighting attitude that was his demise in the face of uncontrollable circumstances in the end.   Okonkwo believed that war and brute fighting would fix everything.   He was a proud and stubborn man constantly struggling to improve his standing in the tribal community.   Okonkwo also had intense pride for his tribe and way of life.   He believed it was the right way of life and not to be questioned.   Everyone was supposed to fear war with Umofia due to their fierce warriors and greatness in battle.   When the white men not only did not fear them, but openly threatened the tribal way of life, Okonk wo prepared to handle the situation the only way he knew how.   He wanted to got to war against the new white invaders, chasing them from tribal lands and ending the threat of different ways of life.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The passage ends with, "it is more difficult and more bitter when a man fails alone.

Leadership -Its Importance for Today’s Organization

Managing a flourishing business or strengthening the health of an already reputable business needs fit, continuing leadership and management, marketing and financial management, and planning, product and service development. (Barbara Kellerman, Jeffrey Z. Rubin, 1988) Definition of â€Å"Leadership† and Differences with Respect to â€Å"Management† Leading is influencing someone in some means. The majority people will have the same opinion on at least this much of some perfect definition for the term. There are several, further aspects to this statement that could be explored; however this simple definition may be sufficient to go forward. (Robert A. Corrigan, 2002) A â€Å"leader† is a name who is leading — maybe. A number of writers make use of the term â€Å"leader† as based on the formal role in an organization. Other writers talk about a â€Å"leader† as someone who is showing character of leading. Though, many writers would oppose that a CEO is always a leader. For instance, if an organization is floundering badly with little or no direction, possibly the CEO is not efficiently leading the organization and, consequently, is in fact not a leader. It is bsed on one's use of the word â€Å"leader†. Nearly everyone would have the same opinion that the term â€Å"Leadership† refers to the capability to lead. Many writers use the word â€Å"leadership† to refer to a person who shows traits of leading. Though, many writers as well use the term to denote the executive level of an organization. Conventionally the term â€Å"management† is portrayed as the functions of planning, organizing, leading as well as controlling activities in an organization. â€Å"Managing† is elucidated as carrying out these activities. Courses in management frequently teach from this point of view. Some writers pursue this view and think that the activity of leading is however one facet of management. Other writers differ and state that â€Å"managing† is planning, organizing and controlling and that â€Å"leading† is a definitely separate activity that first and foremost involves influencing people. An old saying that follows from this last view is â€Å"Leaders do the right things. Managers do things right†. One more saying is â€Å"Leaders lead people, managers manage things†. Other writers would even oppose with this view, still. They would emphasize that, even though a person happens to be carrying out activities that persuade others, if he or she does not hold an official role in the organization with the designation of â€Å"manager†, then he or she is not a â€Å"leader†. Leading is an extremely human activity. All of us are human. Consequently the majority of us can present a lot of advice regarding what a good leader should do. We want them to change themselves and their organizations, at the same time making sure that all of us have jobs. We put forward that leaders construct teams, yet focus on employees. They must develop clarity, yet embrace change and confusion. In the meantime, certainly, no matter how much a person thinks that leading is separate from managing, every leader has to operate within definite budget limit. Executive-level leaders hear from board members and others in the organization that the top precedence is strong financial management. The effort to take risks at the same time as managing cash flow can be devastating. As a result, it can turn out to be quite confusing for these leaders to glean a consistent message from all of the continuing advice. (The Washington Times, 2005). The Importance of Leadership to Effective Strategy Development and Implementation Strategic planning finds out where an organization is going over the next year or more, how it is going to get there also how it'll know if it got there or not. The focus of a strategic plan is generally on the whole organization. They find out direction. They move organizations from where they are to where they have to be. Leaders make things come about. They form the culture. They make use of the management tools. Leaders are ground-breaking. They face truth and rally appropriate resources. They give confidence others to do the same. (Gilbert W. Fairholm, 1998) Employee Perceptions of What Constitutes Effective Leadership Note: Great question for survey It is a tough job to run a group of people where authority has to be earned. Only some people do it effectively, for the reason that it demands an unusual amalgamation of attributes. A belief in oneself is the merely thing that gives an individual the poise to step into the unknown and to influence others to go where no one has gone before, however this has to be combined with a well-mannered doubt, the humbleness to accept that one can be mistaken on occasion, that others as well have ideas, that listening is as vital as talking. A fervor for the job offers the energy and focus that drive the organization and that act as an instance to others, however this as well has to be combined with its opposite, an awareness of other worlds, for the reason that focus can turn to blinkers, an incapability to think beyond one's own box. Great leaders manage time to read, to convene people beyond their own circle, to walk in other worlds. The leader should have a love of people, as in a community of individuals, those who discover individuals a pain and an irritation may be respected or feared, however they will not be keenly followed. (Nelson Fabian, 2004)  Thus far this attribute, too, needs its opposite, a capability for aloneness, for the reason that leaders have to be out front. It is not always probable to share one's uncertainties with anyone else. Only some will thank the leader when things go right, however several will blame the leader if things go wrong. Great leaders have to walk alone now and then. They as well have to live vicariously, obtaining their satisfaction from the victories of others and giving those others the gratitude that they themselves are often denied. Living with these inconsistencies needs great strength of character. It as well needs a belief in what one is doing. Money only will not be sufficient to offer the reason to live with these contradictions. Even a love of power is inadequate, as power irons out the contradictions somewhat than holding them in balance. Great leaders are raised from great causes, however leaders at their best, too raised great causes. Unhappily, for want of a cause, we also frequently create a crisis, which is not the similar thing at all. Until and unless business makes a cause bigger and more espousal than enhancement of the shareholders, it will have only some great leaders. We are more probable to find them in the nonprofit ground. If that is so, in that case that sector may yet turn out to be the training ground for business and conceivably even for politics. (Kathleen Zimmerman-Oster, John C. Burkhardt, 1999) Characteristics of Effective Leaders Introduced with humor and humility, and characteristically tending to treat individuals in their organizations in the same way, with no smiling up as well as kicking down. Self-aware, and sincere with themselves as to their own strengths, weaknesses, and honest hard work to improve. Curious and friendly enough in order that others feel safe offering honest comment and innovative ideas. Unprejudiced and capable of esteeming their competitors or adversaries also learning from them, in both leadership circumstances and general business conditions. Action leaning which surfaces not as a wish to move for movement's sake however to move straightforwardly toward a clear objective with a persistent follow-through. Leaders who can flash the mind's eye with a convincing vision of a valuable end that stretches us beyond what is known at present, and who can interpret that to clear objectives, are the ones we go after. Flourishing business leaders build up goals to attain their vision. Their promise to the goals, and consequently to the vision, is made clear by both their actions as well as their frequent communication of what have to be done, and why. With apparent objectives in mind, the issue then turns out to be what a leader will do, how he or she will act at the same time as working with and through people in chase of the end goal. Even though leaders have to become accustomed to a specific and ever-changing set of circumstances, the most successful leaders show a common set of behaviors. Leaders share one more attribute that is vital for success: self-confidence. Sharply differentiated from arrogance or self-centeredness, a healthy level of self-confidence allows the leader to carry out the difficult ventures essential to meet his or her objectives. (Joy Bennett Kinnon, 2005) How Can One Develop Leadership Skills Required for Today's Rapidly Changing Environment? Leadership development is an attempt that improves the learner's capability to lead people. Leading is setting path and directing others to pursue that direction. The first place to start learning regarding leadership is to get some sense of what leadership is — particularly, know get an impression of the areas of knowledge as well as skills suggested for efficient leadership in organizations. In fact effective leaders in the years ahead will have persons resolute by strong values and conviction in the capacity of individuals to grow. They will have a picture of the society where they would like their organizations plus themselves to live. They will be creative thinker, they will believe sturdily that they can and must be shaping the future, and they will be active on that viewpoint through their personal behavior. In the future the genuine center competence of companies will be the capability to incessantly and imaginatively obliterate and remake them to meet customer demands. Everybody in the organization have to take accountability for taking responsive actions. This means that a company requests leadership all over the place in the organization. Thus leadership is the capability to see reality as it actually is and to mobilize the suitable response. Summary All of the different suggestions regarding good leadership can sound very tempting, for example; to have clear vision, embrace transform, lead from doctrine, be a servant to your people, nurture community, focus on the future, and all that. (Anthony B. Robinson, 1999) Conclusion We live and work in a enthralling, however fearful time. Augmented competition is forcing organizations to put into practice customer-driven strategies where industry-driven policies worked before. To be more adjustable, organizations are decentralizing. Organizations are changing, reinventing as well as reengineering. Consequently, there is frequently a great deal of pain in organizations. References: Anthony B. Robinson, 1999. Leadership That Matters; The Christian Century, Vol. 116, December 15 Barbara Kellerman, Jeffrey Z. Rubin, 1988. Leadership and Negotiation in the Middle East; Praeger Publishers Gilbert W. Fairholm, 1998. Perspectives on Leadership: From the Science of Management to Its Spiritual Heart; Quorum Books Joy Bennett Kinnon, 2005. What's Behind the Biggest Upheaval Ever in Black Leadership? Magazine article; Ebony, Vol. 60, April Kathleen Zimmerman-Oster, John C. Burkhardt, 1999. Leadership in the Making: A Comprehensive Examination of the Impact of Leadership Development Programs on Students; Journal of Leadership Studies Nelson Fabian, 2004. Leadership-What Is It and Are You Headed for It?; Journal of Environmental Health, Vol. 67 Robert A. Corrigan, 2002. Presidential Leadership: Moral Leadership in the New Millennium; Liberal Education, Vol. 88 The Washington Times, 2005. What Ails FEMA? Lack of Effective Leadership Newspaper article; September 13

Benefits of Nuclear Power Essay Example

Benefits of Nuclear Power Essay Example Benefits of Nuclear Power Essay Benefits of Nuclear Power Essay Only 30 years ago, nuclear energy was an exotic, futuristic technology, and the subject of experimentation. Today, nuclear energy is Americas second largest source of electric power after coal; more than 110 nuclear energy plants supply more electricity than oil, natural gas or hydropower taken together. Nuclear energy is a clean, safe, reliable and competitive energy source. It is the only source of energy that can replace a significant part of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas), which massively pollute the atmosphere and contribute to the greenhouse effect. In view of the adverse effects of climate change and dwindling oil reserves, it is imperative to promote more efficient use of energy. There is need to employ renewable energies wind and solar – wherever possible, and adopt a more sustainable life style. But this will not be adequate to reduce the accumulation of atmospheric carbon dioxide, and satisfy the needs of industrialization and the aspirations of the developing nations. Presently, the national power generating capacity is about 3,000MWe. At current level, the per capita electricity generation in Nigeria is just about 30 We, some 30 times less than the 1kWe in South Africa. Conventional energy sources in the form of natural gas and fuel oil generate some 69% of the national capacity. The large hydropower stations at Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro have a combined installed capacity of 1830MWe, while the six other small hydropower stations located in various parts of the country have an installed capacity of 37 MWe. The National energy requirement is estimated at over 30,000 MWe. It is not likely that this will be met by the conventional sources presently available in the country. Nuclear power thus offers one of the most viable options that could make up for the shortfall. The Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission is effectively implementing a dedicated strategic plan to introduce 1,000 MWe into the national grid by 2020, and a gradual injection of another 3,000MWe within another 10 years. Probably, the most important cause of worry, all over the world, regarding the implementation of nuclear projects is that the public does not trust the safety of nuclear power plants. As a matter of course, all known power technologies have certain potentially negative aspects. Since it takes time and continuous dialogue to build and maintain trust, the general public must be systematically informed and educated on the issues entailed in our national nuclear power programme. An effective constructive engagement would therefore create better public understanding of the issues: the necessity, benefits and the safety of present day nuclear power project. It is worthy to emphasize that the implementation of a nuclear power project has both local and global impact. In this regard, the concerns of the population of the local environment as well as those of the neighbouring countries must be satisfactorily addressed to earn their confidence and consent. In this connection, the experiences of other countries would be invaluable, in addition to the three cardinal requirements of International Atomic Energy Agency. 2. THE BENEFITS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY Nuclear power is clean, safe, reliable, compact, competitive and practically inexhaustible. Today over 400 nuclear reactors provide base-load electric power in 30 countries. Fifty years old, it is a relatively mature technology with the assurance of even greater improvement in the next generation. 2. 1 CLEAN POWER GENERATION Nuclear energy is environmentally clean – it produces almost no carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides whatsoever. These gases are produced in vast quantities when fossil fuels are burned. Carbon dioxide is produced when fossil fuels are burned; it is one of the main gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect, leading to atmospheric warming. Coal and oil contain sulphur impurities and when they are burned, sulfur dioxide goes up the stack, leading to acid rain. When any fossil fuel (coal, oil or natural gas) is burned, nitrogen oxides are also produced. These gases cause smog and atmospheric pollution. Nuclear fuel is pure (contains no sulfur), it is not in contact with the air (no nitrogen), and it produces no smoke or exhaust; the entire process is confined in the fuel element. 2. 2 NUCLEAR ENERGY PRICES ARE STABLE A country (or an electric company) can buy years of supply of uranium when the price is low; it doesnt take up much space and can be easily stored until needed. Most countries (or utilities) dont have space to store more han 3 or 6 months supply of fossil fuels. 2. 3 FUEL CYCLE AND SPENT WASTE MANAGEMENT One gram of uranium yields about as much energy as a ton of coal or oil the famous â€Å"factor of a million. † Nuclear waste is correspondingly about a million times smaller than fossil fuel waste, and it is totally confined. In the USA and Sweden, spent fuel is simply stored away. Elsewhere, spent fuel is reprocessed to separate out the 3% of radioactive fission products and heavy elements to be vitrified (cast in glass) for safe and permanent storage. The remaining 97% – plutonium and uranium – is recovered and recycled into new fuel elements to produce more energy. The volume of nuclear waste produced is very small. A typical French family’s use of nuclear energy over a whole lifetime produces vitrified waste the size of a golf ball. Nuclear waste is deposited in deep geological storage sites; it does not enter the biosphere. Its impact on the ecosystems is minimal. Nuclear waste spontaneously decays over time while stable chemical waste, such as arsenic or mercury, lasts forever. Most fossil fuel waste is in the form of gas that goes up the smokestack. Plans are afoot to establish a management facility for the conditioning, storage and disposal of low and intermediate level radioactive wastes in the country. Further, Nigeria intends to enter into appropriate bilateral agreements for her nuclear fuel cycle, and hopefully sign on to the multilateral nuclear fuel supply assurance networks that are being developed in partnership with IAEA. 2. 4 NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS ARE COMPARATIVELY SAFE Nuclear power plants are comparatively safe, as proven by the record of half a century of commercial operation, and with the accumulated experience of more than 12,000 reactor-years. There have been only two serious accidents in the commercial exploitation of nuclear power: The Three Mile Island (TMI) in 1979 (in Pennsylvania, USA) and Chernobyl in 1986 (in the Soviet Union, now in Ukraine). The TMI was the worst accident one can imagine in a western power reactor. The core of the reactor melted down and much of it fell to the bottom of the reactor vessel. The radioactivity released was almost entirely confined within the reinforced concrete containment structure, the air-tight silo-like building which housed the reactor and was designed for that purpose. The small amount of radioactivity which escaped was quite innocuous. As a result, no one at TMI was seriously irradiated nor did anyone die. In fact, Three Mile Island was a real success story for nuclear safety. The worst possible accident thus occurred, a core meltdown, and yet no one died or was even injured. Chernobyl was different. The reactors at Chernobyl had no containment structure. The reactor’s faulty design made it unstable and Chernobyl was operated that moment in a way known to be dangerous. In the execution of a test, all the security systems were deliberately bypassed. An uncontrollable surge in power occurred leading to a steam explosion. The 600-ton graphite moderator then caught fire and burned for several weeks. The smoke carried more than half the radioactive fission products directly into the atmosphere where they were swept far and wide by the winds. Fewer than 32 persons died within a few months, and about 200 more were severely irradiated but survived. The inhabitants of the exclusion zone were also victims as they were hurriedly uprooted, evacuated and resettled elsewhere. On the contrary, coal mine accidents are common occurrences and often cause tens or hundreds of fatalities, reported in a day and forgotten the next, adding up to about 15,000 per year worldwide. The same may be said for oil field accidents. Oil tankers go aground or break-up; accidents occur in refineries, oil and gas platforms have been lost with all hands. Accidents in high pressure gas pipelines are not infrequent. Just one example among many others is the gas pipeline accident at Ghislenghien, Belgium on July 30, 2004, in which 21 persons died and 120 were injured. 2. 5 NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS ARE COMPARATIVELY RELIABLE Nuclear reactors provide base-load power and are available over 90% of the time. Intervals between refueling have been extended while down time for refueling has been reduced. In the USA, these improvements over the years have been the equivalent of adding one reactor a year to the existing fleet. Most reactors are designed for a life of 40 years; many are reaching that age in good condition and extensions of 20 years have usually been granted. 2. 6 NUCLEAR RENERGY IS COMPETITIVE The cost of nuclear power is competitive and stable. The cost of nuclear fuel is a small part of the price of a nuclear kiloWatt-hour, whereas fossil fueled power, especially oil and gas, is at the mercy of the market. 2. 7 NUCLEAR ENERGY FUEL IS INEXHAUSTIBLE Uranium is found everywhere in the crust of the Earth – it is more abundant than tin, for example. Major deposits are found in Canada and Australia. It is estimated that increasing the market price by a factor ten would result in 100 times more uranium coming to market. Eventually we will be able to recover uranium from sea water where 4 billion tons are dissolved. 2. 8 NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS ARE RELATIVELY COMPACT A nuclear power station is very compact, occupying typically the area of a football stadium and its surrounding parking lots. Solar cells, wind turbine farms and growing biomass, all require comparatively much large areas of land. . 9 PROMISING GLOBAL SCENARIO More than 400 nuclear power plants are operating in 25 countries around the world today, supplying almost 17 percent of the worlds electricity. In most countries, nuclear energy plays an even larger role as a source of electricity than in the United States. Many of these nations are building new nuclear energy plants to meet the needs of their growing populations and expanding economies. About 100 new nuclear energy plants are currently being built around the world. 3. 0 CONCLUSION The strengths of the national nuclear power programme are manifold: long term energy security, ready availability of nuclear fuels, capacity to mitigate the consequences of global warming, sustainable socio-economic development accruable from diversification of national energy energy mix, significant spin-off effect accruable from the application of nuclear technology in a wide variety of other sectors, nuclear energy is clean, inexhaustible, compact and has a broader life span, large water and land resources available for nuclear energy production, and enhanced safety, security and safeguards. The opportunities that would accrue to the nation from the deployment of nuclear power plants include: sustainability of power for national development, generation of requisite manpower to man nuclear power plants and the proliferation of other peaceful uses of nuclear energy, spin-off industries inherent in nuclear power programme, employment generation and poverty reduction, research, development and human capacity development, as well as mutually rewarding bilateral, regional and international cooperation agreements. All in all, nuclear energy has proven to be most beneficial to developed and emerging economies. If optimally designed, constructed, operated and maintained, nuclear energy is not only clean, but safe, reliable, durable and competitive.