Doubt is the Key to Knowledge

Doubt is the key to knowledge, which is a Persian proverb, has its own meaning and connotation. From an individual viewpoint, doubt materializes as the state of observance amid skepticism and certainty. Often, doubt permits any apparent notion to be questioned. It invokes one to instigate an inquiry besides compelling given truths to be reviewed.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Doubt is the Key to Knowledge specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These allow for improved reconsiderations, thus advancing expansions of knowledge. The process continues till individuals establish grounds that they are contented with. This paper seeks to discuss the degree at which doubt has been exhibited to be the key to knowledge. It concerns two vital knowledge areas namely history and natural sciences. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines science as a knowledge system that covers the operations of either the general laws or general truths as acquired and confirmed via the scientific techniques and oriented to the experimental physical world phenomena. Via the historical course, science is perceived as a substantiated and confirmed way to gain knowledge by way of conducting experiments. The scientific community regards this as a decisive means of deriving facts from the unknown, thus establishing actualities. In fact, scientists strongly disapprove and doubt the ensuing ideas till sufficient evidence that supports them is provided. Should we therefore conclude that knowledge in science is provisional and consents to falsification? Certainly, any theory having adequate logics stands a chance of falsifying the standing knowledge that was hitherto held. Hence, I sincerely trust that science is actually provisional through doubt. Science primarily evolves by virtue of the abstract or perhaps the contingent unsolved postulates that scientists endeavor to establish and define their connotations. Such hypotheses are experim ented by means of scientific techniques and every constructive deduction that is drawn will thereafter be established as a theory. Basically, any theory that is apprehended as scientific knowledge tends to remain in that status till they become doubtful and questioned. This occurs when new explorations and experiments is such areas opposes the questionable theory. Scientific history ascertains that knowledge descends from identical courses. Early Mesopotamian studies showed that Earth was a domed flat disk. It was till Magellan Ferdinand had a confirmation that the globe was sphere-shaped in the fifteenth century subsequent to his fruitful circumvention of the world (Rosenberg 2004, p.163). In spite of the infinite reproaches, debates and libels made against his observation, Galilei Galileo disapproved the endured concept that the earth was the epicenter of the world.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, unless proved otherwise, scientific theories and experiments provided knowledge and that knowledge is continuously augmented through experimentations and tests. This means that, although these scientific methods are considered to represent the laws of nature, new theories and methods are continuously being discovered to challenge the existing laws. Hence, gaining new knowledge is an incessant process proviso doubt still persists in the status quo. There ought to be certain suppositions and allusions that make my opinions to remain real. The principal postulation is that for doubt to be effective in unraveling any scientific knowledge, one has to remain being in doubt till verified by germane scientific proof or trialing upshots. The evidence or results can either be on the side of or against the proposition. The method used to test the controversial theory must be universally acknowledged by the whole scientific community or else any significant result of the research may not be recognized. Therefore, any method used to test any scientific theory has to remain definite or certain. In the contrary, the research method should not be ambiguous or debatable as might finally prove to be destructive to the attained knowledge. Doubt only is incapable of developing new scientific theories. But it is very important in the verification and defense of hypotheses into theories and concepts into scientific laws. Though most scientific theories and laws contribute to the development of knowledge, some remain incapable of proving with sufficient logic that they are knowledgeable and they must be recognized as such (Urdahl, 1917). Since science is continuously updated via revolutionary discoveries, most scientists seem to be unaware that the laws or theories cannot be proven. This is because no one can tell whether the theory or law in question is inconceivable natural truth. This causes scientists to continually be in doubt by proving other bodies of knowledge fruitless and futile. For example, the theory of black hole is yet to be proven. Nevertheless, some of the perceived theories concerning the black hole maybe right, but given that they cannot be verified, cosmological scientists maybe spending senseless energies in generating novel concepts rather than directing such energies in attesting that such a concept is actually right (Wald 1992, p.62). The untiring doubt might give rise to the dismissal of the right concept causing the weakening of knowledge. Nonetheless, some theories or laws have proven to hold true and therefore does not need further experimentation, hence conceived as the truth. For instance, the fact that the earth is going round the sun cannot be disputed. Thus, even though doubt contributes to the scientific progress and knowledge, it has limits that might be disadvantageous to knowledge advancementAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Doubt is the Key to Knowledge specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As random house dictionary asserts, history is a division of knowledge that deals with events that happened in the past. These events may be relating to specific society, period or particularly to the human race. Akin to science, the study of the past is to certain level a draft to knowledge. Interpretations of events relating to the past by historians may be different depending on the historical evidences gathered (Urdahl, 1917). This means that the interpretations are susceptible to changes as new evidences relating to the event continue to emerge. In similar way, totally different opinion can be deduced from new material. This confirms the occurrence of doubt within the historical studies. Knowledge from historic actualities is deemed to be the veracity as vindicated by the amassed proofs and chronological inquiry, yet similar knowledge can be rejected by newfangled facts that are perceived to be valid. This dislodges the hitherto held truth. Historical revisionism is a branch of the historical academic field that studies the conventional opinions on historical evidences, intentions and processes of making decisions connected to historical events with an aim of revising and reinterpretation (Miller et al. 2010, p37). Revisionist historians always have an aim of reinterpreting the largely accepted views through doubt. Generally, revisionist historians have doubts on the accessible confirmations alongside the suppositions that are acquired from such facts. Hence, they go beyond ordinary study to uncover new evidences that could have been subsumed. These new evidences could either way approve the former made conclusions or challenge the status quo by presenting it as historically false. In the process, they draw new conclusions that may be perceived as being legitimate historical knowledge until proved untrue by new evidences. For instance, during the war in the Arabian Gulf, the US defense approved the deploying of forces into Saudi Arabia. They used satellite photo evidences that Iraqi was gathering its forces in the Arabian Desert to organize for an imminent invasion (Harvey 2001, p.136. Thru that spell, the United States was considered useful for the imperative part it assumed in the protection of Saudi-Arabia from the Iraqi belligerence. However, no one questioned the authentication of the satellite photos, thus there was no doubt about them. But St. Petersburg Times, came across two satellite photos from one of the Soviet profit-making satellites with indications of the absence of Iraqi military anywhere near the purported area.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This new evidence changed the previously held view and the American motives became questionable. The old evidence was historically proven false, thereby increasing the doubts of American motives. As a consequence, new theories were formulated to explain the real intentions of the American military. Some gave suggestions that Americans modified the satellite images to suit their reasons for deploying troops to protect their international interest, in this case the oil import source. The demonstrations indicated how revisionists doubting of any historical evidence can lead to the discovery of new evidences that can support the claim or disapprove the claim (Gkotzaridis 2006, p.193). In the process of analyzing the new evidence, more accurate conclusions are made and in the end they contribute to development of new historical studies knowledge. Afore augmenting knowledge advancement, doubt might alter and make genuine chronological knowledge fallacious. The process of illegally distort ing historical facts is known as negationism (Hephaestus Books 2011, p.288). Negationism materialized when the Japanese battle offenses were revealed when WWII was occurring. The story of Nanking assault was an archaeologically famous incident for the Japanese militia involvement in heartless undertakings like burglary, manslaughter and mass assault committed on the Nanking occupants. Albeit Japanese government admitted the legitimacy of the historical evidence during the event, they have all a long modulated the scale of the committed atrocities through the criticism of Chinese death toll estimates. Japanese government accused Chinese authorities of engineering statistics accredited to Nanking bloodbath. The Japanese publications comprising of primers studied in schools deliberately excluded these carnages. This deliberate exclusion contributes to the distortions of true historical facts. Because of the presence of disputes surrounding war crimes that was committed by the Japanese militia, it is quit hard to determine the truth on either side (Hephaestus Books 2011, p.289). As a result, the solution rests on the historical evidence that is commonly accepted. In this instance, it is quite clear that both historical distortions together with denials of historical realities contribute to the deterioration of knowledge. Hence, doubt cannot with certainty be recognized as the basic source of knowledge as claimed. Nonetheless, pertaining to history as field of knowledge, it cannot be denied that doubt plays a vital role as a supporter of knowledge that is gained from historical studies. With doubting incapability, historians are imbued in facts and ideas that had already been established. These established facts and concepts can easily be challenged through thorough research and application of new methods for establishing evidence. Therefore, history to some range is impermanent and devoid of doubt, the prospective knowledge will endure being debatable and fairy-ta le. To conclude, given that knowledge has been verified to be far-reaching and abstruse in the historic and systematic grounds, it becomes very difficult to judge doubt and its capabilities so that they can accurately emerge as fundamental to knowledge execution. Nevertheless, through appropriate researches and studies in these knowledge areas, this paper has taken a stand that to a greater degree, doubt is central as well as essential factor in determining knowledge. References Gkotzaridis, E 2006, Trials of Irish History: Genesis and evolution of a reappraisal, 1938-2000, Routledge, New York, NY. Harvey, B 2001, Russia in space: The failed frontier? Springer, New York, NY. Hephaestus Books, 2011, Historical revisionism (negationism, including: Mein Kampf, Holocaust Denial, Institute for Historical Review, Ma Lik, Miguel Serrano, Memory Hole, Israeli-Palestinian History Denial, Japanese War Crimes, the Two Babylons, Ernst Nolte, Neo-Stalinism, Hephaestus Books, London, UK. Miller, FP, Vandome, AF McBrewster, J 2010, Historical Revisionism, )lpha script Publishing, BÃ ¼ckeburg, Germany. Rosenberg, MT 2004, The handy geography answer book, Barnes Noble Books, Bellevue. Urdahl, HH, 1917, The key of knowledge: A simple treatise comprising the phenomena of mind and of matter, combining psychology, physiology and sociology in scientific philosophy, Portland, Or. Wald, RM 1992, Space, time, and gravity: The theory of the Big Bang and Black Holes, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, UK. This essay on Doubt is the Key to Knowledge was written and submitted by user Charlee Finley to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Nonpolar Molecule Definition and Examples

Nonpolar Molecule Definition and Examples AÂ  nonpolar molecule has no separation of charge, so no positive or negative poles are formed. In other words, the electrical charges of nonpolar molecules are evenly distributed across the molecule. Nonpolar molecules tend to dissolve well in nonpolar solvents, which are frequently organic solvents. In a polar molecule, one side of the molecule has a positive electrical charge and the other side has a negative electrical charge. Polar molecules tend to dissolve well in water and other polar solvents. There are also amphiphilic molecules, large molecules that have both polar and nonpolar groups attached to them. Because these molecules have both polar and nonpolar character, they make good surfactants, aiding in mixing water with fats. Technically, the only completely nonpolar molecules consist of a single type of atom or of different types of atoms that display a certain spatial arrangement. Many molecules are intermediate, neither completely nonpolar nor polar. What Determines Polarity? You can predict whether a molecule will be polar or nonpolar by looking at the type of chemical bonds formed between the atoms of the elements. If there is a significant difference between the electronegativity values of the atoms, the electrons wont be shared equally between the atoms. In other words, the electrons will spend more time closer to one atom than the other. The atom that is more attractive to the electron will have an apparent negative charge, while the atom that is less electronegative (more electropositive) will have a net positive charge. Predicting polarity is simplified by considering the point group of the molecule. Basically, if the dipole moments of a molecule cancel each other out, the molecule is nonpolar. If the dipole moments dont cancel out, the molecule is polar. Not all molecules have a dipole moment. For example, a molecule that has a mirror plane wont have a dipole moment because the individual dipole moments cant lie in more than one dimension (a point). Nonpolar Molecule Examples Examples of homonuclear nonpolar molecules are oxygen (O2), nitrogen (N2), and ozone (O3). Other nonpolar molecules include carbon dioxide (CO2) and the organic molecules methane (CH4), toluene, and gasoline. Most carbon compounds are nonpolar. A notable exception is carbon monoxide, CO. Carbon monoxide is a linear molecule, but the electronegativity difference between carbon and oxygen is significant enough to make the molecule polar. Alkynes are considered nonpolar molecules because they dont dissolve in water. The noble or inert gases are also considered nonpolar. These gases consist of single atoms of their element, such as argon, helium, krypton, and neon.

Research Paper Critique and Summaries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Research Paper Critique and Summaries - Essay Example The research study proceeds from the assumption that "countries with a higher score on the collectivism index are more likely to favour the personal selling promotion tool than will countries with a lower score" (248). While this assumption is solidly grounded in the study's literature review, the authors subject it to further empirical examination. Utilizing an experimental design, Fam and Merrilees (1998) distributed a survey questionnaire amongst retail managers in both Australia and Hong Kong. Receiving a 40.2% in Australia and a 16% response in Hong Kong, Fam and Merrillees' (1998) seven-point Likert-scale questionnaire focused on the correlation between collectivist and non-collectivist cultures' marketing approach preferences. The data results validated the assumption, indicating that collectivist cultures betrayed a market preference for personal promotion selling tools. The research exploited both dependant and independent variables. Within the context of this research the independent variable was culture. ... Validity and Reliability Irrespective of the importance of the issue which a research sets out to investigate, the study would be worthless were its unreliable and its validity suspect. A study is valid if it actually investigates and studies the phenomenon which it identified and defined at the outset and reliable if it is replicable. With regards to this study, it does investigate that which it defined and while no mention is made of its being replicated by other researchers, Fam and Merrilees (1998) attempted to establish validity through the re-examination of their data and the replication of the results using a different method. Added to that, the researchers establish a chain of evidence throughout the study, verify the information collected and, accordingly establish construct validity. The study emerged as reliable and valid from that perspective. Evaluation When evaluated in terms of the criterion of utility, this article emerges as highly valuable because, in an era of globalisation and the internationalisation of business, this article provides marketers with the information they need to effectively address cultures. They identify the marketing tools and techniques which specific cultures are most responsive and susceptible to. In terns of the criteria of replication, the article is only partially satisfactory. In brief, even though the researchers make an effort to replicate their study for the purposes of validating their results, they do so to a very limited degree. They re-analyse the data using an alternate method and this does not fully satisfy the criterion of replication. Lastly, with regards to the criterion of

The Vigilance Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Vigilance Project - Essay Example Being in a group, an individual feels as integral part of a team which enhances his or her self-worth. 4. Realistic is conflict â€Å"based on scarce resources†; symbolic conflict is conflict â€Å"based on values and beliefs†. Realist conflicts take place between groups over scarce resources in a competitive environment. Symbolic conflicts occur due to different perspectives regarding values and ideas which give rise to conflicts in goal persuasion. 5. The leadership paradox is best stated as â€Å"The fact that teams usually need leaders, but the very presence of a leader threatens the autonomy of a team†. Instead of making a team more productive, a leader may end up being a hindrance if he overuses his power (Thomson, 2004, p.309). 6. The three types of team coaching include â€Å"ability, coordination, motivation†. Motivation enhances team commitment, coordination helps people to work together, and educational coaching increases skills and abilities of team members (Levi, 2010, p.178). 7. Teams that are underbounded â€Å"Have many external ties, but cannot bring its members together†; in contrast, teams that are overbounded â€Å"have high loyalty but an inability to integrate with others†. Overbounded teams are highly cohesive and so members can work in more coordinated manner than underbounded teams (Hackman, 2011, p.79). 11. According to the empirical research on convergent and divergent thinking, â€Å"Groups are better than individuals at divergent thinking; individuals are better than groups at convergent thinking†. This is because in the latter effort is to find single solution to a problem while in the former effort is to find multiple solutions to a problems which can be more effective in a group (Salkind, 2005, p.309). 12. The key threats to creativity do not include â€Å"social striving†. Social striving means individuals can exhibit maximum performance when working as part of a group, and this can enhance creativity (Shiraev & Levy,

What Is New Public Management?

What Is New Public Management? New Public Management, what is it? We have heard the term throughout the first semester and have endeavoured to understand its historical and present relevance as well as its various facets that are supposedly favourable in reforming inefficient public sector enterprises, making them leaner and more efficient. But is New Public Management, all that it is made up to be, is it up-to the tasks it is set, is it the new paradigm for public sector reform in developing countries? These are the questions well be tackling in this paper. The Wikipedia defines New public management (NPM) as a management philosophy used by governments since the 1980s to modernise the public sector. It is a broad and very complex term used to describe the wave of public sector reforms throughout the world since the 1980s. The main hypothesis in the NPM-reform wave is that more market orientation in the public sector will lead to greater cost-efficiency for governments, without having negative side effects on other objectives and considerations.  [i]   The World Bank group thinks that NPM is used to describe a management culture that emphasizes the centrality of the citizen or customer, as well as accountability for results. It also suggests structural or organizational choices that promote decentralized control through a wide variety of alternative service delivery mechanisms, including quasi-markets with public and private service providers competing for resources from policymakers and donors. NPM does not claim that government should stop performing certain tasks. Although the New Public Management often is associated with this policy perspective, NPM is not about whether tasks should be undertaken or not. It is about getting things done better.  [ii]   It is supposed to have evolved as a consequence of the emergence of globalisation and as a response to policies of structural adjustment. NPM was conceived as a means to improve efficiency and responsiveness to political principals. Its origins were in Parliamentary democracies with curiously strong executive powers, centralized governments, and little administrative law. In this archetypal setting, NPM seems to embody the idea of a cascading chain of contracts leading to a single (usually Ministerial) principal who is interested in getting better results within a sector portfolio over which he or she has significant and relatively unchallenged authority.  [iii]   NPM, is a much more outcome oriented and efficient theory than earlier public management theories because it entails a more judicious disbursement of the public budget. It is supposed to be achieved by applying some attributes of the private sector into the public sector, such as competition etc. it can be said to be a policy to run the public sector as though it was the private sector but keeping public sector considerations in mind at the same time. The basis of NPM lay in reversing the two cardinal doctrines of progressive public administration (PPA); that is, lessening or removing differences between the public and the private sector and shifting the emphasis from process account-ability towards a greater element of account-ability in terms of results.  [iv]   It endeavours to better the public sector by restructuring, using tactics such as deregulation, decentralisation, promotion of autonomous agencies, output based evaluation, contracting, introduction of competition between agencies and enterprises etc. From the end of the 1970s to the 1990s governments around the world were engaged in widespread and sustained reforms of their public administration. These reforms started in the USA and the United Kingdom, where the Republican and Conservative governments that came to power championed the New Right campaigns for reforms. In New Zealand, however, where the most acclaimed reforms took place, the political force behind them was a Labour government, i.e. a leftist power. The reforms immediately aroused academic interest and research was carried out and theories developed. Perhaps to facilitate academic discourse, the reforms collectively came to be called the new public management (NPM).  [v]   The major driving force behind the reforms was economic stagnation in many countries. The New Right blamed this economic stagnation seen in huge national debts, balance of payment Sowaribi Tolofari problems, high rates of unemployment, underperforming industries, etc. on the excessive scope of governments engagement in business, mediocrity in administrative performance and the lack of accountability, among other things. In addition, there was also new intellectual thinking developing on how public services should be organised and delivered. This was probably because the populace in various countries were now better educated and more sophisticated in their thinking, tastes and demands.  [vi]   New Public Management has been a worldwide phenomenon in some form or other. Democratic regimes in New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom have all implemented some range of reforms consistent with NPM. Malta and Austria have also implemented NPM elements. Each of these initiatives has had some combination of elements including cost cutting, creating of separate agencies or business enterprises to eliminate traditional bureaucracies, separating the purchaser of goods from the provider of those goods, introducing market mechanisms, decentralizing management authority, introducing performance-management systems, moving away from tenure-like civil service systems to contractual and pay-for-performance personnel systems, and increasing use of customer-focused quality improvement systems. Credit for the impetus of these reforms is given to American ideas, particularly the ideas of American public choice economists  [vii]   The philosophy seems to be based in the greatness of private management over public management and therefore suggests that the only logical thing to do is to transfer control to the private sector. Since all government activities cannot be transferred into private hands the theory suggests the next best thing, the application of business management into government. However, public management is different from public administration: the former is derived from commercial operations and is meant to bring about a new mind-set, a new vocabulary and a proliferation of management techniques. It is also meant to debureaucratize government operations and to reduce red tape substantially.  [viii]   If only one element is to be pointed out as characterising the reforms, it would be marketisation. The administration of public services was now benchmarked against private business power should be exercised by those who give the service; the consumer should have choice; the reason to exist should be determined by how well the organisation performs; there should be measures of performance and public accountability. These characteristics were based on certain theories: mainly public choice, transaction cost economics and principal-agent theory.  [ix]   The reforms have majorly been driven by a combination of socio-economic, political and technological factors. One of the similarities between countries going down the NPM route has been the experience of some sort of economic or fiscal crisis, which speeded up these countrys will to streamline their enterprises and cut back costs wherever possible, basically to stabilize their economy any-which way possible. With crisis looming overhead the tenacity of the welfare state came under fire and with it the institutionalised form of state run enterprises. One can say that these reforms are not purely the work of political will, other more sinister external factors were in play. In the case of most developing countries, reforms in public administration and management have been driven more by external pressures and have taken place in the context of structural adjustment programmes. Other drivers of NPM-type reforms include the ascendancy of neoliberal ideas from the late 1970s, the developm ent of information technology, and the growth and use of international management consultants as advisors on reforms. Additional factors, in the case of developing countries, include lending conditionalitys and the increasing emphasis on good governance.  [x]   The literature provides evidence that in many, if not the majority of, developing countries, economic crisis has been by far the most important factor driving the introduction of ambitious reforms in the public sector since the early 1980s. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) economic and fiscal crises preceded economic reforms, which also triggered public sector management reforms. Many African and Latin American countries suffered from unsustainable external and domestic debts, deteriorating real terms of trade, increasing real interest rates on international financial markets, high inflation, low levels of savings and investment, and shortages of basic consumer goods. More recently, the economic and fiscal crises in the Asian tiger economies have promoted major reforms in the public sectors of countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea. Most countries, especially in Africa, had debilitating underlying problems à ³ severe institutional weaknesses, fiscal indiscipline and weak e xternal competitiveness.  [xi]   Larbi describes the economic and fiscal situation that was the harbinger of NPM reforms in Africa and Latin America. He records that many African and Latin American countries suffered unsustainable rates on international financial markets, high inflation, low levels of savings and investments, and shortages of basic consumer goods. It should be noted, however, that in these cases external pressures from so-called donors and lenders initiated the reforms. Kiiza accounts for the effect of this difference by saying that available comparative evidence shows both a handsome and an ugly face of the reforms: The handsome face of managerialism appears in the developed countries where the review of Weberian public administration has been done deliberately in search of excellence. The ugly face appears in the developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where Managerialism has been religiously spread by the IMF/World Bank fraternity.  [xii]   Internally, in these countries, policy deficiencies, bad and excessive management of the economy, large-scale institutionalized corruption, weak and demoralized public services, low productivity and political instability, all contributed to a worsening of the crises. Loss-making SOEs contributed significantly to budget deficits and thus to the fiscal crisis.  [xiii]   Going first to the IMF and then to the World Bank meant accepting stabilization and structural adjustment packages with their accompanying conditionalitys in order to obtain credits and debt rescheduling from creditor banks and multilateral lending institutions. Policy-based lending by multilateral institutions was used as an instrument to encourage crisis states to embark on reforms that were pro-market and pro-private sector.  [xiv]   Thus it can be said that in a way NPM was stuffed down these nations throats. But the most primary mistake committed was that the policies and the structures utilized in implementing the NPM in these countries were the same that were proven successful in their more developed counterparts. What was not realized or was ignored was that the manner of functioning of the countrys beuracricies their market, the level of development of their private sectors was markedly different from the developed countries and the same ideas were not liable to work here. Despite all its advantages, one of the premier drawbacks of NPM most of the time was its very little contribution to actual policymaking. Instead, seeing as its main emphasis is private sector managerial techniques, it emphasizes the need for fewer thinkers and more doers. However, if one defines success as substantive involvement of citizens in shaping the direction of policy that affects their lives, there is little indication of such involvement beyond what existed before NPM implementation began. As Pollitt (1993) notes, citizenship is an awkward concept for those promoting managerialism, where the term customer is more common. He argues that the collectivist view of citizenship is alien to an individualist model where the market is the chief focus of transactions and values (125-6). Armstrong (1998) notes in his assessment of Australian implementation of NPM that the concept of meeting customer needs ignores the ability of customers to articulate their needs or make choices, either because they are uninformed or do not have the resources to do so . Rhodes further argues that in Australia, there is no evidence to show that (NPM) has provided customers with any means whatever of holding the government to account (1996, 106-10). Those claiming success for NPM have focused on short-term effects and on issues of efficiency. While it may be too early to assess the long-term impact of NPM in countries such as New Zealand and Australia, the evidence supporting democratic accountability and citizen engagement is not encouraging. This concept of management has little to do with democracy and democratic values, shedding the reality or the facade of democracy found in earlier public-sector reforms. What is left is a core of market orientation to economic efficiency in the public sector. As Borgmann (1992) argues, when citizens are recast as consumers, they operate within an attenuated form of democracy: But to extol the consumer is to deny the citizen. When consumers begin to act, the fundamental decisions have already been made. Consumers are in a politically and morally weak position. They are politically weak because the signals that they can send to the authorities about the common order are for the most part ambiguous. Does the purchase of an article signal approval, thoughtlessness, or lack of a better alternative?  [xv]   Dunleavy and Hood (1994) note concerns among traditional bureaucrats or hierarchists about the potential destabilizing effects of NPM if the processes of change should get out of control, become unmanageable and do irreversible damage to the provision of public services. For developing countries, but not for the World Bank and donor agencies, the price to be paid for such policy mistakes may be great in terms of threats to political stability and loss of economic wellbeing. In the United Kingdom, one of the leading exemplars in NPM applications the internal market in the NHS has been criticized as concentrating too many The New Public Management Approach and Crisis States resources on management and paperwork rather than on front-line service provision. This is illustrated by the almost fourfold increase in the number of managers in the NHS between 1991 and 1994, with administration absorbing 10.5 per cent of all NHS costs in 1994, compared to 6 per cent before the reforms. Overall, public sector managers are seen as a gaining group in the managerial emphasis in reforms.  [xvi]   But at the same time NPM will also be causing problems of morale in the public services because of the basic premise of NPM being the superiority of private sector over the public sector. Moreover, because it also suggests that whenever possible its activities should be transferred to the private sector, the implication is that public service has no intrinsic value. It also belittles the noble side of the public-service profession: public servants became public servants because they wanted to serve their country. If they had wanted to become entrepreneurs, they would have joined the private sector or started their own businesses.  [xvii]   Critics of the NPM, lamenting the collapse of the welfare state, have referred to the increasing inequality that market-type mechanisms produce market niche-seeking behaviour by public service providers. Whereby, conditions of social exclusion may be created given the organizational and cultural changes in social provision, expressed in the concepts of markets and individualism. Thus, those who need state provision and welfare safety-nets most viz a viz the poor and the vulnerable will be harmed by such reforms. Accountability and monitoring becomes tougher with fragmentation. Furthermore, since governments and other purchasers struggle to monitor contracts in various provider organisations, there is a risk of incurring huge transaction costs. According to Le Grand and Barlett (1993) quality in service provision may decline since minimalist, economizing standards are replacing aspirational professional standards. The pursuit of efficiency in flawed policies with short-term gains will be encouraged by NPM, undermining states capability to take a continuing standpoint on education, technology, health and the environment, given the heavy emphasis on cost reduction. One needs to consider these issues before seeking to transfer NPM to crisis states.  [xviii]   When assessing NPM critically, it is noted that there might be a promotion of corruption and self-interest by the senior bureaucrats and policy makers, who will opt for contracting out and for privatization in lieu of opportunities for rent-seeking and other forms of misdemeanour. Furthermore, greed, favouritism and conflicting interests in NPM has also piloted in a decline in ethical standards of public life. In case of developing countries, adopting the NPM will lead to more arbitrary use of judgment since the accountability mechanisms are weak and patronage systems more prevalent. The NPM method may work better in some frameworks than others. Like the public service which covers various activities, some of which are person-centred like, education, while some are not. Some are competitive, others are hard to mould into the competitive format, some high technological content (telecommunications), and others low. Thus, these factors should be kept in mind, as they affect the chances of NPM being a good fit in crisis states. Clarke and Newman have also argued that NPM à ¬is often portrayed as a global phenomenon à ³ a core element in the process of convergence between states, overriding distinct political and cultural characteristicsà ®. Given the different and difficult circumstances of reforms in adjusting economies and the potential risks mentioned above, it is doubtful whether a universalistic and à ¬evangelicalà ® approach to NPM is a tenable option. Even in developed countries such as the United Kingdom, experience suggests that change toward NPM à ¬has not been smooth and linear, but uneven and contestedà ® and that social actors are not shaped unambiguously by large-scale trends or forces for change.  [xix]   NPM-related reforms generally might undermine political control, meaning that administrative leaders in the central departments and agencies, such as leaders in public commercial enterprises, are gaining influence, but also private commercial actors and consumers more generally. The reforms have created more skepticism towards collective solutions, a depolitization of the public sector and increasing conflicts over what is public.  [xx]   While there is relatively little NPM to be found in developing countries when compared to the early predictions, there is even less evaluation of NPMs impact. The most comprehensive overview of NPM type reforms is offered by Batley (1999). Summarizing the conclusions from a 5-year review of the changing role of government in adjusting economies in South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and South America, Batley finds that the effect of NPM reforms has been mixed, at best, with some improvements in efficiency and mixed effects on equity. On the downside, he notes that the transaction costs of radical reforms to autonomize service delivery agencies tend to outweigh the efficiency gains of unbundling, and that reforms that seek to separate purchasers from providers sometimes reduce accountability.  [xxi]   Refocusing on the effective state is given prominence in the 1997 World Development Report, The State in a Changing World, which marks a significant shift in thinking about the state and its role in development: the need to factor the state back into development. There is now some recognition by the Bank that reforming the public sector the NPM way does not lend itself to clear, unambiguous solutions. NPM is not a panacea for all problems in the developing economies. conclusion The above-mentioned criticisms of NPM and concerns about social solidity, parity and steadiness have rejuvenated interest in the dynamic role of the state again. The debate has changed. It is how do we re-empower the state so that it is able to do its job effectively. While the new public management method may not be a answer for the problems of public sector management in developing states, a cautious and selective variation of some features to selected areas may be advantageous and their employment needs to be subtle to operative reality. The enthusiasm for neoliberal policies and NPM practices that characterized most of the 1980s and early 1990s is now tempered with caution and, in some cases, rejection of the more extreme forms of the NPM approach. There is recognition that imposing one template of reform on all, irrespective of context, is unwise and unimplementable, and may even breed conflict and undermine stability. The way forward is to make the state work better, not to dismantle it. The Bank suggests two strategies. The first is to match the states role to its capability; the earlier mistake was that the state tried to do too much with few resources and limited capacity. The second approach is to strengthen the capability of the state by reinvigorating public administration institutions to enable them to perform their enabling, regulating, monitoring and co-ordinating roles. This will entail creating effective rules and restraints, encouraging greater competition in service provision, applying measures to monitor performance gains, and achieving a more responsive mix of central and local governance by steering policies in the direction of greater decentralization.  [xxii]   NPM-type reforms in developing states seem to be based on a common framework with those in developed countries and seem to follow a blueprint rather than a process or contingent approach. Yet these countries differ widely in terms of their institutional conditions and their capacity to implement public sector management reforms based on NPM principles and practices.  [xxiii]   There is a need to give consideration to problems of how to implement rather than just what to implement. For some time now, too much attention has focused on the plan content of reforms without suitable attention to suitable preparations for application, partly due to the domination of outside organizations in the design of reform bundles and the resultant dearth of resident ownership and promise to reform.

Political Sponsering of Ngos Essay

Greenpeace and green political parties are united in their position against nuclear energy and their support for renewable energies. Christian charity organizations and conservative political parties both stand for traditional family values and against family planning. But does this mean they should work together? Often political parties sponsor NGOs, but is this sponsoring even acceptable? There are several arguments which we would like to consider. The credibility of NGOs as independent organizations and their ability to pursue their social interests are harmed by political sponsoring. The credibility of NGOs decreases, because more often than not, the interests of political parties are more important than the original agenda of the NGOs, due to (financial) sponsoring. The reason for political parties to engage with NGOs in the form of political sponsoring is to increase attention for the statements on the political agenda. NGOs often have more resources and are less restrained to all sorts of rules and laws to protest in rigorous actions. However, this money can only be invested when the NGO compromises its own agenda with the agenda of the political party, which means that they might have to compromise on their own values, missions and visions. Hence the question rises; how can an NGO be called non-governmental when there is a political influence? A counterargument for this is that there is a difference between a political party and the government. Of course this is the case, but a political party is a part of the government. In the Netherlands it is even the case that the political parties get subsidy by the government, so these are inseparable. Thus we argue you can? t call a NGO non-governmental anymore when it is sponsored by political parties, which significantly decreases their credibility. Democratic control of political action that is ‘outsourced’ to NGOs and is therefore beyond democratic control. When a political party is chosen to participate in a country’s parliament, this is done in a democratic way. People can vote for the party that has arguments and goals closest to the person’s own vision. However, the board of an NGO is not chosen in a democratic way, they are simply hired because they are the ‘right person to do the job’. When NGOs will engage in political actions, people who are not democratically chosen will gain political power. The accountability of political parties to their stakeholders, in particular those who may not agree with the objectives of the NGOs that are sponsored, is harmed by political sponsoring. When people vote democratically for a political party, they vote for the agenda the political party has before engaging with any other organization. When political parties go and sponsor NGOs, the party most likely has to compromise on its own agenda to get to an agreement with an NGO. Citizens now are ‘voting’ for NGOs without knowing this. The voters do often not have a say in which NGOs are sponsored, so there is a great likelihood that part of the political party’s stakeholders will not approve of the chosen NGOs at all. The missions and visions of these organizations could be in contradiction with the opinions of the stakeholders and voters, and they have absolutely no control over this. Proponents of political sponsoring say that the voters don’t compromise, because they have the same goal as the political parties. We would like to stress here that even though someone has the same goal, you don’t have to agree with the actions that are taken. Especially actions of NGOs, which are most commonly known as radical, can get a lot of resistance by the voters and other stakeholders of the political parties. An important question you can ask yourself in the light of this last argument is: Does the end justify the means? Does the common goal lead to an acceptance of all (radical) actions taken by NGOs? This is an important question, especially for the stakeholders of the political party, because by political sponsoring all the stakeholders of the parties (including the voters) indirectly approve of the NGOs’ actions.

Project Audit of the Ottawa-Carleton Water Park Essay

  I have audited the Ottawa-Carleton water park project and analyzed the various stages of the project, the methodologies, techniques and tools of project management that were utilized. The project managers, that are KLSJ Consulting, who had been contracted by the owners Carlington Aquatic park were very effective in the management of the project. They displayed competence and understanding of the key issues that are essential for management of large scale high risk projects like the Ottawa-Carleton water park project. The project was a big success and was completed without major cost overrun and scope creep. The project managers had made very adequate preparation and detailed plans on how to carry out the project. This included different strategies of managing the key aspects of the project like quality, risk and time schedule. Part 1: Case Study Description   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The project to be audited is called Ottawa-Carleton Water Park. It is a project that involves putting up of a full size water park in Ottawa area.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The design and building of the Ottawa-Carleton water park project will be managed by KLSJ consulting on behalf of the owners Carlington Aquatic Parks. The owners will retain all authority concerning financing, marketing and critical designing of the water park. After the construction the water park was efficiently passed over to an operations management team (KLSJ Consulting 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ottawa is the capital city of Canada with a population of over one million. It is a destination for many summer tourists as it has very fine tourist attraction which includes galleries and recreational facilities among others. According the Ottawa-Carleton water park project concept, during summers, about two million visitors come to Ottawa (KLSJ consulting, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Water parks which mostly operate during the summers are very profitable and represent a mature industry. There are many water parks offering recreational services to people in different parts of the world with United States having more than nine hundreds (KLSJ Consulting 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Ottawa-Carleton water park will be a full size water park offering a range of recreational facilities to its visitors. It will be situated in the Ottawa area and will consist of facilities like sport court, rock climbing wall, children center, a wave pool, a river, slides, towers, group area with picnic facilities plus other attractions (KLSJ Consulting 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the project proposal, the project started in 2003 and will took two years with completion in 2005 (KLSJ consulting, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The challenge facing the Ottawa area is that there is no full size water park in the area, and with the rising popularity of water parks in North America it was a lucrative idea to take the first move to create one for the Ottawa area market. The need for one site that will offer visitors a big range of recreational facilities in the Ottawa area initiated this project to construct a full size water park in the Ottawa area in an easily accessible area. The land will be leased from National Capital Commission Public lands and the water park will be built by a prime contractor with owners and investors acting as supervising agents. The project will take 2 years and is expected to be completed by May 21. 2005. (KLSJ consulting, 2002). The project was completed effectively and successful and the water park was opened on June 2005.   The handing over was very effective though the project completion had delayed with four weeks. The project is considered a big success. According to bi-weekly status report the project started two weeks behind schedule. This time was to be recovered by sourcing the environmental study to the one consultant who had offered the initial environmental feasibility study services. Thus, the project was expected to be complete as scheduled (KLSJ Consulting 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The approximate budget for the whole project was set at twelve million four hundreds and forty eight thousands Canadian dollars. The project completed with a small cost overrun of 2.7% (KLSJ Consulting 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the project communication plan the project managers had the responsibility of making all the communications to the external parties including politicians, regulators and media. The team leader made all routine project communication and his responsibility which included preparation and delivery of all project performance report (KLSJ consulting 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As stipulated in KLSJ consulting communication plan (KLSJ consulting 2003) the main communication objective was to encourage a positive image for KLSJ and the project to garner support and to generate local interest in the water park. All communications were to be aimed at posing a positive publicity and were to be identified in their work breakdown structure. The team leader was the communication coordinator. The project communication plan was to be evaluated quarterly and at the start of each phase, feedback collected from all stakeholder and improvement done in order to improve the communication plan (KLSJ consulting 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The project manager of Ottawa Carleton Water Park was Karen Dhanraj and his primary responsibility as cited in KLSJ consulting Ottawa-Carleton water park project proposal (KLSJ 2002) included: Coordination and communication with outside agencies Interfacing with community groups, the capital district, and municipal, regional and provincial governments. Providing direction and guidance to other team members Maintaining the overall project plan (schedule, cost and resources) Coordinates and producing all project documentation. Coordination and oversight of the market’s agency Membership in the Risk management working group (KLSJ consulting 2002) The project team included three team leaders. Scott Kennedy was the team leader concerned with Design and construction and was responsible for all activities concerned with design and construction. Lavern Fleck was the legal team leader whose responsibilities included legal counsel, contract management and handling the regulatory authorities on legal issues. Steve Jackson was the team leader concerned with Finance. His role was to manage all finance issues related with the project. Jim Harris was the Risk manager whose role was to coordinate the Risk management program. Project marketing was done by an outside contractor (KLSJ consulting 2002) Part 2: Scope, cost and Time management Analysis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The project was successful in terms of attainment of the required scope. The water park was completed with all the facilities that were intended. No major compromise were made on quality of the facilities and attractions. This means the objectives of the project were realized.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the post project report 311, 650 Canadian dollars were used in-excess of the budget for the project to be complete. This represented a 2.7% cost overrun. This was contributed by several factors that included: mitigation of an environmental problem, traffic and road upgrades, higher costs for the water park design, and a series of variances in construction (KLSJ Consulting 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The project was completed four weeks behind schedule. The opening of the water park had been scheduled to take place on 21 May 2005 but it did not until June 15. The major cause for this delay was the late delivery of the water slides and the unfavorable weather condition in early spring of 2005. Hiring of the operations manager and conformation of investors took more time than had been expected but these activities did not affect the overall time frame of the project (KLSJ Consulting 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The management of the Ottawa-Carleton water park project used different project management tools and technique to ensure the project was a success.   One thing that worked for the projects success was the good and efficient management of the three major constraints of a project that include scope, time and cost. The project management ensured that proper measures were put forward that helped the project to succeed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Different techniques and tool were used to make the scope of the project to succeed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first strength for the project was that the scope was well defined. The overall objective of the project was well outlined complete with details and estimates of what was needed. The owners wanted a full size water park of a total cost of 12, 450,000 Canadian dollars that will provide recreational facilities to about 7000 visitors in a day (KLSJ Consulting 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The project management used different techniques and tools to manage scope. The project management strategy was well designed with a very well functioning project management team. The team was of manageable size and represented the functions that were core to the success of the project. The project management team was led by the project manager who lead three team leaders and a Risk manager. The marketing function was contracted from outside. This team was able to handle all the issues that concerned the project hence helping the project come to achieve its objectives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The other technique utilized was good risk management. The Risk manager had a Risk management program that ensured a problem area was identified and acted upon before it became a loss to the project.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Communication was also well structured ensuring that all external and internal communication were carried out appropriately. This had been well planned for and duties allocated thus ensuring no obstacles came up.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cost management was a major factor for the success of the Ottawa-Carleton water park project. Different techniques and tools were utilized in order to effectively manage costs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first step was having a team leader who was to be concerned with financial issues of the project. His responsibilities included development and monitoring of business plans/s and project cash flows among other responsibilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The cost was well estimated using a class B estimate which provided a variance of between -10% to +25%. The overall cost estimate was can $12448, 250. A 10% contingency had been provided to cater for expected price variation. The total cost had been analyzed using both functions and phases. The total cost had been divided by project function that included management, contract management, financing, political/legal, marketing and construction. The total cost had also been divided per project phases. The phases included phase 1 to phase 5. These analysis of cost enabled the managers to ensure they had enough finances before undertaking a task or contract in order to avoid stoppage or legal action against them (KLSJ Consulting 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The cost was also analyzed by use of tables, graphs and Gantt charts to help in management. The project management also adopted a cost control strategy that was aimed at avoiding cost overruns. This strategy involved issuing fixed price contractors, including penalty clauses for non-performance in contract and taking insurance for specific perils.   All these efforts were geared toward operation within the budget.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Time was another constraint that was well managed in the Ottawa-Carleton water park project. The management team used a work Breakdown schedule to analyze the duration of the project. The project duration was divided into fine phases. Key milestones were identified in each phase of which some were in critical path and others were non-critical. Deadlines and reviews were done and a schedule change management plan was adopted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The work Breakdown schedule was further divided into tasks thus facilitating easier management of these activities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A tradeoff strategy in some instances was utilized in order to manage competing priorities of scope cost and time. This strategy involved, in some cases allowing tradeoff compromises between scope, cost and time management. However no major compromise was done in term of number or quality of attraction to be installed in the water park. All the structures and facilities that were installed in the water park met the quality and standard that was expected.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Different techniques were used for corrective action in the different aspects of the project. One correction action that was adopted was the institution of a deadline for every phase and the end of phase reviews and approvals. Performance report had to be submitted at every end of a phase and change request had to be reported before the deadline. These actions made sure that no activities led to delay of subsequent activities and thus maintaining the whole program on schedule.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cost correction action involved analysis of the cost requirement using charts and tables. Cost was also anticipated in order to make sure enough preparation were done before the time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In assessing the strategies that the Ottawa-Carleton water park project management team utilized we can be able to see some of them went wrong while other worked well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the strategies that never worked well was the security of investment funding. There was a major delay in securing investment funding causing a delay of six weeks and an over expenditure of can$12,000 as a result. This strategy did not work well and more care should have been applied to curb such delays. Only that there was sufficient slack, else this delay could have caused the overall project to delay (KLSJ Consulting 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There was also wrong estimation of time to be taken in hiring a suitable operation manager forcing the use of extra resources totaling to can&14000 to recruit the officers before the overall timing of the project was affected.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though the delay in delivery of the waterslides as not the responsibility of the project management inclusion of a clause imposing a penalty on late deliveries by contraction could have solved that problem by offering the manufacturer an incentive to deliver on time (KLSJ Consulting 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There was a floe in scheduling in that the bad weather of spring could have been anticipated and provided for to avoid delays in the overall project schedule.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Some of the well utilized strategies were cost estimation, project management, quality controls and Risk management. Time was also relatively managed well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The strategy of utilizing budget and cost analysis techniques and tools served the project well to avoid major cost overruns. Proper management was provided with a well functioning project management team and structure that enable efficient operations. The project management was also able to outsource for services outside as well as utilizing their internal resources optimally. Time schedule had been planned well with work Breakdown schedules being utilized and the project being divided into phases to facilitate easier management (KLSJ Consulting 2005). The combination of all these strategies, the ones which worked well and those that had some flaws led to the success of the project. There was no major scope creep and the cost overruns were very low (2.7%). The objectives that had bee envisioned by the initiation were realized though the project was completed four weeks behind schedule. Some of the project management techniques and tools learnt where well applied in the Ottawa-Carleton water park project. Some of these techniques include project schedule setting and breakdown, analysis and good management of the triple constraints factor, outline of the critical and not critical activities, setting and analysis of budgets, use of work breakdown schedule, good management team and clear communication guidelines.   Other analysis tool like Gantt Charts, graphs and tables were used.   There were also measures to manage risk and quality. Management of the three major constraints is always a major factor for success of any project. Proper management will work to avoid scope creep and or cost overruns (Hormozi, Dube 1999). I could recommend that such techniques be used more keenly and fully so as to manage the project more effectively. Part 3:   Project Schedule and Baseline Assessment The Ottawa-Carleton water park project schedule was managed using a work   breakdown schedule.   This was a plan that could take the project through five phases in 32 months.   The project was also divided according to function each function with a team leader.   Besides the manner work breakdown schedule which contained 200 items there were six subordinate work breakdown schedules which were used for clarity in the tasks to be performed. Despite of this superb plan the project closed behind schedule by four weeks because of several other reasons that the project management could not be able to avoid (KLSJ Consulting 2005). Baseline assessment was well planned for with the work breakdown schedules to illustrate how progress was taking place and tables to show the sequence of events and functions.   Budgets had been done to show the funds need by phases, functions and cost category.   This worked to ensure the intended objectives were met.   There was also a clear plan on how change was to b managed. Ottawa-Carleton water park project management utilized several techniques and tools to manage the project schedule and baselines.   One of the critical tool used was a work breakdown structure and schedule.  Ã‚   The team utilized a 200 item master work breakdown structure and six subordinate work breakdown structures.   These subordinate structures were to divide the tasks into shorter and clearer activities so as to ease monitoring and management of the tasks.   The activities had a clear sequence of how they were to take place.   The happening of some activities was to take place only after another activity place.   AT a certain point the construction of the water park had to continue only after assurance of investors support. A critical path was identified and milestone events were established both critical and non critical tables were used to analyze these milestone activities for easier clarity. Financial analysis was well carried out by use of financial estimates.   The financial estimates had been well planned with analysis estimates of cost per phase, cost   per function, cost per project category and cost per cost category well done.   Ã‚  This was meant to act as the baselines and so to avoid cost over runs and to manage variations in prices effectively (KLSJ Consulting 2005). There was also a plan on how to manage change.   This was geared toward management of all constraints to ensure there was no great variation from the baselines. Ottawa Carleton water park utilized the critical path method   to manage schedules and cost.   Some of the techniques and tools used include charts, Gant /charts, tables and work breakdown structures and schedules. The projects management team used different methods to estimate the task duration.   This was most logical consideration of time such activities take including time allowances for any anticipated factor that will affect the tasks duration.   The work breakdown structure and schedule was very important in this aspect.   The Ottawa Carleton water park project had a complete communication plan with communication objectives, plan and manage themes to be passed across to the various audiences. It had also it priorities and constraints identified. The team leader who was reporting to the project manager was responsible for the communication especially internal communication.   The project manager had the sole authority to communicate with external parties which included regulation, government authorities, the public and the media. The team leader was also responsible for all communication regarding the program of the project.   Hew was to report all performance progress to the project manager. This communication plan served a big role to ensure that the project was a success.   Its main objective was to pose a positive image of the project managers that is KLSJ consulting the project and the upcoming water park.   Consequently, the themes of the messages passed were concurrent with this objective.   Thus the communication plan helped KLSJ to get support of the government authorities, the media , the public and more so the investors and the enabled the project to succeed (KLSJ Consulting 2003). The Ottawa-Carleton water park project management team used several methodologies and techniques to carry out corrective action in different situation.   One of the strategy utilized was trade-off between the various major contracts of the projects.   This was utilized when there was delay in securing investors.   More resources were applied to the task in order to speed up the process and so save time (KLSJ Consulting 2005). Another strategy utilized was negotiation.   This was utilized when there was an environmental mitigation.   The manager negotiated with the region and agreed on a cost sharing arrangement and on a program to was aimed at avoid delays in continuation of the constructions.   This served to save both time and cost. Another corrective action taken by the project manager involved sole sourcing environmental studies consultant.   After the delays in the initial stages of the project, the management sole sources the consultant thus saving a lot of time that could have been used up in the recruiting. Different strategies were used by the project management to manage aspects related with project schedule and baseline.   On strategy that was so effective was the change plan.   The plan offered a guideline on how change was to be managed and this ensured that the project was processing according to plan. Other strategy utilized was the closes monitoring of the main constraints, that is time, cost and scope. This enabled the project to proceed well with much delays, scope creep, cost overruns or compromise on quality.   The project management utilized and followed that plan well and utilized took like work breakdown structures, financial estimates and the critical path method. Part 4:   Risk Assessment Quality Assurance and Change Control Management Risk management was a critical issue in the management of success of th Ottawa-Carleton water park project.     This was well done by instituting a Risk management working group early in the project.   This group met monthly to discuss risk-related issues.   Besides that there was a comprehensive risk management plan and assessments of the risk of the different parts of the project.   These measures enabled all risks to be handled before they developed into loss for the project.   The major risks that were dealt with included: Environmental assessment mitigation, delay in hiring of operation manager, delay in securing investment funding, inclement weather, and delay in delivery of the water slide (KLSJ 2005). Change was also well managed during the project performance and this enabled effective changes in order to bring the project to success as expected.   A change plan was set for early in the project and these offered guidelines on how change was to be done if tit was needed. The project management used qualitative and quantitative measures to ensure quality was upheld in the project (KLSJ Consulting 2003).   This was geared towards ensuring that the project met the intended quality.   This was done effectively and no any quality compromise resulted (KLSJ Consulting 2005). The project management different techniques and tools to manage the risks that were inherent to the project.   This techniques and tools were included in a comprehensive Risk control plan.   The technique used included risk assessment before the project began and all through the project.   Tools that were used included a risk evaluation criteria table, impact criteria table, and risk summary tables.   Risk matrixes were also used to assess the various risks (KLSJ Consulting 2003). A risk management working group which was headed by the Risk manger analyzed all the risks facing the project throughout the project duration.   This function grouped managed the risks as they appeared and provided mitigation strategies that enabled the risks to be managed. Ottawa-Carleton water park project had an efficient change control system that used formal scope control processes.   The plan had change cutoff dates schedules in each phase A tracking system was used.   The change plan was aimed at avoid disruptions of events as they had been planned in the work breakdown structure.   Each request for change had to evaluate in order to establish its impact on other variables. One of the changes that was effected in the Ottawa-Carleton water park project was the change of decision on recruiting the environmental study consultant.   The change was effected and KLSJ sole sourced the consultant who had done the initial environmental feasibility to carry out the job.   This was carried out effectively and it resulted to saving of two weeks and one thousand Canadian dollars. The change management plan adopted by Ottawa-Carleton water park project team ensured that it integrated scope management.   This was aimed at making sue that all changes were made within the overall objectives of the project.   The tracking system used also worked to make sure that all the changes that were effected fitted in the overall plan of the project.   Assessment of the impact of the changes on cost and schedule had to be done before any change was effected and this was aimed at making sure that the changes did not have an adverse effect on the other operations o the project. The requirements that on change requests had to written facilitated later reference and tracking of the changes in order to maintain the project on the intended plan.   All this measures worked to ensure there was no scope creep and even cost overrun (KLSJ Consulting 2005). Quality was a key consideration in all the stages of the Ottawa Carleton water park project.   Because of the nature of work and construction that were done, quality was planned for and closely monitored to ensure safety of all facilities.   KLSJ uses 1SO 9001: 200 standards for the project management.   The firm had also to comply with other standards that affected the project which included standards set up by the region and the local authority (KLSJ Consulting 2003). KLSJ consulting had a group of experts on quality management who offered their expertise to the project on an on-call basis.   Within the project team the team leader (finance) was concerned with all matters on quality. Besides that, quality was a responsibility of all people concerned with the project. The ISO 9000: 2000 quality assurance procedures were followed throughout the construction and regular quality status reports were provided.   The planning was well done by the help of a manual of project procedures and a quality management plan.   Verification of all certification of contractors was done as well as auditing of all construction activities in order to maintain high quality in all facilities.   Quality control was done by taking up action immediately as issues of concern arised (KLSJ Consulting 2004). Ottawa Carleton water park project management team used several techniques as corrective actions in aspects of risk, quality and change in the projects.   One technique used over all was constant monitoring, assessment or evaluation. Issues of risks, quality or changes were monitored and evaluated throughout the project life. Another way was having a contingency plan. This enabled the team to contain all the variations within the scope of the project and thus ensuring t6he project objectives were achieved.   The project team was also well prepared with detailed plans on how all the things were to be handled and this helped to manage change effectively.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The project management team used various strategies to manage these aspects of the project effectively. The first strategy that was used was adequate planning. Enough planning had been done on all aspects related with risk management, quality and change control management. The plans helped the team to prepare all round for the various occurrences that were expected. The plans also provided clear guidelines on how the operations were to be done. This also ensured that all the resources required, in terms of human resource or funding, were ready before the project got into a phase where they were to be used.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The other strategy was the constant evaluation and assessment of the different aspects of the project that were related with risk, quality and change. There was also a risk management program that was carried out all through the project by risk management working group. This ensured that all the inherent risks were identified and dealt with before they resulted to a loss to the project. Quality was assessed through out the project life and one team leader, among other roles, was concerned with ensuring quality was maintained. There were also audit teams that assessed the quality of the various structures that were put up in the water park. The different activities were also continually evaluated in order to handle any change effectively without compromising on quality of the facilities to be put up. Another technique that was well utilized was change management. Change management was well planned for and this facilitated its effective execution. Control was also another strategy technique that was effectively carried out. The project team was able to effectively control the three major constraints namely scope, cost and time. This enabled the project to be completed successfully. There were many tools that were used to manage the aspects of risk, quality and change in the project. These tools include risk matrix, contingency plan, change management plan, quality management plan plus many tables, structures and analysis summaries. According to the strategies that were applied, some were very effective while others had some flaws. The strategies that went very well include the change management plan and the quality management. The different changes that were done within the project were very effective and did not lead to scope creep or major cost overruns. Quality management was very effective and did not result to any quality or quantity compromise. Risk management had been good but things did not go very well leading to delay of deliver of the water slides (KLSJ Consulting 2005). This showed that risk management despite of all the plans had a flaw. Otherwise the planning of the whole project had been well done. Part 5: Conclusion The Ottawa-Carleton water park project was a success and the managers, KLSJ consulting displayed good project management skills and expertise. Many of the techniques, tools and strategies learnt in class were applied effectively in the management of this project. This project represents a perfect example of good use of the techniques and tools of project management that are always taught theoretically in class.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The project management team was effective and was able to manage the project processes efficiently without any problem arising. The processes were handled with the maximum professionalism expected and the law was followed to the later. The legal team leader was able to handle all issues that concerned legal contracts and regulations. The strength of the project team always determines the success of a project as this is the team that manages the aspects that matter in a project (Larson, Gobeli, Gray 1991)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Management of a project to success is always a combination of use of expertise and practices that bring control to the operations of a project (Reiss 1995)From the various project management methodologies, techniques used in the management of the Ottawa-Carleton water park project I can be able to point out three best practices that enhanced the success of this project. The first practice was the adequate preparation that had been done. Before the project began the managing firm prepared a project charter that outlined the objectives, scope, management plan, financial analysis and the stakeholders of the project. There was also a project plan that outlined how the various aspects of the project were to be managed in the course of the project life. Then there were several other plans that dealt with how the specific aspects of the project were to be managed. For example there was a quality management plan, a risk management plan and a change management plan. The second practice that was well adopted was schedule management. The time concept of a project is usually a critical factor of a project and unless adequate care is given to this aspect from the planning stage of a project a delay of completion is likely to occur. (May, Gueldenzoph 2006) Though the overall project schedule was exceeded with four weeks enough measures had been instituted to manage the project duration. Work breakdown structures and many other analysis tables had been used all in the effort to make the project run in the stipulated time frame. The third practice that was very well done was the approach to risk management. Risk management is a sensitive aspect of any project especially the high risk projects and this requires adequate planning and care in the implementation of the risk management plan. (Hannigan, Browne 2000) The project was considered a high risk project and so to start with a detailed risk management plan had been laid. The risk management plan included a risk management program that was carried out throughout the project duration led by a risk management working group that was headed by the risk manager. The project transition from the operations manager to the team that was to continue managing the water park was well prepared for and was very effective. This is an area which brings problems in some projects and is an important factor that should not be taken for granted (Frame 2002). Another important area of importance to a project is the management of corrective actions. (Hormozi, McMinn, Nzeogwu 2000) I recommend that necessary measures be put up before the project begins on how to carry out corrective action and how to carry out corrective action and how to manage schedules and baselines in order to achieve the project objective.   I recommend that in future projects more care to be given the management of risks especially concerning honoring of contracts by those contracted. Proper management of contracts will ensure that the contract is effected in time and in the condition that was intended. Also other tools and techniques that were not utilized in this project could be of great use to other projects. Reference: Frame J; (2002). The New Project Management: Tools for an Age of Rapid Change, Complexity, and Other Business Realities. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, Hannigan C. Browne M. (2000) Project Management: Going the Distance: International Journal of Instructional Media, Vol. 27, Hormozi A.Dube L; (1999) Establishing Project Control: Schedule, Cost, and Quality: SAM Advanced Management Journal, Vol. 64, Hormozi A. McMinn R.Nzeogwu O; (2000). The Project Life Cycle: The Termination Phase: SAM Advanced Management Journal, Vol. 65, KLSJ Consulting, (2002). Project Charter: Ottawa Carleton Water Park Project. Ottawa. KLSJ Consulting, (2002). Project Concept: Ottawa Carleton Water Park Project. Ottawa. KLSJ Consulting, (2002). Project Proposal: Ottawa Carleton Water Park Project. Ottawa. KLSJ Consulting, (2003). Communication Plan: Ottawa Carleton Water Park Project. Ottawa. KLSJ Consulting, (2003). Quality Management plan: Ottawa-Carleton Water Park Project. Ottawa. KLSJ Consulting, (2004). Quality Assurance Report: Ottawa Carleton Water Park Project. Ottawa. KLSJ Consulting, (2005). Post-Project Report: Ottawa Carleton Water Park Project. Ottawa. KLSJ Consulting, (2005). Risk control report: Ottawa Carleton Water Park Project. Ottawa. KLSJ Consulting, (2003). Risk management plan: Ottawa Carleton Water Park Project. Ottawa. Larson E.Gobeli D. Gray C. (1991) Application of Project Management by Small Businesses to Develop New Products and Services: Journal of Small Business Management, Vol. 29, May G. Gueldenzoph L; (2006).The Effect of Social Style on Peer Evaluation Ratings in Project Teams: The Journal of Business Communication, Vol. 43, Reiss G; (1995). Project Management Demystified: Today’s Tools and Techniques. London. E & FN Spon.