At Project Management Center of Excellence Communications Leader Promotes Project Management Leadership Essay Example

At Project Management Center of Excellence Communications Leader Promotes Project Management Leadership Essay Example At Project Management Center of Excellence Communications Leader Promotes Project Management Leadership Paper At Project Management Center of Excellence Communications Leader Promotes Project Management Leadership Paper OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY ANTIPOLO CAMPUS A BUSINESS CASE STUDY ATT PROJECT MANAGEMENT CENTER OF EXCELLENCE Communications Leader Promotes Project Management Leadership Submitted to: Dr, Marmelo V. Abante CCS Dept. Head / Project Management Professor Submitted by: Brioso, John Oliver P. Student ATT PROJECT MANAGEMENT CENTER OF EXCELLENCE Communications Leader Promotes Project Management Leadership INTRODUCTION As a world leader in communication technology, ATT connects people from all around the globe. Just as consumers and businesses rely on ATT services to stay connected, ATT relies on internal resources, in particular project and program managers, to remain a best in-class service provider. BACKGROUND ATT Inc. (NYSE: T News) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, ATT operating companies, are the providers of ATT services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the worlds most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nations leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services? In domestic markets, ATT is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES. COM organizations, and the ATT brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, ATT is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. In 2008, ATT again ranked No. 1 on Fortune magazines Worlds Most Admired Telecommunications Company list and No. 1 on Americas Most Admired Telecommunications Company list. In an effort to institute common standards, foster a project management culture and improve individual and organizational competencies, AT established a Project Management Center of Excellence (PMCOE). The PMCOE targeted over 10,000 project managers, program managers and their supervisors, as well as holders of the Project Management Professional (PMP ®) credential within the company, with the mission to be recognized internally as the resource for project management consulting, mentoring, training, processes, tools and techniques. Additional goals of the PMCOE included: Drive AT culture to advocate, support and sustain professional project management Assess and improve AT professional project management competency at all levels: individual, team and organizational Ensure the right processes, services and tools are in place and linked to support professional project management success Ensure pertinent information is communicated to the PM Community in the most effective manner poss ible Secure visible leadership champions to support PMCOE initiatives Facilitate creation of a project management community to promote exchange of information to improve project management practices Encourage, facilitate and support continuing education and development of the PMCOE team. The project was led by 11 PMPs with an expense budget that covered the cost of the team’s professional development and the costs associated with the annual AT Project Management Symposium, a significant PMCOE initiative. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES BUSINESS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The business goals and objectives for this project will focus on implementing mobile technology that: Improves officer, firefighter and citizen safety. Facilitates coordination and information sharing both internal and external to the participating organizations. Enhances the ability and effectiveness of staff to perform their jobs. Facilitates coordinated crime prevention and reduction. Provides high levels of data security. Provides an open, flexible, reliable technology base for the future. Facilitates the electronic capture of data at its source. Is easy to use. Eliminate redundant data entry throughout the organization. PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Sample project goals and objectives: Ensure that end users have input into the design process. Accomplish project business goals and objectives within defined budget and time parameters. Minimize impact to standard business operations within the affected units. Craft a favorable and secure agreement between the Department and the sele cted vendor. PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN To support the AT Project Management Community, the PMCOE established consultants who were designated to support the various business units within the company. This business unit specific support provided the guidance and resources project management community members required even more intensive consulting was provided upon request to ensure that all needs were met. To understand which services were most important to the AT Project Management Community, the PMCOE distributed both company-wide and business unit surveys to identify problem areas (e. g. leadership support, adequate training, etc. ) and determine what needs its audience had which could potentially be met by the center. Initial discussions and survey findings helped to tailor the PMCOE offerings to provide the best payback of investment for both the PM Community and PMCOE efforts. Since effective communication was a vital element to the success of the project, the PMCOE established a formal Communications Management Plan which promoted awareness nd use of PMCOE products and services throughout the company. As companies merged, targeted emails to known project and program managers of each legacy company were used to announce the center’s purpose and mission, offering to support their professional needs. As the PM Community grew, the PMCOE launched a monthly newsletter containin g recent project management accomplishments, success stories, upcoming events and reminders of best practices. It was distributed via corporate email to ensure that information was being disseminated effectively. More recently, the PMCOE is expanding communications through rich content on the corporate intranet using the latest in Web 2. 0 technology. Additionally, to further promote the PMCOE and communicate the mission of the center, an annual AT PM Symposium was established to bring significant recognition to the practice of professional project management at AT. The annual event provides training and empowerment for project managers as well as the opportunity to network and collaborate with peers. Furthermore, leadership involvement in the Symposium has been consistently high, and in 2007, 22 AT officers and vice presidents participated across multiple locations. Communication with these corporate leaders has also been a critical success factor for the PMCOE. AT has found that when executives and middle managers support the mission of the center, their words have a significant influence on the project management community. CURRENT SITUATION AND PROBLEM OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT The largest challenge the PMCOE faced was that during project activities, legacy companies SBC and AT merged, bringing together two distinct project management improvement organizations with slightly different areas of focus. This change forced the PMCOE to reevaluate the project and determine how to appropriately fuse the strengths of the two organizations. The PMCOE was also finding it difficult to determine the best way to support the over 10,000 employees that make up AT project management community. Within the community, there are various business units all of which have different needs and concentrations. Additionally, not only was the PMCOE tasked to support a large number of AT project managers, they had to also understand which services were most important to them. Finally, effective and efficient communication would be a key element for he success of the PMCOE; however with such a sizeable and worldwide PM population, the PMCOE would have to determine how to best share valu able information on a large scale. Without appropriate communication, the PMCOE risked going unrecognized and not being used to its full potential. CRITICAL ASSUMPTIONS AND CONSTRAINTS PROJECT ASSUMPTIONS The following assumptions were made in preparing the Project Plan: AT employees are willing to change business operations to take advantage of the functionality offered by the new mobile technology. Management will ensure that project team members are available as needed to complete project tasks and objectives. The Steering Committee will participate in the timely execution of the Project Plan (i. e. , timely approval cycles and meeting when required). Failure to identify changes to draft deliverables within the time specified in the project timeline will result in project delays. Project team members will adhere to the Communications Plan. Mid and upper management will foster support and â€Å"buy-in† of project goals and objectives. The City will ensure the existence of a technological infrastructure that can support the new mobile technology. All project participants will abide by the guidelines identified within this plan. The Project Plan may change as new information and issues are revealed. PROJECT CONSTRAINT The following represent known project constraints: Project funding sources are limited, with no contingency. Due to the nature of law enforcement, resource availability is inconsistent. ANALYSIS OF OPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATION To combat and avoid challenges during the development of the center, the PMCOE applied a project management methodology that was in complete alignment with A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK ® Guide). The first priority was to ensure that the merging of the PM practices between legacy companies ran smoothly. As such, the PMCOE followed a five step process as established by PMI for successful project management: The Initiating Process During this stage, the PMCOE team received approval from se nior management to establish the merged PMCOE. A proposal was developed which included a needs assessment, resource forecast and financial benefits. During annual planning, the PMCOE Business Plan was re-evaluated to ensure mission and goals were in alignment with corporate priorities and strategic drivers. The Planning Process The team determined which project management products and services from each legacy team continued to add value to the project management community. A needs assessment was completed to identify the most critical project management products and services under the new AT vision and mission statement. The Executing Process – The team executed the outlined plan which resulted in delivering the project on time, under budget and with quality. Within several months, the new PMCOE had executed the integration of the two legacy teams and gained traction with the recently merged PM Community. The Monitoring and Controlling Process The PMCOE reported business plan goals each month to senior management. An annual Client Satisfaction Survey was distributed at the end of the year to capture feedback from the merged AT Project Management Community and additional surveys were distributed to the participants of major deliverables including the annual AT Project Management Symposium. All this feedback was analyzed and incorporated into key findings that were then used to improve the PMCOE. The Closing Process – This final step occurred in two distinct stages. First, the integration of the legacy teams was completed successfully. Next, the process (Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling) was repeated when legacy BellSouth and legacy Cingular project managers were incorporated effectively into the PMCOE Business Plan. To finally close the project, lessons learned were identified to assist with future planning. POTENTIAL PROJECT RISKS RiskRisk Level L/M/HLikelihood of EventMitigation Strategy Project Size Person HoursH: Over 20,000CertaintyAssigned Project Manager, engaged consultant, comprehensive project management approach and communications plan Estimated Project ScheduleH: Over 12 monthsCertaintyCreated comprehensive project timeline with frequent baseline reviews Team Size at PeakH: Over 15 membersCertaintyComprehensive communications plan, frequent meetings, tight project management oversight Number of Interfaces to Existing Systems AffectedH: Over 3CertaintyDevelop interface control document immediately Project Definition Narrow Knowledge Level of UsersM: Knowledgeable of user area onlyLikelyAssigned Project Manager(s) to assess global implications Available documentation clouds establishment of baselineM: More than 75% complete/currentLikelyBalance of information to be gathered by consultant Project Scope CreepL: Scope generally defined, subject to revisionUnlikelyScope intially defined in project plan, reviewed monthly by three groups (Project Manager and Steering Committee) to prevent undetected scope creep Consultant Project Deliverables unclearL: Well definedUnlikelyIncluded in project plan, subject to amendment Vendor Project DeliverablesM: Estimated, not clearly definedSomewhat likelyIncluded in project plan, subject to amendment Cost Estimates UnrealisticL: Thoroughly predicted by industry experts using proven practices to 15% margin of errorUnlikelyIncluded in project plan, subject to amendment as new details regarding project scope are revealed Timeline Estimates UnrealisticM: Timeline assumes no derailmentSomewhat likelyTimeline reviewed monthly by three groups (Project Manager and Steering Committee) to prevent undetected timeline departures Number of Team Members Unknowledgeable of BusinessL: Team well versed in business operations impacted by technologyUnlikelyProject Manager and consultant to identify knowledge gaps and provide training, as necessary Project Leadership Steering Committee existenceL: Identified and enthusiasticUnlikelyFrequently seek feedback to ensure continued support Absence of Commitment Level/Attitude of ManagementL: Understands value supports projectUnlikelyFrequently seek feedback to ensure continued support Absence of Commitment Level/Attitude of UsersL: Understands value supports projectUnlikelyFrequently seek feedback to ensure continued support Absence of Mid-Management CommitmentL: Most understand value support projectUnlikelyFrequently seek feedback to ensure continued support Project Staffing Project Team AvailabilityM: Distributed team makes availability questionableSomewhat likelyContinuous review of project momentum by all levels. Consultant to identify any impacts caused by unavailability. If necessary, increase committmment by participants to full time status Physical Location of Team prevents effective managementM: Team is dispersed among several sitesLikelyUse of Intranet project website, comprehensive Communications Plan Project Team’s Shared Work Experience creates poor working relationshipM: Some have worked together beforeSomewhat likelyComprehensive Communications Plan Weak User Participation on Project TeamL: Users are part-time team membersUnlikelyUser Group Participants coordinated by full time employee Project Management Procurement Methodology Used foreign to teamL: Procurement Methodology familiar to teamUnlikelyN/A Change Management Procedures undefinedL: Well-definedUnlikelyN/A Quality Management Procedures unclearL: Well-defined and acceptedUnlikelyN/A Software Vendor Number of Times Team Has Done Prior Work with Vendor Creates Foreign RelationshipH: NeverCertaintyA comprehensive vendor evaluation and election process (incorporated into Project Plan) will be employed to predict and define the relationship between the department and the vendor Team’s Lack of Knowledge of PackageM: Conceptual understandingSomewhat likelyComprehensive vendor evaluation and selection process in corporated into Project Plan will assist the team in better understanding the package offering(s) Poor Functional Match of Package to Initial System RequirementsL: Minimal customization requiredUnlikelyAlthough a package has not yet been selected, the Consultant has compared the initial requirements with available functionality and determined that a functional match to the initial requirements is very likely. Vendor selection will be based, in part, on how well the proposed application matches defined functional specifications. Team’s Involvement in Package Selection Impacts Success of ImplementationL: High involvement in selectionUnlikelyComprehensive vendor evaluation and selection process incorporated into Project Plan PROJECT MANAGEMENT APPROACH RoleResponsibilities Project SponsorUltimate decision-maker and tie-breaker Provide project oversight and guidance Review/approve some project elements Steering CommitteeCommits department resources Approves major funding and resource allocation strategies, and significant changes to funding/resource allocation Resolves conflicts and issues Provides direction to the Project Manager Review project deliverables Project ManagerManages project in accordance to the project plan Serves as liaison to the Steering Committee Receive guidance from Steering Committee Supervises consultants Supervise vendor(s) Provide overall project direction Direct/lead team members toward project objectives Handle problem resolution Manages the project budget Project ParticipantsUnderstand the user needs and business processes of their area Act as consumer advocate in representing their area Communicate project goals, status and progress throughout the project to personnel in their area Review and approve project deliverables Creates or helps create work products Coordinates participation of work groups, individuals and stakeholders Provide knowledge and recommendations Helps identify and remove project barriers Assure quality of products that will meet the project goals and objectives Identify risks and issues and help in resolutions Subject Matter ExpertsLend expertise and guidance as needed PROJECT ROLES AND RE SPONSIBILITIES ? ISSUE MANAGEMENT The information contained within the Project Plan will likely change as the project progresses. While change is both certain and required, it is important to note that any changes to the Project Plan will impact at least one of three critical success factors: Available Time, Available Resources (Financial, Personnel), or Project Quality. The decision by which to make modifications to the Project Plan (including project scope and resources) should be coordinated using the following process: Step 1: As soon as a change which impacts project scope, schedule, staffing or spending is identified, the Project Manager will document the issue. Step 2:The Project Manager will review the change and determine the associated impact to the project and will forward the issue, along with a recommendation, to the Steering Committee for review and decision. Step 3:Upon receipt, the Steering Committee should reach a consensus opinion on whether to approve, reject or modify the request based upon the information contained within the project website, the Project Manager’s recommendation and their own judgment. Should the Steering Committee be unable to reach consensus on the approval or denial of a change, the issue will be forwarded to the Project Sponsor, with a written summation of the issue, for ultimate resolution. Step 4:If required under the decision matrix or due to a lack of consensus, the Project Sponsor shall review the issue(s) and render a final decision on the approval or denial of a change. Step 5:Following an approval or denial (by the Steering Committee or Project Sponsor), the Project Manager will notify the original requestor of the action taken. There is no appeal process. COMMUNICATION PLAN Disseminating knowledge about the project is essential to the project’s success. Project participants desire knowledge of what the status of the project is and how they are affected. Furthermore, they are anxious to participate. The more that people are educated about the progress of the project and how it will help them in the future, the more they are likely to participate and benefit. This plan provides a framework for informing, involving, and obtaining buy-in from all participants throughout the duration of the project. Audience, this communication plan is for the following audiences: Project Sponsor Steering Committee Project Manager User Group Participants Subject Matter Experts Communications Methodology The communications methodology utilizes three directions for effective communication: Top-Down. It is absolutely crucial that all participants in this project sense the executive support and guidance for this effort. The executive leadership of the organization needs to speak with a unified, enthusiastic voice about the project and what it holds for everyone involved. This will be hands-on change management, if it is to be successful. Not only will the executives need to speak directly to all levels of the organization, they will also need to listen directly to all levels of the organization, as well. The transition from the project management practices of today to the practices envisioned for tomorrow will be driven by a sure and convinced leadership focused on a vision and guided by clearly defined, strategic, measurable goals. Bottom-Up. To ensure the buy-in and confidence of the personnel involved in bringing the proposed changes to reality, it will be important to communicate the way in which the solutions were created. If the perception in the organization is that only the Steering Committee created the proposed changes, resistance is likely to occur. However, if it is understood that all participants were consulted, acceptance seems more promising. Middle-Out. Full support at all levels, where the changes will have to be implemented, is important to sustainable improvement. At this level (as with all levels), there must be an effort to find and communicate the specific benefits of the changes. People need a personal stake in the success of the project management practices. Communications Outreach The following is a list of communication events that are established for this project: Monthly Status Reports. The Project Manager shall provide monthly written status reports to the Steering Committee. The reports shall include the following information tracked against the Project Plan: Summary of tasks completed in previous month Summary of tasks scheduled for completion in the next month Summary of issue status and resolutions Communications Outreach, the following is a list of communication events that are established for this project: Monthly Steering Committee Meeting These status meetings are held at least once per month and are coordinated by the Project Manager. Every member of the Steering Committee participates in the meeting. The Project Manager sends the status report to each member of the team prior to the meeting time so everyone can review it in advance. Bi-Monthly Project Team Status Meeting These status meetings are held every other month. Every member of the Project Team will be invited to participate in the meeting. Project Manager sends the status report to each member of the team prior to the meeting so everyone can review it in advance. Website Use User Group Participants and Subject Matter Experts may be updated monthly at the discretion of the Project Manager. Information will be posted to the project’s website.

Last Night I dreamed of Peace

Last Night I dreamed of Peace Introduction Dang Thuy Tram Last Night I Dreamed of Peace is a captivating informative chef-d’oeuvre demonstrating the author’s love for his country based on the sorrowful situation that the country undergoing.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Last Night I dreamed of Peace specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As young as 23 years, she associates with the communists party in her quest of ensuring that people of Vietnam do not go through what they goes through (National Library Board Para. 3). The American soldiers’ inhumanity and killings of the Vietnam citizens leaves her disturbed and therefore puts on spirited heart of ensuring that the people are liberated, a decision purely founded on her love for her people. Love and Idealism Dr. Dang makes the decision to go to the South Vietnam because of her love and youthful idealism she has for her kindred. Despite the deadly circumstances and appalling cond itions that her patients undergo, she opts to make the dreadful decision. She is a young and youthful woman who in spite of the deadly conditions vows or is ready to sacrifice her own life to secure the lives of the patients who have faced attacks and injuries from the America soldiers and the soldiers themselves. Her idealistic nature also plays a vital role in her decision to move to the South Vietnam. She is determined to see her country in peace despite her age. She aligns herself with the communists’ party. She joins the ideology of the party just to ensure that their values and their rights as citizens of the Vietnam remain respected rather than being infringed on by other people. She condemns the killings and shootings of Vietnam locals on streets by the American soldiers. It proves a very difficult and trying time especially when the war rages on, kills, and destroys people without valid reasons. Therefore, Dr Dang makes the choice of moving to South Vietnam to extend her hand in saving the lives of those injured. The courageous decision surrounded by much risk to her own life seems further founded on the sense of shared humanity. Sense of Shared Humanity She also makes her decision to move to South Vietnam because of her spirited heart of humanity and love and long for an end of the war and the sufferings and pains subjected to the citizens of Vietnam. Since she is a physician, she offers herself to assist the people who are shot and who fall victims in the course of the war (Dang 47). She succumbs to her death in the course of her service to the people of Vietnam.Advertising Looking for essay on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This therefore demonstrates her sense of shared humanity in saving the lives of others while placing her own in danger. Her compassion and urge or wish to see the war end also makes her risk her own life to go to the South Vietnam. She wishes t hat the war and the fighting in South Vietnam ended allowing the people to have their peace and unity. For instance, in the diary, she expresses her intimacy and love showing how she misses her mother and lover whom she refers to â€Å"M†. She yearns for the time that she will go back home and meet her mother who is in the Northern Vietnam (Guthrie 105). This therefore shows how the Doctor is concerned and optimistic that finally the war and the shootings will end. Tram in the Current Vietnam Though dead, Tram speaks volumes and volumes through the marks she left to the people of Vietnam. She has contributed significantly towards the making of the country’s history, as it stands today. It seems quite unfortunate that she succumbed to death at that tender age. If she were alive to date, she would automatically qualify as one amongst the liberators and the heroes of Vietnam history, who assertively sacrificed not only their time, money, relationships, but also their own self solely to cultivate freedom to the Vietnamese citizen. Dr. Tram stands out as a liberator who from the evidence of her diary and documentations, shows that she had a vision and a great concern to her country. She, although at a younger age, associates herself with politics by becoming a party of the communists. She is a woman who puts her country in front by sacrificing her own life. She knows the dangers that will beget her by making a decision to go the South Vietnam to provide humanitarian assistance to the soldiers who are shot and injured in the course of the war knowing very well the dangers that faced her. She, despite of the dangers, travels to the South Vietnam. Furthermore, she is worth acknowledging based on her thought and wish for an end of the inhumanity and brutalities that people of the Vietnam were going through. It proves rather sad as Tram expresses her sympathy and concerns by noting that the people of Vietnam remain subjected to invalid pains and sufferings despite their innocence.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Last Night I dreamed of Peace specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, Dr. Tram passes for a hero and if she could be alive, she could have gone on the record for understanding and having the courage to liberate the people of Vietnam from the unnecessary pains and killings (Guthrie 106). She refers the Americans people to as merciless and thirsty of other people’s blood, descriptions that she notes bitterly and with sorrow. It therefore sounds unfortunate that the people of Vietnam went through the pain that they went through. Therefore, in no doubt, Dr. Tram stands out as a true hero, whose tireless work stands remembered and appreciated by the Vietnamese who enjoys the freedom of today acknowledging the cost attached therein: It cost the lives of protagonists for instance Dr. Tram. Conclusion Based on the expositions made in the paper, it suffices to declare it a rather touching experience, for Dr. Tram, a young woman, to take such a serious life-threatening decision for the sake of liberating the people of Vietnam. It brings to light the sorrows, pains and sufferings faced by people who seek to achieve a certain risky objective for instance fighting for freedom, as the case stands for Dr. Tram. Therefore, Last Night I Dreamed of Peace comes in as a rather fascinating masterwork, heavy-laden with touching message that reveals the need to have a shared sense of humanity by avoiding wars based on the agony and pain that come as a result. Dang, Tram. Last Night I Dream of Peace. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2007. Guthrie, John. Last Night I Dream of Peace by Dang Thuy Tram. Web California Literary Review, 13 Aug. 2007. Web. National Library Board. Last Night I Dream of Peace: The Diary of Dang Thuy Tram,  2008. Web.Advertising Looking for essay on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

20 Cause and Effect Essay Topics How to Write about the Pork in the Middle East

20 Cause and Effect Essay Topics How to Write about the Pork in the Middle East Writing a cause and effect essay is a great opportunity to explore both causes and effects of specific things in the world. When writing about pork in the Middle East, it is particularly interesting to explore what caused people historically to avoid eating pork and what causes people today in modern societies to avoid it too. Equally interesting is exploring the impact that abstaining from pork has had on many societies, particularly in terms of their economy and their health care systems. There are many different beliefs pertaining to pork in the Middle East due to the fact that there are so many religions in the same geographic region. What these religions all seem to have in common, however, is the fact that they tend to avoid pork and pork product. In some countries visitors cannot find pork on the menu or in stores while in other countries the other believers will abstain from pork but still sell it to tourists.   There are historical reasons why people change from the consum ption of pork to the consumption of chickens but the taboo of pork consumption can be traced back to the explosion of certain religions in the Middle East. In any case, below are 20 topics you might use: The Economic Impact of Pork Avoidance: How Pigs are no Longer Farmed The Impact Religious Rules Have on Farming Practices: Why There Are No Pig Farms in the Middle East The Impact Religious Rules has on Sales: Why Buying Pork in Muslim Countries is Prohibited International Relations: Why Tourists Can Buy Pork in Israeli Cities Health Benefits Associated with Abstaining from Pork The Origins of the Taboo against Eating Pork Jewish Origins against Pork Consumption Muslim Origins against Pork Consumption Nomadic Tribes and Their Turn against Pork: Why Traveling with Chickens Is Easier Religion’s Influence on Dietary Consumptions: How Faith Dictates Eating Habits Tracing the Religious Impact on Food: Pork in the Middle East The Effects of Eating Tainted Pork The Causes of Trichinosis The Effects of Dietary Changes in Religion The Effects of Modern Exchanges on Religious Beliefs: How Travel can Influence Change Historic Causes behind Pork Consumption in the Middle East How New Animals Caused Pork Consumption to Drop in the Middle East The Effects of Chicken Protein versus Pork Protein: Understanding Pork in the Middle East The Effects of Religious Restrictions on Travel: Why People Avoid the Middle East The Effects of Religious Texts on Modern Habits: Avoiding Pork in the Middle East Below you can see an example cause and effect essay on one of the topics from that list, giving you a better idea of what your paper  writing should look like in terms of structure. Cause and Effect Essay Sample: The Origins of the Taboo against Eating Pork Today in the Middle East you will find many things on the menu but pork is not likely to be one of them. Both Judaism and Islam restrict pork consumption and the consumption of any pork products. It is for this reason that finding pork related items on your menu will be quite difficult.   For both Judaism and Islam the origins related to the taboo of pork consumption can be traced to the respective holy books used by both religions.   Most interestingly enough is that both of these religions, though considered enemies with conflicting beliefs, have religious laws which explicitly say not to touch dead pigs and not to eat pig meat. For Muslims, the abstinence from pork relates back to the Quran.   In Chapter 2 of the Quran the Muslim God prohibits the consumption of pork. The Quran is the holy book referred to when searching for guidance on behavior.   The guidance pertaining to what foods can and cannot be consumed states that individuals should not touch the dead meat or blood of pigs nor should they consume the flesh of pigs.   Also in the Quran has verses which describe pig as unclean and impure. The description of something as unclean or impure brings with it the implicit understanding that it should not be consumed or touched. It is expressly stated that the consumption of pig in any form is forbidden. Only in life-or-death situation is this allowed. The Jewish faith refers to the Torah as their holy book. In this book the Jewish god dictates what foods are forbidden to eat.   Foods which are not kosher cannot be consumed by Believers. Kosher foods are defined by foods which have been prepared based upon Jewish practice and blessed by a Jewish leader. It is in the book of Deuteronomy in chapter 14 that the Jewish god specifically states that pigs are unclean and that all the world should not touch the dead body of a pig nor should they eat the flesh of the pig.   This taboo on the consumption of pork remains a popular religious belief today, wherein dietary restrictions remain in place with regard to pork and pork products. What is perhaps most interesting about the taboo, though quite old in its origins, is something which today remains quite relevant. Pork today is something which is considered dirty because of the things a pig might eat (garbage, dead or decaying remains) and the rolling in the mud pigs quite often do. In both situations the pig is open to harmful bacteria which can cause serious damage to a human if consumed. The most dangerous aspect to this is that even if the pork is prepared properly, it can still bring be a host of health problems. The most serious of these is trichinosis, wherein worms get inside the pig and then transfer to those who eat the pig. It is for this reason that people of both faiths will continue to support the avoidance of pork entirely, as abstinence from the pork is the only way to really avoid such health concerns not associated with other animals or their consumption. References: Edwards, Brian T.  After The American Century. Print. Gregg, Gary S.  The Middle East. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print. Khan, Muhammad Moinuddin.  Business And Trade In Islam. New Delhi: Pentagon Press, 2009. Print. Maqsood, Ruqaiyyah Waris.  What Every Christian Should Know About Islam. New York: Kube Pub., 2009. Print. Rizvi, Sayyid Saeed Akhtar and Tanzim Raza Qureshi.  Divine Command And Pork. New Delhi, India: Islamic Wonders Bureau, 2007. Print. Rubin, Barry M.  The Middle East. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 2011. Print. Stauth, Georg and Sami Zubaida.  Mass Culture, Popular Culture, And Social Life In The Middle East. Frankfurt am Main: Campus Verlag, 1987. Print.

Pursa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pursa - Essay Example What can explain this drop in voter interest? It just might be that the educated masses of this country, among them the large middle class, are just tired of seeing new faces but no change in policy. Hence they decide that it does not make a difference, and it is better just not to vote. It matters not whether the elected Presidents are Republican or Democrat, they continue making the same noises and go through the same motions, when the truth is that the only needs that are being served are those of the capitalists and the corporations they own. Among the many critiques of democracy as a system of Government are that it just counts the number of votes, and does not weigh them. Thus the vote of a poor illiterate farmer would be equal in importance to that of a college educated graduate (Dahl, 1989, 12). Secondly, the corporations and the capitalists have so ruined the transparency of the system that it does not matter who gets elected to the Presidency, the funding of both participan ts ensures that the interests of the big corporations and their owners are kept uppermost. For all his rhetoric about change, President Obama has not managed to get us out of the financial crisis that has enveloped America due to the sub-prime mortgage fiasco and risk exposures that resulted in the collapse of Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and others. Despite the bailout packages that rescued some banking institutions and the automobile industry in Detroit, the major loss was still to the American public who lost their homes, cars and jobs in an economic downturn that still persists. Unemployment is still at 9 percent in some States and public confidence at an all time low. The real problem lies in the system itself. If bankers can go on robbing the public through first making loans to clients with high default risks, pocketing fees and commissions in the

California's Education at Risk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

California's Education at Risk - Essay Example For instance, book cost is at its highest right now, just for a simple workbook, students end up paying a minimum of one hundred dollars. For these reasons, we should change the people who are in charge of the California Department of Education. Giving money away that is what the state of California is doing to prisons all over the state. Cutting their budget is one good away to help education in the state. California spends too much money on programs inside the prisons. For example, anger management classes, drug rehabilitation classes, boxing clubs, and many other programs they have inside that the state is supporting. I must say the budget in those prisons has to be in the billions. By eliminating those programs in prisons is one good start the state of California could do. Once those cuts are being done, the next step is focusing on K-12 education, or even community colleges. Prison budgets cuts must be given towards education. Now that Imperial Valley College is overcrowded with very few instructors one good way to spend that money is to hire instructors, and have more classes at the campus. Classes are required for any College or University to exist, but thanks to our wonderful government we don’t have them. My first year in College was in a Community College and it was an awesome experience, but the problem was we lacked classes everywhere. My first year was a nightmare, let me just tell you that I started college without being in any class. I had to crash all my classes and I was lucky enough to get at least three classes, but let me tell you classes were very scarce back then, and it is still today. I had to go from one room to the other, and I remember I went back and forth to the same classroom just at a different hour of the day. Classes are being cut off by our Government and thus teachers are being laid off as well. I got so lucky that I was able to crash one class by having a raffle, and I was one

Beer licenses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Beer licenses - Essay Example Any alcoholic beverages that exceed a five percent alcoholic content are not regulated by the cities or counties but instead are regulated by the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Any business that is involved in the distribution, manufacturing, sale or storage of beer are required to obtain permits from the city or county where the business is to be located. When building a business of this kind, my client has become aware of the necessary steps it takes to acquire such licenses that are needed in order to follow all of the rules and regulations to build a thriving business. In order to do so, it was necessary to research the laws in Davidson County to see what types of licenses or standards that my client must meet in order to sell beer in this establishment. Through research, I have found the licenses that are appropriate in order for my client to be able to sell beer to the public in Davidson County, Tennessee. One group that was able to help assist my client in learning more about obtaining a beer permit for selling alcohol on their premise is the Metropolitan Beer Board that actually helps to establish beer laws and determine rules and regulations for selling beer in the Nashville Metro area. Since this is not a dance hall or catering establishment, there are different applications that are to be filled out. One of the necessary documents is the Beer Permit Application. The Beer Permit Application is to be completed by my client in order to seek a permit to serve alcohol on the premises only or for off-premises only. The information required as set by the Beer Permit Application is the type of business that my client is running and it is up to the Beer Board staff of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee to determine whether or not the application will be approved. The Beer Board Application is a permit is designed for those who

Environmental Scan & SWOT Analysis Research Paper

Environmental Scan & SWOT Analysis - Research Paper Example The approach by the company in the last five years has been the milestone in the establishment of a global brand. Through focusing on brand pyramid and dynamics encompassing silky design, pleasurable experience, and the interplay between driving pleasure and serenity, the corporation established consistency and high level alignment in the sector (Anushree, 2012). Additionally, the global financial position has been useful in the strength creation which is vital in the wadding off competition. One major financial indicator is the overall growth of the corporation. From the financial year of 2002 t0 2006, Nissan experienced an average growth in revenue of 13.8%, net income growth of 11.33%, and a net asset growth of 15. 62%. The values indicate the financial strength of the organization (Cleland & Ireland, 2006, p. 22). Weakness Despite the positives, the company has several key weaknesses that could lead to serious problem in case of the increase global financial crisis. The company r elies heavily on overseas markets which may be affected by the increasing financial crisis and recess. The second major weakness is the product innovation time lag. For instance the company launched two new or redesigned vehicles. This is low compared to 14 in the three previous years. The result of the misjudgment may affect the brand visibility due to the increasing competition. Thirdly, the Japanese market does not use diesel as such diesel vehicles accounts for only 0.4% but the usage of diesel engines in the euro zone is high. The major problem is that the company has not invested in the development of the diesel engine leading to the technological drawback (Boone & Kurtz, 2011). Opportunity The major opportunity existing in the Asian market is low penetration and improved income levels leading to continuous jumps in the demand for vehicles. This is an opportunity that can be grasped to increase profitability. Secondly, the relocation of the manufacturing units to regions with lower production costs leads to the better and improved profits for the corporation. Additionally, manufacturing units in America and Europe have huge capacities in line with their vast domestic automobile output (Chilton & Bloodgood, 2010). The creation of the Renault-Nissan purchasing organization in 2001 helped in the combination of resources to create an efficient organization. Threats Cross-cultural disharmony is created through the integration of Renault and Nissan. The occurrence of disharmony creates a challenge for the corporation and may result in serious problems if not properly solved (Cleland & Ireland, 2006). Additionally, the rising commodity price is a major threat for the company because it increases the production cost. The rise of cost of raw material such as steel will create a vital threat to the corporation. Finally, market saturation can affect the corporation in line with the changes in the market demands. The rise of the SUV market is a testament of the chan ge in the product and market innovation, which in turn affect the market composition (Anushree, 2012). Environmental Scan Environmental scan addresses the issues of political, economic, social, legislative and environmental concern for the company. After the global financial crisis experienced in 2007 to 2009, changes have been instituted in the financial and banking sectors.