Conflict of Interests in Public-Private Partnership Essay

Conflict of Interests in Public-Private Partnership - Essay Example The growingly complex societal problems and processes have heightened the reliance of the public sector on private groups so as to attain its goals and accomplish its duties. These societal problems, as well as the inherent conflict of interests between the public and the private sector are typified by a great extent of wickedness. Wicked problems are those conflicting matters confronting the public sector that demand a consolidated partnership by public and private sectors. The civil society, industries, and governments are not capable of addressing these problems independently (Dewulf, Blanken, & Bult-Spiering 2012). This essay analyzes the assumption that the conflict of interests within public-private partnership (PPP) is a wicked problem. Public-Private Partnership: A Wicked Problem Keith Grint, exploring the social framework of leadership, defined a ‘wicked problem’ as follows (Grint 2007, p. 11): A wicked problem is complex, rather than just complicated, it is oft en intractable, there is no unilinear solution, moreover, there is no ‘stopping’ point, it is novel, any apparent ‘solution’ often generates other ‘problems,’ and there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer, but there are better or worse alternatives. Wicked problems within public-private partnership are characterized as recurrent or persistent problems, often defined by indecision and conflict over interests or purposes that could influence the process of decision-making (Hodge & Greve 2005). According to Grint (2005), there are no simple solutions to these wicked problems confronted by PPP. Remarkable progress can be achieved in mitigating them, but they will not be totally eradicated. But the question is, why are PPP problems considered wicked problems? First of all, organizing or forming PPP is complex due to the challenge of bringing together the objective and interests of the numerous stakeholders— the private s ector is composed of lenders, investors, and firms supplying operational and construction services; on the other hand, the private sector is made up of public officials developing and enforcing PPP guidelines, those acquiring the PPP, and the public or citizens who utilize the infrastructures that a PPP offers (Biggs & Helms 2007). Practically all of these stakeholders need to have essential knowledge of the monetary and policy matters, and how their role in the project is connected to and influenced by them. There is a clear agreement in the literature implying that the private sector performs some things excellently, the public sector other things. Theoretically, and ideally, PPP could unite the best of both worlds, but the question is, is this really happening in the actual world? All wicked problems are basically specific and unique. In other words, they are context-specific (Harris, Brown, & Russell 2012). The conflict of interests within PPP is context-specific. The public sec tor focuses on shared aims, management, and public interests. It is well-adjusted to public criticism, employment issues, â€Å"policy management, regulation, ensuring equity, preventing discrimination or exploitation, ensuring continuity and stability of services, and ensuring social cohesion (through the mixing of races and classes for example, in the public schools)† (Rosenau 2000, p. 218). In other words, the context of the public sector is directed at social responsibility. It possesses local awareness and familiarity with demanding and challenging populations.

Personal and professinal dvelopment for business Essay

Personal and professinal dvelopment for business - Essay Example The lessons gained should be turned into handy tools to develop personality which proves to be very useful in later professional years. Many valid and reliable aspects of my personal and professional development so far will be discussed in the coming sections to analyze the extent to which I can be considered successful or trained so far. This reflective review basically aims at presenting an insightful, comprehensive, and enlightening analysis of my professional skills and practical experiences. Experiences of Education and Training (Last 2 Years) My college has played a critical role in helping me gain a variety of exquisite business experiences. Till now, I have remained engaged with many interesting group projects to analyze what it takes to beat resistance and go all the way through to achieve something. Such practical experiences have introduced me to new skills also which every student aspiring to be a great professional essentially depends on, like the ability to blend in a t eam leading to quality teamwork. Working with a good team while motivated by same goals as everyone else now forms a resolute feature of my personality given considerable experience I have gained in that area. Instead of letting myself get sidetracked by conflicts which so often mar the spirit of teamwork, I concentrate on looking beyond temporary troubles and try to steer people towards shared interests. This has enabled me to make abundant use of communication skills also because naturally people cannot be persuaded to contribute without smart talent talk (Srikantaiah & Koenig 2008: 144). My experiences have told me that the right attitude should be to engage others in my thought processes. I have always enthusiastically participated in every academic and non-academic activity which offered even a minimal opportunity of growth and expansion. It is usual for different reputable organizations in the world to be more attracted to employees who are innovative in their design and I abs olutely conform to this hiring approach by pushing boundaries and going further than most other people. Interactive skills I accrued through college experiences are also worth mentioning here because I was not as sociable in life as I am now after two years if college education. Development and Key Lessons Learned (Last 2 Years) On grounds of what I learned at college through incredible professors and student discussions and in practical life through student union engagements and internship, I am now familiar with a smarter way of organizing and applying certain ideas. These ideas relate to engaging people, showing them ways to contribute, achieving mutually shared goals, and keeping positive attitudes. I have learned that people who are not passionate in their personal life cannot be passionate about work either. A person’s innate dispositions matter a lot in professional career as in how satisfied/dissatisfied he/she will be with work and job etc. (Buchanan & Bryman 2009: 2 06). I have noticed during my time at college that personal stress has always affected my work performance resulting in dissatisfaction, while others appeared satisfied with the same nature of work. This made me learn how important it is to have positive attitude about life to excel professionally. Personality is developed by encouraging students to make huge investments in their field of interest through state-of-the-art

Wood processing technology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Wood processing technology - Research Paper Example Aesthetically recycled wood could be more resilient and more manageable than actual wood. In terms of strength recycled wood can also be comparable and would be able to withstand the requirement of wood products. The objective of the proposed thesis is to educate the different sectors dependent on wood and the sector that heavily contribute to wood processes of the advantages of recycled wood. It is also the objective of this thesis to provide alternative processes that would make use of recycled wood rather than raw wood in wood processes. The proposed thesis will be able to provide information on the different qualities and specifications of the different recycling methods and the recycled wood products that they produce. Using secondary sources and the works of others in the same subject of research will enable the proposed thesis to provide reliable information that could be used by wood producers. Due to the limited time and resources experimentation with regards to the strength and aesthetic impact of recycled wood cannot be done. â€Å"There is an increasing need to develop technologies in which renewable materials are used as direct replacement for non-renewables. Our current rate of consumption of non-renewable are high and in most cases increasing, but the reserves from which they are obtained are finite and exhaustible. Our present patterns of consumption are not sustainable in the long term. Although this problem appears to be unique to the 21st century, these concerns are not new.† (Hill) The wood industry is on its last breath as the last 10 million trees remaining on the world’s forest are being harvested for its wood. If sustainable wood processing technique is not found or developed that would rely heavily on processed wood. The wood industry will die as a trade. Wood processing is the only industry that directly damages the environment. The raw material itself comes

International Relations Major In Diplomacy Politics Essay

International Relations Major In Diplomacy Politics Essay The Ph.D. in International Relations allows students to specialize in a specific domain of knowledge while gaining the recognition that is instrumental to pursue advanced careers in academics, think tanks, international organizations, or government research. A unique aspect of the Ph.D. program  is the very close guidance provided to students  throughout the dissertation process. The program takes full advantage of its location  and it offers access to countless libraries, archives and special collections, and provides an excellent venue for  conducting  interviews with diplomats and members of  government institutions,  inter-governmental organizations and NGOs. Curriculum International Relations Ph.D. candidates must successfully complete: Seven required courses Three  elective courses, including one area courses The international relations curriculum has a multi-disciplinary scope. Required courses cover the disciplines of international relations, political science, economics, international law, international organizations and diplomacy. The choice of electives is made in accordance with the domain in which the candidate wishes to pursue his or her research. Ph.D. candidates may take internships as part of their curriculum in order to develop a network of useful contacts and in order to combine hands-on experience with the scholarly work involved in the Ph.D. program. PhD International Relations Major in Diplomacy Required Courses Core Units Factors and Theories of Analysis in International Relations and Diplomacy Research Methodology and Design Foreign Policy Formulation and Diplomacy International Public Law Current Economic Problems and Policies International Organizations Current Issues in International Relations Elective Courses of Diplomacy Beginnings of the Contemporary Political Order Comparative Politics Anthropology and Politics Post-Modernity and International Relations and Diplomacy Issues in U.S. Foreign Policy COURSE DESCRIPTION CORE UNITS Factors and Theories of Analysis in International Relations and Diplomacy In an international political environment that is swarming with a plethora of events that we read in the day to day news, how can we make sense of it all in a systematic and informed manner, in a way that is theoretical, practical and in a manner that goes beyond the political talk? How can we find trends, patterns and generalizations for events occurring today, with those that occurred in the past and those that we are likely to see in the future? This course emphasizes the role of theory in the study of issues of international relations. Exploring a range of theoretical underpinnings to deepen our understanding of international relations, this course in theories and factors of IR and diplomacy helps us to achieve a greater understanding of the world and the diversity of its cultures with the use of theory. Knowledge of theories of international politics prepares students for understanding the world in a systematic manner, a world made smaller by the steady increase of international contact in society, politics, and business and allows students to acquire knowledge and tools that enable them to analyze and understand the complex world in which we live. Research Methodology and Design This is an introductory course in research methods and design for students of political science, international relations. Students do not need any previous knowledge of social science methodology, but they should already have some substantive political knowledge, and an interest in conducting original research. The aim of this course is to teach students how to gather quantitative and qualitative evidence through the use of established social science research methods and how to analyze that data logically. Starting with a brief introduction to the elementary principles of the scientific method, you will learn how to generate original quantitative data through doing an actual scientific public opinion poll with a probabilistic simple random sample. Then you will be trained in some widely used qualitative data-gathering techniques, including research using published and archival documentation, as well as field research techniques of observation and interview. This phase will include a mandatory field trip to the national library. Once the data-gathering phase is complete, you will learn the basic tools of data analysis: i.e. establishing relationships, testing hypotheses, and developing valid theoretical explanations. Foreign Policy Formulation and Diplomacy To understand Foreign Policy Formulation this Practitioners seminar takes you inside the black box of statecraft in order to study the goals, beliefs, and perceptions of decision-makers. Contemporary diplomacy as a norm-based activity and mindset provides an array of tools for preventive, persuasive and coercive crisis management for enduring stability and globalized security. These operational procedures of thinking and acting diplomatically including pre-crisis diplomatic communication enable us to deal with global and regional disruptive shock events. In the practice of International Relations there is interdependency between diplomacy as the procedural tool-box for the application and execution of policy decisions and International Law as the behavioral guidelines for international policy-making. International Law serves as the language for diplomacy to justify policy decisions. Course objectives: To develop an understanding of the techniques and tactics of diplomacy and international law To become familiar with the role of foreign ministries and embassies To identify the present trends of modern diplomacy, with emphasis on the role of the United Nations To equip students for careers in international affairs International Public Law The knowledge of basic legal concepts is essential for anyone working in or studying the field of international relations and diplomacy. The student will learn about the creation of International Public Law through treaties, customs and general principles. Particular importance will be given to the formation of these sources, showing how treaties are negotiated and illustrating some of the problems that written agreements can present, as well as the questions of equity and the impact and significance of unilateral acts on IPL. States will be studied on many levels, including defining the term state, identifying its attributes and determining how its responsibility can be engaged. Other actors such as international organizations will also be considered, and individuals as subjects and not only objects of IPL. Finally, methods of resolving international conflict will be analyzed from simple informal negotiations to the use of the international court system. The possibility, legality an d desirability of non-peaceful methods will also be discussed. Current Economic Problems and Policies The aim of this course is to equip future policy makers with the basic analytical tools of macroeconomics, and prepare them to assess some of the economic issues they will encounter in this area. Hence, building on the knowledge already acquired by the students, this course will focus on open-economy macroeconomics, with special emphasis on the recent business cycle, current global imbalances, and the exchange rate of the dollar. International Organizations International organizations have joined the list of the most important actors in global affairs. The course distinguishes two types of international organizations: intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and seeks to understand their past and present function in contemporary societies and international relations, focusing on IGOs and the UN in particular. The course also seeks to analyze information to examine plausible scenarios of the future role of IGOs and NGOs. Lectures address issues such as: the importance of IGOs and NGOs as actors in international relations; the administrative and financial structures of IGOs and NGOs; their political and social ramifications; their communication strategies and the role of public opinion in their creation, maintenance and growth; whether IGOs such as the League of Nations or the United Nations have been efficient in accomplishing the goals for which they were founded; what can an IGO or an NGO specific ally accomplish in international relations to advance peace, prosperity and to improve the livelihoods of populations; should IGOs and NGOs have so much power and since few of their administrations are elected democratically, is it in the interests of the state and of the public to limit their power. Current Issues in International Relations The purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the diversity of contemporary issues in international relations, with a particular focus on the relationship between regional and global issues. The course will provide an overview of the dynamics of the international system, looking at the major features of the current world order. Underlying processes will be described, with an emphasis on three vital areas: the changing relationship between national governments and their peoples; global capitalism and global markets; and the conduct of global international relationships. The course will also consider a number of contemporary regional case-studies in order to obtain a more precise vision of the political situation of these areas. This will allow students to have a comprehensive overview of the international situation, with a particular focus on the changes which have taken place over the past twenty years. ELECTIVE UNITS FOR MAJOR IN DIPLOMACY Beginnings of the Contemporary Political Order The course is designed to provide necessary understanding of modern political institutions and the ideas that govern them, such as modern conceptions of democracy, human rights, the free market economy, rule of law and universal suffrage. Topical considerations will be explored in light of current events on the international scene. Post-Modernity and International Relations and Diplomacy This seminar is designed to familiarize students with periodization in political history, and particularly with the ideas and concepts related to the notion of post-modernity. The bulk of the seminar is an interdisciplinary exploration of economic, human, cultural and political dimensions of post-modernity. This interdisciplinary approach is necessitated by the simple fact that post-modernity is a multi-faceted phenomenon that defies a neat, clear-cut definition. The seminar will center on various socio-political and economic developments in the world since the fall of communism and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Particular attention will be paid to the concept of post-modernism developed by authors such as Kojev, Fukuyama, Baudrillard, Lyotard and the theorys relation to knowledge, politics and communication. Issues in U.S. Foreign Policy This course offers the student the opportunity to examine the concepts and theories used by scholars to make sense of past events, interpret and analyse contemporary issues and predict future developments in American foreign policy. The purpose of this course is to provide students with the tools to understand both the how and the why of U.S. foreign policy decision-making. The course covers: the principles and concepts of US foreign policy; sources of American foreign policy; the process, politics and structure of US foreign policy making; past and present foreign policies and possible directions for the future; and competing interpretations of American foreign policy. The making of US foreign policy is a complex process, and the decisions made have tangible and intangible consequences on the lives of Americans and people all over the world. Among other related topics, this course discusses the history, context, politics, structures (Presidency, Congress, Legislative, Executive, Jud iciary, Military, Intelligence, Media, Public Opinion, and Society) and processes that lead to the formulation and implementation of United States foreign policy.

Religion Through Spiritual Explorations in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre

Religion Through Spiritual Explorations in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre In Jane Eyre, religion is embraced through a series of spiritual explorations. Bronte portrays Jane's character and zest for religion by revealing Jane's transitions from Gateshead to Lowood, Lowood to Thornfield, and Thornfield to Moor House. Jane ultimately rejects everyone of these organized styles of worship. However, that does not mean that she rejects all their beliefs. She is forever changed by each experience and they have helped mold her view on religion and her relationship with God. Each location plays a significant role in the development of Jane's perspective on religion. Jane struggles to acquire true faith in God, which will help her overcome the obstacles of her nomadic life. Within Jane Eyre, Bronte shows a feeling of anti-Catholicism through the character of Jane?s cousin, Eliza Reed. The novel portrays Eliza as a picture of rigidity: Two young ladies appeared before me; one very tall, almost as tall as Miss Ingram,--very thin too, with a sallow face and severe mien. There was something ascetic in her look, which was augmented by the extreme plainness of a straight-skirted, black, stuff dress, a starched linen collar, hair combed away from the temples, and the nun-like ornament of a string of ebony beads and a crucifix. (Bronte 228) Eliza had certainly taken on the ritualistic side of Catholicism. (Rife) She is described as a busy person, but "it was difficult to say what she did: or rather, to discover any result of her diligence" (Bronte 234). Bronte had the same feelings toward the Catholic faith. Charlotte and many other English Protestants viewed Catholics as people who worshipped idols diligently, yet d... ...r himself. (Cashwell) As we can see, Jane is obviously affected by her experiences at each of these different stages in her life. At Lowood she learned the strict adherence to the religious and moral values that were taught there. Even though she may not have agreed with all of them, they molded her views on morality, shown in her experiences with Rochester. She also learned of sacrifice through St. John, who sacrificed true love for the greater good of his religious calling. Bronte deals with quite a few religious topics and pretty much finds something wrong with each form of Christianity. Jane finally finds a personal relationship with God, and even though she may not agree with one of the forms of organized Christianity, she finally fells a spiritual inner peace. Works Cited: Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1996.

Caravaggio painting

Aggravating painting As I viewed the four paintings the Aggravating painting stood out to be the best in portraying the story of Narcissus. I chose this painting mainly because of the clear image we are given of the boy dwelling over his beautiful reflection coming from the water. Aggravating shows great contrast in this painting showing off the boys pale skin and silky hair which is seen to be attracting. The image itself is very simple. Aggravating did not include too many distractions leaving only the boy at the center of the image.This catches the viewer's attention quickly so they can tie in the image to the story. The second image that best fits the story would be the image drawn by Waterholes. In this image he has Narcissus lies on his stomach looking at his reflection in the water. What I liked the most about this image is the artist chose to add color which brought out more emotion in the painting itself. Waterholes chose to place Echo nearby showing off her left breast as s he is mesmerism's by Narcissus. The choice of coloring is also appropriate as Waterholes uses the color red signifying he love Echo had for Narcissus.The third image that I thought fit the story best is from the artist Poisson. In this Image there is no water or any type of reflection of Narcissus. Instead Narcissus is lying on the ground as he seems to be dead, while Echo is resting on a rock watching him passionately as she grieves over his death. I'm not so sure who the baby in this image is but I know that the flower besides Narcissus stands for the reincarnation of Narcissus after his death. The last image does that fit in describing the story of Narcissus.The image doesn't come off to the viewer as an easy image to summarize. I thought of the image more as a metaphor to the story of Narcissus. In the image there are two reflections of what seems to be a hand holding up an egg. In the left hand side everything is dark and the egg has flower coming out which seems to be dead. In the right hand side the flower from the egg seems to be healthy and alive. This resembles Narcissus because after he died he turned into a beautiful flower which was brought back into the light. Aggravating painting By Deane_23

Free Essays on Disney Co

Euro Disney’ marketer’s before entering a market as in this case has been the European market should have scanned the environment. By scanning the environment they should analyze the mega-environment as well as the task environment for possible opportunities and threats . Yet, a close attention could have been paid to their strength and weaknesses inside the company. Indeed, the consideration about any trends should have been incorporated in their environment analysis. In this case there has been a recognition of a trend, which is the trend of people going to theme parks during the weekends for entertainment of them as well as their children. Also here is an existing need for entertainment of this kind. Therefore, an opportunity exists in the European market that Euro Disney could have taken advantage of. However, their failure to pick up signals from the macro environment and microenvironment as well as to position their product accordingly, had negative effects on their operations. A further analysis of their macro and micro environment highlights their malfunction. MACRO ENVIRONMENT (P.E.S.T) The components of the macro environment are the political-legal environment, the economic environment, the socio-cultural environment, and the technological environment in which Euro Disney operates. Political-legal environment: Euro Disney’s decision to open its Theme Park near Paris has caused a negative publicity in the sight of many French politicians. In fact, they have objected the existence of Theme Parks in the center of their French culture since the park has been viewed as a visible symbol of the U.S. culture. Although Euro Disney marketers probably choose this location, in particularly France, due to the fact that is the center of Europe and could most probably be the most convenient place for people to arrive and settle in their hotel to be entertained. For instance, people from all over Europe could travel quickly t... Free Essays on Disney Co Free Essays on Disney Co Euro Disney’ marketer’s before entering a market as in this case has been the European market should have scanned the environment. By scanning the environment they should analyze the mega-environment as well as the task environment for possible opportunities and threats . Yet, a close attention could have been paid to their strength and weaknesses inside the company. Indeed, the consideration about any trends should have been incorporated in their environment analysis. In this case there has been a recognition of a trend, which is the trend of people going to theme parks during the weekends for entertainment of them as well as their children. Also here is an existing need for entertainment of this kind. Therefore, an opportunity exists in the European market that Euro Disney could have taken advantage of. However, their failure to pick up signals from the macro environment and microenvironment as well as to position their product accordingly, had negative effects on their operations. A further analysis of their macro and micro environment highlights their malfunction. MACRO ENVIRONMENT (P.E.S.T) The components of the macro environment are the political-legal environment, the economic environment, the socio-cultural environment, and the technological environment in which Euro Disney operates. Political-legal environment: Euro Disney’s decision to open its Theme Park near Paris has caused a negative publicity in the sight of many French politicians. In fact, they have objected the existence of Theme Parks in the center of their French culture since the park has been viewed as a visible symbol of the U.S. culture. Although Euro Disney marketers probably choose this location, in particularly France, due to the fact that is the center of Europe and could most probably be the most convenient place for people to arrive and settle in their hotel to be entertained. For instance, people from all over Europe could travel quickly t...