The differences between Eudicots and Monocots plants Coursework

The differences between Eudicots and Monocots plants - Coursework Example The author has rightly presented that every plant has two main systems a root system and a shoot system, a root system consists of roots and branch roots and the shoot system contains stem, branches, and leaves. Roots are responsible for providing the plant with water and other minerals contained in the soil. It also anchors the plants and holds the plant to the ground. The stem has the responsibility to transport water minerals from roots to the leaves and branches and food and oxygen from leaves to other parts. Leaves carry the responsibility of making food for the plants through the process of photosynthesis. The plant can make its food by itself combining carbon-dioxide and sunlight by the process of photosynthesis. The vegetative parts of a plant are root, stem, and leaves but flowers, fruits, and seeds are its reproductive organs. Flowering plants produce seeds of two basic types, monocots, and Eudicots. There are many differences between the Monocots and Eudicots. In monocots, there is only one cotyledon in the seed but in Eudicot plants, the seed has two cotyledons. In monocot plants, the root xylem and phloem are distributed in a ring while in Eudicots root phloem is the xylem. In monocots, the vascular tissues are there on the stem in a scattered form but Eudicots have its vascular tissues distinctly arranged. Leaves veins in monocot plants are formed in a parallel pattern while Eudicots have a leave veins in a net shape.

Upton Sinclair Essay Example for Free

Upton Sinclair Essay Upton Sinclair was born on September 20th 1878, in Baltimore Maryland. His life was spent alternating between politics, writing and in civil rights movements. His first major book was written in 1903 Manassas, but it is The Jungle that would throw him into instant fame and make known his stand in the complications brought forth by capitalism. He was a socialist and tried running for office in 1906, having a go at the congress in New Jersey through the socialist party of America where he lost slightly. His literary works are full of critical writings where he would mirror authoritatively many of the issues affecting the Americans. He was a socialist and was always at clash with conservative politicians who were painting him as a violent communist despite the fact that he had denounced communism. His writings are not only political or social but he also gave a shot at psychic (William J. helm, 1994). His most recorded success in elections was in 1934 when he was nominated to run in office, this time not with the socialist party but with the Democratic Party. He was however to lose as his most conservative people in California could not buy his political ideas. The communists thought of him as a capitalist while the capitalist believed he was a communist and was out to change the state for the worse. An analysis of his accomplishments would reveal that they did not lie in politics but in his advancement of civil rights. His notable achievement however is in the labor movements. His writings and campaigns were strong injection to the labor unions. This shall remain the focus of this paper as it seeks to establish the impact and significance of Upton Sinclair on the American workers and the labor movements. Of particular interest in this paper will be his novel The Jungle and its impact of food legislations. The epitome of Upton Sinclair criticism of the capitalist system in the United States can be captured in The Jungle. It is here that he exposes many of the social evils that were being perpetuated in the society especially against the low-income earners. It exposes many scandals that before had remained hidden from the public’s eyes while at the same time urging for change (Jon Blackwell, n. d). The story is based on an emigrant family that moves to the United States, Chicago, in search of the American dream and prosperity only to be raped by the ruthless capitalist system. The whole family has migrated in to Chicago in the hope of a better life but the unscrupulous employers including corrupt officials gives the family no piece and they start dying one after the other. The working conditions of the stockyards in Chicago are intolerable. The situation is exacerbated by rampant corruption that thrives. For one to get something done, it is a must that an official be bribed in the process. The key character in The Jungle is one Jurgis and it is through him that the woes of the workers are brought to the fore. His family is on the verge of extinction as a string of deaths have caught the family. He is a troubled man and totally devastated by the employers and the farmers who keep turning employees away. This novel is a clear attack of industrialization and the intense mechanization of America. It portrays the fast waning optimism of people especially the workers who have to survive a life of bondage and wage slavery. The spotlight of the jungle is on the hard conditions that workers in the Chicago’s meat factories have to undergo. Workers of all ages including women and children are being exploited. It gives a vivid account of how farmers were being ground after having fallen accidentally in to the processing tanks with the full knowledge of the owners of the factories. The Jungle caused a major row pitting the public, the government and meat processing factories. The cleanliness of the meat was in question. This novel had exposed much of the evils and the malpractices that were being subjected to the workers. Sinclair intent and purpose of the novel was mostly to be centered on the woes of the workers, it was just that the publics attention become focused more on the hygiene of the meat. The Meat Inspection Act for example was passed after this novel had brewed enough uproar. To Sinclair, The Jungle did not just contain empty words, but they had to be followed up by real actions. He sent a copy of the book to the then president, Theodore Roosevelt. His was not on the hygiene of the meat but rather was on the wage slavery now dominant in American factories. The workers were being mistreated and poorly paid. However the authority’s attention was not on the â€Å"wage slavery† but on the meat quality and hygiene. The working conditions of the workers were ignored and instead the investigators focused more on the cleanliness of the processing factories. This would lead to his famous statement later to the effect that his works were intended to strike at the care of the matter and rather not the â€Å"stomach† this indicates the passion through which Sinclair was committed to securing the welfare of the workers to a point that he would confront the powers that were there then. Roosevelt only agreed to respond to the meat factory allegations after immense pressure from the civil societies including Sinclair himself. His efforts to secure the rights of the workers and improve their welfare can be seen in his campaigns for the seat of governor of California. His political ideology was being centered on the workers. His EPIC movement (End Poverty in California) was promising to alleviate the situation of the workers (Deibre Donahue, 2006. ). The Flivver King, a story of Ford America a book by Upton Sinclair in 1937 also roused and sensitized the workers on the woes facing them in their workplaces. It traces the origin of the Ford Motor Company and how after it was established it was treating its employees well as it only employed qualified workers, its focus in on the scientific management of the Ford Motor Company factories. After sometimes, the Ford Company took to breaking down the labor and introduced specialization meaning that even the low skilled workers could do the job with low pay (http://www. amazon. com/flivver-king-story-ford-america/dp/0882860542). This book traces how the Ford Company has over time phased out the skilled labor and in its place with the low skilled people and exploiting them. The workers in the Ford Company would wish to start a union but there were set backs as Ford’s â€Å"spies† are working to undermine their efforts each time they try to congregate. It explores how Ford was transformed in to selfishness by maintaining the same small pay but continuing to wreak billions. This book was of great significance as it led to great inspirations to the workers and also led to the formation of the United Autoworkers Union. It would result to a wave of workers movements and unionization that hit the big companies in the 1940s. It indicates the harsh realities that the workers had to contend with as they tried to form unions that would collectively agitate for their rights (Philip S. Foner, 1964). Upton Sinclair works are popular not for their qualities as novels but for their social impact. He is able to capture workers conditions and the low pay that characterized their remuneration. In the jungle he gives the heartrending details of stories of the workers who fell in to the vats and not being retrieved in time, they would die in there with no efforts by the factory owners to retrieve the bodies. These books went a great deal in inspiring the formation a workers union. By focusing at the problems facing the laborers, they were able to bring them together under a communality of purpose. The situation as it was in the factories for example in the, Ford Company, was that the owners were not taking any efforts to coalesce the workers interests lightly. The confrontations between the two would sometimes turn bloody. Unlike the communists who were expecting to push the ideas of the workers suffering down their throats, Sinclair takes a far much smoother approach through a well-researched story. The inspiration of Sinclair’s works upon the foundation of the workers union in America cannot be underscored. They made a great deal in presenting the reality in the factories. The United Workers Union is one such labor movement alongside others that were directly inspired by the novel on the Ford Company. Reference William J. helm, 1994. Upton Sinclair: overview. In reference guide to American literature 3rd ed. Edited by Kamp. St James press. Amazon Com, 1996. The Flivver King: A story of Ford –America. Retrieved on http://www. amazon.com/flivver-king-story-ford-america/dp/0882860542 Jon Blackwell. 1906: rumble over ‘The Jungle’ retrieved on 24/11/07 from http://www. capitalcentury. com/1906. html Jacob powers. Upton Sinclair, the flivver king. Retrieved on 24/11/07 from://upinmichagan. org/ver-sinclair. html Deibre Donahue, 06/23/2006. ‘Radical’ Life, times of Upton Sinclair USA TODAY. Retrieved on 24/11/07 from http://www. usatoday. com/ife/books/eviews/2006-06-21-radical-innocent-x. htm Philip S. Foner, 1964. History of the labor movement in the United States. International publishers co.

Films Today :: essays research papers

The British tabloid press is famous for jumping on any bandwagon that supports popular opinion. Before her death the Princess of Wales was hounded on a daily basis for nearly two decades by the paparazzi to feed the insatiable appetite of the word for her picture. This lead, putting conspiracy theories aside, directly to her death. Now these very same newspapers are feeding the publics bottomless pit of an appetite with stories of her life and loves. A day never goes by with out some mention of her charity work, her past lovers and even the dresses she wore when on royal duties. Top: British tabloid newspaper The Sun which campaigned to have all video nasties banned for the sake of our children. Right: A graphic scene from Don Coscarelli's Phantasm. The only bandwagon that comes close to matching that of the Princess of Wales is the effect that films, video films in particular, have on the viewing public. When The Omen was shown on British television in the early '80s reports came in that people had to seek spiritual guidance in order for them to come to terms with the images they had seen on the screen. Some even reported that knives and forks had somehow become bent and twisted as if overtaken by evil forces. Had their cutlery really become possessed by the devil or were they attention seekers trying to get their fifteen minutes of fame? The newspapers were quick to latch on and appointed themselves as our guardians against the vile influx of film and video. Films were blamed for all of our faults, it wasn't his fault if a man raped a woman because he was following what he had seen in a video, and it wasn't their fault if children used foul language because they had heard it in a film. But I have to keep asking myself one question; isn't it about time that we took the responsibilities for our actions? If a man, or woman, commit a crime then it is not the fault of some Hollywood filmmaker but the responsibility of the said individual. We all like someone to blame. The worlds pollution is the fault of the motorist so lets tax them out of existence, the fact that little Johnny bunks off school and can't read or write is the fault of the teachers, or the government, but never the parents who don't know how to control their own children. Isn't it about time that we stopped passing the buck and admitted that WE are to blame when WE do something wrong.

Lysistrata Water versus Fire Essay -- essays research papers

There are many ways in which the men’s carrying the logs and the fire and the women’s carrying the water symbolize the views gender. As one may realize fire is often uncontrollable and wild similar to a men’s raging hormones. Fire is an example of an element that can be easily started, but extremely tricky to put out when spread. When pertaining to sex, the male gender is often the aggressor whose fire is quickly growing to the point of restlessness as Cinesias was. â€Å"God, I wish she’d hurry up and get through with all this!† As his wife goes to retrieve a pillow for him and perfume for herself he screams out, â€Å"Damn the man who invented perfumes!† Though the men represent the elusive fire that may sometimes seem impossible to put it out, the women represent the most illustrious enemy of fire: water. Though generally cool and collected, water can be used as the ultimate adversary of a fire that is going about wildly. Pertaining to women, they hold the only solution to the raging fire of a man. As in the play Lysistrata, women actually have the authority to stop a war between ...

Change Process Theories

Change Process Theories: A Review Outline Introduction Four types of Organizational Change Theories: Van de Ven and Poole †¢ Dialectical: Kurt Lewin †¢ Evolution: o Lippitt, Watson, and Wesley o Bartlett and Kayser †¢ Teleology: o Edgar Schein o Prochaska and DiClemente †¢ Life Cycle: Ichak Adizes Conclusion Introduction An enduring quest of management scholars is to explain how and why organizations change. The processes of change or sequences of events have been difficult to define, let alone manage. Researchers have borrowed many concepts from many fields of study, including sociology, biology, and physics. Van de Ven and Poole (1995) proposed four categories of organizational change: dialectical, evolution, teleological and life cycle. Dialectical theory is the development of an organization through the conflict, competition, and/or collaboration of internal or external interests, wherein the status quo is changed regardless of the overall benefit or detriment to the organization. Evolutionary theory views organizational change as the cumulative change brought about through the continuous cycle of variation, selection and incorporation, and retention, caused by competition for scarce resources, environmental change or imposed conditions. Teleology is the purposeful development of an organization towards a defined end result or in line with a predetermined collective ideology by means of repetitive sequences of goal definition, implementation, evaluation and modification. Finally, Life Cycle theory is the linear, organic development of an organization from a homogenous, undefined entity to a differentiated, structured entity through accumulated experiences arising from the pressure of external events as mediated by internal logic, rules or programs. Within these four categories, I present six theories of organizational change to illustrate the underlying concepts within each category. Dialectical Theory Kurt Lewin is widely regarded as one of the pioneers in the study of change processes. A social scientist, Lewin postulated that human behavior is based on a relatively stationary equilibrium of two groups of forces. While driving forces facilitate change by pushing in the desired direction, counterforces known as restraining forces immediately sprout to hinder the change. When a significant change in these forces occurs, behavior must also shift to maintain equilibrium. After equilibrium is reached, the new behaviors gradually become the standard for maintaining the status quo. Lewin described this process in his article, Frontiers in Group Dynamics: â€Å"A change toward a higher level of group performance is frequently short lived; after a â€Å"shot in the arm† group life soon returns to the previous level. This indicates that it does not suffice to define the objective of planned change in group performance as the reaching of a different level. Permanency of the new level, or permanency for a desired period, should be included in the objective. A successful change includes, therefore, three aspects: unfreezing (if necessary) the present level, moving to the new level, and freezing group life on the new level† (p 34). The Evolutionary Theories Lippitt, Watson, and Westley expanded on Lewin’s work by introducing the idea of a relationship between the change agent and the ‘client’ or organization to be changed. Lippitt et al. ’s theory proposes seven phases. The first phase focuses on developing a need for change. A client must not only be aware of a problematic situation, but must believe a better state of affairs is possible, and that the change agent (whether a consultant or method) is relevant and available. Phase two is the establishment of a change relationship. As with any human relationship, one of the most delicate yet absolutely crucial elements in forming the change relationship is the first impression. â€Å"Often the client system seems to be seeking assurance that the potential change agent is different enough from the client system to be a real expert and yet enough like it to be horoughly understandable and approachable† (Lippitt et al. p 134). Phases three, four, and five are an elaboration on Lewin’s moving stage, and can be grouped together under the heading: moving toward change. These straightforward phases are (3) Clarification or Diagnosis of the client’s problem (4) Examination of the Alternative Routes and Goals and Establishing Goals and Intention s of Action, and (5) Transformation of Intentions into Actual Change Efforts. Lippitt et al. return to Lewin’s Refreezing stage with phase six: The generalization and stabilization of change. A critical factor in the stabilization of change is the spread of change to neighboring systems. A change is much more likely to be retained if reinforced by colleagues’ usage. The final phase, achieving a terminal relationship, focuses on preventing a dependency on the change agent for support and developing a form of client self-reliance for future problem-solving. Lippitt et al. issue a final caution, noting that the seven phases present are not always sequential, and the phases can overlap or repeat themselves throughout the change process. Bartlett and Kayser (1973) propose that successful change depends on a reactive redistribution of power within the structure of an organization. This power redistribution optimally occurs through a six phase series of stimuli and reactions. Stimulus 1: Pressure on top management takes the form of both internal pressure (such as union strikes, low productivity, high costs or interdepartmental conflict) and external pressure (such as lower sales, stockholder discontent, or a competitor's breakthrough. When these pressures offset one another, e. g. high sales despite employee grumbling, there is little incentive for top management to induce change. However, when internal and external pressures are aligned, Reaction 1: Arousal to take action senior management seeks a consultant or other diagnostic tool to discover the problem. Stimulus 2: Intervention at the top – While long-term managers tend to look for individuals and groups to blame, â€Å"outsiders† tend to see the org anizational structure or processes as equally likely culprits. The â€Å"outsider†, presumably hired and respected for his expert ability to improve organizational practices, is in an ideal position to Reaction 2: Reorient top management to internal problems. In order to Stimulus 3: Diagnose problem areas effectively, top management speaks with multiple levels of the organization. This step largely determines the success of the change. Top menagers who only consult their immediate subordainates gather little to no new data. Managers who conduct a comprehensive hierarchy-spanning feedback search not only acquiremore information but have a positive reinforcing effect on the change to come. By consulting all hierarchy levels, managers achieve employee buy-in, drawing employees to believe that not is management itself willing to change, but actual important problems are being acknowledged and ideas from lower levels are being valued by upper levels (Bartlett and Kaser, 1973, p. 58). In contrast, manager who take a unilateral approach are making changes based on limited viewpoints with little to no employee buy-in. Perhaps even worse is the CEO who delegates the change to a subordinate, who potentially has less information, less clout within the organization, and the lingering uncertainty that top management isn't sincere about the change. Reaction 3: Recognition of specific problems found through the diagnosis process will cause deliberation resulting in the Stimulus 4: Invention of a new solution. Suggestions for solutions can be gathered in phase 3. Barlett and Kayser place particular importance on group collaboration for generating potential solutions. Through this collaboration, there is greater Reaction 4: Commitment to the new courses of action. Stimulus 5: Experimentation with new solutions inevitably produces occasional setbacks and/or outright failure. During this period, the multi-level employee endorsement of change becomes critical as the organization Reaction 5: Reviews the results of the change. While non-effective ‘solutions' are thrown out, effective solutions are propagated and expanded. Ideally, the quietly discarded solutions only briefly demoralize their advocates, while the retained superior solutions have an infectiously positive effect. Finally, this Stimulus 6: Reinforcement from positive results ushers in a full scale Reaction 6: Acceptance of the new practices. Teleological Theories Edgar Schein further defined Lewin's three stage theory, proposing that the Unfreezing stage can be subdivided into three steps: Disconfirmation, Induction of Guilt or â€Å"survival anxiety†, and Creation of Psychological Safety. Disconfirmation is characterized by the dissatisfaction and/or frustration with the current state of affairs. Survival anxiety occurs when the dissatisfiers are accepted as valid and linked to the nonattainment of goals. The primary restraining force at this stage is learning anxiety – having to admit that the current behaviors are â€Å"wrong† and the additional fear that attempting a new process may result in failure and a loss of esteem. The Creation of Psychological Safety step is the addressing and overcoming of this fear. Schein further subdivided Lewin’s theory by splitting the moving process into three phases. The first phase, Cognitive Redefinition is typified by organizational members discovering that the definitions, concepts and other anchors previously relied upon are not absolutes. While the unfreezing stages create motivation for change, the second phase, termed Imitation and Identification with a Role Model, determines whether the change is beneficial or harmful, depending on the role model chosen. However, if there are no attractive role models, the third phase, Scanning of Alternatives and Trial and Error, comes into play. Occasionally, if there is sufficient psychological safety, spontaneous insight into a solution may occur. This spontaneous insight is highly valuable because such insights often take into account both stated and hidden unique obstacles to a change, unlike process consultants who often can only address the stated barriers. With regard to the Refreezing stage, Schein notes that the new behaviors must be at least somewhat compatible with the remaining behaviors or the cycle of disconfirmation may restart, potentially reversing the progress made, or devolving into an endless cycle of new behaviors. Prochaska et al (1992) developed a change behavior model for the health care field which has gradually been extended to other disciplines. Much like Lewin's model, their model defines the general process of change. Unlike Lewin, Prochaska et al. present their five stages of behavioral change as cyclical in nature rather than as a simple progression. Please see figure 1. Precontemplation (PC) is the stage at which there is no intention to change behavior in the near future. Typically, an external force such as a lawsuit or technological advancement occurs to push an organization into the next stage. Contemplation (C) is the stage where the problem or undesirable behavior is recognized, and serious consideration is given to change the behavior. This stage is characterized by the weighing of current opportunity costs against the actual costs of modifying the problem. Preparation (PP) is a stage that combines intention and initial attempts to change behaviors. The organization intends a full transformation of the indicated ‘problem behaviors' in the very near future. The cessation of undesirable behaviors and embrace of the new behaviors marks the advent of the Action (A) stage. The Maintenance (M) stage is often, and incorrectly, viewed as a static stage. In truth, this stage is the continuation and reinforcement of the new behaviors. This stage becomes particularly pertinent when the initial attitude of ‘new and improved' begins wearing thin and organizational members consciously or subconsciously attempt to return to the ‘old and trusted' methods. This backslide can continue (precontemplation) until the problem is once again addressed (contemplation). Life Cycle Theory In his 1998 book, Adizes presents one of the clearest descriptions and in depth refinements of Life Cycle organizational development models to date. Based on ten sequential stages of development, he addresses the attitudes, issues, and threats at each stage of life. These life stages are categorized into the growing phase, second birth and coming of age, and aging organizations. Please see figure 2 for reference. (In the interest of brevity, a few potential alternative stages have been omitted. ) The Growing Phase begins with the courtship stage where the organization is only an idea in the founder’s mind. At this time, the founder is building inspirational momentum – revving his courage so that when the time comes to make the decision to take the risk, he has the internal commitment to survive the external doubts and hardships. During the courtship stage, this commitment determines whether the idea will result in a healthy organizational child or if it is merely an affair, a momentary infatuation with entrepreneurship. Once the risk has been undertaken, the nature of the organization mutates drastically. At this Infancy stage of the organization, there is an overriding emphasis on doing rather than thinking; thinking of new products may be useful in the future, but sale of current products ensures a future will exist. The organization is incredibly personal, with little hierarchy. Formal procedures are non-existent except for those imposed by outside forces, i. e. laws and government regulation. Like an infant, the organization requires periodic infusion of milk (cash) and the constant tending of its creator. The period of infancy is necessarily short. The energy level required plateaus as brand loyalty builds, suppliers stabilize, and the production problems are no longer a daily crisis: the baby begins sleeping through the night. The infant organization moves into the Go-Go stage. With the idea working, ends meeting, and sales flourishing the founder and the organization become arrogant. The struggle to survive fades to the back of the mind and every opportunity becomes a priority: after all, if one dream came true, why not other dreams as well? The toddler shoves every opportunity into its mouth, without regard for nutritional value. Whereas in the infancy stage there was no hierarchy, the Go-Go stage begins development of a structure. At the beginning of the stage, the responsibilities are shared and many tasks overlap: the organization is organized around the people not the tasks. The CEO risks falling into the Founders Trap: failing to realize the organization has moved beyond a one-man show, that decentralization and delegation have become imperative. The signs of imminent crisis, the arrogance, uncontrolled growth, lack of structure and centralized decision making, are obfuscated by soaring sales, overconfidence from success, and the residual stubbornness of an entrepreneur fighting for his dream. When the crisis hits, the company falters and a second birth occurs. The Second Birth and Coming of Age Phase begins with Adolescence: an awkward period that is more painful and prolonged than infancy. Like a teenager trying to establish independence from his family, the adolescent organization’s characteristic behaviors include conflict and inconsistency. In delegating, the founder must content himself with offering advice instead of taking control: he must allow his organizational child to make mistakes in order to learn from them. Gradually, the organization establishes its sovereignty, with the occasional clash with ‘old management’. This can precipitate a divorce, especially if the founder decides that the organization's goals have become incompatible with his own. The adolescent organization experiences a shift from merely generating more sales, to generating better sales with less overhead and more profit. When the overall structure of the administration stabilizes and leadership roles become institutionalized, the organization moves to the next stage of development: Prime. Prime is the optimum point on the life cycle curve, combining the vision and aggressiveness of a Go-Go with the structure solidified in Adolescence to back it up. This is not to say that a company in its prime has stopped growing, but that growth has become planned and controlled. The challenge of Prime is to continue the momentum, and not become complacent and ride the inertial growth from previous stages. If a Prime organization does not refuel this momentum, organizational vitality will level off, and will enter the stage called Stable, the end of growth and the beginning of decline. The Stable stage is first in the Aging Phase in the organizational life cycle. The organization slowly loses flexibility; the persistent sense of urgency departs and is replaced with a feeling of security in the relatively stable market share acquired over the years. Several changes slip in: the developmental spending budget grows while the product and market research budgets decline, management training is substituted for management development, and there is a power shift to the finance department from engineering, marketing, or research and development. Despite these changes, there is markedly less conflict in the Stable stage. There are no major transitional events in the Aging phase as there were in the Growing phase. Instead, there is a slow process of deterioration. As the organization draws back from personalized attention to each client, it slides into Aristocracy. The organization is often cash rich, leading organizational members to misclassify themselves as in the prime stage. â€Å"Don’t make waves† becomes the company motto, and uniformity of thought, dress, and address becomes the norm. While Bob and Mary may be on a first name basis outside of the office, or behind closed doors, during meetings it is inevitably Mr. Smith and Ms. Jones. Another notable communication change is that focus is placed on how something was said, rather than what is said. Because of the organizational taboo against sparking conflict, consultants are brought in to give voice to the deadly trend of expecting external forces to increase market share without the executives having to admit anything. The consultant reports are often read, but ignored until the advent of Early Bureaucracy. With revenues and profits plummeting and a high turnover of good people, the Early Bureaucracy witch hunt begins. Internal conflict, back stabbing and paranoia obliterate any remaining customer focus. The organization focuses on who caused a problem rather than on what to do about it. The remaining creative individuals jump ship or are fired as though they were the source of the problems. The organization has two options remaining: Bureaucracy or Death. If a company is subsidized or nationalized, it has attached itself to life support: autonomic (administrative) functions are kept moving, but the vital spark from the infancy stage has been extinguished. The organization has become a Bureaucracy; its only purpose is to perpetuate its existence. Eventually, through internal decision making or government reallocation of funds, the organization quietly dies. Conclusion As theories develop, they become more specific and therefore more limited in scope. Scholars examining these theories develop a form of tunnel vision, and can become stymied by unexplainable behavior outside their specialty. Van de Ven and Poole's taxonomy of change theory types helps to reacquaint researchers with the wide variety of possibilities. Further research on the meta-analysis of change theories is indicated. References Adizes, Ichak. (1988). Corporate Lifecycles: How and Why Corporations Grow and Die and What to do About It. Prentice Hall. Englewood Cliffs: New Jersey. Armenakis, Achilles and Bedeian, Arthur. (1999). Organizational Change: A Review of Theory and Research in the 1990s. Journal of Management. 25. 293 – 315. Bartlett, Alton and Kayser, Thomas. (1973). Changing Organizational Behavior. Prentice Hall. Englewood Cliffs: New Jersey Lewin, Kurt. (1947). Frontiers in Group Dynamics. Human Relations. 1. 5-41. Prochaska, James, DiClement, Carlo, and Norcross, John. In Search of How People Change: Applications to Addicitive Behaviors. American Psychologist. 47. 1102 – 1114. Romanelli, Elaine. (1991). The Evolution of New Organizational Forms. Annual Review of Sociology. 17. 79-103. Retrieved November 29, 2006 from JSTOR. http://links. jstor. org/ sici? sici=0360-0572%281991%2917%3C79%3ATEONOF%E2. 0. CO%3B2-M Van de Ven, Andrew. (1995). Explaining Development and Change in Organizations. Academy of Management Review. 20. 510-540.

Oncology Internet Search

Oncology Internet Search Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Internet SearchIn finding information on Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) dogpile.com was utilized. Dogpile utilizes search engines from Google, Yahoo!, MSN Search, Ask Jeeves, Search, Looksmart, and About. After typing in "AM" Dogpile searches and lists all results found for AML. The decision is then up to the user as to which of the web sites he or she wishes to research further.On doing an Internet search for alternative or complementary therapies for AML a variety of web sites were examined. The first web site chosen was Leukemia-web.org. This site offers information on treatment options which include "chemotherapy, blood stem cell transplants, radiation, and surgery"(Leukemia cancer information, 2006)."Common chemotherapy drugs given during induction therapy include daunorubicin, doxorubicin, and cytarabine" (Leukemia cancer information, 2006). These drugs are able to kill the leukemia cells but also kill normal cells. Side effects of chemotherapy may include nausea, tiredness, and increased risk of infection.English: Myeloblasts with Auer rods seen in Acute ...The majority of client's show the disease to be in remission within a few weeks after induction therapy is completed. After induction therapy is completed more chemotherapy or a blood stem sell transplant may be considered for long-term treatment choices."Blood stem cell transplants can treat AML by transplanting healthy blood-producing cells into the patient's bone marrow" (Leukemia cancer information, 2006). There are three sources of stem cells that are being used for transplants. These sources are bone marrow, peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood."There are two types of blood stem cell transplants used to treat patients with AML:-Autologous blood stem cell transplants use the patient's own blood stem cells.-Allogeneic blood stem cell transplants use the blood stem cells of a donor" (Leukemia cancer information, 2006)."Radiation treatment is used sometimes to treat leukemia cells in the brain and spinal...

Jetblue Ipo Essay Example

Jetblue Ipo Essay Example Jetblue Ipo Paper Jetblue Ipo Paper JetBlue Airlines, a low-fare commercial airline, has planned to go public towards the end of 2001. During the process the firm had restructured their initial price from $22- 24 per share to $26 – 28 per share. Advantages / Disadvantages of the IPO Decision There are considerable advantages with obtaining equity through the IPO process. There are, however, some drawbacks that also need to be taken into consideration. Some of the advantages and disadvantages are: Advantages| Disadvantages| Equity value is established for the firm * Current shareholders can diversify personal portfolios| * SEC requires public disclosure of financial information (transparency) * IPO expenses| * Liquidity of stock increases| * Owner restricted to immediate cash-out| * Easier to raise capital in the future| * Sharing of future earnings with outsiders| | * Legal liability| Exhibit A in the appendix outlines some additional key advantages and disadvantages of going public through the IPO process. IPO Valuation Techniques Deriving a value for an IPO is the critical part of the process. In both fixed price and book building offers some form of initial price must be determined by the investment bank. Key methods are used to determine the value of a company and thus the initial IPO price includes: * Discounting Methods: based on a firms intrinsic value (future cash flows) * Comparable Multiples Method: value based on similar publicly traded companies Using information from the case we perceived the IPO pricing of $24-26 was determined by using the comparable multiples approach. Therefore, we will use the discounted cash flows method to determine an introductory price and evaluate whether it is in-line with the current proposed price. Exhibit B provides a description of each method. Discounted Cash Flow Recommendation It is our recommendation for the firm to set the price range for the IPO at the adjusted rate of $26 to 28. Although more value is achievable through a higher price, the lower range will meet the needs of the firm, maintain interest in the share, and possibly give large returns to the investors right away. Advantages and Disadvantages of Going Public through the IPO Process Advantages The partners can obtain a true value of the shares they possess in the company * Partners can remove their signatures from the lines of credit and thus, are no longer personally liable to the creditors * The overall financial condition of a company is improved as it brings in non-refundable money * A broader capital base gives the company more access to credit whi ch gives the company an option to venture into new business opportunities * Capital raised in an IPO can be used to pay off debt and thus reduce the interest costs and enhance the company’s debt to equity ratio * The value of the stock may see an upward trend thus increasing the initial investor’s financial wealth * When a company goes public, it attracts the attention of the media and financial community thus providing free publicity and helps in creating a better corporate image * By going public and listing on a stock exchange it can directly foster public reputation in general Disadvantages The market is extremely unpredictable and an unsuccessful IPO can result in a great loss of time as well as money for the company * The ownership of the partners is dissolved and they become mere employees who are responsible to the shareholders and Board of Directors * Continuous dealing with shareholders and the press is a time-consuming process * Shareholders judge the perfor mance of the company on the basis of the profits and stock price and may cause managers to overlook the long-term strategic objectives * The company needs to make nation-wide presentations about its performance to the interested shareholders, brokers and the investment bankers * The company’s continued success may bring a lot of close scrutiny by the public * Large amounts of fees and expenses are associated with a public company on a continual basis commissions, advertising costs, securities exchange fees etc. Exhibit B: IPO Valuation Techniques Discounting Methods Theoretically, the price of a share is derived by discounting all future cash flows that accrue to shareholders. These techniques are used throughout industry; however, they do suffer in practical application due to the risk associated with forecasting both revenue and expenses (Draho, 2004). The two most frequently used discounting methods include the discounted free cash flows (DCF) and a residual income model (RIM). * Discounted Free Cash Flows Free cash flows are defined as the cash flows from operations after investment in working capital and any capital expenditures. These cash flows are considered more appropriate than accounting earnings which include non cash items such as depreciation that cannot be used to pay shareholders. Cash flows are used to pay dividends and thus capture true value for the investor. These cash flows are then discounted using a risk adjusted rate. The rate is estimated either by using the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) for a 100% equity company or by calculating the weighted average cost of capital of the firm’s debt and equity (Geddes, 2003). * Residual Income Model The DCF model requires accounting earnings to be converted to cash flows. This is considered inappropriate as accounting values do not take into consideration the time value of money and may be subject to manipulation by way of accounting methods. The RIM is similar to the DCF method in that both methods use a risk adjusted discount rate. The RIM model, however, utilizes the difference between the realized earnings and the expected earnings, where the expected earnings is the cost of equity multiplied by the start of period equity book value (Draho, 2004). Comparable Multiples This is the most common method used by investment banks to value IPO’s. Its fundamental approach is the comparison of ratios of companies that operate in similar businesses that possess the same characteristics of risk, current and future profitability and growth prospects. There are number of ratios that can be used under this method, the most common being: * Price/Earnings multiples * Price/EBIT Market value/Book value * Price/sales The successful application of this method lies in choosing an appropriate comparison company. One method used by practitioners is to select up to 10 company’s operating within the same industry and to use the group’s median multiple to value the issuer. The second and most common method is to select 3-4 companies that are direct competitors within the particular industry to the issuer. The third method is to use multiples of firms that have recently gone public assuming all issuers share common valuation multiples. The comparable multiples method is a popular method to value an IPO due to its simplicity and accuracy. With the use of multiples there is no need to estimate the cost of capital, neither is there a need to depend on forecasted earnings and assumptions of valuation models. The use of multiples is supported by the assumption that relevant ratios capture the markets estimate of risk and growth. References Bruner, R. F. , Eades, K. M. , Schill, M. J. (2010). Case Studies in Finance: Managing for Corporate Value Creation. New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies. Damodaran, Aswath. Damodaran Online: Home Page for Aswath Damodaran. Welcome to Pages at the Stern School of Business, New York University. Web. 1 July 2010. http://pages. stern. nyu. edu/~adamodar/. Draho, J. (2004). â€Å"The IPO Decision: Why and How Companies Go Public†. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing.

8 Ways to Optimize Your LinkedIn to Get the Job You Want

8 Ways to Optimize Your LinkedIn to Get the Job You Want LinkedIn is a useful and necessary career tool for almost everyone. But it can also be a fabulous job search tool. Trouble is, the ways in which this is true aren’t usually clear to a casual user. For example: If you’re just updating your profile and waiting to be discovered by recruiters or headhunters, then you can probably expect to wait a long time. This is true even if your profile is all a profile should be: with a professional photo, relevant job and education info, and nifty use of all the available bells and whistles for resume optimization. However, if you start to think of LinkedIn as a massive database and resource available to you, then you might actually stand a chance of getting a job through the site. You can spare yourself an enormous amount of legwork by checking up on companies, see who you know at any given firm, and even see what that company might be looking for.Here are a few strategies to help you get hired.1. Follow the companies you’d li ke to join one day.Choose 5-10 companies you might like to work for someday and follow them on LinkedIn. It’s a great way to learn extra intel about these companies that could be useful in an interview situation. You can even limit the companies you follow to ones that are close enough to your geographical location to be within range.2. Get more connections.You can increase your connections using the Advanced Search tool. Search for alumni of every school you’ve attended, former colleagues, even employees at companies you’d like to work for. Reach out ambitiously for connections. Join groups and follow their news feeds for more leads.3. Ask for recs.Recommendations are easy to ask for on LinkedIn. Getting managers, employees, and coworkers to post reviews on your profile can really help sell your candidacy to other jobs. When asking, however, try to personalize the standard message to ask for what you need, but also what that person might be most inclined or inf ormed to comment about.4. Stay active.Don’t just let your profile sit there, even if it’s great. Join groups and post in them. Engage with others’ content. Comment on news feeds from companies you like. Post articles that are relevant to your industry- this can make you look informed and engaged (and hirable!). Even just liking someone’s post can lead to a new connection.Quick tip: turn off your activity broadcasts (in your privacy settings) so that every one of your connections don’t receive an alert every time you add a website to your profile. Keep your broadcasts content-related and weighty.5. Use job alerts.You set up job alerts on all other job search sites, why not LinkedIn? The benefit here is that LinkedIn will give you access to the hirer/recruiter posting the job, so you’ll have somewhere to address your materials immediately. You can even start lining these alerts up before you’re ready to apply for jobs, just to be prepar ed and know what’s out there in your chosen field.6. Make your headline.Your headline actually matters. Think of it as your online brand. It’s the first and only thing a user will see when first searching for you. Your headline might be the thing that makes them click on your profile and read it, or even add you as a contact!7. Ask for introductions.You find you have a friend of a friend in a position to help you or hire you? Ask your friend to make an introduction. You can even ask passively, by using the â€Å"Get an Introduction† function (the arrow to the right of the â€Å"Send a Message† link).8. Get started.This is all great advice. Don’t file it away for â€Å"whenever you’re ready to start looking.† Most of these strategies will be most effective if you’ve built them up over a few months and then can wield them to their full benefit when the time comes for you to hunt.

White paper on environmental friendly cars Research

White on environmental friendly cars - Research Paper Example As life kept going, different inventions took birth that enraptured the world. As a consequence, in the late 1600’s the first steam-powered vehicle was built. This led to the birth of a sequence of different generations of automobiles. Since the Industrial Revolution in 1760, fossil fuels replaced manual manufacturing processes, and in consequence of this car engines had started to be produced so as to run on the combustion of fossil fuels. For many years, even to this day, this has continued; initially the world had not known what unprecedented effect the excessive burning of fossil fuels would produce, but in the 1960’s a new discovery was made: this was Global Warming. This led environmentalists and scientists to thoroughly exhaust the subject and conclude that the excessive burning of fossil fuels is verily causing climate changes all over the world, and so it befitted the term ‘Global Warming’ (Sperling et al, 2009). In addition to this, it is also wor th noting that fossil fuels are non-renewable resources and a time shall come when the world will run out of fossil fuels, or that only the powerful will exert their absolute control over it on their own whim. In effect, the world or the poor nations, in the future years, might have to revert to former methods of transportation; that are bicycles, horses, carts, etc. When this implication was realized by environmentalists yet again, scientists again dove down and exhausted every source through which they could determine how to endure fuel shortages and still have automobiles. This has led to a breakthrough invention that can completely solve this problem. In reality the use of fuel-powered cars has never been easy for the general population. Only the wealthy have the means in current times to drive such cars. This is because several problems accompany the use of fuel-powered cars that heap heavily on a consumer with a moderate salary and a not-so-ostentatious lifestyle: one, they are expensive; this

Motorola Inc. in China Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Motorola Inc. in China - Case Study Example There is an increase in manufacturing activities which have further led to an increase in demand for skilled labour and advanced technology. This has also resulted in mergers, acquisitions, exploration of new consumer markets and search for better supply chain partners." (Berger, 2000). Precisely put, this is the wave of globalization that every company, big or small, wishes to ride in its lifetime. On the verge of sinful exaggeration, I risk to comment that the phenomenon of globalization has made and ruined the fortune of many companies. The story of Motorola is a story of effort, clairvoyance and survival. A company with very humble beginnings, the Illinois giant went global as early as 1960's when the concept of globalization was itself in rudimentary stages. With each passing year, the company scaled new heights in the field of consumer electronics, semiconductors, wireless devices and other related domains. Originally christened as Galvin Electronics, today's Motorola Inc. was founded by Paul.V.Galvin in Schaumburg, Illinois, USA, in the year 1928. Its first line of business was . from thence it migrated into other areas and created a series of firsts which changed the way the people over the way communicate. The two-way radio service, the first pager service, cellular handsets, the six sigma theory, GPRS etc., to name a few. Interestingly, Motorola's journey has also been one of frequent investments and divestitures, which largely remains unparalleled. It progressed the most under the leadership of Robert Galvin and by the 1980s, it became a world leader in chip, modem, cable and wireless technology. It merged with General Instrument Corporation in the 1990 and proposed the development of first HDTV technical standard. By 2001, the company had a worldwide sales of US 30bn and by 2007 it crossed the $100bn mark. Motorola- The Chinese Affinity China has always been the cynosure of the eyes of global investors and Motorola Inc is no exception to this. It forayed into the Chinese territory in 1987 and set up its first office there in Beijing. Buoyed by the response and initial success, it set up Motorola China Electronics at Tianjin in 1992. Then, it mainly limited its production activities to products such as two-way radios, mobile phones, automobile electronics, semiconductor, cell phones and pagers. When Tango, was launched in 1995, it

Bearing Capacity of Soils Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bearing Capacity of Soils - Lab Report Example If this is not properly done, then the structures are likely to collapse, resulting in massive catastrophes. Sound engineering principles should be employed in the design of such structures in order to avoid potential loses in human life and property (William Powrie 53).   There are two major types of foundations; shallow and deep. While shallow foundations are located just below the structures they support, deep foundations extend deep into the earth’s crust. Shallow foundations are thus also called footings or mats, whereas deep foundations can also be called piles, or drilled shafts (Braja M. Das 123). The type of foundation used depends on two factors; the size of the structure to be built, and the category of soil on which the structure is to be built. Big structures require bigger foundations than smaller structures. On the other hand, organic soils also require bigger foundations compared to cohesive soils.Problem Description1.  Calculate the required size for a bui lding column footing under a given load.2.  Determine the effect of varying water contents on the compressive strength of the soil.Procedure  The lab was conducted following the following procedure:1.  A test specimen with known percentage of water was selected. The group used soil with 15% water content. This specimen was created by mixing 22.5 grams of water with 127.5 grams of dry clay.2.  The next step involved filling the mold with the soil-water mixture in three equal layers using the tamping device. The top of the first and second layers.

Port Reform - to Improve Productivity, to Become More Competitive, to Essay

Port Reform - to Improve Productivity, to Become More Competitive, to Attract Private Capital - Essay Example Specifically, this paper would assess the following rationales: to improve productivity, to become more competitive, and to attract private capital. Specific and actual examples of ports that have or are in the process of reform would be identified to expound on the rationales. Different ports would be utilized for each of the areas being evaluated and assessed. About 75% of the world is covered with water. No wonder people have long discovered ways and means to traverse this natural resource. As a consequence, the need for facilities and loading docks and ports have been given due importance. In California, McLaurin (2009, par. 4), President of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association reported that â€Å"ports create hundreds of thousands of trade-related jobs throughout the state – and with that billion of dollars in tax revenue†. The Port of Los Angeles is the number one port by container volume and cargo value in the United States, handling a record-breaking 8.4 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in the calendar year 2007. (The Port of Los Angeles 2008, par. 11) On the other hand, the port of Long Beach reported a â€Å"trade valued annually at more than $100 billion moves through Long Beach, making it the second-busiest seaport in the United States† (The Port of Long Beach 2007, par.2) Not to be outdated is the Port of South Louisiana which boasts of being the â€Å"largest tonnage port district in the western hemisphere†. (Port of South Louisiana 2009, par. 1)

Nelson Mandela Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Nelson Mandela - Research Paper Example Nelson Mandela’s rejection of the offer of conditional amnesty made by Botha, the second was Nelson Mandela’s search for a way to make peace after the assassination of Chris Hani, and the third was Nelson Mandela’s refusal to stand as president for a second term. Because of these decisions, Nelson Mandela not only served as a successful political leader, but also earned a lot of respect in the eyes of people of his own nation as well as the whole world in general. The African National Congress was in much need of a sturdier measure against the apartheid government. The armed wing launched by Nelson Mandela helped attack the apartheid government. Today, he is remembered as a very successful political leader and people study his leadership tenure to learn lessons for effective and successful leadership. Nelson Mandela can be considered as a great leader because he is the pioneer of the modern South Africa. The influence of Nelson Mandela on the political scenario of South Africa today is huge. Nelson Mandela was very popular among the South Africans. Many people of his nation called him Madiba that was the traditional clan name of Nelson Mandela. He was also known by the word Tata, which is used to refer to father in the tribe of Xhosa (Karimi, 2013). He struggled for freedom tirelessly, which earned Nelson Mandela the respect of not only his own people, but also the whole world at large. He is popular for his passion, humanity, and humility. Nelson Mandela saw the armed fight as a mechanism of defense against the violence inflicted by the government. He said, â€Å"My people, Africans, are turning to deliberate acts of violence and of force against the government in order to persuade the government, in the only language which this government shows by its own behavior that it understands†¦If there is no dawning of sanity on the part of the government -- ultimately, the dispute between the government and my people will finish up by being settled in violence and

Port Reform - to Improve Productivity, to Become More Competitive, to Essay

Port Reform - to Improve Productivity, to Become More Competitive, to Attract Private Capital - Essay Example Specifically, this paper would assess the following rationales: to improve productivity, to become more competitive, and to attract private capital. Specific and actual examples of ports that have or are in the process of reform would be identified to expound on the rationales. Different ports would be utilized for each of the areas being evaluated and assessed. About 75% of the world is covered with water. No wonder people have long discovered ways and means to traverse this natural resource. As a consequence, the need for facilities and loading docks and ports have been given due importance. In California, McLaurin (2009, par. 4), President of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association reported that â€Å"ports create hundreds of thousands of trade-related jobs throughout the state – and with that billion of dollars in tax revenue†. The Port of Los Angeles is the number one port by container volume and cargo value in the United States, handling a record-breaking 8.4 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in the calendar year 2007. (The Port of Los Angeles 2008, par. 11) On the other hand, the port of Long Beach reported a â€Å"trade valued annually at more than $100 billion moves through Long Beach, making it the second-busiest seaport in the United States† (The Port of Long Beach 2007, par.2) Not to be outdated is the Port of South Louisiana which boasts of being the â€Å"largest tonnage port district in the western hemisphere†. (Port of South Louisiana 2009, par. 1)

Websites Evaluation Exercise Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Websites Evaluation Exercise - Assignment Example This website (http://www.adidas.com/com/) provides accurate information on its: authorship, contact details, credentials and support organizations under authority; organization and focus, appropriate links to outside sites, and relevant contents under purpose; both selective and comprehensive navigation options, comprehensive illustrations, and satisfying details of the items under coverage; currency in terms of items’ updates i.e. latest arrivals in the market; clear, precise and complete pieces of information for the purpose of the site’s objectivity; and finally it provides reliable, accurate, correct and satisfying content on each and every item. In support of the key characteristics that facilitate Adidas portal’s effectiveness in its roles in business as illustrate above, here are the explanations. This site is basically for the purpose of advertisements, marketing and sale of Adidas manufacturing company’s products only. Meaning that, their objective is to provide authentic, accurate, comprehensive/ complete coverage and authoritative details about their products for the main purposes of achieving the goal and objective as a business organization. Being a business organization, they have to compete with other companies and organizations which providing similar products, and at a

Leadership and Management Essay Example for Free

Leadership and Management Essay Education is a very important institution due to the role it plays in transmitting social skills and knowledge required of any member of the society (Hofman, Gray Daly, 2004). It is worth noting that the levels of development of a countrys education systems bears close correlation to the economic and social conditions that the said country will afford. It is therefore upon members of the society and the education system to ensure that members of the society achieve as much as possible from this system. High attainment in eduction is far much beneficial than low level education in the modern society due to the high level of educational attainment. A doctorate degree is currently what an undergraduate degree was in the 1990s (Hofman, Gray Daly, 2004). The level of educational attainment requires an individual to posses at least a masters degree to stand out among others. The need to stand above others and gain some advantage over them in the competitive job market is the main reason for my pursuance of a doctoral degree. In choosing educational leadership and management of higher institutions in Singapore the key consideration was my vocation. I have personally worked in the educational field in different capacity. Having served as an assistant head of international programs at Crestar institute, human resource management with a Christian association, lectured English at Kaplan city campus and being a full time consultant trainer at NTUC, my life has centred around management and higher institution of learning. Understanding the nature of higher education leadership and management in Singapore is therefore relevant to my career. Relevance of USQ Doctorate studies is about mastery and application of principles and theories studied in class. A doctorate graduate should be able to analyse and relate issues related to their area of specialisation by giving varied dimension. Doctorate graduates are expected to be above other levels not just in their approach to thinking but they must also display high levels of norms and values expected of the society (Mok, 2006). Mastery of principles that are relevant to the needs of the society, and the development of norms and values that are expected of the society are just but a few of the benefits expected of a USQ professional doctorate; it is thus clear that the program not only makes better specialists but also better members of the society by integrating the values of determination, team spirit and courage into the students. The role played by the education system just like any other social systems cannot be done by any other system. Propagation of social norms and development of skills that are relevant to the needs of the society are some of the objectives of the education system. Though the education systems is one of the oldest institution, the development of the higher educations sector in Singapore is a recent event. Singapores education system though quite organised as compared to its neighbours is faced with a number of challenges (Lee Fredriksen, 2008). Most challenges in the education system can be traced to the management and leadership of the education system. Despite the education system being a social systems it still falls prey to the effects of partisan politic. The involvement of the central government on educational matter cannot be avoided since the education system is under the governments care, however, the education system should be shielded from the negative effects of poor politics. Corruption lack of professional knowledge and nepotisms are some of the issue that affect the education systems at the low level. Researching on education management and leadership in higher education sector not only develops my research skills but also ensure awareness on issues that affect management and leadership of higher education sector and is therefore relevant to efficient delivery in future. Personal Capabilities Doctorate studies require good academic background and interest in the area of study. Determination defines me; level of education attainment and the nature of jobs that I have been involved in give me the experience and skills required to undertake a doctorate course. I am well versed in the management of the education system and problems faced by low level personnel like tutors and professors. My position places me in a situation where I can look at the issues from both the management and implementation level which is a capability that few have. My academic qualification is beyond question for I am a holder of a masters degree in education. I therefore possess the skills and qualification required of doctorate degree and there is no cause for worry on my abilities. Literature Review The education system thought critical to the development of the society is no stranger to controversy. Implementation of the education system goals has especially been under fire with some coming up with the view that the education system, just like any other social system is responsible for social reproduction (Kassem, Mufti Robinson, 2006). The education systems is seen by such critics as a tool used by those in power to ensure they maintain their position while disregarding the needs of the less empowered. It is quite true that commercialisation of education has led to increase in levels of educational attainment. Increase in levels of educational attainment is characterised by increase in the cost of acquiring higher education. The costs of education at a level that is relevant to the development of technical skills required by the job market is high and borders exploitation (Kassem, Mufti Robinson, 2006). Projection shows that the cost of education is likely to go up with increase in demand for education. This is blamed on commercialisation of education which has made it business like and therefore probe to the market forces of supply and demand the only differences being that the demand is always on a high. On the other hand, the commercialisation of education and strategies developed by the government and other stakeholders who are blamed for the problems facing education by social reproduction theorists is cited as the first step towards the development of the high education sector (Mok, 2006). Take China as an example, the reforms which included allowing privatisation of the higher education sector and formulation and implementation of cost sharing mechanism are cited as the key driving factors to the levels of development achieved (Mok, 2006).

Challenges and Opportunities for India

Challenges and Opportunities for India INTRODUCTION Background There have been profound scientific, strategic, technological, economic, political and diplomatic changes in the twentieth century and the early part of the twenty-first century which have altered the strategic orientation of nations the world over. There has been a sea change in the way nations perceive themselves and each other in the international system. The world is fast moving towards a knowledge based economy. China has emerged as a global economic power house, and closer Indo- US ties balance the power in Asia. Also a tie up between India America could contribute to a security paradigm for the global environment especially Asia. However Americas view on new world order is questionable. They view that with the fall of erstwhile USSR in the 1980s the world turned unipolar with the USA merging as the sole super power. The free will of executing the US agenda was evident in the 1990s like Invasion of Iraq. Once Russia resurrected under Vladimir Putin the US Europe nexus or the NATO and its expansion has threatened the existence of the most successful security organization like the United Nations. Later the world saw the US presence right at the doorsteps of Russia i.e. in Poland and the fight for the Arctic. Unnoticed initially , but noticed later by all, there came the third world countries like India, Brazil, South Africa, China and a few developed ones like Australia, New Zealand which formed a group which cannot be wished away. The IBSA (India- Brazil- South Africa forum) RIC (Russia India- China forum), Shanghai Cooperation etc cannot be wished away in todays world. So what is the new world order? The power houses change so rapidly, moreover the so called power houses like Europe and USA are today on the economic downturn. The subprime crisis of the USA and the unemployment situation is considered to be the worst since 1930s. So are these perceived power houses today in a shape to project their power outside their national boundaries? Does the new world order belong to the new power houses like India and China who have proved to be fairly insulated from these economic crises? But the ever increasing conflicts and the under development of nations especially those like in African continent, which cannot be ignored by the world community, is relevant. To add on, these are the Pandoras Box of richness that is gold, diamonds, minerals and the very green oil. However, it is prudent that these countries need assistance economically and materially and it is those countries which provide assistance who will control the resources. The US, European nations and China have been proactive in their approach and have been exploiting the resources of the African nations for decades. India though sharing a historical and traditional relationship with the African continent has failed to capitalize this relationship to further its economic and political goals. Africa other than being a repository of natural resources is also a conglomerate of fifty two nations with a large standing in all political organizations including United Nations. Statement of The Problem Utilizing the emerging situation in the world, with constant change of concentration of powers, it is imperative that India be proactive to have its share of the pie, specially being supported by the booming economy and its recognition worldwide. Hence this dissertation shall seek to analyse the emerging new world order, the growing opportunities for India in Africa and the changes required in its foreign and economic policies to exploit these opportunities. Justification for the Study In the fast changing world order, the opportunities presented to any developing country are enormous. Whether it is to restructure its own economy and bring up the standard of living of its population, or to enhance its clout in the global environment. Therefore it is imperative to analyze the changes required in Indias foreign and economic policy especially with respect to the African continent. The requirement of resources of a fast developing India is ever increasing and the demand is expected to outpace the supply in the near future. Africa is the repository of mineral resources that is already recognized by the world and the major players of the world have already taken a lead in exploiting the opportunities provided by the various African countries. With the emergence of India as a global player , it is pertinent that India takes corrective measures to ensure that the traditional and historical relations with the African nations is given further impetus to further the nations i nterest at an urgent basis. Scope In the backdrop of above, the study on Emerging new world order and challenges and opportunities for India will essentially attempt at providing an integrated framework of national policy towards Africa. The study will specifically focus on the following issues:- (a) Emerging World Order with respect to Africa (b) Indias role in the emerging new world order. (c) Growing opportunities in Africa. (d) Exploitation of the growing opportunities in Africa by the major global powers. (e) Indias involvement with Africa in the present context. (f) Scope for Indias involvement with Africa with respect to defense, economy, politics and the foreign policy. (g) Changes required in Indias foreign and economic policy. Method of Data Collection The primary source of data collection has been through books, periodicals and newspaper, Articles, however an attempt was made to tap some material on the internet and relevant issues have been included in the text. A bibliography of sources has been appended at the end of the dissertation. CHAPTER I EMERGING WORLD ORDER WITH RESPECT TO AFRCIA It has been clear for the past two decades that a global power shift from the â€Å"Euro-Atlantic â€Å" West to an Asia centered East has been in progress. This has far reaching implications not only for the nature of the international order as it emerges in the coming decades and great power relations, but also for the security environment. The shift has profound implications for the emerging world order due to the following reasons:- (a) Sustained high growth of economic and military power of China leading to perceptions and concerns about the â€Å"Rise of China†. (b) Robust economic growth of India under a resilient democratic political system. (c) Economic recovery of Japan after the stasis of late 1980s and 1990s. (d) Economic and political recovery of Russia and its renewed urge to play a global role along with its increasingly closer ties with China. (e) Rising prices of oil along with the prospects of beginning of its depletion in the next quarter century affecting energy security of developing as well as the developed world. (f) Emergence of a global financial crisis bringing to fore the limitations of unregulated market structure, warranting greater intervention by the state in regulating the financial system. In reality a diffused multipolar international order has been evolving into a polycentric system with six major players the USA, China, Japan, India, the EU, Russia impacting the future strategic environment[i]. At the same time economic development patterns in, Africa have become increasingly diverse over the last decade, with more and more success stories; Since the mid-1990s, 19 Sub-Saharan countries have had annual GDP growth of 4.5 percent or higher. The rise in the world price of oil is certainly a major factor at play for some of these countries. One-third of the worlds resource-dependent economies are in Africa. Yet even excluding the oil-rich countries, the fastest growing group of African countries (total 15 countries) has had an average growth rate of at least 4.5 percent. These countries host 34 percent of the regions people. By contrast, the 13 slowest-growing economies in Africa have seen less than 3 percent growth on average, with some having near zero or negative growth[ii]. These countries, many either engaged in conflict or having recently emerged from conflict, account for 20 percent of the regions people. The countries in Africa experiencing strong growth outside the oil- producing nations have been buoyed, in part, by global price increases in other primary export commodities. With the exception of raw materials, whose prices have been relatively stagnant, other commodities, including metals and non-oil minerals, have experienced noticeable increases in their price levels. This worldwide rise of com modity prices has been engendered in large part by the rapid growth of Asian developing countries, especially China and India. They contributed close to 40 percent of global import growth for precious stones, 30 percent for crude oil, and 20 percent for metallic ores. Their demand for these commodities is likely to grow, or at least not change from current levels, in the foreseeable future. Still, a number of countries in Africa are diversifying their exports, no longer relying solely on the export of a few raw commodities. Exports are increasingly composed of light manufactured goods, processed foods, horticulture, and services such as tourism. Some countries—such as Nigeria and South Africa—have been increasing their shares of exports in technology-based products. In fact, they are moving up the technology ladder and exporting low- to medium-technology products in sectors where Asian countries are increasingly putting less emphasis The ever increasing significance of the African continent is highlighted by the following turn of events. In 2008, several high-level meetings were organized with Africas concerns high on the agenda. In April 2008, the India-Africa Forum Summit was held in New Delhi with 14 Heads of State and Government and representatives of regional bodies. A comprehensive Africa-India Framework for Cooperation was established, covering economic cooperation in such areas as agricultural development, political cooperation, science and technology, social development, tourism, infrastructure, energy and environment, and media and communication. A joint plan of action and implementation mechanism is to be developed within a year. One of the stated aims of the framework is to reinforce South-South cooperation to enable Africa and India to have greater leverage in international forums. In May 2008, the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-IV) took place in Yokohama, with representatives from 51 African countries, including 40 Heads of State and Government as well representatives of African organizations and from many Asian countries. Japan pledged to double its official development assistance (ODA) over the next five years, focusing on infrastructure and agricultural development. The first Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit was held in Istanbul in August 2008 with the participation of representatives of 50 African countries, among them several Heads of State and Government. Turkeys trade and investment relations with Africa have increased dramatically over the past few years and Africa is a major market for Turkish contractors. Turkey has also formalized relations with AU and with AfDB. In October 2008, a ministerial conference on economic cooperation between South Korea and Africa was held to discuss major economic development issues and share South Koreas economic development experiences with African partners. Other middle-income countries such as Brazil are also intensifying their economic and diplomatic ties with Africa. These developments are taking place against the recent backdrop of high growth in Africa, increasing demand for commodities, especially in emerging economies, and the search for low-cost locations for investments in simple manufacturing. They have helped halt the trend of Africas declining share of world trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) flows[iii]. __________________ Security Environment in 2025:Indias Interests and Strategies Air Commodore Jasjit Singh,AVSM,Vrc,VM, (Retd) USI JOURNAL JANUARY- MARCH 07 2 Africas silk road Harry.G.braodman. 3 United Nations Economic Commission Report on Africa, 2009 CHAPTER II INDIAS ROLE IN EMERGING WORLD ORDER INDIA RISING The centre of gravity of the emerging international order and strategic affairs is increasingly shifting to the Asian landmass (and contiguous island territories). The 21st century is likely to be Asia-centred due to some of the reasons outlined below: (a) Asian landmass is where the most far-reaching social, economic and political changes are taking place. How these countries manage change will largely influence the course of world events in the coming decades. (b) The region still has extensive un-resolved disputes extending from issues of sovereignty to ideological issues which are often constructed on religious extremism. (c) By 2015, seven out of ten largest economies would be Asian countries (including three out of the four top being Asian, the other country being the United States with its deep and extensive interests in Asia). (d) Seven out of nine nuclear weapon states are located in Asia (including the United States which has strategically shifted forward into the Asian contiguous oceans, has deployed nuclear weapons in Asia, and will remain an â€Å"Asian† power). (e) Worlds energy â€Å"demand heartland† composed of Japan, Koreas, China and India is in Asia. And so is the energy â€Å"resource periphery† extending from Siberia, Central Asia, Persian Gulf, North Indian Ocean, South China Sea, and East China Sea. Future needs and availability of energy resource base are likely to further emphasise the Asia-centred world order while enhancing the role of major centres of power. India as the worlds largest democracy is now on the move in economic and technological terms. It has successfully progressed in what can only be described as the human historys most ambitious experiment of transforming a traditional society into a modern one, of transforming an agrarian-based economy into a comprehensive industry-service sector- agricultural economy, rapidly increase social mobility transforming the country into a class-less society, and so on, all through processes of consultative politics. The World Bank estimates that India will possess the fourth largest economy in the world by 2020. Since independence India has made rapid strides and now has the worlds second largest pool of highly competent scientific and technological expertise while its software strength is likely to play a major role in the coming years. Indias economic growth, not as dramatic as that of China or the East Asia â€Å"Tigers† has nevertheless shown increasing rate of growth in every de cade since the late 1960s. Indias geostrategists have a changed perception vis-à  -vis the third world and other NAM countries, which the country was historically aligned to[iv]. India has used both â€Å"soft power† and â€Å"hard power† options to increase its influence on third countries. This perception is based on the following assessments: (a) India discontinued its government to government development cooperation with all but six bilateral donors (DFID, EC, Germany, Japan, USAID, and Russian Federation). Instead donors could assist NGOs directly. (b) India has gradually changed from a recipient of aid and assistance to a giver of aid. Minister of state for external affairs Rao Inderjit Singh stated in April 2005: â€Å"Our technical and economic cooperation programme ITEC [to 156 states] is almost four decades old. a rough monetary value to the wide range of training and other facilities that we have shared with our friends from Africa, I am sure he would estimate it at well above a billion dollars†. [32] (c) India Development Initiative (IDI) dedicates a $1.5 billion soft credit fund over five years through the Exim Bank for supporting development projects mainly in Africa. (d) India has leased an air base in Ayni in Tajikistan which it argues is for non- military purposes, but others see this is as part of Indias move towards increasing its strategic depth in central Asia. (e) India has assisted Afghanistan in projects that range from roads to hospi- tal building as a way of maintaining its influence in the region. It has extended more than $100 million in credit to the outlawed Myanmar regime, including for upgrading their railway. India has thus emerged as Myanmars second largest market, absorbing 25 per cent of the countrys exports. (f) India maintains its influence in several south Asian states like Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, as is well known. In this context India has gradually dis- engaged from the large southern groups that it once partnered and has played a key role in forming new groups like the G-4, G-15, G-20 and G-33. India has become part of many regional groupings, like India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA), Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Coopera- tion (BIMSTEC), as a more direct way of promoting South-South Cooperation as well as establishing a stronger political and economic relationship. This gradual but significant disengagement with the third world is driven by Indias great power perceptions. Its aid policies follow the intentions of the west in the creation of markets for Indian capital. The concept of â€Å"soft power† policies remains part of the neo-realist framework, where the interest of the state is primary, regardless of the impact on citizens. __________________ 4 CHENOY Kamal Mitra, CHENOY Anuradha M * From Economic and Political Weekly September 1, 2007. CHAPTER III GROWING OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA As the ‘dark continent, Africa has typically been painted with broad-brush strokes, as a place of uncivilized people, as savage and superstitious, as tribalistic and nepostic. Africa is a vast and exotic continent of about 900 million people in 54 independent countries. It has a total area of over 30 million sq. kms, about three and a half times the size of the United States and 10 times the size of India. It is the second largest continent in the world after Asia. It stretches from the shores of the Mediterranean in the north to the Cape of Good Hope in the south. Africa is rich in mineral and natural resources with large parts of its terrain teeming with wild life and magnificent plant life. It possesses 99 percent of the worlds chrome resources, 85 percent of its platinum, 70 percent of its tantalite, 68 percent of its cobalt and 54 percent of its gold, among others. It has significant oil and gas reserves. Nigeria and Libya are two of the leading oil producing countries in the world. Africas enormous agricultural potential is vastly untapped. Africas vast mineral wealth and strategic significance have encouraged foreign powers to intervene in African affairs. African oil constitutes 8% of the worlds oil resources. Political Importance of Africa is further compounded by the fact that it comprises the 54 votes that African Union (AU) maintains in the General Assembly. With world markets in turmoil, an unexpected and overlooked continent may benefit from its very isolation. Opportunities The continent has witnessed a trend towards democratisation that is visible in multi-party elections across the continent and the emergence of a democratic South Africa. It is also visible in the launch of the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD) through the joint efforts of South Africa and Senegal. This action plan promises to remove the tag of the Hopeless Continent. Yet all this has been accompanied by a steady drumbeat of optimism about the continent, and confidence in its prospects. Despite of the problems, the 48 countries of sub Saharan Africa (hereafter referred to as plain Africa) are, by several measures, enjoying a period of unparalleled economic success. And despite the turmoil in the worlds financial markets, international investors still think they can make money there. In 1990-94 annual GDP growth was a weak 0.9%; since then, growth has averaged closer to 5%. Before this autumns financial meltdown, the IMF was predicting GDP growth of 6.6% this year; now it is predicting only a slightly lower rate. Annual GDP growth per person was 1.1% in the late 1990s; from 2004 to 2006 it was around 4%. In 1990 47% of Africans lived in poverty; in 2004 41% did and, if present trends continue, only 37% will by 2015. Zimbabwe apart, most African countries have been bringing inflation down, even if the trend is now creeping up again, in line with the rest of the world. Many countries have been helped by better macro-economic management and big inflows of Western aid, investment and debt relief-as well as by more unquantifiable investments from Asia, particularly China, and the Middle East. The surplus petrodollars of the Gulf States have been flowing into East Africa. The IMF estimates that foreign investment and loans to Africa rose from $11 billion in 2000 to $53 billion in 2007. Much of this has stemmed from the commodities boom. Oil- producing countries such as Angola and Nigeria, and even war-torn Sudan, have supplied the soaring growth s, and much of the foreign investment has gone into extractive industries. Economic development patterns in Africa have become increasingly diverse over the last decade, with more and more success stories. Ghana, Africas first nation to win its freedom from Europe, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence. This is both cause for reflection on the past half-century and a reminder of how young African nations are. In the past seven years we have seen the end of seven major conflicts: in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote dIvoire, North-South Sudan, Ethiopia-Eritrea, and Angola. We are on the verge of a peace deal in northern Uganda. Although conflicts are still ongoing in Darfur and Chad, and the peace is fragile in several other places, the trend in Africa is toward the resolution of conflict. More importantly, the capacity of African nations to deal with conflicts has risen dramatically. African peacekeepers are increasingly active not only in Africa but around the world. Most starkly, Africa is going through a very real economic resurgence. Economic growth is estimated at around 6.5 percent last year, the highest in memory, while inflation is in the single digits. High growth and low inflation are projected to continue this year despite a global economic slowdown. This success is not just in oil countries; about two dozen sub-Saharan African nations are enjoying real growth rates in excess of 5 percent. Only one nation Zimbabwe is really going backward quickly, a direct result of President Mugabes scorched earth policy of clinging to power at any cost. That sad nation is entering its ninth consecutive year of a shrinking economy, and inflation is now well over 100,000 percent. The striking thing about Africa today is really its massive economic potential[v]. After half a century of very low growth, combined with the colonial legacy which chopped up the continent into so many small countries, the economies of Africa are still tiny: Baltimores economy is about ten times the size of Ghanas, and more than twice the size of Nigerias. Only South Africa is larger, and not by much. The positive economic picture we now see in Africa is being driven by a host of factors, including a boom in commodity prices. But economic reforms inside Africa are also a big part. Macro-economic reforms undertaken over the past decade, with international assistance and encouragement, have brought down inflation and improved the investment climate. Countries are now turning to micro-reforms to make it easier to open, operate, and grow small businesses the true engine for turning poor countries into rich ones. We are also seeing growing foreign investment in Africa[vi]. This is obviously led by oil, gas, and mining, but there are exciting trends in other sectors, such as telecommunications, agribusiness, and business services. Countries such as Ghana are starting to build specialized back office services like India has done so successfully. We are also seeing more interest from private equity firms, hedge funds, and other non-traditional investors that bode well for Africas economic integration into global financial and business networks. Indicative of this interest, Africa was recently featured on the cover of Business Week for the first time ever. Another very encouraging trend is the returning of African professionals. Bankers who have gotten experience in New York and London are now going back and setting up their own investment firms and banks. We can see this clearly in the banking boom in places like Nigeria and Ghana. Africa is clearly on a positive trajectory in terms of conflict, democracy, and economic prosperity. But all of these are extremely fragile. 2007 was one of the best years in recent memory for the continent. __________________ 5 World Bank Report, â€Å"Can Africa Claim 21st Century†,2000. 6 Released on March 18, 2008 Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs CHAPTER IV EXPLOITATION OF THE GROWING OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA BY THE MAJOR GLOBAL POWERS POISED LIKE PANTHERS THEY STAND, JERKING LIKE LEOPARDS THEY[vii] POUNCE BRUTAL AS HELL THEY ACT, TACTICAL AS HARE THEY WITHDRAW NOT SEEN IN ACTION, WE ARE LEFT TO NURSE WOUNDS INFLICTED BY CLAWS UNSEEN WITH BUT CRIES FROM DISTANT LANDS OF HOW â€Å"THEY HAVE FINISHED THEMSELVES FOR THEY ARE UNCIVIL† LATER WE SEE†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, PEACE NEGOTIATIONS, PEACE KEEPING OPERATIONS ICC INDICTMENTS, ARRESTS AND DETENTIONS, OF THE BEMBAS, TAYLORS, NOT OF OTHERS FOR TIMES BEFIT NOT WE HAVE SEEN RESETTLEMENT, NGOS STAFFED WITH SPIES, EXPLORERS SEARCHING FOR MAGICAL RICHES, OPPORTUNITIES OF ACCESS: GEO-MAPPING, MINERAL PROSPECTING, LAND EYEING IN WAYS AND BY MEANS BEYOND ORDINARY EYE. WE HAVE SEEN AND NOT SEEN, OUR DESTINY IN OUR HANDS OUR WEALTH BY , FOR OURSELVES,BLACKS AS KINSMEN, COMPATRIOTS, COMRADES AFRICANS SWUNG INTO ACTION AGAINST INFILTRATING EXPLOITAERS, SOWERS OF DISARRAY OUR SIGHT BLINDFOLDED WE LAMENT, AGAINST OUR PROGENITORS, CHIEFS THEMSELVES VICTIMS OF GLOBAL MISCHIEF KNOWERS OF TRUTH STRATEGICALLY PERPETRATE SABA- RWENGABO MAY 2007 The twin phenomena of a new 21st century global scramble for Africas strategic energy and mineral resources and the on-going global economic slump are admittedly taking a heavy toll on the continent s nascent democracy and security. This was the poignant conclusion of a high-level meeting of African experts and practitioners Convened by the Africa policy institute in Pretoria, South Africa in July 2009. The world economic slowdown, now ravaging African economies, comes on top of the global race for the continents resources crucial in the global political economy and security, especially mineral and energy resources. The new rush for Africa has increasingly drawn in cold war protagonists of Europe and Russia and more increasingly newcomers mainly China, and to a lesser extent, India, Brazil, South Africa, Korea and Malaysia. With the cost of food and fuel spiraling, commodity boom turning into bust, remittances from the African Diaspora falling, investments drying up and climate change taking its toll, questions remain about the implications of the new scramble for Africa and the both the swirling recession on the stability of the continents democracy and long-term security. The new scramble for Africa has unfolded against the backdrop of globalization in the post-Cold War era, which galvanized acute demand for African resources and the consequent integration of its economies into the global political economy. . With Africas relatively weak markets and unskilled labour pool playing a marginal role in the knowledge-driven global economy, the new race for Africa has targeted strategic mineral and energy resources such as oil and gas which have immense strategic importance in the global political economy and security calculations of major powers. But despite integration of African natural resources in the global economy, the African labour has become even more marginalised, with studies indicating that the â€Å"new scramble appears to be diminishing rather than increasing the prospects for employment of African labour and undermining the foundation of African livelihoods† . The trend by neo-liberal globalization to divorce the African from his resou rces is spawning new dynamics of intensified internal conflicts and creating a new fault line of conflict between Africa and the global order[viii]. Secondly, the demise of apartheid in 1994 marked the complete liberation of the continent with South Africa becoming a key leader in what has been enchanted as ‘African renaissance. However, as a result of rampant poor governance, corruption and internal wars from Somalia to Darfur (Sudan) and Kenya to Zimbabwe, African leaders failed to use the continents immense natural resources to ensure effective and pro-poor development. As such, while the newly liberated South African powerelite spearheaded the creation of a complex governance and security architecture within the aegis of the African Union to stabilize the continent, civil wars, poor governance corruption and unemployment intensified in the context of the new scramble for continents resources In turn, this has reinforced political instability and democratic crisis. The new scramble for Africa s natural resources, especially oil, is therefore, supported and sustained by the predatory African elites who are the major benef iciaries, while majority of the poor Africans at the periphery of the economy continue to be more marginalised from the economic benefits of the new scramble. Thirdly, the emergence of new economic powerhouses in the former ‘south including India, Brazil and, more saliently, China increased global competition for energy and refocused world attention on Africa as a new frontier in the search for alternative source of fossil fuels and land for growing bio-fuel and food crops to supply domestic and global markets, thus triggering the new scramble for Africa. The entry of China and other new players into the African scene increased competition with western powers for oil and mineral resources, but the jury is still out regarding the impact of the interests and strategies of these newcomers on Africas fledgling democracy and overall security. But Chinas policy of â€Å" not mixing business with politics† or the see- no-evil, hear-no-evil† policy on governance has collided with the West s emphasis on governance and human rights as a precondition for engagement with Africa, leading to non-cooperation between the two and intensifying the race for spheres of influence on the continent[ix]. Finally, in the last two years the continent has experienced the full weight of the raging global financial and economic recession which has shattered its economic growth and development prospects, threatened its economies and fostered a climate of political instability. The current global melt-down has intensified Africas serious socio-economic and political challenges relating to endemic poverty, unemployment, rising inequality, debt over-hang and the knock-on effects of climate change. But the effect of the global recession on the scramble for Africa and their implications on Africas democratic crisis are not patently clear. The current scramble for Africa is markedly significant in two ways. First, it is a scramble Challenges and Opportunities for India Challenges and Opportunities for India INTRODUCTION Background There have been profound scientific, strategic, technological, economic, political and diplomatic changes in the twentieth century and the early part of the twenty-first century which have altered the strategic orientation of nations the world over. There has been a sea change in the way nations perceive themselves and each other in the international system. The world is fast moving towards a knowledge based economy. China has emerged as a global economic power house, and closer Indo- US ties balance the power in Asia. Also a tie up between India America could contribute to a security paradigm for the global environment especially Asia. However Americas view on new world order is questionable. They view that with the fall of erstwhile USSR in the 1980s the world turned unipolar with the USA merging as the sole super power. The free will of executing the US agenda was evident in the 1990s like Invasion of Iraq. Once Russia resurrected under Vladimir Putin the US Europe nexus or the NATO and its expansion has threatened the existence of the most successful security organization like the United Nations. Later the world saw the US presence right at the doorsteps of Russia i.e. in Poland and the fight for the Arctic. Unnoticed initially , but noticed later by all, there came the third world countries like India, Brazil, South Africa, China and a few developed ones like Australia, New Zealand which formed a group which cannot be wished away. The IBSA (India- Brazil- South Africa forum) RIC (Russia India- China forum), Shanghai Cooperation etc cannot be wished away in todays world. So what is the new world order? The power houses change so rapidly, moreover the so called power houses like Europe and USA are today on the economic downturn. The subprime crisis of the USA and the unemployment situation is considered to be the worst since 1930s. So are these perceived power houses today in a shape to project their power outside their national boundaries? Does the new world order belong to the new power houses like India and China who have proved to be fairly insulated from these economic crises? But the ever increasing conflicts and the under development of nations especially those like in African continent, which cannot be ignored by the world community, is relevant. To add on, these are the Pandoras Box of richness that is gold, diamonds, minerals and the very green oil. However, it is prudent that these countries need assistance economically and materially and it is those countries which provide assistance who will control the resources. The US, European nations and China have been proactive in their approach and have been exploiting the resources of the African nations for decades. India though sharing a historical and traditional relationship with the African continent has failed to capitalize this relationship to further its economic and political goals. Africa other than being a repository of natural resources is also a conglomerate of fifty two nations with a large standing in all political organizations including United Nations. Statement of The Problem Utilizing the emerging situation in the world, with constant change of concentration of powers, it is imperative that India be proactive to have its share of the pie, specially being supported by the booming economy and its recognition worldwide. Hence this dissertation shall seek to analyse the emerging new world order, the growing opportunities for India in Africa and the changes required in its foreign and economic policies to exploit these opportunities. Justification for the Study In the fast changing world order, the opportunities presented to any developing country are enormous. Whether it is to restructure its own economy and bring up the standard of living of its population, or to enhance its clout in the global environment. Therefore it is imperative to analyze the changes required in Indias foreign and economic policy especially with respect to the African continent. The requirement of resources of a fast developing India is ever increasing and the demand is expected to outpace the supply in the near future. Africa is the repository of mineral resources that is already recognized by the world and the major players of the world have already taken a lead in exploiting the opportunities provided by the various African countries. With the emergence of India as a global player , it is pertinent that India takes corrective measures to ensure that the traditional and historical relations with the African nations is given further impetus to further the nations i nterest at an urgent basis. Scope In the backdrop of above, the study on Emerging new world order and challenges and opportunities for India will essentially attempt at providing an integrated framework of national policy towards Africa. The study will specifically focus on the following issues:- (a) Emerging World Order with respect to Africa (b) Indias role in the emerging new world order. (c) Growing opportunities in Africa. (d) Exploitation of the growing opportunities in Africa by the major global powers. (e) Indias involvement with Africa in the present context. (f) Scope for Indias involvement with Africa with respect to defense, economy, politics and the foreign policy. (g) Changes required in Indias foreign and economic policy. Method of Data Collection The primary source of data collection has been through books, periodicals and newspaper, Articles, however an attempt was made to tap some material on the internet and relevant issues have been included in the text. A bibliography of sources has been appended at the end of the dissertation. CHAPTER I EMERGING WORLD ORDER WITH RESPECT TO AFRCIA It has been clear for the past two decades that a global power shift from the â€Å"Euro-Atlantic â€Å" West to an Asia centered East has been in progress. This has far reaching implications not only for the nature of the international order as it emerges in the coming decades and great power relations, but also for the security environment. The shift has profound implications for the emerging world order due to the following reasons:- (a) Sustained high growth of economic and military power of China leading to perceptions and concerns about the â€Å"Rise of China†. (b) Robust economic growth of India under a resilient democratic political system. (c) Economic recovery of Japan after the stasis of late 1980s and 1990s. (d) Economic and political recovery of Russia and its renewed urge to play a global role along with its increasingly closer ties with China. (e) Rising prices of oil along with the prospects of beginning of its depletion in the next quarter century affecting energy security of developing as well as the developed world. (f) Emergence of a global financial crisis bringing to fore the limitations of unregulated market structure, warranting greater intervention by the state in regulating the financial system. In reality a diffused multipolar international order has been evolving into a polycentric system with six major players the USA, China, Japan, India, the EU, Russia impacting the future strategic environment[i]. At the same time economic development patterns in, Africa have become increasingly diverse over the last decade, with more and more success stories; Since the mid-1990s, 19 Sub-Saharan countries have had annual GDP growth of 4.5 percent or higher. The rise in the world price of oil is certainly a major factor at play for some of these countries. One-third of the worlds resource-dependent economies are in Africa. Yet even excluding the oil-rich countries, the fastest growing group of African countries (total 15 countries) has had an average growth rate of at least 4.5 percent. These countries host 34 percent of the regions people. By contrast, the 13 slowest-growing economies in Africa have seen less than 3 percent growth on average, with some having near zero or negative growth[ii]. These countries, many either engaged in conflict or having recently emerged from conflict, account for 20 percent of the regions people. The countries in Africa experiencing strong growth outside the oil- producing nations have been buoyed, in part, by global price increases in other primary export commodities. With the exception of raw materials, whose prices have been relatively stagnant, other commodities, including metals and non-oil minerals, have experienced noticeable increases in their price levels. This worldwide rise of com modity prices has been engendered in large part by the rapid growth of Asian developing countries, especially China and India. They contributed close to 40 percent of global import growth for precious stones, 30 percent for crude oil, and 20 percent for metallic ores. Their demand for these commodities is likely to grow, or at least not change from current levels, in the foreseeable future. Still, a number of countries in Africa are diversifying their exports, no longer relying solely on the export of a few raw commodities. Exports are increasingly composed of light manufactured goods, processed foods, horticulture, and services such as tourism. Some countries—such as Nigeria and South Africa—have been increasing their shares of exports in technology-based products. In fact, they are moving up the technology ladder and exporting low- to medium-technology products in sectors where Asian countries are increasingly putting less emphasis The ever increasing significance of the African continent is highlighted by the following turn of events. In 2008, several high-level meetings were organized with Africas concerns high on the agenda. In April 2008, the India-Africa Forum Summit was held in New Delhi with 14 Heads of State and Government and representatives of regional bodies. A comprehensive Africa-India Framework for Cooperation was established, covering economic cooperation in such areas as agricultural development, political cooperation, science and technology, social development, tourism, infrastructure, energy and environment, and media and communication. A joint plan of action and implementation mechanism is to be developed within a year. One of the stated aims of the framework is to reinforce South-South cooperation to enable Africa and India to have greater leverage in international forums. In May 2008, the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-IV) took place in Yokohama, with representatives from 51 African countries, including 40 Heads of State and Government as well representatives of African organizations and from many Asian countries. Japan pledged to double its official development assistance (ODA) over the next five years, focusing on infrastructure and agricultural development. The first Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit was held in Istanbul in August 2008 with the participation of representatives of 50 African countries, among them several Heads of State and Government. Turkeys trade and investment relations with Africa have increased dramatically over the past few years and Africa is a major market for Turkish contractors. Turkey has also formalized relations with AU and with AfDB. In October 2008, a ministerial conference on economic cooperation between South Korea and Africa was held to discuss major economic development issues and share South Koreas economic development experiences with African partners. Other middle-income countries such as Brazil are also intensifying their economic and diplomatic ties with Africa. These developments are taking place against the recent backdrop of high growth in Africa, increasing demand for commodities, especially in emerging economies, and the search for low-cost locations for investments in simple manufacturing. They have helped halt the trend of Africas declining share of world trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) flows[iii]. __________________ Security Environment in 2025:Indias Interests and Strategies Air Commodore Jasjit Singh,AVSM,Vrc,VM, (Retd) USI JOURNAL JANUARY- MARCH 07 2 Africas silk road Harry.G.braodman. 3 United Nations Economic Commission Report on Africa, 2009 CHAPTER II INDIAS ROLE IN EMERGING WORLD ORDER INDIA RISING The centre of gravity of the emerging international order and strategic affairs is increasingly shifting to the Asian landmass (and contiguous island territories). The 21st century is likely to be Asia-centred due to some of the reasons outlined below: (a) Asian landmass is where the most far-reaching social, economic and political changes are taking place. How these countries manage change will largely influence the course of world events in the coming decades. (b) The region still has extensive un-resolved disputes extending from issues of sovereignty to ideological issues which are often constructed on religious extremism. (c) By 2015, seven out of ten largest economies would be Asian countries (including three out of the four top being Asian, the other country being the United States with its deep and extensive interests in Asia). (d) Seven out of nine nuclear weapon states are located in Asia (including the United States which has strategically shifted forward into the Asian contiguous oceans, has deployed nuclear weapons in Asia, and will remain an â€Å"Asian† power). (e) Worlds energy â€Å"demand heartland† composed of Japan, Koreas, China and India is in Asia. And so is the energy â€Å"resource periphery† extending from Siberia, Central Asia, Persian Gulf, North Indian Ocean, South China Sea, and East China Sea. Future needs and availability of energy resource base are likely to further emphasise the Asia-centred world order while enhancing the role of major centres of power. India as the worlds largest democracy is now on the move in economic and technological terms. It has successfully progressed in what can only be described as the human historys most ambitious experiment of transforming a traditional society into a modern one, of transforming an agrarian-based economy into a comprehensive industry-service sector- agricultural economy, rapidly increase social mobility transforming the country into a class-less society, and so on, all through processes of consultative politics. The World Bank estimates that India will possess the fourth largest economy in the world by 2020. Since independence India has made rapid strides and now has the worlds second largest pool of highly competent scientific and technological expertise while its software strength is likely to play a major role in the coming years. Indias economic growth, not as dramatic as that of China or the East Asia â€Å"Tigers† has nevertheless shown increasing rate of growth in every de cade since the late 1960s. Indias geostrategists have a changed perception vis-à  -vis the third world and other NAM countries, which the country was historically aligned to[iv]. India has used both â€Å"soft power† and â€Å"hard power† options to increase its influence on third countries. This perception is based on the following assessments: (a) India discontinued its government to government development cooperation with all but six bilateral donors (DFID, EC, Germany, Japan, USAID, and Russian Federation). Instead donors could assist NGOs directly. (b) India has gradually changed from a recipient of aid and assistance to a giver of aid. Minister of state for external affairs Rao Inderjit Singh stated in April 2005: â€Å"Our technical and economic cooperation programme ITEC [to 156 states] is almost four decades old. a rough monetary value to the wide range of training and other facilities that we have shared with our friends from Africa, I am sure he would estimate it at well above a billion dollars†. [32] (c) India Development Initiative (IDI) dedicates a $1.5 billion soft credit fund over five years through the Exim Bank for supporting development projects mainly in Africa. (d) India has leased an air base in Ayni in Tajikistan which it argues is for non- military purposes, but others see this is as part of Indias move towards increasing its strategic depth in central Asia. (e) India has assisted Afghanistan in projects that range from roads to hospi- tal building as a way of maintaining its influence in the region. It has extended more than $100 million in credit to the outlawed Myanmar regime, including for upgrading their railway. India has thus emerged as Myanmars second largest market, absorbing 25 per cent of the countrys exports. (f) India maintains its influence in several south Asian states like Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, as is well known. In this context India has gradually dis- engaged from the large southern groups that it once partnered and has played a key role in forming new groups like the G-4, G-15, G-20 and G-33. India has become part of many regional groupings, like India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA), Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Coopera- tion (BIMSTEC), as a more direct way of promoting South-South Cooperation as well as establishing a stronger political and economic relationship. This gradual but significant disengagement with the third world is driven by Indias great power perceptions. Its aid policies follow the intentions of the west in the creation of markets for Indian capital. The concept of â€Å"soft power† policies remains part of the neo-realist framework, where the interest of the state is primary, regardless of the impact on citizens. __________________ 4 CHENOY Kamal Mitra, CHENOY Anuradha M * From Economic and Political Weekly September 1, 2007. CHAPTER III GROWING OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA As the ‘dark continent, Africa has typically been painted with broad-brush strokes, as a place of uncivilized people, as savage and superstitious, as tribalistic and nepostic. Africa is a vast and exotic continent of about 900 million people in 54 independent countries. It has a total area of over 30 million sq. kms, about three and a half times the size of the United States and 10 times the size of India. It is the second largest continent in the world after Asia. It stretches from the shores of the Mediterranean in the north to the Cape of Good Hope in the south. Africa is rich in mineral and natural resources with large parts of its terrain teeming with wild life and magnificent plant life. It possesses 99 percent of the worlds chrome resources, 85 percent of its platinum, 70 percent of its tantalite, 68 percent of its cobalt and 54 percent of its gold, among others. It has significant oil and gas reserves. Nigeria and Libya are two of the leading oil producing countries in the world. Africas enormous agricultural potential is vastly untapped. Africas vast mineral wealth and strategic significance have encouraged foreign powers to intervene in African affairs. African oil constitutes 8% of the worlds oil resources. Political Importance of Africa is further compounded by the fact that it comprises the 54 votes that African Union (AU) maintains in the General Assembly. With world markets in turmoil, an unexpected and overlooked continent may benefit from its very isolation. Opportunities The continent has witnessed a trend towards democratisation that is visible in multi-party elections across the continent and the emergence of a democratic South Africa. It is also visible in the launch of the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD) through the joint efforts of South Africa and Senegal. This action plan promises to remove the tag of the Hopeless Continent. Yet all this has been accompanied by a steady drumbeat of optimism about the continent, and confidence in its prospects. Despite of the problems, the 48 countries of sub Saharan Africa (hereafter referred to as plain Africa) are, by several measures, enjoying a period of unparalleled economic success. And despite the turmoil in the worlds financial markets, international investors still think they can make money there. In 1990-94 annual GDP growth was a weak 0.9%; since then, growth has averaged closer to 5%. Before this autumns financial meltdown, the IMF was predicting GDP growth of 6.6% this year; now it is predicting only a slightly lower rate. Annual GDP growth per person was 1.1% in the late 1990s; from 2004 to 2006 it was around 4%. In 1990 47% of Africans lived in poverty; in 2004 41% did and, if present trends continue, only 37% will by 2015. Zimbabwe apart, most African countries have been bringing inflation down, even if the trend is now creeping up again, in line with the rest of the world. Many countries have been helped by better macro-economic management and big inflows of Western aid, investment and debt relief-as well as by more unquantifiable investments from Asia, particularly China, and the Middle East. The surplus petrodollars of the Gulf States have been flowing into East Africa. The IMF estimates that foreign investment and loans to Africa rose from $11 billion in 2000 to $53 billion in 2007. Much of this has stemmed from the commodities boom. Oil- producing countries such as Angola and Nigeria, and even war-torn Sudan, have supplied the soaring growth s, and much of the foreign investment has gone into extractive industries. Economic development patterns in Africa have become increasingly diverse over the last decade, with more and more success stories. Ghana, Africas first nation to win its freedom from Europe, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence. This is both cause for reflection on the past half-century and a reminder of how young African nations are. In the past seven years we have seen the end of seven major conflicts: in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote dIvoire, North-South Sudan, Ethiopia-Eritrea, and Angola. We are on the verge of a peace deal in northern Uganda. Although conflicts are still ongoing in Darfur and Chad, and the peace is fragile in several other places, the trend in Africa is toward the resolution of conflict. More importantly, the capacity of African nations to deal with conflicts has risen dramatically. African peacekeepers are increasingly active not only in Africa but around the world. Most starkly, Africa is going through a very real economic resurgence. Economic growth is estimated at around 6.5 percent last year, the highest in memory, while inflation is in the single digits. High growth and low inflation are projected to continue this year despite a global economic slowdown. This success is not just in oil countries; about two dozen sub-Saharan African nations are enjoying real growth rates in excess of 5 percent. Only one nation Zimbabwe is really going backward quickly, a direct result of President Mugabes scorched earth policy of clinging to power at any cost. That sad nation is entering its ninth consecutive year of a shrinking economy, and inflation is now well over 100,000 percent. The striking thing about Africa today is really its massive economic potential[v]. After half a century of very low growth, combined with the colonial legacy which chopped up the continent into so many small countries, the economies of Africa are still tiny: Baltimores economy is about ten times the size of Ghanas, and more than twice the size of Nigerias. Only South Africa is larger, and not by much. The positive economic picture we now see in Africa is being driven by a host of factors, including a boom in commodity prices. But economic reforms inside Africa are also a big part. Macro-economic reforms undertaken over the past decade, with international assistance and encouragement, have brought down inflation and improved the investment climate. Countries are now turning to micro-reforms to make it easier to open, operate, and grow small businesses the true engine for turning poor countries into rich ones. We are also seeing growing foreign investment in Africa[vi]. This is obviously led by oil, gas, and mining, but there are exciting trends in other sectors, such as telecommunications, agribusiness, and business services. Countries such as Ghana are starting to build specialized back office services like India has done so successfully. We are also seeing more interest from private equity firms, hedge funds, and other non-traditional investors that bode well for Africas economic integration into global financial and business networks. Indicative of this interest, Africa was recently featured on the cover of Business Week for the first time ever. Another very encouraging trend is the returning of African professionals. Bankers who have gotten experience in New York and London are now going back and setting up their own investment firms and banks. We can see this clearly in the banking boom in places like Nigeria and Ghana. Africa is clearly on a positive trajectory in terms of conflict, democracy, and economic prosperity. But all of these are extremely fragile. 2007 was one of the best years in recent memory for the continent. __________________ 5 World Bank Report, â€Å"Can Africa Claim 21st Century†,2000. 6 Released on March 18, 2008 Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs CHAPTER IV EXPLOITATION OF THE GROWING OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA BY THE MAJOR GLOBAL POWERS POISED LIKE PANTHERS THEY STAND, JERKING LIKE LEOPARDS THEY[vii] POUNCE BRUTAL AS HELL THEY ACT, TACTICAL AS HARE THEY WITHDRAW NOT SEEN IN ACTION, WE ARE LEFT TO NURSE WOUNDS INFLICTED BY CLAWS UNSEEN WITH BUT CRIES FROM DISTANT LANDS OF HOW â€Å"THEY HAVE FINISHED THEMSELVES FOR THEY ARE UNCIVIL† LATER WE SEE†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, PEACE NEGOTIATIONS, PEACE KEEPING OPERATIONS ICC INDICTMENTS, ARRESTS AND DETENTIONS, OF THE BEMBAS, TAYLORS, NOT OF OTHERS FOR TIMES BEFIT NOT WE HAVE SEEN RESETTLEMENT, NGOS STAFFED WITH SPIES, EXPLORERS SEARCHING FOR MAGICAL RICHES, OPPORTUNITIES OF ACCESS: GEO-MAPPING, MINERAL PROSPECTING, LAND EYEING IN WAYS AND BY MEANS BEYOND ORDINARY EYE. WE HAVE SEEN AND NOT SEEN, OUR DESTINY IN OUR HANDS OUR WEALTH BY , FOR OURSELVES,BLACKS AS KINSMEN, COMPATRIOTS, COMRADES AFRICANS SWUNG INTO ACTION AGAINST INFILTRATING EXPLOITAERS, SOWERS OF DISARRAY OUR SIGHT BLINDFOLDED WE LAMENT, AGAINST OUR PROGENITORS, CHIEFS THEMSELVES VICTIMS OF GLOBAL MISCHIEF KNOWERS OF TRUTH STRATEGICALLY PERPETRATE SABA- RWENGABO MAY 2007 The twin phenomena of a new 21st century global scramble for Africas strategic energy and mineral resources and the on-going global economic slump are admittedly taking a heavy toll on the continent s nascent democracy and security. This was the poignant conclusion of a high-level meeting of African experts and practitioners Convened by the Africa policy institute in Pretoria, South Africa in July 2009. The world economic slowdown, now ravaging African economies, comes on top of the global race for the continents resources crucial in the global political economy and security, especially mineral and energy resources. The new rush for Africa has increasingly drawn in cold war protagonists of Europe and Russia and more increasingly newcomers mainly China, and to a lesser extent, India, Brazil, South Africa, Korea and Malaysia. With the cost of food and fuel spiraling, commodity boom turning into bust, remittances from the African Diaspora falling, investments drying up and climate change taking its toll, questions remain about the implications of the new scramble for Africa and the both the swirling recession on the stability of the continents democracy and long-term security. The new scramble for Africa has unfolded against the backdrop of globalization in the post-Cold War era, which galvanized acute demand for African resources and the consequent integration of its economies into the global political economy. . With Africas relatively weak markets and unskilled labour pool playing a marginal role in the knowledge-driven global economy, the new race for Africa has targeted strategic mineral and energy resources such as oil and gas which have immense strategic importance in the global political economy and security calculations of major powers. But despite integration of African natural resources in the global economy, the African labour has become even more marginalised, with studies indicating that the â€Å"new scramble appears to be diminishing rather than increasing the prospects for employment of African labour and undermining the foundation of African livelihoods† . The trend by neo-liberal globalization to divorce the African from his resou rces is spawning new dynamics of intensified internal conflicts and creating a new fault line of conflict between Africa and the global order[viii]. Secondly, the demise of apartheid in 1994 marked the complete liberation of the continent with South Africa becoming a key leader in what has been enchanted as ‘African renaissance. However, as a result of rampant poor governance, corruption and internal wars from Somalia to Darfur (Sudan) and Kenya to Zimbabwe, African leaders failed to use the continents immense natural resources to ensure effective and pro-poor development. As such, while the newly liberated South African powerelite spearheaded the creation of a complex governance and security architecture within the aegis of the African Union to stabilize the continent, civil wars, poor governance corruption and unemployment intensified in the context of the new scramble for continents resources In turn, this has reinforced political instability and democratic crisis. The new scramble for Africa s natural resources, especially oil, is therefore, supported and sustained by the predatory African elites who are the major benef iciaries, while majority of the poor Africans at the periphery of the economy continue to be more marginalised from the economic benefits of the new scramble. Thirdly, the emergence of new economic powerhouses in the former ‘south including India, Brazil and, more saliently, China increased global competition for energy and refocused world attention on Africa as a new frontier in the search for alternative source of fossil fuels and land for growing bio-fuel and food crops to supply domestic and global markets, thus triggering the new scramble for Africa. The entry of China and other new players into the African scene increased competition with western powers for oil and mineral resources, but the jury is still out regarding the impact of the interests and strategies of these newcomers on Africas fledgling democracy and overall security. But Chinas policy of â€Å" not mixing business with politics† or the see- no-evil, hear-no-evil† policy on governance has collided with the West s emphasis on governance and human rights as a precondition for engagement with Africa, leading to non-cooperation between the two and intensifying the race for spheres of influence on the continent[ix]. Finally, in the last two years the continent has experienced the full weight of the raging global financial and economic recession which has shattered its economic growth and development prospects, threatened its economies and fostered a climate of political instability. The current global melt-down has intensified Africas serious socio-economic and political challenges relating to endemic poverty, unemployment, rising inequality, debt over-hang and the knock-on effects of climate change. But the effect of the global recession on the scramble for Africa and their implications on Africas democratic crisis are not patently clear. The current scramble for Africa is markedly significant in two ways. First, it is a scramble