Defining the Purpose and the Problem When Writing Proposals Essay

INTRODUCTION When drafting a proposal for any type of changes in the workplace, it is important to define the purpose and identify the problem being addressed in the proposal. There must be a needed or desired change identified in order to begin the research and planning phases of the project. Once the desired change is identified, the request for proposal process can begin. This process is repeatable and interchangeable with all project and grant proposals. GENERAL INFORMATION Collecting project requirements is the first step in determining the processes to be used to meet those requirements. The stakeholders of the project should be identified and each group’s individual tasks and boundaries identified. At the Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO), efficient, accurate, and personal customer interactions are all part of the Service Department’s daily operating policies and procedures. As a major part of this operating strategy, change is often imperative to maintaining expected levels of efficiency and accuracy when servicing  insurance policies for GEICO customers. Service Agents are responsible for anywhere from 50-100 calls from policyholders per day. Developing a new system of self-service options for GEICO’s approximately 13 million policyholders nationwide help alleviate over-burdened call centers. In order to ensure that policyholders are able to complete needed transactions without a need to call a licensed agent, th e self-service system must include the same controls as the GEICO Agent’s systems. The duration of this system enhancement and development project will be no more than three months, beginning on August 1, 2014. Distribution of the system will be completed over the following two month period and will be fully on-line in all Regional Office Service Centers by January 1, 2015. Financial resources are unlimited, but will be approved at the discretion of the Approving Authority on a case by case basis. There will be a total of 22 participants in this system development project. The Regional Vice President in charge Region X as the overall Approving Authority for the project. All changes to the established project requirements will be sent via the Project Manager through her office for final approval. A Project Manager who is a current Team Leader / Supervisor of Employees is needed to oversee the project directly. This Team Leader will be chosen by the Regional Vice President. Updated monthly statistics through the month of June, 2014 will determine the best candidate for assignment to this project. In the interest of team integrity, the five Licensed Agents assigned to this Team Leader will be selected to serve as the Working Group of the project and will be pulled from regular floor duties for the duration of the project. This group will be responsible for providing performance and safety measures, system input requirements, and accuracy testing through periodic live reviews of the system. A five person Software and Systems Development Team (SSDT) of Information Technology Office Agents (ITOA) will be responsible for the creation of the  new Internet-based system. Taking inputs from the Working Group members, a system will be written and distributed to all GEICO Regional Offices upon completion of testing and final approval. In addition to the trained professionals assigned to this project, a small sampling of ten customers (Product Testers) from the Tucson area will be participating in the testing and improvement phase of the project to ensure simplicity and accuracy of use for the new system. These testers will receive no formal training on the new system. The only outside input provided will be a data entry sheet containing information for the customer to input / edit on training accounts to test the user-friendliness of the final interface before full distribution. These product testers will also be given satisfaction questionnaires throughout the duration of the testing period from October 1 – October 15. The Product Testers will work from 8AM – 5 PM, with a one-hour lunch break, Monday – Friday. The Product Testers will be paid $600 (before taxation) at the end of the two week testing period. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS The Project Manager will report bi-weekly to the Approving Authority directly with performance updates and any changes to the project Scope. Updates to project objective statuses will be included. These objectives are: Develop a user-friendly policy management system. Test the new system. Identify bugs, inefficiencies, and needed control measures to be built into the new system. Implement needed changes and control measures. Develop a training model using a closed operating system with identical functionality as the production system. Train all employees to use the new system. Put the new system into operation across the GEICO organization. Release the self-service version to policyholders through GEICO’s website at GEICO.com Market the new process to current and prospective policyholders throughout the country. RECORD KEEPING Upon completion of the project, a final report (summary of all tasks), changes, and improvements to the original scope of the project is compiled and turned in to the Approving Authority and kept on file for three years in accordance with State Insurance Regulations. All documents and records kept throughout the creation and testing process will be collected, scanned for sensitive information, and all non-essential pieces will be destroyed. Essential project â€Å"keeper† documents containing sensitive information and company procedures will be edited and stored with the final summary document for three years. EVALUATION CRITERIA Upon completion of the project, a final report (summary of all tasks), changes, and improvements to the original scope of the project is compiled and turned in to the Approving Authority and kept on file for three years in accordance with State Insurance Regulations. All documents and records kept throughout the creation and testing process will be collected, scanned for sensitive information, and all non-essential pieces will be destroyed. Essential project â€Å"keeper† documents containing sensitive information and company procedures will be edited and stored with the final summary document for three years. CONCLUSION Through effective use of the Proposal and the Project Planning Processes, change can be implemented across any size organization effectively and efficiently. Accurate identification of the purpose and possible problems when writing a Project Proposal will increase the chances of efficient and effective change.

By Reference to three poems in the ‘Tracks’ anthology Essay

In the poems ‘Not My Best Side’, ‘Reports’, and ‘You Will Be Hearing From Us Shortly’, U.A Fanthorpe explores the theme of authority through the often satirical analysis of her observations and experiences within society. Fanthorpe uses her poetry as a way of expressing her feelings and opinions, and we can learn a great deal about her attitudes towards authority by reading and analysing the three poems chosen. Each poem shows a different aspect of the way authority affects people, and it becomes clear when reading the poems Fanthorpe’s belief in the ability of power and authority to corrupt people who possess it, and suppress people under it. In the first poem, â€Å"Not My Best Side’, Fanthorpe uses parody to look at the way people are stereotyped by authority according to their gender or status, and challenges their conventional representation within society. She succeeds in doing so by taking three separate characters (each represented by a different stanza), and giving them very different personalities and characteristics to what typical society would expect, and, indeed, what authority has forced upon them. Fanthorpe used Uccello’s painting of St George and the Dragon as a source of inspiration: â€Å"I thought it might be interesting to find voices for characters conventionally seen as good, bad or helpless.† Fanthorpe chose this painting because it portrays mythological characterisations very clearly, and Fanthorpe wished to challenge these typical ‘fairytale’ stereotypes. Fanthorpe has attempted to emphasise a point that authority does not allow enough individuality and simply expects people to conform to pre-conceived opinions of how someone should behave, based on their gender or the position society has placed them in. The poem begins with the conventionally ‘bad’ character, the Dragon, speaking. In this part of the poem Fanthorpe attempts to show the dragon as an articulate and understanding character, as opposed to the fierce and evil character that he is traditionally expected to be. The dragon appears to be upset about the way he is shown in Uccello’s painting, as he believes that he has been portrayed in such a way as to make him seem weak and easily conquered. â€Å"Why, I said to myself, should my conqueror Be so ostentatiously beardless?† The dragon feels that he has been made to look inferior to the very young-looking St George by Uccello, in order for the painting to portray the traditional idea that ‘good’ (St George) always triumphs over ‘evil’ (the dragon). However, in this poem, the dragon appears to be a considerate, caring character, and in no way ‘evil’. He seems to have accepted the fact that he has (unfairly) been stereotyped as ‘bad’, but is upset that in addition to being shown by Uccello as evil, he has also been shown to be defenceless. â€Å"I don’t mind dying Ritually, since I always rise again, But I would have liked a little more blood, To show they were taking me seriously.† The dragon is of the opinion that he has been unfairly represented in this painting, as his character has been stifled in all aspects of his character. He wasn’t even shown to have a dramatic death, and there was little to blood to signify the defeat of such a (supposedly) malicious character. Although upset, the dragon realises that he has no opinion in the way he is portrayed in the painting, or in fact the whole of society, and therefore concedes to the pressure that has been placed on him to be the conventionally bad character. â€Å"Poor chap, he has this obsession with Triangles, so he left off two of my Feet. I didn’t comment at the time, (What, after all, are two feet to a Monster?)† Despite the fact that Uccello left off two of his feet was because the art at the time of the painting was experimenting with drawing in 3D, and the dragon’s feet were left off by accident, Fanthorpe cleverly uses the mistake to make a very valid point that however the character (the dragon in this case) is in actuality, the characterisations that are placed on them by authority are still always prioritised when people are judging the person, causing their individuality to be lost. The next character Fanthorpe chooses to explore is that of the stereotypically ‘helpless’ character, the maiden. In Uccello’s painting, she is depicted as a pale-faced, frail, ‘damsel in distress’. However, in Fanthorpe’s poem, these perceptions are totally contradicted. The maiden appears to be a very independent, pro-active, calculating individual. The maiden begins her monologue by stating that she does not actually want to be rescued, breaking the stereotype immediately. At the time that Uccello painted this image, women were highly pressured within society to marry the person they were made to marry. However, in this poem, the maiden seems to prefer the dragon to St George. â€Å"It’s hard for a girl to be sure if She wants to be rescued. I mean I quite Took to the dragon.† The fact that the maiden would have the audacity to make a statement like this would be shocking, as women in medieval society were expected to conform to the instructions they were given. Fanthorpe also uses sexual innuendo as a way of showing that the maiden is not as innocent as she appears. â€Å"He made me feel he was all ready to Eat me. And any girl enjoys that.† By using this, Fanthorpe makes a statement that the apparently virgin maiden is not actually as innocent as Uccello makes her appear to be, and that women have as much right to sexual freedom and free thought as men do, and are not as naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve or helpless as authority would like to make them. The final part that Fanthorpe chooses to make in this stanza is that the maiden is very independent and focused on her future. Although the thought of being rescued by the young St George is not a desirable one, she still agrees to him rescuing her, as she knows that the long term prospects of going with St George outweighed the ones of staying with the dragon. â€Å"The dragon got himself beaten by the boy, And a girl’s got to think of her future.† By showing the pro-active attitude of the maiden, Fanthorpe accentuates the fact that women can be as manipulative and as independent as men, and that they are not simply ‘trophies’ for men, but intelligent, business minded people. Although she prefers the dragon, she concedes to being rescued by St George, not because she want to be with him, but because she feels it would enable her to achieve this she could not with the dragon. Despite conventionally bein portrayed as a brilliant individual, and the patron saint of England, in the final stanza of this poem, St George appears far from a saintly figure. Fanthorpe has chosen to make St George arrogant and inconsiderate. In doing this, Fanthorpe reveals her own critical voice, and emerges as a highly feminist character. St George appears, from the start of his monologue, as very puerile and boastful. â€Å"My horse is the latest model with Automatic transmission and built in Obsolescence.† St George makes a big deal of showing off his state of the art gadgets, showing how important he is. I feel Fanthorpe has included this because she wanted to emphasise the fact that men often adopt an egotistical attitude over women, and flaunt their superiority by the amount of materialistic possessions they have. As we continue to read the stanza, St George’s attitude changes from that of exhibition to one of arrogance and selfishness. He believes that his ‘inferiors’ should conform to the roles that they have been given to them in society. â€Å"Don’t you want to be killed and/or rescued In the most contempory way? Don’t You want to carry out the roles That sociology and myth have designed for you?† By including this, Fanthorpe has succeeded in proclaiming the fact that men are seen as the absolute authority when it comes to judging how a person should act or behave within society, and men have gradually inherited the attitude of superiority over women, which will take a long time to rectify. The poem ends with an emphatic statement of Fanthorpe’s perception of male attitudes towards women. St George’s real, self-centered personality is revealed when he ends his monologue with these words. â€Å"What, in any case, does it matter what You want? You’re in my way.† Fanthorpe’s opinion of men in societal authority is truly revealed in these final lines. St George is only interested in his image, and he gives no consideration for the other characters in the poem (the maiden and the dragon), and he simply wants to increase his reputation. This point can be related to wider society, where men will not listen to the opinions of women, and do not consider their ideas, as they are not seen as worthy of a voice. Quintessentially, ‘Not My Best Side’ is a poem that has been written in order to make the point that societal authority’s expectations do not allow individuality, as people are placed under so much pressure to comply to the particular parameters forced upon them, involuntarily, by factors out of anyone’s control, such as gender. Similarly to ‘Not My Best Side’, the poem ‘You Will Be Hearing From Us Shortly’ explores the theme of authority. However, in this instance, U.A Fanthorpe chooses to ridicule the process of attending a job interview. She uses this setting to challenge the authority of the interview panel to make judgements about people’s lives based on prejudices or pre-conceived ideas. The title of the poem, ‘You Will Be Hearing From Us Shortly’ immediately indicates that the applicant failed to get the job because the phrase is clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½d as a polite let down at the end of an interview. In my opinion, this phrase may also have been placed as the title of the poem because Fanthorpe is attempting to show the reader that the candidate was not going to be successful in getting the job, no matter how successful the interview went. The poem is an ongoing monologue, with new stanzas beginning after the response of the applicant. From the beginning of the poem, it become clear that the interview panel possess a range of prejudices towards the candidate. These appear to have already influenced the panel enough for them to decide that the applicant is not suitable for the job, and it seems as though the interview is being carried out simply as a formality, which must be endured by the applicant. It is evident that the candidate’s answers are seen as insignificant by the interviewing panel from the very beginning, as their response to the panel’s questions are not included. I believe Fanthorpe has done this to show that the candidate is voiceless when in an interview, and to display the pointlessness of interviews, when the outcome has been decided before the interview even takes place. The only way we have of knowing the answer to the interviewer’s questions are by making an educated guess from the response of the panel, which, in most cases, is a single, unenthusiastic phrase such as â€Å"Ah† or â€Å"indeed† It is clear that the interviewers have no interest in the person’s justifications for why they are suitable for the job; they simply make impertinent comments on the information displayed on their application form. â€Å"Let us consider your application form† This quote from the poem shows the disinterest in the actual person, and more interest on their class, gender, and other factors displayed on their application form. The panel spend little time discussing the candidate’s â€Å"impressive† qualifications, and almost immediately moves on to focus on the negative aspect of them, and their possible use within the job for which the applicant is applying. The candidate is asked to justify the use of their qualifications very early in the interview. â€Å"Would you care to defend their [the applicant’s qualifications] relevance?† This would succeed in belittling the applicant, particularly when the interviewer’s response to their well though out answer is a sceptical â€Å"indeed† After the polite, (if inhospitable) beginning to the job interview, the meeting soon descends into a personal battering of the applicant’s self esteem by the authoritative figure of the interviewer. The first matter the interviewing panel broaches is the age of the applicant. â€Å"Perhaps you feel able to make a comment about that, Too? We are conscious ourselves Of the need for a candidate with precisely The right degree of immaturity† These comments, although ‘sugar-coated’ by the authoritative figure, succeed in alienating the candidate, and forcing them into assent. We can tell that the interviewee has been pressured into agreeing with the panel from the interviewer’s response after the applicant’s unheard comments. â€Å"So glad we agree† This indicates that the interviewing panel has repressed the candidate so much that they have simply begun to agree with the rhetoric statements made by the interviewer. Fanthorpe has included this to show that in wider society, authority influences people to conform to its rules and ideas, and does not allow free though or speech. Also, Fanthorpe has arisen the point that authoritative figures abuse the power they have been given, and this leads to corrupting the individual in possession of the power. In the next stanza, the interviewer reveals another prejudice; that of the looks of the applicant. The panel is very rude during this stanza: â€Å"You do appreciate this work involves Contact with the actual public? Might they, Perhaps, find your appearance Disturbing?† This reveals the blunt, inconsiderate nature of the interviewing panel, and, in Fanthorpe’s opinion, the whole of society. The interviewing panel has succeeded in making the candidate feel small, simply because of the way they are, and I believe that Fanthorpe is trying to illustrate a point that sexism, racism, ageism and other prejudices succeed constantly in repressing often valuable members of society into conforming to authority’s ideals. In the next stanza, the interview panel seem to fire a barrage of questions at he applicant about their background, particularly their accent. Fanthorpe uses the clever technique of making one of the interviewers ‘accidentally’ use the wrong phrase, to deliver a highly offensive insult. â€Å"Were you educated? We mean, of course, Where were you educated?† This is a comical way of accentuating the prejudice the interview shows when choosing a suitable candidate to take the job. The accent an applicant has obviously influences the choice a lot, although in actuality, the accent of a person has no effect on their intelligence. The panel were evidently considering the reactions of people using their company, who may think that they employ people of a lower intellect, which would make the company look sub-standard. This shows the way that people within society automatically judge others on the way they speak, as the panel simply assumed the candidate had little education because of their accent. In the final stanza, the interview descends yet further into a sequence of offensive statements. The rhetoric questions have ceased, and the true nature of an interview, in Fanthorpe’s eyes, is revealed; a pointless meeting aimed purely at belittling the applicant, and enforcing authority’s stance on society. In this stanza, it becomes implicit that the candidate is female, as the interview panel focus strongly upon family background. â€Å"Married, children, We see. The usual dubious Desire to perpetuate what had better Not have happened at all.† The fact that the candidate was asked about her family would tend to indicate that the applicant is female, as the panel would then begin to worry about the children, and whether they would need looking after. This may be a problem for the company. The panel are also rude to the applicant in this part of the poem, as they insinuate that they cannot understand why the applicant would even consider having children, when, in fact, it would be better for the world if the candidate had never been born. The poem ends emphatically, with the satirical statement â€Å"And you were born-? Yes. Pity.† This is a witty use of word play by Fanthorpe. The interviewer is actually asking when the applicant was born, but in the absence of any dialogue, it seems as though the interviewer is saying that it is a pity that the candidate was born. With this final stanza, particularly the final line, I feel Fanthorpe is attempting to make a point that authoritative figures are of the opinion that anybody who does not fall within their ideals should not even exist. In conclusion, the poem ‘You Will Be Hearing From Us Shortly’ is a poem aimed at bringing into relief the discrimination that has been ingrained into society. Fanthorpe is attempting to make a point that certain people, particularly women, are considered as useless, and are seen as undeserving of a voice within society by authoritative figures. She successfully proves that people of authority exploit the power they have over the masses, by belittling them, and repressing them to such an extent that they are forced to conform. Authority makes judgement on people not by the way they are individually, but base their judgements on factors that are not, in actual fact, of any relevance. In the poem ‘Reports’, Fanthorpe offers yet another aspect to the role of authority and the way authoritative figures exploit people within society. In this instance, the poem is a simulated conversation between an older, more experienced teacher, and a newer teacher, focusing on the ‘correct’ way to write a school report. Fanthorpe has deliberately written the report very cynically, in an attempt to portray authoritative figures as cold and impersonal. In the final stanza, the poem adopts a tone of irony, when Fanthorpe compares the reports we receive at school to the way we live our lives. Being a former teacher herself, Fanthorpe would have known the perils of report writing, and likewise would have known the attitudes that some teachers take towards who they see as their inferiors, the pupils. Fanthorpe’s reason for leaving the teaching profession was that â€Å"I saw that the power was having a negative effect on me.† This shows Fanthorpe’s negative opinions on the authority that teachers have, and the way some of them abuse it. The poem contains several short stanzas, using short, snappy phrases, which all make a separate point. In the first of these, there is a fundamental warning to teachers about the language they should use. The teacher writing the report is advised to use dull phrases so that the report does not generate any unwanted interest or complications from parents. â€Å"Don’t give them anything To take hold of. Even Pronouns are dangerous.† The teacher is being warned not to use pronouns because the teacher may mistake the gender of the pupil, therefore exposing the teacher’s lack of knowledge of individual pupils; essentially, the report could be given to any student. The next stanza focuses on the impersonal nature of the reports once again, when Fanthorpe implies that the good pupils are not necessarily known from the bad. â€Å"The good have no history†¦ Satisfactory should satisfy them.† This stanza is included, I feel, to illustrate the fact that the good students are often ignored while the teacher is attempting to control the more disobedient pupils. This would mean that the teacher would have very little knowledge of the pupil, and therefore would not know, in actual fact, whether the pupil was good or not. The teacher is advised, instead of using ‘good’, to use a more universal phrase; ‘satisfactory’. By using ‘safe’ phrases such as this, teachers guard themselves from provoking high expectations from parents and higher authorities. Stanza 3 makes another point about the way reports are depersonalised by the teachers. The teacher writing the report is advised to use terms that can relate to any pupil: â€Å"Fair and quite good, Multi-purpose terms, By meaning nothing, Apply to all.† This shows the way teachers make reports appear personal, but are actually simply using universal terms that could relate to a range of students. The reason the teacher has chosen to do this is to prevent any unwanted backlash from parents. In the first three stanzas, I feel that Fanthorpe is proclaiming that the authoritative figure does not see the people placed under their authority as individuals, but as a large group. This emphasises the fact that authority causes the identity and individuality of a person to be lost. The teachers in this poem are also aware of the need to make themselves look as though they are not to blame for the pupil’s problems at school. â€Å"Unmanageable oaf cuts both ways. Finds the subject difficult, Acquitting you, Converts oaf into idiot, usher to master.† Such phrases as ‘Unmanageable oaf’ reflect badly on the teacher, and suggests that the teacher may not be able to cope. To avoid this, the teachers use clever euphemisms to make it seem as though it is the pupil failing, and not the teacher. This illustrates the exploitation of the teacher’s authority over their pupils. The next stanza warns that people will try to read into the reports, so they must remain as simple as possible, to avoid any complications. â€Å"Set them no riddles, just Echo the common-room clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½: Must make more effort.† The teachers are acutely aware of the need to keep the reports similar, as this will avoid confusion. Using common phrases such as ‘Must make more effort’ means that the parent, head and child accept the report, and they will not feel compelled to question the report further. Although the poem is based around teacher’s relationships with pupils, in the final stanza, Fanthorpe uses school as a metaphor for life. â€Å"Remember your high calling: School is the world.† Fanthorpe uses irony to indicate that the way we live our lives is similar to our school reports. â€Å"Born at Sound beginning We move from satisfactory To fair, then Find The subject difficult, Learning at last we Could have done better.† In this final part of the stanza, I feel that Fanthorpe is attempting to make a statement that during life, you endeavour to be the best you can be, but ultimately realise that the decisions you have made may not have been the right ones. Moreover, she may be trying to make the point that one is pushed into inconspicuousness by authority, which causes one to feel disappointed, and insignificant. In the poem, we have no way of knowing whether Fanthorpe is referring to herself, or people in general, but the slightly bitter tone in the final three lines, and, indeed, the final stanza, is evident. â€Å"Stone only, final instructor, Modulates from the indicative With rest in peace.† By this, Fanthorpe means that the only time that we avoid the ‘report’ system of life is when we die, and our epitaph is inscribed onto our grave. To conclude, the poem ‘Reports’ is illustrating the way that teachers depersonalise pupils, in order to prevent problems for them. The pupils are seen as one whole state, and the fact that the education system does not allow individuality leads to a sense of disappointment later on in life. This shows that individuals are repressed by society, and do not feel able to follow their own paths, as they are constantly being grouped with others. Quintessentially, the poems ‘Not My Best Side’, ‘You Will Be Hearing From Us Shortly’, and ‘Reports’ all emphasise that UA Fanthorpe believes that power corrupts, and that people of authority usually use it to their advantage, to belittle others or to make them feel sub-standard. It is also clear that Fanthorpe believes that authority within society leads to depersonalisation of a character, and the stifling of individuals into conformity.

Alexander Technique

The famous Athenian comic playwright Menander (342-291 B. C. ) once said â€Å"health and intellect are the two blessings of life. † This was the standpoint of his almost realistic depiction of a situational character as a stand-up comedian wherein mind and body were overjoyed upon Menander’s satires. Probably the best aspect of Menander’s hilarity was his insightful mental and physical gestures that captivated the spontaneity which he conveyed to the audience.The conveyance of mental and physical gestures have indeed become the therapeutic norm of the Australian actor and Shakespearean orator Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869-1955) who then discovered a technique of effective vocalization through mental and physical easement and control known as the ‘Alexander Technique’. In this regard, this paper will discuss several studies on the Alexander Technique which has been known and adopted by most stage and movie performers and has been publicly recomm ended to be used as therapy. What is Alexander Technique?According to the electronic journal, ‘The Complete Guide to Alexander Technique’, the Alexander Technique (AT) was developed in the early 1900’s by Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869-1955) to release his chronic laryngitis tension for best vocal performance which he later developed as a complete mental and physical therapy. Based on the personal experience of renowned health columnist of the New York Times Jane Brody, the Alexander technique is a method of adjusting body postures to relieve her damaging stresses, like relieving her neck tension, occasional pain, and even crippling spasms (Brody, 1990).Moreover, according to Anne Rickover’s Life Bridge Coaching, the Alexander Technique can be helpful to everyone, especially those who are engaged in the delicate harmonization of the mind and body [like actors, dancers and musicians], as well as to injured musicians. Today, the mastery of this technique is required in various arts and music schools across Europe, America and Australasia. (Rickover, R. , 2007). Rationale of method According to Nicholas Brockbank, a teacher of the Alexander Technique, the functions of mind (mental) and body (physical) are the primary coordinates in using the Alexander Technique.Thus, the coordinative functions are the basic method of application or usage. The discovery of functional coordinates [as a method] was regarded by Frederick Matthias Alexander when he felt his voice or vocalization was â€Å"vacillating† (Brockbank, 2007). In front of a mirror, Alexander observed the inconsistency of his voice to his mind setting. Moreover, the mind and the body were â€Å"indivisible† human faculties from which the way people think the way they acted was the primary cause of their physical ills (Brockbank, 2007).Brockbank concluded that the method of coordinating mind and body are elements of â€Å"physical habits† that Alexander Techn ique adopts the method of functional coordinates (Brockbank, 2007). Application of method Upon Frederick Matthias Alexander’s discovery and adoption of the method, he was inspired and encouraged to share it with performing artist, most especially with the musicians and the vocalists, which he thought were stressed during the rehearsals with the added anxiety (stage fright) in front of the audience.To cite, the mental and physical movement must be applied with proper coordination and function [as the presence of mind and body] that eventually meets and sets aside the complex of stress that may result to Repetitive Strain Injury (which becomes a medical term known as RSI), which is a common injury of singers, musician, and dancers (Brockbank, 2007).The Alexander Technique has developed as an effective and applicable method in coordinating the mental and physical functions and are used by most of the performing artists like Paul McCartney, Yehudi Menuhin, Sting, Julian Bream, Ja mes Galway, and the conductor, Sir Adrian Boul (Brockbank, 2007). It has also been integrated into the curriculums of various schools such as the Juilliard School of Performing Arts in New York, The Royal College of Music in London, the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, and other schools of music, universities and colleges around the world (Brockbank, 2007).Findings, descriptive procedures, and relevance The descriptive procedures in applying the method of Alexander Technique are found to be similar to the method of â€Å"Ergonomics†. Several â€Å"naturalists† [or those using the natural cure and therapy] believe that what Frederick Matthias Alexander discovered was a â€Å"self-taught† procedure which he incidentally applied and thought as his own method. In which case, the naturalists acknowledges Alexander’s discovery as an applied natural science.Meaning, Alexander theorized and practiced the application of Ergonomics method in which several me thods of natural cure were only limited to countries like Asia, Africa, the Middle East and other parts of European countries. Moreover, according to Mark Hyman’s journal, Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, the natural cure through therapy has long been practiced by the Egyptians, Africans, Chinese, and the Malays. Among of the indigenous and famous natural cures are Acupuncture, Acupressure or the Thai massage, aromatherapy, Reiki, and what is commonly known today as methods of â€Å"Reflexology† or Physical therapy (Hyman, 2008).According to Holly A. Sweeney, a certified Ergonomist, the only method that is being recognized in Alexander Technique is that the functional use of mind and body coordinates without external physical manipulation. In addition, the power of thinking (mind) has some degrees or level of dictation to what the physical (body) self shall do or to do (Sweeney, 2007). Based on Sweeney’s findings, the term â€Å"ergonomics† i s derived from the two Greek words â€Å"ERG† (meaning to work) and â€Å"NOMOI† (meaning natural laws).The study of Ergonomics focuses on human capability towards work, in which the connection or link to work shall meet the â€Å"demand† or performance of human capability that has the following fundamentals: (1) All work activities should allow the worker take on equally healthy and safe postures, (2) Muscular force has to be exerted it should be done by the largest appropriate muscle groups available, and (3) Work activities should be carried out with the joints at about mid-point of their range of movement which applies specifically to the head, trunk, and upper limbs. (Cortlett, 1983; in Sweeney, 2007).It may be deduced from the findings of Sweeney that Ergonomics is very much interrelated technique to Alexander’s, considering the fact that Ergonomics also covers all â€Å"stress-out† methods, which is also known as stretching at the sudden spa sm of body joints and muscles while at work. However, the recognition of Alexander Technique [although parallel to Ergonomics] has been carried out by the unique method of â€Å"exercising out† the stress from the vocal chords of the singer and larynx of musicians [using pipe instruments] through coordination of â€Å"psycho-physical† functions (Sweeney, 2007).In addition, the functional â€Å"psycho-physical† coordination invokes the prowess of the performer with a sudden â€Å"gush† of esteem and self-confidence that conveys the good physical posture and perfect vocalization (Sweeney, 2007). Conclusion Natural cure is indigenous and partly an evolutionary medicine that complements the continuous development of medical sciences. Indeed, what has been quoted by Menander (342-291 B. C.), that â€Å"health and intellect are the two blessings of life†, has been proven by the theory and practice of Frederick Matthias Alexander. The Alexander Technique is a natural therapy that must impart furtherance of developmental studies as a restorative healing method that adheres to preventive medicine. The medicinal value indicates the benefits, usefulness, and cost efficiency. However, the practice of the Alexander Technique may only be limited and relevant to occupational work of renowned expertise.The practice of Alexander Technique could be more beneficial, appropriate, and therapeutic when valued at the large-scale advocacy of treatment. Over the years, the accompanying development of medical science has brought in trial and error of scientific exploits. The medical malpractice in diagnostic and hospitalized treatment still occurs around the world, although the incidents are few and not alarming. The paranoia may not only be a post-surgical trauma but a social stigma. Practically, no one wants to be hospitalized.This mainly due to the large costs of hospitalization, scarcity to healthcare benefits or medical welfare (specifically in p oor countries), the surging prices of medicines, and the anxiety to medical treatment or â€Å"medical phobia†. It can be then deduced that various forms of natural healing, like Alexander Technique, could be rationalized into a broader social perspective as a preventive alternative medicine rather than always resorting to hospital cure. References Brody, J. (1990). ‘Personal Health’. New York Times electronic magazine.Retrieved 10 May 2008 from http://query. nytimes. com/gst/fullpage. html? res=9C0CE0DB1031F932A15755C0A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all. Brockbank, N. (2007). ‘What did Alexander Discover – And why is it Important? ’ . Retrieved 10 May 2008 from http://www. alexandertechnique. com/articles2/brockbank/. Hyman, M. A. (2008). ‘Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine’. InnoVision Issue Vol. 14, No. 3. Retrieved 10 May 2008 from http://www. alternative-therapies-digital. com/alternative-therapies/20070506/?sub_id =DLuKONBMDWMwD. Rickover, R. (2007). ‘Life Bridge Coaching’. Retrieved 10 May 2008 from http://www. lifebridgecoach. com/lbcmain. htm. Sweeney, H. A. (2007). ‘Applying Ergonomic principles in the Workplace: How the Alexander Technique can help’. Retrieved 10 May 2008 from http://www. alexandertechnique. com/ergonomics. htm. The Complete Guide to Alexander Technique (2008). Electronic Journal of the Institute of Alexander Technique in Nebraska and Toronto. Retrieved 10 May 2008 from http://www. alexandertechnique. com/.

Information system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Information system - Essay Example ut to be a hassle for the passengers and were internationally a shame as several flights got cancelled and many international passengers faced troubles due to the mismanaged system. The infrastructure of the terminal had turned out to be very good but in regard to serving the passengers a convenient and comfortable experience, the terminal greatly failed. Some of the major problems with the terminal operations were with the baggage, the security system, the car parking, and the enormous building that had no maps or help-lines. The BAA did not also have the information system in place as it was unreachable by the staff members. Some workers also said that they could not log into the computer system and those who could log into it, did not know how to operate it properly. The information system was installed and for the baggage handling duties to be allocated amongst the staff members, there was a Resource Management System. Thus, the workers did not know their duties when they reached their work areas which affected the baggage handling, and thus delayed flights. The information system was not effective as staff members and workers weren’t able to use it efficiently. Moreover, the security system and the handling of the enormous place were also not managed creating troubles for the passengers. An effective information system could have helped the terminal 5 to avoid the disaster as it would have enabled better management, better security systems, and a better baggage handling system which had been the major cause for the delay and cancellation of flights as well as the difficulties to the passengers. The baggage system had failed which is why most of the problems occurred. A good baggage system would have been efficient in helping the handling of the baggage and it would not have clogged the system. Moreover, the car parking spaces had become an issue as there was no navigation for the huge space so staff members were unable to find parking spaces for a long

Newspaper register comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Newspaper register comparison - Essay Example Since the author was describing about her father's recovery she used the function words more often. More number of function words was used in the first article compare to the second article. Function words were described in the 2nd page of class #2: Words and Word Classes. Verbs, nouns, pronouns, were used in high percentage by the author in order to describe the fatality and recovery of her father from an accident. The above three differences discussed shows the importance of the usage of grammar in day-to-day life. Words like thinking, excited, etc., usage of articles, function words, objective predicative, lexical words, etc., gives meaning to the descriptive methodologies. They provide different dimensions to express one's thoughts in phrases. References Petrina Gentile Zucco. (2006) Luxury fit for my father. The Globe And Mail, August 3. Scott Roberts. (2006) Heavy Net users light socializers, Statescan reports: Those who spend more than an hour a day on web are less available for their families. Statescan study, August 3, A5. Biber D, Conrad S and Leech G. (2002) Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English. Essex: Pearson Education Limited.

How important are the opinions of experts in the search for knowledge Essay - 1

How important are the opinions of experts in the search for knowledge - Essay Example When we know a subject ourselves, things are less complicated. For example, when a child learns counting, she can count the fingers in her hand. Generally, a human child has five fingers in each hand. Exceptions apart, the child counts her fingers in each hand and obtains the knowledge herself that she has got ten fingers in her two hands. Similarly, when the child looks at the sky, she finds the birds flying and learns that birds fly. However, this perception may not be very much true. The reason is that all birds do not fly. Now the child needs a source of information which will tell her that all birds do not fly (For instance, Kiwis don’t fly). Hence the child needs to know that where can she find complete information and true knowledge, and that’s why she needs to be sent to a school. In the school, the teacher of Life Science would tell her that generally birds fly, but all birds do not fly. Else, she can gather this information by reading books, watching education al television channels, etc. Either we can discover things ourselves, or we need a guide to help us comprehend the world around. This guide can be a book or a journal, or an expert. An expert in a field is a valuable source of information concerning that field. When I was in the primary school, I had an interesting incident in my life. One day in science class, Mr. Williams, our science teacher, told us that the plants cannot survive without light. Plants need light energy to manufacture their food. I raised my hand and argued that watering the plants was enough for their survival. The plants in the garden needed only water to grow, and nothing else. Mr. Williams was patient and he asked the other children that whether they agreed with me or not. Some of my classmates were confused. Mr. Williams understood that mere theoretical knowledge was not enough. Immediately, he brought a plant in a pot from the garden, wrapped it in a black wrapper, and kept it in a corner of the

Research Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 5

Research Proposal - Essay Example But burnout and stress is a common phenomenon that operates globally irrespective of the locality and country. Hence, the current research intends to observe the factors that are causing the workplace stress in UK amidst of the hanging scenario of globalization activities. Whether, the working culture of UK for long hours still dominates the work motivation of the employees or not is the key area of observation. Outcomes of the stress and the risk levels of stress is proposed to be analyzed parallel. Stress management aspects like stress reduction techniques, stress control policies, employee workplace facilities etc., will be closely observed. And the conceptual frame work of UK to manage the stress at workplace will be closely observed to evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented guidelines and the current status of the stress management in workplaces. The study is proposed to use quantitative research methodology to prove the hypothesis as it facilitates the researcher to collect the primary data from a big population of employees on the factors of stress at work. And the qualitative research method is proposed to observe the UK framework to address the stress at work and impact or effect of the local organization with those guidelines. The literature review is proposed to observe different illustrations and opinions of experts on industry facts. Qualitative method is proposed to collect the secondary data to evaluate the preliminary facts of the employment details and policies. Qualitative research methods can be described as naturalistic, anthropological, and ethnographic and can be used through interpretivism paradigm in the current research. As per definition of Byrne’s definition (cited in Rob O Neil), qualitative research is about ‘inquiries of knowledge that are outside the framework prescribed by the scientific method, as well as assumptions of inferential statistics’, the

Letter to investor + MACROECONOMIC OUTLOOK (by region) Essay

Letter to investor + MACROECONOMIC OUTLOOK (by region) - Essay Example As compass helps a sailor in sailing to the right direction, our portfolio also helps the invested funds to move towards appropriate path of earning higher returns. Thus we expect that our portfolio is going to excel the benchmark and will beat the benchmark in near future. Our aim is to hit the MSCI benchmark that is our benchmark. We follow the strategy of efficiently allocating invested funds by investing largely in large or medium cap business enterprises. Our key strategy is to direct the funds towards value stocks as the time period of this portfolio is very short, only one year. This short time horizon does not allow us to put our prime focus on growth stocks. However, it does not mean that we never invested in growth stocks. In fact, we have invested in the growth stocks of Information Technology industry as it shows the best opportunity. We attempt to invest in defensive stocks to avoid cyclical economic fluctuations. It will take some time for the global economy to recover fully from the shock of the recent recession. Defensive stocks are able to generate higher returns than others during troubled times. In terms of geographic segmentation of invested funds, we efficiently divided our funds between the USA, Europe and the rest of the world. Since the USA is the largest economy of the world and it is recovering at a very fast pace, majority of funds is invested in the USA. The second largest part of the funds goes to European nations as they are performing better than the other countries of the world after the USA. The rest of the world gets the remaining funds. Again, thank you for investing with us. Sincerely Xxxxx MACROECONOMIC OUTLOOK United States The Unites States is the economic superpower of the world. But the recent economic recession was originated in this country. U.S.A has always been a dominant economic power in the world and it accounts for approximately 21 percent of the world economy. U.S. economic recession was held responsible for the global economic downturn as U.S. economy always influences economies of other countries in a major way. The major factor that has caused this huge economic downturn in U.S.A. was a huge credit crisis. The credit crisis is held responsible for the closure of a number of investment banks across the world. This credit crisis actually originated from the U.S. home loan market. This credit crisis was triggered by busting of a housing market bubble in 2006. The prices of housing started to fall rapidly since 2006 and the market collapsed. The fall continued throughout 2007 and 2008. With the starting of the year of 2008, U.S. sub prime-mortgage market started to encounter several problems, which appeared to be difficult to deal with. These resulted in an application of huge correction in this market, which had great implications for making credits more costly across the world. With the implementation of this correction, a large number of banks of the America, European countries as well a s of Asia had been forced to write down billions of dollars in their holdings. More shocking thing was that a number of well-established and reputed banks like Lehman Brothers had to file for bankruptcy. The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers is considered to be the biggest ever case of bankruptcy in the history of U.S. Since 2008, more than 80 firms in U.S.A. only have filed for bankruptcy and a large number of firms have appealed to the government for financial

MacroF Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MacroF - Essay Example D – fractional reserve 20. A – 450 21. D – 1/R 22. C (E – 1/m) 23. D – increase GDP with low interest (inc money supply) 24. A – sell sec, reduce rates and inc reserve req 25. B– money supply 100 26. D – increase money supply to 100 27. C – 4 28. D 29. B – prime intt rate 30. D – decrease exports and appreciate $ 31. B - monetarism 32. C –Keynesian economics 33. A – rational expectation 34. C – Philips curve 35. C – Speed of adjustment 36. C –Laffer curve 37. B – below ob 38. D – done all 39. A – 3.6 trillion 40. B – Canada 41. D – all of the above 42. A – excise on imports 43. B – less resources and more needs 44. D – rent, wages, intt, profits 45. A – increase one at another’s expense 46. A – direct, inverse 47. C – price (price changes the demand curve not movement on same demand curve) 4 8. C – increase in demand 49. D – both statements are ok unless it is some sort of trick question! 50. D – high marginal cost of production 51. B – 1 and 200 52. B – 1.60 53. D – 0.50 54. D – corporate profits 55. B – functional 56. A – personal 57. D – top 1/5th get 8 times the lowest 1/5th 58. A – no claim on proprietor personal assets 59. C – GDP 60. B – PI 61. A – all final goods and services in a year 62. C – 25% 63. C – supply shock 64. B – 180 Bn 65. C – 40 at all levels 66. D - $2 for every +$3 in GDP 67. B – 3 Short Answers Question 1 The macroeconomic equation of exchange is the relationship between Money supply that is the total nominal amount of money in circulation (M), Velocity of money meaning the average frequency with which money is spent (V), Price level (P) and index of real expenditures (Q). It is expressed as M x V = P x Q From the equation of exchange, we see that money together with velocity is the source of funding for economic activities. Furthermore, it shows that for a given stock of money, an increase in velocity helps finance a greater value of transactions than money could have done by itself. Thus, the velocity of money describes the amount of economic activity with a given money supply. If all other things remain constant, changes in velocity of money can greatly affect the prices. A very high V at same M and Q would result in an increase in P (price level), that is inflation, and vice versa. If the velocity of money is stable, economists are able to predict the GDP levels and take action accordingly. Money supply can be effectively used to implement the economic policies with the desired result. If, however, V is unstable, it leads to fluctuations in price levels, and the economic policy changes in M can bring negative result. For example, if V decreases suddenly, inflation will also drop. In orde r to control this, the government might decide to increase the money supply. Now, if the V also increases after the increase in money supply, this would lead to sudden high inflation with combined effect of increased M and V. So, the stability of V is very important for governments to be able to decide and implement effective economic policies. Question 2 The structure of Federal reserve system is shown below in figure 1. Figure 1 Structure of Federal reserve system The components of the federal reserve system and their functions are described below: 1. Board of governors: they are appointed by the US president and confirmed by the US senate. The primary responsibility of the Board members is the formulation of monetary policy. The Board sets reserve requirements and shares

The Impact Of Global Climate Change On The U.S Market Essay Example for Free

The Impact Of Global Climate Change On The U.S Market Essay â€Å"In the history of science, no subject has been as meticulously reviewed and debated as global warming† (Weart, Spencer cited in Doughton, Sandi 2005). Yes, it is true that climate change, commonly referred to in literatures as Global Warming has grown from an environmental issue, to moral and ethical one. Today, with the debate over the issue is continuously being placed on headlines in broadcast and print media, climate change heats up to a serious political issue and then as an inevitable economic issue. Due to economic considerations, the United States, with President Bush refused to sign in the Kyoto Treaty which compels signatory countries to reduce carbon dioxide emission. For Bush, to sign in the treaty would mean compromising the United States economy due to the fact that the compliance requirements will be too expensive and that it would â€Å"hobble the economy† (Lynch, David 2006). Europe and Japan have already adopted the Kyoto Treaty in 1997. Despite Bush’ stand on the issue of global warming, economists and business analysts have positively pointed to the benefits of climate change to the world’s economy and indeed agreed that climate change has indeed provided a sound business opportunity for specific industries. Lynch, in the March 31, 2006 online issue of the USA Today, has cited several companies that recognized the business opportunity offered by the issue on global warming. Planktos is a small Silicon Valley company developed a business idea of selling its carbon-eating phytoplankton to countries in Europe which have plans of cutting down the carbon-dioxide emission. In 2005, the company had initially made a sale of $1.3 million to Solar Energy Ltd., based in Vancouver despite the fact that the product was still at the testing stage (Taylor, Chris, 2006). Another well-established company, the General Electric Company, has also recognized the huge business opportunity for signing up in the Kyoto Treaty. GE adopted a project called â€Å"Ecomagination Initiative† which focused on developing and producing environment-friendly technologies that it sees will make a sound market share for them. As early as 1988, DuPont started to stop making use of chlorofluorocarbons in their products and had reduced its carbon dioxide emission by 72% by the year 2003. What started as an effort to address our carbon footprint has turned out to be financially a very good thing (Fisher, Linda cited in Lynch, David 2006). One more thing that has improved in today’s view of climate change is that more and more private companies have recognized the truth of global warming and that there really is the need to take action at the most immediate time possible. Lynch reported that there are already forty companies who are joining business council organized by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, among them are IBM, Whirlpool, John Hancock and Boeing. These companies did not seem to make a significant appeal to the United States economy which currently has not so far started taking economic steps to encourage the business community to curtail or at least curb their carbon dioxide emissions. The United States government might have good reasons to do so. Setting aside examples taken by European companies, government and private U.S. sector made estimates that Kyoto Treaty would cost its economy about $125 billion to $400 billion out of its $13 trillion annual cost (The USA Today, March 31, 2007). On the issue of economic impact of climate change, the United States got an ally in the person of Sir Nicholas Stern, a former World Bank Economist. Stern estimates that at the worst case scenario, â€Å"Global warming could cut the worlds annual economic output by as much as 20%† or at least 1% of the annual economic output (BBC News, October 27, 2006).   Mercer Investment Consulting survey resulted to a 44% institutional investors agreeing that climate change is very important or somewhat important in economic terms, while 14% said it would take five years more before the issue becomes significant (The USA Today, March 31, 2007). Looking back at the issue, climate change has divided even the scientific community, the climatologists in particular, into believers and skeptics. Do the Kyoto signatories belong to the believers’ side and the United States on the skeptics’ side? What is the truth behind the issue of global warming? What is in it that made it so controversial even in the field of science? According to recent results of Time, ABC and Standard polls, the Americans 85% believe that global warming is true and is happening right now (Taylor, Chris 2006). However, in the science world, results of surveys relative to the issue generally implies that the scientific community recognizes that there the world’s climate is changing and is warming. Skepticism is however a normal part of the scientific community. â€Å"Skepticism plays an essential role in scientific research, and, far from trying to silence skeptics, science invites their contributions. So too, the global warming debate benefits from traditional scientific skepticism† (Hansen, James 1999). So when skeptics are persistent on denying the threat of global warming while others agreed, the scientific community expects it. . â€Å"Such challenges eventually strengthen our understanding of the subject, but it is a never-ending process, as answers raise more questions to be pursued in order to further refine our knowledge†, said Hansen. One well-known researcher at the University of California, Naomi Oreskes found that there is bias on the part of the skeptics especially on the issue of global warming. â€Å"Few skeptics publish in peer-reviewed journals, which check for accuracy and omissions† (Oreskes, Naomi cited in Doughton, Sandi 2005). Doughton also stressed that most skeptics get government funding for their researches which also affect the objectivity of their research results. Regardless of the presence of the skeptics, there are evidences that climate change is real and that the scientific community recognizes its occurrence and serious threat. Oreskes of the University of California found that out that 1,000 studies published between 1993 and 2003, randomly selected by Oreskes, all point to the same conclusion that people are warming the planet (Doughton, Sandi 2005). The skeptics offer alternative causes of climate change, such as natural forces that mitigate the effects of greenhouse gases, although Doughton stressed that they were not so far able to explain these well. The Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC), a body of reputation established by the United Nations in 1988, finally have released its official stand on the issue in 2001:   There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities (The Seattle Times, October 11, 2005).   The IPCC reviews scientific reports every five years by 2,000 scientists, by the governments of every member country and the United States is not exempted. In 2006, the United States National Center for Policy Analysis released its official statement relative to its position in the 1992 UN Global Warming Treaty held at Rio de Janeiro, which calls for the voluntary greenhouse gas emission reduction of member countries. NCPA made a cost analysis of the economic impact of the said treaty to the US economy and were summarized as follows (National Center for Policy Analysis, No. 213, September 6, 1996): Commitment to greenhouse gas emission reduction would consequently reduce US’ Gross Domestic Product y $200 billion annually. It is important to stress that the computation was based only on 10% greenhouse gas emission reduction rate based on 1990 records. The treaty would force the government to increase prices of gas by 60 cents per gallon in order to cover for the 10% reduction quota. The same also requires the government to double the price of heating oil (Burnett, Sterling 1996). The 1992 Rio commitment would cause half million Americans to lose their jobs in the next 14 years, according to the study conducted by DRI/McGraw Hill. In a separate study conducted by Constad Research Inc., 1992 Rio commitment would cause the United States to close 1.6 million job opportunities in nine years of its implementation. The above statements were made and released during the administration of Bill Clinton, who favors the Rio commitment. These could have been the same basis used by Bush who, unlike Clinton, opposed the updated version Kyoto Treaty. Even as UN member country, Bush has not yet signed into the treaty to cooperate with Japan and Europe on the effort of halting the effects of climate change. Let us consider that the technological changes in the United States economy would be expensive when it finally decided to make commitment to the Kyoto Treaty. Let us also assume that the cost analysis of the skeptics is accurate. But still, this writer believes that the cost of inaction would overturn the cost expensive cost of taking action for the US economy. This is based on the study prudently conducted by the University of Maryland, of which the results were summarized in Five Lessons as follows: Lesson 1: Economic Impacts Will Occur throughout the Country- All sectors of the economy will be negatively affected by climate change especially the agriculture, energy and transportation sectors.   The University of Maryland cited examples of forest fires which is blamed to global warming, cost California (Oakland, 1991) and the counties of San Diego and San Bernardino in 2003 over $2 billion damages. In 1997, floods in North Dakota and the Midwest in 1993 cost $1 billion and $6-8 billion in agricultural losses respectively (University of Maryland, p.3). Lesson 2: Economic Impacts Will Be Unevenly Distributed across Regions and Economic and Social Sectors – the study calculated that the maple sugar industry in the Northeast will suffer 15%-40% of revenue losses due to reduced sap flow. The dairy industry in California will suffer about $287-$982 million losses due to changes in temperature. Changes in temperature are also seen as one significant cause of the spread of pests and disease (University of Maryland, p.4). The adverse effects of the spread of spruce bark beetle which struck Alaska costs $332 million annual loss in its timber industry. Lesson 3: Negative Climate Impacts Will Outweigh Benefits for Most Economic Sectors – New York’s agricultural industry for example would be severely affected by the severe shortage of water supply especially in dry seasons wherein the Central Valley of the said state depends on their economic resources. Climate change would then expect to result in $6 billion losses. On the other hand, Texas will suffer losses up to $6.5 billion in 2030 and $10.13 billion in 2090 (University of Maryland, p.5). Lesson 4: Climate Change Will Place Immense Strain on Public Sector Budgets- due to the damages of frequent flooding and storms, the government would naturally be forced to allocate more funds for the rehabilitation of the damaged properties. Aside from this, the budget allocated for disasters or that part of the budget called calamity fund will necessarily increase as there will be more people to be rescued and relocated to safer areas. According to the calculation of the study, rise in sea levels by 20 inches in the year 2100 would require the federal government to allocate $23-$170 billion for damages in coastal properties. Increased global warming is also estimated by researchers to cost Washington State about 50% increase in fire-suppression in 2020 and over 100% increase by 2040 (p.6). Lesson 5: Secondary Effects Can Include Higher Prices, Reduced Income, Job Loss – damages in the agricultural sector would normally increase the prices of its products and therefore would be too heavy for consumers to carry. Reduced income in climate affected sectors, for example in the timber industry, in the aquaculture sector, in the amusement centers (beach resorts) would force investors and business owners to cut down on their expenses and so their employees too. More people will the lose their jobs as more and more economic sectors will be affected by the damages brought about by calamities attributable to global warming. Let us weigh things objectively. We have seen that both taking action and of non taking action would cost the United States economy significant amount of dollars. But we have seen the evidences that the cost of not taking action surpasses the costs should the US economy take action now. Technological changes to cope up with the Kyoto commitment quota are one-time investment efforts that will save millions, maybe billions of lives and trillions of properties and future revenues. The truth of the occurrence of global warming has already been well-established as well as the evidences of its adverse effects to different sectors of our society. If the US government is concerned about its economy for hesitating to sign in the Kyoto Treaty, they should seriously consider the economic opportunities taken by European companies as well as the Japanese nation over the issue.    WORKS CITED    Burnett, Sterling H (1996). US National Center for Policy Analysis. â€Å"Global Warming Treaty Costs for the U. S. Brief Analysis No. 213†. September 6, 1996. Retrieved on November 24, 2007 from http://www.ncpa.org/ba/ba213.html Doughton, Sandi (2005). â€Å"The Truth about Global Warming†. The Seattle Times, October 11, 2005. Retrieved on November 24, 2007 from http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002549346_globewarm11.html â€Å"Global Warming Threat to Growth†. BBC News, October 27, 2006. Retrieved on November 24, 2007 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6093396.stm Hansen, James (1999). â€Å"The Global Warming Debate†. Retrieved on November 24, 2007 from http://www.giss.nasa.gov/edu/gwdebate/ Lynch, David (2006). â€Å"Corporate America warms to fight against global warming† .The USA Today, May 31, 2006. Retrieved on November 24, 2007 from http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/2006-05-31-business-globalwarming_x.htm Taylor, Chris (2006). â€Å"Why global warming is good for business†. CNN News Online, April 17, 2006. Retrieved on November 24, 2007 from http://money.cnn.com/2006/04/13/technology/business2_futureboy0413/index.htm University of Maryland (2007). â€Å"The US Economic Impacts of Climate Change and the Costs of Inaction†. A Review and Assessment by the Center for Integrative Environmental Research (CIER). October 2007. pp.1-7

Land Reform and Property Rights in Zimbabwe

Land Reform and Property Rights in Zimbabwe Introduction The purported discrimination against minority groups in terms of land entitlements and other rights is not a new concept in Africa, as well as other countries around the world. With the legacy of apartheid in South Africa still rife in various parts of the African continent, the rights of the minority population have never been more prominent in the media and the like. Zimbabwe has experienced a similar plight during recent times, with President Mugabe implementing radical land reform measures so as to â€Å"equalise† the land ownership demographic in Zimbabwe. Take for example the Abuja Agreement on Zimbabwe Land Reform, dated 6 September 2001 which states (in part): Zimbabwe has agreed†¦to end all illegal occupations of white-owned farmland and return the country to the rule of law, in return for financial assistance. The Agreement goes on to state that, as a result of the historical injustices, the Zimbabwe land situation endangers the stability of both southern Africa, and the whole continent, and that is why a land reform program in Zimbabwe must adhere to human rights, the rule of law, transparency and democratic principles.). The Zimbabwe delegation promised (1) that no more farms will be occupied; (2) to remove farms that do not meet set criteria from the lists and move squatters on those farms to lands acquired legally; (3) to speed up talks with the U.N. Development Programme; (4) to reinstate the rule of law; and (5) to invite the delegation to visit Zimbabwe and see the current situation. The United Kingdom also promised to contribute significantly to fund the land reform program, and encouraged other international organizations t o do the same.[1] It is the purpose of this brief to analyse the various methods with Zimbabwe have sought to implement, both pre- and post-independence, in order to ensure that land is not only distributed fairly among the population, but also in such a way that ensures the overall economic sustainability of Zimbabwean industry. Notwithstanding this, this paper will also explore the current precarious economic position of Zimbabwe as well as the somewhat selfish and unstable political administration, in order to determine whether this has any impact on the land reform policy and the Zimbabwean society at large. Pre independence Land Reform By 1898, Britain required the British South Africa Company (BSA) to create communal areas for the Africans. The Communal Areas were developed and despite the limitations the Communal Areas created there was still adequate land. The BSA realised that agriculture in Rhodesia could be highly profitable and embarked on a route of divesting Africans of lands and giving it to white colonists.[2] In 1925 the Morris-Carter Commission appointed to ensure white land domination determined that the best way to put the economy on a sound footing was landholding patterns.[3] The Land Appointment Act of 1930 broke land up along racial lines. Race groups were not allowed to own land in each other’s designated areas. In terms of this Act, 50.8% of land was reserved for white settlers and the African majority was allocated 30% of the land. The remaining 20% of the land was owned by commercial companies or the colonial government or was reserved as conservation areas.[4] The land reserved for the white settlers was situated in the arable central highlands and the land reserved for the Africans along the plateau sloping down into the Zambezi Valley and mountainous escarpment. This land was designated as African Reserve Areas. The colonial government adopted the following legislation that relegated Africans to infertile reserves known as communal lands: The 1913 Natives Land Act The Land Apportionment Act of 1930 The Native Land Husbandry Act of 1951 The Land Tenure Act of 1969 The result of these policies led to a highly skewed land ownership. One percent of the white farmers owned more than half of the available agricultural land and over seventy percent of all fertile lands. At the time of independence, the two racial groups each owned about 40% of the land in Zimbabwe. The population density was however vastly different with far greater number of people living on African land. The population density for white farm land was 1 per square mile and that of African farm land 46 per square mile. The white settlers further had the pick of the land and were also supported by massive state intervention in the development of a farming economy. The state provided extensive communication and marketing infrastructure in commercial farming areas, and made subsidies and loans available to white farmers. The inequality of land allocation and the support to white agriculture were continuous areas of conflict and contention. The first rebellion took place in 1896 but the African people were defeated by the superior military might of the colonial forces. The second rebellion (â€Å"Chimurenga†) began in the 1960s and was led by the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and the now defunct Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU). Both ZANU and ZAPU were committed to radical land reform on coming to power. The dispossession of Africans was still a living memory for many of the elders in Zimbabwe who had lived through the first Chimurenga. Both ZANU and ZAPU elicited a lot of support from the peasants. Most of the supporters lived in rural areas and the war was largely fought in rural areas. It was guerrilla fighters and peasants who fought against a modern army of the white regime. The Lancaster House agreement brought about a ceasefire and new elections. The colony reverted back under British rule. It further provided for a new constitution that implemented majority rule and at the same time protected the rights of the white minority. The parties agreed that the country will be named Zimbabwe. The subsequent elections in 1980 saw Robert Mugabe win and form the first government, post colonialism. Because the land issue was the main driving force for Prime Minister Mugabe’s campaign, he promised that his government would investigate for ways to reverse past discriminatory policies in land distribution, education, employment, and wages.[5] The fundamental aim of Zimbabwe’s land reform program today is to redress the inequalities within the existing tenure system that denies the African majority access to fertile lands.[6] Background to conflict Zimbabwe has approximately 12 million people and the land area is approximately 386669 square kilometres. The land tenure system in place today is the remains of the colonial system. The colonial system created the inequalities and that is what the current Zimbabwean government is trying to overcome with land reforms. The civil war lasted until the late 1970’s when a settlement was negotiated that led to the Lancaster House Agreement and independence for Zimbabwe. At that time the inequalities were very visible with the population density where the African people lived being three times those in the commercial farming area. The land was still divided along racial lines with about 6000 white farmers owning 42% of the country. The land reform experience in Kenya played an influential role in the search for a workable solution for the land crisis in Zimbabwe. The Kenyan problem was similar to that of Zimbabwe, they also had a guerrilla warfare and dispossessed peoples which fuelled the conflict. The British tried to defuse the crisis by buying out white farmers. The amount the British Government made available to buy white farms in Kenya was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¡500 million. The parties hoped that a similar solution would be available for Zimbabwe and during secret negotiations in the mid seventies the negotiating parties promoted an Anglo- American Development Fund for Zimbabwe. This idea received broad support and was even backed by the then ZANU/ZAPU Patriotic Front (ZANU/ZAPU PF). The British Government agreed to contribute $75 million and there were hints from the United States that it would contribute an extra $200 million. The money was going to be used to buy out the white owned farms. The Lancaster House negotiations started in 1979 with Ian Smith, Abel Muzorewa and the ZANU/ZAPU PF all took part in the negotiations. By the time the negotiations took place, Britain had a new government. During the Lancaster negotiations the so called Development Fund was used as bait to get the liberation movements to reach an agreement with the Rhodesian Government with Abel Muzorewa as the prime minister and Ian Smith representing the white minority. The offer of the fund was withdrawn and the British Government offered a compromise. They were very concerned about the white farmers and in exchange for a promise by the liberation organisations that they will not take away the land from the white farmers for a period of 10 years unless it was on the basis of a willing seller and willing buyer and to guarantee landholding the British Government will underwrite half of the costs of resettlement with the Zimbabwean Government required to provide the other half. In 1980 the British Go vernment put up an initial amount of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¡20 million. For the Zimbabwean Government resettlement was the key issue in the transfer of power to an independent Zimbabwean regime. The only way that land could therefore be redistributed was on the basis that white farmers will sell their land willingly. Those who wished to continue farming was free to do so and the government was not allowed to carry out mass expropriation of land from white farmers. Although the Zimbabwean Government retained the right to expropriate land for public resettlement purposes, the compensation it was required to pay had to be paid out in foreign currency. Article Sixteen of Zimbabwes Constitution allowed the Zimbabwean Government to expropriate land that was not being utilised. During the guerrilla ware many farmers abandoned their farms and these were taken by the new Government. The Zimbabwean Government thus was in a position to move forward with redistribution of the land by expropriating land for the public good. Today this is what President Mugabe is saying to justify this controversial land acquisition program. The frontline states in Southern Africa placed tremendous pressure on the liberation organisations to accept the proposed settlement and, in the end, they capitulated and an agreement was reached. The critical capitulation created the breeding ground for future unsatisfied expectations of the war veterans and the landless Africans. The hands of the Zimbabwean Government were tied. They could not carry out their goal of redressing the inequities of the colonialism and the vast majority of the farm land remained in the hands of the few white farmers. Following the war an urgent need for reconstruction existed and measures were required to address the mass displacement of the peasant people in Zimbabwe. Since the ware was mostly fought in the rural areas the peasant agriculture collapsed and because the government could not expropriate white owned land 90 percent of all marketed food in the country was produced by the white farm owners. This fact strengthened the white farmers position both economical and politically. The restrictions imposed through the Lancaster House agreement remained a constant theme in Zimbabwean land reform in the decades following independence.[7] By 1997 a high number of more fertile agricultural lands remained under the control of a few thousand white farmers. It was now 17 years since independence and although the Government changed the constitution in 1990 (after the 10 year period) to make it easier for ti to expropriate land the vast majority of displaced Africans and the war veterans who fought on the land for the land was still landless. The population of a lower class labourer in the so called tribal reserves increased. President Mugabe has on many occasions said that the British Government reneged on the agreement that was reached at the Lancaster House. Yet, Britain that reneged on the Lancaster House agreement to pay compensation to its indigenes in Zimbabwe on their lands to be redistributed, for equity, could brazenly cry foul and deploy its immense media power to demonise Mugabe.[8] Zimbabwe’s Political History Cecil John Rhodes became rich beyond anyone’s wildest dreams through his companies, De Beers Consolidated Mines and Goldfields of South Africa. The first company exploited the diamond fields in the Northern Cape and the second one the goldfields on the Reef. His biggest dream was to establish a continuous strip of British Empire from the Cape to the mouth of the Nile. The terms of incorporation of his mining companies included the right to invest in northern expansion. Rhodes formed the British South Africa Company (BSA) to expand into Africa beyond South Africa without involving the British government. BSA was also looking for gold fields and the first white settlers settled in what is now known as Harare in 1890. Gold was indeed discovered in the Zimbabwe highlands. In 1891 the area is declared a British protectorate and from 1895 the region up to the Zambezi is known as Rhodesia. The gold that was discovered in Zimbabwe was not as concentrated as on the gold reef in South Africa and nearly impossible to extract profitably. The company encouraged white settlement of Zimbabwe for farming purposes as an alternative means of generating an income for it. The direct result of this policy was a greater need to dispossess indigenous peoples of their land and force them into labour on the settler farms. Since the Zimbabwean highlands were not very fertile, the white settler farmers struggled to make a living. The result was that the BSA did not make any profits. Lobengula who was the king of the Ndebele people granted Rhodes the mining rights in part of his territory in return for 1000 rifles, an armed steamship for use on the Zambezi and a monthly rent of  £100. He tried to maintain good relations with the British but many of his tribe were eager to expel the white people. Leander Jameson who was administering the region for Rhodes started waging war against Lobengula and easily defeated Lobengula who had his headquarters at Bulawayo. There was a strong tribal uprising against the British in 1896 but thereafter Rhodess company brought the entire region up to the Zambezi under full control. Because BSA was not making any profits it wanted to get out of the territory and the white settlers were asked to vote on three choices. On 12 September 1923 Rhodesia becomes a self-governing c rown colony. The colony is prosperous and successful with the white population growing to 222,000 thirty years after the referendum. By 1953 Rhodesia has been a self governing colony for thirty years and the African people remained disenfranchised. In 1957 a tiny B roll is established providing for a small number of African voters. Between 1953 and 1963, Rhodesia was part of a colonial federation with two other colonies namely Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia. During the early 1960’s African politicians in Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland won more power in the legislative councils and pressure grows on the British government to break up the federation. All three colonies were also demanding independence and the federation is formally dissolved on 31 December 1963. During the years of federation the parties are formed which will subsequently fight the bitter struggle for the future of an independent Rhodesia. Joshua Nkomo, the first African leader in the new era, is elected as president of the local branch of the African National Congress (ANC) in 1957. The ANC is banned and he is the founder member of the National Democratic Party in 1960 which in turn is banned. In 1961he replaces it with ZAPU (the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union). Robert Mugabe and the reverend Ndabaningi Sithole are both members of this ZAPU. In 1963 Mugabe and Sithole split from ZAPU and form the rival ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union). The United Nations supported the African majority in their quest for political suffrage and this support combined with the political pressure from the African majority forces the federal government to introduce a new constitution in 1961 allowing for African representation in parliament. A direct result of this move is the establishment of a new political party by Ian Smith known as the Rhodesian Front. The Rhodesian Front was committed to white supremacist policies and offered an independent Rhodesia governed by the white minority. The new party is the surprise winner in the elections in 1962. The party in power at the time was the more moderate United Federal Party. The new prime minister is Winston Field and the founder of the party, Ian Smith becomes his deputy. Ian Smith replaced Field as prime minister in April 1964and becomes prime minister of Rhodesia. At this stage Rhodesia is once again separate self-governing colony. Ian Smith ordered the arrest of Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe as his first act in office. They remained in detention until 1974. Reverend Sithole joined them in November 1965. Pursuant to Smith’s promise of independence he now tries to persuade the British government to grant independence on the basis of white minority rule. The British government refused the request and Smith decides to take matters into his own hands and on 11 November 1965 he publishes a Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). Harold Wilson embarked on quiet diplomacy and there followed meetings between Smith and Wilson. Two of the meetings took place on warships (the Fearless and the Tiger) off Gibraltar in 1966 and 1968. Smith is unmoved by the quiet diplomacy of the British government. In 1968 the United Nations imposes economic sanctions against Rhodesia with the approval of the British government. The sanctions do not work immediately and takes a long time to become effective. Guerrilla warfare by ZAPU and ZANU is more effective. They attack Rhodesia from across its borders. Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo also buried the hatchet and in 1976 they formed a united front namely the Patriotic Front (PF). By 1978 Smith realises that the white minority will have to grant concessions to the African majority and he comes to an agreement with a moderate African leader bishop Abel Muzorewa, leader of the UANC (United African National Council). Multi racial elections are held in 1979 but the Patriotic Front is banned from the elections. Bishop Muzorewa emerges as the prime minister. The agreement between Smith and Bishop Muzorewa entails guarantees securing white political and economic interests Smith underestimated the tenacity of the Patriotic Front and it continues its guerrilla campaign against Rhodesia. The fact that the PF was banned meant that there were no real democratic elections and the UANC was shackled to the agreement it reached with Smith in exchange for the right to participate in the elections. In December 1979 all three African leaders attend a meeting in London. UDI is overturned and Rhodesia reverts briefly to the status of a British colony. The parties reached an agreement which is now commonly known as the Lancaster House Agreement. When Kenya became independent the British government promised  £500 million to assist Kenya with its land reforms. The PF negotiated with the British government for a similar concession. At the time of the Lancaster House Agreement the British government agreed to provide funds to the Zimbabwean government to assist it in redistributing the land on the basis of ‘willing seller, willing buyer’. Post-Colonial Land Reforms Following the independence of Zimbabwe in 1980 the government and administration has sought to implement various measures in an attempt to reform the land conflict and address the fact that the most viable and valuable land in Zimbabwe is owned by white farmers, which forms a very significant minority of the Zimbabwean population. As one author puts it: The land division in Zimbabwe now is horribly inequitable. Of the countrys 11.4 million people, the white minority, comprising one percent of the total population, owns over one-third of the farmland. The British fully realized the need for some measure of land reform when they granted Zimbabwe its independence. But, during the first two decades of autonomy, the Zimbabwean government has moved slowly to address the land scarcity issue. The situation is aggravated now because a minuscule white minority owns most all of the large commercial farms that support Zimbabwes agriculture-dependent economy.[9] Furthermore: The unfortunate irony is that the very land the Zimbabwean government wants to expropriate belongs to white farmers whose land provides employment for many Africans, whose products are vital to the countrys financial health, and whose crops feed not only Zimbabwe, but also its neighbors. Nevertheless, Mugabe has marked around 4,900 white-owned, commercial farms (about ninety-five percent of the total number of white-owned farms) for appropriation as part of his â€Å"fast track,† land redistribution plan.[10] The above passages demonstrate the difficulties which post-colonial land reforms face in the Zimbabwean context, particularly in an economic sense. The white-owned farms which are being marked for appropriation under the new â€Å"fast track† land reforms implemented by Mugabe contributes significantly to the economic sustainability of Zimbabwe, given the fact that it provides employment for many of the black Africans, as well as providing an export market for Zimbabwe to other countries. The theory, according to Nading, is that if this land is taken away from the white farmers, it places Zimbabwe in an even more precarious economic position than what it is currently experiencing. Contrary to this argument, is important to note the current economic situation in Zimbabwe is not good. Zimbabwes inflation is astronomical, and the government is quite clearly broke. The government also continues to fund what is described as an â€Å"ill-informed troop deployment in the Democratic Republic of Congo†.[11] In October 2001 the Zimbabwean government sought US$360 million in international aid from the United Nations Development Program.[12] These factors tend to demonstrate that Zimbabwean government has a history of not being particularly responsible with its funds, often directing funds to places where they should ordinarily not be directed. Therefore questions need to be asked in relation to the proposed fast track land reforms and whether they actually make sound economic sense in the Zimbabwean context. While, in a social sense, the proposed scheme is to succeed in theory in equalising land ownership in Zimbabwe and negating the concentration of land ownership among the minority white population, the statistics show that the land owned by white farmers under the previous schemes (and, in turn, in current times) comprises much of the economic integrity of Zimbabwe. However, conversely, Zimbabwean government does not have a history of sound political inte grity and raises questions over this policy in an economic sense. It is a well-known fact that much of Zimbabwean Pres Mugabes support comes from the black Zimbabwean population. In this regard, it is clear that one of the political justifications of the Fast Track reforms is to look after Mugabes own political self interests, and not necessarily to advance the social welfare status of Mugabe supporters. However it would also appear that the Fast Track reforms are veiled in such a way so as to create the impression that Mugabe is looking after the black population of Zimbabwe, however the facts indicate that this is not the case. As one author puts it: Mugabe began his fast track campaign in earnest against the minority, white farm-owners and the opposition group, the MDC, following voters rejection of Mugabes proposal for a new constitution on February 15, 2000. Through this constitutional referendum, Mugabe sought to extend his office of the presidency for another six years.[13] This essentially demonstrates Mugabes selfish political nature, with Mugabe firstly seeking to extend his office of the presidency by another six years and, after this was rejected by the people in a referendum, he then sought to implement a land reform scheme which purported to favour the black majority so he could, in theory, propose his constitutional amendment again and have it passed at a second referendum. It also demonstrates the flaws in the Zimbabwean political system, in the sense that it does not operate to promote true democracy and representation of all Zimbabwean citizens, but rather to preserve the political self-interest of the ruling class and taking the vote of the less educated, but majority, black Zimbabwean voters for granted. It will be difficult to submit to there is an ultimate social welfare aim behind these proposed land reform measures, as the facts indicate that Mugabe has a history of being self-centered and power hungry in his political ideologies and vi ews. Therefore the overall integrity on both an economic and social front, as well as the political motivation of same, is questionable at best. In summary the post-Colonial approach to land reform in Zimbabwe does not present substantial merit in its aims and objectives so as to justify disenfranchising white landowners in favour of the disadvantaged black Zimbabwean population on a number of fronts. As one author puts it: Moreover, these [land reforms] reinforce a state-centric view of rural Zimbabwe that leads to a naive faith in the governments current ability or future possibility to (re)order rural life for the betterment of all. Given the checkered history of state policies toward land in colonial and post-colonial Zimbabwe, such faith inspires more concern than relief.[14] The above passage perhaps summarises this chapter perfectly, in the sense that this policy inspires false hope in the Zimbabwean government to deliver a policy which is beneficial for all Zimbabweans. The facts appear to indicate that this policy only serves to benefit the ruling class, and not the majority black population as it purports to. Are the Land Reform Provisions Justifiable? There is little ability to dispute the fact that the land reform provisions which have been put in place since the independence of Zimbabwe provide for a significantly increased rate of land reform and the measures that were previously put in place. However the real question that this paper must answer is whether or not the most recent provisions are a positive step for the people of Zimbabwe, particularly the black minority population, or whether they serve as more of a burden upon the Zimbabwean population as a whole. This paper has analysed both the pre-and post-independence land reform provisions in the context of the social, political and economic merits thereof. The fact of the matter is that post-independence land reform provisions in Zimbabwe have not appropriately addressed the challenges which Zimbabwe faces in these areas. As one author puts it: Zimbabwe has found the redistribution of land to peasant farmers particularly difficult to achieve: in ten years the government has been able to relocate fewer than 60,000 farmers, in spite of earlier promises to resettle 162,000 by 1985. Following passage of the Land Acquisition Act in March 1992, the countrys commercial farmers face compulsory acquisition of their land by the government, including those farms located in lucrative tobacco growing areas. Although the government will pay compensation, farmers will be unable to appeal established compensation levels.[15] In other words, the currently land reform provisions severely prejudice those who already own land in such a way that grants an unfair advantage to those who do not, such as the majority black population. More importantly, compensation which white farmers will receive as a result of the Zimbabwean governments compulsory land acquisition is inadequate and is not subject to any formal review. This means that farmers do not have any ability to challenge him out of compensation they receive, leaving them significantly out of pocket as a result of the governments land reform proposals and with a limited ability to make income from the skills which are probably all they have in terms of plying their trade. Zimbabwe is a very spotted political history, particularly in relation to looking after the best interests of its people. President Mugabe also has a proven track record of looking after his own self interests before looking after the interests of his electors. In this regard one must question the political motivation of the Zimbabwean land reform policies and whether in fact it sets out to achieve what it purports to be its aims and objectives. It cannot be disputed that the policy does seek to empower black Zimbabwean population; however this paper suggests that it does not have adequate regard the economic consequences of disenfranchising white farmers, who own most of the profitable land in Zimbabwe. It is this factor that cast doubt over the policy as a whole, however regard need to be had for the current economic situation in any case. Inflation is through the roof, and one needs to consider whether hurting the already crippled Zimbabwean financial sector is a sensible approach in the long run. Conclusion In summary, and in consideration of the above points, it is clear that the land reform policy Zimbabwe post-independence is not one which the government should be proud of. This paper has presented evidence which suggests that British colonisation of Zimbabwe had a view of equal land distribution, but also a view of economic prosperity, in the sense that the most prosperous land was distributed to those who have the skills and knowledge to appropriately deal with and generate profit from that land. Even when Zimbabwe became independent in 1979-1980, the British government continued to allocate funds to Zimbabwe in an attempt to redistribute land, however this distribution occurred on a willing seller, willing buyer basis. This demonstrates the fact that, when the British government had a role in policy forming in Zimbabwe, it always had Zimbabwe’s interests at heart. Since Zimbabwe gained independence, the administration of its affairs has been tainted by greed, fraud and dece ption and the people of Zimbabwe are the ones who have suffered in this regard. To sum up the current land reform policy in Zimbabwe: Since 1890 up to today, the land question has singularly had the most significant impact on Zimbabwes political and economic history. Most recently, the Land Resettlement Program, developed after Zimbabwes independence in 1980, has had mixed reviews. One position is that the program has resulted in one of Africas most successful examples of land redistribution. The other position is that the land reform program in Zimbabwe has been disastrous to the country and its economy. According to some sources, a total of over 3.5 million hectares of land have been resettled. But, [t]here is considerable controversy on the number of people who have [actually] been allocated land.[16]