Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Christian Sexual Ethics and Contemporary Sexuality
Integration Paper #2 Christian Sexual Ethics and Contemporary Sexuality Kristen Butler 03/18/2013 RST-305 We live in a very exploitive, sexually saturated society. With the increasing development of technology and rapid deliverance of the media, sex is almost completely unavoidable. It is in magazines, movies, tabloids, billboards, music lyrics, on television, and all over the internet. Many believe that this sexual revolution has been liberating and is an indication of progress and freedom. The reality is that this cultural obsession with sex is extremely debasing, proving to have detrimental effects on marriage and our youth. This shift in sexual norms has a positive, direct correlation with the increase ofâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Although we have had sex, we realize that the sexual part of our relationship does not come close to fulfilling all of our needs. We also agree that although sex can be very powerful, enriching and pleasurable, it has absolutely nothing to do with finding oneââ¬â¢s happiness. True happiness can only be formed within, neither from a signific ant other nor sex. Sex can be enhanced from the intrinsic happiness that one already has. However, it is the responsibility of oneself to find that happiness. Sex cannot expedite this process; however it can do irrevocable damage when one has not yet found their sense of happiness from within. I have found that most teenagers and adolescents begin having sex prematurely before they have finished developing their intrinsic happiness. As a result, they are more likely to develop a dependence on their first sexual partner to bring happiness to their lives. This expectation is not only unrealistic but impossible, and when the relationship ends many young people experience great heartache and regret. In addition, I agree with Lickonaââ¬â¢s final argument in The Neglected Heart: The Emotional Dangers of Premature Sexual Involvement. He concludes his piece by stating that premature sex hinders the growth and development not only of oneââ¬â¢s relationship, but that of the indiv iduals involved in it as well. Premature sex normally takes place during a time where young people are still trying to find themselves. It is a timeShow MoreRelatedThe Facts About Masturbation Essay1267 Words à |à 6 Pages Alfred C. Kinsey is regarded as the first major figure in the research of human sexuality, more specifically masturbation. Kinsey was groundbreaking in his research on sexuality and made it possible to talk about sex. In the early 2000s, masturbation has become more accepted for both males and females yet there is still a stigma about discussing it openly (Wells, 2006). Societies and Cultures views on masturbation have changed over time and vary depending on who you are, where you are from, andRead MorePope John Chritianity960 Words à |à 4 Pagesrelationship between at least TWO of the aspects shown in the diagram below and the way they contribute to Christianity as a living religious tradition The application of Christian ethics is a fundamental practice in an adherentââ¬â¢s life, assisting them in following Godââ¬â¢s will. The most important representation of these ethics being used in practice is by the ultimate model of goodness, Jesus Christ. Jesusââ¬â¢ words and actions reflect the key foundations of ethical teachings, such as agape love, compassionRead MoreBiblical And Contemporary Views Of Marriage And Family1618 Words à |à 7 PagesBiblical and contemporary views of marriage and family Introduction In this postmodern society, it is not easy to establish a strong marriage and a strong family. One of the main reasons for this tendency is the changed view of marriage as a companionship grounded on individual s freedom and self-fulfillment rather than as a social institution designed to meet economic needs and provide a place for rearing children. However, as people tend to expect more personal freedom and fulfillment in theirRead MoreWomen in the Book of Ruth Essay1002 Words à |à 5 PagesWomen in the Book of Ruth Women are often trapped in an essentially idle, domestic role, praised for purity and lack of sexual desire, pampered as ornaments, but given no effective life functions other than demonstrating a few social graces and bearing children, as is established by the Judeo-Christian ethic and is reinforced in the story of Ruth. Though the story of Ruth appears in the Old Testament, its relevance is not limited by its datedness, but serves as a direct parallel to theRead MoreLove, Sex and Gender in the World Religions Essay4945 Words à |à 20 Pagesappreciation of alternate traditions is a twentieth-century phenomenon. Among the official decrees of Vatican II, the watershed Roman Catholic Council of 1963Ãâ"65, was Nostra Aetate, the Dogmatic Constitution on The Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions. In Nostre Aetate the worlds largest organized religious tradition, which has one billion adherents today and represents fully half of world Christendom, declared that all peoples comprise a single community and that From ancientRead MoreHistorical Overview of Homosexuality2431 Words à |à 10 Pagesresponsible. Some literature suggests that homosexuality in itself it is morally neutral. Like the condition of heterosexuality, however, it tends to find expression in specific sexual acts; and such acts are subject to moral judgment (McNeill, 1966). A major premise established in contemporary literature is the concept that sexual orientation ranges along a continuum, as opposed to simply being heterosexual or homosexual. It is possible that this is mainly because increased attention has been paid toRead MoreChristianity And Homosexuality : The Way Of Thinking1395 Words à |à 6 Pageswhat the words would have meant in that time and so on. The article argues that ââ¬Å"the complexity of the issue is often over-simplified either because of an inadequate appreciation for the diversity of positions promulgated about homosexuality among Christian denominations today or because of long-held cultural taboos and religious biases about the root ââ¬Ëcausesââ¬â¢ of homosexualityâ⬠(Oââ¬â¢Brien). I somewhat agree with the article when it talks about how it is assumed that Christianity is automatically againstRead MoreThe Original Buddhist Views Of Life1495 Words à |à 6 Pagesbothered by nor had reservations about sexual activity. Therefore, it was not until he became an ascetic that he changed those views. After his enlightenment he then believed that all men should not have unlawful sexual relations. Unlawful meant not stealing the wife of someone or any woman who was still protected by a family member, namely her parents. In addition to this, Siddhartha Gautamaââ¬â¢s original Four Noble Truths reveal ideas that can be adapted to sexual activity. According to these, ââ¬Å"the firstRead MoreMonotheistic religions, especially Judaism, Christianity, and Islam promote the belief in One God;1600 Words à |à 7 Pagesbetray God. Others believe that if we side with traditional scripture, we betray Godââ¬â¢s self in creation. Throughout this course, we have gained knowledge on traditional and contemporary sexul ethics in light of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. We have studied specific codes and ethics to better understand why people view sexuality in they way that they do. The constant struggle of whether to place importance on reason rather than scripture (vice versa) is something that is still discussed today. InRead MoreThe Morality of Homosexuality4311 Words à |à 18 Pagesromantic or sexual attraction or behaviour among members of the same sex. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to ââ¬Å"an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions primarily to people of the same sexâ⬠. It also refers to ââ¬Å"an individualââ¬â¢s sense of personal and social identity based on those attractions, behaviour expressing them, and membership in a community of others who share themâ⬠. Homosexuality is one of the three main categories of sexual orientation
Monday, December 23, 2019
How to Prevent Depression and Suicide Among Teens - 751 Words
You may have heard someone say the famous saying, ââ¬Å"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.â⬠You may also have heard, ââ¬Å"I am rubber and youre glue, whatever you say bounces off of me, and sticks to youâ⬠. Unfortunately those sayings arenââ¬â¢t as realistic as they may seem. Studies show 5,000 adolescents commit suicide each year, and the U.S. Society often ignores the signs leading up to teen suicide. Then they notice when itââ¬â¢s too late. Unfortunately, we say ââ¬Å"We didnââ¬â¢t see the signsâ⬠, and we blame society, however, we donââ¬â¢t realize that we are society. Words probably hurt us more than anything else. Bullying can push someone to their breaking point, leading them to believe that they arenââ¬â¢t worth it, and theyâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦They will have frequent ââ¬Å"accidentsâ⬠and stories as to where the bruises or scars came from. If you notice a sudden likening in risky behavior suc h as drugs, fast driving, or alcohol abuse, suicide is a possible oncoming issue. If you notice someone who has been bullied has a change in their grades, appetite, weight, or their work ethic is decreasing they might be depressed or considering suicide. Teens in todayââ¬â¢s society will get judged or bullied for just about anything. How you act, how you dress, who you hang out with, who you like, and what music you listen to. People try to influence teens on how to lie, especially ââ¬Å"well liked peersâ⬠. Most of the time if you donââ¬â¢t ââ¬Å"fit inâ⬠or act like the ââ¬Å"popular kidsâ⬠you are considered an outcast. Most of the times in school everyone belongs to ââ¬Å"a certain groupâ⬠, and once again if you donââ¬â¢t fit in with that group you get judged and bullied. When you actually think about it, treating someone like they donââ¬â¢t belong doesnââ¬â¢t mean you belong either. No one should have to feel like their life isnââ¬â¢t wo rth living. For example: Amana Todd, a 15 year old girl from Canada who committed suicide due to years of bullying, over a stupid mistake she made in the previous years. No one deserves to be bullied to the point where they feel worthless or like they want to die just so they can have some peace. Another young lady who jumped to her deathShow MoreRelatedTeen Suicide Essay examples1443 Words à |à 6 PagesSuicides are one of the leading causes of teen deaths in todayââ¬â¢s society. The thought of one ending his or her life is developing in the minds of teenagers around the globe. ââ¬Å"To kill oneself as a means of escape from poverty or disappointed love, or bodily or mental anguish, is the deed of coward rather than a brave man, because to run away from trouble is a form of cowardice. While it is true that the suicide braves death, he does it not for some noble object but to escape some illâ⬠(Marcovitz 17)Read More Teenagers and Suicide Essay1190 Words à |à 5 Pagesd eath amongst teenagers: Suicide Did you know that suicide is currently the third leading cause of death among teenagers in the United States? (4). In 1992, more teenagers and young adults died from suicide than those who died from stroke, cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, pneumonia, influenza and chronic lung disease combined (4). Suicide is definitely a compelling problem amongst youth in the U.S today. It is estimated that 300 to 400 teen suicides occur per year in Los AngelesRead MoreTeen Suicide Essay891 Words à |à 4 PagesClementi committed suicide. The actual definition of suicide is ââ¬Å"the action of killing oneself intentionallyâ⬠. The act of suicide is a serious matter, and is particularly prevalent among teens and young adults. The best way to prevent teen suicide is through informing people of its existence, and educating them on the warning signs and prevention methods. In this essay I will explain why suicide is a major public health problem through statistics, show the warning signs, and how to take preventativeRead MoreTeen Suicide1182 Words à |à 5 Pagesthe way to learning how to take care of not only yourself but others. From experiencing loneliness, happiness and unconditional love. If life should be cherished why end it so soon? Suicide the most common way to get out of any hard situation that life throws at you. What exactly is the meaning of the word suicide? Well suicide is the act or an instance of taking ones own life voluntarily and intentionally especially by a person of years of discretion and of sound mind. Teens end their life soRead MoreThe Causes and Prevention of Teen Suicide Essay545 Words à |à 3 Pages(McGuire 8) Before the mid-1970s, teen suicide appeared to be a rare happening. Suicide is the eleventh leading cause of death in the United States with 32,000 Americans taking their own lives annually every sixteen minutes (Tricare). It is the third leading cause of death for fifteen-to-twenty-four year olds. ((Kirszner G. Laurie, and Mandell R. Stephen 377) Teens should be more aware of the causes and preventions of teen suicide. Among college students suicide is the 2nd leading cause of deathRead MoreInformative Speech - Teen Suicide Essay854 Words à |à 4 PagesInformative speech; teen suicide. General Purpose: To inform. Specific Purpose: Today I will be discussing the topic of teen suicide. Central Idea: Teen suicide is a growing health concern in the US as it is the third leading cause of death among young people [Linn-Gust, 2001]. Thesis: In order to better understand teen suicide, it is important to explore the causes of teen suicide, what are the symptoms and/or signs, and what can be done to prevent teen suicide. OrganizationalRead MoreTeen Suicide Essays1064 Words à |à 5 Pagesaccidents, but by their own hands. They make the choice to take their lives; they commit suicide. To begin, what is ââ¬Å"Suicideâ⬠? According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, suicide is the act or instance of taking oneââ¬â¢s own life voluntarily and intentionally. The number of teenagers who take their lives is rapidly increasing each year. Teen suicide is escalating out of control and no one seems to realize just how severe the issue has become. Every day and average of 18 young Americans end their livesRead MoreSuicide Among Teenagers1095 Words à |à 5 Pages Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among 15 to 24-year-old (Green, Paragraph 1) Teenage suicide is the intentional act made by teenagers usually below the age of 19 to take their lives. Suicide is not thought of in a day. It is a series of processes that goes on in the mind before manifesting. Although, during these processes there are visible signs that shows a prospective suicidal person. There are factors that trigger and cause the act of suicide in a teenager. Most of these factorsRead MoreConsidering The Causes Behind Increased Teenage Suicide.1536 Words à |à 7 PagesIncreased Teenage Suicide Yesterday, 16-year-old Rachel decided to commit suicide-- an all too common increased trend in America as suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds (ââ¬Å"Teen Suicide Is Preventableâ⬠). Rachel felt like she could not handle her life anymore. Her parents were in the process of getting a divorce, she was being bullied at school, was having trouble succeeding in academics and co-curricular activities, and was recently been diagnosed with depression. So, in a desperateRead MoreEssay On Teen Suicide1235 Words à |à 5 PagesTo the approximate 350 million people worldwide who suffer from depression, these words ââ¬Å"Just think positive, and it will be better tomorrow,â⬠offer little comfort, and even less hope to those considering suicide. Amongst U.S teens, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death more so than cancer, AIDS, chronic drug use, and heart disease combined. Common risk factors are bullying in school, history of sexual abuse, alcohol, and drug addiction, along with a history of mental illness in the family.
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Significance of Delegation in Nursing Free Essays
The Significance of Imparting Delegation to Nursing Students Johannes Gonzalez Aquinas College N232 Trends and Technology in Nursing Changes in the health care system and the nursing shortage have been a major cause of the transformation in primary care for the patients. Hospitals are now using unlicensed assistive personnel who help provide direct as well as indirect care for patients under the supervision of nurses. This change will demand that nurses have a sharper understanding of delegation. We will write a custom essay sample on Significance of Delegation in Nursing or any similar topic only for you Order Now Teaching future nursing students how to delegate different responsibilities using their communication and critical thinking skills should be a significant subject in schools. Schools should focus on studentsââ¬â¢ active learning techniques to enhance this skill. Some of these techniques can be didactic content, case studies, and clinical placement. These learning techniques will consequently assist the nursing students realize the importance of delegation thus preparing them more comprehensively for their future career. When students use these methods, they increase their competence on the subject of delegation. This article allows students understand the importance of delegation in the health care system today. A positive point of view from this article is how the author gives different examples of why is vital to teach delegation to nursing students. As a nursing student, I was able to experience how essential delegation is at a clinical setting by using the learning activity called clinical placement. Clinical placement allowed me to additionally understand how I can use critical thinking to delegate different tasks to other team members. There was one negative aspect to this article in my opinion. The author failed to provide actual examples of how delegation can be use in care facilities. I believe there are many things that students can learn from this article. The major key is how students can foster delegation skills by combining the active learning techniques from education and the clinical involvement from the healthcare facility. Reference Powell, R. (2011). Improving studentsââ¬â¢ delegation skills. Nurse Educator: Clinical Issues, 36(1), 9-10. How to cite Significance of Delegation in Nursing, Essay examples
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Management Elements of Waterview Connection
Question: Discuss about the Management Elements of Waterview Connection. Answer: Introduction This report entails analyzing various risk management elements of Waterview Connection project. The specific elements discussed are: project context, risk identification, risk analysis and evaluation, and risk treatment. Project Context The Waterview Connection is among the biggest and most significant infrastructure projects ever to be implemented in New Zealand. It is Aucklands most crucial transport project for almost six decades. The project involves construction of a motorway ring route that will go round the city of Auckland. On completion, this motorway route will be the main connection between the Northwestern and Southwestern motorways (Waka Kotahi, 2011). With this project in place, the famous Western Ring Route of Auckland will not be complete. This ambitious project is expected to unlock the potential of Auckland of becoming one of the top-class cities in the world. It will provide the city with a robust and steadfast motorway network that will ease movement of people, vehicles and goods in, out and around Auckland (Learnz, (n.d.)). The project comprises of several features. Two of the main features are the Waterview tunnels and the Great North Road Interchange. The former consists of two 2.4km-long tunnels, each with three traffic lanes. The latter consists of 4 ramps totaling 1.7km in length, which will connect Northwestern and Southwestern motorways (Fletcher Construction Company Limited, 2016). The developer of this project is Well-Connected Alliance (WCA), which comprises of NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), Tonkin Taylor, McConnell Dowell Constructors, Fletcher Construction, Obayashi Corporation, Beca Infrastructure and Parsons Brinkerhoff. Other sub-alliance partners include SICE NZ Ltd and Wilson Tunnelling. The decision to use an alliance was attributed to the complexity of the project. Such mega projects usually have complex issues in relation to their design works, construction works, environmental impacts and lifecycle concerns. Other stakeholders of the project are contractors and suppliers based in New Zealand and other parts of the world. The enabling works of the project started in January 2012 while proper construction started in June 2012. The project is scheduled for completion and opening in early 2017 (Nicole Lawton, 2016). After being completed, the Well-Connected Alliance will be responsible for maintenance and management of the route for 10 years. This mega project is estimated to cost NZ$1.4 billion (Beca, 2014). It is also estimated to have created job opportunities for about 1000 people so far. Therefore it is a mega project with significant economic impacts to people and the country as a whole. Quality is one of the top priorities of Waterview Connection project. This is definitely a complex project and that it why it is being delivered using an alliance approach. The alliance is capable of dealing with multiple design and construction challenges associated with such projects. As stated before the Waterview Connection project comprises of two parallel tunnels, each 2.4 long, 40m below the ground surface and 11m apart, and interchanges that will connect it to the Southwestern Motorway and Northwestern Motorway at Mt Roskill and Great North Road respectively. The total length of the project motorway will be approximately 5 km. The project also comprises of various landscape and urban design initiatives, including upgraded parks, playgrounds, recreational facilities, sports amenities and enhanced walking and cycling connections (NZ Transport Agency, 2016). These initiatives will open up numerous opportunities for local communities (people and businesses). Despite all these ambitious expectations on the positive impacts of the Waterview Connection projects, its associated negative impacts cannot be overlooked. Just like any other project, there must be both positive and negative impacts. The design and construction of the project is complex and possibly so is its management. The most important thing is to analyze the risks related to the design, construction and management of the project and identify their appropriate mitigation strategies. By understanding potential risks of the project, it becomes easier to identify ways of eliminating or preventing them, or reducing their effects. This project is costing the New Zealand government billions of dollars and therefore failure to manage its associated risks appropriately will have adverse effects on the entire country. Risk Identification There are several risks associated with Waterview Connection project. This project is more vulnerable to risks than ordinary construction projects because it has multiple unique features, including complex processes, long duration, vigorous organizational structures, financial intensity, and fluctuating environmental conditions. These risks have direct impacts on the feasibility of the project. Inasmuch as the project has been extensively planned by Well-Connected Alliance, some of these risks are inevitable. This puts the remaining part of the project at risk of not being completed as planned. But this can be avoided if potential risks are identified, analyzed and mitigated. The four main categories of these risks are as follows: technical risks, external risks, organizational risks, and project management risks. Technical risks These risks include design risks of any new ancillary structures along the corridor, construction risks and environmental risks. Design risks cannot be ignored because Waterview Connection project is very complex and therefore probability of making errors, no matter how small they may be, is relatively high (Nadeem et al., 2010). Even though the main design of this project has already been produced, proposal for changes or introduction of ancillary structures or facilities as the project progresses cannot be ignored. If these changes are not properly planned, they may result into substantial delay of the project. Construction risks are the risks that arise during the actual construction process (Innovation of Civil Engineers, 2016). Environmental risks are the risks caused by environmental factors that affect the project. Considering the high innovativeness of this project, its overall technical risks are very high and therefore of great importance for analysis. Identifying and understanding technical risks will ensure that preliminary planning is done comprehensively and project scope is properly determined (Nerija and Audrius, 2012). External risks These risks include contractual relations risks, unavoidable events (force majeure) risks, environmental risks and social risks. Contractual relations risks are the risks that result from stakeholders failure to honor their commitments fully or by introducing new changes as the project continues. Force majeure risks are those caused by factors that cannot be avoided by the stakeholders and therefore nothing can be done to stop them, such as natural disasters. Environmental factors are causes that are related to environmental issues. Social risks are those caused by issues arising from the local communities. Another important group of external risks comprises of market conditions, variations in exchange rate, politics, and climate change (Yohe, 2010). Even though most of the external risks are caused by outside factors, analyzing and understanding these risks helps stakeholders to plan on how to mitigate them. It is important because it will help stakeholders prepare in advance on how to approach relevant authorities or individuals if any of the external risks occur. Organizational risks Organizational risks are those that arise from the different levels of the projects organizational structure. It is important to explore these risks because they will enable the project team to ensure that the remaining part of the project is well planned and its scope is well defined, staffs are well experienced, an effective recruitment method is put in place to get new staffs or those to replace others who have left and project schedule is adhered to (Peter, 2010). Project management risks Project management risks are the risks resulting from issues related to how the project is being managed. These risks arises especially if management competency is low (Wang, Zou and Zhang, 2006), or if there are endless conflicts among participants (Chris and Tung, 2008). These risks are important because they help the project management team to ensure that the project deliverables, objectives, estimates are accurately determined and planned. This will aid in reducing or avoiding things that could hinder the projects successful completion. Risk Analysis and Evaluation Technical risks These risks have great implication on the projects success. It is important to note that there are some sections of the project that are yet to be done and so these technical risks cannot be ignored. In general, technical risks can be caused by the following factors: changes to original design without performing adequate and complete analysis on proposed designs; wrong estimates of contract times; improper construction methods; unavailability of needed utilities; site and worker safety; environmental risks; unfitting materials and equipment; disruptions and delayed deliveries; inadequate specialized workforce; and onsite offsite wetlands; among others. Considering that this project is complex, the probability and level of importance of technical risks are high and therefore their priority is also high. The team has to explore all technical risks and identify appropriate avoidance or mitigation strategies. This is the only way that the project can proceed and be completed successfully. External risks The risks are due to outside factors that may not have connection with the project (Bright Hub Project Management, 2012). They can be caused by changes in funding for the financial year by the federal and state governments; introduction of new stakeholders as the project progresses; changing priorities in existing project plan; stakeholders calling for late changes and extra needs; changes in project quality, objectives, scope, time and costs; economic instability; fluctuations in exchange rate; market conditions; political interference; changes in regulations of environmental and public safety. Even though the project team has no capability to prevent these risks, understanding these risks will help the team to be prepared in advance just in case the risks occur (Zou et al., 2007). Considering that this is a national project with both national and international impacts, the probability and level of importance of external risks are also high and thus their priority is high. Therefore the risks are important in helping the team identify appropriate strategies they can apply to accept, transfer or mitigate the external risks. Organizational risks These risks can be caused by: improper planning for the remaining part of the project; assigning tasks to inexperienced staff; unexpected assignment for the project manager; losing crucial employees at decisive stages of the project; changing priorities in existing project plan; and changes in the project quality, objectives, scope, time and cost. It is worth noting that this is a very complex project that requires the highest level of competence, keenness and accuracy. Working outside project scope or assigning tasks to inexperienced workforce will have severe impacts on the project (Galorath Dan, 2008). So the probability of organizational risks in this project is high and so they have to be given a top priority. Project management risks Some of the causes of these risks include: changes that may occur to the definition of project objectives, needs, deliverables and costs; undertaking too many activities at ago; inability to control workforce priorities; inexperienced or inadequate workforce (Ibrahim Mahamid, 2013); delays by the contractors or consultants; poor communication or uncoordinated project team; and inadequate resources. Well-Connected Alliance should understand the complex features and challenges of this project, work as a team to overcome them and ensure that the project achieves its monetary value. Therefore this project has a high probability and level of importance of project management risks and so the priority of these risks is also high. It is upon the project management team to establish suitable ways of preventing or managing these risks. Risk Treatment All the four categories of risks (technical risks, external risks, organizational risks and project management risks) have significant impacts on the project. Their probability and level of importance are high and so are their priority values. Therefore for the project to be completed successfully, these risks have to be treated. Risk treatment approaches that can be used include: risk avoidance strategies, risk acceptance strategies, risk transference strategies, and risk mitigation strategies (Nerija Banaitiene and Audrius Banaitis, 2012). Some of the best ways to treat the four risks are as follows: Technical risks These risks can be treated by having qualified staffs at all stages of the project; using appropriate selection methods for high quality construction materials, equipment and methods; making prudent assumptions on any issue related to the project; ensuring that suppliers commit themselves to timely deliveries; upholding the highest standards of site and worker safety through regular training and provision of safety equipment; and allocating adequate time for each activity by making an allowance for unforeseen environmental conditions. External risks Some of the strategies of treating these risks include: pushing for political goodwill in the country by augmenting awareness of the project benefits; collaborating with the relevant government authorities to ensure that the project budget is provided for in each financial year; developing a mechanism of integrating new stakeholders in the project; avoiding or reducing call for supplementary needs or new changes in the project; sticking to the project context and priorities from start to finish; and hiring economic specialists for recommendations on how to deal with fluctuating market conditions. These treatment approaches are appropriate because they will ensure that all risk factors for external risks have been accepted, transferred or mitigated. One of the most challenging external risk to control is climate change (Yohe, 2010). Poor weather conditions become poor conditions because delays because most of the construction works take place outdoors. One of the ways of treating this risk is to have a flexible schedule for the project. This will ensure that when natural, unforeseen and unavoidable conditions occur, such as an earthquake, no party will be subjected to any loss or all parties will share losses using a predetermined method. Thus the schedule should allow for extension of the project in case of such occurrences. Organizational risks It is known that the owner of the Waterview Connection project is NZ Transport Authority. This being a public agency, its organizational structure has a significant impact on the projects success. Some of the ways of treating organizational risks include: defining the process of decision making so as to avoid disputes and conflicts; having an effective recruiting methodology that identifies qualified and experienced staff; and having and sticking to consistent project priorities and context. Project management risks The project management team has a critical role to play in the remaining part of the project. The following are some of the ways the team can treat project management risks: reviewing and clearly understanding defined project context; having adequate and experienced workforce; being in control of workforce priorities; ensuring accurate scheduling and estimations; ensuring that the communication system in place is effective and facilitates easy and transparent information sharing among all stakeholders; holding consultants and contractors responsible and accountable for their actions; planning to ensure that all needed resources are available on time; ensuring that there is adequate reporting throughout the project period; clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of all parties and individuals involved in the project; ensuring that documentation is done properly and consistently; ensuring that there are appropriate procedures put in place to control quality of work done; and en suring that there is adequate staff to manage the project. The project team has to fully support the project; prioritize the project objectives and commit all their efforts to achieving them; reviewing the projects expectations and ensuring that they are accurate; ensuring that any conflict among the project team members is resolved quickly; putting in place mechanisms to retain all top executives of the project team; ensuring that all project inputs are of top quality; making sure that all decisions made are definite, complete and of high quality; and making sure that the projects methodology is followed to the latter (Mar, 2016). There is also a potential risk associated with this project after its completion. This risk is high operational and maintenance costs of the infrastructure being constructed. It has been estimated that the annual operational and maintenance costs of the project will be $16 million (Matt L., 2016). This is relatively high and may reduce the projects investment returns. It is therefore important for the relevant stakeholders to start looking for ways on how to reduce this high cost. Conclusion The remaining part of Waterview Connection still has multiple risks that can hinder its successful completion. These risks include technical risks, project management risks, organizational risks and external risks. The good part is that majority of these risks can be avoided or mitigated if they are properly identified and analyzed (Protiviti, (n.d)). This is mainly the responsibility of stakeholders involved in the project. To facilitate successful completion of the remaining part of the project, Well-Connected Alliance should get a team of highly experienced advisors, who have worked on similar projects before, and an experienced, professional independent reviewer, consultant or risk manager to assist them identify potential risks associated with the remaining part of the project. It is important to have an external perspective so as to ensure that the risk assessments done and treatments suggested are comprehensive, complete and accurate. References Beca. (2014). Waterview Connection. Retrieved September 23, 2016 from https://www.beca.co.nz/projects/transport/road_transport/waterview_connection.aspx Bright Hub Project Management. (2012). Internal vs. external risks in project management. Retrieved September 23, 2016 from https://www.brighthubpm.com/risk-management/94946-internal-vs-external-risks-in-project-management/ Chris Hendrickson and Tug Au. (2008). Organization for Project Management. Retrieved from https://pmbook.ce.cmu.edu/02_Organizing_For_Project_Management.html Fletcher Construction Company Limited. (2016). Waterview Connection. Retrieved September 23, 2016 from https://www.fletcherconstruction.co.nz/projects.php?action=searchid=467 Galorath Dan. (2008). Risk On IT Infrastructure Projects, Retrieved September 23, 2016 from https://galorath.com/wp/risk-on-it-infrastructure-projects/ Ibrahim Mahamid. (2013). Common risks affecting time overrun in road construction projects in Palestine: Contractors perspective. Australian Journal of Construction Economics and Building, 13 (2) 45-53. Innovation of Civil Engineers. (September 8, 2016). Risk in building design and construction. Retrieved September 23, 2016 from https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Risk_in_building_design_and_construction Learnz. (n.d.). More Than Just A Road. Retrieved September 23, 2016 from https://www.learnz.org.nz/waterviewconnection143/more-than-just-a-road Mar Anna. (2016). 130 Project Risks (List). Retrieved September 23, 2016 from https://management.simplicable.com/management/new/130-project-risks Matt L. (September 1, 2016). Waterview Mitigation Needed. Retrieved September 23, 2016 from https://transportblog.co.nz/tag/waterview-connection/ Nadeem et al. (2010). Risk Management in Construction Industry. IEEE Nerija Banaitiene and Audrius Banaitis. (2012). Risk Management in Construction Projects. Nicole Lawton. (June 9, 2016). Aucklands Waterview Connection on schedule to open in early 2017. Retrieved September 23, 2016 from https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/80912488/Aucklands-Waterview-Connection-on-schedule-to-open-in-early-2017 NZ Transport Agency. (2016). Waterview Connection. Retrieved September 23, 2016 from https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/the-western-ring-route/waterview-connection/ Peter G. Furst. (2010). Construction Project Risk Management. Retrieved from https://www.irmi.com/articles/expert-commentary/construction-project-risk-management Protiviti. (n.d). Identifying and Managing Risks on Construction Projects. U.S.: Protiviti. Waka Kotahi. (2011). Waterview Connection going underground. Auckland: NZ Transport Agency. Wang, Zou and Zhang, 2006 Yohe, G. (2010). Risk Assessment and Risk Management for Infrastructure Planning and Investment, National Academy of Engineering, Vol. 40, No. 3. Zou et al. (2007). Understanding the key risks in construction projects in China. International Journal of Project Management, Vol. 25, Issue 6, pp. 601-614.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)