Monday, February 17, 2020

Choose ANY project from the pre-modern (pre-1750) period Essay

Choose ANY project from the pre-modern (pre-1750) period - Essay Example The need to construct the Suez Canal therefore became imperative with the growing need for quick transportation to facilitate trade and human transport. A French company took the initiative of constructing the canal and obtained a 99 year concession for the canal. Thereafter, the Suez Canal Company was established with much funding obtained from Europe. Ferdinand de Lesseps obtained the concession in 1854 from Egypt and Sudan in order to build the canal (Farnie 58). He brought together a team of thirteen experts who were to be in charge of overseeing the construction of the canal. Indeed, myriad challenges were anticipated and it was expected that these challenges would be addressed in the course of the process. Surveys were done in Egypt and most of the discussions and deliberations were conducted in Paris. A final unanimous report for the construction was therefore produced detailing all the relevant aspects of the canal that would create any relevance at that time and in the future. The real construction work began at Port Said in Egypt on 25th April 1859 (Karabell 89). In order to provide the much needed labor that was necessary for the excavation work, forced labor was effectively used. Sources estimate that at any given time, up to 30,000 people were working on the project. It is further estimated that a total of 1.5 million, at one time or another, actually worked on the project. Challenges often abound in this process. The excavation work was very difficult and so many workers died in the process. The desert conditions where the workers did most of their work were never favorable in any way for such kind of work. Despite the imperative need for the canal, the British government had always opposed the whole idea behind the canal from the outset. In the course of the project, the British government totally opposed the use of slaves as the main source of labor for the construction of the canal.

Monday, February 3, 2020

Implementing organizational change plan Assignment

Implementing organizational change plan - Assignment Example To identify the factors required to implement change in the defense sector, focus on strategies for change implementation, evaluate methods to monitor the implementation of such change, examine relationship between organization’s personnel, processes and systems, etc. In the previous years, army life was supposed to be one of the best careers possible owing to the benefits it provided. Forget about the hardship of the soldiers, they were provided with high payments and other amenities. As time went on, and with the advent of highly paying service sector, the soldiers are comparing their lives with those of the highly paid service professionals who do not face the risk of their life. Added to this, the discomfort of parting from their family members and the work humiliation by their superiors is forcing the youngsters to rethink their career options into army. But, as the country’s security lies in the hands of these youth, it becomes imperative to bring about considerab le organizational change in this sector.A comprehensive plan needs to be developed to subdue the effect of these factors. Strategies for successful implementation of proposed change: After examining abovementioned factors, the proposed change can be a welcome in the army only when the subordinates are also included in the planning process. This is called Management by Objectives. In this process, 1. The organizational objectives and their purpose are clearly defined: As for the defense sector, the main objective is to maintain peace in the country and defend an enemy when such situations arise. This should be made clear to every army personnel. 2. The key Performance Areas (KPA’s) have to be drawn down realistically by the superiors: The superiors have to give great importance to the security of their personnel to gain their confidence. Detailed plans have to be drawn about the operations to be used in the warfronts and they have to be communicated clearly. 3. Setting of obje ctives for sub-ordinates: The KPA’s for every individual could be to maintain peace and harmony in the department, upgrade personal skills to imbibe new warfront technologies, exhibit presence of mind at the wartime and perform what is required at that very moment. The sub-ordinates should be explained of their roles in reaching the objectives to minimize the gap between the expectations and their performance. 4. Objective matching with the resources: The superiors should foray into technology, task and structure related changes and design the best methodology for the subordinates.