Clara Barton

Clara Barton was a true pioneer and humanitarian. She is a well known woman in American history due to her participation in the Civil War and her founding of the American Red Cross. She became a teacher at a time where most teacher's were men. She was one of the first woman to ever be hired by the Federal government and was an inspiration for all women during her lifetime and forever after NATURE Clara Barton loved nature through her natural ability to nurture. As a very caring and giving women she looked to helping anyone and everyone around her. â€Å" The conflict is one thing I've been waiting for.I'm well and strong and young†¦.. young enough to go to the front. If I cannot be a soldier, I'll help the soldiers†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. (http://womenshistory. about. com/od/bartonclara/a/clara_barton_quotes. htm) This quote gives a better understanding on Miss Barton's views of the world around her. She cared for these men that fought so valiantly and brave. She wanted to do anything s he could to help. Clara began her civil war service by providing supplies to the troops. Showing her natural ability to nurture, she personally cared for the troops who needed nursing services.Her views on nature were to save as many lives as possible. Without sustained life, we would not have any nature to appreciate. She made sure that would continue with her self sacrificing decision to help wounded soldiers on the battlefield. This can also be seen with her founding of the American Red Cross. SUPERNATURAL â€Å"Your belief that I am a Universalist is as correct as your greater belief that you are one yourself, a belief in which all who are privileged to possess it rejoice†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. (http://www. uuquincy. org/projects/stamps/14clarabarton. htm) A quote from Ms.Barton in a letter to her friend in 1905 about her beliefs throughout her life. Her parents raised her to believe in Universalism. As a child she attended the Universalist Church in Oxford, Massachusetts. Alway s keeping faith with her church she wrote â€Å" In this church I was reared. In all its reconstructions and re modelings I have taken a part, and I look anxiously for a time in the near future when the busy world will let me once more become a living part of its people, praising God for the advance in the liberal faith of the religions of the world today, so largely due to the teachings of this belief†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. http://www. uuquincy. org/projects/stamps/14clarabarton. htm) As a universalist, Miss Barton believed in a universal salvation who welcome all and respect individual beliefs. UNIVERSE Considering that Clara was a Universalist by religion, It is only fitting that her thoughts on life are opened by the possibilities of the Universe itself. Universalism believes that personal experience, conscience and reason should be the final authorities in religion†¦. thus leaving a persons relationship between themselves and their surroundings an open book.This unique point of view about life allowed her to follow what was in her heart and mind. Believing in the search for the truth, there were no ties to one specific point of view but instead an open state of mind that allowed her to focus on the things that she cared about, helping those in need and being there for everyone who needed her. TIME Miss Barton's time while she was alive was well spent. From teaching at the age of 16 to becoming a civil war nurse at the age of 40, her time was always filled with something for to do.Even as a child she had a need to be needed. If she was not busy, she would become depressed. Thus, she tended to and did whatever she could to stay busy and keep her mind from falling into the darkness of depression. As a teacher she was able to mold young minds and keep herself busy, yet it was not until the civil war that she was able to put her time and nursing services to use. A time line from 1861-1865 allows us to see how she was able to provide relief to the many wounded i n the civil war. April 1861 in Washington D. C. Miss Barton assisted soldiers wounded in Baltimore, Maryland August-September 1862 in Virginia – She attended to the wounded in the second Battle of Bull Run at Manassas, Cedar Mountain, Chantilly, Harper's Ferry and South Mountain. September 1862- Sharpsburg, MD- Clara Barton brought much-needed medical supplies and attended to the wounded during and after the Battle of Antietam. December 1862 in Falmouth, VA- She attended to the wounded from the Battle of Fredericksburg. April-Dec 1863 in Hilton Head and Morris Island, S. C. She transferred from VA to be closer to her brother David, a U. S. Army Captain. There she established hospitals for the wounded from the Battle of Fort Wagner and distributed supplies to Union soldiers after the battle at Charleston. May-Jun 1864- Fredericksburg, VA- She attended to the wounded of the Battle of Spotslyvania Court House and the Battle of Cold Harbor. June 1864 – January 1865- Anders onville, GA – Assisted in the identification of graves for missing soldiers at the former Confederate prison. At the conclusion of her work, the site was dedicated as the first national cemetery.After the flag was raised in dedication of the national cemetery, Clara wrote â€Å" I ought to be satisfied. I believe I am. †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. (http://chapters. redcross. org/atlanta/History/clara_barton. htm) Future events would prove the she was never satisfied unless she was responding to the call of human need. HUMANITY Clara Barton was born to assist. Even though as a child she was shy and timid, she quickly found ways of overcoming those obstacles such as teaching. â€Å" Child that I was, I did not know that the surest test of discipline is its absence†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. http://clarabartonbirthplace. org/site/? q=node/2) At the age of 16 she became a teacher in North Oxford, Massachusetts. Clara was and excellent teacher and was highly regarded for her ability to teach and produc e disciplined children without any physical punishment. â€Å" Show me a child well disciplined, perfectly governed at home, and I will show you a child that never breaks a rule at school†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (http://clarabartonbirthplace. org/site/? q=node/2) She spent most of her life teaching and enjoyed every minute of it but soon enough she was ready for an new challenge.At the age of 40, The civil war had begun and she was ready to take on the the challenge of whistling bullets and booming artillery all around her as she tended to the men in need of medical attention on the battlefield. â€Å" I may be compelled to face danger, but never fear it, and while our soldiers can stand and fight, I can stand and feed and nurse them†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. (http://womenshistory. about. com/od/bartonclara/a/clara_barton_quotes. htm) Clara Barton's humanity is clearly shown by her courageous actions on the battlefields of the civil war. FATE I have an almost complete disregard of precedent and a fait h in the possibility of something better. It irritates me to be told how things always have been done†¦ I defy the tyranny of precedent. I cannot afford the luxury of a closed mind. I go for anything new that might improve the past†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. http://womenshistory. about. com/od/bartonclara/a/clara_barton_quotes. htm A quote from Clara Barton that describes in detail how she feels about fate and destiny. She feels that keeping an open mind will allow anyone the ability to see things clearly and not in black and white.As an avid supporter for an open mind, she believed that life would be what anyone could make of it. As stated at the end of the quote†¦.. â€Å"I go for anything new that might improve the past†, She is stating that as a people, we should look at our past mistakes and work for the better. Improving our livelihoods should be what living is for. There is no destiny or fate but only what we are able to do to help create a positive outcome. LAW â€Å" Everybody's business is nobody's business, and nobody's business is my business†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (http://womenshistory. about. om/od/bartonclara/a/clara_barton_quotes. htm) Clara Barton was a good negotiator at certain times but she was not at all shy about using the law to her advantage. Even with her basic understanding of law, Clara was able to negotiate her way onto the battlefields to help her fellow Union brothers. As head of the missing person's office that was established with the support from President Lincoln, she was the first women bureau head in the U. S. Government. She prided herself with that fact that not only did she respect all others but for the fact that others respected her greatly.Timelessly know as the â€Å"Angel of the Battlefield†, Clara Barton will always be remembered for her humanitarian efforts as well as her persistence and determination to help wounded soldiers during the Civil War. Countless lives were saved during that conflict and count less lives are saved today thanks to her founding of the American Red Cross. Clara Barton was one of a kind, she proved to the world what the labors of one woman alone could accomplish and she will always be remembered as an American Hero.

Dickens and a Christmas Carol Essay

Here Scrooge is taken by a spirit to see himself, as a child, in his school. It is Christmas time and Scrooge was left in school instead of being with his family and friends, this shows spiritual poverty, whereby Scrooge is deprived of his family at Christmastime and therefore deprived of their love and kindness. Another example of spiritual poverty can be found on page 69. The spirit shows a vision of a Christmas yet to come, in which Scrooge has died. Nobody cared for Scrooge, because he was so cruel himself, and so members of his staff are selling his clothes. This is spiritual poverty because it demonstrates a total lack of respect for the dead in preference of financial gain. On pages 48-49, there is an example of material poverty. The Cratchits are having their Christmas dinner. It is a small, simple meal consisting of a goose, instead of a turkey, which is normally eaten by the rich, and also a small pudding. Despite this, the family were still happy and content. This is material poverty because it shows that poor people, who have no luxuries, are still able to make the most of what they do have, and be thankful. There is a further example of material poverty on page 61, where Scrooge is again taken by a spirit to visit a part of the city which he had never been to before. It describes in vivid detail the poverty and deprivation in this area. The stench in the quarter was awful, the area was filthy dirty and reeked of crime and misery. Material poverty is evident here because there is obviously no money in this area for people to forge better lives for themselves, or to enhance or repair the environment in which they live. We can tell that this story is located in a particular time in history by a number of reasons. The story is published in 1843, as stated on the cover. The book is largely centred around the concept of poverty which was widely in evidence during this era. At about this time, a writer called Thomas Malthus wrote an essay entitled, â€Å"Essay on Population†. This argued that the population was too big and that there were too many people being born. This point is emphasised when Scrooge is talking to the charitable gentleman about making a donation for the poor and Scrooge’s reply is to let the people die in the workhouse to reduce the surplus population. At this time, the Poor Law amended the Act of 1834 which abolished outdoor relief and established workhouses for the poor, which resembled prisons. Conditions were extremely poor. The work was tedious and the food was insufficient. Men, women and children were divided and the system was feared by them all. Dickens also thought that this system was inhumane. He attacked this system in â€Å"Oliver Twist† and highlighted the attitudes which had created it in â€Å"A Christmas Carol†. This shows that the book was written at this time in history because it coincided with the Poor Law amendments which features in â€Å"A Christmas Carol†. The attitude of Charles Dickens to the poverty he describes is one of disgust and sympathy. This is partly because he has himself experienced poverty and understands the impact that it can have on oneself. He seeks reform and in his books he has tried to highlight the issues of poverty and to point out why change was essential. This is why Dickens uses a Christmas theme in his book, hopefully to bring out the better qualities of people. Christmas being a period normally associated with kindness and goodwill to all men, he obviously hoped and believed that this would make people aware of the plight of the poor and hopefully change the attitudes of many who despised the poor and were not interested in their well-being. Many people actually profited from the exploitation of the poorer classes, particularly in the workhouses. Dickens wanted to ensure that this type of exploitation became impossible in the future, which was largely the reason why he highlighted these issues. An example of this is on page 56-57 where the spirit turns Scrooge’s own words against him saying, â€Å"Are there no prisons or workhouses? † This is in reference to the Want and Ignorance children, that the spirit is showing Scrooge. The children are ragged and dirty and Scrooge is shocked to the core by their appearance and realises what he has done by ignoring the needs of the poor. Although Dickens did not really succeed in changing the lives of the poor at this time, his efforts did help to bring about improved conditions and reform from the 1870’s onwards.

To Build A Strong Brand Within The Fashion Industry Essay

To Build A Strong Brand Within The Fashion Industry - Essay Example The essay "To Build A Strong Brand Within The Fashion Industry" explores how to build a strong brand in the fashion industry. The adoption of multiple case studies design in the analysis is because the design produces more compelling evidence than single studies, in addition to providing stronger basis for construction of the theory. Zara is a Spanish retailer of clothing and accessories that is part of Inditex group with its base in Arteixo, Galicia. Since its debut in the fashion industry, the company has risen to the top and is currently one of the main stakeholder brands in fashion worldwide. Contrary to the fashion industry product development period of six months, the company has found efficient production processes that enable it to come up with a new product and release it to the store shelves in just two weeks. This has been one of the key strategies to its growth worldwide. With such an approach, the company has so far won the war of transferring its production aspects to l ow cost countries like China that is currently the wide trend by top fashion brands in the industry. The company currently has a large distribution network with 1751 stores worldwide trading as Zara and an extra 174 doing business as Kiddy’s class stores; the company’s branch for children’s clothing. The company sells 50% of its products within Spain, 26% in other European counties with the remaining 24% destined for Asia, Africa and the rest of the world. Table 4.2.2 shows how Zara has succeeded in building its brand name.

English and Japanese Tense and Aspect Features Essay

English and Japanese Tense and Aspect Features - Essay Example Over and over again, they have only engrossed the thoughtfulness of grammarians who have had to elucidate the purpose of such classifications in one language to speakers of alternative language in which the arrangement is dissimilar (Dahl, 1985). The discussion that ensues is going to focus primarily on English tense and aspect features in comparison to the tense and aspect features of the Japanese. The discussion will also analyze the pedagogical implications of these tense and aspect features for Japanese English language learners. Aspects are diverse modes of observing the interior chronological constituency of an event/ situation or of tense as grammaticalized setting in time (Greenbaum & Nelson, 2004). The succeeding two English sentences can be used to demonstrate tense peculiarity: a) It is raining today and b) It was raining yesterday. The fact that two distinctive sentences are concerned with an interlude in time which exclusively heralds the idea of language elicits the cho ice of the â€Å"Simple Past† verb usage was somewhat than the â€Å"Present† is. These two sentences give an illustration of a myriad of properties characteristic of tense features. First they are articulated by the choice of one of numerous conceivable morphological formulae of the determinate verb or the ancillary verb. Second, they are semantically reliant on the connection between the specific time that is talked of’ in the illustrated sentence and the time that the act of the speech took place. The time that the act of the speech took place is frequently known the deictic center. Lastly, tenses have to be conveyed. It is important that the tense choice form has to be made. It does not take into account whether or not there is the presence of an unequivocal indicator of time, for example the existence of an adverb in the sentence (Okaura, 2014).

POLITICAL CONSPIRACY AND SLANDER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8000 words

POLITICAL CONSPIRACY AND SLANDER - Essay Example However, the investigations were unsuccessful in solving crimes of political slander or even to pinpoint the officials and organizations most probable to have been executors (Pfau 2005). Thus investigations of doubtful political incidents eventually came to be ridiculed as ‘conspiracy theories’ due to the fact that, after reviewing official accounts, they frequently apply vague proofs to hypothesize about threatening schemes and convoluted cover-ups (Goldzwig 2002). As remarked by Stewart and colleagues (1994), â€Å"a conspiracy may be real or imagined, but the process is the same; a chain of apparently unrelated events or actions is linked to reveal concerted actions and intentions to cause all sorts of social, economic, political, religious, and moral problems† (ibid, p. 3). Thus, it is at times hard to discern fantasy from reality. It may be hard to put off disorientation as well. This remains a reality. People of the United States are still prone to be victim s of suspicious events that benefit confer advantage to political elites, and still Americans lack means of finding out whether the events are inevitable incidents or, rather, crimes instigated or allowed by the authorities themselves (Smith 2006). Recent cases in point are the 2000 and 2004 election troubles; the failures of defense on the 9-11 attack; the chain of threats of terrorism circulated based on weak evidence (Katyal 2003). A number of these events were never scrutinized. Others were investigated shallowly. Even the September 11 attack, which gained the most elaborate and systematic investigation, was studied by political insiders who circumvented inquiring whether the incident might have been a conspiracy (Smith 2006). Nevertheless, elites exploited these incidents to defend constraints on civil liberties, a current strategy, and an American militarism, unparalleled for the United States, of preventive conflict (Melley 2000). To be certain, large portions of the U.S. pop ulation and all over the world think that the administration of Bush accepted and may have in some way allowed the 9-11 attack, yet these misgivings are only another group of conspiracy theories that create more issues than clarifications. To transcend incident-specific assumptions of government schemes, the discussion of political conspiracy and slander in this paper would employ social scientific premises for ideas into the widespread occurrence of state assaults on democratic principles and practices. Political Conspiracy and Slander in the United States Even though conspiracy theorists have been unsuccessful to build up a sufficient explanation of state crime, they are worthy of recognition for emphasizing a threatening possibility historically taken for granted by scholars. The latter have investigated different types of state criminality, but in nearly every instance the opportunity for government authorities in liberal democracies to undermine or challenge democratic principl es and practices has been overlooked (Pozen 2010). In criminology and sociology, a large number of studies on state crime have put emphasis on connections between subversive and public organizations, particularly the symbiosis that frequently emerges between organized crime and law enforcement agencies (Pfau 2005). Hardly any intellectuals in these disciplines have also investigated state criminality as a kind of political

Race, Empire and Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Race, Empire and Education - Essay Example century, confusion marred the classification of races where the Jews, Irish, and the Italians were considered as â€Å"black.† During the mid-nineteenth century, there was a lot of activity that saw the European nations move out of their continent to explore other regions. This was so intense that they had to compete amongst themselves. Slave trade gained roots due to the need for labor for the industries and farms during the industrial revolution. This made it possible for the Europeans to capitalize on the uncivilized races. In addition, there was a view of superiority among the Europeans who considered other races especially Africans as inferior and primitive. The mid nineteenth century being at the peak of the industrial revolution became the turning point in racial attitudes. Racial differences became explosive at the mid years of nineteenth century and were catalyzed by development of theories on racism. There are a number of theories that emerged that were used to explain various aspects of human variations. One of these differences was established to be the innate racial characteristics of individuals. In his work, published in 1850, Robert Knox points out that â€Å"race is everything: literature, science, art, in a word, civilization depends on it.† (Knox 1850, pg 7). With such a view, it is evident that there was a perception that the most important thing that determined the person’s worth was the race from which a person comes from. This theory further provided various conflicting propositions, for example, it establishes that the different races are different species. The mindset created among the whites created an impression of uniqueness superiority and intelligent. Another theory is that put forth by Count Arthur de Gobineau, a F renchman who composed an essay entitled â€Å"Essay on the Inequality of Human Races.† In this piece of work, Arthur amplifies the concept of race as one of the most important aspects that a person can be categorized, he

The Impact of Christianity Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Impact of Christianity Response - Essay Example Philosophy is a way of life for the people in the society. Through, the people are finding their way in their lives and enacting their roles as member of the significant member of the society. With consideration to the personal philosophy they adhere with, people are finding answers and to their crucial and critical questions mainly on the concept of man’s purpose for existence. This is where the religion of Christianity affects the philosophy of the humanity in a critically significant way. The beliefs and principles of Christianity address much the dominant philosophies during the past and until the present generations wherein they seek to answer the most important questions of the humankind. With the teachings of this religion, peoples’ views and ideas regarding humanity’s purpose was significantly enlightenment giving the people a new life philosophy and hope through spirituality. The religious teachings of Christianity generally originated from the three-year ministry of Jesus Christ himself, which is critically highlighted, and emphasize with His death. During this time, the laws and principles of the God concretely reported in the Hebrew testament of the Holy Scripture were clearly explained and elaborated for the humanity to understand their significance. Inspired and proclaimed at the present by the Holy Bible, Christianity’s teachings give the people a new way in life to follow by adhering to the guiding principles inspiringly explained by Jesus Christ himself. ... With this principle, the religion of Christianity has given a new philosophy for the humanity during their time of turmoil and disparity. With this philosophy, Christianity has able to bind the people in the spirituality perspective of living in faith with God and the salvation that awaits them in return. Important Aspects of Christianism "Why do Christians consider the Beatitudes (Matthew 5-7) some of Jesus' most important teachings'" During the ministerial and theocratic mission of Jesus on the face of the Earth, he continuously nourished his disciples and believers moral thoughts and encouragement regarding the morally inclining and spiritual enriching Words of God. He elaborated and thoroughly discuss to the common public the meaning and value of the principles embedded in the Words of God. Hs wisdom regarding these matters are very much unsurpassable and that they are spiritually inclining especially to the common public thus his teachings was widely accepted by the people. Among Jesus' teachings, his Sermon on the Mount becomes mostly strengthening because of the principles embedded on it. This discussion is commonly termed to be the Beatitudes where Jesus explicitly relates to the common public the true meaning and relevance of the Word of God. Through the said teaching, Jesus was able to capture the hearts and spirits of the people because his sermon showed deep emotions of concern and empathy to the weak and poor. His Words contain hope for happiness for the poor, weak, deceased families and weak but all spiritual conscious and have faith with the Word of God. (Matthew 5: 1-11). The Beatitudes generally are for the oppressed and weak people in the society that

Network Risk Assestment and recommended actions Research Paper

Network Risk Assestment and recommended actions - Research Paper Example Application attacks are gaining popularity. Networked based fire walls will not be able to effectively keep the system secure from this kind of attack. Though some firewalls in networks have application firewall capabilities, most are considered to be underpowered by experts, providing less protection than the available firewalls that are single purpose. Actually, network firewalls have no capacity what so ever to protect against custom web applications (Eschenauer and Gligor, 1). This nature of a network security infrastructure leaves the organizations web resources at risk with dire consequences on the organization Quantitative risk analysis regarding the network architecture Asses Value Asset Value Cost of maintenances Profits to the company Worth in competition Recovering cost Acquisition cost Firewalls 4,000 100 per month 10,000 per month 2,000 1,000 5,000 Web server 5,000 100 per month 10,000 per month 2,000 1,000 7,000 Database Server 5,000 100 per month 10,000 per month 2,000 1,000 7,000 Table: 1 Estimate of potential Loss per Threat The table below shows the estimate potential loss per threat Asset Cost of physical damage Cost of loss in productivity Cost if information is disclosed Cost if critical devices fail Firewalls 4,000 10,000 120,000 10,000 Web server 5,000 15,000 1,000 15,000 Database Server 5,000 30,000 200,000 10,000 Table: 2 Application attacks can also be used to gain access into various departments in an organization, For instance gaining access into a database administrator, financial controller, or system administrator can provide an attacker access to information to these departments which may be having information that may contain passwords for credit card numbers which can be used to steal identity, or have dire financial implications to an organization or a company. Risk factor two Another issue is that the basic implementation has its default use of well-known UDP and TCP and ports for communication. Unfortunately for this organiz ation’s Web applications are packaged-solutions, hence the organization is unable to makes change to the prescribed ports. Therefore, systems in the demilitarized zones (DMZ) will be compromised; it is easy for the attacker to compromise the systems because of the default TCP/UDP portals. In addition, systems in the demilitarized zones experience little to no monitoring or security-controls. Only one server that will be compromised before an intruder to access the Web applications Because of these shortfalls, the basic architectural technique no longer gives the kind or level of security currently being required by online cash transfer companies like VISA Cardholder-Information-Security- Program (CISP) and Payment-Card-Industry (PCI) security standards, Federal-Information-System-Management-Act (FISMA), GLBA, SOX and more other regulatory and industry-security standards engaged in this compliance effort. Risk Factor 3 Physical factors like act of nature, earth quakes, floods and fires often cause irreversible damage on networking hardware. Some of these calamities are unpredictable, and can cause extensive damage in an organization’s network system with great loses, damaged equipments can result to loss of sensitive data and information, negatively affecting productivity with end effect being heavy losses on an organization. Another physical factor that poses security threats to the network system is unauthorized access to where the various devices and

Save Girl Child Essay Example for Free

Save Girl Child Essay The driving force behind our lives is values (desires). A value can be defined as our highest priority in life. It may be Peace, Self Awareness, Money, Beauty, Power, Prestige, Sensual Pleasure, Contentment, Love etc. Whatever in our hierarchy of values, the top most value will be happiness. A better understanding of happiness is necessary to be happy in life. All the sensual pleasures are subjective, vary from person to person. One may like to hear a famous song while other may prefer to be with a beautiful girl or boy. If we seek repeated sensual pleasure, after each incident pleasure will decrease. The same incident will not give same amount of happiness; law of diminishing return applies to it. So every time we need something new to be happy. If we run behind new things to be happy, we will either drain out or will face depression of success. Are there any ways to be happy without any external stimulus or with same routine or same work or same dish or same spouse? Let us examine happiness further; is it possible to be happy without any object of enjoyment? Suppose if we win in one situation or receive praise, we become happy without any objects of enjoyment. Hence, happiness is a state of mind. And the objects or external stimulants are just a provocative cause to evoke that state. Let us examine this state of mind. We understood happiness is not coming from external stimulus and the happiness happens when our mind becomes still. Therefore happiness should be our true nature and our mind is the hindrance to experience it. If we could create the stillness of mind without any external stimulus, we could experience our true self or true nature orswarupa: sat-chit-ananda (pure blissful consciousness). The bliss can be defined as pleasure without any cause. The consciousness is the simultaneous awareness of the witness, the process of witnessing, and the object of witnessing. The objects were just reflecting the ananda or bliss in us and when it is reflected through objects or external stimulus, it is called happiness. When we experience bliss, we feel oneness with God. When this union or realization happens, we tuned with the natural laws. Mind is a collection of thoughts. It is a useful instrument to handle situations in front of you. We collect some thoughts of past or future (desires or values) to choose better in the present. We opt consciously or unconsciously each and every moment. Our choice causes an effect in the Existence and the Existence responds according to its own laws. Since the consequences of choices are beyond our direct control; we face stress or aadhi in decisions. Since happiness depends on external stimulus and law of diminishing return applies to it, each incident will increase our desire for a new. Thus vulnerability to aadhi increases by each incident. We may run behind objects of enjoyment or a stimulus to evoke the state of happiness. It creates continuous aadhi by forming a vicious circle. Our mind will occupy with either thoughts of past or future without taking the relevant decisions. Because, since there are too many considerations and the need to assure happiness; we will lose our courage to fix in one option. In such conditions, we follow mind or conscience as a guide. The mind and conscience may contain samskaras or imprints or memory of the past or future which may prevent appropriate action in the present. If we try to sort it out by thinking, it strengthens the mind and creates more trouble than before. The distorted mind cause to lose present moment or awareness or consciousness. Thus, the mind causes separation or ignorance of our blissful nature.

Transcendentalism Through The Political Thought Of Emerson Thoreau And Fuller Essay Example for Free

Transcendentalism Through The Political Thought Of Emerson Thoreau And Fuller Essay During the early to middle years of the nineteenth century, American transcendentalism was born. The term transcendental came from German philosopher Immanuel Kant. He criticizes John Locke, who claimed that knowledge comes through our sensual impressions of the world. Kant feels as though the mind has intuitions of itself that he called transcendental forms. He said that all intuitive thought is transcendental. (The Transcendentalist, 1842) Transcendentalism has a lot of meanings but over time it has essentially remained the same. A 1913 Webster’s Dictionary described transcendentalism as claiming â€Å"to have a true knowledge of all things, material and immaterial, human and divine, so far as the mind is capable of knowing them. It is also sometimes used for that which is vague and illusive in philosophy. † (Webster Dictionary, 1913) Today transcendentalism has furthered its meaning to â€Å"a philosophy which says that thought and spiritual things are more real than ordinary human experience and material things. † (Merriam-Webster, n. d. ) Cliffnotes describes it as: â€Å"A religious, literary, and philosophical movement in New England between 1836, when Emerson published Nature, and 1844, when The Dial — the publishing entity of the transcendental movement — ceased publication. Influenced by Unitarianism, transcendentalists denied the existence of miracles, preferring a Christianity that rested on the teachings of Christ and not on his deeds. They experimented with communal living and supported educational innovation, the abolitionist and feminist movements, and the reform of the church and society, generally. New England transcendentalists were committed to intuition as a way of knowing, to individualism, and to a belief in the divinity of humans and nature. † (Charles Mignon H. Rose, Glossary, n. d. ) Transcendentalism is so much more than these simple definitions. Ralph Waldo Emerson, one of the leaders of the movement, developed a whole essay on explaining the movement and even further discussed it in many of his other writings. In The Transcendentalist, Emerson first describes transcendentalism as idealism, the idealism of 1842. He considers people as either materialists or idealists. â€Å"Materialism is the philosophical belief that all human events and conditions depend upon material objects and their interrelationships; sensory perception is the key to learning. † (Charles Mignon H. Rose, Glossary, n. d. ) Materialists see things as they are and except them for that. Materialist can become Idealists but Idealists can never become materialists. â€Å"Idealism is the philosophical assumption that material objects do not exist independently of human perception. † (Charles Mignon H. Rose, Glossary, n. d. ) Idealists are founded on consciousness. They believe that things go beyond the senses, the senses represent things but they can’t tell you what these things are. They insist on the power of thought, will, inspiration, miracles and individual culture. They believe their way of thinking is in higher nature. They see events as spirits. (The Transcendentalist, 1842) They can see a chair and look beyond it being just a chair. They see the spiritual aspect of it. Once they do recognize the many possibilities of a spiritual life, they continue to seek after this transcending state. â€Å"The Transcendentalist adopts the whole connection of spiritual doctrine. He believes in miracle, in the perpetual openness of the human mind to new influx of light and power; he believes in inspiration, and in ecstasy. He wishes that the spiritual principle should be suffered to demonstrate itself to the end, in all possible applications to the state of man, without the admission of anything unspiritual; that is, anything positive, dogmatic, personal. Thus, the spiritual measure of inspiration is the depth of the thought, and never, who said it? And so he resists all attempts to palm other rules and measures on the spirit than its own. † (The Transcendentalist, 1842) Idealists see the how the mind process our senses as more important than the senses themselves. They see our existence as subjective. They judge only according to their values and measure according to their values. Their main focus is the individual. They feel as though individuals should focus on fixing their moral character rather than focusing on the world as a whole. It makes more sense for everyone to fix themselves because if each individual changes him or herself then the world as a whole will eventually change. Transcendentalism proposes that human nature is good and the individual will seek good but society is to blame for corruption. Therefore the individual should focus on themselves. (Campbell, 1997) Emerson believes the idealists or transcendentalist should be self-dependent. He feels as though â€Å"it is simpler to be self-dependent. The height, the deity of man is, to be self-sustained, to need no gift, no foreign force. † (The Transcendentalist, 1842) The transcendentalists should be self-absorbed. Transcendentalists have an antisocial character. â€Å"They are lonely; the spirit of their writing and conversation is lonely; they repel influences; they shun general society; they incline to shut themselves in their chamber in the house, to live in the country rather than in the town, and to find their tasks and amusements in solitude. † (The Transcendentalist, 1842) They withdraw from society because they have difficulty relating to people who aren’t as spiritual, intelligent and idealistic as themselves. They are perfectionists who believe human life is flawed so they prefer to be in solitary with nature or a book rather than common people. Emerson criticizes this solitary nature. If they don’t use their gifts to benefit society then society won’t be able to reach the idealist mindset and way of life. They also waste their gift when they don’t allow society to learn from them. (The Transcendentalist, 1842) This paper will take into account each definition and characteristic of the Transcendentalist and Transcendentalism through the works of some of the major leaders during the movement. This paper will explore the religious aspect of the movement through the works of the former Unitarian minister, Ralph Waldo Emerson. The political aspect of the movement will be explored through the works of the naturalist, Henry David Thoreau. The paper will conclude with the feminist and social reform aspect of the movement through the works of Margaret Fuller. Ralph Waldo Emerson Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, poet and Unitarian minister who became one of the first American authors to influence European thought. He was born in Boston, MA on May 25, 1803. Seven of his ancestors were ministers and his father was also a minister. By the age of eighteen, Emerson was graduating from Harvard and taught school in Boston for three years. He then went on to Harvard Divinity School and a year later was approbated to preach by the Middlesex Association of Ministers. In a matter of four years he had become the minister of the Second Church of Boston and married Ellen Tucker, who unfortunately died seventeen months later. In 1832, Emerson resigned as a pastor because he felt as though the Lord’s Supper should not be a permanent sacrament. He then went on to England and stayed for some time. He returned to Massachusetts in 1833 and became an active lecturer. (Funk Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 2014, 1p. ) By 1836, Emerson had published his most detailed statement of belief in his first published book, Nature. He starts the book discussing the currents of the Universal Being that circulate through him making him part God or a piece of God. This is what transcendentalism is mostly about, the belief in the divinity of the human and nature. Through the universal being everything in nature is linked, including humans. Nature’s spirit expresses itself through us and creates a unity between God, spirit and humanity. Nature rewards the noble and those who perform good deeds. Therefore a person would have to be righteous in order to enjoy the beauty nature beholds. In chapter four he discusses how nature and language relate. Words are signs of natural facts and history that helps us understand supernatural history. The language people use to communicate is supplied by nature. A river represents the passage of time. The change of seasons represents the stages of growth. He then goes on to discuss how nature and human law have merged together, yet we still try to distinguish them. You can even see this today with the separation of church and state. In chapter five he discusses reason. Nature is a moral teacher and reason helps to offer ethical and spiritual insights to nature. Reason is linked to intuition, which as previously stated is transcendental. Though according to idealism, nature is something experienced and distinct from us. (Nature, 124-157, 1836) A couple years later in 1838, Emerson further discusses his views on religion in his Divinity School Address. He first discusses the intimate relationship between God and man; the unity of God, humans, and nature. Religion can only truly be achieved when man recognizes their direct access with God and realize that religion and virtue can only be understood from within. There is no mediator between man and God. Man can go directly to God. Since God is perfect man can also become perfect because of that access they have to him. Many denominations of the Christian religion teach the human to aim to be like Jesus, in doing so the person is just like Jesus and develops that perfection identified with Jesus. The moment you stray from this virtue that God and nature gives you, you’re instantly aware of it. It’s like what modern Christianity would call conviction. You feel convicted and suffer the consequences but you strive to be so much like Jesus that you correct the wrong and get back on track. Jesus was the only example of someone who understood the divine nature of mankind because he was sent being used by God as an example for men. (The Divinity School Address, 230-245, 1836) Throughout the Divinity School Address, Emerson criticizes second hand religion. He believes it makes the church stationary. There’s no room for reform when you offer people a religion with a fixed body of beliefs, principles, scriptures and rites. As many of his writings tell you, he is a strong advocate for the individual. Personal religion, the understanding of religion through the individual and intuitive insight is what he calls for. The individual needs to understand the religion for himself and apply his own intuitive interpretation but be careful not to change the traditions of the old church. (The Divinity School Address, 230-245, 1836) â€Å"I confess, all attempts to project and establish a Cultus with new rites and forms, seem to me vain. Faith makes us, and not we it, and faith makes its own forms. All attempts to contrive a system are as cold as the new worship introduced by the French to the goddess of Reason, — to-day, pasteboard and fillagree, and ending to-morrow in madness and murder. Rather let the breath of new life be breathed by you through the forms already existing. For, if once you are alive, you shall find they shall become plastic and new. The remedy to their deformity is, first, soul, and second, soul, and evermore, soul. † (The Divinity School Address, 244, 1836) Rather use the Sabbath and preaching to keep the religion alive and fresh. The preacher has to have intuitive perception to teach and give life to religion. â€Å"The spirit only can teach†¦only he can give, who has; he only can create, who is. The man on whom the soul descends, through whom the soul speaks, alone can teach. Courage, piety, love, wisdom, can teach. † (The Divinity School Address, 238, 1836) It is the preacher’s job to restore the soul of his congregation by helping them realize that direct access they have to God. He must also be living proof of the word he proclaims. The people should know the life he lives so that they can know how individual spirituality can coexist with experience. â€Å"The true preacher can be known by this, that he deals out to the people his life, — life passed through the fire of thought. † (The Divinity School Address, 239, 1836) For Emerson and all transcendentalists, religion is vastly important. This movement is known for its religious aspects. Quite a few of the followers of this movement were ministers. For them religion should be sacred between the human, God and nature. They should take advantage of their direct relationship with God and use it to keep their Christianity fresh and alive. Through the righteousness one receives from this direct relationship, will come blessings from nature and they will be able to behold the beauty of nature. Henry David Thoreau Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts to a socially conscious Scottish mother and a French pioneer manufacturer father. Thoreau eventually went to Harvard College and graduated in 1837. A year later he set up a school with his brother John where he taught Latin, Greek and science until 1841 when his brother got sick. A year after his brother’s death in 1842, Thoreau moved to Staten Island to be a tutor for Emerson’s brother, William. He would also do handy work around the house. Eventually he met Emerson and lived with him and his wife doing handy work. Emerson used that time to influence him to be a part of the transcendentalist movement. In 1849, Thoreau publishes Civil Disobedience. In this writing he criticizes American politics. He wrote this during the time of slavery and the Mexican-American war. Thoreau â€Å"heartily accepts the motto, ‘That government is best which governs least;’ and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe, ‘That government is best which governs not at all’. † (Civil Disobedience, 357, 1849) He feels as though an unjust government that allows for slavery and aggressive war is useless. He is also critical of democracy. Democracy puts forth a government that is given power from the majority to make laws beneficial to the majority. They don’t necessarily have the most legitimate viewpoint but they do have the most power. Therefore citizens are obligated to not follow the law because it is morally wrong. They must do what is right and distance themselves from government. Thoreau isn’t advocating for government to go away, he just wants a better government. Democracy was brought about to ensure individual freedom but yet it has intervened in the lives of many individuals and taken away the exact freedom it was meant to protect. â€Å"But a government in which the majority rule in all cases cannot be based on justice, even as far as men understand it. † (Civil Disobedience, 358, 1849) Majority rule isn’t based on justice. He proposes the ruling of individual conscience. Rulers should be moral. Since they are not, he advocates for rebellion. Thoreau in his own action refused to pay taxes and spent a night in jail. He refused to participate in government. He believed that the individual should not comply with unjust laws. They must break the law, if necessary. Expressing your opposition to slavery is not enough you must act on this objection. He calls for a peaceful revolution by nonpayment of taxes and not being afraid to take the prison time. â€Å"Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison. † (Civil Disobedience, 370, 1849) He feels as though prison is the only place a just man can â€Å"abide with honor. † (Civil Disobedience, 370, 1849) Throughout his essay, like many of Emerson’s works, he is an advocate for the individual. The individual has a responsibility to live his own life according to his morals and regard society as secondary. â€Å"There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly. † He feels as though the government should only touch or put a law on what the individual allows it to. He praises the progress of America from an absolute monarchy to a limited monarchy and now a democracy but feels as though it shouldn’t stop there. He feels as though there needs to be a government where the individual is valued more and have a say in what affects them personally. Not a government where the majority rules and the minority is left to fend for themselves. Over time Thoreau becomes fed up with the law. In 1854, he delivers a more radical and violent speech, Slavery in Massachusetts. He is calling for people to fight and murder the state. â€Å"Who can be serene in a country where both the rulers and the ruled are without principle? The remembrance of my country spoils my walk. My thoughts are murder to the State, and involuntarily go plotting against her. † (Slavery in Massachusetts, Line 49, 1854) In a Plea for Captain Brown he speaks on revenge of him and the slave. He is now calling for the individual to not only resist but have its revenge on the state. Thoreau is not a big fan of government. He is appreciative of the government for changing from an absolute monarchy to a limited government and then a democracy but he is waiting for the day where the government that governs least or not at all, unless the individual requests it, will come. A government in which the majority rules is unjust because it only benefits the majority and enslaves the minority. Therefore the individual must resist no fight, no take revenge. As matters got worse, Thoreau became more violent and radical. Emerson was also an abolitionist who criticized the government for not recognizing the divine nature of the individual. He argued for lesser government and a minimization of the power they have. He didn’t approve of the government not allowing equal rights for all individuals, including women. (Politics, 1849) Sarah Margaret Fuller Sarah Margaret Fuller was born on May 23, 1810 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She was educated by her American lawyer father. At an early age she displayed noticeably intellectual powers and became a member of the group of distinguished writers and philosophers who believed in transcendentalism. From 1835 to 1837 she taught languages in Boston and later became principal of a school in Rhode Island. In 1840 she founded The Dial, a periodical on transcendentalism, with Emerson and later met Thoreau who became an editor. In 1839, she washeavily involved in a women’s movement for intellectual and s ocial development, where she received her material for Women in the Nineteenth Century/ The Great Lawsuit. Man versus Men. Woman versus Women. (Funk Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 2014, 1p) In this work Fuller is advocating for the equal rights of women and abolition of slavery. Both movements were essentially the same they were both looking to have the same rights as the majority. Though Fuller went about it a different way. She didn’t just want the right to vote, equal pay and etc. She wanted the same self-reliance that a man was able to have. For she felt as though her soul was no different from a man’s soul. Everyone has a soul. If men gave women more intellectual and spiritual freedom, both genders could benefit as a whole. She is bringing forth a lawsuit on the behalf of women. Essentially suing the government for not allowing women to have the rights they are due. This piece allowed her room to bring forth a case to prove transcendentalism as an indeterminate sex and spiritually aware democracy. She also wanted to show them that they wrong in not offering women education. A woman can write a lawsuit. She was asserting Emerson’s self-reliance spiritual regeneration, the soul being genderless and a different conception of women. She did this in the form of a lawsuit to prove that she could do anything society deemed as only for men. She didn’t see either sex as greater than the other. She felt that one could not develop without the help of the other. (The Great Lawsuit. Man versus Men. Woman versus Women. , 384-423, 1843) Fuller argued that for a Woman to correct natural law she needs to be educated and have access to employment and politics. Women’s rights were vital to America. She argued that â€Å"all men are created equal. † (Declaration of Independence, 1776) The problem with this argument is that when the founders created the Declaration of Independence it was evident that they didn’t consider all men, women, or minorities as considered equal. They were advocating for the minority. Thus she does say that if it’s a law for the nation then it should be a law for all that inhabits the nation. â€Å"Though the national independence be blurred by the servility of individuals; though freedom and equality have been proclaimed only to leave room for a monstrous display of slave dealing and slave keeping; though the free American so often feels himself free†¦still it is not in vain, that the verbal statement has been made, All men are born free and equal. There it stands, a golden certainty, wherewith to encourage the good, to shame the bad. The new world may be called clearly to perceive that it incurs the utmost penalty, if it rejects the sorrowful brother†¦It is inevitable that an external freedom, such as has been achieved for the nation, should be so also for every member of it It has become a law, irrevocable†¦ Men will privately sin against it, but the law so clearly expressed by a leading mind of the age, All made in the likeness of the One, All children of one ransom, In whatever hour, in whatever part of the soil We draw this vital air, We are brothers, we must be bound by one compact, Accursed he who infringes it, Who raises himself upon the weak who weep, Who saddens an immortal spirit cannot fail of universal recognition. † (The Great Lawsuit. Man versus Men. Woman versus Women. ,389-390, 1843) Fuller calls for a refreshing of the American political culture through the transcendentalists concept of self-reliance. Emerson’s transcendentalist view on self- reliance calls for the individual to apply their own conscience view on everything they see. She also calls the government out for violating natural law by hindering Americans from the liberty and equality they were promised. She says they need a moral law instead. Through transcendentalism they get this moral law when the individual is worried about the individual and does what is best for himself according to his values. (Self-Reliance, 318-339, 1841) Her way of going about getting the revolution that she wanted, was through a peaceful revolution advocating for equality through a spiritually aware, sexless democracy. She hoped it would lead to equality among genders and change the status quo of American Politics. If she could make the government see the wrong in gender discrimination then she could open their eyes to the evil of slavery. This could only be accomplished through divine law. Sarah Margaret Fuller was a woman denied the right of education yet she was surrounded by men that she was able to learn from. Her male counterparts not only taught her but learned from her. She used the ideas of both Emerson and Thoreau to fight against both feminism and slavery. The movements were very much so alike and many of the arguments she made applied to both. The one thing about her is that she not only was an advocate for transcendentalism but also a sexless society. She felt as though no gender, race or being was better than the other. Conclusion Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Sarah Margaret Fuller were the main leaders of the transcendentalist movement. Together and apart they raised issues and were a voice for the unheard. They all advocated for the individual to change themselves and worry about society second. If every individual changed himself then they wouldn’t have to worry about society because eventually society would change as a result of everyone becoming idealists. Ralph Waldo Emerson took a European movement and made it American. Transcendentalism started in Europe but Emerson made it an American response to romanticism. (The Role of Transcendentalism in Shaping American Cultural Ideology, 248, 2013) Emerson is a strong believer in the divinity of human, nature and God. Through God everything is linked. Nature supplies language and reason gives us the knowledge to understand the spirituality and beauty of nature. Humans also have direct access to God and should use it. Even when they stray from the virtue that they are given by God and nature they can come back because they are directly connected to God. Even the modern Bible says, â€Å"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. † (Holy Bible, Romans 3:23) Emerson is also a former minister of the Unitarian church. Unitarians believe in seven basic principles: (1) The inherent worth and dignity of every person; (2) Justice, equity and compassion in human relations; (3)Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations; (4) A free and responsible search for truth and meaning; (5) The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large; (6) The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; (7) Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. (http://www. uua. org/beliefs/what- we-believe/principles) While you can see this evident in many of Emerson’s works, he is a critic of second hand religion that passes down a fixed body of beliefs, principles, scriptures and rites. This makes religion stationary to him. He feels as though the individual should interpret the religion in a righteous way without rewriting the religion. He also advocates for the Sabbath and preaching to remain fresh so the religion does as well. Henry David Thoreau seems to be the most radical of the three. His earlier works suggest a nonviolent man being imprisoned for standing up to what he believes his wrong. Overtime he becomes an advocate for a slave rebellion. Thoreau feels as though as the times change and are getting worse, the slave should strike back. His works have inspired people like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Just like Thoreau, MLK Jr went from nonviolent protests to making claims such as: â€Å"I will continue to condemn riots, and continue to say to my brothers and sisters that this is not the way. And continue to affirm that there is another way. But at the same time, it is as necessary for me to be as vigorous in condemning the conditions which cause persons to feel that they must engage in riotous activities as it is for me to condemn riots. I think America must see that riots do not develop out of thin air. Certain conditions continue to exist in our society which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots. But in the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard. † (The Other America, 1968) A nonviolent person tends to get more radical when they see that matters are getting worse instead of better. Over time they get fed up and grow weary. It’s hard to accept all that violent people are throwing at you and still remain nonviolent. It’s hard to watch people be treated less than what the law allows because they’re not the skin color of the majority that is making the rules. Thoreau is a harsh critic of the American government. Sarah Margaret Fuller takes on this criticism as well when she criticizes government for oppressing the people who are beneficial to the future of America. One of these transcendentalists even go as far as saying that America will become the laughing stock of nations across the world because it supposedly has a government run by the people yet enslaves its people. If you look at the contributions women and minorities have made to the American society, you can see just how crucial we all are to the American Dream. Fuller is saying that all men can’t be created equal and yet be treated less than the white man. We are all equal. There is no such thing as men being superior to men or white men being superior to all. Women can do just as much as men can do. If the government were to create its laws based on morals then we can have a just society. If they also allow for women to be educated and involved in the political realm they would see just how important women are. Through this research transcendentalism has proved itself to be a religious, literary, philosophical movement advocating for the individual. The individual has all the power it needs through the divine relationship it has with its God. The individual has to change themselves before they can even worry about society. The individual has the intellect and moral obligation to go against the evils of society, not to conform and be self-sufficient. Through transcendentalism Emerson, Thoreau, and Fuller inspired people around the world in the abolition movement, politics, religions, feminist movement and even many of their counterparts in the transcendentalist movement. It also helped to open the eyes of many during the nineteenth century and pave the way for the coming generation. Bibliography Charles Mignon H. Rose. N. d. Summary and Analysis of The Transcendentalist Glossary. (Cliffnotes) http://www. cliffsnotes. com/literature/e/emersons-essays/summary-and-analysis-of- the-transcendentalist/glossary. (Accessed May 4, 2015) Terminology N. d. Defining Transcendentalism. http://www. transcendentalists. com/terminology. html. (Accessed May 4, 2015) Emerson, Ralph Waldo. 1838. â€Å"The Divinity School Address† Transcendentalism: A Reader (Oxford University Press, December 2000): 230-245. Emerson, Ralph Waldo. 1836. â€Å"Nature. † Transcendentalism: A Reader (Oxford University Press, December 2000): 124-157. Emerson, Ralph Waldo. 18. â€Å"Politics. † Ralph Waldo Emerson Texts. http://www. emersoncentral. com/politics. htm. (Accessed May 4, 2015) Emerson, Ralph Waldo. 1841. â€Å"Self-Reliance† Transcendentalism: A Reader (Oxford University Press, December 2000): 318-339. Emerson, Ralph Waldo. 1841. â€Å"The Transcendentalist† Transcendentalism: A Reader (Oxford University Press, December 2000): 366-380. Fuller, Sarah Margaret. 1843. â€Å"The Great Lawsuit. Man versus Men. Woman versus women. † Transcendentalism: A Reader (Oxford University Press, December 2000): 383-422. Fuller, Sarah Margaret. 1845. â€Å"Woman in the Nineteenth Century. † American Transcendentalism Web. http://transcendentalism-legacy. tamu. edu/authors/fuller/woman1. html (Accessed May 4, 2015) Funk Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia. 2014. â€Å"Emerson, Ralph Waldo† Funk Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia (World Book, Inc. , Chicago): 1. Funk Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia. 2014. â€Å"Fuller, (Sarah) Margaret† Funk Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia (World Book, Inc., Chicago): 1. Funk Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia. 2014. â€Å"Transcendentalism† Funk Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia (World Book, Inc. , Chicago): 1. Henry David Thoreau. (2015). The Biography. com website. http://www. biography. com/people/henry-david-thoreau-9506784. (Accessed May 05, 2015) Kellman, Steven G. 2014. â€Å"Henry David Thoreau† Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia. King Jr. , Martin Luther. 1968. â€Å"The Other America. † http://www. crmvet. org/docs/otheram. htm. (Accessed May 6, 2015). Paul. N. d. â€Å"Romans 3:23† The Holy Bible (NIV) Rus, Dana. 2013. The Role of Transcendentalism in Shaping American Cultural Ideology. (Communication Mass Media Complete, EBSCOhost) Thoreau, Henry David. 1849. â€Å"Civil Disobedience. † Transcendentalism: A Reader (Oxford University Press, December 2000): 546-564. Thoreau, Henry David. 1859. â€Å"A Plea for Captain Brown. † Transcendentalism: A Reader (Oxford University Press, December 2000): 628-646. Thoreau, Henry David. 1854. â€Å"Slavery in Massachusetts. † Transcendentalism: A Reader (Oxford University Press, December 2000): 602-614. Unitarian Universalist Association. N. d. â€Å"Our Unitarian Universalist Principles† http://www. uua. org/beliefs/what-we-believe/principles. (Accessed May 6, 2015).

Project Management and Business Strategies

Project Management and Business Strategies ABSTRACT Which way to go? This is a question that organizations will ask themselves in a certain time, because organizations are faced with challenges of strategic direction. Some organizations are instigated by challenging opportunities, other organizations want to overcome significant threats. The business strategy can move an organization from where it is now, to where it needs to be in the future. Johnson et al (2009) states that the strategy of an organization is often likely to be complex, uncertain and mostly it affects operational decisions and requires an integrated approach. But the most typically and crucial components of strategy are change and innovation. Project management is essential for managing and reducing the inherent risk associated with change and innovation. Thats why many projects are the result of strategic decisions of organizations, because projects manage changes on an effectively and efficiently way. Changing organizations need projects for making change and for obtaining its business strategy and -objectives. Nowadays sustainability is a very hot (strategic) item for organizations. Organizations are integrating ideas of sustainability in their marketing, corporate communications, business strategy and in their actions. Centraal Boekhuis, a (leading) logistics service provider in stocking, storage, distribution and transportation of books, has also formulated a covering policy on sustainability for the strategy period 2009-2011 (Board of directors Centraal Boekhuis (2009)). Sustainability for Centraal Boekhuis means commitment to corporate environmental performances as well as sustainable performances on social and economic aspects. Several projects on behalf of sustainability will be conducted as well as projects will be conducted on behalf of other strategic targets. But is it possible to make project management sustainable, in order to make other projects contribute to the policy on sustainability too? In this research the relation between project management and the pursuing of the realization of business strategies will be looked at. Then the main research question will be answered: how will the business strategy influence the selection and execution of project management within organizations, and how will this in consequence lead to sustainable project management? The hypothesis is that when project management is constructed and selected in accordance with the business strategy, and more specifically linked with sustainable business strategy, projects will contribute to the realization of the business strategies as well as it subsequently will contributes to sustainability. The actual research will be executed through a web survey among several organizations as well as a case study of Centraal Boekhuis, which contains in-depth interviews with about 10 representatives project employees from Centraal Boekhuis. The research will also contain the study of qualitative data, for exampl e the study of documentation and reports that are in stock within the company about strategy, project management and sustainability. 1. INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND 1.1 Introduction To understand project management within organizations it is important to understand projects. The Prince2 Foundation (2005) defines a project as a temporary organisation that is needed to produce a unique and predefined outcome or result at a pre-specified time using predetermined recourses. In practice projects bring recourses, skills, technology and ideas together to achieve business objectives and deliver business benefits. But why is there a need for projects within organizations? Organizations are continuously striving after agility and success by for example introducing new products and services or by improving business processes or activities. Many projects are the result of organizations that wants to manage such changes on an effectively and efficiently way. According to Bryan Atkin and Adrian Brooks (2009), Change Management is the key towards innovation of organizations. In order to make progress and achieve greater efficiency and better value for money and to be more effective or competitive, organizations have to do things differently and have to make changes. Maylor (2005) stresses that Project management is essential for managing and reducing the inherent risks associated with change and innovation. Changing organizations need projects for making change. Recently Johnson et al. (2009) gives an interesting definition on business strategy. The definition describes that strategy contains the direction and scope of an organization over the long term, for achieving advantage in a changing environment throughout configuration of resources and competences with the aim of fulfilling stakeholders expectations. Aforementioned definition displays that the fundamental principle of making changes of organizations can be the result of aiming towards targets that contributes to the fulfilment of the business strategy. In practice this means that organisational changes and the application of project management for realising those changes can thus be the result of the long term direction and scope of an organization. Simply said; project management can move an organization from where it is now, to where it needs to be in the future to meets its business strategy and -objectives. As mentioned above the management of projects within organization is among other things related to its business strategy, but how will the business strategy influences the selection and the execution of project management within organizations and how can project management thus contributes to the realization of the business strategy? For example, The board of directors of Centraal Boekhuis (2009) has formulated a covering policy on sustainability for the strategy period 2009-2011. Several projects on behalf of sustainability will be conducted as well as projects will be conducted on behalf of other strategic targets. But is it possible to realize more strategic focus, by linking all projects to the business strategy of an organization? This leads to the main research question of the thesis: how will the business strategy influence the selection and execution of project management within organizations, and how will this in consequence lead to sustainable project management? Another interesting question will be: if project management is constructed and selected in accordance with the business strategy, and more specifically linked with sustainable business strategy, will projects contribute to the realization of the business strategies as well as it subsequently will contributes to sustainability? 1.2 The organization; Centraal Boekhuis Centraal Boekhuis is a (leading) logistics service provider in stocking, storage, distribution and transportation of books. More than 500 publishers and over 1500 booksellers use the service facilities for distribution, transportation, information and administration. For publishers is Centraal Boekhuis the entry into the Dutch and Flemish (book) markets. For booksellers in the Netherlands and Flanders, Centraal Boekhuis is the provider of the assortment of Dutch-language books, general as well as educational or scientific books, and a selected range of foreign-language books (staff directory guide Centraal Boekhuis, 2007). Besides taking care of stocking, storage, distribution and transportation of books, Centraal Boekhuis also offers administrative or financial services. For publishers the company organizes complete stock and sales recording, invoicing and debt collection. Booksellers as well benefit from a broad range of information technology services. The majority of Centraal Boekhuis services are integrated in a single automated system (CB Online), so customers have access to the operational and management information they need, focused on their companys business processes. Upon request, Centraal Boekhuis will also arrange the storage, distribution and transport of office supplies, stationary and greeting cards. All logistic activities and processes are linked with the transport centres delivery network. The centres range of services includes processing special offers and returned goods, (temporary) storage, order picking and carrying out special mailing campaigns with value-added logistics. The Transport Centre of Centraal Boekhuis organizes transport from and to countries outside the Benelux. In England is a consolidation point bounded, where shipments from 1600 English publishers intended for Dutch bookshops are collected and forwarded to the Netherlands. This enables Centraal Boekhuis to offer customers attractive services. Shipments from Germany and America are transported along similar lines. History For over 135 years Centraal Boekhuis have been the logistic partner in the Dutch book trade. In 1871 the Vereeniging ter Bevordering van de Belangen des Boekhandels (VBBB) in Amsterdam lay the foundations for Het bestelhuis van de Nederlandsche Boekhandel, presently called Centraal Boekhuis. Publishers send their boxes with books to that warehouse of books, where the boxes were distributed across the Netherlands. Many years later, in 1926, the VBBB decided to found Centraal Boekhuis in Amsterdam. Well-established publishers were obliged to store their books in the central depot of Centraal Boekhuis in Amsterdam. From now on the book stores and publishers could order their books with Centraal Boekhuis from one central point in the Netherlands. In 1973, because lack of space, Centraal Boekhuis grounded their company in Culemborg, where the company nowadays is still grounded. In that same year is Het Bestelhuis and Centraal Boekhuis merged into one company: Centraal Boekhuis B.V (Intranet Centraal Boekhuis, 2008). Organization The daily management of Centraal Boekhuis is directed by the Senior Management Team (SMT). The lead direction of the 5 Senior Managers is directed by a Chief Executive Officer, namely Hans Willem Cortenraad. They have weekly meetings to discuss the company policy and how this policy is best directed to the line managers. Centraal Boekhuis in figures (2009) Full time employees: 579 Publishers: 500 Booksellers: 1500 Available Dutch titles: 80,000 Number of copies delivered per year: 60,000,000 Number of delivery addresses per day: 2500 Number of packages transported per year: 4,500,000 Number of pallets transported per year: 300,000 2. PROBLEM STATEMENT RESEARCH QUESTION According to Project Management Institute and Morris (2006) oorganizations often want efficiency, good financial results and success and they want it fast. It is for that matter that organizations generally focus on short-term results, such as immediate realizable financial goals. However, Centraal Boekhuis for example expects also from its employees to achieve results that corresponds to the overall long term objectives of the business strategy. This contradiction pointed me in the direction to ask myself if it is possible to operate more efficiently if the portfolio of projects is continuously linked to the business strategy of Centraal Boekhuis. My hypothesis subsequently is that the overall business strategy will be the input for the project portfolio planning and in turn, project success impacts the goals and objectives of the business strategy. Nevertheless, the solution isnt that easy. For instance, organizations are nowadays more often integrating ideas of sustainability in business strategies. It is for that matter unavoidable that there will be projects related to sustainable strategy, namely environmental or social projects. However, will projects on behalf of other strategic objectives also be sustainable? Thats why I assume that when project management is constructed and selected in accordance with the business strategy, and more specifically linked with sustainable business strategy, projects will positively contribute to the realization of strategies as well as it subsequently will contributes to sustainability. [2] The main question and hypothesis will be clarified for a reasonable interpretation of the research construction and approach. In this research the relation between project management and the pursuing of the realization of business strategies will be looked at. Foresaid leads to the following research question: what is the impact of the business strategy on the selection and execution of project management within organizations, and will this possible influence in consequence lead to sustainable project management? The hypothesis is: when project management is constructed and selected in accordance with the business strategy, and more specifically linked with sustainable business strategy, projects will positively contribute to the realization of the business strategies as well as it will positively contributes to sustainability; the result subsequently is that the overall business strategy will be the input for the project portfolio planning and in turn, project success impacts the goals and objectives of the sustainable business strategy. Why is it so important to link the project management of an organization to its business strategies, in order to make projects sustainable? As stated by Johnson et al (2009) it is ultimately the fulfilling of the business strategy to aim on the fulfilling of the expectations of the stakeholders. If an organization have stated sustainability within their business strategies, stakeholders are involved in monitoring if the strategy is achieved the objectives and if there is corrective action needed. This is called strategic control and it will keep an organization in track with its achievements on behalf of its strategy (and also sustainable strategy). According to foresaid it is plausible that it is important to state sustainability in the business strategy, for making sure that projects will meet the objectives and goals of sustainable strategy. 3. GOALS OBJECTIVES I will try to find out if a business strategy, specifically a sustainable business strategy, can positive influence the way on how projects will be selected and executed, as I expect it to be. I will test the hypothesis that the overall business strategy will be the input for the project portfolio planning and in turn, project success impacts the goals and objectives of the sustainable business strategy, to see if it is possible to make project management sustainable. If so, this offers an interesting new insight in sustainable project management, which could be the basis for more research. First it is important to study literature to get familiar with the several subjects of this thesis. The several subjects that will be described are project management, business strategy and of course overall sustainability. Next I will try to describe the multifarious relative contexts between the several subjects described in the literature, in order to make my hypotheses plausible. The most important objective of the literature review is to create an elementary basic assumption for further research. Furthermore the research methodologies that I will use are a case study research and a web survey. For the execution of the case study research are various data (re)sources used, namely in-depth interviews and the study of business documentation and reports. The case study research methodology will be used to get insights in how Centraal Boekhuis arranges its business strategy, especially how it is arranged towards its project management. Then it is important to look at how the sustainable policy of Centraal Boekhuis affects the daily operations as well as the sustainable policy affect its project management. For comparison and further research I will send a web survey to approximately 100 companies with sustainability stated in their business strategy. Hopefully this will give me insights in how other companies arrange their project management related to its business strategy and maybe they have certain methodologies to make project management sustainable, so I have some interesting data to work with. My research will focus on project management, business strategies, sustainability and sustainable project management in an attempt to find relative contexts to integrate business strategy and projects in order to facilitate development of sustainable project management. Overall I hope that the executed research will create a certain frame work for linking project management to the overall business strategy of an organization, in order to make project management sustainable. 4. LITERATURE REVIEW As mentioned earlier my research will focus on project management, business strategies, sustainability and sustainable project management. Therefore the theoretical background of my research will also be focused on foresaid topics. 4.1 Business Strategy The traditional literature about business strategy is often about the general definitions of business strategy, where organizations focus on where they want to be on the long term (mission and vision) and how this is achieved (goals and objectives) (Alblas Wijsman, 2001) in order to gain competitive advantages. The current literature about strategy describes more that strategy is about the importance of achieving advantage in a changing environment throughout configuration of resources and competences with the aim of fulfilling stakeholders expectations (Johnson et al., 2009). Aforementioned shows that the current literature on business strategies discusses the importance of the characteristic aspects change and configuration (Kloosterboer, 2005). The relative context between business strategy and changes is an important aspect that must be taken into account before I continue my research. According to Bryan Atkin and Adrian Brooks (2009), Change Management is the key towards innovation of organizations. In order to make progress and achieve greater efficiency and better value for money and to be more effective or competitive, organizations have to do things differently and have to make changes. Harvey Maylor (2003) characterizes project management as essential aspect for managing and reducing the inherent risks associated with change and innovation. Therefore changing organizations need projects for making change. 4.2 Project Management The Prince2 Foundation (2005) recognizes that organizations are continuously striving after agility and success by for example introducing new products and services or by improving business processes or activities. Many projects are the result of organizations that wants to manage such changes on an effectively and efficiently way. Furthermore Prince2 (2005) defines a project as a temporary organisation that is needed to produce a unique and predefined outcome or result at a pre-specified time using predetermined recourses. In practice projects bring recourses, skills, technology and ideas together to achieve business objectives and deliver business benefits. According to the International Project Management Association (2006), professional project management is broken down into the following three competences (see also figure one): Technical competences for project management; behavioral competences of project personnel; and the contextual competences of projects programmes and portfolio. The technical competence covers the techniques of project management, for example the practice of Prince2. The behavioral competence represents the professional behavior of the project personal, like project management skills. The contextual competence is the linkage between the project and organizations involved. The vision on project management by IPMA in the International Competence Baceline presented in October 2006 will be critically looked at for my research. This project management approach will also be studied and discussed during the master program of the Master of Facilities Management and Real Estate. The eye of competence figures the integra tion of the elements of project management as seen trough the eyes of the project manager. So the essence of project management is to support the execution of an organizations strategy to deliver a considered necessary outcome (Clifford and Gray, 2002). The research of recent literature shows us that project management is nowadays recognized as one of the primary business processes (Atkin Brooks, 2009). It is for that matter that organisational changes and the application of project management for realising those changes must be linked to the overall business strategy of an organization, in order to accomplish the business goals and objectives. Simply said; project management can move an organization from where it is now, to where it needs to be in the future to meets its business strategy and -objectives. For this thesis I will mainly focus on the SWOT analysis, because this management and strategy tool is used by Centraal Boekhuis for defining its strategy. The SWOT analysis can be used as a strategy formulation tool. It helps organizations to identify its Strengts, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT). The Strengths and Weaknesses represent the internal factors that create value or can destroy value. Opportunities and Threats are the external factors that can influence the organization value (Ahaus, 2005). 4.3 Business Strategies vs. Project Management According to Sabin Srivannaboon (2006), previous research on project management and its relation with business strategy mostly links the project management with business strategy through critical project selection, viewing it as part of the alignment process (For example Bard, Balachandra Kaufmann (1988); Cooper, Edgett Kleinschmidt (1998); Englund Graham (1999) etc). Also often displayed in previous research is project portfolio management. This is another concept suggested in the literature to ensure the strategic alignment of project management and business strategy and it is defined as a dynamic decision-making process, which an organization can update and revise its list of active projects (see for literature: Turner Simister (2000); Cooper, Edgett Kleinschmidt (1998) etc.). Current literature shows us more about the research that has been done on the alignment of project management with business strategies of organizations, for example research of Sabin Srivannaboon (2006) , Tony Grundy (2001) Peter Morris Ashley Jamison (2004) etc. 4.4 Sustainability sustainable project management On Wednesday the 4th of November, member of the House of Representatives Esmà © Wiegman talks about faith in Sustainability and vice versa, please note: in church! That sustainability has even penetrated the Christian church sais a lot. We are all confronted with it and action is expected of us. Sustainability is a hot item, that is no surprise. Looking at the quotes mentioned below you can conclude that there is no process in an organization that is not interfered with sustainability items. â€Å"Managers are more and more beginning to consider the environment as an additional parameter on which they base their decisions.† (North, 1997) That is what Klaus North wrote is his environmental business management introduction in 1997. And Carin Labuschagne wrote almost a decade later: â€Å"Various driving forces originating from society, government employees and business partners are forcing companies to both incorporate sustainable development in their business practices as well as to align all internal operations and practices with the principles thereof.† (Labuschagne, 2005). Sustainability, what does that really mean? Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland formulated it as followed; â€Å"The development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs†. As Labuschagne already said, there is no process in an organization that is not interfered with aspects of sustainability. Project management is just one of these processes that cannot be ignored. That is also made clear in the APM sustainable outlooks, where is mentioned that they are considering a database with project and programme managers who have specialist knowledge, experience and expertise in sustainability issues generally or by specific sectors, locations or types of project. They also plead for the triple bottom line approach in every project. The triple bottom line approach includes environmental, social and economical sustainability (APM, sustainable outlooks). As organizations become more and more focused on environmental responsibilities, project managers cannot stay behind. (Zoyd Reed Luce) Where sustainability is grounded in almost every strategy of every large organization, this automatically is reflected in the projects of an organization. Project manager are forced to focus on sustainability these days, it becomes part of the project. 4.5 Theoretical Framework for aligning projects with strategy There are several articles expanding on the idea that there should be a certain focus on the corporate strategy when managing projects, for example the articles of Tony Grundy (2001) or Morris and Jamison (2004). Milosevic and Srivannaboon (2006) support this vision in their article and wrote an article which describes a theoretical framework for aligning project management with strategy. Milosevic and Srivannaboon have developed an empirically based theoretical framework that explains the impact of business strategy on project management and vice versa and discusses how mechanisms can be used to strengthen that alignment. As discussed earlier, strategy is about the importance of achieving advantage in a changing environment throughout configuration of resources and competences with the aim of fulfilling stakeholders expectations and defending it against competitive forces (Johnson et al., 2009). Milosevic and Srivannaboon have based their theoretical framework on the vision of Porter (1980) about Generic Business Strategies. Michael Porter states that to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage, an organization must chose a certain type of strategy. Porters generic strategies distinguishes three types of strategies, namely cost leadership, differentiation, and cost focus (see figure 3). Competitive advantage can only be achieved by choosing one of these strategies. If an organization chooses to pursue more than one generic strategy, it will perform being badly without competitive advantage and Porter refers to that as being ‘stuck in the middle. Milosevic and Srivannaboon use cost leadership, differentiation, and best cost as the primary focus of their analysis. They also use Shenhars strategic project leadership framework which consist of project elements like project strategy, project organization, project process and tools metrics and culture. Differentiation is about organizations pursuing a differentiation strategy by offering products and services that are unique from competition in order to satisfy the desires of their customers. This differentiation allows the organization to charge a premium price (Porter, 1980). Cost Leadership is about organizations pursuing a cost leadership strategy to gain competitive advantage and increase market share by operate with lower costs than competition, for example tight cost controls e.g. efficient facilities (Porter, 1980). Best cost (also called focus niche) is about organizations creating a sustainable competitive advantage through combining cost leadership and differentiation. This can be realized by offering a unique product or service to a special market segment and seek to offer low cost products within a special market segment (fast time-to-market, superior product quality, etc.). According to Milosevic and Srivannaboon the competitive aspects of the business strategy drive the focus of the project management elements. They see a pattern in project management elements for the differentiation of business strategy. Their research indicates that organizations can align projects with business strategies into three levels, namely the strategic level, the tactical level, and the corrective emergent strategic feedback. The first level of this framework (typified as mediating process at the strategic level) is the first step of the alignment process. At level 1 organization should use their intended strategy and select projects into their portfolio to determine the right projects that would contribute to the organizations strategy. The second level (typified as mediating process at the project level) involves the further planning of project details to ensure that alignment with the project life-cycle phases (Shenhars project classification) is realized. Proper alignment of projects with strategy during the project life cycle can be classified as the planning process and the monitoring process. Managers should develop a project management plan that has a certain focus on the business strategy. The third level (mediating process at the emergent strategic feedback level) is a process which uses stages, or also called stage gates or milestone, for evaluating or reviewing the project status on time, cost, and performance. These project stages are points in the project life cycle where projects transition from one stage to another. These stages provide project teams the opportunity to realign the project to its business strategy. 5. RESEARCH DESIGN 5.1 Research methods Based on the literature of Baarde and Goede (2001), the research on behalf of this thesis is categorized in a preliminary research study, a literature review, a case study research and a web survey. For the execution of the case study research are various data (re)sources used, namely in-depth interviews and the study of business documentation and reports of Centraal Boekhuis. The preliminary research study has given multifarious insights in for example the company of the case study, but also insights about project management and the business strategy of the concerning organization. In the preliminary research study is a critically literature review completed and several managers of the human resource division have been interviewed for creating a basis for this research. The products of the preliminary research study are a defined approach of the case study research, a description of the company and a defined approach of the web-survey. The case study research can be categorized in descriptive- and exploratory research study methods (Sanders et al, 2009). The descriptive study of this case study is defined by the research of qualitative data, for example the study of business documentation and reports that are in stock within the company about project management, its business strategy and sustainability. The exploratory part of the research describes the research methods in depth interviews and a web survey. In order to test how organizations work with project management related to its (sustainable) business strategy, two steps will be carried out. First, on Tuesday March 6, I will send a web survey to approximately 15 companies with sustainability stated in their business strategy. This short questionnaire will offer me data on the way the concerning companies arranges their project management related to the business strategies, to test on how the companies makes their projects sustainable. In order to increase the number of responses and to raise the chances of the answering the questions themselves, I will keep the survey very short, and stress this in the attached e-mail. Second, I will arrange in-depth interviews with about ten representatives of project management employees of the project department of Centraal Boekhuis. In these interviews, I will attempt Project Management and Business Strategies Project Management and Business Strategies ABSTRACT Which way to go? This is a question that organizations will ask themselves in a certain time, because organizations are faced with challenges of strategic direction. Some organizations are instigated by challenging opportunities, other organizations want to overcome significant threats. The business strategy can move an organization from where it is now, to where it needs to be in the future. Johnson et al (2009) states that the strategy of an organization is often likely to be complex, uncertain and mostly it affects operational decisions and requires an integrated approach. But the most typically and crucial components of strategy are change and innovation. Project management is essential for managing and reducing the inherent risk associated with change and innovation. Thats why many projects are the result of strategic decisions of organizations, because projects manage changes on an effectively and efficiently way. Changing organizations need projects for making change and for obtaining its business strategy and -objectives. Nowadays sustainability is a very hot (strategic) item for organizations. Organizations are integrating ideas of sustainability in their marketing, corporate communications, business strategy and in their actions. Centraal Boekhuis, a (leading) logistics service provider in stocking, storage, distribution and transportation of books, has also formulated a covering policy on sustainability for the strategy period 2009-2011 (Board of directors Centraal Boekhuis (2009)). Sustainability for Centraal Boekhuis means commitment to corporate environmental performances as well as sustainable performances on social and economic aspects. Several projects on behalf of sustainability will be conducted as well as projects will be conducted on behalf of other strategic targets. But is it possible to make project management sustainable, in order to make other projects contribute to the policy on sustainability too? In this research the relation between project management and the pursuing of the realization of business strategies will be looked at. Then the main research question will be answered: how will the business strategy influence the selection and execution of project management within organizations, and how will this in consequence lead to sustainable project management? The hypothesis is that when project management is constructed and selected in accordance with the business strategy, and more specifically linked with sustainable business strategy, projects will contribute to the realization of the business strategies as well as it subsequently will contributes to sustainability. The actual research will be executed through a web survey among several organizations as well as a case study of Centraal Boekhuis, which contains in-depth interviews with about 10 representatives project employees from Centraal Boekhuis. The research will also contain the study of qualitative data, for exampl e the study of documentation and reports that are in stock within the company about strategy, project management and sustainability. 1. INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND 1.1 Introduction To understand project management within organizations it is important to understand projects. The Prince2 Foundation (2005) defines a project as a temporary organisation that is needed to produce a unique and predefined outcome or result at a pre-specified time using predetermined recourses. In practice projects bring recourses, skills, technology and ideas together to achieve business objectives and deliver business benefits. But why is there a need for projects within organizations? Organizations are continuously striving after agility and success by for example introducing new products and services or by improving business processes or activities. Many projects are the result of organizations that wants to manage such changes on an effectively and efficiently way. According to Bryan Atkin and Adrian Brooks (2009), Change Management is the key towards innovation of organizations. In order to make progress and achieve greater efficiency and better value for money and to be more effective or competitive, organizations have to do things differently and have to make changes. Maylor (2005) stresses that Project management is essential for managing and reducing the inherent risks associated with change and innovation. Changing organizations need projects for making change. Recently Johnson et al. (2009) gives an interesting definition on business strategy. The definition describes that strategy contains the direction and scope of an organization over the long term, for achieving advantage in a changing environment throughout configuration of resources and competences with the aim of fulfilling stakeholders expectations. Aforementioned definition displays that the fundamental principle of making changes of organizations can be the result of aiming towards targets that contributes to the fulfilment of the business strategy. In practice this means that organisational changes and the application of project management for realising those changes can thus be the result of the long term direction and scope of an organization. Simply said; project management can move an organization from where it is now, to where it needs to be in the future to meets its business strategy and -objectives. As mentioned above the management of projects within organization is among other things related to its business strategy, but how will the business strategy influences the selection and the execution of project management within organizations and how can project management thus contributes to the realization of the business strategy? For example, The board of directors of Centraal Boekhuis (2009) has formulated a covering policy on sustainability for the strategy period 2009-2011. Several projects on behalf of sustainability will be conducted as well as projects will be conducted on behalf of other strategic targets. But is it possible to realize more strategic focus, by linking all projects to the business strategy of an organization? This leads to the main research question of the thesis: how will the business strategy influence the selection and execution of project management within organizations, and how will this in consequence lead to sustainable project management? Another interesting question will be: if project management is constructed and selected in accordance with the business strategy, and more specifically linked with sustainable business strategy, will projects contribute to the realization of the business strategies as well as it subsequently will contributes to sustainability? 1.2 The organization; Centraal Boekhuis Centraal Boekhuis is a (leading) logistics service provider in stocking, storage, distribution and transportation of books. More than 500 publishers and over 1500 booksellers use the service facilities for distribution, transportation, information and administration. For publishers is Centraal Boekhuis the entry into the Dutch and Flemish (book) markets. For booksellers in the Netherlands and Flanders, Centraal Boekhuis is the provider of the assortment of Dutch-language books, general as well as educational or scientific books, and a selected range of foreign-language books (staff directory guide Centraal Boekhuis, 2007). Besides taking care of stocking, storage, distribution and transportation of books, Centraal Boekhuis also offers administrative or financial services. For publishers the company organizes complete stock and sales recording, invoicing and debt collection. Booksellers as well benefit from a broad range of information technology services. The majority of Centraal Boekhuis services are integrated in a single automated system (CB Online), so customers have access to the operational and management information they need, focused on their companys business processes. Upon request, Centraal Boekhuis will also arrange the storage, distribution and transport of office supplies, stationary and greeting cards. All logistic activities and processes are linked with the transport centres delivery network. The centres range of services includes processing special offers and returned goods, (temporary) storage, order picking and carrying out special mailing campaigns with value-added logistics. The Transport Centre of Centraal Boekhuis organizes transport from and to countries outside the Benelux. In England is a consolidation point bounded, where shipments from 1600 English publishers intended for Dutch bookshops are collected and forwarded to the Netherlands. This enables Centraal Boekhuis to offer customers attractive services. Shipments from Germany and America are transported along similar lines. History For over 135 years Centraal Boekhuis have been the logistic partner in the Dutch book trade. In 1871 the Vereeniging ter Bevordering van de Belangen des Boekhandels (VBBB) in Amsterdam lay the foundations for Het bestelhuis van de Nederlandsche Boekhandel, presently called Centraal Boekhuis. Publishers send their boxes with books to that warehouse of books, where the boxes were distributed across the Netherlands. Many years later, in 1926, the VBBB decided to found Centraal Boekhuis in Amsterdam. Well-established publishers were obliged to store their books in the central depot of Centraal Boekhuis in Amsterdam. From now on the book stores and publishers could order their books with Centraal Boekhuis from one central point in the Netherlands. In 1973, because lack of space, Centraal Boekhuis grounded their company in Culemborg, where the company nowadays is still grounded. In that same year is Het Bestelhuis and Centraal Boekhuis merged into one company: Centraal Boekhuis B.V (Intranet Centraal Boekhuis, 2008). Organization The daily management of Centraal Boekhuis is directed by the Senior Management Team (SMT). The lead direction of the 5 Senior Managers is directed by a Chief Executive Officer, namely Hans Willem Cortenraad. They have weekly meetings to discuss the company policy and how this policy is best directed to the line managers. Centraal Boekhuis in figures (2009) Full time employees: 579 Publishers: 500 Booksellers: 1500 Available Dutch titles: 80,000 Number of copies delivered per year: 60,000,000 Number of delivery addresses per day: 2500 Number of packages transported per year: 4,500,000 Number of pallets transported per year: 300,000 2. PROBLEM STATEMENT RESEARCH QUESTION According to Project Management Institute and Morris (2006) oorganizations often want efficiency, good financial results and success and they want it fast. It is for that matter that organizations generally focus on short-term results, such as immediate realizable financial goals. However, Centraal Boekhuis for example expects also from its employees to achieve results that corresponds to the overall long term objectives of the business strategy. This contradiction pointed me in the direction to ask myself if it is possible to operate more efficiently if the portfolio of projects is continuously linked to the business strategy of Centraal Boekhuis. My hypothesis subsequently is that the overall business strategy will be the input for the project portfolio planning and in turn, project success impacts the goals and objectives of the business strategy. Nevertheless, the solution isnt that easy. For instance, organizations are nowadays more often integrating ideas of sustainability in business strategies. It is for that matter unavoidable that there will be projects related to sustainable strategy, namely environmental or social projects. However, will projects on behalf of other strategic objectives also be sustainable? Thats why I assume that when project management is constructed and selected in accordance with the business strategy, and more specifically linked with sustainable business strategy, projects will positively contribute to the realization of strategies as well as it subsequently will contributes to sustainability. [2] The main question and hypothesis will be clarified for a reasonable interpretation of the research construction and approach. In this research the relation between project management and the pursuing of the realization of business strategies will be looked at. Foresaid leads to the following research question: what is the impact of the business strategy on the selection and execution of project management within organizations, and will this possible influence in consequence lead to sustainable project management? The hypothesis is: when project management is constructed and selected in accordance with the business strategy, and more specifically linked with sustainable business strategy, projects will positively contribute to the realization of the business strategies as well as it will positively contributes to sustainability; the result subsequently is that the overall business strategy will be the input for the project portfolio planning and in turn, project success impacts the goals and objectives of the sustainable business strategy. Why is it so important to link the project management of an organization to its business strategies, in order to make projects sustainable? As stated by Johnson et al (2009) it is ultimately the fulfilling of the business strategy to aim on the fulfilling of the expectations of the stakeholders. If an organization have stated sustainability within their business strategies, stakeholders are involved in monitoring if the strategy is achieved the objectives and if there is corrective action needed. This is called strategic control and it will keep an organization in track with its achievements on behalf of its strategy (and also sustainable strategy). According to foresaid it is plausible that it is important to state sustainability in the business strategy, for making sure that projects will meet the objectives and goals of sustainable strategy. 3. GOALS OBJECTIVES I will try to find out if a business strategy, specifically a sustainable business strategy, can positive influence the way on how projects will be selected and executed, as I expect it to be. I will test the hypothesis that the overall business strategy will be the input for the project portfolio planning and in turn, project success impacts the goals and objectives of the sustainable business strategy, to see if it is possible to make project management sustainable. If so, this offers an interesting new insight in sustainable project management, which could be the basis for more research. First it is important to study literature to get familiar with the several subjects of this thesis. The several subjects that will be described are project management, business strategy and of course overall sustainability. Next I will try to describe the multifarious relative contexts between the several subjects described in the literature, in order to make my hypotheses plausible. The most important objective of the literature review is to create an elementary basic assumption for further research. Furthermore the research methodologies that I will use are a case study research and a web survey. For the execution of the case study research are various data (re)sources used, namely in-depth interviews and the study of business documentation and reports. The case study research methodology will be used to get insights in how Centraal Boekhuis arranges its business strategy, especially how it is arranged towards its project management. Then it is important to look at how the sustainable policy of Centraal Boekhuis affects the daily operations as well as the sustainable policy affect its project management. For comparison and further research I will send a web survey to approximately 100 companies with sustainability stated in their business strategy. Hopefully this will give me insights in how other companies arrange their project management related to its business strategy and maybe they have certain methodologies to make project management sustainable, so I have some interesting data to work with. My research will focus on project management, business strategies, sustainability and sustainable project management in an attempt to find relative contexts to integrate business strategy and projects in order to facilitate development of sustainable project management. Overall I hope that the executed research will create a certain frame work for linking project management to the overall business strategy of an organization, in order to make project management sustainable. 4. LITERATURE REVIEW As mentioned earlier my research will focus on project management, business strategies, sustainability and sustainable project management. Therefore the theoretical background of my research will also be focused on foresaid topics. 4.1 Business Strategy The traditional literature about business strategy is often about the general definitions of business strategy, where organizations focus on where they want to be on the long term (mission and vision) and how this is achieved (goals and objectives) (Alblas Wijsman, 2001) in order to gain competitive advantages. The current literature about strategy describes more that strategy is about the importance of achieving advantage in a changing environment throughout configuration of resources and competences with the aim of fulfilling stakeholders expectations (Johnson et al., 2009). Aforementioned shows that the current literature on business strategies discusses the importance of the characteristic aspects change and configuration (Kloosterboer, 2005). The relative context between business strategy and changes is an important aspect that must be taken into account before I continue my research. According to Bryan Atkin and Adrian Brooks (2009), Change Management is the key towards innovation of organizations. In order to make progress and achieve greater efficiency and better value for money and to be more effective or competitive, organizations have to do things differently and have to make changes. Harvey Maylor (2003) characterizes project management as essential aspect for managing and reducing the inherent risks associated with change and innovation. Therefore changing organizations need projects for making change. 4.2 Project Management The Prince2 Foundation (2005) recognizes that organizations are continuously striving after agility and success by for example introducing new products and services or by improving business processes or activities. Many projects are the result of organizations that wants to manage such changes on an effectively and efficiently way. Furthermore Prince2 (2005) defines a project as a temporary organisation that is needed to produce a unique and predefined outcome or result at a pre-specified time using predetermined recourses. In practice projects bring recourses, skills, technology and ideas together to achieve business objectives and deliver business benefits. According to the International Project Management Association (2006), professional project management is broken down into the following three competences (see also figure one): Technical competences for project management; behavioral competences of project personnel; and the contextual competences of projects programmes and portfolio. The technical competence covers the techniques of project management, for example the practice of Prince2. The behavioral competence represents the professional behavior of the project personal, like project management skills. The contextual competence is the linkage between the project and organizations involved. The vision on project management by IPMA in the International Competence Baceline presented in October 2006 will be critically looked at for my research. This project management approach will also be studied and discussed during the master program of the Master of Facilities Management and Real Estate. The eye of competence figures the integra tion of the elements of project management as seen trough the eyes of the project manager. So the essence of project management is to support the execution of an organizations strategy to deliver a considered necessary outcome (Clifford and Gray, 2002). The research of recent literature shows us that project management is nowadays recognized as one of the primary business processes (Atkin Brooks, 2009). It is for that matter that organisational changes and the application of project management for realising those changes must be linked to the overall business strategy of an organization, in order to accomplish the business goals and objectives. Simply said; project management can move an organization from where it is now, to where it needs to be in the future to meets its business strategy and -objectives. For this thesis I will mainly focus on the SWOT analysis, because this management and strategy tool is used by Centraal Boekhuis for defining its strategy. The SWOT analysis can be used as a strategy formulation tool. It helps organizations to identify its Strengts, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT). The Strengths and Weaknesses represent the internal factors that create value or can destroy value. Opportunities and Threats are the external factors that can influence the organization value (Ahaus, 2005). 4.3 Business Strategies vs. Project Management According to Sabin Srivannaboon (2006), previous research on project management and its relation with business strategy mostly links the project management with business strategy through critical project selection, viewing it as part of the alignment process (For example Bard, Balachandra Kaufmann (1988); Cooper, Edgett Kleinschmidt (1998); Englund Graham (1999) etc). Also often displayed in previous research is project portfolio management. This is another concept suggested in the literature to ensure the strategic alignment of project management and business strategy and it is defined as a dynamic decision-making process, which an organization can update and revise its list of active projects (see for literature: Turner Simister (2000); Cooper, Edgett Kleinschmidt (1998) etc.). Current literature shows us more about the research that has been done on the alignment of project management with business strategies of organizations, for example research of Sabin Srivannaboon (2006) , Tony Grundy (2001) Peter Morris Ashley Jamison (2004) etc. 4.4 Sustainability sustainable project management On Wednesday the 4th of November, member of the House of Representatives Esmà © Wiegman talks about faith in Sustainability and vice versa, please note: in church! That sustainability has even penetrated the Christian church sais a lot. We are all confronted with it and action is expected of us. Sustainability is a hot item, that is no surprise. Looking at the quotes mentioned below you can conclude that there is no process in an organization that is not interfered with sustainability items. â€Å"Managers are more and more beginning to consider the environment as an additional parameter on which they base their decisions.† (North, 1997) That is what Klaus North wrote is his environmental business management introduction in 1997. And Carin Labuschagne wrote almost a decade later: â€Å"Various driving forces originating from society, government employees and business partners are forcing companies to both incorporate sustainable development in their business practices as well as to align all internal operations and practices with the principles thereof.† (Labuschagne, 2005). Sustainability, what does that really mean? Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland formulated it as followed; â€Å"The development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs†. As Labuschagne already said, there is no process in an organization that is not interfered with aspects of sustainability. Project management is just one of these processes that cannot be ignored. That is also made clear in the APM sustainable outlooks, where is mentioned that they are considering a database with project and programme managers who have specialist knowledge, experience and expertise in sustainability issues generally or by specific sectors, locations or types of project. They also plead for the triple bottom line approach in every project. The triple bottom line approach includes environmental, social and economical sustainability (APM, sustainable outlooks). As organizations become more and more focused on environmental responsibilities, project managers cannot stay behind. (Zoyd Reed Luce) Where sustainability is grounded in almost every strategy of every large organization, this automatically is reflected in the projects of an organization. Project manager are forced to focus on sustainability these days, it becomes part of the project. 4.5 Theoretical Framework for aligning projects with strategy There are several articles expanding on the idea that there should be a certain focus on the corporate strategy when managing projects, for example the articles of Tony Grundy (2001) or Morris and Jamison (2004). Milosevic and Srivannaboon (2006) support this vision in their article and wrote an article which describes a theoretical framework for aligning project management with strategy. Milosevic and Srivannaboon have developed an empirically based theoretical framework that explains the impact of business strategy on project management and vice versa and discusses how mechanisms can be used to strengthen that alignment. As discussed earlier, strategy is about the importance of achieving advantage in a changing environment throughout configuration of resources and competences with the aim of fulfilling stakeholders expectations and defending it against competitive forces (Johnson et al., 2009). Milosevic and Srivannaboon have based their theoretical framework on the vision of Porter (1980) about Generic Business Strategies. Michael Porter states that to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage, an organization must chose a certain type of strategy. Porters generic strategies distinguishes three types of strategies, namely cost leadership, differentiation, and cost focus (see figure 3). Competitive advantage can only be achieved by choosing one of these strategies. If an organization chooses to pursue more than one generic strategy, it will perform being badly without competitive advantage and Porter refers to that as being ‘stuck in the middle. Milosevic and Srivannaboon use cost leadership, differentiation, and best cost as the primary focus of their analysis. They also use Shenhars strategic project leadership framework which consist of project elements like project strategy, project organization, project process and tools metrics and culture. Differentiation is about organizations pursuing a differentiation strategy by offering products and services that are unique from competition in order to satisfy the desires of their customers. This differentiation allows the organization to charge a premium price (Porter, 1980). Cost Leadership is about organizations pursuing a cost leadership strategy to gain competitive advantage and increase market share by operate with lower costs than competition, for example tight cost controls e.g. efficient facilities (Porter, 1980). Best cost (also called focus niche) is about organizations creating a sustainable competitive advantage through combining cost leadership and differentiation. This can be realized by offering a unique product or service to a special market segment and seek to offer low cost products within a special market segment (fast time-to-market, superior product quality, etc.). According to Milosevic and Srivannaboon the competitive aspects of the business strategy drive the focus of the project management elements. They see a pattern in project management elements for the differentiation of business strategy. Their research indicates that organizations can align projects with business strategies into three levels, namely the strategic level, the tactical level, and the corrective emergent strategic feedback. The first level of this framework (typified as mediating process at the strategic level) is the first step of the alignment process. At level 1 organization should use their intended strategy and select projects into their portfolio to determine the right projects that would contribute to the organizations strategy. The second level (typified as mediating process at the project level) involves the further planning of project details to ensure that alignment with the project life-cycle phases (Shenhars project classification) is realized. Proper alignment of projects with strategy during the project life cycle can be classified as the planning process and the monitoring process. Managers should develop a project management plan that has a certain focus on the business strategy. The third level (mediating process at the emergent strategic feedback level) is a process which uses stages, or also called stage gates or milestone, for evaluating or reviewing the project status on time, cost, and performance. These project stages are points in the project life cycle where projects transition from one stage to another. These stages provide project teams the opportunity to realign the project to its business strategy. 5. RESEARCH DESIGN 5.1 Research methods Based on the literature of Baarde and Goede (2001), the research on behalf of this thesis is categorized in a preliminary research study, a literature review, a case study research and a web survey. For the execution of the case study research are various data (re)sources used, namely in-depth interviews and the study of business documentation and reports of Centraal Boekhuis. The preliminary research study has given multifarious insights in for example the company of the case study, but also insights about project management and the business strategy of the concerning organization. In the preliminary research study is a critically literature review completed and several managers of the human resource division have been interviewed for creating a basis for this research. The products of the preliminary research study are a defined approach of the case study research, a description of the company and a defined approach of the web-survey. The case study research can be categorized in descriptive- and exploratory research study methods (Sanders et al, 2009). The descriptive study of this case study is defined by the research of qualitative data, for example the study of business documentation and reports that are in stock within the company about project management, its business strategy and sustainability. The exploratory part of the research describes the research methods in depth interviews and a web survey. In order to test how organizations work with project management related to its (sustainable) business strategy, two steps will be carried out. First, on Tuesday March 6, I will send a web survey to approximately 15 companies with sustainability stated in their business strategy. This short questionnaire will offer me data on the way the concerning companies arranges their project management related to the business strategies, to test on how the companies makes their projects sustainable. In order to increase the number of responses and to raise the chances of the answering the questions themselves, I will keep the survey very short, and stress this in the attached e-mail. Second, I will arrange in-depth interviews with about ten representatives of project management employees of the project department of Centraal Boekhuis. In these interviews, I will attempt