Final project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 6

Final project - Essay Example The analytical skills and in-depth knowledge about the topic or discipline in question defines a consultant. Similarly, businesses have consultants who specialize in investigating and evaluating business challenges and propose the best solutions and approaches through which they can be curbed. Business consulting has been extensively used as a tool of development and has since transformed many firms. Businesses are becoming more successful through consulting. The approach that business consultants as well as their clients are currently giving consultation is not exactly the same as that of the past. Consulting in business has deep-rooted history as it did not just start the other day. However, there are modifications and changes that have been effected which have undoubtedly benefited the business fraternity. The main difference between the traditional and the new consulting systems is on the approach the two take. The ancient one focused more on the issue or problem at hand while the modern approaches are much more oriented to outcomes. Results matter more than the problem and effectiveness is preferred to efficiency. Business consultants in the contemporary society recognize that giving a single permanent approach to an issue is misleading with the changing times hence tackling an issue as it presents itself is much more tactful and effective. It is this realization that have informed the consultants that whatever the approach or strat egy they used in one organization or company and was successful may not necessarily solve another company’s problems. This is because different factors such organizational structure, human resource and customers’ dynamics, industry and level competition among others (Brooks & Edwards, n.d., p. 24). There are several changes that have been identified in the business consulting framework. The sustainability of business

Civil society and religious figures in Saudi Arabia Literature review

Civil society and religious figures in Saudi Arabia - Literature review Example The conference report stated that in Saudi Arabia, â€Å"all non-governmental organizations are controlled by the state in a way or another, and they do not have their full independence† (p. 3). According to the report, many official authorities supervise CSOs and interfere in the elections of their board of directors; they also oversee the audit and financial accounts of these organizations. 2-4 Nature of civil society, what is it, its history, how did it affect western policy when it was first applied, what changes occurred in the west. Definition and nature of civil society There are several forms of democracy that involve varying levels of citizenship participation. What distinguishes civil society is its role as channel for deliberation, which is essentially different from voting and negotiation. Voting is the mere aggregation of preferences, and negotiation or bargaining involves voluntary coordination across different groups; these are essentially procedural, however, a nd reflect opinions already arrived at and distributions of power already established (Heller, 2013, 1). Deliberation, on the other hand, is â€Å"decision making by discussion among free and equal citizens (Elster 1998, 1 in Heller, 2013, 1). By deliberating, citizens and civil society organisations debate the issues before preferences can be solidified, thus act to inform and evaluate prior to taking positions on any side of the debate, making it a better alternative than voting. Also, deliberation allows participants to adjust their preferences by introducing new information, contexts, conceptualisations and understanding into what is essentially the decision-making process and creates a better coordination process than bargaining. History and development of civil society â€Å"Civil society† as a term originated during the times of the ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, although in these contexts the phrase was associated more with the state. The term was however disc ontinued from usage in the mid-1800s because of the shift in the attention of political philosophers to the repercussions and implications of the industrial revolution. In post-World War II, Marxist theorist Antonio Gramsci revived the term to mean the society of citizens as the core of autonomous political activity, specifically in rebellion against tyranny. All these notwithstanding, civil society gained a new meaning in the 1990s when the term again resurfaced as globalisation spread throughout the various nations (Carothers, 1999, 19). Effects of civil society on western policy Heller (2013) views civil society as a reaction of grassroots elements to the growing tide of globalisation and marginalisation of representative democracy and bureaucratic organisation, which the author describes as having suffered in terms of legitimacy and effectiveness. There have generally been two responses to this development. First is the push towards â€Å"good governance† whereby the stat e and institutions such as the market are made self-regulating and thus insulated against politics. Under this situation, however, the voice of the people – a.k.a. democracy – is reduced to the ballot every election period, and nothing more. Another response, which the author views as a better alternat