How significantly does a democratic political system impinge on the Essay

How significantly does a democratic political system impinge on the conduct of foreign policy Is such interference desirable - Essay Example However positive implications of the element of democracy in the US foreign policy have been demonstrated by its role in enhancing stability in regions of the world that are under political troubles and the use of democracy as a tool of promoting prosperity within the developing nations. This essay gives a critical analysis and argument on the significance and role of democratic ideas on foreign policy with a special focus on the US foreign policy. The essay aims at arguing that the interference of a democratic system on the foreign policy is desirable. Bouchet (2011, p. 572) says that the significance of a democratic political system in shaping the foreign policy is demonstrated by the US foreign policy whose key priority is to spread democracy to other parts of the world. However some schools of thought argue that democracy as defined within the US foreign policy is just one of the strategic objectives that the US designs to impart influence on other nations of the worlds especiall y within the Asian societies and the developing world (Berger, 2011, p. 38). The issue of democracy is important in the US foreign policy as illustrated by speeches of presidential candidates and the discussions of Members of the Congress who define democracy within the foreign policy of the US. Regardless of this, it is argued that what matters is the where, when and how in the application of foreign policy in regard to the principles of democracy which matters the most (Miller, 2005, p. 174). There are however notable difficulties which are faced by the democratization processes within the US foreign policy whose significance is illustrated by the fact that political leaders have employed costly measures of overcoming these challenges (Clarke, 2000, p. 103). Hassan and Ralph (2011, p. 513) point out that during the First World War; the participation of the US was aimed at making world regions and economies safe enough for exercising democratic political systems, values and princip les. Since this war, the US administration has focused energies at ensuring that democracy was promoted in the different political systems of the world. For example presidents Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Obama have demonstrated that the most valuable component of the US foreign policy is the need to promote democracy (Guerlain, 2011, p. 372). The Bush administration demonstrated the impact of democracy on foreign policy by using it as a tool for the promotion of peace and curbing terrorism. In the speeches of Bush, war on terror and democratization was the central component in the description of the US foreign policy (Berger, 2011, p. 47). The significance of democratic political systems in designing foreign policy was demonstrated by the Secretary of State during the Bush Administration, Dr. Condoleezza Rice. The Secretary of State came up with a diplomacy plan in early January, 2006 which was aimed at bringing political transformation by working with political partners to build demo cratic states and sustain democratic political systems (Bouchet, 2011, p. 577). Emphatically, Rice’s plan was restated in October, 2006 within the State Department. In this sense, democratic political systems are viewed to have a significant impact on the design and implementation of foreign p

Use of computers in construction cost controlling process Essay

Use of computers in construction cost controlling process - Essay Example Cost planning is the means that enables the objectives of project cost management to be achieved. It is the process used during the design stage of a particular scheme to help minimize the cost of construction and subsequent usage, and maximize the functionality that is anticipated by the client. Cost planning is, in fact, a system of procedures and techniques used by quantity surveyors. Its purpose is to ensure that clients are provided with value for money on their projects; that clients and designers are aware of the cost consequences of their proposals; that if they so choose, clients may establish budgets for their projects; and the designers are given advice that enables them to arrive at practical and balanced designs within budget. Therefore cost planning monitors and helps direct design and organizational decisions in order to achieve the clients cost objectives. Cost planning is a process that brings cost information to bear systematically upon the evolution, construction, and maintenance of a project to highlight the relationship between capital and operational investment, quality, function, and appearance, and to provide a framework for the management of costs in order to deliver value for money to the client.( Flangan, 1997) The cost plan is one of the principal documents prepared during the initial stages of the cost management process. It is a statement of the proposed expenditure for each section or element of a building related to a definite standard of quality. ... estimate, tender figure and final account sum are all closely related. Cost Planning : Cost planning is the means that enables the objectives of project cost management to be achieved. It is the process used during the design stage of a particular scheme to help minimize the cost of construction and subsequent usage, and maximize the functionality that is anticipated by the client. Cost planning is in fact a system of procedures and techniques used by quantity surveyors. Its purpose is to ensure that clients are provided with value for money on their projects; that clients and designers are aware of the cost consequences of their proposals; that if they so choose, clients may establish budgets for their projects; and the designers are given advise that enables them to arrive at practical and balanced designs within budget. Therefore cost planning monitors and helps direct design and organizational decisions in order to achieve the clients cost objectives. Cost planning is a process that brings cost information to bear systematically upon the evolution, construction and maintenance of a project to highlight the relationship between capital and operational investment, quality, function and appearance, and to provide a framework for the management of costs in order to deliver value for money to the client.( Flangan, 1997) The cost plan is one of the principal documents prepared during the initial stages of the cost management process. It is a statement of the proposed expenditure for each section or element of a building related to a definite standard of quality. Costs, quantities and specification details are itemized by