The Christian Paradigm - 1144 Words

The Christian Paradigm is a widely discussed topic; believed, not believed, learned, lost and forgotten, well read, and misinterpreted. I believe that the basis of this paradigm is that humans are made bearing the image of God, but are tarnished by the distortion of sin. Although Christians are out seeking God’s kingdom, they are often distracted by sin and its unwavering abilities to turn us from God. This is shown well in the modern world with Pop culture and music. Day in and day out people are exposed to ideas of sexualization, overconsumption of alcohol, greed found in money, and many other distractions. Although the Christian Paradigm accepts the existence of these weakening forces, it seeks to challenge and rid the world of these†¦show more content†¦Multiple songs mention, Jack and Coke, fireball, shots in general; beverages that people intend to get well intoxicated on. However, these things are not new to the earth, and they are not increasing in commonality . It is simply an increase in awareness and recognition of the normality of sin that music is bringing upon coming generations, allowing a confrontation to take place. This awareness will allow us to move into the combat stage of the paradigm. Next, upon combatting the message of current popular music, a consideration of the paradigm’s goals should be reasoned. A man by the name of Rod Dreher mentions ways that Christians can act this defiance out by, withdrawing children from public schools, tightening church discipline, devoting family time to study scripture, placing more strict limits on technology in the home and so on. It is apparent that these disciplines cannot be put in affect by an outer force, however, Christians personally taking it upon themselves to implement their lives with true meaning for Christ’s salvation needs to occur. Dreher discusses this topic saying, â€Å"†¦specifically, Christians need to turn inward, steeling themselves against the pe rnicious moral influences swirling around them by adopting a ‘rule of living’ that turns their faith into the orienting focal point of their lives† (Dreher 5). This would require us to turn away from the expressions of modern music, for it leads usShow MoreRelated4 Mat Review Essay1023 Words   |  5 Pagespsychology began to integrate into a new part of society. Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity argue ways that one can embrace psychology into the Christian world. The church has always been a dominant part of society. As Christians we all have precise worldview. Our worldview is based upon the Christian belief system. As Christians we yearn for ways to use our abilities to do good things that please our Lord and Savior. Psychology is not integrated into our worldview to increase sin butRead MoreThe Theories Of The Two Directions Psychology And Theology1268 Words   |  6 Pagesconvenience. He closely connected Christianity and psychology. Yet mentioned the history of Christianity and the social sciences where Christians see no connection to religion and psychology. In his book, he also talks about the allies and the enemies in favor of the cannon of church dogma.†(Entwistle, 2010). He has developed an elaborate framework to show that Christian counselors focus was on human suffering and saw the emerging of psychotherapy was a powerful ally. This openness made the fork inRead MoreIntegrating My Faith and My Profession Essay1513 Words   |  7 Pagescomponents of Christian worldviews and our ability to reflect on them, either learned or chosen. The book details specific indications to a perceptive of the nature of knowledge, the character of human beings, the nature of humanity, and the env ironment of the world. The book contemplates in the pursuit of truth, knowledge, and sympathizing human experience. These pursuits demonstrate assorted methods, including psychological hypothesis and theories, psychological discipline and science, Christian theologyRead MoreIntroduction. D. A. Carson Is Research Professor And Teaches1618 Words   |  7 Pagesof the relationship between Christ and culture should, I think, be ruled out of court, where they are decisively shaped by a frankly sub†biblical grasp of who Christ is (10). Carson then gets to the main subject of the book, Niebuhr s fivefold paradigm. Although Niebuhr s Christ and Culture is around sixty years old, it is difficult, at least in the English†speaking world, to ignore him. His work, for good or ill, has shaped much of the discussion (xi). Even though this is true and we use Niebuhr’sRead MoreChrist, the Paradigm of Leadership1619 Words   |  7 Pagesthat is modeled by out Lord, Jesus Christ. Management paradigms in the business world change constantly. Christian organizations often print or even recommend books or some type of media that relates to these paradigms. Why do they feel the need to publish these sorts of media? Many leaders struggle to perceive the biblical paradigm. Jesus mainly focused on one philosophy, one of servant hood and humility. Jesus modeled this paradigm in Matthew 20. He taught that principles of service andRead MoreParadigm Shifts of Church History1486 Words   |  6 Pagessix paradigms are; primitive Christianity; the patristic period; the Middle Ages; the Reformation; the Enlightenment; and the Ecumenical era[1]. Bosch’s title for the book is ‘Transforming Mission’. As described by Bosch in his foreword he talks about the title as ambiguous. â€Å"Transforming† can be an adjective used to describe â€Å"mission†. Mission can be understood as not the enterprise that transforms reality, but something that is itself being transformed. Let’s now look at the first paradigm shiftRead MoreThe Article God Means Business1091 Words   |  5 PagesGod Means Business! The article God Means Business, discussed how modern Christian business owners can use their businesses as a mission (B.A.M.). The B.A.M. idea is in essence a comprehensive approach to testifying about God and Christ to others through business interactions. The case study concerning Bill and Page Mallory described the couples calling in 1997 and how they used their business ventures to serve God and others in the Philippines. Their missionary business interactions were used toRead MorePoem Analysis : I Can Not Live With You1352 Words   |  6 Pageswhat the speaker cannot do with the lover such as â€Å"live† with him, â€Å"die† with him or even be â€Å"saved† or â€Å"condemned† with him (1210). The entire poem is a complete symbol of a lifetime, and with the use of metaphors it is understood deeper. The Christian belief is that you live, die, resurrection, judgement, salvation, and eternity, which is the pattern Dickinson follows throughout this poem. The poem is an unusually long poem for Dickinson. It is written in the first person from the point of viewRead MoreSummary Of Meeting Jesus 1342 Words   |  6 PagesWith a topic as broad and vast as the Christian life, it is certain that there are many different viewpoints and insights to consider. Whether it be about our understanding of God or how we view the life of Jesus, different philosophies and schools of thought offer us various answers that, although they may have some commonalities, are fundamentally very different. When exposed to the traditional views of Barron, the historically critical views of Borg, the contemplative ideology from Laird, andRead MoreGeorge Whitefield s The Great Awakening1401 Words   |  6 Pagesmake a major difference and would be one of the most well known individuals to take part in the Eva ngelical Awakening of the 1700s. It was a time when you saw God’s hand in the world like never before. When looking back in history, specifically Christian history, we would say that George Whitefield truly made his mark on history during the evangelical awakening. He was one of the biggest proponents in spreading the word of God, and he was not to go unnoticed. However, how much do we really know about

What Does the a Place for the Friendless Female...

Why a site listing world immigrants to VDL/Tasmania to 1900? Tasmania has been populated by Aboriginal people since time immemorial. It was known internationally from the 1642 until 1853 as Van Diemen’s Land (VDL). From 1853, with the cessation of convict transportation from the British Empire, it became known as Tasmania. At the 1996 Census, 13,873 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people registered as living in Tasmania (ABS 1301.6 – Tasmanian Year Book, 2000), and in 2010 just over 500,000 people were living in Tasmania with, according to Alexander (2010), more than 70% having [some] convict ancestry. This is not surprising, considering that more than 72,000 convicts were transported to VDL. The ancestry of many†¦show more content†¦More individuals and details will be added when information from the public record and references are contributed in the ‘comments’ box at the bottom of the list. This is currently a small starter list – but it already shows that people came from a wide number of places and cultures, and undertook a diverse range of activities, while resident in VDL/Tasmania. The second page is also scrollable listing of longer stories about individual immigrants who arrived pre 1900 to VDL/Tasmania with ancestry beyond Britain. This information is also sourced from the public record (archives and publications). Posting titles of useful publications and archive sources and web links would also be much appreciated. This site should ‘work’ – grow from public input. It aims to make public an otherwise predominantly microfilm-bound but significant component of this island’s story since colonisation. Names or initials of researchers/contributors to this site will be listed below, to acknowledge the collaborative necessity and basis of this project. When you post or provide information for the first time, please also mention if your name / initials can be acknowledged in this listing. 100 objects that define modern Australia Modern Australia has a million stories that belong to the Aboriginal people who discovered and settled it, the explorers, sailors and navigators who mapped it and the waves of 19th and 20th century migrants who built it. All these people have

Essay about Why the Drinking Age Should Be Lowered to 18

Lowering the drinking age to 18 would make a lot of sense in the world. Lowering the drinking age to 18 would make more sense. It would be better for the teens that drink on college campus. The drinking age should be lowered to 18 because you can vote at eighteen, buy tobacco, it’ll reduce the thrill of breaking the law, evidence supports that early introduction of drinking is the safest way to reduce juvenile alcohol abuse, and college people that are not 21 drink also. If teenagers that are now turning 18 can vote, then they should be able to drink at the age of 18. If teens are 18 and old enough to vote, they should be able to drink. Saying they can vote, is calling them responsible and mature enough to pretty much vote. At age 18,†¦show more content†¦Tobacco, can give the person doing it buzzed or drunk and give them the risk of a disease. Therefore, in the long run, the person will probably regret doing tobacco. It’ll reduce the thrill of breaking the l aws. Teens find it exciting to break the law. Once they start breaking the law, it’ll get them addicted to the thrill of breaking the law. They’re going to want to keep breaking the law just to be cool. (â€Å"Reasons†). When they break the law, they think that since other people won’t do it, that it’s going to be cool to break the law and look bad. Most parents should know that almost all kids drink. If they know that their kids drink, why not let them have legally drink at 18, with not having their kids get in jail for drinking under age. (â€Å"Age†). For example, why would you go through the trouble if your child drinks and gets caught because they’re not 21 yet, but are in college and over 18 and you have to bail them out? Therefore most college kids aren’t even 21 yet, but are still exposed to alcohol and drink. Early introduction into drinking will reduce binge drinking. If people are introduced into drinking early, they’ll be drinking moderately. Scientific evidence supports that early introduction to drinking is the safest way to reduce juvenile alcohol abuse. Young people in France, Spain, and Argentina, rarely abuse alcohol. They start drinking within their families, which sees drinking in moderation as natural. They rarelyShow MoreRelatedLowering Legal Drinking Age Essay1417 Words   |  6 PagesLowering the Drinking Age Half the United States population starts drinking at the age of 14.When you are 18 you have privileges like joining the army. (Mitch Adams Lowering the drinking age page 1) You can go to war and die for your country but you still can not enjoy an ice cold beer. (Mitch Adams Lowering the drinking age page 1) How is being 21 different from being 18? How does three more years of not drinking make you mature enough to drink? The longer you drink the more you start toRead MoreLegalizing the Drinking Age to 181624 Words   |  7 PagesLegalizing the Drinking Age to 18 When people turn to the age of eighteen, they are finally considered an adult. They can join the army, have the right to vote, buy cigarettes or tobacco products, get a tattoo and even die for our country, but they aren’t allowed to buy alcohol? A person can be responsible enough to live on his or her own, make money, pay bills, and yet they are not old enough to purchase or consume any type of alcohol. Underage drinking has been a major controversial issue forRead MoreWhy Lowering The Drinking Age Is A Good Idea?. Lowering1627 Words   |  7 PagesWhy Lowering the Drinking Age is a Good Idea? Lowering the drinking age to 18 in the United States has been a source of controversy in recent years. It has been a controversial topic because many people disagree, while many agree with the topic. For example, the people who disagree and are against lowering the drinking age to 18 believe we should not lower the drinking age because 18 year old individuals are not responsible enough to drink alcohol. While, the people who agree we should lower theRead MoreDrinking Age Drinking847 Words   |  4 Pagesthe drinking age should be lowered to eighteen like most of the world or if it should stay at twenty-one. Underage drinking has been a major questionable issue for years, yet why is it not under control? Teenagers are continuing to buy alcohol with fake identification cards, getting into bars and drinking illegally. As a recent teen, I have proof that these things are going on not only in college but in high school as well. There are a lot of factors that come together to why the dr inking age shouldRead MoreShould the Drinking Age Be Lowered to 18? Essay1236 Words   |  5 Pagesargument amongst Americans is determining that the current legal drinking age which is 21 should be lowered to eighteen or not. Researching the following propaganda made me understand the dangers to the youth and people in America if the drinking age were to lower. Therefore i will argue with whoever disagrees with me that the drinking age should be lowered. Id like to explain six reasons to why the drinking age should not be lowered beginning with the strongest reasons. First reason being is thatRead MoreShould The Drinking Age Be Lowered?853 Words   |  4 Pagesactivities around their friends to feel like they are a part of the team. Many people often wonder if the court of law stepped in and changed the age of drinking would this help the case of underage drinking. This proposed law would lower the drinking age to make the teenagers less rebellious and allow them to feel more like adults. If the drinking age were to be lowered then teenagers would feel as if they didn’t have to drink every day because they wouldn’t have to wonder when this opportunity will happenRead MoreMinimum Legal Drinking Age ( Tietjen )1700 Words   |  7 PagesLegal Drinking Age On July 17 of 1984 President Ronald Reagan signed to make the National Minimum Drinking Age Act a law. This law required all states to have a minimum drinking age of 21, if a state did not comply with this law they could face up to a 10% cut in funding for their federal highways (Tietjen). Since this act became a law there has been two distinct sides arguing whether they agree with the minimum drinking age, or whether they disagree. One side believes having a minimum drinking ageRead MoreControversial Analysis: Drinking Age1278 Words   |  6 PagesCarolina Quiroga April 02, 2012 Leslie Jones English 102 The Drinking Age and Young Adults. Because underage drinking is a major problem for young adults, the drinking age has become a very controversial issue. In the 1990s, the drinking age was 18, but it was changed to 21 in 1984. The Federal Government informed states to choose between raising the drinking age to 21 or foregoing highway funding. This decision obviously affected 18 to 20 year olds who could no longer buy alcoholic beverages.Read MoreThe Smoking Age Should Be Legal Drinking Age1517 Words   |  7 Pagesrequiring you to be over the age of 21 to consume alcoholic beverages. This law has proved itself by saving many lives and overall just having a positive outcome in the community. People say that no matter what the age limit is kids will still drink? I completely disagree, believe it or not there’s endless ways in which it can be prevented while the drinking age remains 21. Parents make a big difference and can prevent this from happening and I have to agree 100% that the drinking age has saved hund reds ofRead MoreShould The Drinking Age Be Lowered?995 Words   |  4 Pages Should the legal drinking age be lowered to age 18? Recently people have been debating whether If the drinking age should be lowered to 18. Some people think 18 is a better age but others think it’s outrageous to lower the drinking age to 18. After much reading and observing, I myself think the drinking age should be kept at 21 years old,because young adults who drink while they re underage make poor decisions and majority of the young adults are in college lacking in classes. The legal drinking

The OPEC Oil Cartel

Question: The OPEC oil cartel no longer exists in any meaningful sense and crude prices will slump to $50 a barrel over coming months as market forces shake out the weakest producers. What does this mean for the future of OPEC? Is this a final rear-guard defensive action to preserve their power over oil prices they have enjoyed for 40 years? Answer: Introduction Few people would have thought that the oil prices will reach $50 a barrel in the future, but this has happened and things look bleak even now. The shale oil boom followed by the decisions taken by OPEC has completely changed the dynamics of the oil industry. The technology in shale oil extraction has completely changed in the last 5-10 years and the results are now visible. The market has been giving sustainable output for long to price to take nose dive. Coupled with this excess supply there has been slowdown in global growth which is hurting the demand. China being the largest importer of oil has been facing slowdown and now India has surpassed growth rate of China. This is where the demand has considerably reduced and market is well supplied. European region is also facing a slowdown and the same has also hurt the demand prospects. The oil refineries which see good demand during Oct-April, has seen sharp slowdown. The reason for the same is the fact that markets are well supplied. As per a conspiracy theory it has been suggested that ISIS is keeping the black market well supplied. This is also one of the reasons why the problem exists in the market. In the last 40 years OPEC has been controlling the market at large as it is the one which has the largest market share. However in recent times, shale oil supply has tightened the market and good pressure is witnessed in maintaining market share. OPEC countries have been providing its prime client in Asia a good discount. This is where the prices started sliding and the oil prices came from the high of $115 a barrel to $50 a barrel. In past whenever markets have been well supplied and the prices have come down, that is when OPEC has decided to reduce supply in the market and the prices have rose up. This is where OPEC has been able to control the price in the market for half a century. However in the recent meeting held in November, 2015 the OPEC decided to maintain the output. The main reason has been to maintain the market share in the business. Some of the critical factors that need to be answered is, how long the prices are sustainable? What is the price level which OPEC is still comfortable with? What is the price level when the shale explorer will cut investments and also close shale supply? These are some of the critical factors that need to be answered and the dynamics have completely changed over the last year. Current Performance The biggest factor controlling the world production of oil is the world price of oil. A higher price encourages production increases to take advantage of the available profits, while a lower price forces extraction companies to cut back on the production capacity they can no longer afford. Also, when the price of oil is relatively stagnant, as in 2006 and 2007, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) often lowers the production quotas of its member nations to force the price up again. When it does so, as in 2006 and 2007, production from non-OPEC nations increases to compensate. As a result, the world production of oil remained virtually unchanged between 2005 and 2007. However, the dramatic oil price spike in 2008 caused production to jump for the reasons described above. The global recession followed, and the lowered oil demand it caused the price of oil to fall considerably, which ultimately forced the worlds oil producers to cut their daily production back 0.9% in 2009. As prices recovered rapidly in 2010, so did production, growing by 3.0% to pass the 2008 average. The price of oil resumed growth in 2011, and with it the global supply of oil. In 2013, the price of oil declined, hampering strong growth in the production of oil during the year. Production is anticipated to rebound in 2014, despite a significant decline in the price of oil. In the latter part of the five years to 2015, the world price of oil plummeted due to weak demand and a supply gut. This can largely be attributed to OPEC maintaining production levels, despite falling oil prices. Moreover, the United States is increasingly ramping up domestic production of oil, which is also c ontributing to the supply glut and weighing on prices. Over the five years to 2015, world production of oil is expected to grow at an annualized rate of 1.2%. Outlook The world production of oil will continue growing in the five years to 2020 to match oils ever-growing demand. However, the rate of growth is expected to slow as the price of oil reaches a point to significantly slow demand growth. As a result, annual production growth is expected to average just 0.6% over the five years to 2020. However, the timing and nature of OPEC production quota changes are difficult to forecast, and any dramatic changes by the organization would alter world production totals significantly. The world price of crude oil represents the equally weighted average of oil on three different markets of light crude oil around the world in terms of US dollars per barrel. These markets are for Dated Brent petroleum (38 American Petroleum Institute) in the United Kingdom, Fateh petroleum (32 API) in Dubai and West Texas Intermediate petroleum (40 API) in Midland, TX, United States. Annual figures are presented as the equally weighted average of monthly averages. Historical figures and projections are sourced from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the US Energy Information Administration. Current Performance Oil prices are highly volatile. A wide range of external factors influence price fluctuations, and these factors include foreign exchange movements, foreign policy decisions, production levels and demand from emerging markets. The most influential development over the past five years has been the increasing emphasis on hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling techniques. While upstream oil and gas producers have used these techniques for decades, technological developments have made both hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling more efficient and more profitable than ever before. In the United States, the shift towards these techniques has drastically increased production levels, which has in turn pressured domestic prices for both oil and natural gas. Environmental concerns have increased over the five-year period, and as a result, calls for additional investment in alternative fuel sources have impacted oil and gas producers ability to expand operations, especially in offshore arenas. Crude oil prices are largely determined by market conditions, and falling demand can pressure crude oil prices. Though demand for crude oil is projected to remain strong, as it is an input for a wide range of products, high levels of supply, pressure to develop alternative fuel sources and restrictions on crude oil exports in the United States have weighed on crude oils price performance over the past five years. For example, as the United States increasingly has supplied itself with petroleum, exporting nations, such as Nigeria and Venezuela, have had to seek other markets for their petroleum output. If the US government continues to reduce export restrictions, US oil will enter global markets, which will further increase supply and pressure prices . Although overall economic conditions have improved from recessionary lows in 2009, demand from emerging markets, most notably China, has eased in recent quarters. Though rapid industrialization of countries like China and India has boosted demand for petroleum products, high levels of production have pressured prices for crude oil around the globe. In the United States, for example, the inability of producers to export crude oil limits producers ability to seek the highest available price for their output. As a result, prices have been falling steadily in the United States since the second half of 2014, as production has continued and surpluses have developed. Moreover, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), in addition to US drilling operators have continued to produce at steady levels despite the recent decline in price. This has exacerbated the build-up in supply and put additional pressure on prices. Consequently, the world price of crude oil is anticipated to fall at an annualized rate of 6.6% to $56.7 per barrel over the five years to 2015. The world price of oil is expected to trend higher over the next five years; however, it will continue to face downward pressure. US production levels will continue to be strong, and the potential for the US government to reduce export restrictions could further encourage upstream companies to produce at strong levels in the United States. Furthermore, OPECs production levels will likely continue at strong levels, further ensuring strong levels of oil supply on global markets. According to the Energy Information Administrations (EIA) January 2015 Short-Term Energy Outlook, global demand for petroleum and other liquids will average 92.4 million barrels per day (bbl/d) in 2015, and global liquid fuels supply will average 93.0 million bbl/d in 2015. Nevertheless, the world price of crude oil is anticipated to grow at an annualized rate of 5.1% to $72.6 per barrel over the five years to 2020. Although the price is expected to appreciate over the five-year period, this is primarily due to coming off a low base in 2015. Developments in shale deposits in the United States will continue to encourage growth in production, and the pending approval of the Keystone XL pipeline has the potential to bolster supply levels in the United States. Production in the United States will continue to stress foreign producers of oil and gas, as US appetite for petroleum will be satiated by domestic production, limiting the ability of foreign producers to export to the United States. As emerging markets continue to import petroleum, competition will intensify for exporting nations to supply these growth markets. Volatility Volatility will be persistent over the next five years, as many exogenous factors can drastically impact overall market conditions. Several oil producing countries face political instability that will continue over the next five years, most notably Iraq and Libya. Additionally, central banks around the world will continue to focus on oil price movements, as low oil prices can benefit a wide range of industries and encourage economic growth. Nonetheless, the potential for sudden price fluctuations will remain constant. Over the next five years, Russian production of petroleum resources will play an important role in European markets for natural gas and crude oil. Countries that are rich in shale resources, such as China and Russia, will challenge the US competitive advantage in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling production over the next five years. However, the US will maintain its advantage in shale resource development due to its developed infrastructure and its access to technology and expertise. The Global Oil and Gas Exploration and Production industry seeks valuable, natural resources from beneath the earth's surface. Due to the scale of the industry, market concentration is low on a global scale, though regional operators can heavily influence their operational regions. The largest companies are vertically integrated, multinational conglomerates, and when the initial drilling, extraction and transport stages are completed, these companies typically perform refining and manufacturing activities. These activities are excluded from this mature industry. Movements in oil and natural gas prices relative to production volumes play key roles in determining the industry's performance. Key markets include the developing nations of Brazil, Russia, India and China, also known as the BRIC nations. The emerging industrial capacities of the BRIC nations have driven up the cost for raw energy commodities, as a wide range of manufacturing pursuits require oil and natural gas as key inputs or energy sources for factory equipment. In the five years to 2015, IBISWorld expects industry revenue to grow strongly at an annualized rate of 5.0% to $4.3 trillion, largely reflecting the recovery from lows experienced during the global recession, when plummeting oil and gas prices brought down industry revenue. In 2015, revenue is expected to fall 8.7%, due to weak crude oil prices. Volatile prices prevail Aside from a steep drop during the economic crisis, when global economic activity slowed significantly, oil prices have remained high over the five years to 2015 for several reasons. First, the rapid industrialization of China and India spurred a significant increase in demand as a result of the growing use of automobiles among these countries' sizeable, emerging middle classes. Second, the easiest oil to extract has already been extracted; therefore, every barrel taken from the ground costs more than the one before it. Finally, the rising political instability in many of the leading countries in petroleum production, which are also emerging countries, has caused prices to rise. The Middle East, a main petroleum-producing region, has been in a state of constant tension; consequently, oil prices rose sharply in 2011 as political unrest in Syria, Libya, Tunisia and Egypt threatened to constrain supply. Meanwhile, continued strong demand for natural gas, especially from Asia, is expected to keep gas prices high, despite skyrocketing production in North America. New pipelines, pipeline extensions and continued growth in demand for liquefied natural gas have underpinned growth in gas output. Gas has also benefited from its status as a relatively clean fuel, particularly when compared with coal. However, the US market has generated a surplus of natural gas that has pressured prices. Nevertheless, the world price of natural gas is anticipated to increase at an average annual rate of 6.9% in the five years to 2015, largely reflecting the recovery from recessionary lows. Industry profit is expected to grow in line with oil and natural gas prices over the five years to 2015. This climate of rising demand and production has led to increases in industry employment; however, productivity gains have held employment growth down to an average annual rate of 1.2% to 1.3 million employees over the five years to 2015. Meanwhile, enterprise numbers are expected to marginally increase at an average annual rate of 0.7% to 10,011, as existing companies have consolidated to better absorb volatile petroleum price shocks. Indeed, merger and acquisition (MA) activity was robust in the oil and gas sector in recent years. According to research from Deloitte's transaction advisory business, oil and gas MA transactions totaled $349.0 billion in 2012 and $205.0 billion in 2013. The majority of new companies are likely focused on developing unconventional resources in the United States, as hydraulic fracturing and directional drilling are currently most prominent in North A merica. BRIC demand While advanced economies, such as the United States, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and those in the European Union, are responsible for much of the total value of the world's GDP, they only contribute small growth to its expansion. Major demand growth worldwide comes from the BRIC nations, all of which are rapidly industrializing countries with massive populations. Other emerging economies have also increasingly ramped up petroleum consumption. Before the global financial crisis, the BRIC economies experienced strong growth from 2004 to 2007, with the European Union and United States leading demand for their manufactured goods. Therefore, companies in each region have rapidly expanded their infrastructures and services to support the booming trade sectors over the past five years. This rapid development has increased worldwide demand for resources, which has led to soaring commodity prices for oil and natural gas, benefiting exporting countries, especially Russia. In 2015, the BRIC nations' GDP is expected to continue growing, but at a slower pace than in previous years, as international trade slowed down following the global economic downturn. The United States is the largest energy consumer in the world, and increasing US petroleum production lowered the country's demand for imported fuel. Nevertheless, due to the recovery from recessionary lows, international oil and gas trade is anticipated to grow an average of 4.1% pe r year to $2.1 trillion in the five years to 2015. Prices recover The price of oil is forecast to increase over the next five years, largely because oil is continuously becoming more expensive to extract. Areas like the Middle East, which contain major world oil reserves, will continue to remain under constant tension. In addition, increased regulation remains a threat for offshore drilling in the United States following the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. IBISWorld forecasts a relatively gradual rise in the price of oil over the next five years as the world economy and, therefore, world demand for oil, recovers from the recession. However, downward forces on the price of oil will continue. As oil becomes more expensive, the incentive to invest in research for alternatives will also rise. While cars are becoming increasingly fuel efficient, new models are expensive and only widely available in North America and Europe; the global focus on developing fuel-efficient vehicles will likely increase, with countries like China actively seeking to expand their electric vehicle fleet. In addition, substitutes for oil, such as natural gas and biofuels, are increasingly being used as companies try to diversify and decrease their reliance on oil. Lastly, global demand for oil is threatened by a slowdown in emerging economies. In particular, China's GDP growth is anticipated to moderate in the coming years, which can potentially hinder demand for, and the price of, crude oil. Nevertheless, the world price of crude oil is anticipated to grow at an average annual rate of 5.1% in the five years to 2020. The Global Oil and Gas Exploration and Production industry is subject to a high level of competition. In general, the industry faces competition on two levels: internal and external. Internal competition regards competitive factors common to all or most companies within the industry, while external competition represents threats based in other industries, substitute products or from imports. Internal competition Global oil and gas companies compete on the basis of price, although other factors, such as crude oil grades, impurity levels and the costs of extraction also play a role. Competition between oil and gas as fuels is very limited because the two products serve different markets. In the case of oil, the main end-market is that for transport fuels, while for gas, the major markets are electricity generation and gas supply. In addition, a cartel comprising major oil producers known as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, aims to have a leveling effect on competition levels. OPEC's goal is to coordinate and unify petroleum policies among member countries. Prior to the rise of OPEC, large oil companies that possessed the necessary technology and skills for exploration and production dominated the oil sector. At least in part, OPEC was formed to reduce the influence of oil multinationals that had a monopoly on technology. OPEC does not set oil prices, but because the OPEC countries produce about 40.0% of the world's oil supply and their exports account for about 60.0% of the total export in oil, their decisions influence price movements. The purpose of OPEC is to agree on the quantity and price of the oil that member countries export, which lowers competition. External competition The industry faces limited but growing competition from other fuels. Oil faces competition from biodiesel (a corn- or soy-based substitute for automotive distillate) and ethanol (typically blended with gasoline, rather than used as a replacement fuel) as the basis for transport fuels. Meanwhile, natural gas faces competition from other fuels, primarily coal, in electricity generation, although it has the advantage of being cleaner burning and producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions. In some applications, notably space heating and cooking, natural gas faces competition from electricity. Renewable and alternative energy sources such as solar and wind power also give natural gas competition as the source of electricity generation. References: Alkhathlan, K., Gately, D., Javid, M. (2014). Analysis of Saudi Arabia's behavior within OPEC and the world oil market.Energy Policy,64, 209-225 Almoguera, P. A., Douglas, C. C., Herrera, A. M. (2011). Testing for the cartel in OPEC: non-cooperative collusion or just non-cooperative?.Oxford Review of Economic Policy,27(1), 144-168 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Rashed, Y., Len, J. (2015). Energy efficiency in OPEC member countries: analysis of historical trends through the energy coefficient approach.OPEC Energy Review,39(1), 77-102 Barros, C. 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