Free Essays on Conflict Res

Conflict Resolution in Work Teams Abstract As growing companies gear their employees toward a team working environment, the need for conflict resolution increases. Team conflict arises from different values, attitudes and opinions each team member brings to a particular group. With extensive research into resolution techniques and tactical management philosophies, results show that when properly managed, conflict can result in great benefits for the ultimate success of a working team. Conflict resolution in work teams A major advantage a team has over an individual is its diversity of resources, knowledge, and ideas. However, diversity also produces conflict. As more and more organizations restructure to work teams the need for training in conflict resolution will continue to grow. Varney (1989) reports â€Å"Conflict remained the number-one problem for most of the teams operating within a large energy company, even after repeated training sessions on how to resolve conflict and how to minimize the negative impact on team members†. One reason for this may be that mangers and leaders within these organizations are not giving the issue of resolving conflict enough attention. Varney's research showed that although most managers are aware of disagreements and have received training in conflict resolution, they seldom assign a high priority to solving conflict problems. It is critical that team members possess skills to resolve conflict among them. Within any group of people, conflict will arise in some way shape or form. We are all different people with different ways of thinking and problem solving procedures. Avoidance of conflict is a waste of valuable time and effort. One should concentrate more on easing conflict and steering it into something more productive. Everyone has there own opinions and views to offer, otherwise all houses would be blue, everyone would have the same hair cut, and marri... Free Essays on Conflict Res Free Essays on Conflict Res Conflict Resolution in Work Teams Abstract As growing companies gear their employees toward a team working environment, the need for conflict resolution increases. Team conflict arises from different values, attitudes and opinions each team member brings to a particular group. With extensive research into resolution techniques and tactical management philosophies, results show that when properly managed, conflict can result in great benefits for the ultimate success of a working team. Conflict resolution in work teams A major advantage a team has over an individual is its diversity of resources, knowledge, and ideas. However, diversity also produces conflict. As more and more organizations restructure to work teams the need for training in conflict resolution will continue to grow. Varney (1989) reports â€Å"Conflict remained the number-one problem for most of the teams operating within a large energy company, even after repeated training sessions on how to resolve conflict and how to minimize the negative impact on team members†. One reason for this may be that mangers and leaders within these organizations are not giving the issue of resolving conflict enough attention. Varney's research showed that although most managers are aware of disagreements and have received training in conflict resolution, they seldom assign a high priority to solving conflict problems. It is critical that team members possess skills to resolve conflict among them. Within any group of people, conflict will arise in some way shape or form. We are all different people with different ways of thinking and problem solving procedures. Avoidance of conflict is a waste of valuable time and effort. One should concentrate more on easing conflict and steering it into something more productive. Everyone has there own opinions and views to offer, otherwise all houses would be blue, everyone would have the same hair cut, and marri...

Profile of Civil War Lt General Ulysses S. Grant

Profile of Civil War Lt General Ulysses S. Grant Hiram Ulysses Grant was born April 27, 1822, at Point Pleasant, Ohio. The son of Pennsylvania natives Jesse Grant and Hannah Simpson, he was educated locally as a young man. Electing to pursue a military career, Grant sought admission to West Point in 1839. This quest proved successful when Representative Thomas Hamer offered him an appointment. As part of the process, Hamer erred and officially nominated him as Ulysses S. Grant. Arriving at the academy, Grant elected to retain this new name, but stated that the S was an initial only (it is sometimes listed as Simpson in reference to his mothers maiden name). Since his new initials were U.S., Grants classmates nicknamed Sam in reference to Uncle Sam. The Mexican-American War Though a middling student, Grant proved an exceptional horseman while at West Point. Graduating in 1843, Grant placed 21st in a class of 39. Despite his equestrian skills, he received an assignment to serve as quartermaster of the 4th US Infantry as there were no vacancies in the dragoons. In 1846, Grant was part of Brigadier General Zachary Taylors Army of Occupation in southern Texas. With the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, he saw action at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. Though assigned as a quartermaster, Grant sought out action. After taking part in the Battle of Monterrey, he was transferred to Major General Winfield Scotts army. Landing in March 1847, Grant was present at the Siege of Veracruz and marched inland with Scotts army. Reaching the outskirts of Mexico City, he was brevetted for gallantry for his performance at the Battle of Molino del Rey on September 8. This was followed by a second brevet for his actions during the Battle of Chapultepec when he hoisted a howitzer to a church bell tower to cover the American advance on the San Cosmà © Gate. A student of war, Grant closely watched his superiors during his time in Mexico and learned key lessons that he would apply later. The Interwar Years After a brief postwar stint in Mexico, Grant returned to the United States and married Julia Boggs Dent on August 22, 1848. The couple ultimately had four children. Over the next four years, Grant held peacetime posts on the Great Lakes. In 1852, the he received orders to depart for the West Coast. With Julia pregnant and lacking funds to support a family on the frontier, Grant was forced to leave his wife in the care of her parents in St. Louis, MO. After enduring a harsh journey via Panama, Grant arrived at San Francisco before traveling north to Fort Vancouver. Deeply missing his family and the second child who he had never seen, Grant became discouraged by his prospects. Taking solace in alcohol, he attempted to find ways to supplement his income so that his family could come west. These proved unsuccessful and he began to contemplate resigning. Promoted to captain in April 1854 with orders to move to Fort Humboldt, CA, he instead elected to resign. His departure most likely was accelerated by rumors of his drinking and possible disciplinary action. Returning to Missouri, Grant and his family settled on land belonging to her parents. Dubbing his farm Hardscrabble, it proved financially unsuccessful despite the assistance of a slave provided by Julias father. After several failed business endeavors, Grant moved his family to Galena, IL in 1860 and became an assistant in his fathers tannery, Grant Perkins. Though his father was a prominent Republican in the area, Grant favored Stephen A. Douglas in the 1860 presidential election, but did not vote as he had not lived in Galena long enough to obtain Illinois residency. Early Days of the Civil War Through the winter and spring after Abraham Lincolns election sectional tensions heightened culminating with the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. With the beginning of the Civil War, Grant aided in recruiting a company of volunteers and led it to Springfield, IL. Once there, Governor Richard Yates seized on Grants military experience and set him to training newly arriving recruits. Proving highly effective in this role, Grant used his connections to Congressman Elihu B. Washburne to secure a promotion to colonel on June 14. Given command of the unruly 21st Illinois Infantry, he reformed the unit and made it an effective fighting force. On July 31, Grant was appointed a brigadier general of volunteers by Lincoln. This promotion led to Major General John C. Frà ©mont giving him command of the District of Southeast Missouri at the end of August. In November, Grant received orders from Frà ©mont to demonstrate against the Confederate positions at Columbus, KY. Moving down the Mississippi River, he landed 3,114 men on the opposite shore and attacked a Confederate force near Belmont, MO. In the resulting Battle of Belmont, Grant had initial success before Confederate reinforcements pushed him back to his boats. Despite this setback, the engagement greatly boosted Grants confidence and that of his men. Forts Henry and Donelson After several weeks of inaction, a reinforced Grant was ordered to move up the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers against Forts Henry and Donelson by the commander of the Department of Missouri, Major General Henry Halleck. Working with gunboats under Flag Officer Andrew H. Foote, Grant began his advance on February 2, 1862. Realizing that Fort Henry was located on a flood plain and open to naval attack, its commander, Brigadier General Lloyd Tilghman, withdrew most of his garrison to Fort Donelson before Grant arrived and captured the post on the 6th. After occupying Fort Henry, Grant immediately moved against Fort Donelson eleven miles to the east. Situated on high, dry ground, Fort Donelson proved near invulnerable to naval bombardment. After direct assaults failed, Grant invested the fort. On the 15th, Confederate forces under Brigadier General John B. Floyd attempted a breakout but were contained before creating an opening. With no options left, Brigadier General Simon B. Buckner asked Grant for surrender terms. Grants response was simply, No terms except unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted, which earned him the nickname Unconditional Surrender Grant. The Battle of Shiloh With the fall of Fort Donelson, over 12,000 Confederates were captured, nearly a third of  General Albert Sidney Johnstons Confederate forces in the region. As a result, he was forced to order the abandonment of Nashville, as well as a retreat from Columbus, KY. Following the victory, Grant was promoted to major general and began to experience problems with Halleck who had become professionally jealous of his successful subordinate. After surviving attempts to replace him, Grant received orders to push up the Tennessee River. Reaching Pittsburg Landing, he halted to await the arrival of  Major General Don Carlos Buells Army of the Ohio. Seeking to halt the string of reverses in his theater, Johnston and  General P.G.T. Beauregard  planned a massive attack on Grants position. Opening the  Battle of Shiloh  on April 6, they caught Grant by surprise. Though nearly driven into the river, Grant stabilized his lines and held. That evening, one of his division commanders,  Brigadier General William T. Sherman, commented Tough day today, Grant. Grant apparently responded, Yes, but well whip em tomorrow. Reinforced by Buell during the night, Grant launched a massive counterattack the next day and drove the Confederates from the field and sent them retreating to Corinth, MS. The bloodiest encounter to date with the Union suffering 13,047 casualties and the Confederates 10,699, the losses at Shiloh stunned the public. Though Grant came under criticism for being unprepared on April 6 and was falsely accused of being drunk, Lincoln refused to remove him stating, I cant spare this man; he fights. Corinth and Halleck After the victory at Shiloh, Halleck elected to take to the field in person and assembled a large force consisting of Grants Army of the Tennessee,  Major General John Popes Army of the Mississippi, and Buells Army of the Ohio at Pittsburg Landing. Continuing his issues with Grant, Halleck removed him from army command and made him the overall second-in-command with no troops under his direct control. Incensed, Grant contemplated leaving, but was talked into staying by Sherman who was quickly becoming a close friend. Enduring this arrangement through the Corinth and Iuka campaigns of the summer, Grant returned to independent command that October when he was made commander of the Department of the Tennessee and tasked with taking the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg, MS. Taking Vicksburg Given free rein by Halleck, now general-in-chief in Washington, Grant designed a two-prong attack, with Sherman advancing down the river with 32,000 men, while he advanced south along Mississippi Central Railroad with 40,000 men. These movements were to be supported by an advance north from New Orleans by  Major General Nathaniel Banks. Establishing a supply base at Holly Springs, MS, Grant pressed south to Oxford, hoping to engage Confederate forces under  Major  General Earl Van Dorn  near Grenada. In December 1862, Van Dorn, badly outnumbered, launched a large cavalry raid around Grants army and destroyed the supply base at Holly Springs, halting the Union advance. Shermans situation was no better. Moving down the river with relative ease, he arrived just north of Vicksburg on Christmas Eve. After sailing up the Yazoo River, he disembarked his troops and began moving through the swamps and bayous toward the town before being badly defeated at  Chickasaw Bayou  on the 2 9th. Lacking support from Grant, Sherman opted to withdrawal. After Shermans men were drawn off to  attack Arkansas Post  in early January, Grant moved to the river to command his entire army in person. Based just north of Vicksburg on the west bank, Grant spent the winter of 1863 seeking a way to bypass Vicksburg with no success. He finally devised a bold plan for capturing the Confederate fortress. Grant proposed to move down the west bank of the Mississippi, then cut loose from his supply lines by crossing the river and attacking the city from the south and east. This risky move was to be supported by gunboats commanded by  Rear Admiral David D. Porter, which would run downstream past the Vicksburg batteries prior to Grant crossing the river. On the nights of April 16 and 22, Porter two groups of ships past the town. With a naval force established below the town, Grant began his march south. On April 30, Grants army crossed the river at Bruinsburg and moved northeast to cut the rail lines to Vicksburg before turning on the town itself. Turning Point in the West Conducting a brilliant campaign, Grant swiftly drove back Confederate forces on his front and captured Jackson, MS on May 14. Turning west towards Vicksburg, his troops repeatedly defeated  Lieutenant General John Pembertons forces and drove them back into the citys defense. Arriving at Vicksburg and wishing to avoid a siege, Grant launched assaults against the city on May 19 and 22 taking heavy losses in the process.  Settling into a siege, his army was reinforced and tightened the noose on Pembertons garrison. Waiting out the enemy, Grant forced a starving Pemberton to surrender Vicksburg and his 29,495-man garrison on July 4. The victory gave Union forces control of the entire Mississippi and was the turning point of the war in the West. Victory at Chattanooga In the wake of  Major General William Rosecranss defeat at  Chickamauga  in September 1863, Grant was given command of the Military Division of the Mississippi and control of all Union armies in the West. Moving to Chattanooga, he reopened a supply line to Rosecrans beleaguered Army of the Cumberland and replaced the defeated general with  Major General George H. Thomas. In an effort to turn the tables on  General Braxton Braggs Army of Tennessee, Grant captured Lookout Mountain on November 24 before directing his combined forces to a stunning victory at the  Battle of Chattanooga  the next day. In the fighting, Union troops drove the Confederates off Missionary Ridge and sent them reeling south. Coming East In March 1864, Lincoln promoted Grant to lieutenant general and gave him command of all Union armies. Grant elected to turn over operational control of the western armies to Sherman and shifted his headquarters east to travel with  Major General George G. Meades Army of the Potomac. Leaving Sherman with orders to press the Confederate Army of Tennessee and take Atlanta, Grant sought to engage  General Robert E. Lee  in a decisive battle to destroy the Army of Northern Virginia. In Grants mind, this was the key to ending the war, with the capture of Richmond of secondary importance. These initiatives were to be supported by smaller campaigns in the Shenandoah Valley, southern Alabama, and western Virginia. The Overland Campaign In early May 1864, Grant began marching south with 101,000 men. Lee, whose army numbered 60,000, moved to intercept and met Grant in a dense forest known as the  Wilderness. While Union attacks initially drove the Confederates back, they were blunted and forced back by the late arrival of  Lieutenant General James Longstreets corps. After three days of fighting, the battle turned into a stalemate with Grant having lost 18,400 men and Lee 11,400. While Grants army had suffered more casualties, they comprised a lesser proportion of his army than Lees. As the Grants goal was to destroy Lees army, this was an acceptable outcome. Unlike his predecessors in the East, Grant continued to press south after the bloody fight and the armies quickly met again at the  Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. After two weeks of fighting, another stalemate ensued. As before Union casualties were higher, but Grant understood that each battle cost Lee casualties that the Confederates could not replace. Again pushing south, Grant was unwilling to attack Lees strong position at  North Anna  and moved around the Confederate right. Meeting Lee at the  Battle of Cold Harbor  on May 31, Grant launched a series of bloody attacks against the Confederate fortifications three days later. The defeat would haunt Grant for years and he later wrote, I have always regretted that the last assault at Cold Harbor was ever made...no advantage whatever was gained to compensate for the heavy loss we sustained. Siege of Petersburg After pausing for nine days, Grant stole a march on Lee and raced south across the James River to capture Petersburg. A key rail center, the capture of the city would cut off supplies to Lee and Richmond. Initially blocked from the city by troops under Beauregard, Grant assaulted the Confederate lines between June 15 and 18 to no avail. As both armies arrived in full, a long series of trenches and fortifications were constructed that presaged the Western Front of  World War I. An attempt to break the deadlock occurred on July 30 when Union troops assaulted after the  detonation of a mine, but the attack failed.  Settling into a siege, Grant kept pushing his troops further south and east in an effort to cut the railroads into the city and stretch out Lees smaller army. As the situation at Petersburg became drawn out, Grant was criticized in the media for failing to achieve a decisive result and for being a butcher due to the heavy losses taken during the Overland Campaign. This was intensified when a small Confederate force under  Lieutenant General Jubal A. Early  threatened Washington, DC on July 12. Earlys actions necessitated Grant sending troops back north to deal with the danger. Eventually led by  Major General Philip H. Sheridan, the Union forces effectively destroyed Earlys command in a series of battles in the Shenandoah Valley later that year. While the situation at Petersburg remained stagnant, Grants broader strategy began to bear fruit as Sherman captured Atlanta in September. As the siege continued through the winter and into the spring, Grant continued to receive positive reports as Union troops had success on other fronts. These and a deteriorating situation at Petersburg led Lee to assault Grants lines on March 25. Though his troops had initial success, they were driven back by Union counterattacks. Seeking to exploit the victory, Grant pushed a large force west to capture the critical crossroads of Five Forks and threaten the Southside Railroad. At the  Battle of Five Forks  on April 1, Sheridan took the objective. This defeat placed Lees position at Petersburg, as well as Richmond, in jeopardy. Informing President Jefferson Davis that both would need to be evacuated, Lee came under heavy attack from Grant on April 2. These assauls drove the Confederates from the city and sent them retreating west. Appomattox After occupying Petersburg, Grant began chasing Lee across Virginia with Sheridans men in the lead. Moving west and harried by Union cavalry, Lee hoped to re-supply his army before heading south to link up with forces under  General Joseph Johnston  in North Carolina. On April 6, Sheridan was able to cut off approximately 8,000 Confederates under  Lieutenant General Richard Ewell  at  Saylers Creek. After some fighting the Confederates, including eight generals, surrendered. Lee, with fewer than 30,000 hungry men, hoped to reach supply trains that were waiting at Appomattox Station. This plan was dashed when Union cavalry under  Major General George A. Custer  arrived in the town and burned the trains. Lee next set his sights on reaching Lynchburg. On the morning of April 9, Lee ordered his men to break through the Union lines that blocked their path. They attacked but were stopped. Now surrounded on three sides, Lee accepted the inevitable stating, Then there is nothing left for me to do but to go and see General Grant, and I would rather die a thousand deaths. Later that day,  Grant met with Lee at the McLean House  in Appomattox Court House to discuss surrender terms. Grant, who had been suffering a bad headache, arrived late, wearing a worn privates uniform with only his shoulder straps denoting his rank. Overcome by the emotion of the meeting, Grant had difficulty getting to the point, but soon laid out generous terms which Lee accepted. Postwar Actions With the defeat of the Confederacy, Grant was required to immediately dispatch troops under Sheridan to Texas to serve as a deterrent to the French who had recently installed Maximilian as Emperor of Mexico. To assist the Mexicans, he also told Sheridan to aid the deposed Benito Juarez if possible. To this end, 60,000 rifles were provided to the Mexicans. The following year, Grant was required to close the Canadian border to prevent the Fenian Brotherhood from attacking Canada. In gratitude for his services during the war, Congress promoted Grant to the newly created rank of General of the Army on July 25, 1866. As general-in-chief, Grant oversaw the US Army role during the early years of Reconstruction in the South. Dividing the South into five military districts, he believed that a military occupation was necessary and the Freedmans Bureau was needed. Though he worked closely with President Andrew Johnson, Grants personal feelings were more in line with the Radical Republicans in Congress. Grant became increasing popular with this group when he refused to aid Johnson in deposing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. U.S. President As a result of this relationship, Grant was nominated for president on the 1868 Republican ticket. Facing no significant opposition for the nomination, he easily defeated former New York Governor Horatio Seymour in the general election. At age 46, Grant was the youngest US president to date. Taking office, his two terms were dominated by Reconstruction and mending the wounds of the Civil War. Deeply interested in promoting the rights of former slaves, he secured passage of the 15th Amendment and signed laws promoting voting rights as well as the Civil Rights Act of 1875. During his first term the economy was booming and corruption became rampant. As a result, his administration became plagued by a variety of scandals. Despite these issues, he remained popular with the public and was re-elected in 1872. Economic growth came to an abrupt halt with the Panic of 1873 which keyed a five-year depression. Responding slowly to the panic, he later vetoed an inflation bill which would have released additional currency into the economy. As his time in office neared an end, his reputation was damaged by the Whiskey Ring scandal. Though Grant was not directly involved, his private secretary was and it became emblematic of Republican corruption. Leaving office in 1877, he spent two years touring the world with his wife. Warmly received at each stop, he aided in mediating a dispute between China and Japan. Later Life Returning home, Grant soon faced a severe financial crisis. Having been forced to cede his military pension to serve as president, he was soon swindled in 1884 by Ferdinand Ward, his Wall Street investor. Effectively bankrupted, Grant was forced to repay one of his creditors with his Civil War mementos. Grants situation soon worsened when he learned he was suffering from throat cancer. An avid cigar smoker since Fort Donelson, Grant had at times consumed 18-20 a day. In an effort generate revenue, Grant wrote a series of books and articles which were warmly received and aided in improving his reputation. Further support came from Congress which restored his military pension. In an effort to aid Grant, noted author Mark Twain offered him a generous contract for his memoirs. Settling at Mount McGregor, NY, Grant completed the work only days before his death on July 23, 1885.  Memoirs  proved both a critical and commercial success and provided the family with much-needed security. After lying in state, Grants body was transported south to New York City where it was placed in a temporary mausoleum in Riverside Park. His pallbearers included Sherman, Sheridan, Buckner, and Joseph Johnston. On April 17, Grants body was moved a short distance to the newly constructed Grants Tomb. He was joined by Julia following her death in 1902. Sources White House: Ulysses S. GrantCivil War: Ulysses S. GrantLibrary of Congress: Ulysses Grant

Christian wordview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Christian wordview - Essay Example I Corinthians 12:3-6 – These texts show that people, who have the Holy Spirit do not curse Jesus, but praise him. In addition to that, they show that the Spirit gives different people varying gifts, but all for serving the Lord. John 17:20-26 – In these verses we find Jesus praying that believers should be one with God and fellow Christians so that unbelievers may see and believe. Further, Jesus prays that believers may one day ascend to where he is and see his glory. These verses are important and can shape the perspective of a Christian about the world. From the texts, it is evident that God intends humans to have a better life than we currently have. For this reason, Jesus came down to earth humbled himself, taught disciples, and commissioned them to preach the same good news to the entire world. The commission that the disciples receive involves preaching and baptizing those who believe in the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. This implies that man’s life ought to have a purpose, to believe in God, which is marked by the Holy Spirits presence. Genesis 1 and 2 – These two chapters of the Bible describe creation. Chapter 1 details the process of creation in seven days while chapter shows God creating Adam and Eve and settling them in the Garden of Eden. Romans 8:18-25 – Paul expresses his concerns over the frustration that creation was subjected to because of sin. However, he provides assurance that Christ will liberate creation and asks readers to trust and have faith in Him. Colossians 1:15-20 – These passages depict Christ as the master architect of the creation process. What is more, God allowed His glory to be shown through Christ, that man might be liberated and the beauty of creation before sin be revealed. These texts principally talk about creation showing how beautiful the process was and that Christ will

Nurse Client Relationship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nurse Client Relationship - Essay Example Psychodynamic perspective theories explains that one’s behavior is determined by what they think of most of the time and thus not until they get on the issue, they are likely to be stagnated at the same point in time. Lastly, antisocial disorder theory explains that some people inherit the traits of failure to conform to society norms, being manipulative and deceitful aggressive or irritability. Thus, this is an inherited disorder that may lead to maladaptive behavior. Sigmoid Freud’s theory explains the reason as to why W.S is so much involved in her substance abuse. Probably the memory of her grandmother and significant other is still fresh in her conscious mind, hence making it hard for to go one with life (Townsend, 2014). The client is using marijuana to reduce anxiety. Due to the loss of her significant others, most of the time she is subjected to anxiety and that grieving and bereavement, hence leaving her with delusional thoughts and hallucinations. Thus, by using marijuana, she is psyched up leaving less anxious than before. Secondly, it is definite that W.S I am dealing with self-esteem issues, love and affection. It is like she is lonely after losing her grandmother and a significant other. Thus, by receiving more affection and love, she is likely to recover from the loss she had. At the same time, she needs canceling on her self-esteem to enable her move on. The patient is admitted for psychotic disorder where she has presented for the last two weeks a very bizarre behavior which is as a result of excessive smoking of marijuana. Social history of the patient is that she is very addicted to smoking marijuana but neither does she drink alcohol nor smoke cigarettes. She is not yet married and does not work anywhere at this point in time. She endorses learning with disability and she is a high school graduate with a special ED. The patient has had a history of smoking bhang on his daily life which she could do several times in the day. This

RFID in the Context of Customer Services Research Paper

RFID in the Context of Customer Services - Research Paper Example In the modern business world, there is a need for companies and firms to increase the quality of services they provide their customers or quality of goods and products they produce or manufacture. It is very hard for any company or a firm to regain popularity among their lost customers or improve their position in the market. To make a profit very often means to provide customers with better services. At the same time, a chosen marketing strategy of customers’ services improvement should be developed in compliance with the needs of the company; their assets, potential, set goals and many other internal and external factors. Moreover, with regards to a wide-spread nature of technological innovations, companies implement innovative technologies in customer services. In accordance with research conducted by†¦: â€Å"Technology does more than enable the creation of new or improved services. It may also improve consistent service standards of the company, and, what is more, i mportant is to involve the customers in operations through self-service technology† (Angeles 2005, p. 51). Therefore, the modern business world needs innovations. To keep pace with the globalized world every firm or company should meet new requirements and follow the developments of technologies. In order to appropriately introduce valuable innovative assets, it is relevant to assess their advantages and disadvantages. An individual-centered approach is high on the agenda in the modern business world. A customer is of crucial importance. The more customers the company has, the greater success comes. The relevance of RFID technology in the business world Taking into account the abovementioned issues of the modern business world, an innovative vision in the field of customer services can be illustrated by a high popularity of Radio Frequency Identification services. It is necessary to answer the question: â€Å"whether RFID technology is the best customers’ services impl emented by the company to increase its sales?†In order to answer this question, it is relevant to consider modern researchers and studies on RFID technology, its advantages, and disadvantages, its importance for the company and the customers.  Ã‚  

Global Warming Essay Example for Free

Global Warming Essay Global warming causes changes in the earth’s weather patterns that have disastrous effects. Global warming or anthropogenic global warming is defined as the gradual increase in the earth’s surface temperature. One of the major causes for this phenomenon has been attributed to the increase in the quantity of certain gases in the atmosphere that cause the greenhouse effect. The radiation received from the sun by the earth is retransmitted by the earth into space, but the wavelength of the retransmitted radiation is greater than that of the incident radiation. The gases present in the atmosphere absorb this radiation and this action results in increasing the earth’s temperature. Carbon dioxide is the predominant greenhouse gas. Some of the other greenhouse gases are water vapor, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydroflourocarbons, perfluorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons. Industrialization and deforestation are the chief factors that have caused this increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Further, the ever increasing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are modifying the composition of the atmosphere, thereby leading to global climatic changes. For instance, the period 1995 to 2006, was witness to the warmest atmospheric temperatures. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or the IPCC had estimated in the year 2001 that the linear warming trend from 1906 to 2005 of 0. 74? C was higher than the corresponding trend for the period from 1901 to 2000 when it was only 0. 6? C (Webb, Barlow, Whetton, May 2007). Moreover, the increase in global temperatures has wrought widespread climatic changes. The melting of glaciers and ice deposits near the poles and the thermal expansion of the oceans has brought about an increase in the sea level. Heavy rains are being caused due to the changes in the patterns of precipitation and an increase in the number of hurricanes was observed. In addition, an increase occurred in the average intensity and duration of these hurricanes, due to the correlation of hurricanes with the surface temperatures of the tropical seas. Furthermore, other natural catastrophes like floods, droughts, heat waves and tornadoes exhibited intensification in their duration and cycles. In addition, global warming causes changes in agricultural output, glacier movements and summer stream flows; and the extinction of certain species. Other concomitant causes are the spreading of infectious diseases like malaria. Scientists predict that the effects of global warming would last up to the year 2100 because carbon dioxide would persist from fifty to two hundred years (Cause and effect for global warming). Deforestation is one of the main reasons for the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, because trees convert most of the carbon dioxide to oxygen. In addition, burning of fossil fuels increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. For instance, in the year 1987 a large area of the Amazon rain forest was burned down and this burning released nearly five hundred tons of carbon dioxide into the earth’s atmosphere. Further the conflagrant of forests would result in a reduction of the number trees, which would increase the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and thereby enhance the greenhouse effect. Modern civilization entails the use of cars, power stations and industrialization, which are factors that contribute to global warming. The main contributors to this process of global warming are the United States, the European counties and China (Global Warming). In addition to carbon dioxide, which comprises more than half of the greenhouse gases, there are other gases that also contribute to the greenhouse effect. Methane is released due to activities like coal mining, oil excavations and the burning of fossil fuels. Agriculture is the chief contributor of methane and cattle emit methane into the atmosphere when they chew their food. As the world population increases, the activities of agriculture are also increased thereby the emissions of methane also increases. Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas that is emitted during the burning of fossil fuels. Chlorofluorocarbons are emitted by air conditioners, refrigerators and aerosols and their molecules are ten thousand times more effective in absorbing heat than carbon dioxide molecules. Moreover, they survive for a hundred and ten years in the atmosphere (Global Warming). Oceans absorb carbon dioxide, but when the oceans heat up their ability to absorb carbon dioxide diminishes. Moreover, methane, which is located in the ocean bed, is released due to the warming of the oceans. Global warming raises temperature levels and it has been observed that the temperature at poles rises more than that of other regions on the earth. This causes the melting of glaciers and ice at the poles, which would further raise the sea level. Occurrences of storms and hurricanes become more frequent due to global warming, because the heated oceans produce more water vapor. Continental farmlands suffer a greater depletion of water due to the heavy evaporation and there is decrease in the groundwater levels. These factors serve to increase the possibility of droughts. Due to the melting of the polar ice caps the sea level may rise by twenty to fifty centimeters by the year 2050, which would result in the inundation of the coastal areas (Global Warming). In order to overcome the problem of global warming it is essential to contain fossil fuel combustions, ban the use of CFCs completely and plant more trees. Energy conservation will help to diminish fossil fuel burning and efforts have to be made to find alternate transportation modes that will replace petrol and diesel fuelled cars. Moreover, cars that meet the eco friendly standards only should be manufactured. Deforestation should be completely stopped and afforestation should be initiated on a war footing. In the absence of such measures, the future of this planet is grim and life would be seriously endangered. References Cause and effect for global warming. (n. d. ). Retrieved September 9, 2007, from http://timeforchange. org/cause-and-effect-for-global-warming Global Warming. (n. d. ). Retrieved Septeber 9, 2007, from http://www. ypte. org. uk/docs/factsheets/env_facts/glob_warm. html Webb, L. , Barlow, S. , Whetton, P. (May 2007). Climate Change Raises the Heat on Wineries. Australasian Science , Vol. 28, Issue 4; Pg 20.

Analysing Homelessness along with its causes and effects

Analysing Homelessness along with its causes and effects Though the economy has been getting better slowly but surely, one issue has been apparent throughout the past years and remains to get much attention due to the need of its solution. The homeless population within the United States has been steadily rising since the late 1970 s when the housing and social service cuts increased and the economy went on a downward spiral. All types of people have been impacted by many types of factors that led them to their homeless position. The U.S. federal government defines homeless individuals as: those who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; have a primary nighttime residence that is: [either] a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill); an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalizes; or a public or private place not desi gned for, or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, (Swick, 2004). Though the number of homeless people in America still climbs, child homelessness seems to be the most prevalent among the rapidly growing group. Policies have been constructed and enacted, their effectiveness is not yet apparent. Many organizations have ideas for solving the problem, but are faced with road blocks due to the long-term process of enacting possible solutions. In a vicious cycle, once one becomes homeless, he or she is likely to remain that way for a long period of time. Some public policies work with the homeless, while others make it harder to get out of the cycle. Within the U.S. the main cause of homelessness is the lack of affordable housing. Besides that, other factors include mental illnesses, substance abuse, and low-paying jobs. Some minor causes include prisoner release, unemployment, domestic violence, and poverty. Family units are the largest and fastest growing segment of the homeless population. Though homelessness is impossible to measure to complete accuracy due to the lack of communication between all homeless and the surveyors along with the problem of finding the homeless, the estimates still prove to be rather shocking. According to a 2008 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development report an estimated 671,888 people experienced homelessness in one night in January 2007, (PBS, 2009). Within New York City by itself, officials reported that 6,252 families are lodging nightly in city shelters (NYPIRG). The website also reports that nearly 1 in 5 children within the U.S. live in poverty, therefore the U.S. child poverty rate is much higher than that of most other industrialized nations. In its 1998 survey of 30 cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that the homeless population was 49% African-American, 32% Caucasian, 12% Hispanic, 4% Native American, and 3% Asian, (NYPIRG). This means that homelessness affects people of all sorts, without regard to race or other factors. Mental illness is a huge factor in the homeless community. Approximately 20-25% of homeless, single adults suffers from some form of a severe mental illness, specifically one that is persistent. According to the Federal Task Force on Homelessness and Severe Mental Illness, only 5-7% of homeless persons with mental illness require institutionalization; most can live in the community with appropriate supportive housing options, (NYPIRG). This is a rather hypocritical comment mainly due to the fact that the reason those people are on the street is because of their illness, if they don t receive the help they need, they will remain homeless. There are those communities who chose to take care of the problem rather than watch it get worse. Washington County in Portland, Oregon had a huge population growth within the past 20 years. Some of these people though, were traveling homeless people. What used to be limited to a few homeless individuals known to local residents on a first-name basis , and who were taken care of for the most part by the faith-based community and law enforcement, now became a population of more than 1,200 homeless adults, (Spanbock, 2008). No services were offered to these homeless people, so the community felt that something had to be done. Almost half of the countys homeless adults suffered from mental health challenges, so in 2004 a program was established for single homeless adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses. Luke-Dorf, Inc. thought of the idea due to their experience with adult mental healthcare. Though it took time, the Garret Lee Smith Safe Haven was opened in December of 2006. It went on to serve 10 formerly homeless people at their own level of need. As the success of the facility became more visible, a new center was opened within a year that now serves 25 formerly homeless people. As a result of this, they have seen many improvements and accomplishments: the newly renovated homes that house the facilities improve the l ook of the town, the facility gets a few homeless people off the streets, and a creation of new social service employment opportunities (Spanbock, 2008). This county is proof that not all solutions to homelessness have to come from public policy, but can stem from small groups wanting to make a big difference. Apart from the mentally ill, children are another large group within the homeless population. It is estimated that as many as one in 50 U.S. children (1.5 million) are homeless or precariously housed in temporary quarters such as motels and shelters, (Cohen, 2009). In a report about child homelessness specifically, Cohen shows that the ten cities most affected by child homelessness are Nevada, North Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina. The National Center on Family Homelessness recently launched the Campaign to End Child Homelessness which proposes initiatives that would help children get into more stable situations and in the end brighten their outlook on life in the future. Some believe that its up to the U.S. government to end child homelessness by imposing policies that can be enacted at all levels of the government. It is possible to end child homelessness [in the United States] within a decade, (Cohen, 2009) which wou ld mean that if all the right programs and policies were implemented, the trend of growing child homelessness could be reversed even in this recession. Some of the more prevalent recommendations at the federal level include creating new low-income housing units, providing more housing vouchers, temporarily increasing food stamp benefits, raising of the minimum wage, and making it easier for homeless children to attend public schools. An issue that seems to be easily looked over is the idea that if a family is homeless, it makes it hard for the parents to find child care so that they may work. There is an extremely small number of child care facilities that would provide childcare to parents that dont have a fixed income. Yet without the childcare, most of those parents arent able to go to work to actually have that fixed income. As of right now, only Massachusetts gives priority to children who are homeless when distributing [child care] vouchers, (Cohen, 2009). If more states did t hings that way, the homeless population would decline in a major way. Once one is homeless, its hard for them to become financially stable again. This rings true to homeless children and young adults as well. According to the social adaptation hypothesis, the longer young people are homeless the more they adapt to homelessness as a way of life, (Johnson Chamberlain, 2008). This is why it is critical to get these children and young adults off the streets as soon as possible in order to lessen the final impact of homelessness. According to their survey of 1,677 individuals who became homeless before they turned 18, Johnson and Chamberlain (2008) found that 75% progressed to adult homelessness. It is estimated that between 1.5 and 2 million youth under age 18 are homeless and unaccompanied by a parent or guardian for at least one night, (Dworsky, 2010). The difference between the youth and adult homeless population is that a majority of homeless youth chose to leave their home. Apart from that most are homeless because they are abandoned by their parents or are forced to leave their home. Others grow out of the foster care system or are released from the juvenile justice system. The experiences they have are also different from other homeless elders, depending on whether they are living on the streets, squatting in abandoned buildings, staying in shelters, or couch surfing among family members, friends, and even strangers, (Dworsky, 2010). Though some progress has been made to get the homeless youth off the streets, the major benefactors have been housing-based independent living programs that give the youth a place to stay as well as teach them things necessary to get out of the system. Just like any other young adult, the homeless need specific things in order to transition to their adulthood properly. A safe and stable living environment is a primary need of the homeless youth, when someone is on their own, they dont have the ability to learn things necessary for living successfully. Budgeting, meal preparation, hygiene, conflict resolution, and time management are just some life lessons that the homeless youth does not necessarily receive. An education is just as important as the previous points, if one does not get a degree, he or she is most likely to remain in the homeless system with low chances of getting well paying jobs. The Lighthouse Youth Services in Cincinnati, Ohio, is one of few organizations that helps prevent homelessness among specifically foster youth and juvenile offenders. With its Independent Living Program, The Lighthouse Youth Services has made a huge impact on the youth that has entered it. Of the 455 youth who entered durin g the six-year period between 2001 and 2006, 60% had completed high school or obtained a GED, 31% were employed or had completed a vocational training program, and one-half were living independently at the time they were discharged from the program, (Dworsky, 2010). It s apparent that if the effort is made, and the help is offered, the homeless youth will not have as negative results as expected. Though much of the homeless youth chose to leave, it s doubtful they chose to give up the rest of their lives. Given the chance, they d surely pick their life back up and better their living habits and opportunities. Though the demographic may be smaller, the same issues face the homeless of Springfield, MO as do the rest of the nation. According to Randy McCoy (2010), families are the fastest growing of the homeless population in Springfield. Over three hundred go unsheltered every day. In the winter of 2009, 457 individuals were homeless of which 301 were family units. In a 2006 documentary about the homeless community in Springfield, its estimated that there are 600 homeless individuals in Springfield on any given night. Of those, 250 don t have a place to stay each night. Beverly Tadeja, the director of social services at the Missouri Hotel notes the following: [You can] see people in the dumpsters, that s a perfect example. They stay in there (women especially) in their mental state, they want to be protected. Well, they turn around and go into the dumpster for protection, so they don t get beat up or raped, or whatever. Whatever the situation is. So they find that a security because it s li ke a shelter to them, (2006). Out of the 250 people that don t have a place to stay at night, many have to make decisions like the above mentioned on a daily basis. They have no protection from the outside world and choose to protect themselves in the way they find most suitable under their conditions. In 2008, a survey was drafted about 148 people living in Springfield who were homeless during any period of their life. The report was finished, but lacked feedback from the agency giving helpful information in order to fully complete it. The sample was selected by asking homeless individuals if they had spent the previous night in a place meant for human habitation [and] whether they had been without shelter for at least one year in their lives or four times in a three-year period, (unidentified author, 2008). Interviews of the 148 individuals were conducted by volunteers at The Missouri Hotel. Results that were found were rather unexpected and quite shocking. The mean age of participants was 38.67 years, which is comparable to the mean age of 41.32 of summer 2007 participants, (unidentified author, 2008). With the youngest interviewee at 17 years of age and the oldest at 56, the variety of the surveyed was quite broad. Sixty-five percent of the interviewed were male, which may seem large, but the number of females represented was larger in 2008 than in the interviews conducted the previous year. One of the conclusions of this survey that correlated with the rest of the U.S. population was the fact that the homeless individual had a small education level. On average, the time the homeless person received education was 11.16 years. Thirty-seven percent of participants reported having 12 years of education, (unidentified author, 2008). In comparison to the national number of homeless youth, almost 20% of the interviewees in this survey experienced foster care as children. Forty-eight percent reported having a family that supported them, in contradiction to the national standard of children being completely on their own. Though no children were specifically interviewed, 23% of the actual participants spoke of knowing homeless children and families in the area. For Springfield not being a major city in Missouri, its homeless rate is definitely high.