Understanding the Three Mile Island Nuclear Meltdown through the Perspective of Human

The 21st century will not only be defined by technology but also by the existence of complex organisations that leverage advances in the field of information technology, computers, and advanced management techniques. This is the reason why a corporation can have a main office in London but can do business all over the globe 24 hours a day and seven days a week.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Understanding the Three Mile Island Nuclear Meltdown through the Perspective of Human specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Aside from that the needs of a growing population such as urban centres that can hold tens of millions of people also necessitate the creation and maintenance of complex and gigantic structures such as those that deliver water, electricity and gas. The intricate systems that these structures contain multiply the probability of errors. Although there is a system of checks in place these types of faciliti es cannot afford malfunction or human errors. One good example is the nuclear facility in Three-Mile-Island that experienced a meltdown. The cause of the malfunction is linked to what managers now call as â€Å"human factors† and a clear understanding of what it means can help prevent future problems of this magnitude and potential consequence. Human Factor Before going any further it is imperative to get a clear understanding of the impact of human factors on the organisation, technology, and work and safety aspects of a nuclear plant. An excellent backdrop for this study is the definition for this concept as seen below: Human factors is a multidisciplinary field that draws on the methods, data, and principles of the behavioural and social sciences, engineering, physiology, anthropometry, biomechanics, and other disciplines to design systems that are compatible with the capabilities and limitations of the people who will use them. Its goal has been to design system that use human capabilities in appropriate ways, that protect systems from human frailties, and that protect humans from hazards associated with operation of the system (Moray Huey, 1988). This definition was the by-product of assiduous work in the field of nuclear regulatory research. This is research initiative, prompted no doubt by mishaps and other problems encountered by those working under the U.S. nuclear program. The compact definition has to be unpacked in order to appreciate the multidisciplinary aspect of human factors research.Advertising Looking for assessment on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Firstly, all of the supporters of human factors research are in agreement that it simply impractical and unwise to focus on one or few fields when it comes to designing a safe and efficient system, especially when it comes to critical operations such as those that can be found in aviation or nuclear facilities. Se condly, it is not enough to simply increase the scope of study. There is a good reason why they included not only the integration of social and behavioural sciences; they also found the link between these fields and those of engineering, physiology, anthropometry, and biomechanics. Human factors research looks at the people behind the organisation as well as the technology required to accomplish what seems to be a humanly impossible task such as the monitoring and maintenance of critical systems. And finally, the definition suggests that no matter how technology has advanced there will always be a need for human expertise, the human touch is required to keep an operation to run smoothly. But this has another side to it. Due to the participation of humans in the creation, implementation and upkeep of a complex systems such as a nuclear power plant then that particular system is prone to error. Therefore, the purpose of human factors research is to design systems that are well-suited to the capabilities and limitation of the staff and operators handling and maintaining that system (Moray Huey, 1988). This is expounded even further by the realisation that human talents, perception, expectation must be considered into the design or training strategies to prepare those who will use the system. Another major purpose of human factors research is to develop a system that is protected from human frailties (Moray Huey, 1988). It is an acknowledgment that although humans can sometimes outperform machines, for example machines only do what they are programmed to do but can never make adjustments to changing conditions – but at the same time there are limitations to what the human body can do. Machines are not prone to fatigue but humans have limits that can be measured and factored into the design of the system.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Understanding the Three Mile Island Nuclear Meltdown through the Perspective of Human specifi cally for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Finally, human factors research is not only limited to manufacturing high-quality products and services but it is also about protecting humans from the inherent hazards of a particular system (Moray Huey, 1988). In the case of Three-Mile-Island the potential hazard is the radioactive material within the two nuclear reactors. If radioactive radiation leaks into the atmosphere the first group of individuals who will suffer from contact with radioactive materials are going to be the staff and operators and then if there is a nuclear meltdown then the whole community near the nuclear plant and so their safety must also be included in the overall design. Three-Mile-Island: Review of Facility In September 1978 the people of Pennsylvania took notice of a dedication ceremony for the newly completed nuclear power plant built in an island accessible through the Susquehanna River and it was called after the name of its location and known hereafter as the Three-Mile-Island Nuclear Power Plant (Derkins, 2003). It is located a mere 15 kilometres away from Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania (Derkins, 2003). Americans are used to such announcements and it can be argued that no one had a premonition of what would follow; before the tragic event that would occur months later, a nuclear power plant is deemed safe and efficient. There was usually no drama involved. But this one is different. The said nuclear power plant is comprised of two units, two reactors and designated as follows: TMI-I was constructed at the northern end of the island in 1968 while TMI-2 was constructed just south of the first unit and it was started in 1969 (Derkins, 2003) The first unit, TMI-1, was completed in 1974 and immediately began to generate electricity but for the second unit, TMI-2 encountered construction delays and did not start generating electricity until 1978 (Derkins, 2003). It should have been a warning for t he operators but this was not uncovered because of the absence of an effective HRA tool. The Control Room and Plant Equipment Design The control room was designed in such a way that it will alert the operators if there were problems but in 1979 a complex system like this one can only do so much. So in the midst of an impending crisis a loud horn was heard by the operators and the control panels began to light up like a Christmas tree.Advertising Looking for assessment on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More But there was no way to differentiate what was trivial and what was critical, the flashing lights added to the confusion but never guided the operators to the real cause of the problem. If only they knew that a critical component a relief valve has malfunctioned. This valve controls the pressure of the reactor coolant and by staying open it reduces the amount of reactor coolant in the system. However, the only way for the operators to know this is to walk behind a seven-foot high instrument panel to discover that the coolant was dangerously low but it was not convenient and practical to keep on walking back and forth from the centre of the control room to the back of the control panel and so it was easy to miss it (Walker, 2004) The operators relied on a less reliable system. They installed a signal light in the control panel and when it is lighted then it means that the relief valve was open and if it was not lighted then they assume that the relief valve was closed (Walker, 2004). The operators were unaware of the failure of the relief valve and so they made the assumption that the pressure in the reactor was still high and therefore there was enough coolant within TMI-2 (U.S. NRC, 2010). This is the reason why the reactor generated tremendous amounts of heat that at the end melted the core. Aside from the human factor and the complex operation requirement needed to run the nuclear plant, another major factor that has to be considered in order to understand why the Three-Mile-Island debacle occurred is the use of a technology called â€Å"pressurized water reactors† also known as â€Å"PWR† (Walker, 2004) This type of technology was most common in all the reactors built before the 1980s (Walker, 2004). But for Babcock and Wilcox the reactor manufacturer commissioned to build TMI-1 and TMI-2 there is no other way to build a reactor other than the use of PWR (Walker, 2004). This is significant because there is a critical part of the design which is called the Pilot-Operated-Relief-Valve (â€Å"PORV†) and it can be found on top of a forty-foot high container called a pressurizer but when it malfunctioned there was nothing that was installed to alert the operators that it has stayed open or stayed close (Walker, 2004). In other words it was the weak link in the design. This is how the PORV was supposed to work: if the pressure in TMI-2 rises rapidly so the pressurizer is overwhelmed by the sudden build-up and so it was designed to open to release cooling water and therefore reduce the pressure build-up (Walker, 2004). At first this is what happened when other parts of the system malfunctioned at about 4:00 AM, March 28, 1979 (Walker,2004). However, ten seconds later when the pressure and heat levels were back to normal the PORV was supposed to close as designed but in this case it did not close and coolant was oozing out of the reactor (Walker, 2004). The problem with this scenario is that this was not the first time t hat a PORV was stuck open, especially in TMI-2 and yet no one took time and effort to fix the problem or redesign the whole system. It was revealed later that this type of problem is common in nuclear reactors designed by Babcock and Wilcox. In fact what happened in Three-Mile-Island was replicated two years earlier in a similarly designed system at a nuclear plant named Davis-Besse (Walker,2004). The only difference is that in that case an operator was aware that there was a problem with the PORV because it stayed open and so he immediately took action to close the relief valve (Walker, 2004). In the case of TMI-2 no one knew about this problem if they did then they would have automatically went to the PORV monitor and closed the relief valve when needed. Due to the error there was no adequate cooling for the reactor and as a result the nuclear fuel overheated and the core began to melt (U.S.NRC, 2010). Human Error Types and Models There are three types of errors based on psycholog ical error mechanisms and these are listed as follows: 1) error of omission; 2) error of commission; and 3) psychological error (Verma, Ajit, Karanki, ) This is a good starting point for understanding human errors because it clearly differentiates error based on what the person did while working in a nuclear facility and the third one is the error due to lapses in memory, attention failure, and perception failure (Verma, Ajit, Karanki, 2010). These explains some of the basic errors committed in the workplace, factory or even in a nuclear facility. It is also helpful in designing a fail-safe system for planners to be acquainted with the different types of actions based on work complexities (Verma, Ajit, Karanki, 2010). These are widely known as: 1) Skill based actions; 2) Rule based actions; and 3) Knowledge based actions (Verma, Ajit, Karanki, 2010). If these are linked to human errors then slips and lapses usually occurs when it comes to skill-based actions, during routine well -practiced tasks that does not require conscious effort (Strauch, 2004). In addition there are also rule-based mistakes and knowledge-based mistakes. In the case of the former, the operator or manager applied the wrong rule. In the case of the latter the operator or manager did not posses the correct knowledge and did not have the experience to deal with a novel situation presented to him or her (Strauch, 2004). The last one can explain what happened to the Three-Mile-Island accident. The Three-Mile-Island Accident is not the result of error of commission. There was no deliberate act that resulted in failure in fact the operators had no idea what was going on, they were inundated with information and system signals that they do not know what was trivial and what was critical so that they could be guided to do the next crucial step. The incident was also the result of error of omission because the operators are all competent engineers and workers who had a clear understanding of how the system works. For instance if a supervisor told them that the relief valve was stuck and needed to be closed they would immediately know that the PORV should be closed to restore the correct amount of coolant in the reactor. But they were not privy to this information. Thus, the Three-Mile-Island incident was the result of a psychological error in the sense that it was a failure in perception. The engineers and operators thought that they were dealing with loss of water, clogged condenser etc. but the truth is there was only one critical problem that they had to address and everything could be reset to normal and yet they were unaware, the limitations of their knowledge about the Wilcox and Babcock designed nuclear plant brought them to the edge of a major disaster that could have taken hundreds even thousands of lives. Human Reliability Analysis The best HRA tool that is best suited to analyse the weakness, potential problems of a nuclear power facility is what is commonly know n as the Technique for Human Error Rate Prediction because it combines task and event tree analysis and more than that it was originally designed for the nuclear industry (Attwood Crowl, 2007). The effectiveness of THERP is seen in how it thoroughly evaluates the task at hand as well as help in developing an event tree analysis that will map out for the managers and operators of a nuclear facility what will happen if this particular steps is omitted or if a particular function failed. An event tree analysis which also serves as visual aid in the mastery of complex systems will provide an overview of the nuclear facility and its various operations. This simply means that THERP will predict what will happen in the event that a particular action is committed or omitted or if a fail-safe system did not function as designed. Other HRA tools are also effective but there are some that are reactionary in the sense that it makes recommendations based on what has happened in the past. For ex ample one HRA established a formula wherein he said that for every 10 near misses there will be an accident (Hughes Ferret, 2005). This gives the impression that managers will have to look at patterns and recognise the problem. This may work in other fields but should not be recommended for use in a nuclear facility. In a nuclear power plant something wrong can happen without precedent – it is sudden and catastrophic – there would be no time to evaluate and then make recommendations. The risk is too high to be entrusted to an HRA tool that is not as thorough as THERP. Human Factor Integration The Human Factor Integration is an important step because it is the systematic process for identifying and tracking as well as resolving human factors related issues so that planners and system engineers can create a system that balances the impact of human talents and limitation and technology (Strauch, 2004). In the case of the Three-Mile-Island incident a correctly done HFI wo uld have prevented the problem. An event tree analysis as well as task analysis was completed so that even if the operators were confronted by a novel problem they would still be able to solve the problem and not overwhelmed with various signals and information that did not make sense to them. They would have designed a control room that allow them to see every instrument and every signal that needed their attention should be displayed prominently. The HFI Plan Babcock and Wilcox, the firm that was contracted to build the Three-Mile-Island nuclear power plant should have created a human reliability analysis and the tool that they should have adopted is the THERP. If this was accomplished then they would have created a task analysis and at the same time an event tree analysis. They were able to train the support group, the operators and engineers on what to do in case of major failures but there was no system in place to deal with novel problems. And the reason for that was simple; t here was not HRA that was conducted that could have predicted human error and other forms of mechanical failure. Using an event tree analysis the operators would have known what would happen every step of the way. They are not only aware of the major components of a complex system but they would have been made familiar with the sequence of events and how the failure of one component will lead to what kind of effect. The use of THERP would have exposed the weakness of the system. In the case of the Three-Mile-Island accident the weak link is the design of the PORV signal. The signal was basic, a light that was turned on signified that the valve was open and when the light is not on then it means that the valve was close. The engineers who designed the system did not consider the possibility that the signal light may fail. They also did not consider the possibility that the operators will simply assume that that the valve was closed based on the absence of light coming from the instru ment monitoring the PORV. The one who designed the system did not consider what would happen in the event of multiple malfunctions and what it would look like inside the control room. The control room was supposed to be the eyes and ears of the engineers with regards to what is happening within the nuclear reactor. Yet it was poorly designed. A good HRA tool will determine not only the effectiveness of the control panels to convey data but to transmit data in a way that could assist the operators to deal with the most critical issue and the most critical issue during that time is not the problem with the heaters or the mechanical failure of some components of TMI-2. The most critical issue is the lack of coolant inside a super-heated reactor. Conclusion The Three-Mile-Island incident could have been easily avoided if an effective HRA tool was used even before construction of the nuclear plant was given the go signal to proceed. By using an HRA tool such as the THERP the engineers an d operators would have known that a very simple valve would play a crucial role in the meltdown of the reactor. This means that the signal that is coming from this valve should have been displayed prominently in the control room. Aside from that there should have been a more sophisticated means of alerting the operators that the valve has malfunctioned. They should not be made to rely on a simple mechanism just like the light signal coming from an obscure mechanism situated behind the control panels. The THERP would have given them a heads up when it comes to unprecedented events. They would have predicted the probability of human errors and mechanical failure so that they could create system to deal with potential problems. For instance, the signal connected to the PORV should not be a simple light bulb it should be a gauge that provides an accurate reading and it must be displayed prominently in the control room. Thus, a quick glance of the controls will immediately alert the oper ators that coolant was leaking out of the reactor. References Attwood, d. D. Crowl. (2007). Human Factors Methods for Improving Performance in the  Process Industries. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Dekker, S. (2005). Ten Questions About Human Error: A New View of Human Factors and  System Safety. New York: Routledge. Derkins, S. (2003). The Meltdown at Three Mile Island. New York: Rosen Publishing. Hughes, P. E. Ferret. (2005). Introduction to Health and Safety Work. Oxford: Butterworth- Heinemann. Moray, N. B. Huey. (1988). Human Factors Research and Nuclear Safety. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. U.S. NRC. (2010). â€Å"Backgrounder on the Three-Mile-Island Accident.† Retrieved from https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/3mile-isle.html Strauch, B, (2004). Investigating Human Error: Incidents, Accidents, and Complex Systems. UK: Ashgate Publishing. Verma, A. S. Ajit, D. Karanki. (2010). Reliability and Safety Engineering. London: Springer. Walker, S. (2004). Three Mile Island: A Nuclear Crisis in Historical Perspective. CA: University of California Press. 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Perceiving the Grecian Urn Essay

Perceiving the Grecian Urn Essay Perceiving the Grecian Urn Essay Perceiving the Grecian Urn In the first stanza, we have a person observing the old Grecian urn, thinking about the urn, trying to figure out its depiction of pictures frozen in time. It is the "still unravish'd bride of quietness," the "foster-child of silence and slow time." He also describes the urn as a "historian," which can tell a story. While wondering about the figures on the side of the urn, he asks what legend they depict, and where they are from. He looks at a picture that seems to display a group of men pursuing a group of women, and wonders what their story could be: "What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy?" In the second stanza, the speaker looks at another picture on the urn, this time of a young man playing a pipe, lying with his lover under some trees. The observer of the urn says, that the piper's "unheard" melody's are sweeter than mortal melodies, because they are unchanging over time. He tells the youth that, althoug h he can never kiss his lover because he is frozen in time, he should not grieve, because her beauty will never fade. In the third stanza, he looks at the trees surrounding the lovers and feels happy that they will never shed their leaves; he is happy for the piper because his songs will be "for ever new" and happy that the love of the boy and the girl will have an enduring love, unlike mortal love. " All breathing human passion far above, That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloyed, A burning forehead, and a parching toungue", descibes that mortal love will give you a high for only a short time and then leave you " A burning forehead, and a parching toungue." In the fourth stanza, he continues to take notice of another picture of a cow being led away to be sacrificed. He wonders "what green altar" the preist is taking the sacrifice to. The speaker is imagining the altar to be green; the green altar could mean that it is highly decorated for the sacrifice, or that there are rarely any sacrifices on it, so it has grown up with vegitation. He starts to think of a town (although none is shown in the picture) where the people are coming from and comes up with a peaceful mountianside town. In ending the discription of his made-up town, he states that, "And, little town, thy steets for evermore Will silent be; and

Buck ONeil - Address at the National Baseball Hall of Fame

John Jordan Buck ONeil Speech at the at the National Baseball Hall of Fame delivered 30 June 2006 Alright, sit down. This is outstanding! Ive been a lot of places. Ive done a lot of things that I really liked doing. I hit the homerun. I hit the grand slam homerun. I hit for the cycle. Ive had a hole-in-one in golf. Ive done a lot of things I liked doing. I shook hands with President Truman. Yeah. Oh, man, I took Oh, [shook hands] with the other President and Ihugged his wife, Hillary. So Ive done a lot of things I liked doing. But Id rather be right here, right now, representing these people that helped build a bridge across the chasm of prejudice not just the ones like Charlie Pride and me that later crossed it. Yeah. This is quite an honor for me.See, I played in the Negro Leagues. Tell you what: The Negro Leagues was nothing like Hollywood try to make it. The Negro Leagues was the third largest black business in this country. Yeah. First, black insurances to white insurances ten cent policy, just enough to bury us. But the black insurances insured our crops, our homes, yeah , our stock. They made millions. Next, Madame C.J. Walker cosmetology. You see that pretty hair over there? Dont you see it on Mrs. Robinson? Tell you what. Yeah. Thats right. Yeah. Yeah. Madame C. J. Walker was doing that a hundred years ago, and she made millions, to tell you the truth. Madame C. J. Walker was the first black woman millionaire in this country. And to tell you Madam C.J. Walker might have been the first woman millionaire in the country that earned it. They had other women millionaires but they inherited the money. Madam C.J. Walker earned it. Next, Negro League baseball. All you needed was a bus, and we rode in some of the best buses money could buy, yeah, a couple of sets of uniforms. You could have 20 of the best athletes that ever lived. And that’s who we are representing here today. It was outstanding. And playing in the Negro leagues what a lot of you don’t know. See, when I played in the Negro leagues I first came to the Negro leagues five percent of Major League ball players were college men because the major leaguers wanted them right out of high school, put them in the minor league, bring them on in. But Negro leagues, 40 percent of Negro leagues, leaguers, were college men. The reason that was, we always spring trained in a black college town and that’s who we played in spring training, the black colleges. So when school was out, they came and played baseball. When baseball season was over, they’d go back to teaching, to coaching, or to classes. That was Negro League baseball. And Im proud to have been a Negro league ball player. Yeah, yeah. And I tell you what, they always said to me Buck, I know you hate people for what they did to you or what they did to your folks. I said, No, man, I I never learned to hate. I hate cancer. Cancer killed my mother. My wife died 10 years ago of cancer. (Im single, ladies.) A good friend of mine I hate AIDS. A good friend of mine died of AIDS three months ago. I hate AIDS. But I can’t hate a human being because my God never made anything ugly. Now, you can be ugly if you wanna, boy, but God didn’t make you that way. Uh, uh. So, I want you to light this valley up this afternoon. Martin [Luther King] said Agape is understanding, creative a redemptive good will toward all men. Agape is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. And when you reach love on this level, you love all men, not because you like em, not because their ways appeal to you, but you love them because God loved them. And I love Jehovah my God with all my heart, with all my soul, and I love every one of you as I love myself. Now, I want you to do something for me. I’m fixin to get off this stage now. I think I done my six minutes. But I want you to do something for me. I want you to hold hands. Whoever’s next to you, hold a hand. Come on, you Hall of Famers, hold hands. All you people out there, hold hands. Everybody hooked up? Everybody hooked up? Well then I tell you what. See, I know my brothers up here, my brothers over there I see some black brothers of mine and sisters out there I know they can sing. Can you white folks sing? I want you to sing after me: The greatest thing come on everybody The greatest thing in all of my life is loving you. The greatest thing in all of my life is loving you. The greatest thing in all of my life is loving you. The greatest thing in all my life is loving you. ¹ Thank you, folks. Thank you, folks. Thank you, folks. Thank you, folks. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Now, sit down. Now, sit down. I could talk to you 10 minutes longer, but I got to go to the bathroom. Book/CDs by Michael E. Eidenmuller, Published by McGraw-Hill (2008)  ¹ = from the contemporary Christian praise song, The Greatest Thing by Mark Pendergrass, Sparrow Records (1977) See also: The Negro League Baseball Players Association and The Baseball Hall of Fame. Copyright Status: Text, Audio = Uncertain.

Business report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business report - Essay Example The company itself will be analysed with the way they conduct their services under the operation strategy and the basis of their service delivery. When it comes to the delivery of the equipments also the Olympic panels will be looking at the environmental impact of the company providing the logistics. TABLE OF CONTENT 1.0 Introduction The main purpose of this plan is to look at the specific operational management issues that Olympics had. Furthermore the operational management issues will be analyzed and so will the solutions that UPS provided during the solving of the said issues. UPS being one of the global logistics service providers will also be discussed. In addition the strategy that UPS uses when it comes to logistics especially during the Olympics are of core importance to this paper and the plan the UPS had for Olympics to help sort out the operational management issues. ... This is done in order to look at some of the aspects individually and thus it will be easier to understand the concepts individually thereafter the concept will be linked to the topic in question and this will enhance the analysis being easy and simple. This will mostly be tackled in the first question and after that the next perspective which is UPS will be looked at as a whole then linked with its activities during the Olympics. The theories and arguments will be supported by evidence from books both physical and e-books where possible in cases where the sources need to be quoted. The paragraphs will be split in order to talk about each idea individually for simplicity and clarity. 2.0 Operational Management Operational Management is a major component of management that is mostly concentrates on overseeing, designing and also controlling the procedure when it comes to production and also the scheming and redesigning business processes in the productions of goods and services. Opera tional management involves mostly the responsibility of ensuring that business operations are efficient in terms of utilizing few resources that are needed and maximizing effectiveness in relation to attaining the customer requirements. Operational management will also be referred in the same breath as its involvement with managing the steps that will adapt to the inputs like labor and materials and match them with the output in the sense of goods or service. Operational management can also be referred to as Operation strategy. According to Jones and Robinson (2012), operation strategy is usually a plan for managing operations over the long term basis in order to achieve business goals and thus achieve competitive advantage. Their definition

Answer the quastions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Answer the quastions - Assignment Example The use and maintenance of these technologies in organization depends mainly on the human resources. By focusing on people, organizations ensure that all other resources in the organization, including business technologies, are fully and effectively utilized. Secondly, managing the human element ensures that organizations fully understand and modify the attitudes people have towards new technologies and the organization in general. As a result, organizations are able to understand people’s fears and concerns, thereby making necessary adjustments if needed. If people cannot embrace and accept these technologies, then the chances of an organization succeeding are greatly reduced. Finally, as businesses attempt to gain a competitive edge over their rivalries, it is prudent that focus is given to people. Nearly all organizations have access to the same technologies, and therefore no organization can effectively gain a competitive edge by focusing on technology alone. People are th erefore an important resource in any organization and consequently, this critical resource needs to be effectively managed. In the modern competitive world, having a properly managed human resource is vital to

Organizational Conflict Essay Example for Free

Organizational Conflict Essay Often when we come across the word conflict, we usually think of more than a simple disagreement. We think of individuals or groups in sharp disagreement over issues, ideas, or interests. This results in an emotional disturbance between the involved parties, with stress developing undesirable behaviors being exhibited. [1] The present diverse workforce characterized by organizational change, competition, and complex communications are drawing attention to interpersonal conflicts among workers. 2] Organizational change for example, alters the status quo and requires members of an organization to work together in new ways and under new rules. Competition compounds issues of power and escalates conflicts of personalities and behavior. The complexities of communication make it more difficult for culturally, economically and socially diverse workers to resolve the issues and problems they encounter on the job. While conflict is inevitable in groups and organizations due to the complexity and interdependence of organizational life, theorists have differed about whether it is harmful or beneficial to organizations. Early organizational theorists suggested that conflict is detrimental to Organizational functioning (Pondy, 1967; Brow, 1983) and focused much of their attention on the causes and resolution of conflict (Schimidt Kochan, 1972; Brett, 1984). More recently, researchers have theorized that conflict is beneficial under some circumstances (Tjosvold, 1991; Van de Vliert De Dreu, 1994). [3] Thus, this paper attempts to present the losses and benefits from conflicts in organizations. I. CONFLICT IN GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS A. Definition Generally, conflict is defined as a contest of opposing forces or power. 4] it is a perceived difference between a two or more parties that results in mutual opposition. [5] Looking at conflict in the context of groups, there is what we call an Intergroup Conflict, which can be defined as the behavior that occurs among organizational groups when participants identify with one group and perceive that other groups may block their group’s goal achievement or expectations. [6] Intergroup conflict with in organizations can occur in both horizontal vertical directions. A. 1 Horizontal Conflict. This type of conflict occurs among groups or departments at the same level in the hierarchy, such as between line staff. 7] This is commonly observed between Production Quality Control Departments, Sales Finance Departments, or RD Marketing Departments. A. 2 Vertical Conflict. This arises over issues of control, power, goals, and wages and benefits. [8] A typical source of vertical conflict is between head quarters executives and regional plants or franchises. Status and power differences among groups are often greater for vertical conflict. Part of the reason vertical conflict occurs is to equalize power differences; for example, unions try to give workers more power over wages or working conditions. [9] B. The Nature of Conflict Conflict as related to competition is illustrated by the following figure: The illustration shows how conflict and competition are related. Competition occurs when groups strive for the same goal, have little or no antagonism toward one another, and behave according to rules and procedures. In conflict, on the other hand, one group’s goals jeopardize the others; there is open antagonism among the groups; and few rules and procedures regulate behavior. When this happens, the goals become extremely important, the antagonism increases, rules and procedures are violated, and conflict occurs. 10] C. Causes of Conflict A number of factors contribute to conflict. Several of the most important causes are discussed below. C. 1 Task Interdependence. Task interdependence refers to the dependence of one unit on another for materials, resources, or information. [11] Two types of task interdependence are particularly prone to conflict. One is sequential interdependenc e, in which one individual or work unit is heavily dependent on another. For example, waiters generally are more reliant on cooks than the reverse because waiters must depend on cooks to furnish good meals in timely manner. Line and staff conflicts often arise because staff members frequently are dependent upon the line to implement their ideas. The second form of task interdependence is reciprocal interdependence, in which individuals or work units are mutually interdependent. For instance, purchasing agents want engineers to provide detailed generic specifications so that they can negotiate lower costs from suppliers. At the same time, engineers need to obtain materials of the proper quality on a timely basis, so they may find it more convenient to specify a brand name. 12] Generally, as interdependence increases, the potential for conflict increases. [13] Sequential reciprocal interdependence require employees to spend time coordinating and sharing information. Employees must communicate frequently, and differences in goals or attitudes will surface. Conflict is especially likely to occur when agreement is not reached about the coordination of services to each other. Greater interderdependence means departments often exert pressure for a fast response because departmental work has to wait on other departments. C. 2 Scarce Resources. Another major source of conflict involves competition between groups for what members perceive as limited resources. [14] Possibilities for conflict expand when there are limited resources, such as office space, equipment, training, human resources, operating funds, and pay allocations. In their desire to achieve goals, groups want to increase their resources. This becomes another cause for conflict in groups. C. 3 Goal Incompatibility. Goal incompatibility is probably the greatest cause of intergroup conflict in organizations. The overall goals of an organization are broken down into operative goals that guide each department. The accomplishment of operative goals by one department may block goal accomplishment by other departments and hence, cause conflict. [15] Out of necessity, organization members frequently pursue goals that are somewhat different from one another, setting the stage for potential conflicts. [16] For example, sales personnel may find it easier to battle the competition by promising very quick deliveries, while people in manufacturing may find that small production runs on short notice interfere with their cost cutting efforts. C. 4 Communication Failures. Breakdown in communication due to distortions or lack of communication often lead to conflicts. [17] Conflict in an organization is an indication of the most basic communication failure. Failure to talk with someone. Failure to notify someone of something before it becomes public. Failure to involve someone in a problem-solving process. [18] C. 5 Individual Differences. Differences in personality, experience, and values make frequent conflicts likely. [19] Functional specialization requires people with specific education, skills, attitudes, and time horizons. When an individual who have ability and aptitude in marketing joins the marketing department. Eventually, that individual will be influenced by departmental norms and values, attitudes, and standards of behavior, differ across departments, which is often a source of horizontal conflicts. Cultural differences can be particularly acute in the case of mergers or acquisitions. Employees in the acquired company may have completely different work styles and attitudes, and a â€Å"we against them† attitude can develop. [20] C. 6 Poorly Designed Reward System.

Anger by Linda Pastan Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word anger, a noun physical affliction or pain; inflammatory state of any part of the body. Then defines anger, a verb to distress, trouble, vex, hurt, wound. In Linda Pastan’s poem â€Å"Anger† the word anger takes the action of a noun. The word anger stands out for two reasons, the author chooses it for the title, and the only sentence with anger gives the poem meaning. In the beginning of the poem the word â€Å"it† gets used many times and we don’t know what â€Å"it† refers to until she actually states the word â€Å"anger,† then we realize the â€Å"it† referred to earlier means anger.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  She only uses the word â€Å"anger† once, â€Å"You whose anger is a pet dog† (pg717, line12). She chooses to finally use the word â€Å"anger† here to show the reader that the person she refers to and her ways of dealing with anger differ. The magnitude of her anger causes her to remain secretive, though she wants to tell him she knows it will only make things worse. The serious thing about her anger remains that we don’t know what causes these feelings. We only know what she states, â€Å"But mine is a rabid thing, sharpening its teeth on my very bones, and I will never let it go.† (pg717, lines14-16) This is important for two reasons, first, it is the point at which we see how the author views her anger and to what subjective nature it is relevant. Second, we come to know that her anger is also an adversary of hers, because som...

The Four Primary Symptoms of Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a rare sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep at any place or time. After a 10 or 15 minute sleep attack, the person feels rested only brief period of time, then returns to an uncomfortable feeling of intense sleepiness. Many narcolepsy patients describe attempting to stay awake during the day like trying to stay awake after 3 days without sleep. Attacks may occur while driving, talking, or working. The central nervous system is involved. This disorder begins in adolescence or young adulthood and continues throughout life. Narcolepsy is a potentially disabling, life-long condition estimated to afflict about one in every one thousand people in the United States. Although it is not uncommon, narcolepsy is often misdiagnosed, or diagnosed years after symptoms first appear. The four primary symptoms of narcolepsy are excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and cataplexy. People with narcolepsy are unable to resist the temptation of falling asleep and do so regardless of the number of hours slept the previous night. The excessive daytime sleepiness experienced by people with narcolepsy has been described as being like trying to stay awake after going several days without sleep. Frequently, people with narcolepsy fall asleep at inappropriate times, for example while eating or in the middle of a conversation. These moments often frequently occur during periods of intense emotion such as surprise, laughter, anger, or excitement (even in some of the most passionate situations). Cataplexy is the sudden loss of strength in voluntary muscles triggered by these intense emotions. The cataplectic attack can range from partial muscle weakness in a few muscle joints to almost complete loss of muscle control and last for several minutes. Sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucinations are also extremely common among patients afflicted with narcolepsy. Although these four symptoms are considered the four key symptoms of narcolepsy, all four symptoms only occur in small portion of the patients most other patients experience some combination of the four symptoms. A. Extensive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS) This is probably one of the most persistent and disabling conditions that can be experienced by someone with narcoleopsy. This feeling typically lasts the entire day and occurs on a daily basis. When a patient with narcolepsy experiences a period where they do fall sleep it is more tan likely due to a failure to resist sleep instead of a sudden attack of sleepiness. Although this strong desire to sleep is constant, recent prior sleep does seem to relieve for momentary periods of time. Other factors that appear to prevent a sleep attack are physical activity and stimulants, but it also prolongs the period of feeling sleepiness. EDS has had a rather significant negative affect on narcoleptics' job performance at school and at the workplace. Narcoleptics experience severe problems with and are typically unable to work with automobiles and dangerous equipment. Narcoleptics are more impaired than epileptic patients in terms of job performance and how prone they are to accidents. Narcoleptics lack many physical, emotional, and family supportive needs, even when compared to patients with cerebral palsy and alcoholism. Cataplexy is the condition in which the skeletal muscles experience extreme muscles. This can vary from paralysis in one limb or throughout the entire body. During an attack, the person is conscious and aware of the environment surrounding him or her and if the paralysis is only partial maybe capable of carrying on a conversation. After the attack, the patient is fully conscious and experiences no confusion. This nearly always triggered by some form of emotional stimulus. The occurrences of attacks vary from patient to patient; it can happen daily or happen only once in a patient's life. These are realistic dreamlike hallucinations that occur either from consciousness to sleep or sleep to consciousness. The hallucinations are typically visual with occasional auditory or other sensory components. It often occurs in conjunction with sleep paralysis (see below). One of the most common hallucinations is to get out of bed and moving about while simply lying in a bed and not even moving a leg. Other hallucinations are more threatening as if a possible attacker enters the room and the patient is unable to move. This is form of paralysis that is the failure to move any skeletal muscle during the period from transition of consciousness to sleep or sleep to consciousness. This occurs frequently to narcoleptic patients. These experiences are extremely traumatizing to a patient and make it difficult for the patient to breathe. The attack usually lasts about 5 minutes but can be broke either by an extreme effort by the patient or external force such as being spoken to or touched. The precise factor that causes of narcolepsy is not clearly understood. Narcolepsy seems to be a biological problem, possibly involving abnormalities of brain chemistry. Narcolepsy or a predisposition to it may run in families suggesting a genetic influence. However, the way the predisposition might be inherited remains unknown. There is no evidence for a psychological basis for the disorder. The most accepted theory is that there is something disturbing REM sleep. The impaired REM system is the theory that explains EDS as well as cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, and sleep paralysis. This was based upon the similarities between cataplexy and REM sleep. In both cases, skeletal muscles experience impairment, due to motor neuron blocking. This blocking of motor neurons occurs along the spinal causing excitation of the neuron in the spinal cord.. Cataplexy occurs when this inhibition of mental neurons are blocked during consciousness. Sleep paralysis may occur when motor neuron occurs prior to actual sleep or extends beyond the waking up period. Hypnagogic hallucinations occur when shifting between REM and wakefulness, this results in the unusual hallucinations experienced during hypnagogic hallucinations. The precise neurological abnormality that causes the symptoms of narcolepsy. The symptoms of narcolepsy are usually first noticed during teenage or young adult years although it can strike at any age. Most often the initial symptom to appear is excessive daytime sleepiness. Later, after several months or even years, cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, or sleep paralysis typically develop. Different individuals experience wide variations in both the developments, the number and the severity of their symptoms. Family, friends, educators, employers and even those with narcolepsy often have a hard time understanding the problem and just what is happening. There is no known cure for narcolepsy. Narcolepsy symptoms can be treated with varying degrees of success with medications and adjustments of life-style and educational. Treatment is primarily intended to cope with the symptoms of narcolepsy. Stimulants are often given to promote alertness and to cope with EDS. The two stimulants that are prescribed the most frequently are methyphenidate and pemoline. Dosage is usually scheduled to promote alertness at the most crucial times. The one difficulty is that tolerance can rapidly develop to stimulants so it is recommended that stimulants be used only when truly needed. Adapting your work schedule to provide for naps at the time most crucial times of the most intense sleepiness can help prevent some of the affects of EDS. This also reduces the need and possible dependency upon medication. Funds for research are needed to advance knowledge about narcolepsy and test the effectiveness of methods of treatment and management.

Morality without religious belief is impossible Essay

Many would agree with the statement that morality without religious belief is impossible, because religions provide an unchanging moral code whereas secular morality varies depending on society and culture. Documents such as the Decalogue transcend time, but constitutions and laws of man are constantly being amended and reviewed. Morality without God is merely subjective; two people will have different ideas on what is to be considered moral. This will only lead to confusion. For example, some cultures today still regard the beating of wives and children to be moral even though our western society would disagree. Without a religious standard, who is to say we hold the correct opinion? It is worth noting that majority of people that are revered for their good works and ethics are religious, such as Mother Theresa and the Dali Lama. Correspondingly, some of the most notorious criminals such as Hitler and Stalin were staunch atheists – this is not to say that all atheists are on the level of these men, but it is evident that when a society attempts to crush religion rampant immorality will soon follow. You cannot look to a leader of a country for your morals because they are fallible humans just like you. You need a perfect standard to look up to: God. Atheists lack this perfect standard to base their morality off. On the other hand, many would assert that you can be moral without a religious belief. In Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, he states that morality can be achieved once five basic conditions are met: food water, shelter, homeostasis and sex. Religion is not one of his points. Additionally, atheists have a conscience. They feel guilt just like a religious person would when they do wrong. Even the smallest child knows that certain actions are wrong without any understanding of religion. This suggests that an adult’s morality could owe more to upbringing than religious understanding; this would explain why standards of morality vary between people. Moreover, religions have been known to cause vast immorality. An early example of this would be the Crusades, when Christians butchered Muslims in the name of religion. A more modern example would be the rise of Islamic extremism, causing incidents such as 9/11 and the 7/7 bombings. If religions are supposed to inspire morality, why do they cause so much harm and bloodshed? Finally, morality can be achieved through legal means. Human laws prevent us from harming ourselves or others through our actions. An atheist can follow these laws and be a good person without religious beliefs.

The Soviet German War essays

The Soviet German War essays The Soviet-German War is the most brutal episode of the most vicious war that mankind has ever seen (Clark 1). During the Great Patriotic War, as Joseph Stalin coins it, the Soviet Union emerges through pure tenacity as one of the worlds great superpowers. Although Stalin and the USSR emerge victorious, the sacrifices made are enormous (Clark 446). Estimates show between 20-25 million Soviets die from 1941-1945. Only 7-8 million Germans die during this same period (Encarta). Many of these deaths are a direct result of the brilliant (sometimes insane) chess match between two of the most tyrannical leaders in history: Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. Even today, some people ponder which leader fits the anti-Christ description best. The finest way to analyze the minds of these two leaders is to examine each dictators rise to power, the motives which led to the unholy alliance, and the initial offensive campaigns that each dictator launches. Born on December 21, 1877, Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvilis father is a drunkard and his mother is a washer struggling to support the family. Dzhugashvili will later be known to the world as Joseph Stalin (Encarta). Stalins mother, Ekaterina Georgievna, is a dedicated member of the Orthodox Church and enters him into the Seminary at Tifilis(Georgia) in 1894 for the study of priesthood in the Georgian Orthodox church. Soon after Stalin becomes part of the illegal Marxist movement (Encarta). The young Stalin quickly rises to the rank of leader of his own Marxist circle. In May of 1899, he is expelled from school just short of graduation in which later communist literature criedits to political balance (Encarta). By this time, Joseph Stalin has become more immersed in his role as a professional agitator of the system. While working as an accountant in Tbilisi, Stalin joins the Social-Democratic Workers Party. In 1900 and...

Formal report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Formal report - Essay Example The company has a diverse customer base and thus the resources to improve the relationships between customers, employees and management, among others. The importance of leadership is highlighted in this report while defining the role expected of different players in the business. The report also incorporates the elements of building a proper customer service repertoire. The customer service is to be supported by a charter and standards, which also incorporates the use of norms and organizational practices. The above discussion and recommendations demand that Samsung improves on the employee policy to empower their contributions to customer challenges, by developing an employee well versed with the company operations, in different product departments, to improve on knowledge directed towards customer-service In this way, stronger customer loyalty will be built that leads to better company image and increasing revenue. The report concludes with the provision of a conclusion based on fi ndings, and recommendations that would improve on how the company relates with customers. The paper limits the study to the electronics branch of the business. This paper covers challenges that are faced by Samsung’s customer relations. Samsung has two challenges in customer relations. Customer service representatives experience high pressure because they receive many negative emotions and hear lots of complaints, and the working environment is not as comfortable as other clerical jobs, in retrospect to the nature of the job. The principles of customer service (integrity, respect, and accountability) must be integrated with the customer relations policy in Samsung’s approach to dealing with their clients, under customer support. The company has a diverse customer base and thus the resources to improve the relationships between customers, employees and management, among others. The importance of leadership is highlighted in this report while defining the role

Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Crisis - Essay Example pying mechanism as the person undergoing such a phase is unable to perform normally and require intervention to reclaim the state of equilibrium (Kanel, 2011). Crisis intervention, based on psychiatrist medication, helps when people are at the state of crisis, need motivation for adapting the changes, deciphering higher than natural anxiety and need help. To be noted in this regards, psychotropic medication is generally termed as the process of prescribing drugs, which are used for treating and managing the challenging behavioral or psychiatric symptoms in individuals undergoing crisis. This medication process emphasizes specific classes like antidepressants and antipsychotics. It is in this context that such a process acts in the betterment of the patient’s health status. On the contrary, deinstitutionalization affects towards crisis intervention, as it often results in creating mental illness crisis with discharging individuals from the ‘Public Psychiatric Hospital’ before complete further rehabilitation and medication, which are necessary to grow their independent living capability in the community. In the real terms deinstitutionalization process is criticized owing to the fact that it fails to assist effective deliverance of medical assistance to individuals undergoing crisis and thus, acting against psychotropic medication (Kanel,