Workplace Violence in the Workplace Sector: A Literature Review

Workplace violence is an emerging phenomenon that should be investigated. The nature of such violence and how it is affecting the workplace. The nature of workplace violence, the different methods being used to do it and how it affects the workers and their relationship with each other should be looked into. Historical Context of Workplace Violence V. Bowie provides an overview of workplace violence by looking at the history of corporations and companies in the past thirty years. The material he produced gives the researcher important insights on the development of trends, controversies and issues that occur during the past thirty years. These trends were connected with social as well as technological developments in the society. In addition to this, he also uses research data and findings on various disciplines to provide an explanatory background for these emerging trends. Bowie’s work provides an important historical context of workplace arrangements and the instances that give rise to workplace violence. Furthermore, Bowie provided a typology of workplace violence which is composed of (1) intrusive, (2) consumer, (3) relationship, and (4) organizational. His typology can be the basis of further research in the field and will give interesting insights . Probably the most important contribution of Bowie to the study under consideration is his identification of key issues in workplace violence and how it affects the whole organization and the individuals who experience such violence. Of the trends that he identified, an important component that should be investigated at this time is cyber-violence. Given the widespread use of e-mail, blogging, instant messaging and other internet platforms, workplace violence is also being perpetuated and workers are being degraded, harassed, manipulated and humiliated. Another important aspect of workplace violence that could expand on Bowie’s work is by studying the way that older employees are being treated. Given the large number of young professionals waiting to work, these older employees are being harassed so they would resign and give way to younger workers . Bowie’s work helps situate this research study being undertaken in regards to the developments in the emerging trends and issues in workplace violence. With the framework of this study, some recommendations shall be made on how to deal with these emerging trends and issues. The work of Johnson and Indvik further provides an important historical backdrop on the emergence of workplace violence as a field of study and interest in corporate culture and human relations within organizations. The nineties is of particular interest to Johnson and Indvik. They noted the rise in both intensity and number of incidences of workplace violence. The two researchers analyzed the causes of this violence, the perceived costs of workplace violence and its impact on the organization as a whole. Among the causes that they noted, emotional problems are the first on their list. These emotional problems may stem from deep-seated issues in their personalities and developmental stage or it may be related to issues of change in their lifestyles. Abuse, is most often experienced first in the family and this is then transferred to other persons in the workplace or in the family. Another important cause of violence is the perceived difficulties in the economy, the laying off of workers and the inability of workers to deal with such changes in their lives. Johnson and Indvik’s approach to dealing with their study is that they conducted first a study on the possible causes of violence in an individual worker. From that, they also describe the workplace situation and how it contributes to the development of a workplace conducive for violence. After going through this, the authors also studied the role of management and human resources officers of the organization in the emergence of workplace violence. One of the important concepts the authors put forward is that there must have been negligent hiring because persons that are emotionally and mentally disturbed. Another area of negligence would be on the supervision of employees. If there is effective supervision and regular consultation with the managers and the employees, workplace violence would be mitigated. The authors also outlined several prevention strategies by dealing with all the areas of the causes of violence that they identified. The historical context in the article of Johnson and Indvik as well as their analysis of individual workers, the workplace and the role of management in workplace violence make it a very valuable resource in understanding the aggressors, the nature and characteristics of workplace violence, and planning strategies that could significantly reduce the incidence and occurrence of workplace violence. Is there a Need for Violence? Is there a need for violence? John Keane seems to answer yes to this important question. History is replete with violence. There are wars, killing fields, concentration camps, assassinations and other forms of violence. It seems that violence is hard-wired into the consciousness of every human being. Keane therefore embarks on a journey to reflect on the meanings of such violence and their ethical and political significance. Although his work is not totally related to workplace violence, Keane’s ideas and reflections on the paradoxes of violence can have important implications on the workplace. He has a very interesting insight that might apply on the reaction of people who are always perceived as victims of workplace violence. Most of the time, keeping quiet and resignation is the usual reaction to violence in the workplace. Keane says that this kind of passive reaction to violence should be reconsidered. Naive pacifism for Keane is an anachronism and will only create a condition a cycle of violence. When no one resists senseless violence, then it will become part of the culture. It will also drive away the people who are continuously subjected to violence. He calls for a rethinking on the approach of today’s society to violence. While it may be true that peace and lack of conflict is highly desirable, those who inflict violence should be apprehended. That can only be done if the victims of violence who want to preserve civility will become courageous enough to stand up for their own rights and stand up against the perpetrators of violence. Although not directly related to workplace violence, Keane’s reflections have much to do in stopping violence in the workplace and helping victims speak out for themselves and even take active means to counter violence. By doing so, the organization will empower its employees so that they can stop workplace violence if they see it anywhere in the organization. Workplace violence may be looked at as an act between two people. There are instances, however, that more people may be involved. Workplace violence is essentially an interpersonal incident. The root cause of such violence needs to be identified in order for the proper intervention strategies to be devised. Cavell and Malcolm identified anger and aggression in the workplace as the leading causes of violence in the workplace. Through the collection of articles that they collected, they explore the sources of anger in the workplace and, more importantly, in the personal lives of those who go to work at their offices. In a rather interesting twist in their argument, they said that anger and aggression are but normal in the lives of people. What matters is how to manage these emotions. With good management, these emotions could also be put to good use. If left unchecked, however, they can wreak havoc at the workplace, leaving people hurting and in danger. The authors looked at psychological explanations of anger and aggression and how different people express these emotions. More than that, however, they also explored the different means of controlling anger effectively such as asking the help of anger management professionals and counselors. In the book that they authored, they also developed a helpful model in treating anger and aggression. As the contemporary workplace becomes more complex and difficult, so shall the safety and security concerns be foremost at the minds of managers and the people who enforce laws related to security. With this in mind, the volume contributed by Cavell & Malcolm is a big help for professionals who are seeking to neutralize the negative effects of anger and aggression in the workplace and work towards the channeling of these emotions to creativity that in the long run will contribute to the growth of the organization. The book also offered solid guidelines on how to help employees who are suffering from bouts of anger, aggression and even depression so that they can make the best out of their situation and contribute to the improvement of organizational practices and development. Types of Workplace Violence. Physical violence is no the only criteria in determining workplace violence. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) came up with four different types of workplace violence, which could also be helpful to this study in coming up with such typology of workplace violence. The first one is criminal intent which may be rooted in unresolved conflicts and deep-seated frustrations and emotional and mental disturbance. Additionally, criminal intent may be inflicted by people outside the workplace who do have criminal intent such as robbery, homicide or murder and rape among others Secondly, workplace violence may also emanate from customer-client relationships and vice versa. There are overbearing customers who heap abuses on the workers on duty. These customers are usually very impatient and they are passing on some violent remarks and actions onto the workers of the organization. The third type is violence that takes place within the organization through the relationships of the workers. This type of violence is inflicted by one employee to another employee. Such type of workplace violence may occur because of professional rivalry, underperformance or lackluster service, and even due to circumstances fostered by the workplace itself. The last type of workplace violence comes from personal relationships. This type of violence comes from dysfunctional relationships in and out of the office. Most of the time, however, relationship problems such as domestic problems, and frustrations problems come from outside of the organization. The NIOSH publication also identified several research needs for workplace violence. These research areas are very important to this study so that the researcher would know what gaps in the workplace violence research will it fill in and which of these research needs it fulfills. (1) The first research need is the establishment of a national agenda and strategy for workplace violence. This would help more researchers and practitioners learn about the theories and the progresses made in understanding the issue. (2) There should also be an evaluation research. This would also facilitate a better understanding on the part of organizations the intervention needs in regards to workplace violence. 3) The definitions of workplace violence should be consistent. This would enable organizations and practitioners to gather consensus on what workplace violence truly means and what its effects are. (4) Help ensure reporting at all levels. One of the more important challenges of workplace violence is reporting. When people start talking, then its occurrence would come to the fore and it would be dealt with more easily. (5) Lastly, economics research should also be conducted to determine the actual costs of workplace violence and the benefits of investing on this area of the organization. These items in the research agenda helps the researcher in looking at workplace violence comprehensively. Indeed, there are a number of research points that should be undertaken by organizations and by individual researchers to deal with the problems of workplace violence. Although this set of research points and agenda are arbitrary at best and may be subject to change in the coming months and years, researchers will have known what important areas of research still lack studies. When researchers put their resources together in studying these areas, workplace violence could then be best understood and prevented. A Look into the Lethal Employee’s Mind One possible way of understanding workplace violence and preventing it is looking into the mindset of violent employees and the kind of motivations and attitudes that they have. Kelleher sought to map and create a profile of the mind of the employee with the propensity for perpetuating violence. Through the case studies that he provides in his book, he will be able to give a full picture of the motivations and the tendencies of the employee who commits violence. The author takes a look at the crimes and violence committed at the workplace. He then traces back the event that happened, the experiences of the lethal employee that led to violence or homicide. The different profiles featured in the book are very useful in identifying the mindset and the propensity for violence of employees. The characteristics described by Kelleher could be used as a benchmark for looking at possible violent offenders. By bringing in behavioral science models and research findings, he creates a profile of the possible violent employee. This then helps organizations in planning and creating strategies for dealing with and preventing workplace violence. Kelleher succeeds in helping researchers, managers and practitioners in looking at the profile of the potentially lethal employee. One of the gaps in research, however, is the recent findings in research about workplace violence. Such gap will be filled by this study by looking at recent research studies and findings of practitioners in the field. Kelleher’s framework fits into a systemic view of workplace violence. The profile of the potentially lethal employee could be related to the difficulties, issues and frustrations experienced by the employee in the workplace. Such profile will also be looked into alongside the profile of potential victims and the organizational culture. With these elements of the system, a better understanding of workplace violence could be arrived at. Trends, Issues and Strategies in Workplace Violence Kelleher’s book was essential in understanding the lethal employee’s mindset and profile. The gaps in the recent trends and issues are supplied by Bowie, Fisher and Cooper . The collection they authored presents a number of relevant statistics concerning workplace violence in the United States. Since their book was released only in 2005, they offer some of the most recent statistics and findings. More than that, the authors also looked at data from different companies and organizations all over the United States to present an overview of what is going on in most organizations. They present an important picture of what is going on. They explored individual factors that contribute to workplace violence such as domestic problems, a recurring cause in most of the workplace violence literature consulted in this study. They also identified reasons and ways in which organizations can take care of workers who are in risky situations. The psychological stress and workplace frustrations should be supplemented by support groups composed of the management and fellow workers. Such a caring environment can help reform a violence-prone organization and defuse the emotions and frustrations of workers. A rather surprising topic that Bowie, Fisher and Cooper addressed is the relation of terrorism to workplace violence. As the threat of terrorism looms in the United States, organizations should always be on the lookout for means of responding effectively to terrorist attacks and violence. The collection is one of the first books to offer an in-depth analysis of cyber-harassment, how workers and managers alike use email, instant messengers and other cyber-technologies to harass and perpetuate violence in the workplace. The bullies in the workplace are looking for ways to continue displaying their bravado and their arrogance and the internet has also become their tool for this purpose. After noting the trends and issues in workplace violence statistics and research, the authors provided a synthesis and a prospectus of what will happen in the next few years and how organizations can best counter workplace violence. There are a number of technological tools available at the disposal of managers and workers. Yet, the importance of training and creating an organizational culture that does not tolerate is still one of the most important activities that organizations should undertake. A researcher and observer who has an understanding of workplace violence in the past thirty years or so will be delighted with this as they get a glimpse of recent developments in this area of research and how the next few years might yield new trends, issues and strategies in dealing with violence in the workplace. Declining Violent Crime in the Workplace The work of Duhart through the Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report supplements the historical context provided by Bowie. Duhart’s work deals with the statistics on violent crime on the workplace in the past decade, particularly from 1993 to 1999. According to her study the number of violent crimes committed against people on work duty declined by 44% during the period covered by the study. Nonetheless, workplace violence still accounted for 18% of the total violent crimes committed during this period. This is still a rather large number of incidences. Such crimes include sexual harassment and even rape, robbery and simple and grave assault. At first glance, the work of Duhart may seem to refute the claims of Johnson and Indvik but a closer look would reveal that Duhart’s statistics concern only the violent crimes directed towards workers and employees while that of Johnson and Indvik recognize workplace violence as encompassing all forms of verbal and physical abuse directed to workers and employees alike. The statistics of Duhart provide important demographic information about the victims of workplace violence. Women, as much as men, are the subject of such violence. Among the variables she explored are the type of crime and gender, the occupations where such violence occur, the role of race on violence, and the kind of workplace where the violence occurred. In addition to providing a profile of the victims, the report also takes a look into the characteristics of the offenders, their motivation for committing violence, and in worst cases, homicide. The profiles of the victims and the offenders are of particular interest for this study. Although such profile may be incomplete, it serves as a guide in understanding the situations of victims, offenders and other factors in the workplace that contribute to violence. A contemporary study on the topic of workplace violence may build upon these description and statistics to further analyze the trends and issues that are emerging in this phenomenon. Neuman and Baron agree that the number of violent crimes directed against workers and employees have declined in the past few years. In fact, the occurrence of extremely violent acts of aggression is a rare event in the workplace. This means that physical aggression is not really the criteria for workplace violence as echoed by other writers and researchers in this field. Although extreme violent aggression is rare in the workplace, other forms of violence and abuse are present in the workplace. In this case, such violence has very important impact on the organization and the individuals working within it. Neuman and Baron presented a study on the frequency of violence in the workplace and the impact of this violence on the culture of the organization. More importantly, for this study, the authors presented a framework of analysis in understanding workplace violence. Their framework is built on contemporary theories of violence and the motivation for aggression of individuals. By doing so, they are able to update existing theories and understanding on human aggression. This makes their work relevant to the organizational culture of the twenty-first century. Through the framework that they developed, they explain different reasons and context where violence may arise in the workplace. They were concerned primarily with the motivations of individuals in committing violence, that is why they did not focus much in looking at the workplace that may give rise to violence. Nonetheless, they still looked at the impact of the workplace on the individuals and how that can affect their performance and propensity for aggression. Based on this understanding, Neuman and Baron also provided various principles and strategies in dealing with workplace violence. Perhaps the only limitation in their analysis is the way that they focused too much on the individual and did not look at the workplace as a system that can also give rise to incidences of violence. Aggression at Work and in Schools Braverman, Galasso and Marsh edited together a collection of articles dealing with the issue of violence in the workplace and in the schools. The articles in their collection probes deeply in the phenomenon of workplace violence, the nuances of its definition, the instances when and where it happens and takes a look at recent research, methodologies, frameworks and studies that are related to the topic at hand. Braverman uses the Systems Model in analyzing violence in the workplace and in the schools. This is an important idea as the systems model is a multi-disciplinary approach and looks at the relationships of different elements in the system. By developing this model, Braverman is helping researchers and human resources practitioners in understanding violence and analyzing the corporate or school system. In doing so, they can readily identify some of the factors that contribute to workplace violence. This systems-based model in looking at workplace violence can be used by this study in understanding different factors affecting such kind of violence. The individual articles in the collection also help identify the personality of victims and of aggressors. The workplace full of emotional abuse is also described as well as the different attitudes and behaviors that point to aggressive behavior. These elements of the system are then tied up together neatly into the systems-based model. Clearly, the systems-based model has very important explanatory utility, which this research project could use. Such an approach helps in the development of a framework of study that is not fragmentary and isolated. Rather, it helps look at the issue from a holistic perspective and looks at the whole organization and how it can breed violence in the workplace. Indeed, if the organization is filled always with stress, frustration and increasing pressure, then it might become a breeding ground for workplace violence. This idea of an organization that can become a breeding ground for violence is further explored by Denenberg and Braverman. By focusing on the workplace, they looked at different factors and elements that could lead people to become stressed out and commit violence. The authors point out that unresolved conflicts and frustrations due to employees who fail all contribute to stress and the potential for violence. If this is the case, then there would be a dysfunctional workplace. This concept of dysfunctional workplace is important in taking a deeper probe into the organizational culture and relationships of people within the organization. Although there may be dysfunctional employees, it is best to focus on the dysfunctional workplace that cannot deal with difficult employees. To illustrate their point, the authors used qualitative strategies by providing 14 case studies and stories of workplace violence that actually occurred. Interestingly, these 14 stories are rich source of qualitative data for the analysis of workplace violence. Through these stories, the authors identified several factors that contribute to violence in the workplace such as racial tensions, changes in the corporate culture, being laid off the worker’s pool, and other personal stress such as domestic problems. Braverman and Denenberg then analyzed these sources of violence and outlined several strategies on how to best deal with such violence. They cited the need to make changes to the organizational culture, the importance of correct and timely information dissemination and the creation of a violence prevention plan. The government regulations and guidelines can also be found in the volume, making it a comprehensive guide to understanding and preventing workplace violence. This study could benefit from the book of Braverman and Denenberg by looking at the dysfunctional workplace instead of just looking at individual workers who commit violence. Their analysis can complement the analysis of victims and offenders and will give a comprehensive view of the occurrence of workplace violence. When this comprehensive view is taken, the trouble spots and areas of concern will slowly emerge and prevention becomes more easily done. The Seriousness of Workplace Violence Workplace violence is really an important concern in organizations and companies all over the world. Yet, a proper understanding of what it is all about should be arrived at. In this regard, Vandenbos and Bulatao explore the definitions of workplace violence as well as its scope. They explored several definitions of workplace violence from those who claim that only physical assault may be considered as violence to those who are more comprehensive in their view. By taking a look at the violence directed against workers, they were drawn to look at the definition of a workplace and what characterizes it. The focus of Vandenbos and Bulatao, however, is workplace homicide. The occurrence of this extreme form of workplace violence is indeed alarming and should be addressed immediately. Even though that is the case, the work of Bulatao and Vandenbos provide an important insight into the nature and definition of violence and a description of the workplace. The definitions of workplace violence that they provided help keep the debates in the research topic alive. Each definition has its own strengths and weaknesses. As they proceeded to synthesize the definitions, an understanding of the workplace becomes clearer. It is the venue where people with different backgrounds, emotional makeup and stress levels interact together. There are certain factors and elements that contribute to the eruption of conflicts and violence. They resonated the idea of Braverman and Denenberg that the workplace could become dysfunctional and will create a situation favorable for violence. The rest of the collection that the Bulatao and Vandenbos edited also deals with various details of workplace violence. The various risk factors and attitude problems in the workplace are explored in the articles found in the collection. They also enumerated several high-risk occupations that tend to create a situation of violence. These occupations such as nursing, the police, social workers in depressed areas and slums, in federal agencies, construction industries and even in jail, are good places to start looking for further research and developments in workplace violence. The stories found in these occupations are also good sources of first-hand examples of workplace violence. These stories could then serve to bolster arguments and plans concerning the prevention of workplace violence, which should be the aim of any well-meaning organization. The nature of workplace violence is further explored by Raymond B. Flannery Jr. in Workplace Violence . His book is an introductory course on workplace violence. He discusses the nature of workplace violence and the different sources where it might originate. He starts with a description of the victim and the ordeal that he or she goes through. Violence is always an uncomfortable affair for the victim and responding to it is difficult. He then provides a description of the workplace and cites factors that contribute to the development of violence in the workplace. A description of aggressors then follows and how the inflict violence on their co-workers. Such descriptions follow the description of other authors dealing with workplace violence. Most of the time, stress, personality disorders, and the level of frustration are some of the causes of violence and aggression. The work of Flannery is neatly divided into two parts. The first one deals with the workplace, the victim, the aggressors and the different conditions that affect violence in the workplace. The second one deals with strategies and mechanisms towards the prevention of violence in the workplace. This book is an important introductory work on the importance of dealing with workplace violence. As a reference book for this study, however, it would be best used in conjunction with other introductory work on the subject so that the researcher would get a deeper understanding of workplace violence and its occurrence. Violence in the Workplace: Telling and Reporting Violence in the workplace is a sensitive matter. That is why a lot of people choose not to confess and tell anyone about their experiences at work. This poses a serious threat in the organization because violence continues with or without reporting. If no action is done to correct this matter, then eventually such workplace violence will become a part of the corporate culture and the overall situation of the organization will worsen. On the part of employees who experience violence, the tendency for them is to resign, especially if the perpetrator of violence belongs to the management. Bryant and Cox conducted a study in Australia concerning the occurrence of violence. They found out that in times of organizational change, some violence may be committed to the employees. Such violence may come from fellow workers or from the management. The researchers found a link between violence and resignation and say that resignation is usually seen as a way to get away from the discomfort and difficulties brought about by the violence. The researchers used a qualitative approach in dealing with their subject matter and sought to understand the thought processes and the decisions that employees who experience violence go through. Resignation is clearly a choice for most of them yet they are forced into it because of the experience of violence in the workplace. If violence became a means of forcing an employee to resign, then there is something totally wrong with the culture of the organization. The stories that Bryant and Cox portrayed in their study are a rich source of anecdotal evidence concerning violence in the workplace and how employees and workers deal with the difficulties it brings. An important component of their study is the recommendation that organizational change should make provisions with the management of conflict and of violence in the workplace. Management of Workplace Violence After understanding the nature of workplace violence, the factors affecting it and the conditions in the workplace and the society that contribute to its proliferation, it would be necessary for supervisors and members of the senior management to work towards the effective management and prevention of violence in the workplace. Without such knowledge and awareness, the workplace might just degenerate into the playground of workplace bullies and aggressors. Managers, by training, are concerned with productivity, efficiency and effectiveness at work. Most of them are not truly trained to be counselors. Most of the time, they do not know how to deal with aggression and causes of trauma in the workplace. This makes workplace violence more difficult. Although workplace violence is not the only cause of trauma in the workplace, managers and supervisors should be equipped with the basic knowledge and skills in handling traumatic stress in the workplace. After all, the most valuable resource of the organization is its people. If their well-being is compromised, then the production and service process will be compromised, too. The United States Office of Personnel Management came up with a Manager’s Handbook on handling trauma in the workplace. The handbook makes use of recent researchers in the field and the proven best practices on dealing with traumatic stress in the workplace. The guide is very practical. It provides a brief introduction of traumatic situations whether they are caused by natural disasters, accidents, crime or aggression in the workplace. Although counseling is not really part of the job description of a manager, listening to hurting officemate is very important because such hurts and frustrations may affect the morale of the workplace and the overall productivity of the organization. In addition to this, the guidebook also addresses suicidal concerns and those employees who are victims of workplace assault. The tips offered in the document are very practical and can be easily implemented by managers across different industries. Although the guide book does not dwell too much on workplace violence, what it provides is the human side of dealing with trauma in the workplace. Dealing with workplace aggression is difficult enough. With the support of the manager and colleagues, at least, individuals can more easily deal with their trauma. Management is indeed becoming a big part in ensuring that the workplace is safe and free from violence. This is why Chenier argued that the workplace is becoming a battleground for violence in the society. This is the reason why the author believes that employers should implement effective means of protecting their employees against violence on the job. Such strategy for preventing and protecting from violence includes the establishment of clear guidelines and policies, a crisis management team and the Employee Assistance Programs where people can report any incident without fear. It would also be necessary to modify hiring practices to ensure the emotional and mental health of prospective employees. Chenier also argues for the identification of possible sources of violence in the workplace such as firings, downsizing of the company, stress, longer hours of work and even domestic violence. He also enumerated occupations with high incidence of violence. This is why managers and workers alike should be involved together in preventing the occurrence of violence in the workplace. Even if managers have the major responsibility in ensuring safety and prevention of violence, employees should be involved so as to more effectively recognize sources of violence at their level. Chenier’s approach however seems to resemble the more reactive response in the spectrum because he argues for heightened security in the workplace, better background checking and assessment of prospective applicants. This is an important move to ensure that offenders are kept at bay. Yet, a more important strategy would be the cultivation of a corporate culture that does not tolerate workplace violence. When the employees have an excellent grasp of the importance of maintaining safety in the workplace, then the need for intense security might not arise. Resonating the idea of Chenier, Rew and Ferns, tested the government-sponsored NHS Zero Tolerance Zone Campaign, which mandates employers to provide safety measures to employees so that risks related to work can be mitigated. Health care practitioners tend to be affected by workplace violence yet they are not alone. As such, both employers and workers and even customers have roles to play in promoting safety and preventing violence in the workplace. Although the measures to prevent violence are important, Rew and Ferns highlighted the importance of training employees on how to deal with workplace violence. Such training should include conflict management and how to deal with stress. They also pointed out the importance of self-esteem and confidence in dealing with conflict and violence. The two researchers say that long before a conflict escalates into a potential violent confrontation, there should be intervention from management so that the conflict could be properly resolved. Without such conflict-resolution strategy, the safety of the workplace will be compromised and violence may become common occurrence. The Center for Mental Health Services prepared a report on the prevention of workplace violation, putting emphasis on several ways of prevention and the role of the government in prevention. The report identified several areas of concern where prevention efforts should be centered. The first one is the workplace culture and the overall way that they conduct operations and relate with each other. Another area is training and how the organization develops consciousness about safety and workplace violence prevention. Established rules and performance reviews are also important areas in preventing workplace violence. With established rules, people would know where they stand and how they should perform within the organization. In addition to rules, clear policy on layoff and terminating employees would also help defuse negative emotions and frustrations. Prohibiting drugs and alcohol for the employees is of course part of the safety measures of any organization. When there are indications that an employee is a potential dangerous worker, then the help of mental health specialists and counselors should be involved. Since racial and ethnic issues also tend to be a source of violence and conflict, then diversity is another important matter in ensuring safety and cultivating a culture of safety. In all cases, there should always be security measures because of uncertainty in the workplace. The government is also deeply involved in ensuring workplace safety and private organizations should engage their assistance in their efforts to curb workplace violence. The government helps organizations with opportunities and resources in creating policies and training in violence. Furthermore, government agencies are always working on studies and descriptions on what constitute a safe and secure workplace. The government can also release legislations and other policies governing the security of the workplace. As such, organizations should comply with these requirements. With effective government intervention, organizations can help their employees and the overall situation of their workplace in order for workplace violence to be prevented. More than just prevention, there should also be a move to establish a culture of tolerance and communication within the organization. Workplace violence could not be dealt with only by an effective strategy created by the management in consultation with the workers who are the first ones to feel the brunt of workplace violence. With the assistance of the government, they will be able to effectively combat workplace violence. Prevention is Still Better than Cure Averting violence in the workplace is definitely better than waiting for it to happen. Prevention is still the best solution in dealing with workplace violence. Managing the occurrence of violence is complicated and might lead to a number of inconveniences for both management and the workers. Prevention therefore is still the best policy. With this mind, Braverman authored a book on Preventing Workplace Violence that would provide guidance to employers and practitioners in the field. His guidebook is similar to the one released by the United States Office of Personnel Management but it has a more in-depth analysis of workplace violence and what the different elements of this violence are. Although prevention is the main concern of Braverman, he still provides a basic understanding of what workplace violence is, what its causes are, and how to spot possible violent employees. He also asks managers and practitioners to be cautious in labeling people because it might turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy. The strength of Braverman’s book is that he relies less on theory and more on practical experiences and case studies of violence in the workplace. In doing so, he succeeds in presenting the seriousness of the matter and that managers should move towards preventing it to save time, resources and emotional trauma in the workplace. Braverman also dealt with the dilemma of most managers who have to confront workplace violence. Most of them feel afraid and unable to deal with the situation. That is why he offers good, solid advice to them on how to deal with it. The situations he cited such as a person with domestic violence who comes to work, as well as frustrated persons with lots of emotional baggage. As he asks manager to prevent workplace violence, he also highlights the legal duties of managers to their employees in ensuring safety and security. Surprisingly, Braverman did not subscribe to the importance of the profile of a potentially violent worker. He argues that such profiling might just degenerate to witch hunts within the organization, which would be counter-productive and would only destroy the organizational culture further. Although there are instances that management and the workers do not agree with each other especially in benefits and workplace practices, workplace violence transcends these issues and collaboration and participation between management and workers are essential to dealing with it. What the management and the workers need to understand is that they are all affected by workplace violence and they could not afford to be antagonistic to each other when the safety and security of everyone is at stake. He concludes his book by outlining seven practical steps in preventing workplace violence. These steps are rooted on partnership between management and workers, on a good understanding of workplace violence and its implications on the organization, on a sense of community in the workplace; on the systems in place within the organization; and a sensitivity on the welfare of people—both the victim, the perpetrator and everyone else in the workplace. His book is very useful in constructing a comprehensive plan and strategy in dealing with workplace violence. Another author who dealt with the prevention of workplace violence is Marianne Minor . She dwelt briefly with a basic understanding of what workplace violence is but she did not present a sweeping overview. Such sweeping overview of what workplace violence is may be provided by the other books on this literature review. Of great significance are the practical tips that she offers for the management of organizations. She outlined several elements of violence prevention in the workplace. It is important for the management to assemble a team task to handle and manage crisis situations in the workplace. Moreover, the management should have a steady stream of professional advisors. This helps the advisors and the management team to create a crisis management plan, anticipate different situations where violence may arise. A violence protection policy is also essential so as to protect the workers and the organization. The management should also keep a ready reference of the applicable laws and rules that can help the organization in preventing violence. She also wrote about the importance of ensuring that the employment and hiring practices of the organization encourage the selection of the best candidates on the job. In preventing violence in the workplace, she gave pointers on recognizing the early signs of violence so that they can be solved. In these cases, counseling and coaching may be provided. But if such intervention practices do not work, then disciplinary action may be implemented, provided that this is within the policy of the organization on workplace violence. Minor’s set of strategies in preventing and dealing with workplace violence is solid and very practical. She does not dwell so much on theory but on practice. This can then help organizations and management to establish concrete strategies. The only danger, however, is that management may see this as a one-size-fits-all policy, which may become more detrimental to the organization. Nonetheless, the strategies are a good starting point for any organization intent on protecting the safety and the security of their workplace. The organization should look, however, for the right fit of policies and strategies in coping with workplace violence. A Summary of the Major Points of the Literature Review Workplace violence is indeed a growing problem in the United States and elsewhere in the world. Through the literature reviewed in this study, the various elements of workplace violence were investigated, the importance of profiling the perpetrators was undertaken, and the workplace as a system where violence may arise were looked into. The following elements were identified as the main participants in understanding and preventing workplace violence. Management Needless to say, the management is the first on the list to truly understand the nature of workplace violence, what are the different matters that make it complicated. Who are the workers with the potential to inflict violence on the workplace? What kinds of plans should be in place to prevent violence? Ironically, managers can also serve as the source of violence against workers. Management therefore should be strong enough and flexible enough to deal with workplace violence whenever it occurs. Management takes the lead in creating an organizational culture that does not tolerate workplace violence. If violence emanates from the management, then for sure, a culture of fear, anxiety and less productivity would be the order of the day. If the management works with the government, the employees, and other stakeholders, it can create a comprehensive plan and strategy in dealing with workplace violence. Although some researchers report a decline of violent crimes in the workplace, most of the time, the workers have to deal with subtle expressions of harassment and violence. This is an area of concern that management should not neglect. After all, a safe and happy workforce will help the organization achieve its goals. The Violent Worker There are a number of causes for a worker to lash out and unleash violence in the workplace. It could be because of mental and emotional disturbance, frustrations with their personal and professional lives, as well as specific events in the office that could â€Å"tip them over the edge† and give way to their violent impulses. Some authors have attempted to provide a profile of the potentially violent worker. However, there are also those who believe that this obsession with profile is an exercise in futility and would be inimical to the interests of the organizations. It might even precipitate a paranoia-filled workplace if the external characteristics of a person fit the mold of the profile. The management and the workers, too can help the potentially violent colleague by establishing support groups and coaching sessions in the workplace. Although this may not be part of the overall strategy and business model of the organization, yet the overall well-being of the workers would eventually contribute to productivity and efficiency. Through these human resources practices, the organization can also develop an organizational culture of excellence and zero tolerance of workplace violence. In the long run, such policy will not only help prevent workplace violence but it can also enhance the organization as a whole. The Workers and the Victims The victims of workplace violence can be any worker or employee. The perpetrator may be from the management, a customer or client, or a co-worker. It is therefore in their best interests if they knew what workplace violence is and how they are affected by this menace. Most of the time, the response of victims is to keep quiet and allow the violence to be unreported. This is a cause of concern for everyone in the organization because this is inimical to the organizational culture and productivity. There should be training and resources available to the workers so that they can readily deal with instances of violence in the workplace. Management is particularly The Workplace One important lesson that the literature review yielded is the way that the workplace can also contribute to the emergence of violence. The concept of organizational culture has been put forward as an explanatory variable of what makes workers become violent and inflict it on others in the organization. The workplace is a melting pot of personalities, ideas and different authority levels. When violence becomes a regular fare in the workplace, then it becomes a way of life in the workplace and the workers will be in fear and anxiety over the events in the workplace. Government The government has a number of resources that could help organizations deal with workplace violence. There are online resources and guides on dealing with trauma in the workplace. In addition to this, the government is also actively pursuing partnerships with the private sector in order to stop workplace violence. This way, organizations and companies can seek the help of government agencies and officials in preventing workplace violence. In extreme cases of violence, the government will also intervene with its resources so as to mediate and mitigate the damages of the violence. A Systems-Based approach to Workplace Violence Although it would be good to look individually at these elements of workplace violence, a better approach would be to analyze it as a system. In such a system, all of the elements interact with each other, helps each other, or give rise to the occurrence of violence. The workplace as the melting pot of workers and managers and even government has strong analytical potentials and will help researchers understand better the phenomenon of workplace violence. A worker without a natural potential for violence may become violent due to stress in his personal life confounded by the rude treatment of a manager. Transitions due to economic conditions may also create stress and frustrations that may become the source of violence. The workplace as a system may also help a researcher look at workplace violence more comprehensively. While some authors favor profiling the victims, the potentially violent worker, and the workplace individually, taking them together and analyzing how they work together and how violence arises would be a better goal for theories and research undertakings in the field. Such a holistic perspective would yield better information and practical guidance on how to deal with the issue of workplace violence. With the advent of information technology and the emergence of internet and new communication tools, these channels of communication may also become significant in the study of workplace violence. With the changes in technology and in the modes of working, so shall the analysis of workplace violence change. As part of the emerging trends and issues in dealing with workplace violence, the interaction between the workplace, the workers, other social forces and violence would yield more interesting insights. In dealing with workplace violence, prevention is still better than cure. This is why organizations should work towards a business model and human resources strategy that could prevent workplace violence and keep the marketplace a busy venue for work yet safe, secure and even satisfying for everyone involved.

Economics Essay

Southwest Airlines begins a â€Å" Bags Fly Free† campaign, charging no fees for a first and second checked bag. Does this situation best represent producer– producer rivalry, consumer– consumer rivalry, or consumer– producer rivalry? Explain. Southwest Airlines â€Å"Bags Fly Free† best represent producer-producer rivalry. Consumers have so many different choices of airlines they can choose and generally most of us would like to get the most out of our money on our flights. Producer such as Southwest wants to win our business by providing promotion such as â€Å"Bags Fly Free† to entice consumers not to worry about paying bag fees at the airport. Airlines are competing with each other to win over a limited amount of customers. We as consumers want the best price and benefits with the least amount of stress. This cannot be consumer-consumer rivalry because there are plenty of airlines available to the consumers. Consumers are not limited to only Southwest Airlines so there won’t be any competiveness among consumers to fight for a seat to get to their destination. This is not consumer– producer rivalry because there is no debate in pricing. Southwest provides a price for their flight and we as the customer can either buy or not buy from Southwest. Customer cannot bargain back and forth with Southwest for a seat to their destination. This is definitely producer-producer rivalry in where Southwest believes their business direction is not to charge bag fees will be a competitive advantage over many other airlines who charges bags to fly.

Assessing the Marks and Spencers retail chain

Assessing the Marks and Spencers retail chain Marks and Spencer is a British retail chain with over 800 stores in around 30 countries (600 in the UK). Food and clothing retail play a large part in the Marks and Spencer corporate strategy. The Marks & Spencer business model has had to adapt to change and consumer trends over the years to maintain the company’s position as one of the largest retailers in the world. Marks and Spencer (M&S) is a heritage of the British retail and has been present for nearly 130 years. Throughout the years, several individuals have led the organisation and distinct patterns of leadership style can be observed. The impact of leadership style at M&S will be compared to the organisation’s performance and critically evaluated against published leadership models. Covey, S.R. (1990) Historical leadership (1880-1990) (Mathieu) Until the middle of the 20th century, the customers and employees were divided in two classes: middle class and working class separating people who had money and the wo rking class who hadn’t. Additionally, women during this period seemed to have predominantly a reproducing role and did not have direct political power. Gender and classes have shaped the evolution of M&S dominated by strong powerful males from its early days [Rippin A. (2005)]. The leadership of M&S has been and still is dominated by men. Michael Marks founder of M&S had the traits of an entrepreneur. As the leadership was passed on through the family, increased competition within the heirs led to emergence of stronger characters. Michael’s son, Simon Marks and later Simon’s brother in law Israel Sieff changed the leadership style towards a stronger dictatorial influence. Both Marks and Sieff families had been victims of violence especially during the war and controversially established an organisation with ‘systematic symbolic violence’ and bullying [Rippin A. (2005)]. M&S managed to blur the gaps between the social classes, at least on the fashion aspect by the type of clothes provided by the company. Working class women could at last afford and wear elegant and aspiring clothing deemed to a superior class. Derek Raynor took over in 1983 which was a major transition from a family business to a plc. In 1988, Sir Richard Greenbury concentrated on the operational and financial of the organisation. In the following year however, M&S failed to transform significantly and became reactive [Stockport G.J. (2000)]. As the environment became more dynamic, customers’ expectation changed, competition became fiercer but M&S failed to keep up and adapt to the market. The family business became victim of their past success and lacking of a person with exceptional calibre to lead change through its professional debut. 2.0 Leadership transition Changes outside and inside M&S In 1997 M&S made over 1 Billion pounds of profit and accounted for over 16% of UK’s clothing market. The company was then valued at 19 Billion pounds. (199 7 Annual Report). 1998-1999 marked the start of an under performing period and share price plummeted by 40% [Cape Times Business Report (1999)]. As competitors such as Zara and Next took market share from the top end of the market while the same time value offerings were attacked by the supermarkets who were increasingly entering the same market. Peter Salisbury became CEO in 1999 and started to question the M&S ways of working. He placed an emphasis on empowerment by reducing the number of hierarchical layer from eight to seven, and promoting a sense of ownership and decision-making in local stores [Stockport G.J. (2000)].

Whirlpool is The Largest White Goods Manufacturer in The World Essay

Whirlpool is The Largest White Goods Manufacturer in The World - Essay Example It has introduced the concept of Innovation from Everyone, from Everywhere and for Everyone that has proved to be a runaway winning idea. People pursue good health and will do anything new that will help them to live a better life. Corporates too do the same by pursuing strategies for improvements and breakthroughs that create new products and new markets. This is a continuous exercise and any let-up, in health or corporate endeavors will invite a decline. This then is the engine that persuaded the corporates to innovate. There is a delicate difference between innovation and invention although one leads to the other. Innovation is the first happening or germination of an idea for a new product or a process while the first attempt to make it or practice it is what invention is all about. Innovation is, therefore, the creation of a new value and invention is the creation of a new product or service that offers this value to the customer. Sometimes additions to existing products are also called innovations as they enhance the value or are value creators and generate revenues. But a better way of describing an innovation is the discontinuation of an old value and replacing it with the new value. As a consequence discontinuation becomes a source of an innovation. Another name given to technological innovations is Discontinuity. Such technological breakthroughs help to create entirely new products or even new industries. This is the way the rules are re-written. It is part of corporate strategy to find new ways and means to improve products and services and discontinuation of one preceded the other. It is the brain-wracking exercise that brings about breakthroughs and they arise unexpectedly with experiments. Such results can bring about new or improved technologies.

Designing Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Designing Learning - Essay Example Dimensions of competency: It is important to be able to measure the dimension of competency. This serves as delimitation for the training course and ensures that training is delivered within certain boundary and that learner d not receive what may not be necessary for his preferred field. Format and structure of accredited courses: A knowledge about the format and structure of accredited courses ensures that the trainer masters the course content and show good command and mastery on it when delivering it. Format and structure of competency standards: Knowledge about the competency standards also ensures that the course is delivered within a range needed by the learner and that training does not fall outside the scope of learning. Functions of training package: It is important to know what the function of each training package entails so as to specify what to look out for in each package. Without knowledge on the function of a particular training package, the learner may not have any benefit from the package because he would have not basis for undertaking the training. Methodology relating to analysing and using competency standards for a range of applications and purposes: Knowledge on the methodology to use in delivering training package is very important. This is because the success of the whole program depends on how the instructor goes about his training program. A poor or unsuitable methodology would result in a situation where the learner will find it very difficult to grasp concepts being taught. Language and terminologies: Appropriate use of language and terminologies is very important. The instructor must use language and terminologies that are at the level of the learner to facilitate comprehension. Different delivery modes and methods: Once the instructor has different modes and methods of delivery, it is easier to change from one methodology to another if it is detected that one method

Business Resources Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Resources Management - Case Study Example Analysis of the business it operates in HSBC has grown from a mere local banking facility to a leading world banker. It has been able to establish most of its braches in most places in the United Kingdom and other Asian countries. It is the first and the largest financial institutions in the whole of United Kingdom. It has also been ranked the second world largest banking and financial service institution. This has been based on the fact that the business has been able to roll out a well established network in the whole world which provides a variety of services to its clients. It offer financial services including mortgages, insurance facilities, saving accounts, credit cards, loans, investment and others, consumer finance including credit cards, consumer loans, motor vehicle financing, commercial banking which is mainly meant to serve small and medium size enterprises, corporate investment including markets and private banking, and other services which are provided in all its branches. This means that it has been able to satisfy the financial demands of its customers by offering a variety of services. (King, 1991) The banking sector is one of the most competitive sectors in the world. There are many providers of the services and the survival of any financial institution depends on the competitive advantage that an institution is able to create over its competitors. There are some key elements that determine how a financial institution is able to create a competitive advantage in the market. This is based on the level of confidence that customers can have on the financial institution regarding how the business operates. The financial strength is of crucial importance as it determines how the... This essay looks at HSBC Company and evaluate the Human resource management in the company. The organization opened its door to customer in 1865 trading under the name Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited. Since its inception, the company has been able to grow and expand in all part of the world. It has been able to establish a sophisticated network of agencies and branches not only in Asia but also in the other European countries. Therefore the bank is not just a leading banking facility in Asia but it can be ranked as a world leader in banking. HSBC has grown from a mere local banking facility to a leading world banker. It has been able to establish most of its braches in most places in the United Kingdom and other Asian countries. For a company with a worldwide operation like HSBC, there can be no better option than taking a close-knit approach in the management of its workforce. The researcher states that there must be an effective way of dealing with the demands of such large workforce and therefore effective HRM policies become an indispensable tool. The company has been able to apply good human resource management in order to enhance competence of its workforce. However, the researcher concluds that there’s still much that the company has to do in order to integrate all the workers especially to deal with the problem of discrimination in the work place. This will be in line with its policy of recognizing that every individual makes an impact in the company.

Music as Spiritual Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Music as Spiritual Practice - Essay Example Many just like the song because the beat is catchy.One sad but true fact is that one in 20 U.S. adults can't read English. This also means that they may not even read a psalm. That's where the elements of music comes in. The Scripture goes "sing a joyful song unto the Lord."[Holy Bible] A disadvantage of aural music is that it excludes the deaf. Technological advancements are making music accessible and discernable to the deaf. He who has ears, let him hear. [Holy Bible, Rev 2]When should you, as a musician choose accompaniment Is a capella the best way to go Does singing a song acapella enhance the artistic value of it These are all fair questions that need to be answered. If we look at the Old Testament Psalms, for example, there really is no clear answer. There is a history involving the use of musical instruments in Jewish and Christian Services. There are bible verses that pertain to the idea of singing a joyful song unto the Lord.[Psalm 100] This lets us know that this is accep table worship. However, the use of musical instruments in church services still remains controversial. It is amazing how Salamone Rossi essentially started out as a wedding singer for the banquets of the duchess Isabella in the 16th century. Rossi's acclaim was during the Italian Renaissance. The era was a time of creative celebration. This was during a time where Jews were tolerated rather than enjoyed. They were, according to the Historical notes on the music, ostracized, at times. Rossi, however through his music gained some acceptance. The Psalms still have incomparable teaching power. Listening to the sounds of the day and how they make you feel is in itself a tool with which to speak to God. But what happens when you face some sort of disability. That is where the Psalms', (which is indeed a form of music) teaching power is turned into healing power. The Psalms teach us to see beyond aesthetic beauty. It teaches us to listen with our souls, with our minds, with our hearts and with our imaginations. After 32 years listening to music one thing holds true: Aesthetic listening is no listening at all. And what is meant by that is this. It is that one must listen "relatively". That is, to say, be the writer or be the author. Relate the song to something in your life. The lyrics of one song may say "His love endures forever."[Psalms] God calls us to seek out this passage in life. To find the aesthetic beauty that accompanies the active listening which is aimed at getting all the senses involved. One natural way to engage in listening is to remember the setting. Where were you when you first heard that song What were you doing This is how you begin. How you become the music. For deaf children who have little life experience it is important to remember that their environment and upbringing will serve as catalysts to experiencing the music. These basic questions build a foundation for developing taste as well. We have many evidences of the rhythm of life. This may be why women have biological clocks. This rhythm suggests to us to find meaning and connection with the Psalms. Look for a song in the meadow and in the hustle and bustle of

One of leading causes of death Alzheimer's disease in men Essay

One of leading causes of death Alzheimer's disease in men - Essay Example This type of disease can also be described as memory loss or forgetfulness and it is very common among the elderly people. This condition is responsible for causing more deaths among the males in the US. Schaie & Willis (2002) suggest that dementia of the mind can be attributed to old age and this is seen as a normal development in the life of the human beings. According to Thomas (1996), research has shown that the majority of adults who have what he calls Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) are not aware of their condition and the number of people affected is greater than imagined. Park (2010) posits to the effect that â€Å"More than 5 million Americans currently suffer from Alzheimer's disease, a number that will grow to 13.4 million by 2050. There is no cure.† The other problem related to this disease is that there is no definite test for Alzheimer and the therapies that exist include drugs and lifestyle behaviors which include keeping the mind busy through games and puzzles as well as trying to enrich social relationships with other people. However, these techniques can only can â€Å"only delay, not stop, the onset of memory loss, confusion and cognitive decline that generally extend over a period of several years,† Park (2010). ... According to CDC (2011) the only remedies available include therapies that are offered by voluntary organizations in the US. These specifically provide home based care to the people affected by this disease and at times they provide training programs such as exercise as well as performing other activities like reading and watching television since they help to keep their mind active. The people who offer voluntary work to the affected people also teach them different lifestyle activities that can help them to live health lives. These include aspects such as good diet which can significantly improve their health. The people affected by this disease can also get medication as prescribed by their physicians. The government and other healthcare agencies have spent a lot of money through assisting people affected by this disease. â€Å"The cost of health care for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia was estimated to be 200 billion dollars in 2012, including 140 billi on dollars in costs to Medicare and Medicaid and is expected to reach 1.1 trillion dollars in 2050,† (Tejada-Vera, 2013, p. 1). More resources are being spent in dealing with this problem hence the need for holistic measures that can address the problem once and for all. These groups spend quite a lot of money procuring drugs that can be used by the patients. Part of the money is also used for educational programs that are meant to create awareness among the Americans about the dangers of this disease. It has been realized that a lot of people often ignore the existence of this epidemic which is responsible for causing a lot of premature deaths in the US. The other important aspect about

Milky way Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Milky way - Essay Example 324). As one looks at the night sky, they observe a hazy band of white light that they always infer to be the Milky Way. Apparently, this is not true because every star and celestial body seen by the naked eye in the night sky all belong in the Milky Way. However, the band of white light comes about as a result of the accumulation of unresolved stars and other materials. A dark region can also be observed within the white band. The shaded area corresponds to blocked light from the distant star by interstellar dust. The Milky Way mainly consists of a bulging center and a spiral disk. The spiral disk can further be classified into a thin and thick disk. The flat disk rises about a 1000 light years below and above the galactic mid-plane, and the thick disk extends to about 3500 light years on both sides of the plane. When one considers the flatness of the galaxy then the galactic disk is said to be 120,000 light-years across. Our sun is about 28,000 light-years from the galactic center within the thin disk. There is also a halo that surrounds the entire disk, but it is not visible because of its dark matter composition. The Milky Way consists of many stars. These stars vary in lots of ways, from their individual size to their composition. The stars also vary depending on where they are found within the galactic disk, for example, those in the halo differ from those found on the disk. Consequently, they are said to belong to different stellar population. The mass of a star also translates to its life span; their weight is usually measured in terms of solar mass. The lighter the solar mass the longer the stars life span. The Milky Way is just one galaxy in a collection of a group of galaxies called the Local group. The Milky Way moves at 300 km/sec in the direction of the constellation Virgo. The Milky Way is in constant movement with the other galaxies in the Local Group. The galaxies found within the local

Remember the Titans Essay Example for Free

Remember the Titans Essay A scene in the film of which I thought it was strong was when the new coach takes the players into the woods for a run and they arrive at a sort of cemetery. He tells them about a lesson from the death; they have to come together, otherwise they will be destroyed. He tells them whether they like each other or not, they should respect each other. I really like this scene of the movie, first, because I think it takes place in a special surrounding. All the players are exhausted from the running and kind of impressed by the place. Second, I like this part because I like the message and the way the coach tries to create one team out of two groups. The third message I got from the video is the fact that sports brings people together. No matter what race, as friends in a team you can make it work. In the video the white boys and the African-American boys have each their own team with their own rituals. Along the road, their passion for football and their desire to win brings them together. They combine their habits and the difference in their cultural backgrounds gives them a special feeling of a united group and makes them stronger. Also in other situations can sports play an important factor, you can see it in the world with for example the Olympic Games, but also other major sports events. I think sports can unite individuals from different cultural backgrounds because the rules are the same in every culture and as people are playing, they do not necessarily have to speak the same language. So, if you put the messages all together, I would say that in my opinion the movie is a really good one. After watching it I realized even more that it is about personalities and characters instead of the way people look or the cultural background they are from. Although it can be hard for some individuals to act this way, for example because of pressure from their peers or because the way they are raised. I hope that for the future that every day more people will realize that it is not about the differences, but about the similarities.

Study of Hydrodynamic Forces on Multiple Cylinders in Waves

Study of Hydrodynamic Forces on Multiple Cylinders in Waves Introduction In the recent years, there have been increase in demand of production in the offshore industry. The wide market scale of offshore structure business in oil and gas production attracts interest for investors. Offshore structures are stationary structures located in the marine environment for production of natural resources such as wind turbine for generating electricity, FPSO (Floating Production Storage Offload) for crude oil extraction and drilling for drillships. These offshore structures can be either fixed or freely floating. Floating offshore structures/platforms will be using mooring system or dynamic positioning method to float and hold its position in place. Many challenges are faced to withstand the position of the offshore structures due to seakeeping and wave load problems. As technology advance over the years, new implications and investigations are being carried out for offshore structures to to deal with seakeeping and wave load problems. The implication of hydrodynamic force acting on an offshore structure became important due to various wave loads and interactions might affect the results of hydrodynamic forces greatly. The hydrodynamic forces determine how structures float with varying wave frequencies, wave height and etc. Large offshore structures such as semi-submersibles, offshore wind turbines and SPAR are often being investigated to improve their efficiencies by changing their shapes or dimensions. Large offshore cylindrical structures would affect hydrodynamic results due to their wave diffraction and radiation forces. Therefore, in this literature review, investigations of hydrodynamic forces on multiple cylinders are being studied. In order to understand how the hydrodynamic results vary, floating bodies with varying distance are being placed in ideal fluid, where hydrodynamic interactions will cause the influence by the scattered waves and the wave load will differ greatly by the presence of the neighbouring cylinders. Thus, to obtain accurate results, these hydrodynamic interactions are investigated from theoretical predictions, software simulation analysis and model testing. The development of computer with memory capacity and computational speed increases with the advance in technology. The use of these software simulation analysis helps to analyse the wave interactions between multiple floating bodies in an ideal fluid. The software is dependant on the development of hydrodynamic theories. By using linear wave potential theory, the diffraction and radiation forces could be calculated. Hydrodynamic Interaction phenomena Studies of hydrodynamic interactions of multiple bodies have been on going over the past few decades. Hydrodynamic interaction created are due to wave actions the presence of neighbouring structures. A free floating body may experience six DOF (Degree of Freedom) due to surrounding condition, where three are translations (Surge, sway and heave) and three are rotations (Roll, pitch and yaw). Vertical and longitudinal motions are the primary motions which are often experience by offshore structures.[1] The interaction phenomena is due to diffraction and radiation forces acting on the structures and forces created by the structures. The velocity components and the motion of each body can be obtain by the integration of equation of motion. The interaction phenomena between two or more floating structures plays important role on the performance of floating structure systems. It depends on the sepetration distance between the floating bodies and also on the direction of flow with respect to the centerline of two floating bodies.[2] This phenomena can be investigated by using both theoretical and experimentally(Model Test). For experimental, using a full scale model tests are desirable but there are limitations due to controlled conditions and the high cost of production. Therefore, the need of associated computation tools for analysing these hydrodynamic forces to attain fast and accurate results. The complexity of multiple bodies solution increases with the amount of elements.(Research_3) Thus, the use of numerical method is highly recommended in this studies. http://www.ias.ac.in/sadhana/Pdf2004Dec/Pe1236.pdf [1] http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a254627.pdf [2] Potential Theory The knowledge of motion and wave induced forces of offshore mainly involves the structural design and its operation. Offshore structures in sea environment usually encounter environmental loads such as gravity, waves, wind and current. These are the basic information needed to evaluate the interaction of structures through the use of potential theory.(G. Moe, 1996) Potential theory can use to find out the general aspect of fluid flow problems in conjunction with Laplace equation. To satisfy the solution of the Laplace equations, boundary conditions of the fluid are set. Hydrodynamic forces in waves consist of radiation and diffraction forces where velocity potential is the key component to satisfy the Laplace equation. Radiation and Diffraction Problem Hydrodynamic forces is made up of diffraction and radiation forces. These forces includes the 6 degree of freedom that arises from the interaction of linear waves against any floating structure. In addition, these forces will provide information of hydrodynamic properties of floating structures, such as damping coefficient,added mass and wave excitation forces. The fluid must be assumed to be inviscid, incompressible and irrotational. Currently, there have been numerous theoretical and numerical studies on these problems. As the technology advances, researchers have obtained significant results on the phenomena, which made the study for these problems, such as structure and wave interactions, stability of floating structures aon going research. Diffraction Force Diffraction force is the pressure forces acting around the each structure, but due to multiple bodies and interaction of several bodies, the scattering will affect the results of incident wave. For free surface problems with the Laplace equation as the governing equation, a first order or a second-order boundary condition can be obtain using a linearized free surface boundary condition Radiation Force Boundary Conditions Governing Equation The motion response of a structure will cause the fluid to oscillate, hence creating pressure fields in the fluid. In order to capture the motion response and the surrounding pressure fields, velocity potential will be imposed. In addition, there are boundary conditions critition to be met. Drag forces are not being considered in the radiation and diffraction problems as it only occurs in slender body phenomena. With the assumption of having the structure placing in an ideal fluid with zero forward speed. In an ideal fluid condition, the fluid is irrotational and incompressible. The radiation condition should also be satisfied as it is to ensure that the waves propagate away from the structure. From the potential flow theory, it is made known that the velocity potential must satisfy the Laplace equations. Thus, the 3 boundary conditions mention below must be satisfied. Body surface The normal component of the fluid velocity is equal to the normal component of the heave force velocity Seafloor The normal component of the fluid velocity equal to zero Water surface The fluid pressure is equal to the atmospheric pressure and fluid particles will always remain on the free-surface. Pressure will be constant across the free surface. These equations mention below will show the governing equation imposed on radiation and diffraction problems.(Page 44) The velocity potential, along each component(x, y and z) satisfies the Laplace equation in the fluid domain, The free-surface condition, Boundary condition on the sea floor, Boundary condition on body surface, Where k is depends on the motion (six DOF) that the body surface is expose to and nis the unit vector normal to the body surface. Solving Boundary Value Problem The boundary conditions are all set in conjunction with velocity potential. The expression of linear hydrodynamic forces is derived from direct integration of the fluid pressure over the boundary of a body. By using the Green’s theorem, part of the forces can be obtained with the solving the scattering potential. Defining the field point at any point and the source point for circulation, rotation and vorticity, the Green funtion will be presented in the form, Where Equation 7 expresses the source potential as a summation of a source in the finite fluid and an image source above the free surface condition where . This shows that there will at . Equation 8 expresses the source potential is a summation of a source in infinite fluid and an image sink above free surface when . This satisfy the free surface condition where velocity potential equal zero on . Therefore, the solution of the velocity potential for a problem (e.g. force heave) can be written as This source function is given for infinite water depth problem where is called the Green function. By using the Bernoulli’s equation, the total pressure could be fully derived with the use of velocity potential and the body motion amplitudes. Therefore, linear forces and moments are obtain from, We can consider component potentials such that the summation of hydrodynamic forces and moments are Where it is split into two components: the wave excitation force due to diffraction and forces due to radiation force(In terms of added mass and damping coefficients). Given we want to find the force at mode j. The linear forces, also known as the first order wave excitation force, the force for mode j is denote as From Green’s theorem, applying it to and a component of the radiation potential, we have It is show that those integrals on the seabed, over the free surface and at the far field disappeared due to the boundary conditions for and on these surfaces. Therefore, upon substituting the equation of boundary conditions, the Haskind relation follows in the form of By using the equation of motion, the diffraction and radiation problem will be solved. Calculation of Hydrodynamic forces The boundary value problem is solve, therefore the forces and moments can be evaluate. Panel method is use to solve the boundary value problem which is based on potential theory. Assumptions such that the wave amplitudes of the fluid is small as compared to the cross-sectional dimensions of the body are made. The panelling of the structure is done by plane quadrilateral elements in three dimensional problems. http://www.academia.edu/6937922/Computation_of_Ship_Hydrodynamic_Interaction_Forces_in_Restricted_Waters_using_Potential_Theory The solution procedure can be generalized to any modes of motion, where added mass and damping matrix could be found. Solving the diffraction problem can be done by using the boundary condition (equation 5) where is the incident wave potential. From these solutions, we are able to derive the wave excitation loads such as wave excitation forces (surge, sway, heave) and wave excitation moments (roll, pitch, yaw). Therefore, solving the equation of motion and calculating the flow details such as hydrodynamic forces, by using the expression for velocity potential in terms of a three-dimensional source distribution. Past Researches Overview WAMIT Wamit software is a diffraction/radiation panel program developed to analyse the linear interaction of surface waves with several different types of submerged and floating structures. For this analysis of interaction, WAMIT uses a three-dimensional panel method and also following some theoretical method. By using this software, it can help to define the conditions of the interactions such as, finite or infinite water depth, structures location on the free surface, mounted on the seabed or submerged and whether the structures are fixed or freely floating with the motion of six degree of freedom. The fluid flow is assumed to be ideal and time harmonic. WAMIT is able to deal with both first order and linearize analysis which includes second order forces. WAMIT is able to focus on the hydrodynamic interaction of multiple body with any restriction of condition of fluid environment. The use of integral equation obtained by Green’s theorem will help solve the diffraction and radiation velocity potentials on the body wetted surface. WAMIT will be able to evaluate the following quantities: Hydrostatic coefficients Added-mass and damping coefficients for all modes Wave excitation forces and moments using the Haskind relations, or directly by pressure integration from the solutions of diffraction or scattering problems. Motion amplitudes and phases for a freely floating body Forces restraining a body which is freely floating in some but not all modes Hydrodynamic pressure and fluid velocity on the body surface/fluid domain Free-surface elevation All component of the drift force and moment by momentum integration over a control surface Horizontal drift forces and mean yaw moment by momentum integration in the field All components of the drift force and moment by local pressure integration over body surface Drift force and moment in bidirectional waves Theoretical Method The method use by WAMIT will be a panel program designed to solve boundary-value problem for the interaction of waves phenomena with the pre-defining the bodies in finite or infinite water depth. Viscosity will not be considered. The time harmonic solutions are being solved for a given steady state incident wave field which is assumed to be represented by a superposition of a particular frequency components in the absence of the body. The boundary value problem will be used in conjunction with the integral equation using Green’s theorem. These integral equation will be solved by panel method for the unknown velocity potential or strength source of the body surface. These integral equations of theoretical method could be found in .

Middle Child :: essays research papers

The Art of the Middle Child   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What if you had the opportunity to see something you had never seen before. Would you take a camera? Would you go? Would you give it a thought? This is what goes through the mind of a person like me. More specifically a middle child, they put way too much thought into things. I am Josh, and I am a middle child. I’ve said it once and one more time wont hurt, being a middle child was hard let me tell you about me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wouldn’t it be funny if we were taught from the top down, makes as much sense as building a house starting with the roof and ending with the foundations? Sometimes is done like this quite often, as a result we have a distinct variety of people known as â€Å"Middle Child Syndrome.† Middle Child Syndrome is not something that occurs often in a family, usually only once but it may happen more than once, I would pick up a book on the subject sometime if you are still curious after reading this. There are a lot of qualities that go into the recipe of making the middle child. Lets go into describing them in terms of myself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I have fought to keep an image of myself that I believe should be maintained. When something has come along in the past I have done what I could to keep what I could. A famous speaker once said: â€Å"I believe in coming out and being plain and honest with that which should be made public, and in keeping yourselves that which should be kept. If you have your weaknesses, keep them hid from your brethren as much as you can. You never hear me ask the people to tell their follies†¦ do not tell our nonsensical conduct that nobody knows of but yourselves.† Look at the third from last line, â€Å"†¦If you have your weaknesses, keep them hid from your brethren,†--keep them hid. I have pride in my honesty but I have made my mistakes. When I was the age of 11, approximately, I had taken my sister out for a walk. She was about 6 years old and had to be watched like a hawk. I had not got along wither for quite sometime and would blame things on her when we had disputes; everyone in my family had known that. Every time that something happened, I would find a way to pin the situation on my little sister.

Essay --

Introduction Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) closely parallel the obesity and insulin resistance epidemic. Current U.S. estimates project 70 million obese adults and an additional 70 million with hypertension and/or type II diabetes (28, 42, 45). More so, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), suggest a graded and continuous relationship exists between prevalent hypertension and increasing body mass index (BMI); a metric that is closely associated with insulin resistance and self-identified type II diabetes (8, 34). Latent diabetic vascular complications are a hallmark of the disease and known to significantly affect the cardiovascular and renal systems. Atherosclerosis is the main reason for decreased life expectancy in patients with diabetes, whereas diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy are the largest contributors to end-stage renal disease and blindness, respectively (37, 56). Current therapy is aimed at managing blood glucose concentrations and increasing insulin resistance. Thus, vascular complication mitigation includes: blood glucose monitoring and lowering, which decreases the risk of nephropathy and retinopathy. Antihypertensive medicine is also utilized to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, nephropathy, and retinopathy (15, 26). As well, hypertension is closely associated with stroke and pulmonary edema. Despite these advances, diabetes complications and their treatments are aimed at abating symptoms in an effort to improve physiological function. Atherosclerosis in Diabetes Atherosclerotic lesions in patients with diabetes are indistinguishable from lesions in patients in whom another characteristic, like hypercholesterolemia or smoking, is the major ... ...hole-body insulin resistance in skeletal muscles (11, 32, 43). It should not be discounted though that the MR also has a high affinity for both aldosterone and 11ÃŽ ²-hydroxy-glucocorticoids, which exist in lower levels in non-epithelial tissues that allow glucocorticoids to signal through the MR in cardiovascular and metabolic tissue such as skeletal muscle, liver and fat (72). Not a marginal point as insulin resistant populations have plasma glucocorticoid concentrations are greater than those of aldosterone and this may promote MR activation by glucocorticoids. Potentiating the oxidative stress in the cardio-renal metabolic syndrome (71). Indepdent of the in-/direct mechanism, the evidence of RAAS blockade or silencing can ameliorate oxidative stress, improves endothelial function and contributes to reductions of hypertension in the cardio-renal metabolic phenotype.

Movie: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Essay -- essays research papers

Movie: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The movie takes place in Vienna, Austria in the 1700's. The film begins with the attempted suicide of Antonio Salieri, a court composer of the Austrian Emperor. He is placed in a mental asylum where a priest visits and asks for his confession. Salieri claims to have caused the death of Mozart. The rest of the movie is a narration by the court composer, mostly in flashbacks, of how he caused this death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Salieri recounts that while he was playing games as a boy Mozart was playing music for the King. At the age of four, Mozart composed his first concerto, at seven, his first symphony, and at twelve, his first opera. He was considered a child prodigy. Salieri wished to become a famous composer, like his idol. However, his father would not allow this. He didn't want his son to be a ‘trained monkey, on tour around Europe performing tricks like a circus'. Salieri prayed to God and what he considered a miracle happened: his father dies and he was able to pursue his musical studies. He eventually became a popular musician and teacher in the Emperor's court. When he heard Mozart was coming to Vienna from Salzburg, he eagerly sought him out. He finally found him at a party, way from the other guests, acting like a silly animal, chasing a young woman. However, as soon as he heard his music starting without him, he changed into a serious musician, rushing to take his place as conductor. Salieri noticed that Mozart conducted without notes. Although he recognized that Mozart was a ‘giggling, dirty-minded creature', he was also able to see the genius in him. He couldn't understand why God had chosen a ‘obscene child to be his instrument'. At another time, Mozart's wife presents to Salieri some of his work in an attempt to get him a job as a teacher. Salieri sees that the music sheets have no corrections and no notes. Mozart simply composed from his head onto paper. It is then that Salieri is overwhelmed by his brilliance. He realized that God has given to Mozart the skills and genius that he has always prayed for, and all he gave to Salieri is the ability to recognize it. It is at this point that he turned away from God and set out to ruin Mozart.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Salieri then describes what Mozart was like. Mozart drank too much, he partied all day and composed all ni... ...live to suffer. As the movie ends, Salieri is being wheeled through a room of mentally ill patients and this is where he will spend his remaining days.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think that Hollywood may have over-exaggerated Mozart's behaviour. In my reading there is no evidence that he was like this. I wonder if Salieri really hated or was jealous of Mozart. Did Salieri really plan to kill the composer? The World Book Encyclopedia states that Mozart did try to earn money by teaching pupils. There is no mention of any abnormal behavior.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Whether the movie is true or false, I think the movie tries to show that genius is next to madness. A person may excel in one subject, yet the growth of the other parts of his behavior may be stunted. The movie also points out that jealousy brings misery. Salieri was well paid and popular, had a high position, and had respect from other people. Yet he remained unhappy and even ruined his life, all over the fact that another musician was better than he. Finally, it's a great tragedy that Mozart died so young and penniless.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The movie was well acted, and the music was beautiful to hear.

Prejudice and Discrimination Essay

Traveling had always been something I looked forward to. Seeing other parts of the world, visiting other countries; just the idea of it brought more joy then most things would. Sadly though, that is not the experience that I encountered while travelling to South Africa. Even though it was their native land, the locals in South Africa faced an overwhelming amount of discrimination; it was completely heart breaking to witness. Taking into the history of South Africa, with the concept that â€Å"blacks [are] inferior to whites†, (MALEMA, 2010, para. or in other words; the apartheid, where black people were simply less than white, and that was the acceptable way of life, it is not terribly hard to imagine that some discrimination still lives in South Africa today. With the apartheid not officially in existence at this current time, most people would, and do assume that the discrimination had come to an end and all people of every race and ethnicity live in peace with each other in South Africa, but as it is; old habits are hard to break. White people are still treating black people as though they were not really people and black people are subjected to the upper hand that the white members of society have had for years upon years without having much, if any power to change it. The apartheid does have a National party, people still do believe in it who live in South Africa, and while those who stand up for the truth of the matter protest and stand in opposition to it, the apartheid and the people that support it end up on top; for now. With South Africa going officially and publically to a democratic system and abandoning the incorrect and discriminatory ways of the apartheid, hope reenters the scene for Black Americans. During the time of the apartheid, â€Å"the ruling National Party’s goal was to secure White control and promote racial separation by classifying all South Africans into White, Black, Colored (i. e. , those of mixed race), or Asian ethnic categories† (Kon ZR, 1998, para. ). Within South Africa, while under the apartheid the only race that existed was White Africans. All other Africans, whether Black or Asian, was looked upon as not being a race, they were less than human, there only to serve White Africans. While the ethnicities of at least the locals in South Africa are the same, the race does differ from town to town. The natives born in South Africa all share the same background giving them the same culture in a sense, yet under the apartheid the difference in race between White and everyone else made all of the difference in the world. The new turn to the democratic system is anything but segregation of the races. Much like in my own homeland of North America, more specifically, The United States of America, where democracy is an everyday occurrence, South Africa’s goal of democracy will involve a turning point to some sort of equality between white Americans and all other races in South Africa besides the white community. However, much like in America, South Africa will tumble and stumble for years with this turning point. It already has been years since the South Africa Country has turned democratic, and still today, there lies in the towns much racism and discrimination. To spare the cruelty of how extreme the discrimination in South Africa got, a much calmer example is when I went to the local store that was owned by White Africans who still lived by the ruling of the apartheid. I saw a Black couple walk into the store, shop around, and when it was time to leave, the owner refused to talk to them or serve them. The all the couple needed was milk and diapers for their newborn, but the cashier, who was White, looked right through them. A white woman pushed her way past the Black couple and was waited on promptly by the cashier, and as the Black couple got the hint, they placed the items back, and walked away. The saddest part though, is after they left, I saw the cashier grab some gloves, go over to the items that the couple had touched and discarded them in the trash. Discrimination is a crime, and it sadly still exists in society today; most likely because some White people still believe that all other races were created inferior to them and are solely there to serve as salves, but obviously, that is not the truth, and though South Africa made the correct change to democracy to amend that false assumption, that preconceived notion still lives on today. Sadly, it is found true, not in the papers, studies, statistics, or facts; that the law, no matter how much it might point toward and push to equality falls oh so short so often. The truth of this falling is found on the streets, in the towns, in schools, and between neighbors. It is seen in the grocery store, on the sidewalks, and through the windows. Regardless of the National party South Africa, the local parties South Africa (the locals) do not always agree with the change in place, and still treat everyone that is ot white as though they were not even human. A law does not change a person’s heart. The law may change the actions of a person, for fear of the consequence to the actual law, but the hardness that lives in the hearts of the white communities in South Africa have had years and years to build up and linger. Changing the political system is a start, and indeed, is a help; but it is not the answer. What is the answer? I have some ideas, but surely, there is no cove r all answer that will magically fix discrimination. The first eye glance that I saw while I was in South Africa made me realize that one of the best things to do for them in order to climb the ladder to equality is to point out to them that the hardness in their hearts are still there; that while they might have changed what is written on paper, the things that are engraved on their hearts are still there, and firmer than ever. The second thing that I know all Americans, not just this one person, can do is to be an example. In North America, we have faced racism, discrimination, inequality of men and women; in short, we have faced and overcome the things that South Africa faces today. And while I recognize them as an independent country, as North America is one of the largest and strongest countries, we should also be the best. We, as a country should stand up and stop the discrimination that happens on our streets, in our schools, and at work. We have no right to scold South Africa of their discrimination until or unless we have settled our own issues of discrimination. And even then, a scolding is not what is necessary. What is needed is an understanding, and assistance; we need to set an example. I know that I am just one reporter writing one article, and I am sure readers are wondering why I am speaking so passionately about this subject, or what I expect out of the readers in all honesty. I know that this is not a regular article that the newspaper readers are used to, but I also know that this is a great way to speak, not only of the negativity of discrimination and how bad it is or how bad it is getting. This chance is also a chance to show that some people care more about how to change it from getting bad to getting better. That though one person cannot change the world, one small deed can do great things, and the more people that take that initiative, the more great things will happen. I would sincerely encourage anyone that could, to visit South Africa. Brace yourselves if you do, the discrimination really is horrible, people that are not white still, have little chances of making much of themselves, and the AIDS that are in the country is as common as the America cold, but the truth is within the people. Black Americans in South Africa have the hope, they just need the help. If you cannot make it to visit, send a letter, make a wish, sit back, if only for a moment, and give them a second of your time to think about them; where they are, where they have been, and where they could go. Discrimination not only affects those who are being discriminated against, but also those who miss out on the opportunity to know, work with, and live around all the other races. They all miss out on the unifying truth that everyone is a person; their own individual humanistic self that has so much more to offer than the color of their skin.