Intergroup Conflicts in Organisations

Intergroup Conflict in Organizations In order to have order and efficiency, an organization groups work duties into different departments then staffs the department. The organization has an overall mission and strategy while the departments have their specific goals which all lead to profit-making. As the people interact in the different departments interact, there will arise conflict due to different reasons.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Intergroup Conflicts in Organisations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It could be cultural differences, inadequate resources or goal incompatibility. The top management can use two main methods to deal with the conflict. It can either use the rational or political approach. In using a political approach, the management has to understand the different kinds of power, the sources of power and the impact they have on the employees. Conflict within an organization is a common occurrence. As some degree of conflict occurs in all relationships involving people, these forces must be managed to achieve results properly aligned with the desired outcomes of the organization. This paper will examine the nature of intergroup conflict and how power and politics are applied in order to resolve conflict and attain organizational goal. Competition and Conflict There is a difference between conflict and competition in the organization. Conflict adversely affects the productivity of the workers and the ultimate bottom line of the company. It is not healthy at all. Competition can be healthy between the different departments as they strive to be the best in order to get rewards and other forms of compensation (Makin, Cooper Cox, 1996, p. 233). However where competition goes too far to instill prejudices, negative attitudes, biases and stereotyping then the competition has become unhealthy and it should be addressed by management. Sources of Intergroup Conflict Goal Incompatibility This is where the goals of one department are in conflict with the goals of another department. Goal incompatibility ends up leading to hostility, stereotyping behaviour, biases and prejudiced behaviour (Gallinsky, 2002). The marketing department wants to use financial resources to run promotions and other advertising campaigns while the finance department is concerned with cutting costs. This causes a lot of conflict as the marketing manager seeks to have his quarterly operational budget while the finance manager tells him that the costs are too high and to look for cheaper alternatives. The marketing department may also get into conflict with the manufacturing department.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The marketing manager wants a diverse variety of goods to satisfy customer wants. He also wants new products and existing products to be produ ced quickly and taken to distribution points. However all these mean manufacturing costs for the manufacturing department and reaching a compromise may prove to be a difficult task. Differentiation Another source of conflict is the differences in the cognitive and emotional orientations of the different staff in the organisation. When it comes to work, different departments may have different deadlines for the completion of the work. One department may be constrained by time and experience a lot of time pressure while another group does not have any time constraints. This causes conflict as one group feels rushed while another feels that the other group is dragging its feet or delaying them. When it comes to negotiating for resources and other needs, one department may be at a higher status in terms of the revenue they bring to the organisation. This causes inequality at the negotiating table. Each of the groups has different esteem needs. There could also be differences in the info rmation that different departments have causing conflict (Spoelstra Pienaa, 1991, p. 191). Where one department does not have the correct or the latest information it causes misunderstandings. There are certain groups who have higher expertise than others in certain areas causing conflict. Cultural differences are other thorny issues. In an organisation with no training on embracing cultural diversity, there will be problems. People will not understand other people’s values, habits and attitudes in life. People tend to distrust people who are different from them (Gallinsky, 2002) Where there are mergers, it is difficult to merge the old staff and new staff work values, culture and ethics. Organisations are great at aligning the production and financial structures however integrating organisational values prove to be difficult.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Intergroup Conflicts in Organisations specifically for you for only $16.05 $ 11/page Learn More There is also the challenge of personality differences. The marketing manager may be highly outgoing with a friendly, warm personality while the scientist is a bit reserved and withdrawn. There will arise conflict where one feels the other is invading his space while the one feels that the other is a bit cold and detached Task Interdependence The conflict occurs since one department has to rely on another in order to complete its work. There are very few cases where there is pooled interdependence. This refers to the situation where a department does not rely on another department to conduct and accomplish its tasks (Rahim, 2010, p. 150) Conflict occurs in several ways. It may be that work is done in sequential fashion. One group does its work then it passes the work to another group to continue with the second step. Therefore the output of one group serves as the input of another group (Spoelstra Pienaa, 1991, p. 189). If one group feels that it i s receiving poor quality work or the work is always late, conflict arises. This is usually the type of task interdependence present in a manufacturing plant. The product needs to be assembled first before it is considered for paint work. Multiple departments may also be giving input to one group so information is being sourced from different sources. A good example of this is in the operating theatre. There is need of one single input from the nurses, technicians, surgeons and anaesthetists. Limited Resources Conflict may arise where there are inadequate resources. This is a major source of conflict since the members end up feeling others are preferred over them (Rahim, 2010, p. 150) Each department may want a larger share of the office space, equipment, manpower or human resources. Where there are limited resources it ends up with one group winning while another one loses (Spoelstra Pienaa, 1991, p. 190). In an organisation, the department that gets access to certain resources may appear to be prestigious or influential or powerful. Scarce resources may lead managers to commit unethical actions such as inflating the departmental budget in order to gain access to higher financial resources. Other managers may opt to work behind the scenes to ensure their department gets certain resources. This causes managers to fight and have conflict and people end up taking sides against another.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Political and the Rational Model in Solving Intergroup Conflicts The approach that will be used to solve the conflict will depend on the degree of goal incompatibility, differentiation, task interdependence and limited resources. A political approach is used where the degree of the mentioned variables are high. Power and influence are used to solve conflicts. Where the conflict is not high, the management will be able to use a rational approach. Politics can be defined as the use of power to achieve certain results or outcomes. Power and Authority Power is the ability of an individual to influence others or the decision making process in an organisation. Authority refers to the role that has been conferred upon the individual by the organisation in terms of duties and responsibilities. An individual may be placed as the operations manager while another is under him as the operations officer. Power is different from authority in several ways. Authority is different because it is conferred by the organisational structure. It mostly flows vertically, from the managers to the subordinates (Shukla, 2004, p. 109). Power however has certain aspects that enable the staff and departments to experience it horizontally. Authority comes from the position or role that one plays in the organisation. Subordinates also respond very well to authority rather than power. They are more likely to be concerned with the orders the bosses have given out rather than listen to people or departments that are deemed to be powerful in the organisation. Vertical Sources of Power Formal Position: This comes from the position an individual occupies in the organisation. A person at the top will have certain rights, responsibilities due to the position he occupies. This is seen by many to be a legitimate source of power since it is power that has been given formally by the owners or board of the company. Financial Resources: In this form of vertical power it mainly rests with the top manag ers as they are the ones who decide how the resources will be distributed. Top management are the ones who decide the reward compensation programs, the bonuses and even the salary increases. The subordinates realise this and they do their best not to make any manager angry or disappointed in their work so that they can get the resources that they need. Control of decision premises: The manager who is able to restrict the flow of information to those who are lower than him has a lot of power. If he is the one preparing the minutes he knows how to structure the agenda to suit his needs Empowerment This is where the management shares power with the other staff in the organisations (Nelson Campbell, 2004, p. 226). They give them opportunities to gain skills and expertise in order to participate in decision making of the organisation. It gives the employees a chance to prove themselves. They become more self-confident. They are also highly motivated to work for the organisation since th ey are being trusted to make decisions and their skills and talents are being used. The three stages of empowerment for the employees is job meaning, self-determination, competence and having an impact in the organisation. Horizontal Sources of Power Horizontal power is not achieved through a hierarchical system in the organisation. Some departments have more say than others in accordance to the financial contribution they make to the organisation. The sales and marketing teams bring in more money so they are valued or are more powerful. There are events or occurrences that strengthen a department’s position within an organisation. A manager therefore needs to be strategic when charting his activities and events for the year. If he ends up leading the organisation to address a growing need within the organisation or he helps the organisation deal with an emerging challenge outside the organisation, his departmental power will grow. There events or activities have come to be k nown as strategic congruencies. Dependency : In an organisation the department that relies on another department for information, knowledge, materials or any other outputs finds itself vulnerable. However the department that is being relied on by over five departments finds itself in a very powerful position. Financial Resources: This is another source of power. In a business it is all about achieving the bottom line or making a profit. The department that is deemed to be steering the organisation towards such a goal is deemed to be powerful. The management does everything to ensure that the organisation gets what it needs in terms of financial and non-financial resources. For these departments even in times of scarcity of resources they find themselves having most of the resources they need. They have a higher priority over other departments when it comes to the distribution of these resources. With these scarce resources that they are given they make even more profit. Centrality: This brings in the issue of support staff and operations staff. The operational departments such as production are seen to be contributing directly to the firms total output. Other support staff such as human resources may be seen not to be contributing directly to the firm’s primary output and eventually to the firm’s bottom line. Those departments with direct staff or operations staff are more powerful. Their requests are heard fully before other departments can really lay out their issues. One of the ways of recognising the central departments is their relationship to the organisational strategy (Shukla, 2004, p. 112) Non-substitutability: This comes in where there are certain staffs in the organisation that cannot be easily replaced. There is no one else with the level of skills and expertise that they possess. This gives them power. It could be an individual or a whole department. The organisation will find itself seeking for third party services or expertise when the individual is on leave or he leaves the organisation suddenly either through dismissal or resignation. Coping with uncertainty. Another source of power is when a department handles the aspect of uncertainty well. The truth is that in an organisation there will always be uncertainty to some extent on market sales, promotions and other interactions with the external environment. A department that therefore assists the organisation to deal with uncertainty is perceived to be very powerful. Managers should therefore strive to take advantage of these strategic congruencies. Organisational Politics Appropriate use: There are certain dangers of using politics to resolve conflict in the organisation. First of all, it often involves the use of deceptive or dishonesty. It usually causes even further conflict aggravating the existing tense feelings. Most people feel anxious, insecure and nervous in a working environment where there is a lot of conflict. It also increases the level of job dissatisfaction and may lead to certain levels of employee turnover. In this environment, the staff will exhibit low work morale, inferior outlook, low quality of work results and errors. There will be poor decisions made as people seek self-satisfaction showing a deviation in the staff from achieving team work and the organisational goals. However politics can be used positively in the organisation where this form of power is not abused. The proper and acceptable use and view of politics is where it is used as a tool for the bargaining and negotiating of rights and tasks in the organisation. In this way it helps to solve conflicts and equips staff in negotiation and decision making skills. Domains of Political Activity Structural Change and Management Succession Political power may be implemented through structural change in the organisation. It may occur in diverse ways. The management may change the responsibilities or tasks of certain individuals. This is where the managers will be found in meetings negotiating and striving to be heard so that they can maintain the responsibilities and roles that they had before. The organisation’s staff may experience a high level of transfers, promotions, dismissals or retrenchments and hiring of new staff (Rahim, 2010, p. 155). This occurs mostly at the top management level. To provide a buffer for themselves managers usually engage in informal networks for support, communication and cooperation is required for survival. Members in the different departments can even be exchanged so as to reduce the level of intergroup bias and attitudes. It will create understanding as staff experiences the challenges that other staff in other groups experience. The methods of communication within the organisation can even be altered so as to find a medium that gives clearer communication between the groups. Resource Allocation Political power may also be demonstrated by the degree of resources allocated to staff or groups. When speaking of resources it includes a wide range of resources such as employees or manpower, salaries, office equipment and operating budgets. In an organisation there are groups that will be given more resources than others. The discrepancies in the degree of resources given to different departments increase the tendency towards disharmony in an organisation (Alderfer Smith, 1982) Power is also vested in departments that control critical inputs for other departments in the processing process (Shukla, 2004, p. 114) Political Tactics for Using Power There are different tactics that managers use to get what they want. The use of power where there is intergroup conflicts requires the manager to be skilful or even sly. Lack of preparedness may cause him or her not to accomplish their goal. Building of coalitions: In order for a manager to be able to use this strategy, he must have a high level of interpersonal skills. To build a coalition does not happen in a formal environment, most of the time it occurs in informal meetings. Building the social networks assists the managers to accomplish certain tasks (Boyatzis, 1982, p. 122). Before a major meeting, the manager engages other managers either in one on one session or in hurdles of threes in order to convince them to see and advocate for his point of view. The manager must be perceived to be acting in the best interests of other managers and the organisation as a whole. The foundation set by the manager should be one of trust, mutual respect and harmony. Expansion of Networks: A second strategy that the manager may use is to work towards expanding the size of his network. This is where an individual either seeks out relationships with other new managers or gets a way of getting the managers who are not sympathetic to his side. The organisation opts to transfer or promote individuals to come to strategic positions so that they can fight for the departmental access to certain resources or privileges. There is also th e approach of bringing people who are against the system closer to management so as to win their support. A good example is where there are certain managers against the promotion and salary system in the organisation. In order to get their support the management promotes the managers and brings them to be in the committee. This way they can see the challenges involved in the administration of the promotion and salary policies and appreciate the approach the organisation in order to achieve balance and harmony. This is known as â€Å"modelling† the desired behaviour for the staff so that the top management is able to accomplish its task with the staff support (Boyatzis, 1982, p. 122) The Control of decision premises: In this political tactic, the manager may choose not to reveal all the information to the other managers so as to influence them to do what he wants. Similarly, he may only tell the other managers the favourable information concerning his department and hide other negative information that will not help him achieve the results that he wants. This method of control of decision premises actually refers to the act of restraining or constraining the boundaries of decision making which is what the manager is doing by giving selective information. The manager is affecting the foundation of decision making which is access to information (Gareth, 1997, p. 165). A university department while campaigning for additional resources will emphasize its growth in recent time periods. Another strategy is in manipulating the agenda during meetings. Items that the manager wants to receive crucial attention will be placed will be discussed early when the other managers have a lot of energy to discuss and give their contribution. Other items that are deemed to be less crucial at that time are placed at the end of the meeting when the people are tired and in a hurry to leave since the attention given to them will be obviously low. The manager may also choose to c all attention to certain items in the agenda and even offer viable alternatives so that he can kick off a discussion. Use of legitimacy and expertise: In an organisation there are those managers who are known to be experts in certain fields. In this strategy, the manager will seek to give other managers his requests relevant to his area of expertise. Due to his recognition in that domain, the other managers will agree to his request quickly. If the request involves some area that is a bit too complex, the manager can choose to involve third party professional or technical experts in order to increase the weight of his request in his favour. In other scenarios, change in an organisation is most of the time resisted by the established systems in the organisation for a long time. The management can use politics to remove these people in order to institute the changes that they desire (Shukla, 2004, p. 111) Balancing preferences and power: the manager cannot afford to be silent since hi s department will not get the support and resources that are needed. The managers should use power implicitly, wisely or slyly and make his requests explicitly. There are requests that are usually considered in an organisation because there were no other viable alternatives suggested by other managers. Other manager’s suggestions could have missed selection and appropriate discussion simply because the requests were ambiguous, unclear and confusing. One should be clear about his requests in meetings. The manager has to take a risk and speak out. Managers are in a position to influence the agenda of meetings (Shukla, 2004, p. 110) Power should never be announced. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth. People in the organisation know the departments and individuals who are powerful. If a manager draws undue attention to the power or say he has, other managers will not support him as they will find him to be self-seeking or selfish. Managers must therefore balance the rational and political nature of their work. They should use politics positively to achieve desired goals. Conclusion There are different ways in which intergroup conflicts can be resolved however the use of political power should be used with caution due to the precarious side effects it may have. There has to be a balance. Political power is a great tool for managers to solve intergroup conflicts that will usually be there in any organisation. References Boyatzis, R. (1982). The competent manager: A model for effective performance.  New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons. Daft, R., Murphy, J., Willmott, H. (2010).  Organization theory and design. Boston,  MA: Cengage Learning. Galinsky, A. (2002). Creating and reducing intergroup conflict: The role of perspective-taking in affecting out-group evaluations. Volume of Research on Managing Groups and Teams, 4, 85–113. van Gelder, C. (2007). Defining the issues related to power and authority in religious leadership Journal of Religious Lea dership, 6(2). Retrieved from https://arl-jrl.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Van-Gelder-Defining-the-Issues-2007-Fall.pdf Makin, P., Cooper, C., Cox, C. (1996).  Organizations and the psychological  contract: Managing people at work. Westpost, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group. Morgan, G. (1998). Images of organization. San Francisco, CA:  Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Nelson, D., Campbell, J. (2004).  Quick understanding organizational behavior. Mason, OH: South Western College Publishers. Rahim, M. (2001). Managing conflict in organizations (3rd ed.).  Westport, CT: Quorum Books. Shukla, M. (2004).  Understanding organizations: Organizational theory and  practice in Indi. New Delhi, India: Prentice Hall. Spoelstra, H., Pienaa, W. (1991).  Negotiation: Theories, strategies and skills. Cape Town, South Africa: Juta Academic. This research paper on Intergroup Conflicts in Organisations was written and submitted by user Amber K. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

French Food Idioms

French Food Idioms Food is a very important subject in France. We always discuss food, especially when we are eating! The French also commonly use some hilarious food-based idioms which would be quite difficult to guess if you didnt know them.   1 - French Food Idiom: Avoir un Coeur dArtichaut To Have an Artichoke Heart   To be Very Sensitive This means to be very sensitive. To cry easily. Maybe because when cooked, the artichoke heart becomes soft, although the artichoke itself has pricks. So the heart is well hidden under prickly leaves, just like someone hiding his sensitive side. This idiom goes well with another one: à ªtre un dur cuir - to be hard to cook to be a tough guy. Pierre a lair dà ªtre un dur cuir, mais en fait, il a un vrai coeur dartichaut.Pierre looks like a tough guy, but in reality he is really sensitive. 2 - French Food Idiom: Raconter des Salades To Tell Salads   To tell long tales, lies Arrà ªte de dire nimporte quoi : je sais bien que tu racontes des salades !Stop speaking nonsense: I know you are lying! 3 - French Food Idiom: Ramener sa Fraise To Bring Back Your Strawberry   To Impose When Not Wanted La fraise - strawberry is a long time synonym for face. So ramener sa fraise means to show up, to impose yourself when not expected / invited. Regarde ! Voil Jean ! Celui-l, il ramà ¨ne toujours sa fraise au moment du dà ®ner. Comme cest bizarre.Look! Here comes Jean! This guy, he always shows up at dinner time. How Strange... 4 - Avoir La frite / la pche / la banane / la patate To have the French-fry / the peach / the banana / the potato   To Feel Great We have many idioms to say to feel great. These four words are interchangeable and very commonly used in French. Je ne sais pas comment tu fais pour avoir la pà ªche le matin. Moi, je suis toujours creuvà ©e.I dont know how to do to be full of energy in the morning. Myself, Im always exhausted. 5 - En Faire Tout un Fromage To Make a Whole Cheese Out of It.   To Make a Mountain Out of a Molehill Ça suffit ! Je me suis dà ©j excusà ©e : arrà ªte den faire tout un fromage !Enough! I already said I was sorry: stop making a mountain out of a molehill! 6 - Les Carottes sont Cuites = Cest la fin des Haricots The carrots are cooked/its the end of the beans.   There is no More hope. This must be one of the most obscure French idioms. Even so that it is said that les carottes sont cuites was used as a code during the war. In any case, both these idioms may be explained by the fact that the food they refer to carrots and beans are cheap, and are the last resort food. If there is none left, its starvation. Thats why they are linked to lost hope. Cest fini, la France a perdu. Les carottes sont cuites.Its the end, France lost. There is no more hope. 7 - Mle-toi de Tes Oignons ! Mix with Your Own Onions   Mind Your Own Business Apparently, â€Å"les oignons† is a familiar term for â€Å"les fesses† (buttocks) due to their round shape. The expression â€Å"occupe-toi de tes fesses† being a bit vulgar, but very used as well. We also say mà ªle-toi / occupe-toi de tes affaires which is an exact translation of mind your own business. Alors, c’est vrai ce que j’ai entendu ? Tu sors avec Bà ©atrice maintenant ?Is it true what I’ve heard? You’re going out with Beatrice now? Mà ªle-toi de tes oignons !  Mind your own business! ​More About the French onion

Engineering management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Engineering management - Essay Example Therefore, it can be said that the company or the management of the company in particular would have to take all these aspects into consideration and ascertain whether all the constraints associated with these factors are suitable or not. The product can only be introduced if and only if a majority of these factors are found or are projected to be favorable to the interests of the company. Therefore, a company needs to two things in this regard. The first and the foremost requirement is to conduct a fair assessment of the various constraints and make a forecast. Secondly, the company also needs to come up with an action plan in order to be able to handle any situation such as things not going along as expected or detecting some errors in the forecast etc (Blanchard & Fabrycky, 2004). therefore, all these factors need to be considered before the introduction of the product into the market. Therefore, this is the key consideration that the current paper would attempt to discuss in dept h in line with the concepts of System engineering. The paper would accurately determine the resources that would be required for each phase of the project in addition to determining the implications if any of the calculations went wrong. These p Systems engineering & Analysis The introduction of a new product into the market may be regarded as a project. Generally, such a development would usually comprise the following stages (Blanchard, 2001): Analyze the current products in the market. Drive internal R&D (Research & Development). Design new Product. Ensure that the new product's attributes are competitive enough to survive the market pressures and be able to offer healthy competition to existing and established products. Be able to make the necessary adjustments in all possible respects in order to achieve the above-mentioned objective.These phases are not sequential in order and may vary in their sequence of occurrence. In many cases, these steps have been found to be iterative in nature. The focus of the company that intends to develop and market a new product would be to use the resources to the least possible extent and to be able to use them in an efficient manner. This can be achieved through the concept of system analysis. Under this, the entire development is considered to be a complex system. Thus, system analysis would concentrate on studying every part of the system as well as the relationships between these parts in detail. It must be mentioned that it does not matter whether the system under consideration is an abstract system or a physical system, the former being the one in the present case. Most operations that are conducted under systems analysis are based on the use of certain mathe matical models for generating the appropriate results. These mathematical equations are used for describing the behavior of the system's individual components as well as the effects caused as a result of the interaction of these individual components. The estimation of the various resources along with their quantities can be classified into two main categories, which are discussed in detail: Operations Research. PERT &

Human Element of Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Human Element of Project Management - Essay Example Many of the organizations have segregated the change process as the summation of small projects and then take project-based management model to accomplish tasks related to these small projects. According to Melbourne (2003), organizations must develop project management approach in accordance with resource capabilities such as financial resources, human capital, technological capability etc. Careful analysis of the research work of previous research scholars shows that change management and project management is interlinked whereas human elements play significant role in ensuring the success of both the model. Such exhilarating nature of relationship between change management, project management and role of human element has influenced the researcher to dig deep on the topic and understand how these three verticals are interlinked. Focus of this essay has been summarized in the next section. This essay will try to shed some light on role of leadership in driving, managing and directi ng change process. Initially the study will try to understand various aspects of change process in the backdrop of project management but in the later part of the essay, both of the process will be treated separately. Understanding the human factor or role of change agents in business change will be the essence of this essay. On the other hand, difficulties regarding management of human factor and resistance of employees towards the change process will be discussed in this paper. The essay will try to probe into issues like, role of leadership in addressing the conflict of interest between project managers and clients while understanding the role of strategic dimension and competencies in successful implementation of change process will also be the focal point of this essay. 1. Change Management in the Backdrop of Project Management According to Partington (1996), project management can be classified as instigator for change program. Winch et al (2012) have defined project managemen t as the collection of various activities such as planning, controlling, monitoring etc in order to achieve the project objective. Winch et al (2012) have also pointed out that project management can be classified as much needed interventions which are pertinent to change process. However, it is highly arguable topic among research scholars whether project-based management approach facilitates the change management process or not. In such context, the study will try to understand change management in the light of project-based management approach. Winch et al (2012) have argued that, continuous improvement through project based management and organisational change is inseparable axioms, hence it is very difficult to imagine a project management approach which has not been created in order to change the normal process flow. Parker and Craig (2008) have rightly underpinned that project management is a temporary approach which has pre-defined starting point and measurable outcomes. Tea ms are formed in accordance with the requirement of the project and these teams get dismantled after the completion of the project. McElroy (1996) has identified some common characteristics for project management such as coordination of activities, controlling the variance in the outcome of the project, identification of risk, resource planning etc. However, project manageme

Identify the pathways and stores of water, sediment and nutrients from Essay

Identify the pathways and stores of water, sediment and nutrients from the uplands to the coast in typical northwest England - Essay Example As water flows naturally to the sea, it forms various features as it interacts with various factors on its way. In some cases, the water gets stored temporarily in reservoirs, most of the time moving at various speeds. Depending on the speed of movement, the water collects, transports and deposits objects including soil, rocks, and wood. Using these objects, the water at high speed can create new features as the objects brush against other objects in the water path. Water also dissolves nutrients and minerals while suspending tiny particles which are later deposited as sediments at lower speeds. This paper is dedicated to discussing the water pathways from the typical northwest England catchments and its flow to the sea. 2). Definition of terms Pathways: In the context of this essay, pathways refers to the routes of flow traveled by water, nutrients and sediments as they move from the uplands to the coast. ... Sediments: These are materials broken down by the processes of erosion and weathering and are subsequently transported through the actions of wind and liquid water and glaziers. These materials are naturally occurring. Nutrients: These are chemicals required by organisms for them to live and grow well or a substance required for the process of metabolism and must be taken from the organism’s environment. Uplands: Refers to areas of higher altitudes Coast: Refers to a strip of land bordering the sea and as such, it is an area of low lower altitude. Catchments: Refers to a main source, the region from where a substance or material is supplied to the rest of the areas that form part of the material’s or substance pathway. 3). The pathways and stores of water, sediment and nutrients from the uplands to the coast in typical northwest England catchments a) Pathways and stores of water from the uplands to the coast in typical northwest England catchments The pathway of water i n any particular region typically begins with the hydrological cycle. At the beginning of this cycle, water is changed from liquid into its gaseous, vapour, which ascends to the higher altitudes. Here, it is cooled and falls down as rain, which falls either directly as into the various rivers, lakes and man-made reservoirs or flow into them as surface runoff. Vegetation are important in making this water to sip into the ground from where they flow as underground water till they join rivers, lakes or man-made reservoirs. In typical northwest England catchments, the water moves along various pathways. These include fast ways for example overland flow, or drain ?ow, shallow sub-surface ?ow and slower pathways. The slower

A Reflective Clinical Assignment Nursing Essay

A Reflective Clinical Assignment Nursing Essay The students questioning the practice of controlling infections in the community arise due to the infections seeming to be a less significant part in the policy formation. It is common in some hospitals for only patients in admission are thought to have MRSA are the only ones who will undergo screening. This is in the work of Simone, et al. (2005). This shows that the hospitals main concentration is on patients they see as threats to spreading the infections. I think the tests should be done for all patients in the hospital and the people who visit the hospitals as a compulsory mechanism to detect the infection early. Dobzhansky (1973, p.67) states that, Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution. Thus, they should get funds to conduct research on various infections. There are similar approaches done for other infections like the H1N1 flue. There was a case of H1N1 in 2009, in America that gave them a scare because they were not in preparation for the disease. This is in the work of Fridskin (2005). This shows that they were not ready with the right policies to eliminate the infection. The topic is indeed a continuation of the various explorations of infections in the country. This is because there are various articles and journals providing extensive information on various approaches on treating infections. Section 2 The literature does relate to the main topic of infection in a direct way by providing a method to deal with the health care infections. For example, this Antiseptic technique ensures that individuals live in an environment free of microscopic pathogens. The department of Health states that, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦healthcare professionals must apply rigorously and consistently the measures known to be effective in reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) and that clinical team must demonstrate high standards of aseptic technique. The antiseptic method is made up of two methods that include surgical aseptic and aseptic non-touch technique. The two methods allow control of infection in hospitals as well as outside the hospital. There is the aspect of reducing infection by using comprehensive methods. This means that not only the hospitals should be aware of the dangers of infections but also the public at large. I think, it is possible that, patients who undergo surgery to get noscomical MRSA. This is in support of Fridiskin (2005). Thus, the diseases that cause the infection do not always originate from the hospitals but the general public is prone to the diseases as much as hospital patients. In conducting my study, it was evident that the literature does indeed consider the aspect of getting a better understanding of infection. My study does provide grounds for the statistical data in numbers those with infections. There is also the aspect of the literature emphasizing the inclusion of new agents in the process of research. This is as a result of adapting to the current change state of viruses and the discovery of more elusive viruses. There are many cases where Gram-positive species have become increasingly resistant to previously effective medicines. This is in the work of Murugan and Peter (2004). The topic understands that in turn to be able to be critical in reflecting one has to understand first that there are new methods available. According to me the literatures are in agreement with infections taking over the community and hospitals at large. This is as the following aspects of the literature speak the type of infections. This is in identifying the infection of it is MRSA (Methicillin-resistant S. aureui) or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This helps in better treatment of the infection, unlike if the knowledge on the infection was absent. There is also the aspect of understanding the gravity of the infections. That is that the statistics show that 30% of the population fall victims to the MRSA infections when they are carriers without knowing. Simone, et al. (2005, p.65) state that, During the 1950s hospital strains of S. aureus showed increasing resistance to penicillin. This showing that treatment of infections has to gain improvement by introducing new drugs and treatment methods. This could be made possible by the researchers reflecting on how the infection is able to mutate and flourish in the community. There is also the facet of having the knowledge on how to treat infections. The literature also acknowledges that not all schools of thought are on the same page. The methods that I may decide to use may be in support of one group and controversial to the other. This is in the work of Simone, et al. (2005). In this case, one school proposes that MRSA eradication should be done in terms of colonization while the other says that colonization is not an effective method. This is an essential aspect of the programs suitable to reduce the prevalence of infection. Thus, both the school of thoughts should be put into consideration, and the course of action should weigh which school they support or integration of both. In my process of removing infections in the community and hospitals, there are challenges. These are in terms of the circumstances as the literature suggests. The environment where the infection originates dictates how the methods in use will be effective. For example, if screening is at the hospital the infection will gain identification. The opinion on the literature in provision is that it tackles the main aspects of the infections providing new methods and remedies. It includes all the individuals from who are prone to infections, which is essential in the study. This is in support of Ruddy (2001). This ensures that the wealth of information is vast and highly useful in combating the diseases. There are statistical data that help in better understanding of the infections coverage. The literature covers MRSA in a broad manner from what it is to viable treatments. Thus, the literature is a valuable backbone for further research on infection and adapting better therapeutic methods. There is research done on the aseptic methods of treating infections, and it finds that, Hart (2007, p.65) states, The importance of adopting an ANTT by all healthcare workers for all patients should be emphasized. This is as a result of studies that show that aseptic non-touch techniques are viable this is because they include the househol ds. Section 3 The literature shows that the community and hospital are on the way to adopting change. Simone, et al. (2005, p.85) states that, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦only patients admitted from hospital wards where MRSA is known to be present are screened for MRSA prior to transfer. Hence the investigators were keen to study patients transferred from settings other than this. The medical system has come to the realization that other individuals outside the hospital are indeed carriers of infections. Various authors are making it known that the mutation of infections is detrimental. That the hospital needs to, set funds aside to aid, in researching on remedies to combat infections. Fedtke (2004, p.24) states that, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the bacterium bolsters its defenses against antibacterial attack. The bacteria do evolve at a much faster rate faster than humans do. Thus, there should be constructive research progressing in order to even the odds. The techniques in use, in the literature, also encourage individuals to adapt to the new therapies and technique. For example, the Newer Treatment Options for Skin and Soft Tissue Infections. These changes can gain realization by the hospital and community. In the case of the evolution and the rapid change of the bacteria, the possibility is high. There is the availability of up to date technology that will aid in the research of the various bacteria. Nevertheless, even though the bacteria mutate fast the technology is also changing rapidly. The data will also be made out in a clear and constructive way that will allow the flow of ideas on the various methods to eradicate infections. It is true that rational antimicrobial and awareness of infection control measures is vital to avert the emergence of multidrug-resistant organisms. This is in support of Murugan and Peter (2004). The education system is also favorable as the clinical research courses are extensive thus a number of individuals can work together. Fridkin (2005, p.67) states that, In some American cities, for example, Baltimore and Atlanta, community-associated MRSA infections are now common and serious. This shows that not only the patients in the hospital but the community fall victims to infections. Thus, it is easy to change the focus of the research. The policies that hospitals use should be consistent with the severity of most infections, for example, pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection that attacks the larger population. In the past, it was not a major threat, but today it is. Susan (2007, p.56) states that, Patients are at increased risk for either type of pneumonia. Thus, medical systems in the hospitals should not hesitate to change the way they treat, diagnose and screen patients. The three approaches in combat evolution focus change and adaptation are in the literature. Charleboiset (2004, p.89) states that, Presumably patients and visitors export MRSA from the hospital to the community and vice versa. This supports the notion that the focus should change and the community to be part of the research. Thus, new adoption of policies and medicines will be the way to go for eradication of the infections. There is an area that the literature has not put finance. In this area of finance, the figures for the adoption of the various techniques are not present. Hence, the techniques and procedures will be difficult for implementation if the researcher does not have the numerical value estimates that the management requires. The issues that arise at my level as the practitioner include the grasp of the knowledge. In the study, of the various infections, which are numerous, it is tiresome and time consuming. This may deter the morale of the practitioner to produce results correctly and quickly. The issues that may arise at the level of the organization may include efficiency. This is where the research undergoes judging according to the way it was done. That is if the research abides to the rules and if it is right. The recommendation is that the hospitals should collaborate with each other in order for the research to be fruitful. References List Aveyard, H., 2002. The requirement for informed consent prior to nursing care procedures. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 37(3), pp.243-249. Bradley, C., 2000. Control of Hospital Infection: A Practical Handbook. 4th ed. London: Arnold. Charleboiset, R. et al., 2004. Origins of community strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Clin Infect Dis 39, pp.47-54. Department of Health, 2005. Saving Lives: the Delivery Programme to Reduce Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAI) Including MRSA. London: The Stationery Office. Department of Health, 2006. Environment and Sustainability Health Technical Memorandum 07-01: Safe Management of Healthcare Waste. London: VM Stationery Office Dobzliansky, T., 1973. Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution. Ann Biol Tech 35, pp.125-9. Fridkin, H. et al., 2005. Active Bacterial Core Surveillance Program of the Emerging Infections Program Network. N Engl J Med 352, pp.1436-44. Fedtke, F. et al., 2004. Bacterial evasion of innate host defense. J Med Microbiol 294, pp. 189-94. Gakuu, N., 1997. Review of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with special reference to handling of surgical patients. East African Med, 74, pp.198-/202. Hart, S., 2007. Using an aseptic technique to reduce the risk of infection. Nursing Standard, 21(47), pp.43-8. Murugan, R. and Peter, K.L, 2004. Newer Treatment Options for Skin and Soft Tissue Infections. Drugs, 64 (15), pp.1621-42. Ruddy, M. et al., 2001. Hospital hairdresser as a potential source of cross-infection with MRSA. J Hosp Infect 49, pp.225-7. Simone, A. et al., 2005. An investigation of MRSA infection in a hospice. Palliative Medicine 19, pp.188-196. Susan, H., 2007. When your patient has pneumonia. www.Nursing2007.com. Whitney, C. et al., 1997. The role of arbitrary primed PCR in identifying the source of an outbreak of Legionnaires disease. J Clin Microbiol, 35, pp.1800-4.

Free Essays - Use of Excessiveness in Twelfth Night :: Twelfth Night essays

Use of Excessiveness in Twelfth Night There are many methods to catching an audience's attention. Shakespeare for example, uses the method of excessiveness in his characters. Proof of this is shown in various forms throughout the novel, beginning with Orsino's obsessed love of Olivia. Then followed by Olivia's mourning for her long lost brother, and then her sudden change in interest. As well as thirdly, Viola's attitude of excess towards Orsino, we can see the method used for yet another time. The first Act jumps quickly into this form of excessiveness, drawing the reader into the novel, and gives personality to the characters. The thought of somebody being in love with another, whom they have never met, and never spoken to, is pure insanity. This man is clearly infatuated with this woman to " an excess." He is a perfect example of excess, since he is the first to mention it, and shows it rather clearly in his actions towards Olivia. He sends her messengers, thinks about her all the time, and every move he makes, is somehow related to her, although she has no idea who he is. Olivia herself, is another prime example of excess. Olivia shows it in two main ways starting with the mourning of her brother and father's death. Mourning, on a whole is a good normal thing, but in excess, (in this case, 7 years), is too much. She needs to move on with her life, and go on and do things, but she doesn't realize this until the spotting of Viola/Cesario, which brings me to her second way. Olivia becomes excessive over her/him, sending her messenger out to fetch him, just so she can see her/him again. Our third of many examples of excess in this act, is Viola's love for Orsino. Instead of leaving the country she was brought to and go back home like any other person, she disguises as an eunuch, so she can work for him. She would do anything to make him happy, even help him get Olivia's love, just for him to notice her. I think that, qualifies for excessiveness in this play. As you can tell, Shakespeare used many examples of excess in his writing, from the very start of the first scene.