Abstract This paper looks at how many organizations increasingly use teams to oversee various undertakings and projects within the organization. A team is defined as a group of people who have complementary skills, a higher commitment to common goals, and a higher degree of interdependency and interaction. It explores how a team setup can help motivate and improve the productivity of the employees within the organization. It also examines how teams need good structure and guidelines, however, if the team has to work effectively, and how it is important to ensure that every team works jointly towards maximum profit for the product.
Outline
Effective Decision-Making Strategies to Use When Working With Groups
Guidelines for ConsensusBuilding How Do Leaders Build Teams?
From the Paper "Most teams generally utilize five levels of decision-making: command, consult, majority, consensus and unanimity. It is easy to understand that these decision types are very closely related to the time factors teams may have in arriving at a decision. When the command type of decision-making process is used, the team leader identifies the tasks at hand and designates responsibilities to all the team members. This type of decision-making can be accomplished in the shortest possible time"it however has a major drawback. It will be difficult for the team leader to get buy in for the task from the team members of the team members do not agree with the decision made. Unanimity, on the other hand, ensures that all members like and accept the decision"they have to "buy-in" to the decision."
Abstract In this article, the writer discusses that despite their time-tested and proven positive points, a number of false perceptions continue to challenge truths regarding the timber-framed building. The writer purports that repeated strokes of correct information can figuratively fell or cut down even the most dense deceptions depicting the worth of timber-framed buildings. During the course of this study, this researcher counters false perceptions and confirms the correct conception that timber does not easily rot, decay and deteriorate. In fact, the writer concludes that even after extended periods of time, the durability and superior quality of timber when used as a building material can be repeatedly validated. The paper includes color figures.
Outline:
Chapter 1
Introduction
Correcting False Perceptions
Origin, Defects and Properties of Timber
Defects in Timber
Properties of Timber
Strength
Thermal Insulation
Thermal Movement
Density
Chemical Resistance
Fire Resistance and the Behavior of Timber in Fires
Chapter II
Embodied Energy Explained
Examples of Timber-Framed Buildings Built in The Past
Chapter III
Conclusion
Challenging Contentions Confirm
From the Paper "To better understand some of the general misconceptions about timber, this researcher presents an in-depth look at the origin and properties of timber, along with possible defects likely to reduce strength and stability in timber. Timber evolves from wood, a natural product derived from trees, and in some instances, from fibrous plants. As forests cover more than one-third of the world's land surface and approximately 8% of Britain, it is readily available.
"Consequently, timber proves to be a popular building material. When wood is cut and in many instances, pressed, it becomes lumber and timber which form boards, planks and numerous other products. These products, in turn, become generic building materials which may be used for almost any type of structure in the majority of world climates and environmental situations. "
Abstract This paper discusses the home building industry, including a brief history of this industry, an industry overview, and a SWOTT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats, and Trends) analysis of the industry. It also addresses the impact of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the unemployment rate, and the inflation rate as measured by the consumer price index (CPI). The paper details three economic indicators.
Home Building History
Home Building Overview
Strengths and Weaknesses
Unemployment Rate
Gross Domestic Product
Recommendations
Housing Starts
Personal Income
Recommendations
Interest Rates
Inflation
Interest Rates versus Inflation
Recommendations
Conclusion
From the Paper "The home building industry has been around for many years. The design, shape, and style of homes have changed over time. The industry is quite different than it was many years ago. When people first began to build they did not layout and draw plans and specs for their home. The first homes were built with one or two rooms in the entire house. Today, they average home has over 6 rooms, When home building first started there was no set rules and regulations that builders had to follow, now we have organizations such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration who helps set construction regulations for the home building industry. We also have NAHB (National Association Home Builders), which was started in 1942. The NAHB works with the state and local agencies to help establish government and legislature for home builders as well as establish affordable housing for everyone."
Abstract This paper discusses green building construction and points out that this design saves energy as well as money. The paper explains that green building construction is vital and is a determinative of project success. The paper also explains that the individual needs to take the initiative in addressing construction design and development and associated costs as well as funding, marketing and sales. In addition, the paper tells us that green building construction holds great financial promise for the future. A graph of taxes by state is included with the paper.
Outline:
Objective
Introduction
Significance of study
Methodology
Literature Review
Findings and Conclusion
From the Paper "The work of Andrew Meyerson (2005) entitled: "The Dollars and Cents of Green Construction" states that green construction and design can not only save energy but also can result in monetary savings in the areas of: (1) Tax breaks and rebates; (2) Lower construction costs; (3) Reduction or elimination of the need for heating and air-conditioning equipment and the associated costs of purchase, maintenance and electricity; (4) Reduction in energy and water bills by as much as fifty-percent; (5) Increase in labor productivity, retail customer sales and apartment rental prices; and (6) Protection of operating budgets from increases in energy prices. (Meyerson, 2005, p. 2) Meyerson relates that practically all states offer incentives in the form of reduction of taxes for construction that is friendly to the environment. (2005, p. 4) Additionally in green construction projects where a pre-existing structure is on the construction site, cost savings may be realized through reuse of as much of the existing structure as possible. Additionally, is it necessary to be aware of the attitudes that serve as drivers of the choice of clients to use the firm and added to this is the fact "that commercial 'green buildings' outperform their conventional counterparts across a wide variety of metrics, including energy savings, occupancy rates, sale price and rental rates, another very practical and often times overlooked data for improving the cash flow of the client is the "energy efficient commercial building tax deductions.""
Tags: green, building, construction, funding, marketing, save, money, energy
Abstract In this paper, the writer considers the history, benefits and efficiencies of smart buildings. The writer makes use of the animated television series 'The Jetsons' in order to discuss this subject.
From the Paper " In the animated television series 'The Jetsons' the working class father arrives home to be whisked up his high-rise apartment building by an elevator that delivers him to a chair attached to a moving belt, the wife prepares dinner in a kitchen that requires little more than her saying or punching in the desired dish and monitors throughout the city allow the family to keep in touch with one another through video phones. Fiction has long held out the promise of so-called smart ... "
Abstract This paper notes that security for high rise buildings differs from corporate security in several ways, often to the detriment of tenants of the high rise building. The paper discusses how even with an increasing concern about crime, many landlords simply do not provide the kind of security that tenants may want and that they may indeed believe they have. Landlords often sell their facilities on the basis of security, assuring prospective tenants that they are using the latest in security methods.
Abstract Have you ever had a problem that you could not solve? Maybe if you presented the problem to a team this would help. This paper examines the advantages of building a team, team members responsibilities, and the expectation of the team. It shows how important it is to ensure that the team for any specific task is comprised of members who are knowledgeable and possess the required skills needed to carry out the task.
I - Team Building II - Is a Team Needed?
III - The Benefits of Organization
IV - Selecting Team Players
V - Team Expectations
VI - Problems with Teams
From the Paper "Striving to meet organizational goals enables a team to reach their goals. Performance of a team in any organization is largely dependent on its members, their visions and goals, their individual performance, their willingness to work with each other and their desire to make the project a success. This is sometimes referred to as a group process and can be defined in teams to three maintenance behaviors - open communication, supportiveness, and conflict (Bottom & Baloff, 1994)."
Abstract This paper reviews what it means to be part of a group or a team in a business environment and how the individuals in the group or team work together, as well as how that group or team functions and coordinates with other groups and/or teams within the business as a whole. This paper discusses the necessary actions when building a team that will function well collectively, and with other teams in the organization.
From the Paper "In business, it is not enough to have a group, or even groups, of employees. To have a successful organization, it is necessary for those groups to operate as part of the whole. These groups must work toward the same goal, both with the group members they are assembled with, and also with the other groups within the organization. This paper is intended to discuss the process of building a team that will function well both internally and externally, with other teams in the organization. Groups and Teams Defined What is the difference between a group and a team? Both words are used to describe a collection of people, after all. According to Dictionary.com, the word "group" is defined as "an assemblage of persons or objects gathered or located together; an aggregation," of which may or may not be related to each other in some way (2005a)."
Abstract This paper discusses the article "Turning Points in International Organization," by Daniel Druckman. The writer explains the three types of turning points that Druckman identifies as instrumental to international organization--procedural, substantive, and external--and describes how Druckman gives examples to back the claims that he makes. The writer also describes Druckman's conclusions about security negotiations and environmental and trade negotiations, with external turning points being more influential on the former and substantive turning points affecting the latter. The paper concludes that because trade, and especially environmental issues affect the world as a whole, Druckman's scholarship regarding turning points will positively affect the future of international negotiations if extreme globalization due to communications technology is taken into account.
From the Paper "While this application of turning points is an interesting contributor to the continuing discussion of international relations negotiations, Druckman suggests it has significant implications for one's understanding of international negotiation. While security issues were most associated with external turning points, suggesting an adversarial type of negotiation environment, environmental and trade negotiations were associated with internal, or substantive and procedural, turning points. This suggests a collaborative environment. Thus, Druckman suggests that these turning points allow others to view the differing attitudes with which governments view different types of negotiations (Druckman 522-523)."
Tags:consensus-buildingtypology, World War Two, Churchill NAFTA collaborative imperialism
Abstract This paper discusses the important role that typology has to play in proper scripture interpretation. It discusses a brief history of the use of typology in the understanding of scripture. It then looks at the strengths and weaknesses of this form of interpretation. Finally, the paper presents examples of the use of typology in understanding a number of events from the Bible.
Table of Contents:
Typology: A Definition
Introduction
Importance of Types
Types & Allegories
A Brief History
Introduction
Early Church Fathers
Reformers
Weaknesses
Allegories
Over-analyzing
Strengths
Deeper Understanding
Typology: An Example
Introduction
The Exodus Story
The Moses - Jesus Connection
The Egypt - Sin Connection
The Passover - Crucifixion Connection
The Manna - Christ Connection
The Mount Sinai - Justification Connection
The Kadesh-Barnea - Crossroads Connection
The Wilderness - Sanctification Connection
The Canaan - Spirit Filled Life Connection
Conclusion
Conclusion
From the Paper "This exaltation of Jesus Christ above Moses is the capstone on this Exodus-Hebrews typology pyramid. Comparing the two occurrences doesn't really have much of a point without the mention that the work of Christ is better than the work of Moses. Moses freed the people from an earthly bondage. Christ freed them from spiritual slavery. The Passover kept the firstborns from a physical death. The crucifixion keeps Christians from a spiritual death. The Red Sea was a physical show of faith. A baptism is a faith promise - a public display of an internal decision. Manna sustained the Israelites physically, while Christ sustains Christians spiritually. The wilderness was a time of testing for the Israelites. The sanctification process is a time of testing for the Christian. Mount Sinai provided the Israelites with laws to live by; justification for a Christian doesn't involve laws, but faith. Kadesh-Barnea was a time of testing when the Israelites have to choose whether to stand for God or waiver in their faith. Each Christian reaches a crossroad in their life when they have to make a similar decision. The Israelites who stood firm with Christ were rewarded, eventually, with Canaan. Christians who stand firm with Christ will be rewarded with the spirit-filled life."
Abstract This paper examines the major notions of the typological approach. It outlines and discusses the relevance of at least two classic typologies used in the study of community. It then discusses the major notions of the ecological approach in the study of community and outlines and discusses the relevance of at least two examples of classical ecology used in the study of community. The paper contains a figure of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory.
Table of Contents:
Objective
Typological Approach Defined
Two Classic Typologies in Study of Community
Ecological Approach in the Study of Community
Summary and Conclusion
From the Paper "Typological studies of a community within the framework of the ecological systems theory takes into consideration the interdependence of systems that lead to differential outcomes whether those outcomes be in terms of education, language development, reading and mathematics skills or other skills that are learned within the framework of the community and all the interacting factors within that community . Interacting factors within a community include economic and political factors as well as the complex relationships that exist between individuals and their relationships with their families, institutions in the community, and their own individual relationship with all these aspects of the community in which they live and develop."
Abstract The paper discusses the importance of teamwork and team-building and provides the history of team development. The paper explains that if any conflict exists among employees, this will become a barrier in reaching the company's desired strategies. The paper examines conflict resolution that can be addressed through team efforts that lead to increased communication, consensus decisions and positive results. The paper discusses the role of a leader in managing conflict in a positive way and in building strong, successful teams.
Outline:
Introduction
History of Team Development
Conflict Resolution
Building Effective Teams
Types of Internal Conflicts
Leadership and Communication
Conclusion
From the Paper "The interactions of small groups have been of interest to social psychologists for sometime. However, it has only been in recent years that they began to look at teams and how they function within the organizational setting. The term "sociometry" first appeared in the Psychological Abstracts index in 1940 with references to the work of individuals such as psychiatrist Jacob Levi Moreno, and the term "group dynamics" was listed in 1945 with reference to the work of Kurt Lewin and his colleagues. The first use of "small groups" and "group interaction" was in 1950 in conjunction of researchers such as Robert Bale."
Abstract The paper traces the parallels between Huckleberry's journey to rescue the slave Jim and the biblical story of Moses leading the Jews out of Egypt both physically and spiritually from a puritan typology perspective.
From the Paper "In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain challenges the hypocrisy of the United States of America, the nation which claims to be founded on the principle of equality; the nation that came into being with the declaration that people are "endowed by their Creator" with the "inalienable rights" of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" (The Norton Anthology 294), which is at the same time a nation which supports and enforces the institution of slavery. Huckleberry Finn may be regarded as a social critique of a self-styled devout, white America. Twain is especially critical of early settlers of the American colonies such as the Puritans. These people regarded themselves a second 'chosen people,' who made 'the Exodus' from the bondage and oppression of Europe to arrive at the land of opportunity; a people who saw their everyday life in relation to Biblical events. Yet while these Puritans had achieved their own redemption from oppression, they neglect the central message of the original Exodus that "If a stranger sojourn with thee in the land, ye shall not be extortionate to him. But the stranger that sojourneth with you shall be as a native amongst you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt (Leviticus 19: 33-34)." They have even gone so far as to become oppressors - slave owners - themselves. As a result of their abuses, Twain infers, the Exodus of the Puritans has become tarnished and invalidated. America itself is in need of self-reexamination, transformation and renewal of its covenant of freedom."
Abstract This paper explains that the Butskellism consensus in Britain represented a broad and general agreement between Britain's two major political parties on how the nation should be governed.
The paper then proceeds to outline the characteristics that personified the post war consensus in order to not only ascertain whether its extent has been exaggerated but also to learn why it emerged in the first place. The paper also addresses the positive literature along, with the revisionism that the post war political period has been subject to and concludes that a broad agreement on the goals to be achieved existed, although the methods to carry out this endeavour may have differed.
From the Paper "When the Conservative Party was returned to office in 1951 there was widespread concern within Labour ranks that their nationalisation legislation would be quickly reversed. However, with the exception of Iron and Steel and Road Haulage, denationalised in 1953 and 1954 respectfully, Churchill's government retained the Atlee administrations principle measures of nationalisation and with it the commitment to a mixed economy. Dorey sums up this point admirably, "The main thing to stress is how little was done by the Conservatives either to change the existing structures or to clarify the relationship between the government and the state owned corporations". "
Tags: winston, churchill, Conservative, Party, labour
