The Threat of Nuclear Power - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1835 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/08/16 Category Energy Industry Essay Level High school Tags: Nuclear Power Essay Did you like this example?   There is a touching book based on a real story called Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes written by Eleanor Coerr. The book is about a two-year-old girl Sadako who survived Hiroshima bombing, but by the age of twelve she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She was informed that she had one year to live. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Threat of Nuclear Power" essay for you Create order The story is about her journey during the last year of her life. The plot is about Sadako making a thousand origami cranes, as the Japanese legend promises one wish to those who can do it.   Her only wish was to live and that gave her hope, but she died before she could finish making a thousand paper cranes. After Fukushima, Chernobyl, Hiroshima and Nagasaki disasters we know a nuclear war can wipe us all out, but despite the public concern for environment, international relations, and the future of our planet it has not made any impact on those in who have the power to stop the madness. It seems like the greed for money and power is the main reason nothing is being done about it. The likelihood of nuclear disaster occurring in one of the power plants somewhere is relatively small, but the aftermath of one is too great of a risk to take. Fukushima is still leaking into the Pacific Ocean seven years after the earthquake, and the area near Chernobyl power station is still uninhabitable thirty-two years later. Nuclear weapons probably pose a greater risk than a nuclear reactor meltdown, still it does not mean we should keep building nuclear power plants. Even though nuclear energy is cleaner than fossil fuels it can still be dangerous.   Nuclear Power is the manipulation of nuclear atomic reactions, using process called nuclear fission. With nuclear fission atoms are split and made into kinetic energy which heats up pipes and produces steam inside the generators which is the converted into electricity. Most Nuclear energy today is retrieved from nuclear fission, which depends on the use of uranium and plutonium. The first nuclear power plant was established in Russia in 1954, then in England in 1956 Nuclear energy was opened for commercial production. Today Nuclear power makes up fourteen percent of the worlds electricity. Even though it is carbon dioxide free, its not pollution free and can still be harmful if used as a weapon, or if a disaster occurred in one of the power plants around the world. The reason nuclear power is so dangerous is because of its radioactive emissions given off by Cesium, plutonium, Strontium, uranium, iodine, tritium and radioactive isotopes called alpha, beta and gamma radiation which dif fer in their relative power and intensity. Gamma radiation is the strongest form of radiation because of its penetrating force which can cause a blast sweeping everything within its range. Alpha radiation does most damage when ingested into living bodies. As contaminated food and water gets into the digestive system it damages cell membranes and kills them causing development of cancer overtime. Beta radiation consists of tiny particles that can pass through skin tissue severely wounding it. While there are some precautions and measures corporations have to take to ensure safety to the public the long-term threat of nuclear energy or weapons still poses a great danger to all living beings. In 2011 on March 11 Japan faced an event that nobody foresaw. Caused by a magnitude nine earthquake followed with a powerful tsunami three reactors of the nuclear power station Fukushima Daichi began to meltdown creating a complete disaster that continues to affect the world to this day. After the backup generators failed to supply cold water to the cores, Uranium rods started to melt within just a couple of hours after the earthquake hit, turning uranium into hot molten lava which made its way through the containment tank and then the concrete floor and eventually into the earth. Now the water from the mountains nearby pours over the reactors and becomes radioactive, making its way into the Pacific Ocean, and contaminating oceanic life and water. Today seven years after the disaster Fukushima is still contaminating the ocean because nobody can get close to the cores to clean up the mess as anyone could be killed by exposure to radiation within minutes. The Chernobyl nuclear power pl ant disaster happened on April 26, 1986 in the city of Pripyat, Ukraine. While Fukuhara occurred due by to a natural geological event The Chernobyl meltdown happened due to poor management and miscommunication. When the meltdown happened the toxic air from the blast drifted over for miles and forced 350,000 people to leave their homes and evacuate. During this incident many people died, and the authorities are the ones to blame for the incompetence and lack of preparation for an event like that. The precise number of casualties is unknown, but according the International Atomic Energy Agency there were fifty-six direct deaths, nine of which were children who died of thyroid cancer. One hundred thirty-three servicemen were hospitalized with acute radiation sickness and twenty-eight of them died within a few weeks after. Casualties of Chernobyl would not happen today because we have better understanding and better safety precautions for situations as such. Another thing that poses dan ger is nuclear weapons. During 1940s and 1950s the United States was preparing for warfare during the Cold War. The nuclear tests took place in Bikini Atoll located in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. They performed twenty-three tests over twelve years, forcing the settlers of the island to relocate due to high levels of radiation. Seventy years later we can still see the aftermath of that operation as many of the inhabitants of the island developed cancer and other diseases related to the radiation from the tests. Currently there are 450 nuclear power plants around the world. Annually they produce from 2000 to 2300 metric tons of high-level radioactive waste and a lot of it is not stored safely. Some radioactive elements take minutes to decay while other take thousands of years. For example, Tc-99 takes 220,000 years to decay, I-129 17 million years, Np-237 two million years, and Pu-239 24,000 years. Also, used uranium fuel rods which are extremely dangerous and must be stored in facilities with special water pools to be cooled off with cold water for ten years before they can be safely removed and put into dry storage. Nuclear radiation if not stored properly emits ionizing molecules, the same kind of particles that scatter when a nuclear bomb explodes. Ionizing molecules damage human DNA and kill cells or cause them to mutate which then progress into cancer. The effects of radiation on the food we eat are extremely worrisome. Fukushima radiation leaks into the water, the algae absorb radiati on, crustaceans eat the algae, big fish eats crustaceans, humans eat the fish, and humans get cancer. Were jeopardizing things we depend on, we put toxic waste into the ocean we fish from. After the Fukushima disaster we have been finding radiation in tuna. Radiation gets into the food, then into breast milk, and that results in babies being born with deformities. Increasing rates of cancer at this scale are something weve not had before, and its clearly caused by the toxins put into the environment. Cancer can be linked to pollution and pesticides, but certain cancers like leukemia and thyroid cancers are linked to isotope iodine 131 used in nuclear power plants. Immense numbers of Children have been getting cancers as such at an early age which is something we have not observed before people started to use nuclear power. Everyday forty-three children are born with cancer eight percent of which is leukemia cancer and two percent is thyroid cancer. The UNDP and UNICEF report stated, A well-established increase in thyroid cancer diagnosed in children and adolescents pose a major problem for health services, particularly in Belarus and Ukraine. The populations in the affected regions also suffer from endemic goitre (enlarged thyroid gland) ranging from mild to severe, due to a deficiency of iodine in the diet. Iodine deficiency as well as affect ing the thyroid gland diminishes the. Other diseases can also be caused by the Radiation from nuclear weapons and power plants. They include Cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, diabetes, and Congenital hypothyroid. Constant bombings like the ones in the Bikini Atoll had consequences on the marine life. Now we can see specifically in the Pacific Ocean starfish have been dying in large numbers, starfish with missing limbs and decaying internal organs. What happens to animals happens to us. We cannot assume that Radiation doesnt affect us just because we dont see immediate effects. If Radiation affects wildlife is also affects humans. People dismiss the consequences of Fukuhara, thinking that radiation can be diluted by the Pacific Ocean and that the problem will sort itself out. This is naive and somewhat misleading as the contamination can lead to bioconcentration in the food chain. Possible effects on the future could include the imbalance in food chain and species dying in large numbers causing other larger species to adapt to finding different food, which can cause mass extinctions of species that are useful to us. We must take action and use safer methods to produce electricity. We must maintain neutral international relations with other countries as that would improve the quality of life around the world and reduce the risk of nuclear conflict. Instead of using fossil fuels and nuclear energy we should build cars and houses powered by solar panels. Another alternative could be building more windmills, geothermal, and hydroelectric stations. As individuals we can help by wasting less electricity, be more eff icient, turn off the lights and hang our clothes to dry. In a safe and sustainable future, we wont be using nuclear energy for anything as it is expensive and dangerous. Renewable energy is better for the environment, our health and it is in our interest to use it. If people use Renewable energy there wont be another Chernobyl or Fukushima disaster. Its about time to think about what kind of a planet were leaving future generations with, its unfair to create problems and put them on the shoulders of young people. We have to change the way choose to produce energy and deal with international conflicts so that no more twelve-year-old kids die of thyroid cancer. Works Cited Grady, Denise. Measuring Radioactive Elements and Their Effects. The New York Times, The New York Times, 4 Apr. 2011, www.nytimes.com/2011/04/05/health/05primer.html. Jorgensen, Timothy J., and Health Physics and Radiation Protection Graduate Program. Bikini Islanders Still Deal with Fallout of US Nuclear Tests, 70 Years Later. The Conversation, The Conversation, 10 Sept. 2018, theconversation.com/bikini-islanders-still-deal-with-fallout-of-us-nuclear-tests-70-years-later-58567. Kirk WolfingerAmerica and the nuclear fusion. BBC Documentaries. 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEuzrfuap64 UNDP and UNICEF with the support of UN-OCHA and WHO. The Human Consequences of the Chernobyl Nuclear Accident A Strategy for Recovery. 6 February 2002. Pg. 36. https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/strategy_for_recovery.pdf Coerr, Eleanor. Full Text of Passing, London: F. Warne ; New York : Scribner, Welford, and Armstrong, 2004, archive.org/stream/SadakoAndTheThousandPaperCranes-English/SadakoAndTheThousandPaperCranes-A4-EleanorCoerr_djvu.txt.

The Effects Of Poverty On Childhood Development - 924 Words

This essay aims to discuss the relationship between poverty, lower socioeconomic status (SES), and childhood development. While poverty can be directly linked to negative developments in terms of health status it is also indirectly linked to other important factors such as; mental health, physiological wellbeing and education, all of which have major impacts on childhood development which can also be transferred into adulthood. This essay aims to evaluate the literature available on the effects of poverty on childhood development and the complex relationships between the two. The Australian Council of Social Science (ACOSS) explain that 17.8% of all children in Australia are living in poverty (ACOSS, 2014). Poverty has many definitions and many different measures, Van Krieken (2010) describes there to be two major forms of poverty; these are ‘absolute poverty and ‘relative poverty’. Most poverty experienced in Australia is relative poverty, which is when people do not have equal opportunities to services that their counter parts consider to be standard such as; education, employment opportunities, appropriate housing, nutritious food and health services (Van Krieken, 2010). While psychologists believe that development is a process spanning a life-time, there are certain periods of time when people are more susceptible to development and to particular forms of development. An example is the way that infants experience a great deal of change and development as they growShow MoreRelatedEffects Of Poverty On Middle Childhood Development1 403 Words   |  6 PagesPoverty can have a strong influence on various kinds of development throughout middle childhood. It can alter socioemotional development, cognitive development, and physical health. (Evans, 2013). 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ConverselyRead MoreState of America’s Children: Child Poverty Essay1332 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ State of America’s Children: Child Poverty Argosy University Online November 20, 2013 Abstract America is one of the riches countries in the world it is home to approximately 406 billionaires and many millionaires, babies are being born into poverty about every 32 seconds everyday (Children’s Defense Fund, 2010). 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I hope to contribute my consistent traits of love, compassion, empathy and patience for social services, and interventions to this social work programRead MorePoverty Of Poverty And Poverty1448 Words   |  6 PagesStudy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2 Poverty during pregnancy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..3 Facts and Consequences About being born into poverty...4 Being Born Into Poverty Essay†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...5 Some People Who Were Born Into Poverty†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...6-7 Ways To Stay Out Of Poverty†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.....8 How Poverty Will Affect You Life†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.9 How I Will Stay Out Of Poverty†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...10 Recent Study: The U.S. child poverty rate has fluctuated between 15 andRead MoreChild Poverty And Its Effects On Children s Adjustment1473 Words   |  6 PagesChild poverty is a major issue in the United States. 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Development of any kind is dependent on the interplay of nature and nurture, or genetics and environment. These studies draw from a child’sRead MorePoverty Of The United States907 Words   |  4 PagesFutrell Mrs. Weekman Honors English II - 1 April 29, 2016 Child Poverty in the United States In the United States, about 24 million children live in poverty (Ingraham). Poverty is a big issue and has been for a while. It can affect children now and when they become adults. There are children going to bed hungry, not knowing where their next meal is coming from, but Compassion is a Christian organization working to stop child poverty around the world. First, the United States is one of the wealthiest

How does Shakespeare portray the theme of identity in Twelfth Night Essay Example For Students

How does Shakespeare portray the theme of identity in Twelfth Night Essay Twelfth Night is a comedy written by William Shakespeare. It follows certain patterns which are commonly found in Shakespeare’s comedies; it ends in marriage and is based around disguise and false identities. The play starts off with a ship that that was shipwrecked just off the coast of Illyria, and the two main protagonists, Viola and Sebastian are separated and both believe each other to be dead. They both end up in different places and only when, at they end of the play, do they find out that they are both alive. Viola, when she arrives in Illyria just after the shipwreck, believes that the only way to ensure her survival was to get a job at Orsino’s Court, as a man. She took on Sebastian’s identity, only naming herself Cesario. This means that Sebastian’s memory is kept alive and enabled Viola to fill the gap of his ‘dead’ brother. Duke Orsino presents himself as an insecure man who is upset about the fact he has no wife. He, along with Olivia, judges people by their looks and this means no one is good enough for him. He expects, being the Duke of the island, someone will come to him to be his wife instead of the other way round. This shows he is quite snobbish and takes his important position to mean that he is the greatest and the best. Duke Orsino has great love for Olivia. He sends Cesario to Olivia’s house to see if she loves him. He obviously assumes she will. Olivia is used to getting her own way and waited on hand and foot. She has not stepped out of her house for seven years. This is because she is mourning for her brother and immerses herself in her own grief. She also hides her true self from strangers by wearing a veil. When Viola arrives at her house, Olivia is enchanted by Viola and even takes off her veil, a sign that she is in love with her. In her seven years of mourning Olivia has lost the sense to decipher truths from lies and this means she does not see through Viola’s disguise. Mavolio, who is Olivia’s butler, also has a secret love on her. As, after many loyal years of being Olivia’s butler, he loves her, he presumes that she loves him. This is why he gets fooled by a letter, that he believes to be from Olivia. The letter tells him that Olivia loved him and commanded his yellow stockings. When he appeared in front of Olivia wearing these stockings, he was much to upfront and when she was surprised he quoted some of the letter, thinking that she would understand him. Olivia, who thinks he must be mad, locks him up in the madhouse. He gets taken in by the letter as it was telling him what he wanted to hear for instance that Olivia loves him. It also appeals to his pompous side. The line, â€Å"some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them† really captures Mavolio’s feelings to those lesser than himself. He is also taken in because the letter looked like Olivia’s hand. It was in fact, M aria’s hand. Maria was Olivia’s maid and has very similar hand to her mistress. This enabled her to fool Mavolio into thinking that it was a letter from Olivia. She carried out this plan with Sir Toby and Sir Andrew. Sir Andrew realises he loves Olivia only when she falls in love with Cesario. He knows that Mavolio has a secret love on her and thinks that if he can get rid of all the competition, he has a better chance of getting Olivia’s hand in marriage. .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b , .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .postImageUrl , .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b , .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b:hover , .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b:visited , .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b:active { border:0!important; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b:active , .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u35b06c2644d988945e1de8707008448b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Shakespeare, William: The Taming of the Shrew Batt EssaySir Toby has a reputation of being crapulous. This gives him a bad reputation with Mavolio as Mavolio thinks that someone as ill-mannered and disrespectful as Sir Toby is not worthy to stay in his mistress’ house. This, is another reason why they were keen to fool him. Sir Toby organised a fight between Sir Andrew and Cesario. This is so Sir Andrew can prove to Olivia that he is worthy to be his wife. When they start fighting, Antonio arrives and, seeing who believes to be Sebastian, runs and starts fighting Sir Andrew. Olivia who sees this fight sends for guards and they capture Antonio. Antonio asks Viola to back him up, believing she was Sebastian, but because she did not know him, she didn’t so he got taken away, all because of Viola dressing up as a boy. Sebastian arrives in Illyria and comes to Olivia’s house. Olivia asks him to marry her, thinking that this was the same person who she had been going out with before. Sebastian says yes and they get married the next day.. After the wedding Olivia was walking alone when she saw Viola. Olivia goes up to her and talks to her as if she was her husband. She denies this. While they were talking, Sebastian walked over to Olivia and then he saw Viola. They were both amazed to see each other and Olivia was in a state of disbelief. After every one knew their true identities, Duke Orsino fell in love with Viola, now knowing that she was a girl, the marriage still stood with Sebastian and Olivia, and Sir Toby and Maria got together. Twelfth Night is a story combining love, disguise and emotions all in one piece of drama. It is a fine example of a Shakespearian comedy and manages to fit in disguise and mystery with comedy and wit.

Medisys - Responsibility Without Authority free essay sample

How has MediSys ended up where it is now? While MediSys had grown to become a $400m firm with 1,750 employees, in 2008, it was at a crossroads. The firm’s highly effective entrepreneurial culture had been stymied by size and bureaucracy. At about this time, the firm hired a new President, Art Beaumont, who instituted a change in the New Product Development process. Instead of a traditional linear progression, product development would now be handled by cross functional teams comprised of key representatives from each business silo. The strength of this new approach was believed to be significant: †¢ All of the firm’s critical functions represented †¢ Leadership strength with cross-functional expertise †¢ Reintroduction of an entrepreneurial / team approach †¢ The avoidance of single-minded focus in one’s particular area of expertise Though it began under the traditional system, IntensCare became one of the first products to shift into the new cross-functional development system. This also represented the firm’s largest and most ambitious single project – with a 10-year time line and . We will write a custom essay sample on Medisys Responsibility Without Authority or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 5 million in total investment. Despite the positive changes brought about at MediSys, there are a number of cracks in the veneer that are now playing out as the firm struggles to complete product development and launch IntensCare. On a macro level, these can be broken into several main categories: †¢ New product development approach does not mesh with the balance of the firm’s operations †¢ Employees and team members that are spread too thin Bifurcated culture of long time employees (â€Å"friends†) and outsiders/newcomers †¢ Lack of ultimate responsibility and/or responsibility without authority The idea of modifying the product development process was legitimate, forward thinking, and seemingly well accepted among employees. However, whereas this aspect of the business process was radically changed, the rest of the firm’s operations were not adapted to mesh. Although the cross functional product development teams worked more or less outside the firm’s traditional structure, the team members still reported to management under the traditional system. This removed, or at least greatly reduced, the level of accountability of each team member. The case study also revealed the recurring theme that employees were spread too thin as a result of economic conditions and requisite cutbacks in staffing. While this may have been unavoidable, it seems to have been overlooked when setting timeline goals for the team’s launch of IntensCare. A chasm existed between the old guard – those employees who had been there for many years and had developed close â€Å"friendships†, and the outsiders – those who were either newly hired (notably Valerie Merz) or those who were seen as obstacles to the process (Karen Baio). Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, the new structure didn’t clearly define responsibility for the project success. The team leader (Jack Fogel) was notionally in charge of the process yet there seemed to be no direct consequence for failure (long term, perhaps his reputation would be damaged but short term, less so). Conversely, Valerie Merz, who was not the team leader, seems positioned to bear the full brunt of failure yet was given no authority over the process. In summary, MediSys is a well established firm with a solid track record of success. Having grown dramatically over the past decade, it is faced with challenges to the product design process and, even though the new president reacted to those challenges by modifying structures, they are reeling from an incomplete solution, unintended consequences, and personality conflicts. Are people doing all they can to work together? Due to many of the issues discussed previously, the team’s communication has been challenged and the effectiveness of their efforts severely compromised. Although each individual would likely report that they are â€Å"trying† or â€Å"doing their best† to work together, this clearly is not the case. There were several key issues that undermined their ability to work collaboratively: †¢ Poor leadership communication †¢ Team members withholding information/lack of trust Differing motivations †¢ Failure to leverage resources and self-advocate †¢ Meetings on the wrong day of the week Below is a brief discussion of each, with examples from the Case Study. Leadership/Communication: Fogel, as team leader, sees himself as the center of the team’s communication but is failing to facilitate an open and honest dialogue. A glaring example of this is how he often held separate meetings and brainstorm ing sessions with specific individuals – overtly hiding these meetings from the larger group. He also seems to have let his â€Å"friendships† with select team members influence how he dealt with Merz and others. Lastly, despite being the â€Å"leader† he likely knows that there are limited direct/immediate consequences for failure thus his motivations may not be aligned with the team as a whole. Transparency: Throughout this Case Study there was a consistent lack of transparency which manifested individually, within sub-groups, and in the (lack of) accurate reporting to upper management. The reasons for this varied based on personal motivation, lack of appropriate structure, and possibly, simple oversight. Perhaps the best example of lacking transparency surrounds the development of the IntensCare â€Å"module concept†. While Merz knew the module approach wouldn’t be ready until a second version, she wanted to push the group as far as she could. At the same time, O’Brien had no intention of working on the module concept but wasn’t willing to be open about this to Merz. Another example of lack of transparency surrounded the outsourcing of IT to India. Despite the fact that Mukerjee understood the challenges, he wasn’t clear about these to the larger group and over time, even held back scheduling information that was crucial to other functions. Motivations: Clearly, motivations were not aligned. Merz’s sole responsibility for the next three years (and indeed, the reason behind her being hired) is the success of IntensCare. Conversely, all of the other team members had a wider range of responsibilities within the firm. Although some motivational differences within a team are unavoidable (or even necessary, as in the case of Karen Baio who handled regulatory issues), there was a gulf between the motivations of the other team members, especially when contrasted with those of Merz. Leveraging/Self Advocating: Mukerjee knew from the start that he would not have adequate resources to work on the project domestically. However, rather than advocating for himself and either obtaining adequate resources or modifying the overall timeline to account for outsourcing IT, he acted unilaterally. This lack of self advocating was also demonstrated by others on the team as they had to grapple with being spread too thin to devote adequate resources towards the IntensCare project. Even though the team members hold ultimate responsibility for this, it could also be a reflection of a heavy handed top down leadership style from Beaumont. Meeting Time: Based on the collective experiences of San Francisco Group 1, we believe that Fogel should have chosen a different day of the week to hold meetings. For a major project, Friday is not the best day of the week and many team members had conflicts. Additionally, because of the difference in time zones, a Friday meeting in the US lands on a Saturday in India, making it difficult for the overseas BPO component of the team to participate effectively. In summary, while the collective skill sets of the team were clearly evident, the combination of structure, leadership, and lack of open communication conspired to undermine the ability of this team to work together. What are the forces that have contributed to the situation at the end of the case? While many of the factors that contributed broadly to the situation at the end of the case have been described through the prior two responses, the main culprit is clear: Valerie Merz had ultimate responsibility but no authority to lead and Fogel, had authority to lead but proved ineffectual At the end of the case, Merz passes by a conference room and overhears an internal meeting between the team lead, Fogel, and O’Brien, the senior engineer. Encapsulated in that short exchange is the very essence of the problem – poor leadership which has led to a collapse in effective communication at every level. Let’s take a closer look: â€Å"get that woman off my back† – highlights the derogatory and antagonistic nature of the relationship between Merz and the rest of the team. If Fogel were effectively leading, this would never have come to pass and regardless, wouldn’t be tolerated. â€Å"on the modular issue† – the white elephant throughout the process, whereby two sides, diametrically opposed, have refused to have an open, honest dialogue. If Fogel were leading and if all (including Merz) were confident in the team’s collective abilities, this issue could have been vetted and built into a realistic timeline to include a second product generation. â€Å"no way I can (meet) the scheduled milestone† – an example of the team being spread too thin yet an inability or an unwillingness to broadly address the issue to the team as well as up the ladder to upper management. â€Å"even worse delays†¦ Indian software team† – an example of the negative impact of unilateral decision making by Mukerjee and the resulting lack of buy-in and support from the larger group. Had the group been adequately educated about this situation early on, everyone could have supported it and could now be working to solve the problem. While Mukerjee holds a high degree of responsibility, so too does Fogel who should have been the final arbiter in the decision to outsource. â€Å"we’ll get your boss and mine in here and give them a straight story† – an example of the mixed up role of reporting between the legacy organizational structure and the new, cross-functional product development strategy. It’s also likely the reason that although Beaumont realizes there are some issues, he has no idea of the magnitude and impact on the project timeline. Although Merz’s personality and management style certainly play into the dynamics, the overriding feature remains a lack of quality leadership from Fogel and the contradicting motivations between the team members; all against a backdrop that has come to disallow open, honest, transparent communication.