Renewable Energy in the UK: Government Role

Renewable Energy in the UK: Government Role UK Renewable Energy: Electricity Generation and the governments role in driving CO2 reductions. Business Management EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This dissertation will mainly concentrate on UKs efforts to increase renewables contribution to electricity generation in the UK, which are part of a broader range of government strategies to reduce CO2 to meet global concerns and international obligations. It will also examine the forces driving the development of renewable energy market in the UK, as well as the overview of the governments role in driving CO2 reductions. The governments strategy on renewables includes several different elements, each attacking the problem from a different angle: mandatory regulation, information and education, technology RD support, and establishment of market-based mechanisms. The main findings presented will be based mainly on the literature review, expert opinions and future forecasts. A review of recent literature on this topic highlights the risk of failure due to failure of coordination among the many initiatives and government bodies involved, and the dangers of insufficient data in measuring progress. Also, they reveal the practical limitations of reliance on renewable to fulfill future electricity generation needs. The first part of the main analysis will provide an overview of the renewable energy market in the UK; it will include a summary of the current renewable energy policy and the main instruments which act as a driving forces for the development of renewables in the UK, as well as electricity market overview; second part would specifically concentrate on evaluation of whether the policies and targets set by government are efficient and achievable, the conclusion will summarize the findings and elaborate on future prospects for the renewable energy market in the UK. The available data indicates that the UK is already falling behind on its original plans for the uptake of renewable. However, government policy suggests growing awareness of the limitations of most renewables; and a consequent shift in focus away from renewables towards easier ‘bigger solutions such as nuclear power and carbon sequestration for coal-fired power stations. CHAPTER 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION A sustainable energy future is possible, but only if we act urgently and decisively to promote, develop and deploy a full mix of energy technologies We have the means, now we need the will†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Claude Mandil, International Energy Agency (IEA) In the 21st century, there has been a significant increase in energy demand due to factors such as population growth and changes in our lifestyle. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) today 86.5 % of total worldwide energy consumption is generated from fossil fuels such as natural gas, oil and coal; which are said to be non-renewable, and are the main cause for increase in green house gases and carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2007, rising carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are the primary cause of global warming since 1950, and are expected to rise due to ongoing burning of fossil fuels and land-use change. As the worlds fossil fuels continue to diminish at an alarming rate, and global energy demand is forecasted to increase by 60% over the next 25 years (G8 Summit, 2005), alternative forms of energy must be developed that are economically cost effective, environmentally friendly, and easily harness ed. The development of renewable energy sources as a solution to these problems is expected to play a major role in the future energy supply and has developed a considerable interest within national government policies, environmental groups and the private sector. The term ‘renewable energy can be defined as â€Å"energy that is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly† (Energy Statistics, 2004). The renewable energy sources are also covered by Europes climate change and energy policy. In March 2007, the European Council set a target of 20 percent of the total EU energy consumption to be generated from renewables by 2020. The policy also commits the EU Member States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020 and by 30 percent globally (The EC White Paper, 2007 (BERR)). According to BERR renewable energy is an integral part of the UK Governments longer-term aim of reducing CO2 emissions by 60% by 2050. The Government has set targets of reducing CO2 emissions by 20% by 2010 and 10% of electricity supply from renewable energy by 2010 (Digest of UK Energy Statistics, 2007). This raises the main questions addressed in this dissertation: Can the UK expect to meet and exceed the existing targets? What measure will be required to realize this potential and to encourage further investment in renewables? Despite the fact that renewables are seen by many policy-makers as a solution for improving energy security and saving the environment, there is still some uncertainty whether renewables could compete with conventional energy sources. Supportive policies and heavy investments are still needed to promote further development and deployment of renewables in energy markets. The establishment of new renewable energy technologies and their efficiency will depend on the costs and effectiveness. As a result, in order to promote renewable energy technology into the market there is a strong need to identify and analyse the policies which have a direct effect on technology and market development. 1.2 Renewable energy in the UK The United Kingdom is one of the worlds most globalized countries with the second largest economy in Europe and a population of 60 million. The UK currently contributes about 2 percent to global emissions, which, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, were estimated to be 38 billion tones carbon dioxide in 2004. UK energy industries are the main contributors to UK greenhouse gas emissions; according to statistics CO2 accounted for about 85 per cent of the UKs greenhouse gas emissions in 2006. In order to reduce emissions, the 2007 UK Energy White Paper sets out an objective to cut the UKs carbon emissions by 60% by 2050, with real progress by 2020. One way of achieving those targets would be by generating our energy from sources that produce very low or zero levels of greenhouse gases such as renewable energy sources. Renewable energy is â€Å"an integral part of the Governments strategy for reducing carbon emissions as renewable energy resources produce very li ttle carbon or other greenhouse gases†. (Commission, 2006) In 2006, about 75 percent of UK electricity was generated from fossil fuels, about 19 percent from nuclear power, and the remaining 4 percent from other renewables (Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES), 2007). The UK has one of the most suitable markets for the development of renewable sources of energy due to its geographic location; especially in wind, wave and tidal energy. However, the UK is also rich in fossil fuels and until the climate change issue became evident the successive governments have neglected renewable energy as an alternative source of our main energy supply. The UK Government initially started to show support for development of renewable energy sources in 1990, when renewables became a part of the so-called non-fossil fuel obligation (NFFO), originally set up to protect nuclear power. The issue of climate change and high levels of greenhouse gases has given a new drive to the development of renewable energy in the UK. As part of the Climate Change Programme, in June 2000 the UK government replaced NFFO by the Renewables Obligation (RO) in England and Wales with the main aims to encourage further the development of the UK renewable energy industry and to achieve a 10 percent share of renewables in electricity generation by 2010 (Environmental Policy Integration). Overall the renewable energy contribution is increasing. Total electricity generation from renewables in 2006 amounted to 18,133 GWh, an increase of 1,263 GWh (+7 ½ per cent) on 2005. The main contributors to this substantial increase were 1,072 GWh from onshore wind (+43 per cent), 248 GWh (+62 per cent) from offshore wind 134 GWh (+3 per cent) from landfill gas and 119 GWh (+12 per cent) from municipal solid waste combustion (UK Electricity Statistics,2007). One of the other main drivers for the development of alternative energy sources in the UK aside from climate change issues is the security of energy supply. The UK continues to heavily rely on the diminishing sources of fossil fuels, such as coal, gas and oil, which are increasingly sourced in geopolitically unreliable areas, such as Venezuela, Nigeria and Russia. According to the UK Energy Statistics 12 percent of the UKs gas supply came from gas imports (Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES), 2007). Therefore further development of alternative energy sources in the UK will reduce the amount of imported fossil fuels, as well as have a key role in resolving the climate change issue. In order to maintain the UKs energy supply and to achieve the carbon dioxide targets set in the Kyoto Protocol under which the UK has committed itself to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 percent by 2012 (Sustainable Development Indicators in Your Pocket, 2007), as well as longer term goal set out in Energy White Paper to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 60 percent by 2050, it is vital to sustain further development of energy sources that produce low or zero levels of greenhouse gases, such as renewable energy. Figure 1, shows the Kyoto target and CO2 emissions, 1990 to 2012. Figure 1: Defra, BERR, â€Å"Sustainable Development Indicators in Your Pocket†, 2007 The Governments policies together with the White Paper made proposals to help increase the sources of renewable energy in the UK. The initial proposals set out in the Energy White Paper 2007, concentrate on three main areas: Electricity generation, by strengthening and modifying the Renewables Obligation, by reforming the planning system and by removing barriers to the growth of decentralised electricity generation; heat, by publishing a Biomass Strategy which identifies opportunities for increasing the use of renewables in energy production and by announcing further work to develop a more strategic approach to heat; and Transport, by requiring through The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation Programme (RTFO) that an increasing proportion of our transport fuel should come from renewable sources. (Energy White Paper , 2007) According to the recent study undertaken by the Poyry Energy (Oxford) LTD, by 2020, renewable energy supply is expected to account for around 12 percent of EU total energy demand, where 59 percent of this volume will come from electricity generation, 32 percent from renewable heat and 9 percent from transport (Compliance costs for meeting the 20% renewable energy target in 2020., 2008) This paper will mainly concentrate on electricity generation through renewable energy sources, as consistency of electricity supply is fundamental to a robust UK economy, and renewables appear to be a suitable solution to improve security of electricity supply in the UK. The UK Government has set a target in order to promote the generation of electricity from renewable sources, by 2010, 10% of UK electricity should come from renewable sources (BERR, UK). The costs of electricity production from renewable energy sources presented in the figure below demonstrate that generation costs depend on the resource conditions in different countries or regions, particularly the EU Member States (Compliance costs for meeting the 20% renewable energy target in 2020, 2008). Therefore, in order to establish and sustain the competitiveness of renewable energy sources it is essential to analyse whether renewable energy technologies can compete with conventional sources. Figure 2: Electricity generation cost of renewable energy technologies (EU Commission 2005: 24, Support of electricity from RE sources). To support the new energy strategy there was a significant development to the UK Renewables Policy, the government has established key elements such as Renewables Obligation, which is driving force for the investment and consumer interest in renewables and it does so by obliging electricity suppliers to source a certain percentage of electricity from renewable sources. It has also launched strategies which allow UK to identify its main strengths and to develop world-leading capabilities in renewable energy sector. The main drivers of UK Renewable Energy Policy include: Renewable Obligation (RO) The RO is the main support scheme for renewable electricity projects in the UK. It places an obligation on UK suppliers of electricity to source an increasing proportion of their electricity from renewable sources. Suppliers are required to produce evidence of their compliance with this obligation to the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem). Evidence can be via certificates, referred to as Renewable Obligations Certificates (Renewable Obligation, 2008). UK renewable electricity has increased considerably since the introduction of RO. In 2006 electricity supplied from RO eligible sources stood at around 4% of the UKs total electricity, up from 1.8% in 2002 (Energy White Paper , 2007). Climate Change Levy (CCL) Exemption The Climate Change Levy (CCL) is â€Å"an environmental tax levied on the supply of certain taxable commodities, for example electricity, gas and coal, and charged by energy suppliers to final business consumers. Domestic, and most charitable, consumers do not pay CCL (Microgeneration and the Climate Change Levy, 2007). In order to support further development of renewables and to encourage consumers to use environmentally friendly sources of energy, renewable electricity supplied to non-domestic consumers is exempt from CCL. Research Development Programme The Government has constantly introduced programmes for renewable energy sources to remove obstacles which stood in the way of the development of renewables by furthering research and gathering information as well as assist industrial activities in the UK. Such programmes support the Renewable Obligation and the exempt renewable from Climate Change Levy. The programmes will also require cooperation with in the industry between the government and environmental organisations to maintain a steady approach to the growth of the renewable energy sources in the market. The programmes also set out plans to address the key issues together, with the concentration divided between technology development as well as non-technological issues, such as raising finance and obtaining planning permission. Each technology is set to be tested though several stages, which include assessment, RD, demonstration and market entry, full-scale industrialization and competition (Challenges Ahead for UK Renewable Energy Program, 2007). Strategies for individual technology programmes also include this operation at the different stages of technology development. An exit strategy will also contribute to the competitiveness of the industry without creating a subsidy. Green trading can play a major part in electricity generation strategy to move to a system of renewables which operates strictly in the commercial market. The Government will carry out several actions together with the industry in order to encourage the development of renewable technologies in the UK, such actions include technological and environmental assessment in addition to resource assessment ;demonstration; the industrialisation of the market; removing legal and administrative obstacles; dealing with planning and development control issues; promoting research and marketing and education. The set priorities for the development of renewable technologies depend on their cost effectiveness and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that can be reduced on different timescales. The priorities for the development of the renewable energy sources are set in time scales and include: Near Term includes most competitive renewable technologies in the UK. (Geothermal (heating and cooling),waste and some biomass residues, landfill gas, onshore wind, hydro, passive solar) Medium Term (by the year 2010) includes renewables that show maximum contribution by 2010, as well as assist to achieve the target of 10 percent.(Some biomass residues, energy crops, offshore wind) Longer Term (after 2010) includes renewable technologies that show longer term potential under the RD programme. (Fuel cells, photovoltaics, wave) Very Long Term (after 2050) includes renewable technologies which at this stage are only worth pursuing through the basic research. (Tidal barrage, hydrogen, ocean thermal currents) (UK Renewable Eneegy Policy , 2007) The Department of Trade and Industry will divide the budget allocated for the development of renewables according to the priorities table set above, particularly between the short, medium and longer term periods. The renewable technologies which are included in short and medium term will benefit from the market simulation under the Renewable Obligation. 1.3 main aim: The mixture of the issues introduced briefly in the first Chapter leads to the overall aim of investigating the governments role in achieving the targets set and through analyzing the market and the economic forecasts concluding whether these targets are achievable. Following chapter will review the existing literature that has investigated UK Renewable Market and Policies, critically evaluated the UK performance in renewables sector and consist of relevant data in order to set out the specific objectives for this study. United Kingdom has one of the most suitable potential markets for the development of renewable energy sources and could act as a leading example for the rest of the world, but the main question remains whether the UK will adopt the right approach to support the new technologies or is it just an ambitious set of targets based on wrong evaluations? CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Global Perspective Today, the rising issue of climate change can be identified as â€Å"the biggest challenge facing humanity† (International Socialist Group, 2006). The UK Prime Minister has said climate change is â€Å"probably, long-term the single most important issue we face as a global community†. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has concluded that â€Å"global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions must be reduced at least 70 percent over the next 100 years to stabilize atmospheric CO2 concentrations† Considerable technical change will be needed to maintain growth in economy combined with large CO2 emission reductions at a cost as low as possible (Grubb, 1997), however the timeframe is not clear as many ways lead to certain CO2 stabilization levels which correspond to fixed increasing amounts of CO2 that can be released during the target year. Furthermore, economic arguments were raised favoring deferred emission abatement pathways (Wigley, 1996). There is a possibility that unexpected political objectives may trigger the need of short-term investments in long life capital stock, this leads to high costs due to the early retirement of long life capital stock units. Additionally, there is a high risk of only focusing on short-term emission reduction targets while creating technical change policies in relation to climate change which may result in a framework unable to achieve long-term future targets (Sande ´n, 2005). The increasing concerns of climate change has played one of the key roles in supporting the development of renewable energy sources, which are environmentally friendly and impose low or zero carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. In order to sustain the development of renewables it is essential to meet the stabilization scenario for carbon dioxide reduction and show that they can be competitive in cost with energy from other sources (Houghton, 2004, p.306). Houghton also stated that â€Å"under some circumstances renewable energy sources are already competitive in cost (e.g. local sources of energy), however where there is a direct competition with fossil fuel energy from oil and gas, many renewable energies at present compete only marginally†. Conversely, fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas have limited resources and â€Å"at some time between 2010-2020 the worlds supply of oil and gas will fall below the level required to meet international supply† (Oil and gas running out much faster than expected, 2003). As the result the costs of fossil fuels will increase which will unveil the opportunity for renewable energy sources to compete more easily (Houghton, 2004, p.306). A recent report from the UN environment programme said â€Å"investment in renewables such as wind, solar and biomass jumped 43% last year and may be about to increase by much more substantial amounts†. It also predicted that renewable energy sources could supply approximately a quarter of the worlds electricity by 2030. This fast development of renewable energy sources occurred as a result of rising demand for energy, security of energy supplies and the environmental and the dangers associated with the burning of fossil fuels (Sawin, 2004, p.5). The additional drivers for the rapid expansion of renewables incorporate the political support for renewable energy around the world, dramatic cost reductions and significant technology advances (Sawin, 2004, p.5). However, Karl Mallon in his book â€Å"Renewable Energy Policy and Politics: A Handbook for Decision-Making† has set out several challenges which can affect the development of renewable energy sources. Mallon mentioned that renewable projects usually have a long lifetime (20 years or more), but the investment and the main industrial activity occurs at the beginning. Therefore in order for investors to get a return on their investment, the developers on their end will try to make the projects as long as possible and try to establish capacity as early as possible in the scheme to yield the maximum return time (Mallon, 2007). As a result, generation schemes with targets that run less than 20 years will create a market with increasing activity and a massive industry growth for the first few years, and once a capacity meeting the long term target is in place downturn of activity will take place (Mallon, 2007). Mallon also stated that a â€Å"boom-bust† activity cycle is terr ibly inefficient form of industry development; if targets are used they must be dynamic to provide a constant but steady pull on industry. Another challenge which faces the development of renewables is the governments concentration on the economic side, namely where â€Å"the desire for economic certainty overrides the objectives of industry development or climate mitigation† (Mallon, 2007). Furthermore, according to Mallon, effective climate mitigation will require not less than 50-100 years transition to zero-emissions, therefore the schemes with deadlines ending 2010-2015 will make no contribution to solve in the climate change problem. Such schemes only provide economic certainty and tell investors that this is only a short term engagement rather than a long term, ignoring the fact that the prices of renewables and conventional energy change all the time. Finally, Mallon emphasized on the fact that â€Å"it is important to recognize that renewable energy policy consists not just of a driver but rather comprises a complete framework, ignoring or overlooking parts of that framework will undermine the entire vision†. 2.2 UK Perspective The energy policy of the United Kingdom fully supports targets for carbon dioxide emissions and is committed to achieve mandatory 60 percent cut in the UKs carbon emissions by 2050 (Carbon Abatement Technology for Fossil Fuels, 2005). The current interest in renewable energy in the UK reflects the global view in relation to the shortage of the existing energy sources and the necessity of finding alternative energy supplies to meet the future energy demand. The need for securing energy sources as an alternative to the current energy sources, mainly fossil fuels, lies in the uncertainty of such fuels which is diminishing over the years. This is particularly pertinent to the UK as it is estimated that by 2020 the UK could be importing 90% of its gas (which currently produces 41% of energy consumed) (DTI 2006). Additionally, the rising concerns over global warming and climate change also played a major role in ‘shedding the light on renewable energy sources. By 2050, global energy demand could double as populations rise and developing countries expand their economies (World Energy Organization, 2008). The UK Government started to tackle such concerns in 1999 when it introduces its first strategy â€Å"to help deliver a better quality of life through sustainable development† (Tony Blair, The UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy, March 2005). The Governments 2003 Energy White Paper sets a direction towards achieving low carbon economy, by attempting to resolve the issue on domestic basis first and to influence the major players in the global community to follow the same footsteps. The UK Government has committed itself to cut down greenhouse gas emissions, as mentioned above the government; according to its 2003 Energy White Paper, declared that its mission is to move to a low carbon economy and set out its target that by the year 2050 carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by 60 percent in addition to the Kyoto Protocol target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 percent by the year 2012, and the ambitious national goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent below the 1990 levels by the year 2010 (The UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy, 2005). However, the UKs CO2 emissions rose in the period 2002-04 (levels in 2004 showing a 1.5% increase over 2003) (DTI 2005a). These issues are arising at a time when large numbers of the UKs coal and nuclear-fired power stations are also reaching decommissioning age. This presents the UK with an opportunity to re-structure the fuels in its energy mix. According to the British Wind Energy (BWEA) the UK could face some challenges in meeting the renewable energy target of 20 percent by 2020 if it increases the amount of electricity generated under its Renewable Obligation, but puts on hold â€Å"financial penalties for utilities that help fund the program at 2015 levels† (Challenges Ahead for UK Renewable Energy Program, 2007). The BWEA Chief Executive Maria McCaffery has commented on reform proposal: The RO has been highly successful in bringing forward the cheapest renewables: onshore wind, landfill gas and biomass co-firing. The Governments plan to band the RO could allow more technologies to share in this success, particularly offshore wind but this cannot be at the expense of onshore winds current strong growth. Accommodating the more expensive technologies whilst trying to get to a 20% target in 2020 using the same amount of money as a 15% goal is like trying to extract a quart from a pint pot. It just doesnt add up. E ssentially, said BWEA, â€Å"the government is attempting to get a third more renewable power with a mix that includes significant quantities of technologies that are not economic under the current system for the same amount of money† (Challenges Ahead for UK Renewable Energy Program, 2007). John Loughhead, the Executive Director of the  UK Energy Research Centre  (UKERC)  said: Achieving these targets will be challenging, since the UK currently obtains less that 2% of its energy from renewable sources. It is probable that electricity production will have to bear a disproportionate share and initial estimates from the European Commission and others suggest it may need to produce about 40% of all electricity from renewable sources by 2020 if the overall targets are to be met. Additionally, the recent study â€Å"Renewable electricity generation technologies†, January 2008, issued by Institute of Physics (IOP) has outlined further barriers to the development of renewable energy sources. According to the study, one of the main challenges facing the renewables is â€Å"the liberalisation of the UK energy market, the current price of electricity is so low that it is not economically viable to develop and introduce new generating technologies to the market, unless they can be developed at a low cost and can provide electricity predictably at competitive wholesale prices† (Renewable electricity generation technologies, 2008) 2.3 UK Renewable Policy Targets Karl Mannon regards the renewable energy policy as a framework rather a single driver and emphasized that all the parts forming this framework must operate jointly in order for us to achieve the highest benefit of this policy (Mannon, 2007). As to the influence such policies may have on the market, Mannon added that there are unknown factors in these policies which can affect the size of the market, the prices paid for renewable energy or the duration of the scheme. Some of the factors which control the growth of the market include: the level of support, the duration of support eligibility, the duration of support schemes and the quantity of renewables required under the scheme. (Mannon, 2007, p.37) However, Adrian Smith in his report â€Å"Multi-level governance: Towards an analysis of renewable energy governance in the English regions†, December 2006, has identified challenges for governance in promotion of renewable energy systems. Smith, 2006, has outlined that â€Å"governments policy objective of transforming existing energy systems into ones with greater renewable energy content requires coordinated efforts and changes amongst many different actors, institutions and artifacts. Renewable energy systems are complex, and their construction is far from straightforward. It is consequently difficult to direct them into being exclusively through hierarchical government measures like planning† (Smith, 2006). John Sauven, the Executive Director of Greenpeace UK, in his article â€Å"Its rip-off Britain, even when it comes to climate change†, October 2007, has stated that the targets set by Renewable Obligation which were set for electricity suppliers have all been missed and â€Å"the governments own projections show that the final target of just 15 percent in 2015 will also be missed†. Additionally, Dave Toke, in his academic paper, has concluded that â€Å"RO is relatively inflexible in that it effectively sets a single level of payments for all renewable-energy generators, which is relatively generous for onshore wind power, barely sufficient (even with capital grant supplements) for offshore wind power, and not enough for much else. The target of supplying 10% of UK electricity from renewables by 2010 is not likely to be achieved some 7% is a more likely level† (Toke, 2005). Toke, D., also noted that â€Å"the more ambitious the targets are, the more expensive w ill be the incentives (or penalties) needed to ensure compliance with these targets†. The analysis of renewable energy policy carried out by the Carbon Trust, â€Å"Policy Framework for renewables†, July 2006, states that â€Å"overall, the existing renewable energy policy suffers from inefficiencies, resulting in a unit cost of renewable energy to consumers that is higher than necessary given the current technology cost†, as well as â€Å"given the renewable and carbon reduction targets and the 2015 gap, diversity of investment in renewable energy is needed†. The UK policies are not created to determine what a sustainable energy system i

Important People of History Essay

Ancient Greece was known for many things, including great thinkers and philosophers. Many names come to mind from this period, including that of Socrates. Certainly, none are so colorful. He wrote nothing, but his impact was unmatched by others. His ideas were revolutionary, and caused enough controversy that he was finally put on trial in Athens, guaranteeing that his mark on history would be indelible. Socrates was born in 469 B. C. E. to Sophroniscus and Phaenarete. Little is known about him beyond what others wrote, since he resisted any urges to put words on paper. What is known about him comes from Aristophanes, Xenophon, and Plato, all of whom wrote about him. However, their narratives differ in some crucial ways, and so there are some things that will never be known about the enigmatic philosopher. Socrates was a firm believer in the power of the intellect. He insisted that â€Å"a man must order his life by the guidance of his own intellect,† believing that it was this above all that must be cultivated. He never hesitated in saying what he believed, and this tendency made him unpopular in many circles. However, he did not allow this to deter him from expressing these beliefs. Knowledge and truth were paramount to him, and he would not sacrifice these virtues for anything. When he was eighteen, Socrates was required to do the duty of every citizen, and this included training in the Athenian militia. He served the years that were expected of him, engaging in battle in 432 as a foot soldier to help put down a revolt. On the way home from the siege that followed, Socrates saved the life of Alcibiades during a subsequent battle near Spartolus, losing the battle. They returned to Athens in 429, where he was accused of helping the playwright Euripides to write his tragedies. Important People of History Page 2 of 5 Socrates next saw battle at Delium in 424. The Athenians saw defeat yet again, although Socrates distinguished himself once more. In another year, he was yet again immersed in battle, this time at Amphipolis. This ended in another defeat, and was also the last battle that Socrates fought. Peace was made between Athens and Sparta, and this is when Socrates could begin to concentrate in earnest on debates and discussions to pass on his ideas and beliefs. Education, democracy, and Mystery religion were key themes in this. During this time, Socrates married Xanthippe, and they would have two sons. Socrates perhaps became best known for the Socratic Method. This method was meant to help intellectuals come to correct conclusions, and it made definition the most essential point of this. In a desire to find the truth, Socrates believed that one must â€Å"require a standard of truth and an explanation of the causes of error. † The comparison of two ideas is necessary in making a judgment, and those ideas must be clear and not vague. This method lasted throughout the centuries, and is still practiced today. Socrates is also known as the founder of utilitarianism. Ethics and the process of applying his methods to them was a key interest of his, and this study led to utilitarian ideas. With this, he came to the conclusion that good is useful and â€Å"virtue is happiness. † This formed the core of his paradox, which is that men do not willingly commit wrongs, and that this is done only through ignorance. While Socrates wrote nothing, he spent a great deal of his life conversing with others. This was a major part of his Socratic method. He never attempted to teach, for he believed that he had no knowledge. He professed that he was only exceptional in the fact Important People of History Page 3 of 5 that he knew that he knew nothing. It was a goal of his to prove that popular ideas were inconsistent, and he wished to convince all to whom he spoke that their convictions could not stand up under examination. Socrates was well known for frequenting places such as marketplaces, where he would engage people in conversation. He enjoyed doing this with people of all ranks and stations, often putting off important people and gaining their animosity. His manner and lack of deference gained him many enemies; many resenting what they felt were his ridicule. There was nothing that Socrates felt was too sacred to question and criticize, and this included both religion and government. He was perhaps more agnostic than anything, and he had no compunctions about questioning and criticizing the gods. This added to feelings of animosity against him, as did the fact that he was also quite vocal against the ruling powers. It was this that was to lead to his arrest and subsequent trial, which is perhaps the pinnacle of his career. Socrates was arrested when he was seventy on charges that â€Å"he does not believe in the gods recognized by the city, but introduces strange supernatural beings; he is also guilty, because he corrupts the youth. † The political reasons were kept quiet, instead focusing on impiety, and the sentence proposed was that of death, although those who accused him had no real desire to put him to death, only to force him to leave and no longer be a thorn in their sides. However, Socrates refused to leave, instead remaining behind to face the charges against him. A life away from his interactions with the Athenians would not have suited him, and so he remained. Important People of History Page 4 of 5 Socrates faced a jury of 501 men. This jury, as all Athenian juries, would vote twice. Their first vote was on guilt or innocence, and their second vote was for the sentence. While Socrates expected that he would be convicted, he expressed surprise at â€Å"how closely the jury was split on the first and basic question. † It was a difference of six percent that would have turned the tide, acquitting him. Socrates had the chance to avoid a sentence of death once the verdict came in. It was a practice of the Athenian law system to allow the defendant to put forth another punishment, and the jury would choose between the two. However, the punishment that Socrates suggested was merely a small fine, which was so minuscule a punishment that the jury had little choice but to condemn him to death. It was not for thirty days after his trial that Socrates would meet his end. During that time, his friend Crito appealed to him to escape, but Socrates believed that the harm that would come from that would be a greater harm to the city than to allow himself to follow through with the sentence, and that it would have â€Å"brought shame on his family and friends. † Socrates did not seem to fear his death. In fact, on the day upon which he was scheduled to die, he seemed quite happy and pleasant. Death was perhaps another opportunity for him to learn and experience. He was also not alone when the end came, as his wife and younger son, as well as friends, were present. He spent his last day doing what he loved best, discussing philosophy and once more passing on his wisdom. Xanthippe was taken home before his actual death took place, leaving him with his Important People of History Page 5 of 5 friends and advising them to agree if they believed what he said was truth, and to oppose it if they did not, refusing to restrain themselves. To the end, he was determined to hold onto his ideals and beliefs, and insisted on others doing so as well. After bathing and then meeting with his family once more, he met with his executioners. He was given a glass of hemlock after having its effects explained to him. After this formality, he â€Å"cheerfully took the cup and drank. † Thus ended the life of one of the most profound leaders of philosophy. Socrates, through all of his life, lived up to the ideals and beliefs that he taught. He never compromised these, even up to the day that he died. To him, the importance of remaining true to himself and his teachings was paramount, and to do otherwise would be an injustice. He did not simply talk and hope that others learned from him; he lived by example and died by the same. His legacy proved to be quite enduring, and is still a cornerstone of philosophy to this day. His students, such as Plato, helped to preserve this and pass it on. Without Plato and others, little would be known today of Socrates. The impression he made was a lasting one, and a good example even today, encouraging people not to be afraid to question and discuss, because without these things, learning cannot be successful. Works Cited Bury, J. B. and Russell Meiggs. A History of Greece. London: Macmillan Education LTD, 1975. Nails, Debra. â€Å"Socrates. † Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 16 Sept. 2005. . Stone, I. F. The Trial of Socrates. New York: Doubleday, 1989.

A Comparative Analysis: Juvenile and Adult Courts

For many years, people have believed that the juvenile justice system was meant to serve as a way to protect the community. Juveniles who commit crimes are different from adults because many do not understand the complexity of the crime committed. In order to respond to these differences, many states have established a way to treat these adolescents through juvenile courts and youth-based recovery systems. While most states recognize that juveniles who commit crimes should not be treated as an adult there are still some that are skeptic that the juvenile justice system works.The juvenile justice system began in 1899, in Chicago, Illinois where the nation’s first juvenile system was established. In the beginning the system was informal and often times it was nothing more than a conversation between the juvenile and a judge (Juvenile Law Center, 2013). Over the years the system has changed significantly where juvenile courts have created a probation system which provided a diffe rent method to provide juveniles with guidance, supervision, and education.By the 1920s all but two states had followed the suit but it was not until the 1960s where the juvenile justice system was given several of the same legal rights as the adult court. There are many differences between the juvenile and adult criminal systems but they also share their similarities. While their differences vary depending on the state, the similarities can be said to be our natural born rights. One of the main similarities is the right to an attorney (LaMance, 2013). The defendant has the choice of either choosing a public defender to represent them or to hire a paid attorney.Both courts not only give their defendants the right to cross-examine witnesses but also the privilege against self-incrimination. The prosecution must also provide proof beyond a reasonable doubt before either of the two can be charged and convicted (LaMance, 2013). The two also share the right to receive a transcript of the proceedings and the rights to have an appellate court review the lower court’s decision. One of the main differences is the overall goal for both courts.While the goal for the adult court is to  punish and convict, the juvenile justice system prefers the method of rehabilitation and reformation, thus giving the juvenile a chance to become a productive citizen (LaMance, 2013). Unlike adults, juveniles do not have the right to a public trial and an adjudication hearing is required in order for the judge to determine if the minor is a delinquent. If considered a delinquent, the court then decides which steps should be taken where the best interest for the juvenile is taken into consideration.The juvenile court is still more informal than that of the adult court (LaMance, 2013). An example of their informality is the rule for admissibility of evidence which is much more lenient in the juvenile court. Lastly juveniles are usually not prosecuted for the delinquent acts that he o r she has committed. However depending on the severity of the crime and state laws, juveniles can be transferred and tried in the adult system (LaMance, 2013). The adjudication process in which juveniles are transferred to the adult system varies by state.While some states enable the transfer of certain juveniles with a waiver, depending on their age and offense criteria, other states consider the juvenile to be an â€Å"automatic adult† (OJJDP National Report Series: Juvenile in Court, 2013). Although all states allow juveniles to be tried as adults in criminal court there are a few circumstances that follow. All states except for Nebraska, New Mexico, and New York provide a judicial waiver where the juvenile court judge has the authority to waive juvenile court jurisdiction and transfer cases to the adult court.Other states have a concurrent jurisdiction where the original jurisdiction for certain cases is shared by both juvenile and adult courts. The discretion under the c oncurrent jurisdiction is left to the prosecutor. Statutory exclusion is the legislative method, which mandates juvenile prosecution in adult court. Youths charged with certain crimes can be placed in the adult system automatically, thus removing any kind of decision making process from judges or prosecutors (OJJDP National Report Series: Juvenile in Court, 2013).In recent years states have significantly expanded legislation for allowing the use of judicial waivers. This trend has increased the number of juveniles incarcerated throughout the United States and has expectations to rise. Having a juvenile treated as an adult gives them the possibility of life or death sentences and incarceration in state of federal prisons which can have a tremendous impact on the life and future of a juvenile (Find Law, 2013).Although it may be served as a deterrent to some, sending juveniles directly to the adult criminal court gives the juvenile the impression that there is no room for rehabilitatio n or second chances, thus paving the way for a life of crime for others. Since the late 1970s, critics of the juvenile justice courts have pursued to abolish this system with the assumption that this system has failed its purpose, to rehabilitate juveniles (LaMance, 2013). Abolishing juvenile courts holds ramifications for not only juveniles but also the community.Eliminating these courts would mean that all juveniles, no matter the age or crime, would be treated as an adult. Many jobs and careers would be lost for those who have committed their lives to making a difference in the juvenile justice system, jobs such as social workers, juvenile detention guards, and juvenile probation officers. An argument can be made to abolish this system but the idea that young offenders whom are not mentally competent to understand their behavior still stands (LaMance, 2013).Therefore juveniles should be handled in a different court system. The juvenile justice system has grown and changed substan tially since 1899. The justifications of the juvenile court system are that youth are developmentally different from adults and should not be treated the same. Having a system that focuses on the needs of children, who are maturing into adulthood, not only gives the community hope but also gives the juvenile a real chance to rehabilitation and recovery.

Frederick Douglass Resurrection Essay - 734 Words

For hundreds of years, slaves in America were beaten, humiliated, and deprived of their basic needs. The unquestioned control of the slave masters had proved to be too despicable for some slaves to stand idly by. One such slave, Frederick Douglass, was even able to defeat his owner and achieve freedom. He uses his life’s story, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, to inspire Northerners to rise against the inhumanity in their own country. The excerpt â€Å"Resurrection† serves his purpose especially well for it uses not only the power of his diction and religious allusions, but also used with such eloquence that we can visualize the last drop of dark red blood fall from his body on the hard floor. One of the†¦show more content†¦He argues that they could take down the massive beast that were slaver holders at that time. Douglass’s transformation from an abused slave to practically a free man helps to prove it to the North. The strongest case he makes is the skirmish between him and his master, Covey. The actual fight would have taken only a few minutes, but Douglass describes every blow that he gives and takes so that every person, no matter their knowledge of anything in the South, would be able to understand the risk he took and his accomplishment. He also was able to recall minute details, like the smell of the barn, because it was so important to him, that he needed people to understand what he did. Hidden in Douglass’s details, there lives a strong connection to the main religious belief of the North, Christianity. He relates his own story to a story that of Jesus’s, which almost every person in the North, white or not, could understand and feel that Douglass was the protagonist in the situation. He uses subtle clues that help him achieve a positive relationship with Northern people. He mentions bleeding from the head after getting thorns in his head while he is running away from hi s captor. In the Bible, Jesus’s â€Å"crown† is made of a ring of thorns. This link is used to alter the northern’s perspective of his escape as necessary and the right thing for him to do. He also uses the three day time span of the piece to suggest hisShow MoreRelatedNarrative Of The Life Of Fredrick Douglass, An American Slave916 Words   |  4 PagesFredrick Douglass, an American Slave In Fredrick Douglass’s a narrative, Narrative of The Life of Fredrick Douglass, an American Slave, he narrates an account of his experiences in the dehumanizing institution of slavery. This American institution was strategically formatted to quench any resemblance of human dignity. Throughout, the narration of his life Fredrick Douglas, meticulously illustrates the methodical process that contributed to the perpetual state of slavery. In his narration Douglass, denouncesRead MoreThe Life And Times Of Frederick Douglass987 Words   |  4 PagesDouglass, Frederick. The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, 2003. Frederick, born in Maryland, grew up on the outskirts of the plantation where his Grandmother took care of him and other little children. His mother was a slave, and he did not know his father. Through Frederick’s early youth, he did not understand the unfair and brutal acts of slavery. As a young child, he alluded the humiliating and dehumanizing experiences typical of an AfricanRead MoreThe Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1300 Words   |  6 Pageslife of Frederick Douglass gives readers a  detailed  overview  of the life of a slave who share his own personal  experiences and struggles from a slave to a freeman.   Frederick Douglass was born in Talbot county, Maryland. He was the son of Harriet Bailey and his father was a white man   (Douglass 1). After living with his master for nine months, Frederick was sent to stay with Mr. Covey, a man who is known for â€Å"breaking down young slaves† (Douglass 34). But while he was at Mr Covey’s Douglass faced manyRead More Critiques of Frederick Douglass Work, from The Narrative to the North Star1928 Words   |  8 PagesCritiques of Frederick Douglass Work, from The Narrative to the North Star Right is of no sex-Truth is of no color-God is the Father of us all, And all we are brethren. A brief biography of Frederick Douglass Some historical criticisms of Douglass Narrative New criticisms of Douglass work Frederick Douglass Links See the First edition of The North Star, Douglasss newspaper A brief biography of Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass was born into the institution of slaveryRead MoreEssay On The Man Who Was Almost A Man773 Words   |  4 Pagesmanhood can be understood as the capacity of a man to handle a difficult situation. However, some people believe that manhood comes through action rather than material possessions. By comparing the different paths to manhood taken by Frederick Douglass in â€Å"Resurrection† and Dave Saunders in â€Å"The Man Who Was Almost a Man,† readers come to understand that manhood comes through actions rather than what one possesses. First, becoming a man requires action, not what one possesses to prove his manhood. Read MoreFrederick Douglass, The Most Famous African American Abolitionists And The Greatest American1000 Words   |  4 Pages Frederick Douglass is the most famous African-American abolitionists and the greatest American orators. Throughout American history, African-Americans were victims of American governmental policies of harsh slavery. However, Frederick Douglass transforms the way people should understand slavery. He takes charge of upholding slavery to himself and defends the freedom for those in slavery. While other African-Americans did not have a voice, he became the voice for African-American slavery. InRead MoreFrederick Douglass Realism1838 Words   |  8 PagesFrederick Douglass truly transformed American society by using realism and powerful rhetoric within his speeches. Douglass’s speeches and slave narrative not only clarified, but described in full detail real and life changing events of slavery that changed the tide of the Civil War. One of the greatest orators, Frederick Douglass, was first a slave. Frederick was born on â€Å"the Holme Hill Farm near Chesapeake Bay, Maryland† under the slave owners, the Alnuds (Pinkney 27). Frederick’s parents wereRead MoreEssay on Rhetoric of Resistance in Literature995 Words   |  4 Pageshave read material focusing on slave narratives, authentic and fictionalized. Three very important pieces of literature during the period in which slavery was alive and well in this country that will be examined are: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, David Walkers Appeal and Henry Highland Garnets An Address to the Slaves of the United States of America. Each of these pieces proved to be material that was considered incendiary and blatantly militant for its fervor and rhetoric of resistanceRead MoreEssay on The Life of Frederick Douglass2310 Words   |  10 PagesLife of Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass brilliantly intelligent and defiant once led a minor insurrection against his masters and escapes his venture alive. Douglass’s career as a militant, uncompromising leader of the American Negro. A fugitive slave who was taught to read by his slave mistress, and who as an ex-slave, became the most famous and articulate rebuke to the monstrous institution of slavery ever to speak or to write in America. In autumn of 1828, Frederick Douglass beganRead More The Importance of Religion to American Slaves Essay2132 Words   |  9 Pageswhich they would be free. (Stammering Tongue, 60). In Frederick Douglass’ Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Douglass maintains that in the darkest hours of my career in slavery, this living word of faith and spirit of hope departed [not] from me, but remained like ministering angels to cheer me through gloom. The good spirit was from God, and to him I offer thanksgiving and praise (1775). Douglass’ belief that God is on his side helps secure the

Do Not Blame Romeo or Juliet for their Actions Essay

Do not Blame Romeo or Juliet for their Actions in Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare The play, Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare, is a story of two star- crossed lovers. Their love generated conflicts which they never imagined would lead to tragedy. These two young people did nothing wrong except fall in love. However, they had figures in their lives that caused their relationship to be disastrous. Without these influences in their lives, they could have possibly lived happily, but that was not the case. The three main influences that persuaded destruction included the feud between the two families, the nurse and her betrayal of Juliet and the Friar, whom ultimately was most responsible for the†¦show more content†¦Romeo and Juliet would have never been able to see each other. These two families were very stubborn and virtually nothing that would have made them become allies. When he play is introduced the audience, the tension between households is immediately noted. Doth with their death bury their parents strife. (Romeo Juliet, Prologue, l.8) Neither household would have accepted the marriage. Keeping the marriage a secret caused Romeo and Juliet to turn to other people for help. At times these people mislead them with bad advice or even betrayed them. The Nurse can be seen as a character which betrayed Juliet. The Nurse was quite possibly Juliets closest friend, but she turned against her at a crucial time. The Nurse blatantly told Juliet to marry Paris. I think it best you married with the county. (Romeo Juliet, pg.101, III, v, l.219) This treachery by the Nurse abandoned Juliet. Juliet was now left to make important decisions by herself. If the Nurse was around to help Juliet the circumstance could have drastically changed. She obviously could not have seek guidance from her parents because Romeo was a Montague and that was enough for them to turn away from any possibility of being with Romeo. The Nurse was supposed to be one of Juliets best friends. Now when it was important for Juliet to have someone there, she was all by herself.Show MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1308 Words   |  6 Pagesof Romeo and Juliet, Benvolio said, â€Å"Alas, that love, so gentle in his view,/ Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof!†(1.1.165-166) Benvolio suggests that love seems nice, peaceful, and innocent, but in reality it can be disastrous and even deadly. A world famous author and poet by the name of William Shakespeare wrote The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet in 1597. Romeo and Juliet is known as one of the best love stories in history. There are many significant characters in The Tragedy of Romeo andRead MoreWho is to Blame in Romeo and Juliet? Essay987 Words   |  4 PagesWho to Blame for the Deaths of Romeo and Juliet The deaths of Romeo and Juliet didnt really need to happen, as it wasnt them, but the people around them that were fighting and disagreeing. Romeo and Juliet did their best to keep out of the violence but the people around them such as family friends and the local community that were making them unhappy. Romeo is a young teenager of the Montague Household, who falls in love with Juliet, a Capulet whose family are ancientRead MoreRomeo And Juliet1001 Words   |  5 Pagesor what is to blame for the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet? Have you ever wondered why Romeo and Juliet truly died? What was the cause of their death? Let me tell you. Romeo and Juliet were lovers who lived in brawling families. They loved each other so much that they couldn’t stand to be apart. Romeo thought Juliet died, so he killed himself; however, Juliet was not dead. She had taken a potion to make her seem dead so Romeo and she could be together. After Juliet woke and saw Romeo dead, she decidedRead MoreRomeo And Juliet1001 Words   |  5 Pagesor what is to blame for the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet? Have you ever wondered why Romeo and Juliet truly died? What was the cause of their death? Let me tell you. Romeo and Juliet were lovers who lived in brawling families. They loved each other so much that they couldn’t stand to be apart. Romeo thought Juliet died, so he killed himself; however, Juliet was not dead. She had taken a potion to make her seem dead so Romeo and she could be together. After Juliet woke and saw Romeo dead, she decidedRead MoreSelfishness Can Lead to Tragic Results754 Words   |  3 PagesTragic Results Multiple actions of lying and deception can lead to horrific consequences changing the lives of family, friends, and one true love. In the play, â€Å"Romeo and Juliet† by William Shakespeare, two teenagers meet each other and instantly fall in love. Their families not only don’t get along, but actually loathe each other. The boy, Romeo, is a Montague and the girl, Juliet, is a Capulet. Throughout the play they try everything they possibly can to be together. Romeo ends up being banishedRead MoreRomeo And Juliet1032 Words   |  5 Pagesfor the deaths of Romeo and Juliet? Be sure to use the text to prove your point. Who is responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet? Throughout the story, there are many people to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Friar Laurence, Capulets, Montagues, and Peter are the ones that are constantly blamed for the death of Romeo and Juliet. There are so many people to blame for the actions of Romeo and Juliet, but Romeo and Juliet are also responsible for their own actions. Friar LaurenceRead More Friar Lawrence Caused the Deaths of Romeo and Juliet Essay1700 Words   |  7 Pages ‘Romeo and Juliet’ The play ‘Romeo and Juliet’, by William Shakespeare is a tragedy which tells of the tragic deaths of the two lovers, Romeo and Juliet. In Verona there were two families the Montague and the Capulet’s who had an old argument. Their children Romeo and Juliet fall in love and because of their families old arguments can never be together. Because of Romeo ‘s killing of Tybalt, Romeo is banished and through series of misunderstanding Romeo and JulietRead MoreRomeo and Juliet906 Words   |  4 PagesRomeo and Juliet: Essay Topic Sentence: Who, in your opinion, is most to blame for this tragedy? One of Shakespeare’s most known plays is the love story between Romeo and Juliet, which ends up as a tragedy. There are many different reasons and causes to why this tragedy occurred between the two young lovers, Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurance, their parents and also the element of fate. Romeo and Juliet are two young lovers who seem to rush the love between each other by becoming married to afterRead MoreRomeo Is Completely to Blame for the Tragic Outcome in the Play.1359 Words   |  6 PagesRomeo is completely to blame for the tragic outcome in the play. William Shakespeares play Romeo and Juliet is without doubt one of the most well-known love story. Throughout the five acts of the play, one tragedy follows another, with the famous suicide of Romeo and Juliet as a tragic conclusion. Throughout the play, it may seem that Romeo caused these events to unfold, however it is unjust to say that he bears all responsibility for the tragedy. The decisions, actions and circumstances thatRead MoreRomeos Change Throughout the Play Essay877 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout the Play I feel that Romeo does not change very much in this play. He has many sides to his personality; he can be happy, sad and depressed but what really causes him to die is his impulsiveness; he does not think of the consequences of his actions and thinks that everything is down to fate/destiny. For example, at the beginning of the play, Romeo feels miserable because the woman he admires does not return her love. Romeo knows that the woman he desires

Violence Is Immoral And Wrong - 1954 Words

Society has been subjected to many violent acts over the course of its history. Although violence is immoral and wrong, somehow people everyday condone and commit violence for countless reasons. Many Hollywood films glorify mindless violence to their advantage and captivate audiences through its entertaining shock value and rake large box office profits. Car chases, crashes and glorified gladiator sword fights are all familiar scenes in which violence is portrayed in an unrealistic glamorised manner. Alternatively, many directors aim to portray violence in a far more realistic way as it aims not to condone it. Instead, they seek to show the true repercussions of violent acts among society. Hany Abu-Assad (Paradise Now) and Tony Kaye (American History X) intend to challenge and create an alternative view to violence through the way they portray it. They all demonstrate the vicious and futile cycle of violence and how it is a useless notion that only sparks more terror and misery. Further, they seek to show an understanding to the audiences of just why people succumb to such violent acts, opening a window into the world of the perpetrators and how they perceive violence as an answer to their struggles. Both films deal with different issues of violence, however, fundamentally sustain the same profoundness. They all seek to teach peace through violence in the way they depict violent acts and hateful behaviour as senseless and wrong, aiming for the moral message to transcendShow MoreR elatedEthics And Religion : Ethics1045 Words   |  5 PagesYet, Buddhism worships no god, nor does atheist, still both can live a good life, and be a good person; with ethical standards, and without believing in a god. Ethics can be defined as â€Å"a branch of philosophy dealing with what is morally right or wrong† (Merriam-Webster, 2016). Whereas religion is defined as, â€Å"a personal set of institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices† (Merriam-Webster, 2016). In the letter King wrote while in Jail, he used both ethics and religiousRead MoreEssay on Moral or Immoral648 Words   |  3 PagesMoral or Immoral In Martin Luther King Jr.’s essay, A Letter from Birmingham Jail he compares the issues of Moral acts verses Immoral acts. This essay was written in response to a letter some clergymen had written after a direct action march Dr. King had participated in. In their letter the clergymen had praised the local police officers and media for the nonviolent and calm manner in which the situation was handled. It was this praise that prompted Dr King to write: â€Å"I have tried toRead MoreShould Hate Groups Be Allowed Free Speech?725 Words   |  3 Pagesfree speech, it is not discriminatory unless it incites violence, and hate can be prevented through education rather than criminalization. Hate groups are known to protest against otherwise agreeable opinions through rallies and speeches. The Westboro Baptist Church is known for picketing funerals, however they have never physically assaulted the people they hate, even when argued with by opposing bystanders. What they do may seem immoral, but it is not a crime to express an opinion. Their opinionsRead MoreCorporal Punishment Is A Barbaric, Ineffective, And Counterintuitive Method Of A Person s Misbehavior1338 Words   |  6 Pages(Anne Smith, 2011) A person has the rights to their own body and their wellbeing as long as they are in a state of sanity. When an individual does something another thinks is â€Å"wrong† it, in no way, warrants the assaulting of another individual. Unless, of course, the individual is hurting another in a way physical violence is the only method of handling the issue. Why does it not warrant it? If every human decided to physically assault every individual who has done something that violates their subjectiveRead Morepornography right or wronga Essay1128 Words   |  5 Pages interview that Ted Bundy had requested. So with this in mind, I will apply the ethical theories to this subject of pornography. Pornography has been around for many years, holding many debates on the ethicalness and if it is moral or immoral. The utilitarianism view on pornography is that it is morally correct as long as it brought some kind of happiness and pleasure for the people of the greater good. To give you an example of this it would be from an artistic viewpoint. AnRead More Television and Media - Daytime Talk TV is Immoral Essay1152 Words   |  5 PagesDaytime Talk TV is Immoral Today’s society has become a visually based culture and, as a result, people learn and act from what they see. With the advent of television, many programs have been aired ranging from news programs to sitcoms and from game shows to talk shows, but talk shows, today, have the most effect on the public. Daily, viewers turn on their televisions and many are bombarded with images of sex, drugs, and violence on the talk shows. Unfortunately, many people areRead MoreKantian Ethical Analysis1614 Words   |  6 Pagesperform the action that is universally right and moral rather than an action of his/her own purpose, Moral law should be recognized and universally accepted by all rational human beings since they have reasoning and can distinguish right from wrong, moral from Immoral. (Cavico Mujtaba, 2008, p.113) 2 - Discussion of Kantian ethics: To more understand Kantian ethics, we went to chapter 8 of the textbook in where Kant stated human beings have inner morality, meaning that when one starts reasoning, he/sheRead MoreThe Allegory Of The Cave By Ray Bradbury1148 Words   |  5 Pagesoverreliance on items leads to a loss of focus on morals and what is ethically important. In Bradbury’s â€Å"The Veldt,† the Hadley children, Peter and Wendy, lose a sense of right and wrong because their reliance on technology distracts them from their morals. The children lose compassion and understanding for others, engage in violence towards their parents, and make hurtful and unethical comments towards family members. Their overreliance on technology distances them from being able to work and provide forRead MoreShould Prostitution Be Legal1695 Words   |  7 Pagespay debts, or under duress, it serves to normalize prostitution concept and its rapid growth. Nevertheless, most of the problems, such as violence against women, organized crime, trafficking, early sexualization, that become more pressing day after day are seen as a substantial part of sex industry functioning. The feminist theory pays less attention to violence against women than to work and economy question. Moreover, the idea of sexual work has already caused a significant controversy at feministRead MoreStrength in Numbers Can Lead from Peaceful Protests to Angry Mobs571 Words   |  3 Pagesplace in society. These creates division between people and from there groups form on how to make their change become reality. These groups then form their own mob mentality which is where they begin to go down the slippery slope of immorality. This immoral behavior is spawned from the belief that individuals can hide from their moral responsibility. According to the Stand encyclopedia of philosophy moral responsibility is, â€Å"when a person performs or fails to perform a morally significant action†¦ a particular

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution The Conflict Management

Question: Describe about the Negotiation and Conflict Resolution for The Conflict Management. Answer: Introduction The following report presents the critically review on the conflict management which is categorized in two parts. The first discusses about the conception of conflict management in association with several levels of conflict as well as various approach of conflict management. Apart from that, the first part of the study covers the discussion on the importance and significance of conflict management in the organization which assists in developing the learning and group outcomes. On the contrary, second part of the report is entirely directed on the development of perfect model that helps in managing the situation of conflicts and disagreements involving the process of decision making in the same circumstances. In order to understand the entire procedure and development of model in a better way, Woolworths Limited organization has been selected in the present report. Part 1: Literature review on conflict management Concept of conflict management Conflict is a circumstance where friction and disagreement occurs either among two individuals or within the same group of people. It arises when there are differences in the beliefs or actions of the individuals and the members of the group in a business organization or at any other state of affairs. Dyer and Song (2015) mentioned that the organizational performance gets affected in a negative way if there are situations of conflicts among the management or groups or other employees. On the contrary, Masuda and Kostopoulos (2016) argued that the circumstance of conflicts generates a form of competition among the members or workers within the business enterprise that helps in improving and enhancing the performance benchmark. Whereas, Mazei et al. (2015) mentioned the negative impact of conflict situation that creates perturbed situation in the internal control of the organization that is not preferable for the growth and sustainability. Moreover, there are several techniques and methods of conflict management have been advanced to overcome the situation of conflicts and disagreements. Harinck and Druckman (2015) considered that the conflict management is a systematic process that assists in controlling the friction or discord by removing the harmful effects caused in the organization. Prati et al. (2016) stated that the significant goal of conflict management is to develop the overall business performance in the organization as well as enhancing the performance level among the individual employees. Further, Diehl and Regan (2015) explained the conflict management as a procedure that deals with the arguments or frictional situations in a balanced and efficient manner. Different levels of conflict As per the concept given by Yeung, Fung and Chan (2015), the situation of conflict within the enterprise can be overcome by applying various methods of conflicting management. However, the selection and application of appropriate methods or techniques of conflict management depends on the kinds of conflict that are discussed as follows: Discomfort level of conflict: First level of conflict in the business organization is the level of discomfort where the happening of events is not suitable or acceptable by the individuals or members of the groups. Since this level of conflict is the initial stage, therefore the disagreement among the organizational members is not significant and can be easily avoided by ignoring the present circumstance (Elfenbein 2015). At this level, the conflict in the organization has less impact on the standard of employees performance and the performance of the entire business enterprise. Incident level of conflict: In case the conflict at the level of discomfort is not taken care by the management of the organization then the second level of conflict i.e. incident level of conflict arises. The conflict of the business organization at this level creates short and sharp communication between the employees and group members of the organization (Monroe et al. 2015). Mix- up level of conflict: This level of conflict in business organization occurs when there are misunderstandings exist between the previous two levels of conflict. Prause and Mujtaba (2015) stated that to manage the disagreed situation at this current level is critical for the organizational management at a given point of time. This is because the point of misapprehension at this stage is comparatively high than that in the other two levels (Manchikanti et al. 2015). Therefore, solving the situation of conflict through the process of negotiation is critical. Tension level of conflict: Currie and Teague (2015) mentioned that if the management of the enterprise or executive employees fails to solve the conflicts or disagreements in the above level i.e. mix- up level then conflict of the organization comes to the next level. This level of conflict is known as tension level which is critical for the management and other members of the group. at this level of disagreement employees or other members do not have the clue or understanding on the ideas and thinking of other people (Dinar et al. 2015). As a result, members and employees of the business enterprise act in a way revealing the incompatibility among them which affects the overall organizational performance. Crisis level of conflict: The last level of conflict known as crisis level in the business enterprise is referred to as an extreme point that may cause serious damage to the industry. Conflict at this level or stage affects the relationship among the employees of the companies or it may also terminate the employment of the workers. Accordingly, Weingart et al. (2015) proposed that the organizational management should construct appropriate strategies beforehand so that the conflicts or disagreements do not reach to the level of crisis. Hence, it can be said from the discussion stated above that the management in an enterprise is required to organize the business functions in an effective manner. The management should conduct the organizational situation in appropriate way so that in case of any conflicts, the situation can be solved at the level of discomfort. However, the management of the organization should be efficient and careful so that the situation of conflicts can be avoided. Importance of conflict management Cederman et al. (2015) commented that the management for conflict at the right and appropriate time is essential for the business enterprise. Moreover, there are several reasons that form the importance of conflict management in the organization which are as follows: Improvement in performance standard: Situation of conflict at workplace or at any organization is common that creates the negative effect on the standard of performance of the employees. Conversely, Goh, Ilies and Wilson (2015) mentioned that the techniques or methods of conflict management helps the organizational management can eliminate the discrepancies among the workers that would form a favorable work ambience in the organizations. Such steps and actions would enhance the work interest of the employees towards the companies and eventually improvement in the performance standard will be formed. Such activity would improve the overall performance of the enterprise. Improves team bonding: Conflict management method assist the organizational management to satisfy the employees interests in performing the business functions either fully or partially. Such action helps in creating the agreement among the members of the group that is significant to maintain the team bonding at the organization (Ilies et al. 2015). Helps to achieve goodwill: Appropriate use of conflict management method helps the group members and management of the organization to sustain a favorable and beneficial environment. It creates the motivation among the employees and other members to perform the work in a better way that enhances the performance benchmark of the enterprise (Koch and Binnewies 2015). Additionally, it helps in improving the production and goodwill of the company as per the industrial standard. Hence, the aforementioned discussion indicates that the techniques of conflict management are very significant to improve the business performance and business position. It also helps in enhancing the standard of the business performance as well as the market goodwill in the global economy. Part B: A model to make decisions and manage conflicting situation As mentioned in the first of the report i.e. the literature review on the conflict management study, disagreements are common in any organization. Hence, it is imperative in taking appropriate decisions to administer the situations of conflict by developing a conflict management model. In the present report, the model of conflict management has been established in solving the conflicts between employees and management at the selected organization. The model has been based on the Thomas Kilmanns conflict management model at Woolworths Limited (Tafel-Viia and Alas 2015). It has been observed that conflicts at Woolworths Limited have taken place at several times for several reasons. Situation of conflict occurs not only between management and employees but also between the board and executive employees. For instance, the situation of conflict at Woolworths has been not during the year 2014 between the board of directors and middle level of management. The situation occurs due to fragile financial performance in the business as well as decision- making procedures (Woolworthslimited.com.au 2016). On the contrary, situation of conflict arises due to the disagreement in the interests of the employees and the management. Another instance of the conflict noted was during the year 2009 that occurred between the employees and management of Woolworths Limited. It occurred because the top level of management of the organization undertook a decision to decline the level of cost by decreasing the number of workers. Such decision created the apprehension of losing the job among the organizational employees and accordingly the combat situation occurred between the management and the employees (Woolworthslimited.com.au 2016). In addition to this, conflicts occurred at Woolworths due to the discrepancies with respect to the bonus, incentives and such other rewards as well as the different policies in the organization. On analyzing the conflict situation of the Woolworths Limited, it can be noted that three major types of friction existed in the business enterprise that are mentioned as under: Conflicts due to weak performance Conflicts due to companys policies Conflicts due to management decision (com.au 2016) This situation of conflicts in the Woolworths Limited may be overcome by developing the model on the basis of Thomas Kilmanns conflict management model. Thomas Kilmanns model of conflict management According to the model of conflict management based on Thomas Kilmann there are five forms to overcome the situation of conflicts that are mentioned below: Figure 1: Different approaches of conflict management (Source: Created by author) Collaborative: In this specific approach of the conflict management in the organization, the management or executive employees considers the concept of all the workers related to the circumstance. At the same time, the higher level of management provides equivalent importance to the viewpoint of each of the worker. (Wilson, Davis and Murdie 2016) alleged that the approach of collaborative in the conflict management, concept of all the related individuals is measures that make the procedure of decision making easier for the management. Accommodating: Another approach of conflict situation in the organization is accommodating approach that focuses on solving the situation of conflict. Leaders and management utilize accommodating approach of the conflict management in the organization at the time the fail to overcome such situations. It occurs when the management fails to solve it in the regular way and without considering the outcome of such circumstance. Einarsen et al. (2016) stated that the accommodating approach could recognize the innovative way to overcome the circumstance of the disagreement that helps in maintaining the industrial goodwill. Competitive: Next approach of the conflict management is the competitive approach in which the management sticks at a specific decision, which does not diversify its position by any means. Ayoko and Ayoko (2016) opined that in order to use the competitive approach, the management should have the understanding the ideas or concept to back-up the requirements of workers end. Way, Jimmieson and Bordia (2016) disagreed about the concept of this approach since the management is required to experience the resistance of higher level of employees. Moreover, Ilies et al. (2015) mentioned that the competitive approach of the conflict management helps the concerned management in taking fast decisions. Compromising: Approach of compromising in the conflict management indicates the decision-making by the management, which is partially acceptable by all the workers. It states that the approach of compromising in conflict management, individuals involved in the circumstances of disagreement are required to compromise the interest to certain extent. Cederman et al. (2015) mentioned that the chance of further conflict or disagreement is less on the matter since the involved persons are in state of compromising the interests. Avoiding: As stated by Yeung, Fung and Chan (2015) avoiding approach of conflict management, the management of the business enterprise denies to consider any specific decision in solving the frictional problem. However, it was argued by Tafel-Viia and Alas (2015) that the approach of avoiding in conflict management is critical and effective at the circumstance when the outcome quality of the disagreement situation is not significant. For the purpose of overcoming the circumstances of disagreement or conflict in Woolworths Limited, the approaches of conflict management as mentioned by Thomas Kilmann could be considered. In order to solve the conflicting situation at Woolworths, three primary approach of the model can be considered i.e. collaborative approach, competitive approach and compromising approach. The model of conflict management for Woolworths Limited cab be indicated by using the following diagram. Figure : Conflict management model at Woolworths Limited (Source: Created by author) Considering the above diagram, it can be recognized that the three approaches of the conflict management would have been useful in overcoming different levels of friction at Woolworths Limited. It has been analyzed that the collaborative approach developed in the model given by Thomas Kilmann would be the most suitable approach to solve the disagreements between the board members and the management at middle level because of the fragile performance in the organization. However, the approach of collaboration in the conflict management would require both the board members as well as the management in providing their opinions in the specific situations of disagreements. With the help of communication and discussion on the concepts given by each individuals or members, the financial position of the company can be improved in a better way. Since the collaborative approach gives equivalent preference to all the members on their ideas, chances of misunderstanding and disagreements can be mi nimized (Wilson, Davis and Murdie 2016). Similarly, if the situation of conflict arises due to the situation of legal policies in the organization then the same can be solved by using the approach of compromising. The organization management of Woolworths Limited is required to develop the policies for the purpose of operating the business activities in a systematic manner. Moreover, the firmness of the developed policies affects the interests of the employees in certain ways that creates conflict between the employees and the management. Hence, it would be better if the management of Woolworths Limited use the approach of compromising as a conflict management. It would assist the organization to avoid the misunderstandings on compromising the partial interests among the workers and management (Dinar et al. 2015). This policy and approach would help in avoiding the creation of issues since the interests of management and employees would be satisfied in a partial manner. It has been noted that most serious conflict situation at Woolworths Limited occurred when the organizational management undertook the decision in declining the employment of employees. It was analyzed that the number of employees was decided to be reduced by around 30,000 numbers of employees. It was noted that such circumstance on labor turnover was the most crucial circumstance experienced by the organizational management. Moreover, the decision on decrease of number of employees was important for the purpose of reducing the business activity costs. On the contrary, it was a tough situation for the concerned workers and employees since their future was at stake. Accordingly, the circumstances of friction at this stage occurred within the enterprise at high level of management. Hence, to manage and control such situation implementation of competitive approach was analyzed to be effective for the management (Koch and Binnewies 2015). It has been observed that this approach of confli ct management could easily solve the conflict circumstances since the higher management is likely to implement is decision by any means. Accordingly, it can be stated from the above arguments and discussion that solution to any conflict circumstances in an enterprise it is important to understand the nature and level of disagreement. The management is responsible to analyze the present situation, examine the nature of conflict among the parties involved as well as the level of conflicts. Upon proper examination and evaluation, the management is required to develop the appropriate model of conflict management that helps in resolving the issue. Conclusion It has been identified from the present report that the situation of conflict arises when there is difference in beliefs, thoughts, ideas or actions among two or more individuals. The conflicts may arise among the similar level of members of the organization or among the higher level of group members of the enterprise. Accordingly, the management of the organization is required to understand the circumstances of conflicts that help in managing and solving the issues arising on disagreement at different levels. It has been observed that there are five levels of conflict and it is significant to develop the relevant models to improve the organizational performance at employees level and at entire organization. In order to solve the situations of conflicts there exists several approaches of the conflict management that helps in resolving the situations of conflicts. It has been identified in the present report that Woolworths Limited, one of the largest companies in Australia experience d several conflicting circumstances during several past years. One of the primary conflict situations identified in case of Woolworths Limited was a situation between employees and management occurred as a result of labor turnover. Accordingly, it has been observed that the management focused on developing the best and appropriate model of conflict management as provided by Thomas Kilmann to get the assistance on resolving the conflicting situation. Hence, it can be concluded that the issues on conflict can be resolved by considering the appropriate techniques that helps in improving the organizational overall performance. Reference list: Ayoko, O.B. and Ayoko, O.B., 2016. Workplace conflict and willingness to cooperate: The importance of apology and forgiveness.International Journal of Conflict Management,27(2), pp.172-198. 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