3 Types of Unnecessary Hyphenation

3 Types of Unnecessary Hyphenation 3 Types of Unnecessary Hyphenation 3 Types of Unnecessary Hyphenation By Mark Nichol An extraneous instance of hyphenation occurs in each of the following sentences. Discussion after each example explains the error, and revisions illustrate correct treatment. 1. Those organizations that adapt will be able to excel in the long-term. Some pairs of words closely associated because they commonly appear together as phrasal adjectives are often unnecessarily hyphenated when they do not serve that grammatical function. Though long and term frequently serve together as a phrasal adjective, as in â€Å"long-term goals,† in this sentence, they are an adjective and a noun, respectively, and hyphenating them is an error: â€Å"Those organizations that adapt will be able to excel in the long term.† 2. NASA officials recommend viewing the eclipse through specially-made glasses to prevent eye damage. What is perhaps the most common type of error of intrusive hyphenation is as a result of confusion between phrasal adjectives and phrasal adverbs. When two or more words team up to modify a noun, the modifying terms are usually hyphenated to signal their teamwork, as in â€Å"four-legged animals.† (Otherwise, the implication is that the phrase refers to a quartet of animals with legs.) But when the first word is an adverb ending in -ly, that ending sends an obvious signal that the first word modifies not the noun but the accompanying modifying word, as in â€Å"NASA officials recommend viewing the eclipse through specially made glasses to prevent eye damage,† where specially modifies glasses (and, in turn, the two words provide additional information about the glasses.) However, for the sake of clarity, flat adverbs- those lacking the -ly ending- are hyphenated, as in â€Å"high-pitched voice.† 3. After two weeks, it turns out letting strangers in has been the least-troubling part of the experience. . . . There are certainly less-invasive ways to keep packages safe, like lockboxes or shipping to the office. Similarly, do not hyphenate modifying phrases that start with least or less (or most or more): â€Å"After two weeks, it turns out letting strangers in has been the least troubling part of the experience. . . . There are certainly less invasive ways to keep packages safe, like lockboxes or shipping to the office.† However, a phrase beginning with â€Å"less than† or â€Å"more than† is hyphenated when the string of words provides more information about a noun that follows the phrase: â€Å"Less-than-optimal terms can result in future costs that reduce the benefit of a lower purchase price.† But note that stand-alone phrases beginning with less and the like are sometimes mistakenly hyphenated, as in â€Å"Some people were less-than-thrilled to see the giraffe in the indoor pen.†Ã‚  Here, â€Å"less than thrilled† is merely describing a reaction, not modifying a noun, so omit the hyphens: â€Å"Some people were less than thrilled to see the giraffe in the indoor pen.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting†Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous"Wracking" or "Racking" Your Brain?

Herb Baumeister - Serial Killer Profile

Herb Baumeister - Serial Killer Profile Herbert Herb Baumeister (a.k.a. The I-70 Strangler) was an alleged serial killer from Westfield, Indiana. Authorities believe that from 1980 - 1996, Baumeister murdered up to 27 men in Indiana and Ohio.   Whatever knowledge Baumeister had about the missing men, no one will ever know. On July 3, 1996, 10 days after investigators uncovered the skeletal remains of at least 11 victims that were buried on his property, Herb Baumeister, husband and father of three, fled to Sarnia, Ontario, where he pulled over into a park and shot himself dead. Herbert Baumeister's Younger Years Herbert Richard Baumeister was born on April 7, 1947, to Dr. Herbert E. and Elizabeth Baumeister in Butler-Tarkington, Indianapolis. Baumeister was the oldest of four children. Dr. Baumeister was a successful anesthesiologist, and soon after the last child was born, the family moved to the affluent area of northern Indianapolis called Washington Township. By all accounts, young Herbert had a normal childhood. When he reached adolescence, he changed. Herbert began to obsess on things that were vile and disgusting. He developed a macabre sense of humor and appeared to lose his ability to judge right from wrong. Rumors circulated about him urinating on his teachers desk. One time he pocketed a dead crow that he found on the road, and placed it on his teachers desk. His peers began distancing themselves from him, leery of being associated with his strange, morbid behavior. In class, Baumeister was often disruptive and volatile. His teachers reached out to his parents for help. The Baumeisters had also noticed the unusual changes in their eldest son. Dr.Baumeister sent him for a series of tests and medical evaluation. The final diagnosis was that Herbert was schizophrenic and suffered from multiple personality disorder. What was done to help the boy is unclear, but it appears that the Baumeisters decided not to seek treatment, probably for a good reason considering the options? Carl Purcell / Getty Images During the 1960s electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was the most common treatment for schizophrenia. Those inflicted with the disease were often institutionalized. It was also an accepted practice to shock unruly patients several times a day, not with any hope of curing them, but to make them more manageable for hospital staff. It wasnt until the mid-1970s that drug therapy replaced ECTs because it was more humane and produced better results. A lot of patients taking the drug therapy could leave the hospital environment and lead fairly normal lives. Whether or not Baumeister ever received drug therapy is not known.   Herbert continued in public high school, somehow managing to maintain his grades, but completely failing socially. The schools extracurricular energy was focused on sports, and the members of the football team and their friends were the most popular clique.  Baumeister was in awe of this tight group and continually tried to gain their acceptance, but was repeatedly rejected. For him, it was all or nothing. Either he would be accepted into the group, or be alone. He finished his final year in high school in solitude. College and Marriage In 1965 Baumeister attended Indiana University. Again he dealt with being an outcast because of his strange behavior. He dropped out in his first semester.  Pressured by his father, he returned in 1967 to study anatomy, but then dropped out again before the semester was over, but this time being at IU was not a total loss. Before dropping out, he met Juliana Saiter, who was a high school journalism teacher and part-time IU student. Herbert and Juliana began dating and found that they had a lot in common. Besides being politically aligned with their extremely conservative ideology, they also shared an entrepreneurial spirit and dreamed of one day owning their own business. In 1971 they married, but six months into the marriage, for unknown reasons, Baumeisters father had Herbert committed to a mental institution where he would stay for two months. Whatever happened did not ruin his marriage. Juliana was in love with her husband, his odd behavior notwithstanding. The Need to Be Somebody Baumeisters father managed to pull strings and got Herbert a job as a copyboy at The Indianapolis Star newspaper. The job entailed running news reporters copy from one desk to another and other errands. It was a low-level position, but Baumeister dove into it, eager to start a new career. Each day he would come to work immaculately dressed and ready for his assignments. Unfortunately, his efforts to constantly gain positive feedback from the top brass became an irritant. He obsessed over ways to fit in with his co-workers and bosses but never succeeded. Soured and unable to handle his nobody status, he eventually left the position for a job at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). The Taste of Recognition Baumeister began his new entry-level job at the BMV with an entirely different attitude. At the newspaper his demeanor was childlike and overeager, displaying hurt feelings when his expectations for recognition were not met. But that was not the case at the BMV. There he immediately came off bossy and overly aggressive toward his co-workers and would lash out at them for no reason. It was as if he was playing a role, emulating what he perceived as being good supervisory behavior. Again, Baumeister was labeled as an oddball. Not only was his behavior erratic, but his sense of propriety was at times way off. One year he sent a Christmas card to everyone at work that pictured himself with another man, both dressed in holiday drag. Back in the early 70s, few saw the humor in such a card. Raised eyebrows and talk around the water cooler was that Baumeister was a closet homosexual and a nutcase. After working at the Bureau for 10 years, despite Baumeisters poor relationship with his coworkers, he was recognized for being an intelligent go-getter that produced results. He was rewarded with a promotion to program director. But in 1985, and within a year of the promotion he had so yearned for, he was terminated after he urinated on a letter addressed to then-governor of Indiana, Robert D. Orr. The act also put to rest all the rumors as to who was responsible for the urine that was found on his managers desk months earlier.   A Caring Father Nine years into of marriage, he and Juliana started a family; Marie was born in 1979, Erich in 1981, and Emily in 1984. Before Herbert losing his job at the BMV, things seemed to be going well so Juliana quit her job to become a full-time mother, but returned to work when her husband could not find steady work. As a temporary stay-at-home Dad, Herbert proved to be a caring and loving father to his children. But being jobless left him with too much time on his hands and, unknown to Juliana, he began drinking a lot and hanging out at gay bars. Arrested In September 1985 Baumeister received a slap on the hand after being charged with a hit and run accident while driving drunk. Six months later he was charged with stealing a friends car and conspiracy to commit theft, but managed to beat those charges as well. In the meantime, he bounced around at different jobs until he began working at a thrift shop. At first, he disliked the job and considered it beneath him, but then he saw that it was a potential money-maker. Over the next three years, he focused on learning the business. It was during this time that his father died. What impact that event had on Herbert is unknown. Sav-a-Lot Thrift Stores Mike Mozart /  CC BY 2.0  / Flickr In 1988 Baumeister borrowed $4,000 from his mother. He and Juliana opened a thrift store which they named Sav-a-Lot. They stocked it with gently-used quality clothing, furniture, and other used items. A percentage of the stores profit went to the Childrens Bureau of Indianapolis. It quickly grew in popularity and business was booming. It showed such a strong profit in the first year that the Baumeisters decided to open a second store. Within three years, the couple, who had until then lived paycheck to paycheck, were rich. Fox Hollow Farms In 1991 the Baumeisters moved to their dream home. It was an 18-acre horse ranch called Fox Hollow Farms in the upscale Westfield area, located just outside Indianapolis in Hamilton County, Indiana. Their new home was a large, beautiful, million dollar semi-mansion which had all the bells and whistles, including a riding stable and an indoor pool. Remarkably, Baumeister had turned into a well-respected man. He was seen as a successful businessman, a family man who gave to charities. What was not so ideal was the stress that came with the couple having to work so closely together each day. From the start of the business, Herbert treated Juliana like an employee and would often yell at her for no reason. To keep the peace, she would take a backseat to whatever business decisions had to made, but it took a toll on the marriage. Unknown to outsiders, the couple would argue and split up on and off over the next several years. The Pool House The Sav-a-Lot stores had a reputation for being clean and organized, but the opposite could be said about the way the Baumeisters kept their new home. The grounds that had always been meticulously maintained became overgrown with weeds. The inside of the home was equally neglected. The rooms were a mess, and it was obvious to visitors that housekeeping was a low priority for the couple. The only area that Baumeister seemed to care about was the pool house. He kept the wet bar stocked, and he filled the area with copious decor including mannequins that he dressed and placed around to give the appearance that a lavish pool party was going on.   The rest of the house displayed the hidden turmoil of the marriage. To escape, Juliana and the three children would stay with Herberts mother at her Lake Wawasee condominium. Baumeister would almost always stay behind to run the stores, or so he told his wife. The Human Skeleton In 1994, the Baumeisters son, 13-year-old Erich, was playing in a wooded area behind their home when he found a human skeleton that was partially buried. He showed the grisly find to Juliana, who in return showed it to Herbert. He told her that his father had used skeletons in his research and that, after finding it while cleaning the garage, he had taken it out to the back yard and buried it. Incredibly, Juliana believed her husbands weird answer. What Goes Up, Comes Down Not long after the second store opened, the business began to lose money and never stopped. Baumeister began drinking during the day and would return to the stores, drunk and act belligerently to customers and employees. The stores went from being orderly to looking like a dump. At night, unknown to Juliana, Baumeister cruised gay bars, and then returned home and retreated to his pool house where he would spend hours whimpering and crying like a child about the dying business. Juliana was exhausted from worry. Bills were piling up, and her husband was acting stranger every day. Missing Persons Investigations While the Baumeisters were busy trying to fix their failing business and marriage, there was a major murder investigation going on in Indianapolis.   Virgil Vandagriff was a highly respected retired Marion County Sheriff who in 1977 opened Vandagriff Associates Inc, a private investigation firm in Indianapolis which specialized in missing person cases. In June of 1994, Vandagriff was contacted by the mother of 28-year-old Alan Broussard, who she said was missing. The last time that she saw him, he was headed out to meet his partner at a popular gay bar called Brothers, and he never returned home. Almost a week later, Vandagriff received a call from another distraught mother about her missing son. In July, Roger Goodlet, 32, left his parents home to go out for the evening. He was going to a gay bar in downtown Indianapolis but never made it there.   Both Broussard and Goodlet shared similar lifestyles, looked like one another, were near to the same age, and seemed to vanish while in route to a gay bar. Vandagriff made up missing posters and distributed them at gay bars around the city. In a search for clues, the family and friends of the young men were interviewed as were several customers at gay bars. The only real clue that Vandagriff learned was that Goodlet was last seen willingly getting into a blue car with Ohio plates. He also received a call from a publisher of a gay magazine who wanted to make Vandagriff aware that there had been multiple cases of gay men disappearing in Indianapolis over the last few years.   Now convinced that they were dealing with a serial killer, Vandagriff went to the Indianapolis Police Department with his suspicions. Unfortunately, searching for disappearing gay men was apparently a low priority. Most of the investigators believed, more than likely, the men moved out of the area without telling their families, to freely live their gay lifestyles. The I-70 Murders Vandagriff also learned about an ongoing investigation into multiple murders of gay men in Ohio. The murders began in 1989 and ended in mid-1990. Bodies had been found dumped along Interstate 70 and were dubbed the I-70 Murders in the newspapers. Four of the victims had been from Indianapolis. Brian Smart Within weeks of Vandagriff posting the missing posters, he was contacted by Tony Harris (fictitious name per his request) who said he was certain that he had spent time with the person responsible for Roger Goodlets disappearance. He also said that he had gone to the police and the F.B.I, but they disregarded his information. Vandagriff set up a meeting and, in a series of interviews that followed, a bizarre story slowly unfolded. According to Harris, he was at a gay club when he noticed a man who seemed to be overly captivated by the missing persons poster of his friend, Roger Goodlet. As he continued to watch the man, there was something in his eyes that convinced him that the man knew something about Goodlets disappearance. To try to learn more, he introduced himself. The man said his name was Brian Smart and that he was a landscaper from Ohio. When Harris tried to bring up Goodlet, Smart would become evasive and change the subject. As the evening progressed, Smart invited Harris to join him for a swim at a house where he said he was temporarily living. He said he was doing the landscaping for the new owners who were away. Harris agreed and got into Smarts Buick which had Ohio plates. Harris was not familiar with northern Indianapolis, so he was unable to say where the house was located. He was able to describe the area as having horse ranches and large homes. He also described a split-rail fence and a sign that he could partially see that read Farm something. The sign was at the front of the driveway that Smart had turned into. Harris went on describe a large Tudor home which he and Smart entered from a side door. He described the interior of the home as being congested with a lot of furniture and boxes. He followed Smart through the house and out down some steps to the bar and a pool area that had mannequins set up around the pool. Smart offered Harris a drink, which he turned down.   Smart excused himself and when he returned he was a lot more talkative. Harris suspected that he had snorted cocaine. At some point, Smart brought up autoerotic asphyxiation (receiving sexual pleasure from choking and being choked) and asked Harris to do it to him. Harris went along and choked Smart with a hose while he masturbated.   Smart then said it was his turn to do it to Harris. Again, Harris went along, and as Smart began choking him, it became obvious that he was not going to let go. Harris pretended to pass out, and Smart released the hose. When Harris opened his eyes, Smart became rattled and said he was scared because Harris had passed out.   Harris was considerably larger than Smart which was probably the only reason he survived. He also refused drinks earlier in the evening that Smart had prepared. Smart ended up driving Harris back to Indianapolis, and they agreed to meet again the following week.   To find out more about Brain Smart, Vandagriff arranged to have Harris and Smart followed when they met the second time. But Smart never showed up. Believing that Harris story had merit, Vandagriff turned again to the police, but this time he contacted Mary Wilson, who was a detective that worked in Missing Persons, and one that Vandagriff respected and trusted. She drove Harris to the wealthy areas outside Indianapolis on the chance that he might recognize the house that Smart took him to, but they came up empty. It was a year later that Harris would meet up with Smart again. They happened to show up at the same bar one night, and Harris was able to get Smarts license plate number. He gave the information to Mary Wilson, and she ran a check. The license plate was matched, not to Brian Smart, but to Herbert Baumeister, the wealthy owner of Sav-a-lot. As she discovered more about Baumeister, she agreed with Vandagriff. Tony Harris had narrowly escaped becoming a victim of a serial killer. Confronting a Monster Detective Wilson decided on a direct approach and went to the store to confront Baumeister. She told him that he was a suspect in an investigation into several missing men. She requested that he allow investigators to search his home. He refused and told her that, in the future, she should go through his lawyer. Wilson then went to Juliana and told her the same thing that she had told her husband, hoping to get her to agree to a search of the property. Juliana, although shocked by what she was hearing, also firmly refused. Next, Wilson tried to get Hamilton County officials to issue a search warrant, but they refused. They felt that there was not enough conclusive evidence to warrant it. The Melt Down Herbert Baumeister appeared to go through an emotional breakdown over the next six months. By June, Juliana had reached her limit. The Childrens Bureau canceled the contract with the Sav-a-lot stores, and she was facing bankruptcy. The fairytale fog that she had been living in began to lift as did her loyalty to her semi-deranged husband. What also had not left her mind since she first spoke to Detective Wilson, was the haunting image of the skeleton that her son had discovered two years earlier. She made a decision. She was going to file for divorce and tell Wilson about the skeleton. She was also going to let detectives search the property. Herbert and his son Erich were visiting Herberts mother at Lake Wawasee. It was the perfect time for her do it. Juliana picked up the phone and called her lawyer. The Boneyard On June 24, 1996, Wilson and three Hamilton County officers walked out into the grassy area just feet from the patio area of the Baumeisters home. As their eyes began to focus, they could clearly see that what appeared to be small rocks and pebbles, all across the backyard where the Baumeister children had played, were bone fragments.   Wilson knew that it would turn out to be human bones, but the Hamilton County officers were uncertain. Fortunately, in less than a day, Wilson got a confirmation from forensics. The rocks were fragments of human bones. The following day, police and firemen swarmed the property and began excavation. Bones were found everywhere, even on the neighbors land. In a matter of days, 5,500 bones and teeth were found in the backyard. A search of the rest of the property produced more bones. By the time the excavation was complete, it was estimated that the bones were from 11 men. However, only four victims could be identified. They were: Roger Allen Goodlet; 34; Steven Hale, 26 Richard Hamilton, 20; and Manuel Resendez, 31. Erich Baumeister When the police discovered the bone fragments in the backyard, Juliana began to panic. She feared for the safety of her son Erich who was with Baumeister. So did the authorities.  Herbert and Juliana were already in the beginning stages of divorce. It was decided that before police discoveries at the Baumeisters hit the news, Herbert would be served with custody papers demanding that Erich return to Juliana. Fortunately, when Baumeister was served with the papers, he turned Erich over without incident, figuring that it was just legal maneuvering on Julianas part. Suicide Once news of the bones being uncovered was broadcasted, Baumeister vanished. It was not until July 3 that his whereabouts would be known. His body was discovered inside his car. In an apparent suicide, Baumeister had shot himself in the head while parked at Pinery Park, Ontario. He wrote a three-page suicide note explaining his reasons for taking his life were due to his problems with the business and his failing marriage. There was no mention of the murder victims scattered in his backyard. Baumeister Linked to I-70 Murders With Juliana Baumeisters help, investigators of the Ohio murders pieced together evidence that linked Baumeister to the I-70 murders. Receipts provided by Juliana showed that Baumeister had traveled along I-70 during the times that the bodies were found dumped along the interstate.   A sketch drawn from a description by an eyewitness, who thought he saw the I-70 murderer, looked like Baumeister. Bodies had also stopped showing up along the interstate at the same time that Baumeister moved into Fox Hollow Farms where he had plenty of land to hide bodies.

Gestalt and Person Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gestalt and Person - Essay Example In the Person-centered approach, the client becomes the sessions’ focal point while the therapists take a rather passive role while trying to learn about the client as the client progressively journeys towards self-actualization (Worsley, 2009). The therapist provides a very conducive and supportive environment to the client. The therapist also provides a positive, unconditional regard and a feedback that is non-judgmental. The therapist refrains from making any suggestions for the client; the client independently decides what they wish to work on while the therapist readily provides understanding and support (Worsley, 2009). This approach yields more fruits in an emergency since the client discovers their own areas that require their inputs and define a way of achieving their perceived shortcomings. Unlike Gestalt method, the therapist minimally alters the process of self-actualization, and there are better chances of adherence to the course of therapy since all decisions are client’s (Worsley, 2009).The gestalt approach views the client as a center of focus. It is an existential approach used in counseling. This approach views the client as a unified whole (Mann, 2010). The client cannot be disintegrated into units without losing their essence. This theory more based on a field approach that dictates that things must be studied in their environment to fully understand them (Mann, 2010). The environment is in a constant change; connections and interrelation processes are of key importance.

Alcohol Consumption and Smoking During Pregnancy Essay

Alcohol Consumption and Smoking During Pregnancy - Essay Example In the interview, I verified that all the three women have limited knowledge of the effects of smoking and alcohol consumption on their unborn children. They had often ignored these facts. They further explained that drinking or smoking in small amounts would have no effect on the unborn child. Furthermore, Mary also was not aware of inhaling cigarette smoke from another person. She also did not tell her health care provider of smoking during the pregnancy for fear of intimidation. Betty was a recovering alcoholic addict. She quit drinking after she realized that she was three months pregnant. She joined numerous online women groups campaigning for sobriety during pregnancy. She also joined communal activities. The most interesting observation was that the three women were unaware of the effects of smoking on the physical and psychological well-being of their children in the future. The women also did not know that smoking might trigger sudden infant death syndrome while alcohol cons umption triggers the fetal alcohol syndrome. It was interesting that the women did not have such information that we had studied in class. However, the US government has invested heavily in ensuring that health care providers educate pregnant women during prenatal care visits. The women also informed me of the role of heredity, poor parenting and lack of social support services as key driving factors for smoking and drinking. Age also plays a significant role in determining tobacco use/drinking preference and cessation of the habit.

Film Review of The Last Picture Show Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Film of The Last Picture Show - Movie Review Example The small Texan town is characterized by huge amounts of dust and its perception is that of a dying town. It lacks many inhabitants and the streets are short of vehicles. Majority of the few inhabitants are seemingly older and retired or clinging to the few jobs that offer a better income. The younger generation present is only there for a particular reason and is probably interested in leaving for greener pastures in another area. The three teenagers together with other minor cast members execute the themes intended perfectly. This is supported by the many nominations, awards and critics approval accorded to the movie. In this film, the audience finds a moving, interesting and a knowledgeable presentation worth every attention. In addition, the movie provides a historical feel by taking the audience back in time to experience the happenings of that period. Historical Accuracy of the story, Feel and Entertainment Value The setting of this film falls in the early 1950s and depicts the condition of the America as at that time. The film accurately presents what was going on in terms of development (infrastructural and economic development). Poor development is shown by the struggles of the people particularly the two friends Sonny and Jock in making the best out of their lives. Theirs is a seemingly futureless life. They are high school seniors, friends and members of the high school’s football team who share a house and a beat-up old pickup truck. The small Texan town is short of progress, something synonymous with most remote towns of the time. The boys’ dreams of having a breakthrough as football players become less attainable by each passing day. This condition reigns; more so as attention to development is overshadowed by the Korean war. Despair is all over and every individual waits for the start of a better life while also trying to secure for oneself the best in the meantime. (Bogdanovich et al.1991, par 1) In the events of this movie, one ca n feel the historical accuracy and presence being aired. The director and scriptwriter balances the emotions expressed in this film. This is through presentation of a time of great despair and moral decadence in America while also introducing an element of hope at the long last. The time chosen as the best time to set this film does the accuracy of events great justice. Sonny and Duane attributes especially in relation to their social life complements the historical depiction of the Texan town. It is seen as a way of getting out or seeking solace for all that is not going right. Their sexual escapades contradict the bible-thumping and catholic adherence nature prevalent in the times. Nevertheless, â€Å"The Last Picture Show† contrasts the way that people hold the moral occurrences of the fifties. In an insightful manner, the issue of sexuality and morality, as compared to the current times, may seem less minimal in the period in which the film is set. This is contrary to tha t notion thus makes the film more intriguing and captivating to watch. Naturally, one would think that there was less prevalence of moral decadence and casual sexual escapades in the fifties but the film provides

Team Spirit And Team Work Management Essay

Team Spirit And Team Work Management Essay Introduction The team is a dynamic set of people that has a particular purpose. Under certain conditions conducive to unity, the team is developed into an organized system of interdependent roles, institutions, common goals, values, attitudes and homogeneous behavior, which satisfies the needs of its members. Although Western culture promotes independence, people in todays organizations do not work in isolation but in teams so team working is very important. According to Guzzo Shea (1992:90) a real (not an artificial) team should have the following characteristics: It is recognized as an existing entity from its members but also from members who know the team. It provides a degree of interdependence among its members. It provides differentiation of tasks and roles. Human society is based on teams. From a practical standpoint, people participate in teams because: They feel the need to build social relationships. Teams are a source of information. Teams provide compensation (e.g. friendship, recognition, material goods). Participation in a team enables the individual to achieve goals that could not be achieved at his/her personal level. People are asked to join a team, a fact that occurs mainly in the workplace. In this case, it concerns formal groups, which vary from the informal groups that are created spontaneously based on common interests, friendships, etc. In the typical workplace, the formal (e.g. department of a business) groups and the informal groups coexist. Team Spirit Team Work All companies that want to achieve high productivity ensure that there are team spirit and cooperation among employees. In particular, many experts argue that teamwork is very effective in companies where the requirement for dissemination of information is very high. Thus, a connection is seen between information management and teamwork. For this reason, it is imperative to create effective teams, which should be motivated either through monetary and non monetary rewards to produce the best possible result. An effective team has clear objectives, is consisted of people with similar skills that match the teams goals. Members should trust each other, trust should be encouraged by an open, honest and cooperative business culture (Beer et al. 1984:66). Human Resources Management is one of the key factors for creating such culture. Good cooperation requires good communication and good leadership. Furthermore, companies should offer incentives, especially, team incentives, which will help increase cooperation. Apart from monetary incentives, companies must provide non-monetary rewards such as employee involvement and empowerment. Effective teamwork can be achieved through the proper organization of the teams. It is particularly beneficial for businesses because it increases flexibility and speed. A project is carried out by several people with different skills so it is possible to have more innovative ideas and decision making will be more effective due to the heterogeneity of the group. The most important thing is that the team should be encouraged and supported in order to increase productivity to a much greater extent than if the work was performed on an individual basis (Robbins Coulter 2002:255). The role of Human Resources Management is seen as particularly crucial to achieve this goal, i.e. the creation of efficient teams. Myths regarding teams Mature individuals compose mature teams. The team is the sum of individuals. Effective procedures, methods and rules of the team have universal application. The effectiveness of the group depends primarily on the quality of its leader. The individual must sacrifice his freedom to belong to the group. ΑΠºÃƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã…’ÃŽÂ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ÃŽÂ ¦Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ΆºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒ Ã…’ ÃŽÂ  Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ²ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚  ÃŽÂ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã… ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± heigh ΑΠºÃƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã…’ÃŽÂ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ÃŽÂ ¦Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ΆºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒ Ã…’ ÃŽÂ  Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ²ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚  Theory of group creation Among the theories that explain the formation of groups, the dominant and most prevalent is the one suggested by George Homans (Albanese and Van Fleet and 1985:250). According to this theory, the creation of a team is the result of three interrelated forces that constitute the environment in which every social system exists. These forces are the technology and know-how (technological environment) of the organization, the elements of the natural environment (place, facilities) of the organization, the training / culture of the environment or of the organization (norms, values, beliefs). These forces affect more people and require certain actions and interactions among them. These imposed actions and interactions in turn create emotional situations (emotions) and attitudes among individuals. The actions, interactions and emotions are interdependent with each other. For example, the more contacts (interactions) exist among individuals the more positive the emotions become and vice versa . This combination of these three parameters, Homans calls it external system because it is caused by the environment of the individuals. This combination leads to the initial creation of the group. After the initial creation of the group, its operation leads to internal dynamics i.e. developing new attitudes, norms and common benchmarks that are certainly not caused by the environment. These parameters of the internal dynamics of the group are according to Homans (Albanese and Van Fleet 1985:252) the internal system. Of course, between the internal environment of the group and its external environment there is a dynamic interactive relationship. The formation of a formal team/group The formation of a formal group follows four successive stages (Tuckman 1965:385, Tuckman Jensen 1977:421): The forming stage, which tries to determine the position and status of the team members. At this stage, a group of people form a team which has a very low level of maturity. The objectives and rules are not yet defined. The members do not know the behavior of others in the group, and the tasks are vague. At this stage members get to know each other and define the reasons for creating the team. Typically here, the members make efforts to ensure the existence and identity of the group or to create impressions. Communication is superficial, and people mostly think how to behave and invest the time, knowledge and skills within the group. There is skepticism, distrust and uncertainty.ΑΠºÃƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã…’ÃŽÂ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ÃŽÂ ¦Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ΆºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒ Ã…’ ÃŽÂ  Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ²ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚  ÃŽÂ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± usually commonly ordinarily customarily in the ordinary way ΑΠºÃƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã…’ÃŽÂ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ÃŽÂ ¦Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ΆºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒ Ã…’ ÃŽÂ  Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ²ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚  ÃŽÂ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± there in The storming stage where the first signs of conflicts and objections appear as the differences among the group members become apparent. This phase lasts up to the setting of a hierarchy within the group. At this stage, most members try to maintain their individuality in the group. This mainly involves the creation of sub-groups (cliques) among members with common main characteristics (age, characters, skills, etc.). These processes, however, lead to a more realistic definition of goals and procedures. Unfortunately, several teams remain long enough at this stage or they never get over it.ΑΠºÃƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã…’ÃŽÂ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ÃŽÂ ¦Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ΆºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒ Ã…’ ÃŽÂ  Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ²ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚  ÃŽÂ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± usually commonly ordinarily customarily in the ordinary way The stage of establishing standards (norming), where the team, after the conflict, begins to make its own rules of conduct, which should refer to the roles and status of the members as well as to the rules that should be followed. The stage of performance (performing), where the team is involved in the project assigned. At this stage, the team having made clear its goals and tasks and having determined the procedures and rules of operation, focuses on achieving its objectives. The members develop initiatives and make efforts towards this direction. It is basically a stage of maturity of the group meaning its structure and operating procedures are crystallized, the relationships among its members are developed as well as its consistency. Thus, the teams efforts are focused on delivering results. Of course, the team periodically assesses its performance, which may lead to a redefinition of goals, roles, tasks, procedures and rules. It should be stressed that the maintenance of the team at this stage needs constant effort from all members and of course from the leader. It is also important to understand that the group may, for various reasons (e.g. changes in the environment, new members, etc.) go back to previous stages.ΑΠºÃƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã…’ÃŽÂ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ÃŽÂ ¦Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ΆºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒ Ã…’ ÃŽÂ  Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ²ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚  ÃŽÂ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± usually commonly ordinarily customarily in the ordinary way ΑΠºÃƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã…’ÃŽÂ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ÃŽÂ ¦Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ΆºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒ Ã…’ ÃŽÂ  Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ²ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚  ÃŽÂ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± usually commonly ordinarily customarily in the ordinary way The stage of dissolution (adjournment), where the team has done its work and stops all activity. This stage is not always displayed, while a characteristic example concerns the various committees that are formed. Group decision making Many times the effective team function encounters certain problems that managers must be aware to identify and treat them successfully. Koontz and O Donnel (1968:327) suggest the following team problems: the high cost in time and money,indecision,the reconciliation of members to a lowest common denominator,the dominance of an individual on the team,the division of responsibility and the tyranny of the minority. ΑΠºÃƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã…’ÃŽÂ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ÃŽÂ ¦Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ΆºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒ Ã…’ ÃŽÂ  Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ²ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚  ÃŽÂ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± many times According to Janis (1972), when a very coherent, hierarchical and disconnected from the social environment group must decide, it is possible that a mechanism is activated to protect the group from internal dissension, in which everyone tries to ensure unity and consensus and avoid conflict, which significantly reduces the quality of decision. Janis (1972:168) suggests the following symptoms of group thinking: The illusion of the perfection of the team The rationalization of everything and the depreciation of facts and objective information The illusion of moral underpinnings The devaluation of external environmental factors The pressure for compliance and strong patterns of thinking The illusion of unanimity Self-censorship The obstacles in the minds of others Small number of alternative solutions and refusal to reexamine decisions that have been taken or alternatives that have been rejected. Ignore or underestimate risks.ΑΠºÃƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã…’ÃŽÂ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ÃŽÂ ¦Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ΆºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒ Ã…’ ÃŽÂ  Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ²ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚  ÃŽÂ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒ Ã…’ being creature ÃŽÂ ¬Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ the The opposite of group thinking is brain-storming. Such an approach means that the team takes a liberal stance and generates as many ideas as possible » (Mullins, 1989:409) because its members believe that quantity of ideas mean quality of ideas. One could expect that a group of brainstorming would generate more ideas to solve problems rather than if each member worked independently. Nevertheless, researches have shown that this is not true, and that such groups can inhibit creative thinking. Whatever promotes social interaction among all team members removes the chances of compromise and favours the appearance of opinions that no one dared to express in the group. The conflict is even more efficient (leading to more polarization) in groups where relationships are less formal, the hierarchy is less authoritarian and in groups having flexible rules of operating i.e. they focus more on the discussion rather than procedures (Isaacs 1993:99). These conditions are not far removed from those that play a positive role in creativity. Conflicts Team performance is sometimes impeded by conflicts. A conflict is associated with two or more sides, which may be individuals, groups, departments, companies, political parties, or even whole nations. The conflicts between the two sides may have the following types (Stoner 1989:59): Individual conflicts: the conflict in the individual decision-making. Organizational conflicts: the conflict of individuals or groups within an organization. Conflicts among organizations: the conflict among organizations or groups. These three categories generally arise from rather different basic mechanisms, although there are some overlaps. From an organizational point of view, the conflicts could be categorized as: Hierarchical conflict, i.e. conflict among different hierarchical levels, e.g. between the Board and the General Manager. Operational conflicts among different functions or departments of the business, e.g. between sales and production. Conflicts of executive fist line employees. Conflicts between the formal and informal organization. The conflicts among individuals and groups are a common and everyday phenomenon in the workplace. Typical symptoms of conflict are reluctance, hesitation, aggression, apathy, anxiety and distress (Hellerieger Slocum 1992:222). Individuals and groups with different values, experiences, knowledge, skills, attitudes, responsibilities, needs and goals, must coexist and cooperate in an organizational environment characterized by uncertainty and complexity in terms of structures, procedures, techniques, rules, etc. Therefore, conflicts are a natural consequence of this situation. The Classical School of Management (Taylor 1947:89, Fayol 1949:245) considers conflict as a negative phenomenon that should be avoided because of the malfunction caused and the negative effects on efficiency. For example, Elton Mayo (1933:87) and Peter Drucker (1974:220), in essence, argue that conflict and tension are only a perversion from the normal state of human actions, and therefore, should be allowed to disappear through training. In particular, the traditional concept featuring an even larger number of managers belief, supports that: -Conflicts can be avoided. -Conflicts arise from personality problems of individuals and from unsuccessful leadership. -Conflicts cause malfunctions in the organization and generally have explosive consequences Conflicts are solved with the physical removal of the conflicting parties or with the involvement of senior managers. However, unlike this traditional view, the development of social sciences, led to the development of the modern concept of management regarding conflicts and which supports the following (Robbins 1998:251): Conflicts are inevitable and are neither good nor bad, i.e. they may have either negative or positive consequences. These conflicts are mainly due to the complexity of organizational structures, procedures, rules, techniques and systems. The conflicts can be addressed positively by removing the reasons that cause them and by solving the problems. So, according to the modern perception, conflict is an inevitable and natural phenomenon. Besides its negative consequences that are more or less obvious, it can have positive ones like enabling people for more action, becoming a driving force for positive changes in the organization or becoming a developmental experience. It is therefore, obvious that it is more realistic to believe that conflicts have both positive and negative effects. In the positive ones belong new ideas, innovations and changes, better decision making, increased participation, a possible increase in productivity as well as the strengthening of relations if the conflict is solved positively by both sides. In the negative ones belong the waste of energy, the reduction of morale (less job satisfaction), the creation of mistrust and polarization between the conflicting parties, reduced productivity, making biased decisions, and the creation of irresponsible behavior. It is important therefore to find the appropriate level and intensity of the conflict, so the company can reap the highest benefits. According to Robbins (1998:280), an excellent level of conflict is the one that does not create stagnation, but on the contrary it stimulates creativity and relieves tension, in order to increase productivity and create conditions for change, without causing disruption and detuning or staff dissatisfaction and trends for leaving the company. From the above, it becomes obvious that the handling of conflict is one of the main tasks of the leader and of the other team members. The effectiveness of these controls undoubtedly contributes to the overall effectiveness of the team and the company (cast 1994). Prevention of inter-organizational conflict The main reason of appearance of conflicts in the organizational context is the segmentation of organizations (segmentation of departments, tasks and operations), which, however, is essential for their functionality. Given. therefore, the existing segmentation, Schein (1980:88) recommends the following methods to prevent conflict: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Emphasis should be given on the efficiency of the organization, while stressing the role and the contribution of the individual parts to the whole performance. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ There should be communication and cooperation among the groups of the same organization. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ There should be a circular rotation of the members in various departments to promote greater understanding of the particular problems faced by each department or each group. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Competition among departments or groups should be avoided. Emphasis should be given in coordinating the forces and actions aiming at the overall performance of the organization. The rewards should be allocated equally among the departments and they should be based on effort and contribution and not on the result. Characteristics of effective teams Sense of common mission and vision and understanding of the interdependence. Comfortable,informal atmosphere and positive climate. Existence of commonly accepted and optimistic goals, members commitment to them and the ability to redefine them as necessary. Align individual and team goals. Ability to select, correct methods, procedures and rules and change them when it is needed. Open and effective communication. Free expression of feelings, ideas, opinions, etc. Capability of achieving consensus through debate and arguments. Ability to self criticism and definition of minimum tolerable efficiency. Team learning through sharing of knowledge and experiences, successes, failures and mistakes. Exploiting the knowledge, skills, experience and attitudes of all members. Satisfaction and motivation of members. Ability to ensure consistency of the team. Encourage risk-taking initiatives and creativity. Commitment and accountability of members. Mutual respect, self-respect and mutual trust among members. Energy dynamism. Effective leadership. ΑΠºÃƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã…’ÃŽÂ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ÃŽÂ ¦Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ΆºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒ Ã…’ ÃŽÂ  Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ²ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚  ÃŽÂ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã… ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± heigh ΑΠºÃƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã…’ÃŽÂ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ÃŽÂ ¦Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · ΆºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒ Ã…’ ÃŽÂ  Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ²ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚  ÃŽÂ µÃƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã… ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± heigh Conclusion Team performance Regarding the productivity of individuals and groups based on experiments, observations and theoretical positions of social psychologists, the following conclusions can be drawn: It is not certain that a team performs better than a person. So when the person knows the job, and there is a moderate level of conflict, then s/he will perform better than the team. If the person has the skills to solve a complex task, s/he will succeed equally well but will need more time. The conflict gives rich and varied solutions to the problems the group has, however, it has increased costs in human working hours (Jehn 1995:270). In the working groups where the individual contribution to the project cannot be identified and evaluated, it is likely that the performance of individuals and of teams will be reduced (Jehn, 1997:272). When the person works in the presence of others and believes that the others assess his/her performance while the work that s/he does is simple or familiar, the chances are that s/he will perform well. The opposite will probably happen when the task is difficult or when the individual does not know it well. In teams, people evaluate the contribution of other members. If the person feels that others will do the job then s/he will reduce, presumably, his own performance (the phenomenon of the free rider). The same will be done if s/he feels that someone is trying to benefit from his work (the phenomenon of the sucker )(Kerr Brunn, 1983:82). Many of these phenomena explain partly the inefficiency of public services where there is no performance evaluation of each employee separately. The lack of motivation is also important and this has resulted in the phenomena of the free rider and the sucker. The committees for solving problems or performing tasks are not always the best solution, since they lead to a loss of incentives, diffusion of responsibility and avoidance of work by some employees. Excluding the cases calling for diversity of ideas and viewpoints, individuals will perform better than teams.

Benjamin Franklin Essay examples -- essays research papers

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin was a remarkably talented man. He started his career as a simple printer apprentice, but went far beyond the printers shop. He developed products that were far beyond the time. The Franklin stove for example, for cold winter nights and bifocal lenses for reading. Franklin tracked storm paths to help understand the wicked weather endured by the colonies. His study of electricity made him most famous for he was known around the world as the inventor of the lightning rod. Not only was Ben Franklin helpful in developing ideas for better living, he was also a strong force in developing the new nation of America. Benjamin Franklin's political views showed him to be a man who loved freedom and self-government. His views towards Britain gradually changed from favor to disfavor until he finally became a revolutionist at the age of 70. But more than just his political views help in the formation of the United States. His common sense, his whit, and his ability to negotiate behind the scenes, all lent a hand in the formation of the new country across the sea. Franklin's good humor and gift for compromise often helped prevent bitter disputes which could have stalled the formation of the new government. Interestingly, Ben Franklin, who was a chief participant in the battle for independence, â€Å"had a lot to lose by it.† (Wright 1986, page 204). He had a residence in London and was influential in England. However, his love of liberty and his desire to promote the well being of Pennsylvania pushed him toward independence for the colonies. Franklin had to wrestle with his conscience over his own private affairs. Also, since he was well respected in England, he was "the Establishment man-even if he felt now a deep unease on the basic question: What was the authority of Parliament over the American colonies?" (Wright, page 205). At first Franklin wanted the colonies to be and independent free nation under the caring and protecting umbrella of the British Empire. "He had dream...of a great British Empire, gridding the globe, based upon a commonwealth of free nations, each with its own laws, its own government and freedoms, but bound together by compact with the Crown for mutual benefit, mutual defense, and the propagation of English freedoms." (Schoenbrun 1976, p... ...ive impact favoring the colonist, it became more and more impossible for Britain to give the war its full attention. Britain needed a way out and Franklin played a key role. "Franklin was appointed in 1781 a commissioner to negoiate the peace with Britain." (Ketcham 1994, page 1). Franklin was a very good negotiator as "the North Ministry pushed through Parliament two conciliatory bills that gave the Americans everything that Franklin had demanded in his peace negoiations." (Fleming 1972, page 299). Franklin had common sense, whit, and skills that all helped bring favorable positions to the colonies against Britain. Finally, Benjamin Franklin portrays a man torn between his love of Britain and a desire for liberty for the people of the new world. His greatest hope was for Britain to be the great, caring mother country that protected a young free nation across the sea. He was each country benefiting the other. Of course, this could not happen so he made sure that the best for America would be insured through his efforts to bring France to the aid of the Colonies and to finally bring about a livable peace between Britain and America. Benjamin Franklin Essay examples -- essays research papers Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin was a remarkably talented man. He started his career as a simple printer apprentice, but went far beyond the printers shop. He developed products that were far beyond the time. The Franklin stove for example, for cold winter nights and bifocal lenses for reading. Franklin tracked storm paths to help understand the wicked weather endured by the colonies. His study of electricity made him most famous for he was known around the world as the inventor of the lightning rod. Not only was Ben Franklin helpful in developing ideas for better living, he was also a strong force in developing the new nation of America. Benjamin Franklin's political views showed him to be a man who loved freedom and self-government. His views towards Britain gradually changed from favor to disfavor until he finally became a revolutionist at the age of 70. But more than just his political views help in the formation of the United States. His common sense, his whit, and his ability to negotiate behind the scenes, all lent a hand in the formation of the new country across the sea. Franklin's good humor and gift for compromise often helped prevent bitter disputes which could have stalled the formation of the new government. Interestingly, Ben Franklin, who was a chief participant in the battle for independence, â€Å"had a lot to lose by it.† (Wright 1986, page 204). He had a residence in London and was influential in England. However, his love of liberty and his desire to promote the well being of Pennsylvania pushed him toward independence for the colonies. Franklin had to wrestle with his conscience over his own private affairs. Also, since he was well respected in England, he was "the Establishment man-even if he felt now a deep unease on the basic question: What was the authority of Parliament over the American colonies?" (Wright, page 205). At first Franklin wanted the colonies to be and independent free nation under the caring and protecting umbrella of the British Empire. "He had dream...of a great British Empire, gridding the globe, based upon a commonwealth of free nations, each with its own laws, its own government and freedoms, but bound together by compact with the Crown for mutual benefit, mutual defense, and the propagation of English freedoms." (Schoenbrun 1976, p... ...ive impact favoring the colonist, it became more and more impossible for Britain to give the war its full attention. Britain needed a way out and Franklin played a key role. "Franklin was appointed in 1781 a commissioner to negoiate the peace with Britain." (Ketcham 1994, page 1). Franklin was a very good negotiator as "the North Ministry pushed through Parliament two conciliatory bills that gave the Americans everything that Franklin had demanded in his peace negoiations." (Fleming 1972, page 299). Franklin had common sense, whit, and skills that all helped bring favorable positions to the colonies against Britain. Finally, Benjamin Franklin portrays a man torn between his love of Britain and a desire for liberty for the people of the new world. His greatest hope was for Britain to be the great, caring mother country that protected a young free nation across the sea. He was each country benefiting the other. Of course, this could not happen so he made sure that the best for America would be insured through his efforts to bring France to the aid of the Colonies and to finally bring about a livable peace between Britain and America.