Global Warming Problem Solving - Research Paper Example

Creativity and Innovation Question1 Introduction Apparently, Dolch, Deutschmann & Powell (2007) argued that a social problem or a social illness is an issue that is mostly considered by majority of people in the society to have consequences that are beyond their control and / or at times beyond the environment. Interestingly, there are numerous social illnesses that are found across the world and it is likely that others will emerge in future (Giddens, 2013). One of the numerous social illnesses that have hit the world hard is global warming. Basically, Global warming is the drastic increment of the overall temperatures that are found on earth, which further results to greenhouse effects that are caused by the heightened levels of carbon dioxide among other pollutants. According to Weart (2003), global warming has been accelerating since 2005, and is further expected to increase if the environment is not taken care as would be expected particularly if there is no reduction of emission from burning fossils fuels such as coal and oil. Additionally, the rise in average have been confirmed as having far reaching effects on the general climate pattern across the world, and to human beings as well. As such, global warming has dire consequences on health, wildlife, weather patterns and glaciers and sea levels. Global warming on weather pattern Firstly, global warming has continuously led to high temperatures which translate to increased droughts and wildfires, heavier rainfall and numerous hurricanes across the world, and especially in Europe and Asia. According to Houghton (2008), the frequent occurrence of hurricanes that are more powerful and dangerous are as a result of warmer waters in the ocean that pumps energy into tropical storms that are potentially destructive, a situation that make easier to experience more complicated hurricanes in future due to flooding and soil erosion. Moreover, global warming has increased drought and wildfire due to greater evaporation that has been witnessed during summer, a situation that directly or indirectly leads to wildfires. Scholars associated to climate change and weather patterns have argued that when temperatures are warm they are likely to lead to heavier rainfall. Global warming on health Secondly, global warming has directly led to health consequences. Basically, the presence of hotter weather facilitates deadly mosquitoes to travelling for greater distance and the availability of carbon dioxide in the air makes a conducive environment for the growth of airborne diseases such as asthma and allergies. Additionally, the presence of more frequent and serious heat waves often result to increased number of heat- related deaths. In this regard, scholars argue that high carbon dioxide levels are likely to increase the growth of weeds such as ragweed whose pollen has been alleged to result to Asthma. In fact, not only has global warming brought about allergies and asthma, but it has also brought about outbreaks on infectious diseases, food and waterborne illnesses. For instance, higher outdoor temperatures are likely to result to an increase in outbreaks of food borne illnesses such as salmonellae which is known to reproduce more rapidly with the increase in temperatures. Similarly, having alternative drought and flood has resulted to shortages in food and water, issues of malnutrition, mass migrations among other issues that affect human beings directly or indirectly. Global warming on wildlife Thirdly, global warming has severely affected wildlife across the world. As such, the continuous increase of global temperatures has led to disruption of the ecosystem that inhabits the wild animals. In this regard, wild animals that cannot adapt to the sudden change of the environment are pushed to extinction. In a recent study, scholars argued that there is a possibility of having over 1 million species obliterated by 2050. Apparently, the world is witnessing a drastic decline in various kinds of wildlife due to lack of food and other necessities that facilitate their survival. For instance, with the current global warming, the ocean is likely to continue becoming more acidic due to the presence of carbon dioxide emissions. Due to the presence of high acidity levels in the ocean, species that have calcium carbonate shells are vulnerable, as well as, coral reefs which are important to ocean ecosystems. Global warming on glaciers and sea levels Finally, global warming has consequences on glaciers and sea levels. According to Claussen (2001) ,the rise in global temperatures have speeded up the melting process for both glaciers and ice caps causing an early ice melt on rivers and lakes, with multiple climate models that show the increment of sea ices that lead to earth warms. On the other hand, sea level has increased globally due to the rise of temperatures in ocean and melting of mountain glaciers and partial melting of the ice caps. Importantly, global sea level has in the recent past risen between 4 to 8 inches, situation that has led to the accelerating of sea level. In a general sense, global warming is a social problem that will not leave the society any time soon since human beings have played a huge part in its continuity. Scholars have argued that there must proper measure put in place in order to reduce some of the issues that lead to global warming. Problem Solving Technique Notably, it is important that global warming is handled through the Pareto analysis Pareto Analysis Pareto analysis is described as a formal technique that is utilized to ascertain numerous possible courses of action that are perceived to be competing for attention. Basically, this technique operates by ensuring that it has estimated the benefits that are delivered by each action, followed by the numerous effective actions that deliver reasonable benefits that assist in solving the problem. Scholars affiliated to this technique argue that it simply assist the concerned parties to think critically and further organize their thoughts. Also known as the 80/20 rule, the technique ensures that a high percentage of causes is identified and solved as well (Martin & Chaney, 2012). In reference to global warming, Pareto analysis ensures that there is identification of the dire causes of global warming in order to effectively solve them. According to Fryman (2002), there are numerous causes of global warming that have so far been acknowledged by researchers and others are yet acknowledge. However, the effectiveness of the Pareto analysis could only be guaranteed through working with the most serious causes because they are highly likely to cause more problems. Pareto Analysis (80/20 rule technique in Global Warming Causes of Global Warming Percentage Impact Carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuel 65% Carbon dioxide emissions from burning transportation gasoline 57% Methane emissions from agricultural practices 48% Deforestation 40% Increased usage of chemical fertilizers 38% Solutions to Global Warming Having ascertained the five main causes of global warming it is important to come up with general solutions in order to effectively handle the problem. According to Claussen (2001) once the causes have been established, it is crucial find an umbrella solution to the social problem. Adaptation According to Fryman (2002), the world has seriously sort for a solution in reference to the continuous global warming problem. As such, adaptation to climate change could be planned as a preventive measure or a solution. The adaptive concept revolves around the ability of human, natural and/ or managed systems to adjust to the existing global warming concept. This means that the nature and human beings have accepted the consequences of global warming and are willing to work around them in order to reduce the related challenges. Mitigation Apparently, mitigation is one of the numerous ways that could be used to curb the problem of global warming. Hence, mitigation revolves around the reduction of the amount of climate change in future. This future climate change could be reduced through activities such as increasing energy efficiency, solving the demand for power through the use of renewable and nuclear energy. Additionally, it is crucial to ensure that there is reduction of greenhouse gas emission and putting measures that are associated to this reduction. Geo engineering Global warming could also be solved through climate engineering or geo engineering. According to Claussen (2001), climate engineering is denoted as the intentional alteration of climate in order to reduce or curb global warming. It is worth noting that climate engineering has two ways in which global warming could be reduced namely: carbon dioxide removal and solar radiation management. Nevertheless, critics have argued that climate engineering is not effective but causes more side effects to the persisting issue of global warming. Conclusion The world must agree that global warming is a fact that is not easy to ignore especially now that it has been alleged to affect both living and none living things. In this regard, it is imperative for human beings to engage in activities that reduce the influence of global warming and adapt to the social in order to reduce its effects at present and in the future. Question 2 Apple Inc. is an American technology firm that manufactures and sells computers and smart phones. Apple Inc. has been in existence for some time and it has been seen as a very creative firm in many regards. The firm was started by Steve Jobs and his friend Steve Wozniak. In its early years, the firm was only involved in manufacture of personal computers, at a time when the personal computer was almost unheard of. In fact, the firm has been credited for being the pioneer of personal computers because before its fist personal computers, there were no personal computers and there were only server computers that were very big and so expensive that only large institutions could afford them. Apple Inc. is very creative in many ways. The first are of creativity is in its products. The firm has a range of very creative and innovative products. A good example is its smart phones. Apple’s smart phones, commonly known as iPhones have been the best iPhones in the world. Not only was Apple Inc. the pioneer of smart phones but these smart phones have remained to be the world leading smart phones (Davila, 2012). Maintaining itself as the world’s number one vendor of smart phones is not an accident; it is something that has depended mostly on its creativity. The firm’s products have always been very creative and forward-looking. Apple Inc. was the first technology firm to realize that serving a technology market is about being proactive and giving the customers what they don’t even know they need (Abraham, 2013). With the inception of its first smart phone, it delivered to the market a product that nobody had ever anticipated. The product was well received and many users liked it. The creativity of the firm’s products can also be seen in its first product, a personal desktop computer. In the mid 70s, computers were for very educated people, and the ownership was only left for big organizations such as university, government institution and big companies (Philip, 2014). Computer manufactures at the time only manufactured for this market. Apple Inc. was the first to realize that the computer can be made personal and this computer can be owned and used by everyday person. In line with this vision, they did not just crate a small affordable computer, but also created software that would make the uses of computer easy and intuitive. With this came the first graphical user interface. Prior to this, only highly educated and trained people would be able to use computers because using a computer even for a simple task such as adding two numbers required some computer programming skill. This is because the computers used command like instruction as a way to give instruction to the computers. Wring these commands on the computer text based interface was no easy thing, especially for these who were not computer savvy. Apple Inc. was the first to introduce the graphical user interface and the others followed suit in making this happen. At the same time, the other computer manufactures also started manufacturing personal computers. However, Apple Inc. with this creativity had already set the pace and was to act as the continuous trail blazer in the technology growth trajectory in the world. Human Resource Policy The other ways in which Apple Inc. can be said to be very creative is by its human resource. Apple Inc. is among the minority firms around the world that have a human resource that is structured (Ashok, 2013). This helps the firm to improve creativity and innovation. In Apple Inc., every employee has a say and they can contribute to the ideas of the firm (Maxwel, 2014). This becomes effective when the firm does not use a hierarchical human resource structure. The firm uses a flat structure and everyone, right from the CEO to the lowest employees are given the chance to contribute. Instead of the CEO being an unreachable boss who works from the corner office, he is a very reachable person. Although this might look like a simplistic solution, it motivates the employees to be very creative and innovative. In fact, the firm is said to have gained its creatively of its products by this because the employees could be able to provide for a way to make the firm have creative products (Moses, 2014). Price skimming The market strategy for Apple Inc. is also another evidence for its creativity. For instance, the firm is the only major phone manufacturer that only deals with smart phones and does not manufacture the low end feature phones. Most other firms such as Samsung and Nokia manufacture both smart phones and the feature phones for the low end market. Apart from not manufacturing the low end phones, Apple Inc. also concentrates on the high end smart phones. This makes it possible for the firm to be able access the high end market. The firm announces its new smart phone a few months way before it launches it. This allows for market price skimming. While those who are willing to pay for the expensive latest iPhones can buy them, the lower end market is not able to access the previous versions (Basulto, 2013). This kind of market price skimming is so relevant for a technology firm like Apple Inc. I it is necessary to note that even other smart phone manufacturers have also copied this creative marketing method, however, they have not done it as well as Apple Inc. has been able to do it. Production Apple was also one of the first firms to realize the importance of exporting its labor so as to experience the advantage of cheap and affordable labor in the developing countries (Morris, 2012). Apple Inc. structures its manufacturing and packaging such that it has the best fit for its labor and market. This makes the firm to be able to save on labor costs as well as on shipping costs. As a result, the firm is not only able to reduce its operational costs but is also able to optimize the way it is able to aces the raw materials and this gives a strategic edge over its competitors. Bibliography:Top of Form Top of Form Top of Form Top of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Abraham, P. (2013). Modern Economics of Creative Manufacturing. New York, NY: Perason Books. Ashok, G. (2013). Managing Human Resources for Innovation and Creativity . Research-Technology Management, 36, 3 , PP. 56-61. Basulto, D. (2013, September 11). Apple’s new strategy: Trickle-down innovation. Retrieved November 27, 2014, from The Washinton Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2013/09/11/apples-new-strategy-trickle-down-innovation/ Claussen, E. (2001). Climate change: science, strategies, & solutions. Leiden [u.a.], Brill. Davila, ,. T. (2012). Making Innovation Work: How to Manage It, Measure It, and Profit from It, Updated Edition. New York, NY: FT Press. Dolch, N. A., Deutschmann, L. B., & Powell, H. (2007). Social problems: a case study approach. Lanham, MD, Lexington Books. Fryman, M. A. (2002). Quality and process improvement. Australia, Delmar / Thomson Learning. Giddens, A. (2013). Introduction to sociology. New York, W.W. Norton. Houghton, J. T. (2008). Global warming: the complete briefing. Cambridge [etc.], Cambridge University Press. Martin, J. S., & Chaney, L. H. (2012). Global Business Etiquette. Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO.. Maxwel, P. (2014). Apple and its Human Resource Strategy; Promoting Creativity and Innovation in the Workplace. Journal od Human Resource Management, 9, 5 , PP. 89-94. Morris, P. (2012). Modern Manufacturing Strategy: The Question of Outsourcing . New York, NY: earson Books. Moses, P. (2014). Creativity and Modern Business: A look at the Apple Creativity Model. Journla of Management and Markting, 56, 9 , PP. 14-19. Philip, P. (2014). The Growth Trajectory of Technology; How Apple Spearheaded the Technology Growth. New York, NY: 2015 Weart, S. R. (2003). The discovery of global warming. Cambridge, Mass, Harvard University Press. Read More