The Adoption of Electrically Powered Vehicles Essay Example for Free

The Adoption of Electrically Powered Vehicles Essay The non-internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles consists of hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), single-fuel all electric vehicles (EV), and fuel cell vehicles (FCV). Earlier attempts at non-ICE vehicles were faced with many challenges resulting in abandonment of research and development. General Motors (GM) discontinued the EV1 electric vehicle after investing about $1 billion in the development. The Toyota RAV 4-EV, which was popular among environmentalist, was discontinued based on sales not high enough to justify production costs. The attention that non-ICE vehicles are receiving is driven by environmental concerns, scarcity of fossil fuel, high gasoline prices and others. The environmental concerns stems from the pollution from carbon dioxide emitted from the combustion of fossil fuels. In 2009, the United States used 19. 6% of the world primary energy consumption and 17. 7% of world carbon dioxide emissions from energy consumption ranking first and second respectively. There is a correlation between the carbon dioxide concentration and the earth’s surface temperature. There is a general increase in global temperature with increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide. The high initial cost of the non-ICE vehicles as compared to ICE versions is also an issue. The cost differential is mainly due to the technology, with battery being a major cost driver. For example, in 2009 the cost of Toyota Camry HEV was $26,160 whiles the cost of a comparable ICE version was $20,445. The price of gasoline in the U. S. is relatively cheap, thus affecting the adoption of the non-ICE vehicles. In 2008, the average retail price of gasoline in the U. S. was $3. 25 per gallon, with 14% as tax component. In the same year, the average price of gasoline in the UK, Germany, and France were $7. 53, $7. 72, and $7. 53 with tax components of 161%, 170%, and 154% respectively. The movement from ICE powered vehicles to the non-ICE powered vehicles was due to signs of oil shortages and air quality concerns. The government responded with the Clean Air Act in 1970 requiring cars to have catalytic converters to reduce pollutants. Other government intervention placing restriction on vehicle emission standards forced the industry to launch research and development projects in battery powered electric vehicles. There are four major non- ICE design concepts, which are as follows: ? ? ? ? HEV, the use of on board electricity and gasoline to move the vehicle PHEV, the use of on board electricity and gasoline to move the vehicle and also ability to plug into an external power outlet to recharge the battery. EV, the use of only electricity to move the vehicle and also ability to plug into an external power outlet to recharge the battery. FCV, the use stacks of electrodes and electrolytes that generates electricity to move vehicle Page 1 of 2 The non-ICE vehicle market has gone through rough times in shaping the current, HEV, PHEV, EV, and FCVs. The HEV, PHEV, and EV are different products but share some commonality by way of infrastructural needs. However, FCVs appear to have a lower rate for adoption due to cost involved in providing the necessary infrastructure. The approximate cost of providing installed fuel station for the FCV is $50,000. The comparable cost for the electric plug-in station is $3,000 to $6,000. Automobile companies need to continue investing in research and development in the non-ICE vehicles. It is their interest to improve fuel efficiency well above the standards set by government imposed Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. A particular attention to improving the range of the vehicle is required. The range of the vehicle is the distance of travel per charge and or full tank of gas. The miles per gallon (MPG) is another attribute which is interrelated to the range. The sales figures provided shows that in November 2009, Toyota Prius had 49. 7% of the total 19,334 HEVs sold in the US. Toyota Prius also happen to be the HEV with the highest miles per gallon (MPG) rating at 50. This clearly indicates that the mileage rating is an important attribute of the HEV. Consider reducing the cost premium on the vehicles and articulating the long-term savings in non-ICE vehicle ownership. The survey response regarding the likelihood of buying a PHEV with fuel savings of 75% shows a steep decline in chances of buying with increasing cost premium. Develop vehicle for specific driving need by providing different cost options, guided by customer segmentation by driving mission. The high cost of the initial purchase will be addressed by focusing on providing options due to driving needs of the customer. This can be addressed by having different range points which will typically imply reducing the battery packs in the vehicle. Therefore, the price per vehicle can be reduced per specific need. The FCV appears to have a very low possibility of success, hence its research and investment funds will be reallocated. Partner with government, competitors, and other stakeholders to develop the infrastructure to support main stream adoption. The major cost driver to the non-ICE vehicles is the battery. Therefore by scaling down the cost by driving needs, a prospect with a shorter commute distance can opt for a less costly version of a model with just the right mix. With 2. 28 vehicles per household in the US, it expected that household will consider having a non-ICE vehicle in the mix for shorter commute and errands. To discontinue non-promising project will free up human resource and money to be used to improve other investments. The freed up resource will support an increase in marketing related plan and implementation. Together with other government and other stakeholders, incentives will be sought to encourage non-ICE adoption by citing environmental challenges to the country in specific and the earth in general. These strategies overall will improve early the adoption of Electrically Powered Vehicles in the U. S.

Dave Matthews Band †The Sons of Crash :: Music

Dave Matthews Band – The Sons of Crash    All I want is for a voice to come out of the wilderness and the stereo to crackle in flames like the burning bush. I don’t want to have to ask, "Are you talking to me?" I want to know. -Ariel Swartley "The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle" Music is a funny thing. I’ve listened to music all my life, thousands of songs, hundreds of artists. But only a few stick out; like my first real album (Tiffany’s self titled release. What ever happened to her?), or my first alternative album (the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s Blood Sugar Sex Magik: I bought it on tape when I was 14 and listened to it so much that it wore out). Only one has become a part of who I am, the Dave Matthews Band’s Crash. Somewhere between its "So Much To Say" and "Proudest Monkey" my indifferent hearing turned into awareness, and I stopped listening with just my ears and started listening with my heart. When I went to my first class at Mary Washington College, my English professor- an interesting man, but temporarily an agent of authority- posed a question to us, one that at the time had as much meaning as "What did you do this summer?" He asked us to pick a Desert Island Disc. It really wasn’t a hard decision; I was listening to the Dave Matthews Band’s Crash more than the rest of my CDs and I was pretty sure I could write the four papers on it required by the class. I really didn’t understand then the decision I had made. But out of respect and insecurity, I headed off to my desert island with Crash (cf. Mark 18). Most rock records aren’t hard to understand. They draw on commonplaces of community and adolescence: easy listening, good dancing, simple emotions, and sharp images†¦ But [Beggar’s Banquet’s] cleverness makes the difference.    -Simon Firth, "Beggars Banquet" Simon Firth "changed [his] usual habits" in 1968, choosing The Rolling Stones’ Beggars Banquet over "The Beatles’ more comfortable music," and was rewarded with "the most interesting rock record [he had] ever heard" (30). My musical snobbery ended in my junior year of high school, when my typical (and boring) choice of anything ‘alternative’: Metallica, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, was replaced with Garth Brooks, Blackstreet or my mom’s favorite, the Dave Matthews Band. Dave Matthews Band – The Sons of Crash :: Music Dave Matthews Band – The Sons of Crash    All I want is for a voice to come out of the wilderness and the stereo to crackle in flames like the burning bush. I don’t want to have to ask, "Are you talking to me?" I want to know. -Ariel Swartley "The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle" Music is a funny thing. I’ve listened to music all my life, thousands of songs, hundreds of artists. But only a few stick out; like my first real album (Tiffany’s self titled release. What ever happened to her?), or my first alternative album (the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s Blood Sugar Sex Magik: I bought it on tape when I was 14 and listened to it so much that it wore out). Only one has become a part of who I am, the Dave Matthews Band’s Crash. Somewhere between its "So Much To Say" and "Proudest Monkey" my indifferent hearing turned into awareness, and I stopped listening with just my ears and started listening with my heart. When I went to my first class at Mary Washington College, my English professor- an interesting man, but temporarily an agent of authority- posed a question to us, one that at the time had as much meaning as "What did you do this summer?" He asked us to pick a Desert Island Disc. It really wasn’t a hard decision; I was listening to the Dave Matthews Band’s Crash more than the rest of my CDs and I was pretty sure I could write the four papers on it required by the class. I really didn’t understand then the decision I had made. But out of respect and insecurity, I headed off to my desert island with Crash (cf. Mark 18). Most rock records aren’t hard to understand. They draw on commonplaces of community and adolescence: easy listening, good dancing, simple emotions, and sharp images†¦ But [Beggar’s Banquet’s] cleverness makes the difference.    -Simon Firth, "Beggars Banquet" Simon Firth "changed [his] usual habits" in 1968, choosing The Rolling Stones’ Beggars Banquet over "The Beatles’ more comfortable music," and was rewarded with "the most interesting rock record [he had] ever heard" (30). My musical snobbery ended in my junior year of high school, when my typical (and boring) choice of anything ‘alternative’: Metallica, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, was replaced with Garth Brooks, Blackstreet or my mom’s favorite, the Dave Matthews Band.

Horizontal Violence Experienced During Orientation in the Intensive Care Units Essay

Looking back at the literature review, evidences from several studies have shown how nurses over the past several years have continued a trend of horizontal violence that began decades ago. These nurses felt that to prove that before a novice nurse will be ready to enter the profession, there must be a test or rite of passage that they should pass and be able to get through. The said rite of passage was formerly practiced from one generation of nurses and passed it on to the next generation. This creates an atmosphere of bullying by condoning the practice of such rites or hazing practices that happen to novice nurses in return to prove their ability to perform in the pressure intense environment. Given the above premise, it is the purpose of this study to look into the novice nurse and the type of horizontal violence they may be experiencing in different types of intensive care units (ICU) during the orientation process. Through this study, there can be a validation of whether or not horizontal violence does occur in the ICU during nurse orientation. If it does, by looking at horizontal violence in various ICU’s, an understanding of such type of violence among new novice nurses may be developed. It is also the purpose of this study to provide the most accurate answers possible to this paper’s research questions. To reiterate, the questions are as follows: (1) While in orientation, do novice nurses experience horizontal violence in the ICU’s in a Midwestern magnet status hospital? ; (2) Is bullying present during the orientation process in the ICU? (3) Do the novice nurses experience sabotage while in orientation? ; and (4) Has the novice nurses experienced feeling like an outcast or have they experienced name-calling during their orientation in the cardiovascular ICU? One theory that stands out when discussions on the theoretical framework with regard to horizontal violence is Paulo Freire’s oppression theory. Theorist Paulo Freire first presented the oppression theory in 1972 when explaining the confl ict of the colonized African populations. This theory discusses the observance of the imbalance of power due to dominate and subordinate groups. The oppression theory discusses how two groups are involved and the dominate group maintains higher power than the subordinate group. The oppression occurs when the subordinate group’s culture is repressed by the dominant group. Due to the subordinate group feeling repressed, the subordinate group begins to act out their self-hatred on each other. By doing this, the values and beliefs that were held by the subordinate group are soon lost and self-hatred settles in. In 1983, Sandra Roberts, applied the oppression theory to nursing and argued that an â€Å"understanding of the dynamics underlying leadership of an oppressed group is an important strategy to develop more effective leaders in nursing to be successful. † (Bartholomew, 2006). Roberts noted that nursing had displayed the dominate group along with the subordinate group referring to the leadership in the nursing profession. The dominate group makes various decisions without respecting the values of the subordinate group the nurses working on the floor with the patients. Through this process, the subordinate group loses respect for the dominate groups value system and become oppressed with feelings of low self-esteem, self-hatred, and powerlessness. With the oppression theory there is a sub-subordinate group that feels the results of the oppression theory and this is the novice nurses being hired into the nursing profession. During the orientation phase the novice nurses fall into a subgroup resulting in oppression trying to bring the novice nurses through the rite of passage to be a nurse in the unit that the orientation is occurring. Organizations fashioned to be hierarchical have not fostered a culture of professional collegiality, nor have they advanced the role of nursing. Too often, nurses have acquiesced to a victim mentality that only facilitates a sense of powerlessness. Nurses have reported concern about the lack of action taken by supervisors in addressing horizontal violence in the workplace (Farrell, 1997; Stanley et al. , 2007). While not directly addressing bullying or horizontal violence, Kramer (1974) described the â€Å"reality shock† occurring for new graduates when they encountered differences in their perception of what nursing could be and the actual reality of the workplace. Kramer suggested that â€Å"reality shock† can manifest as hopelessness and dissatisfaction, which is a prelude to conflict in the workplace (p. ). Today, bullying is an international phenomenon not limited to the healthcare arena, and abuse can also occur between professions. The phrase â€Å"nurses eat their young,† has been used to describe the negative behaviors directed toward new nurses (Rowe & Sherlock, 2005). Griffin (2004) described the vulnerability of newly licensed nurses as they are socialized into the nursing workforce; lateral violence affected their perception of whether to remain in their current position. Sofield and Salmond (2003) found that primarily physicians, then patients, and patients’ families were responsible for most of the verbal abuse towards nurses. One-third of respondents expressed they would consider resignation in response to verbal abuse; it was concluded that nurses lacked the skills to deal with the verbal abuse and perceived themselves as powerless to change organizational response (Sofield & Salmond, 2003). Cox found the most frequent source of verbal abuse was physicians, and in descending order patients, families and peers, supervisors and subordinates (1991). The turn-over attributed to verbal abuse was 24 percent for staff nurses and 25 percent for nurse managers (Cox, 1991) Cook, Green and Topp (2001) found that perioperative nurses encountered verbal abuse by physicians. However, Rowe and Sherlock (2005) reported that nurses in particular were the most frequent source of verbal abuse towards other nurses. Patients’ families were the second most frequent source, followed by physicians and then patients (Rowe & Sherlock, 2005). In 2004, The Institute for Safe Medication Practices published a survey on workplace intimidation. Almost half of the 2,095 respondents, which included nurses, pharmacists and other providers, recalled being verbally abused when contacting physicians to question or clarify medication prescriptions; intimidation had played a role in either not questioning a concerning order or seeking ways not to directly confront the prescribers. While physicians and prescribers used intimidating behaviors, however they were not the only intimidating healthcare providers (Institute for Safe Medication Practices, 2004). In a hostile environment, communication is hindered and this can affect quality of care and patient safety (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, 2002). Healthcare providers report intimidation does alter communication and negatively impacts patient care and safety (Institute for Safe Medication Practices, 2004). Healthcare professionals facing intimidation may sometimes choose to abdicate their advocacy role to avoid intimidating behaviors, impacting patient safety. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices survey (2004) revealed that more experienced nurses are more likely to encounter intimidating behaviors; differences in intimidating encounters were not appreciably different in terms of gender but females were more likely to ask another colleague to talk with the intimidator for them. The organization’s effectiveness in handling intimidation was viewed less favorably by those nurses and pharmacists with more years of practice in that facility (Institute for Safe Medication Practices, 2004). To add strength to this study, more literature that points to the ICU being one of the top places in the healthcare setting to be the venue for horizontal violence. Bullying in the medical setting is said to happen most of the time in the top three areas, i. e. , medical or surgical units, intensive care units (ICU) and the emergency department (ER). The occurrences of horizontal violence are lesser in the areas such as child health and maternal health areas, psychiatry and operating rooms. This is the result of findings such as those made by WHO. The World Health Organization has been showing concern with the horizontal violence happening in healthcare settings and has been aware of the problem becoming an epidemic already and has started to think of solutions by first producing guidelines in dealing with the violence when it happens. WHO touched on the patient to nurse type of violence as well and the effects it has on the emotions of the nurses. The results of the survey made by WHO also made a significant finding, that the highest rating for workplace violence was in the areas of highest acuity like the intensive care units. This made even stronger the need to find out the prevalence of horizontal violence in the ICU. With all the above literature taken from scholarly journals and books, it is quite apparent that horizontal violence is indeed present in the healthcare industry today. There are even some studies held that have proven its existence in the intensive care unit. Most of the studies made point to the new or novice nurses as the main victim, with other more superior nurses being their main predators. To get concrete evidence of its existence in the ICU during orientation in a Midwestern magnet status hospital and to get further evidence on horizontal violence in the ICU, a study about it based on a cross sectional non-experimental explanatory research model and the Likert Scale which will further be discussed in the next topics. Design  Novice nurses that have been in orientation in various types of ICU for the past three to six months were asked to participate in the survey. Those that participated were nurses that have attended orientation in any of the intensive care units, i. e. , surgical ICU, cardiovascular ICU, coronary ICU or general ICU. All these novice nurses were given the same survey questions in relation to understanding whether they have experienced horizontal violence while they were in orientation. With looking at several different ICUs, there are varying variables that are influenced. Firstly, each participating intensive care unit has different formats for their orientation process. There are also different educators for each of the ICUs and varying preceptors orienting each of the novice nurses. A cross sectional non-experimental explanatory research model will be used to conduct the survey of novice nurses in different types of ICU’s. The survey will be given to novice nurses that have been in orientation in the ICU’s for the past three to six months. Out of the novice, nurses that are surveyed there will be varying educational backgrounds along with different work experience. The common thread among the novice nurses will be that they are novice nurses in the area they are orienting in at the time the survey is administered. Strengths of this study will look at a cross section of the novice nurses in orientation in a Midwestern hospital to investigate the occurrences of horizontal violence during orientation. Due to the cross section, this study will also give illumination to the working relationship between novice nurses and expert nurses during orientation in the intensive care units. This study will provide a base for educational purposes on how to improve the relationships between the novice nurses and expert nurses during orientation in the intensive care units. Another benefit from the study, there will be a study that has looked at the type of horizontal violence that is occurring during the orientation process in the intensive care units. This will give the building blocks to educating the expert nurses in how to be more encouraging towards the novice nurses during the orientation process. The reason in using this non-experimental quantitative research model is due to the fact that many of the most vital variables of interest in this study are not manipulable. This is however not indicative of any less methodology employed. Many researchers actually make use of non-experimental research since it is highly descriptive and it allows effective communications in an interdisciplinary research environment. Non-experimental quantitative research is an essential area of research due to its many vital though non-manipulable independent variables that may need further study. Some known methodologists even say that non-experimental research (Kerlinger, 1986) is more important that experimental research in such as way that educational and social research problems may not lend themselves to experimentation but lend themselves to controlled inquiry that is of the non-experimental type. The mentioned characteristics of this kind of research model make it a good choice for this particular study.

The Great Depression And Its Effects On Society Essay

The Great Depression began in 1929 and continued to ravage the families of New Zealand and the majority of the world until 1935, with devastating effects. The stock market crash caused massive economic downturn therefore generating unemployment on a scale never seen before, and negative impact on society. Political action and reform was required, though initially the government did not provide an adequate response to the problem. The group that was most affected was in fact men, which were in this era classified as breadwinners of the pre-depression family. The considerable economic deterioration stimulated unemployment of men at immense rates, causing not only their lives to be affected, but their families who relied on them to provide essentials. Traditional roles within the family differed during the 1930s. Men finding themselves without work now had to depend on their wives and children in some cases to scrape through. Many did not accept this loss of authority and influence, as they had been socialized to think themselves the primary decision maker. This resulted in countless men abandoning the idea of looking for work, paralysed by their sudden cut from their usual routine and bleak chances, which resulted in lack of self-respect. In addition, the lives of women underwent significant change. They found that their statuses enhanced by their new roles. Left with little choice but to contribute, they went against the historic opposition to women working outside of theShow MoreRelatedEffects Of The Great Depression On Society1500 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican may remember horror stories of the effect the Great Depression had on society. Although devastating it was not the first time workers had the task to endure the financial difficulties of an impending recession. The Panic of 1792, where two situations occurred almost simultaneously which produced the first financial crisis. This was the first time which Americans experienced a bank run when US securit ies and bank stock prices started to increase. During the Revolutionary war I, the USRead MoreEffects Of The Great Depression On Society1905 Words   |  8 Pages The Great Depression occurred between the years 1929 and 1939 in America. The Great Depression was the longest-lasting economic downfall in America’s history. During the Great Depression there were approximately 15,000,000 unemployed Americans, which was about one quarter of America’s entire workforce. The effects that the Great Depression had on society where so massive that these effects can still be felt today. 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Through all of these sufferings, women had a large impact on society. Women faced heavy discrimination and social criticism during the Depression Even though through research it is proven