Domestic Violence And The Criminal Justice System Social Work Essay

Domestic Violence And The Criminal Justice System Social Work Essay After year of abuse Rachel Susan Miller was tired of being in an abusive relationship, so she waited for the father of her children to come home. She looked him in the face and told him she was leaving, and with escorts, she did so with her children and ran for three years in fear. She probably felt pretty good that day and felt that the criminal justice system would be on her side the day she decided to walk away for her own safety and for the safety of her children. Her ex-husband stalked and brutally assaulted Rachel on April 13, 2000; she died 13 days on April 26, 2000 after the brutal assault. Bruce Daniels, Rachels ex-husband, brutally assaulted and raped Rachel several times that day as she plead for her life and the life of her child. Bruce Daniels pled guilty to murder before his trial began and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for Rachels murder. Although the baby Rachel was carrying died as a result of the brutal attack, Bruce Daniels recei ved no punishment for killing Baby Christopher because of a technicality. Not only did he get away with one murder his 12 year old son Tyler Edmond Daniels Miller, killed himself on June 11, 2001, because of the depression caused by his mothers violent death at the hands of his biological father. (Rachels Story, n.d.) The Criminal Justice System fails to recognize and address the effects a domestic violence environment has on the children who witness the abuse. In a household where domestic violence occurs, child abuse and neglect is 1500 percent higher than the national average. (PowerPoint) Nationally 75 percent of battered women say that their children are physically and sexually abused. (PowerPoint) The statistics show that these occurrences continue to be on the rise in the United States. Approximately 3.3 million children witness domestic violence in their homes each year. Children in exposed to this violence are 2 to 4 times higher rates of temper tantrums, bad school performances, and falling into the wrong crowd. (Power Point) These days it is easy to find a piece of news which informs us about a death of a woman who has been killed by her husband or her boyfriend. Hundred of women are mistreated and then assassinated each year and these deaths are increasing. However, although this is the main problem in our society, there are other kinds of domestic violence that not many people knowbut they have the same importance. In this essay I intent to give a definition of domestic violence and explain the main kinds of abuses. I will also suggest some possible solutions to diminish or to eliminate this problem and I will show some domestic indicators. I intent to argue some unhelpful behaviors and to finish I will discuss the effects of domestic violence in children. The term family violence includes all forms of violence within families. It is commonly used to describe the abuse women suffer at the hands of their male partners, but it is also used to mean family violence. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, psychological, social or economic. Domestic violence is a hidden problem. It occurs in the privacy of a home, and those involved are usually reluctant to talk about it. The overwhelming majority are women and children who are more vulnerable. There are a lot of kinds of domestic violence such as physical abuse, verbal/emotional abuse, economic abuse, sexual abuse, social abuse or spiritual abuse. The first kind is physical and verbal/emotional abuse. This is produced when any action intended to degrade, humiliate and demean, both in public or private, including threats to injure or otherwise harm, the partner or the children; putting ones partner down and making them feel bad about themselves and their abilities; treating ones partner like a servant; abuser making decisions regarding partners financial status, free time, friendships, work and leisure activities. This constant humiliation will destroy a womans belief in herself and she may start to believe that the abuser is right. Violence has, unfortunately, become a common occurrence of todays society. Everywhere we turn, all we see are visions of violence that are wrongly showcased as solutions to problems. This makes it even more difficult for parents to teach their children proper morals and behaviors when the media projects violent acts in ways that children view as normal. However, some parents arent even trying to halt this wave of aggression. These parents choose to put this epidemic of violence in the express lane. One or both parents are involved in more than half of the astounding 3 million reported cases of child abuse each year (Kim). This number doesnt include the hundreds of cases that are left unreported. How are children to learn how to effectively solve everyday dilemmas, sans violence, when role models are using brutality to solve problems in the home? Abused children are more likely to lead a life that involves violence than children who have a stable, normal upbringing. While there isnt a nailed down definition of child abuse and neglect, and different states and localities have their own definitions, it can be simplified to a general explanation. Child abuse, or neglect, is the failure of a parent or caretaker to act, which results in physical, emotional or sexual maltreatment or death (Salus). Abuse can take many different forms. One type is physical abuse, which obviously involves an infliction of physical harm on the child. Another is sexual abuse, which not only entails physical sexual activity, but also includes non-physical, sexual exploitation (Salus). Emotional abuse is another form, which results when someone is verbally threatened and or humiliated. There are also several different levels of neglect. A child can be subject to physical neglect, which means the caretaker fails to provide for the child physically. Educational and emotional neglects can also be inflicted on a child. Educational neglect occurs when a parent fails to provide a child with the opportunity to gain an education. Emotional abuse is when a child doesnt receive the proper amount of affection or nurturing (Salus). No specific type of abuse can be labeled as the most severe or damaging. However, we know that all types of abuse and neglect can influence a child in a negative manner. As said above, when a parent abuses a child, they start a circle of violence in that childs life. A parent could be driven into abusive behavior by many different factors. Depression is one of the main factors leading up to abuse. Twelve percent of mothers with young children are depressed (Kim). Depressed mothers are also more inclined to notice and correct the childs poor behaviors, while ignoring the pleasant behaviors (Embry). Mothers can then children in emotional and physical distress by ignoring their needs. Taking care of a child, or multiple children, can be a very stressful task. People who are paid as caretakers for children are shown to have higher depression rate than those in high-risk professions such as police officers and firemen (Embry). When a child is cared for in a depressed environment, the chances of the child experiencing with substance abuse and falling into delinquency are three times more likely (Embry). Depression is more or less a communicable disease. Wh ile it may not be directly visible, depression will hurt and affect everyone that comes into contact with it. Another factor is substance abuse by the parent. Parental drug addiction can lead to child neglect or abuse if the parent becomes angry as a result of the drug (Kim). Also, over half of the assaults and homicides of domestic abuse cases involve alcohol (Elliott). Other acts of domestic violence in a household also contribute to child abuse. In a household where domestic violence occurs, child abuse is fifteen times more likely to happen (Kim). Horribly, domestic violence has practically become an ordinary and familiar part of our lives. The statistics show that it continues to be on the rise in the United States. Spousal abuse occurs every fifteen seconds, solely in the U.S. Half of the nations couples have encountered at least one violent event between them. Also, of all assault cases, a shocking 70% involve spousal abuse (Bledsoe). As sad as it seems, battered mothers often turn into abusers. These mothers often take the stress caused by the abuse out on their children. In 50% of all households that contain spousal abuse, child abuse is also present (Bledsoe). Therefore, the conclusion can be made that the more domestic abuse there is in the world, the more child abuse there will be. An excuse often used for this mother-to-child abuse is that the children need to learn to behave better in order to avoid agitation of the abusive father (Kim). However, even if the abused mother does not inflict abuse on the child, he or she can still be in danger in an environment that contains domestic abuse. The child may get injured in an attempt to break up the altercation (Kim). Psychological damage is also common in this situation. The child will begin to think that abuse is a normal part of a relationship, and they will feel unsafe in the relationships of their future (Minerbrook). Furthermore, it is dangerous for a child to be exposed to any of these factors in the home as they may lead to abuse, neglect, psychological issues or even death. Many child abuse cases turn into child fatalities. This is true in the child abuse case of Kelsey Briggs. Kelsey, a two and a half year old girl, died in 2005 as a result of brutal child abuse. The abuse had begun months earlier, consisting of many broken bones and full-body bruising. Attempts were made to have Kelsey relocated to another family member, but each time she eventually returned back to the house of her mother, where her stepfather continued to abuse her. After ten months of enduring maltreatment, Kelsey died of her wounds. Her father, who was serving in Iraq at the time, came home shortly after this, only finding he had to bury his little girl. The stepfather and mother were both found at fault for Kelseys premature death (Ballard). 1,400 child fatalities were reported in the United States in 2002 (Child Abuse in the United States). However, an estimated 60% of child fatalities go unreported, according to a study conducted in Colorado and North Carolina. This leaves us to wonder exactly why these terrible crimes are so rarely reported. Each state has its own official definition of child abuse and neglect. How can it be possible to determine the presence of a crime if there are many opinions on what the crime is? The review process of child fatalities also varies from place to place, and the process is often extensive and conducted by people who arent specialized in recognizing child fatalities. Research concludes that children younger than five years of age are the most at risk. Children under a year old add up to 40% of fatalities. 76% of fatalities are made up of children younger than four years old. Both parents were involved in an astounding 79% of child fatalities (Child Abuse in the United States). Yes, these children obviously cannot become violent, as their abuse ended in death. However, this shows that more and more children are growing into violent adults, whose brutal acts are escalating. While so many innocent children die from abuse and neglect each year, even more victims of abuse survive, equipped with a subconscious pull towards violent behavior. While not all child abuse cases result in a circle of violence, the statistics show that the chances of that happening are very high. Studies also show that the risk of violent behavior is raised by 40% in children who are exposed to violence early in life. Children learn how to react to situations through social learning. They imitate the actions that they see others do. Children then, regrettably, conclude that violence helps them gain power and that it is the best way to achieve respect (Elliott). They also see their parents who are unable to control anger and often have the same inability to control their own emotions in adulthood. Their aggressiveness builds as the years pass and they begin to only think of solutions that involve violent behavior (Minerbrook). While one would think that now, as adults, these individuals would realize that abusive behavior is cruel, the conclusion is quite the opposite. Parents who were subject abuse as children are six times more likely to abuse their own children than parents who had a normal childhood (Kim). They may know that the behavior is wrong, but they subconsciously act with violence to solve issues that arise with their children. The children then pick up the behaviors and begin to become belligerent. These behaviors typically launch in the first few years of the childs schooling. The preschool years are a period of time where the early signs of aggressive behavior can be seen. While kindergarteners rarely commit felonies, they do often interrupt. The interruptions can take place at home or in the classroom. These interruptions can be disrupting the class lesson or just acting out in an attempt to get attention. Yes, it is normal for a younger child to interrupt activities. However, if the interruptions are excessive, this information can be used to predict more violent behavior many years later (Embry). A person who grew up in an abusive environment has a greater chance of continuing the violence in adulthood. It has become a common fact that many serial killers and violent offenders had childhoods that were scarred with child abuse. Children often become depressed as a result of abuse. Boys in particular, show aggressive and sometimes unstable behavior while depressed (Embry). This erratic behavior leads them to act impulsively and begin a life of violence that could quickly turn into a life of crime. A common occurrence in our society is the rising number of violent teenagers. In a study of fourteen juveniles on death row, in several different states, twelve had experienced ruthless physical and sexual abuse (Minerbrook). The chance is 40% greater that abused children, versus non-abused children, will be arrested as juveniles and or in adulthood (Stephens). Violence seems inevitable for an abused child to develop. The statistics are clearly up against those of us who have endured abuse as children. Some say that everyone has free will and that it is their decision to continue the circle of abuse. I cannot argue this fact. However, even as adults, those who have been abused are now subconsciously and maybe even genetically built to produce violence. Without therapy or something of the like, these individuals will be inclined to act violently to situations in their life. In my opinion, those with a history of abuse endure an everyday struggle to overcome their thoughts of brutality. While the majority of these individuals will continue the cycle of violence, there are a few success stories. Some of us overcome the struggles and lead normal and even successful lives. However, the number of people who prolong the sphere of abuse will remain and continue on. Although police are typically the first professionals on the scene after a domestic violence incident, they have limited services to offer families. Law enforcement departments in several areas throughout the country have begun specific programs to improve interventions, including joint arrangements with mental health professionals who, when notified by police, appear at the scene of the domestic violence incident to assist the child and adult victims. Other strategies include police report documentation of a childs presence in the home, which automatically qualifies the child for state victims of crime funding for support services, and specialized training in child development for law enforcement personnel (Open Arms Home). In an effort to address the potential harm to children exposed to domestic violence some policymakers are considering whether such exposure should considered psychological abuse. Opponents argue that such policies would create a clear command for CPS intervention in cases in which children may be psychologically harmed, and would hold batterers more accountable for the effects of their violence by making them child abusers. Opponents argue that such policies may discourage battered women from seeking help because they would be afraid of losing their children, and may further trouble an already overloaded child welfare system. Before child abuse laws are passed, a thorough investigation of their potential impact is needed. Child abuse laws do not give courts and agencies the flexibility needed to review the particular circumstances of each domestic violence case and determine suitable interventions based on that case-by-case analysis. In order to effectively address the wide range of circumstances existing within families with domestic violence, multiple, community-based response systems are needed that do not require court or CPS intervention (Katz 163). Studies that examined age as a factor point out that exposure to domestic violence produced different developmental problems in children at different ages. Infants and toddlers who witness violence in their homes show extreme irritability, immature behavior, sleeping disorders, emotional suffering, fears of being alone, and decline in toileting and language skills. Exposure to trauma, especially violence in the family, interferes with a childs normal growth of trust and later investigative behaviors, which leads to the development of independence. The presence of symptoms in these young children is similar to posttraumatic stress disorder in adults, including continual experiencing of the traumatic event, avoidance, and lack of response (Health Plus). Once women and children affected by domestic violence are identified, health care professionals must be able to either provide them with or refer them to appropriate services. Some health care institutions have routine screening for domestic violence and offer specialized domestic violence services in-house, such as safety planning and support groups for battered women or therapeutic interventions for the children. Mental health system approaches to children exposed to domestic violence vary from crisis interventions to individual, group, and family therapy programs. An estimated 3.3 million children aged 3 to 17 years may witness domestic abuse of a parent every year in the United States (Health Plus). Domestic violence has a weighty effect on children who are exposed to it. Even if the children are not abused themselves, being helpless witnesses to the abuse of a parent is just as traumatizing to them as direct abuse. The effects of living in a violent home may create problems for a child throughout his or her life. Approximately 75% of all abusive men watched their fathers battering their mothers (Open Arms Home). Children depend on their parents to provide a safe, stable and predictable environment. When their parents are involved in a battering relationship, attention is taken away from the childrens needs and focused on the violence. The entire family becomes isolated. The mother and her children are busy with pacifying the batterer and trying to keep him from getting angry (Katz 157). Children in such a situation learn that they dont really matter. They learn that anger means losing control, and that men control women through violence. As Jeanie entered the house, she heard her mom screaming in her bedroom and her dad yelling loud. She also heard noises that sounded as though her father was beating up her mother, and she was sure her dad was beating up her mom. Although this situation happened often at their house, on this day it sounded worse to Jeanie. Jeanie ran to get help from her brother, but he turned her down, saying he didnt care since this happened very often. She didnt know what to do; she was really scared and her mind stopped working. Her sister was sitting quietly in her room; she was so scared that she couldnt even move. Then she heard a loud scream, which seemed like her moms final scream. She ran toward her moms room and knocked hard to get inside, but nobody would let her in. Then she realized that she should call the police; so she did. Police came and arrested her father for domestic violence. She watched her brother come out of his room and leave angrily, because he felt ashamed for what happen ed. Her sister didnt move from her spot because she was so frightened. Her mom thanked her for calling the police and they began working on a new life from then on. After that day Jeanie never talked to her dad or looked at him again Seeing violence all the time at home can make some teenagers violent. A high percentage of juvenile delinquents are battered children. Eight percent of men in prison grew up in violent homes (Kurland 63). Of child murderers specifically boys ages 11-20, 63% killed the men who were abusing their mothers (Bruhn 49). They go around and pick on young children in the neighborhood. Also they get into fights with teachers and friends in school (Stark 69). They show no emotions or any respect to anyone (Bruhn 65). Parents do not care and never pay attention to their children, so children get involved in gang fights. They do not care whether any one does not like them, because they are brought up from a home where there is no concern for the society (Kurland 63). Studies reported that there are fifty-three percent children that are in prison becoming violent because of seeing violence at home (Edleson 1). Growing up in a violent home is a terrifying and traumatic experience that can affect every aspect of a childs growth and development. Children who do not know how to deal with these problems and who are often seeing violence can become depressed, because they feel helpless and powerless (Berger 11). Due to feeling they tend to not do much around the house or in school, because of domestic violence some also take all the blame and fell embarrassed to leave the house. That makes some children refuse to go to school, which makes some children not wanting to go to school (Stark 49). These problems that children experience are often both immediate and long-term, but the impact of these effects depends on may factors, such as the age of the child and the frequency of type of violence that occurred or is occurring. Resources Rachels Story. (n.d.). The WTV Zone A WebTV friendly homepage and website provider where webtv users can build websites and homepages with little restriction web tv users welcome!. Retrieved April 4, 2010, from http://www.wtv-zone.com/LadyMaggie/php/rachel.html ACADV: Children And the Effects of Domestic Violence. (n.d.). Home The Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Retrieved March 27, 2010, from http://www.acadv.org/children.html Behind Closed Doors. (n.d.). unicef.org. Retrieved March 25, 2010, from www.unicef.org/media/files/BehindClosedDoors.pdf Effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Adolescents: An Overview. (n.d.). American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. Retrieved March 26, 2010, from http://www.aaets.org/article8.htm Effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Teenagers ~ FindCounseling.com. (n.d.). Find a Therapist at FindCounseling.com, The Original Therapist Finder Search Engine, Formerly TherapistFinder.net. Retrieved March 26, 2010, from http://www.findcounseling.com/journal/domestic-violence/domestic-violence-children.html Kelsey Briggs (2002 2005). (n.d.). Kelsey Briggs (2002 2005). Retrieved April 4, 2010, from http://kelsey-briggs.memory-of.com/About.aspx

Flautists Battle To Help Tiny Silent Losses

Have you ever lost someone close to you? You probably remember their laughs, and all the memories you had with them, but what if you had never shared these moments? What if they had slipped away before you even had a chance? Flautists used their talents at London's Royal Albert Hall yesterday to raise money to help raise miscarriage awareness. Twenty eight year old Tiana Webb from Croydon decided to set up the concert after suffering her fourth miscarriage in two years, she expressed her feelings â€Å"I felt so alone, and wondered why this kept happening to me, I realised I had to help do something so other women would not have to feel so alone whilst going through such a tough situation. Music helped me through the tough times, and as a flautist myself, I thought I could use my talents to help†. Leaflets were sent out asking all flautists to unite from all over the county, no matter what their ability or style in music. Over a hundred and fifty musicians came forward ranging from beginners to professionals, young to old. Tiana said she was surprised at the amount of support that had been gained, as she was not sure if she would be successful. The Miscarriage Association is a charity set up to help raise miscarriage awareness. The charity supports grieving woman, be it soon after their miscarriage or a while after by providing information, support groups and helplines. It also offers a service in which mothers can be put in touch with other women who have experienced a loss. Miscarriage facts are quite unknown, more than one in five pregnancies end in miscarriage, a shocking quarter of a million each year in the UK. Recent research amongst a sample of over three hundred women who had experienced loss in pregnancy showed that 45% of women did not feel well informed about what was happening to them. Only 29% of them felt well cared for emotionally and nearly four out of five received no aftercare. Claire Walker, a spokesperson from TMA said â€Å"we are so thankful to Tiana and everyone who took part in the concert. Miscarriage affects so many women in society and feel it goes un-noticed, but this event shows that there is hope for them†. Tickets sold out within a week of going on sale, filling the magnificent hall. Tiana held an auction of old music, CDs, flutes and other musical equipment, all donated by the musicians themselves, of local organisations. One of the flautists, Fourteen year old Levi King from East London said † I'm proud to be part of something which is for a good cause, the response is incredible†. The concert was set off with all 158 flautists playing Karen Taylor-Good's song, ‘Precious Child' together, which was written especially. Karen herself sang the feeling filled words, â€Å"There wasn't a dry eye in the building† she explained, â€Å"everyone was obviously very touched†. Rachel Kindler The sound rang, creating a close atmosphere inside. Many members of the audience described it as a heart-warming experience to be amongst others with the same feelings, as many of them had suffered a miscarriage either themselves or in their families. This was followed by each of the flautists playing solos, duets or trios in a variety of music styles. There were reports that many of them felt privileged to be able to perform in the Royal Albert Hall as it was a ‘once in a lifetime experience'. Tiana played 4 individual solo's, including two that she had written herself. Amongst the musical pieces, poems were read many people spoke of their experiences, 23 year old Sara West told us of her story † I was 20 when I fell pregnant, it was a mixture of excitement and worry as I was young but I knew I wanted to keep my baby, I had a supportive partner and finished my degree at university. When I miscarried at 10 weeks, I was heartbroken. Words cannot describe how hard it is to lose something so precious. Many people do not understand it and are insensitive towards the subject, but coming here tonight made me realise I am not the only one that felt this way, and there is support out there for me. I am pleased to have helped The Miscarriage Association, and thankful to Tiana for putting so much work into this event.† The audience was surprised by the appearance of James Gallway, a famous flautist. He played several pieces, including some with the youngsters which many felt was touching. James said that he would not have missed the concert for the world, as it was not on an opportunity to share his talents and skills with others, but also to help make money for a very good cause. The evening was ended with an outstanding firework display, and people releasing balloons with messages for their losses within. It was spectacular to see so many people come together to remember silent losses that most people will not know of. The occasion was clearly very successful, it raised an amazing à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10,000 for The Miscarriage Association. Tiana added, † I am overwhelmed at the amount of support for the charity and the event. It is comforting to know that I have helped other grieving mothers, I hope to organise something similar in the near future. I would like to thank all the flautists for participating and everyone who donated money to the charity†.

The Dos and Donts of Personal Choice Essay Topics Sociology

The Do's and Don'ts of Personal Choice Essay Topics Sociology Personal Choice Essay Topics Sociology Features Persuasive essays share a whole lot of resemblance with argumentative essays. Confucius is absolutely perfect. Many Ph.D. students or postdocs feel like they have nothing of equal value to provide the people they need to meet who have useful information that they need. To tell the truth, Science is such a huge deal in my family members. Women should be provided full responsibility above their reproductive rights. They should be able to determine when to have a child. Just like male members of the society, they should be allowed to be independent and be able to determine their future. When a woman requires an abortion, she will do anything it requires to have one. There are several things that could fail in writing an analytical paper that the illustration of an essay may be the only means to prevent any mistakes and present a paper that will get you the maximum grade. Try to remember that the primary goal of writing this type of essay is to locate a deliberated thesis and support it with adequate arguments. Actually, the self reflection a self-assessment requires may be more elusive than attempting to decipher the significance of research. To be able to write a highly effective personal essay, step one is to realize the structure. When you're writing an abortion argumentative essay, you're totally free to support any side that you desire. A Cesarean-section surgery can vary from 10,000-20,000. Take a look at essay examples that you are able to discover online. So, as soon as you are sitting down to compose an essay, you want to keep in mind that you need to express your personality there. Analyze what you have to write in the essay and the way you want the readers to react to it. Narrative essays often have fewer requirements concerning the format when compared to admission essays. What you would like to do with your education to earn a difference might be a rich supply of private statement ideas. Whenever your teacher asks you to carry out a certain type of academic writing assignment, the very first and the most significant matter to be done is to comprehend what type of essay you're likely to write. Some students find it challenging to write about themselves, while some find it simpler to go over their private life, in place of researching an assigned topic. Students who don't find out how to compose a crucial analysis paper should acquire prepared to break down the whole into pieces and after that study the part. Up in Arms About Personal Choice Essay Topics Sociology? Another counter argument worth noting considers the problem of life support. It is very important to take into account either side of an issue as a way to comprehend what barrier exist in enacting or maintaining legislation. At times, you may be asked to do a self-analysis paper. Routine activity theory claims that crime is normal and is contingent on the opportunities out there. Recall unpleasant moments which you find very helpful for your private development. My general goal in life generally is to keep an extremely great balance and happiness for myself and my family members. Self assessment is thus required to deal with risks and make them an opportunity rather than a setback. The advantages and disadvantages of the debate surrounding abortion is going to be analyzed to present a concise analysis of the problem. The life of a fetus may not be separated from the life span of the pregnant woman. For instance, abortion is a really sensitive issue and the quantities of abortions are going up by the moment. An abortion can be the only solution for disadvantaged ladies.

Report on Apple Macintosh and Innovation

Executive Summary Respondents have ranked Apple and Google as the two most innovative companies for the fourth straight year. Apple has held the post of top winner according to a survey since 2005 (MÃ ¼ller, 2011). The company has shown strong results since 2000, with an increase in revenue of more than 450% in eight years and net profit increase of more than 1700%. According to Steve Jobs, the company achieves these growth armed with the strongest product line, talented employees, and best customers in the industry. Apple leverages a combination of top-down and bottom-up innovations strategy to create innovations. Apple has built an innovative factory, one that harnesses outstanding innovations from its people, stimulating enterprising new ideas, and launching successful and profitable ideas continuously. Additionally, the company leverages its diverse pool of employees, suppliers, customers, partners, proven innovation process, and a winning culture that does not accept the second position, thereby seizing new opportunities in the global market place and achieve exponential business growth. This paper attempts to study the organizational behavior at Apple and by focusing on the theory of innovation and creativity. Introduction In a cut and dry definition, organizational behavior is the study and the application of knowledge about how people, individuals and groups act within organizations. What this means is if an outside organization were to review a company to see what makes them successful, they would be able to find specific actions and aspects of the company culture that attributes to their position of success or failure. That information could then be hypothetically applied to other companies to help improve their overall performance. For this report, the company at hand for the study is Apple; one of the most important organizations of the last one to two decades. For a number of reasons, Apple has played a major part in the development of technology and its influence on our culture. Apple and Innovation When consumers think of Apple, many will immediately think of some of the most innovative technological advances that have had a direct effect on our society. iPhones, iPods and Macintosh computers are the three staple products that have helped push Apple, Inc., towards the top of their industry. Under the leadership of the recently deceased founder and former CEO, Steve Jobs, Apple built itself into an organization that became well known for innovative ideas and listening to what their customers wanted. Jobs went above and beyond embracing both of those ideals Steve Jobs is considered one of the most influential business leaders of our time for the way he developed Apple, Inc. into the technological powerhouse it has become today. He played a central part in the birth of Apple in 1977, up until his death in 2011. During that time, his belief and leadership methods helped shape the organizational behavior in Apple that would help them become the industry standard that they are today. It is very easy to look throughout the Internet and find quotes that were left behind by Jobs that are used as influential quips for those involved in the business world. Since his death many experts and reports have chronicled the struggles that the new leadership have had to face and few believe that the company will face tougher struggles in the future. It is very clear to see that Steve Jobs played a very vital role in not only innovation within Apple, but also how it is used throughout the business world. Organizational Behavior of Apple When looking at Apple Inc. as a whole one must work to gain an understanding of the organizational behavior that has led too much of its success. As stated, one of the biggest factors towards that success was the fact that the company was staunch in their belief of innovation from the highest executive all the way down to the entry-level employees. Steve was all about being innovative in marketing, product features, design, packaging, purpose-he knew that thinking differently was the key to differentiating Apple from the crowd of MeTo companies (Canton, 2011). This belief in the importance of being different is vital in todays marketplace and is a key lesson point for organizations that are looking to build their own legacy, no matter what industry they operate (Richard, 2005). If you look across every industry you will see how companies are continually trying to defeat each other by developing new ideas. It does not matter if it is the clothing, car or television industries: each tries to come up with new products and ideas that will attract customers to spend their money within their markets. One prominent example is the video game industry. With every knew game that comes out developers are continually developing new game play factors, characters and anything else that hasnt been seen before. Even beyond that, new game systems are released on a two to three year cycle as technology continues to improve. The goal is to consistently develop new products that will keep the customers attention and potentially cause them to spend more money on the companys products. How Innovation Helps Deal With Challenges Innovation and an embracing of it is a strong tool to help managers and CEOs overcome many of the challenges that can come up in the business world. In times such as these, when customers are least likely to be willing to part with their money, companies have to be creative in how they entice these individuals to use their products and services. Coming up with new technological advances, different products and other ways to garner attention is one of the most successful ways to do so (Johnson, et al., 2009). At the same time, innovation can also be a great tool in solving the different problems that can arise when dealing with employees or public relations situations. Over time, Apple has built a seasoned management team that is optimized to support bold new product initiatives and recover from the occasional flop (Morrison, 2009). For example, in 2011 FedEx was faced with a brief crisis when video surveillance footage of a delivery man in a very bad light. While delivering a package that was marked as fragile, the employee threw the package over the gate at the home of the customer. Of course, the outcome was that said package contents were destroyed. Instead of trying to cover over the situation, FedEx took to social media to reach out to their customers to inform them that this situation was a rarity and they will take all the precautions that it will never happen again (Dietrich, 2012). In todays society, negative news can hit the Internet and spread like wildfire. Not containing said fire could have serious negative consequences on the ability of the organization to function. FedEx helped set an interesting example of using the same medium in which the bad news was revealed, to release their public relations response and hopefully contain the situation before it became worse. This is an example of how bein g innovative with the technology at hand assisted FedEx in being able to release a quick and impactful response to a situation that could have become a public relations nightmare. Companies need to continually stay ahead of the curve when trying to figure out new ways to deal with the challenges that come up every day. As social media platforms continue to grow and take more prominent positions in our daily lives, these venues give customers more options on how to complain about the services or product mistakes they may have experienced. Organizations such as Apple and FedEx have thrived by using these same venues to product their organization as a whole and recant these problems as they arise. How Innovation Helps Main Customer Satisfaction Apples embracing of innovation can also be seen with how they handle controversy surrounding their products. Even recently, the organization has had to step up and take the public lashing that came along with the release of the Apple iPhone 5. Many customers were complaining about the Maps application that came with the phone. Instead of ignoring the problem, Apples current CEO outright apologized for the faulty program and ensured customers that the issue will be corrected. While dealing with upset customers may not be considered an innovative way to solve a problem, the fact that Apple consistently does so in a quick manner is an action that more organizations should cover. Innovation is also a solid recourse to creating a strategy to maintain customers in a very competitive marketplace. Apples organizational culture of providing their customers with the products and services it desires has created many different industry standards that now are customary in the technology world. In developing these innovative standards, much of the industry has begun to recommend Apples products as top of the line when compared to their competitors. For example, lets look at the applications and capabilities that come with many of Apples computers today. Video cameras have become an important part of online interactions. Now many users have an expectation of being able to video chat with others across the world for business and personal reasons without the need to attach additional items to their laptop or computer. Now, majority of Apple computers come with the ability to video chat built in. This feature goes hand in hand with many of the creative programs that are used with Apples programming system such as Final Cut Pro. These innovative conveniences make many Apple computers the go to products of choice, especially by those individuals who are looking to develop their creative background. Customer satisfaction should always be one of the first objectives for any organization that is a part of the consumer marketplace. Without these customers your organization will not be able to function and will falter from the start. Continually developing new ways to keep your customers satisfied with products and services is one important attribute that maintaining an innovative thought process will bring to your company. Creativity impact at apple employees Apple leverages a combination of top-down and bottom-up innovation strategy to create innovations. The company is organization and management driven, process oriented and highly structured. In order to achieve its strategies, Apple has an innovative culture closely coupled with that of its leadership. As leading innovative company in the world, Apple’s employment brand makes employees feel they that they are cool when they work with Apple. In addition, employees feel as part of a team that helps in changing the world through technology. The success of the company depends on its ability to stay ahead in introducing innovative products into the market ahead of competitors. However, if it fails in doing so, then the company’s brand would fade. The commitment of employees to Apple comes from other factors far outside of the control of employees. Failure on the part of these factors could adversely affect employee engagement and commitment. If Apple reports a bad quarter, the adrenalin rush could end soon. Apple has been able to diversify its portfolio for drivers of employee engagement in order to mitigate risks. By offering benefits that talent competitors have, Apple addresses some of the reasons to leave. Conclusion As with both of these examples provided, it is clear to see that practicing innovation and creative thinking such as Apple does on a daily basis can help solve many issues that some organizations run into during operation. Organizations should consistently look for new ways to improve their processes, develop new products and create new services that their customers can enjoy. Even beyond the maintaining customers and dealing with complaints; innovative thinking can be used to help cultivate and develop the talent that is a part of your staff or help you come up with new products that your competitors have missed out on. If your organization can continually beat out the competition when it comes to these important points; then you can expect to maintain a prominent position in your industry of choice. Innovative thinking as an organizational behavior is a great way to spark the activity within an organization and help employees reach some of the goals that are in place. References Canton, James. Steve Jobss Innovation Leadership At Apple: My Lessons Learned. Global Futurist. Retrieved from http://www.globalfuturist.com/blog/2011/08/25/steve-jobss-innovation-leadership-at-apple-my-lessons-learned/ Dietrich, Gini. FedEx Customer Video Turned Good Pr. SpinSucks. 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