Marketing on the marketing research department

It is to be recalled that at the meeting of the Board of Directors of Company X held on 30 June, 2006, approval was given for the establishment of a Marketing Research Department. This decision was finally taken after several presentations were made to the Board to that effect.   The newly created department was charged with the following responsibilities:a.Determine how various customer groups are reacting to present marketing mixes of company Xb.Evaluate the effectiveness of operational marketing mixesc.Create new marketing mixes for new customer marketsd.Assess changes in the external environment and the effect they would have on product and service strategye.Identify new market   (a to e are after McDaniel and Gates, 1999)f.Assess present relationships with external marketing agencies with the view to making them stronger.This report presents the current and potential problems confronting our organization from the perspective of marketing and how the newly created department intends to solve them. It also considers new opportunities that have been thrown up since the creation of the department and how it intends to take advantage of them. The marketing department also plans to recruit additional staff. The new staff shall be given an orientation to enable better cope with our style of working. Details of the marketing research process have been given in Appendix 1.IDENTIFIED PROBLEMSAs with most start-up departments, the newly created marketing research department has no past records to guide its work. The only available records are those from our relationships with external marketing agencies. They cover mostly farmed out work from our organization. As a baby trying to walk, we anticipate to encounter difficulties but shall learn as we crawl forward. The department is seriously understaffed, so additional staff must be recruited to enable it discharge its assigned responsibilities.The new staff members would be given an orientation to enable them cope with our unique style of working. The department would also have to put in place expanded information systems to cope with the additional responsibilities assigned to it. Such systems would enable us handle the data that we collect and analyze effortlessly. There is also the need to put up in-house facilities for focus-group work and telephony research.IDENTIFIED OPPORTUNITIESIt is estimated that about over One billion people use the internet worldwide (Business week, 2005). Available reports indicate that this figure shall increase in future. This is a big opportunity for our company, if we can identify our customers and offer them tailor-made goods and services.Some of the market segments of our company are presently underserved. There is the need to accurately identify them and map out strategies to fully serve them. New markets have also opened up in other countries and regions that we must adequately research and go after.PROPOSED SOLUTIONSWe shall have to develop discussion gu ide book for our focus group work and also a manual on the research process orientation. Five additional staff shall be recruited for our in-house research work. Of the staff employed two with a background information technology and electronic business or commerce shall be needed for our web-based businesses. Materials shall also be procured for our in-house focus group work. New Information systems shall be purchased to seamlessly weave data output from the different departments with that of marketing research.From our customer research studies, we shall be better placed to take advantage of the opportunities that have risen up online.   It is our goal to match the enormous opportunity online with the strength of our new staff members, with the background in electronic business or commerce.   The business and marketing plans shall provide details on how new emerging markets shall be entered into and existing ones developed. The plans shall also outline ways and means of forging solid relationships with marketing agencies and other stakeholders.ConclusionIt is our wish that if these measures are implemented, we shall not only see a vibrant marketing research department but also the kind that contributes enormously to our company’s bottom line results.Appendix 1THE MARKETING RESEARCH PROCESSMcDaniel and Gates (1999) have outlined an eight stage procedure for conducting marketing. These are:a.Problem or opportunity identification and formulationb.Creation of research designc.Selection of research methodologyd.Selection of sampling proceduree.Collection of dataf.Analysis of datag.Preparation and writing of reporth.Follow upa.Problem or opportunity identificationDuring this stage attempt is made to identify the problem at stake or the opportunity to be taken advantage of. Attempt is also made to grasp the scope of the problem and also the opportunity. The information needed in solving the problem and the way and manner it should be obtained is also dete rmined.   After having grasped the scope of the problem or opportunity, the research objectives are outlined. It must be stressed that it is essential for the problem under investigation to be thoroughly understood as the other subsequent stages rest on this stage.b.Creation of research designAt this stage, the researcher devises a plan or an approach for answering the research question. In doing so, the researcher must opt for an approach that is cost-effective and also provide the highest possible information for decision making.C.Selection of research methodologyThere are essentially three major methods for carrying out marketing research. These are surveys, observation and experiment. At this stage therefore the research should select one or a combination of them to collect the information needed.d.Selection of sampling procedureA sample is a subset of the population the researcher is interested in.At this stage therefore, the researcher decides on which members of the target population should be used for the research†¦ The researcher must determine whether he would give each and every member of the target population equal opportunity to participate in the research or only a select few shall be used.e.Collection of dataThis stage entails the collection of the information that the researcher is interested in.   This can be interviewing, survey questionnaire, and observation. The researcher can decide to collect the information himself or ask other persons to do so on his behalf.f.Analysis of dataThe data collected is analyzed at this stage to give meaning to it. From the analysis, it makes it possible for the researcher to interpret the results and offer recommendations and conclusiong.Preparation and writing of report.The analyzed and interpreted data must be communicated to the desired audience in a report. Since the objective of this stage   is to give understanding to what the researcher has found, the report was be tailored to needs of the a udience.h.Follow-upAt this stage, the researcher seeks to find out whether the results and recommendations made in a report have been used and also what has been the outcome of itAReferences1.Businessweek (2005). The Future of Tech, Businessweek ,20th June edition.McDaniel, C. and Gates, R. (1999). Contemporary Marketing Research, South-Western College Pub

Primary Health Care †Indigenous Australian Inequalities Essay

Page 1 The World Health Organisation (World Health Organisation, 2008) states that the indigenous peoples of Australia are one of the most disadvantaged indigenous groups in the developed world. The health of the Indigenous population of Australia is an increasingly pressing issue. Current research and statistics reveals great inequality in many areas of health care and health status between the Aboriginal people and the general population of Australia. Couzos and Murray (2008, p.29) report that the Indigenous population has â€Å"the worst health status of any identifiable group in Australia, and the poorest access to health systems. † This paper will examine the underlying historical contexts and contributing factors that have lead to the current disparity between the health of the Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians. Furthermore, the high prevalence of chronic health issues such as diabetes will be analysed and community health initiatives that are needed or currently being enacted will be identified. Many reasons for the current appalling state of health and wellbeing of the Australian Aboriginal people can be explained by examining their recent history to the devastating impacts of colonisation, genocidal policy, loss of land and years of oppression. These several hundred years of cultural destruction, dispossession and social and political upheaval have resulted in generations of trauma and grief (Burke, 2006, para. 4). As reported by Forsyth (2007, p.35-36), government policies enacted towards the indigenous population in the early 20th Century were concerned primarily with protection and segregation, as the prevailing attitude of the time was that the Indigenous people were largely inferior and were unable to care for themselves. Forsyth continues to explain of the injustice created by the New South Wales parliament with the Aborigines Protection Act of 1909, in which â€Å"every aspect of their lives was governed, regulated and controlled† (Forsyth, 2007, p. 36). Furthermore the Indigenous people of this era were not able to imbibe alcohol, own property, vote or cohabit with non-Indigenous people, and the state of their health was largely ignored due to the belief that they were a dying race. (Couzos et. Page 2 al. 2008, p. 3). Due to this essentially complete lack of health care, Forsyth describes the Aboriginal people of the era living on the outskirts of larger towns as suffering from high rates of blindness, infectious diseases, bone diseases and sexually transmitted infections (Forsyth, 2007, p.36). The severity of these health issues was made worse by fear and distrust of the Aboriginal people towards hospitals and white people (Forsyth, 2007, p. 37). As the 20th Century progressed it became obvious that the Aboriginal population was not a soon to be extinct race as earlier thought, and new political policy calling for assimilation and integration reflected this change, though protectionist and segregationist policies remained influential or continued until the 1970s (Couzos et.al. 2008, p. 4). In the 1960s attitudes of Australian society began to became more concerned for the wellbeing Indigenous people, with increased social conciousness and awareness spreading throughout the Western World. As a result of increasing political activity and demonstration, many Aboriginals were forced off stations in 1966, causing a large movement of Indigenous people to more urban areas such as Redfern (Couzos et. al. 2008, p. 7). This sudden increase in numbers highlighted the need for proper health care and services, with the first Aboriginal health service established in 1971. Throughout the 1970s an increase in research and reporting of Aboriginal health resulted in many state and commonwealth reports all with the same conclusion, that the health status of Aboriginal communities was appalling and that there was great â€Å"need for increased priority, increased resourcing, better coordination, and increased Aboriginal community participation and control† (Couzos et. al. 2008, p. 10). However very little action was taken until the 1990s2000s where relevant political policy was brought in and funding made available for Aboriginal health services, though they mostly remain inadequately funded and Aboriginal health care is still largely unrepresented and avoided by the Australian Government. The ongoing effects of racist and unjust political policy and action can in part explain current aspects of dysfunction and overall disadvantage that occurs in many Indigenous Page 3 communities today. Specifically this disadvantage is evident in many areas of community life, with Indigenous people being generally exposed to more risk factors for poor health than other Australians (Thomson, MacRae, Burns, Catto, Debuyst, Krom, Midford, Potter, Ride, Stumpers and Urquhart, 2010, para. 49). Examples of risk factors include social factors such as dispossession, dislocation and discrimination, educational factors such as poor schooling, resulting in much lower literacy and numeracy skills, economic factors such as lower income and higher unemployment, access to good quality health care and GP’s, and physical environmental factors such as poor and overcrowded housing. Together these disadvantages provide for a higher likelihood of poor lifestyle choices such as alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use, a poor and unbalanced diet, obesity and a lack of regular exercise (Thomson et. al. 2010, para. 49, Couzos et. al. 2008, p. 79). Poor access to good quality health care is one of the key predictors for the prevalence of poor health in a community. There are very few GP’s available in remote locations, and as a result of no or little access to professional health care providers, these remote areas are susceptible to poor health awareness and knowledge. As reported by Thomson et. al. (2010, para. 3), almost one-quarter of Indigenous people are classified as living in a remote area with very little access to goods and services or opportunities for social interaction. Couzos et. al. (2008, p. 18) also consider poor access to GP’s as shown by a 2000-2001 survey of GP’s. As reported, only 0. 8% of GP visits were by Indigenous people, though they make up 2. 6% of the general population. Furthermore, more than 70% of GP’s did not see a single Indigenous person during the survey period. This under representation of the Indigenous population visiting GP’s indicates a clear need for increased access to professional health care, and is just one factor of many which demonstrates the need for improvement in the health and wellbeing of the Australian Indigenous people. Page 4 Diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition which can result in many major long term health complications such as stroke, kidney disease, blindness and greatly reduced life expectancy (Allman, 2008, p. 80, Zeng, 2006, p. 73). Diabetes can be classified into three main types, with the second type, non-insulin-dependant diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) the main form developed as a result of lifestyle factors. As reported by Thomson et. al. (2010, para. 2), NIDDM is currently â€Å"one of the most important health problems for Indigenous populations across Australia†, with only around half of those with the condition know they have it, and the proportion of affected Indigenous population estimated to be around 4 four times that of the general population. Couzos et. al. (2008, p. 525) expand that Aboriginal people are also significantly more likely to develop NIDDM at a much younger age, more likely to be hospitalised, and to die from associated complications. This over representation of diabetes in the Indigenous population is a result of their poor health status and education. Thomson et. al. (2010) report that many studies have linked high levels of obesity among Indigenous populations and high prevalence of NIDDM. The main factors linked to this high levels of obesity are the relatively recent availability of highly processed and sugary Western foods and drinks including alcohol and tobacco use, impaired glucose tolerence, hypertriglyceridaemia, hypertension, hyperinsulinaemia and a higher level of physical inactivity than non-Indigenous people (Thomson et. al. 2010). Diabetes prevalence is also linked to a lower socioeconomic status, and as previously examined, a high proportion of the Indigenous population suffer from many areas of disadvantage, which results in a lower socioeconomic status. As further explained by Thomson et. al. (2010) these effects are further aggravated by poor health promotion and knowledge, mental illness and stress, early emotional development and social status, and recent trends indicate increasing development and prevalence of NIDDM. Clearly the Aboriginal population is exposed to many risk factors for diabetes and other chronic conditions, and with increasing development trends, explains poor mortality rates and overall poor health status of their communities. Page 5. Community based programs are essential for the improvement of Indigenous health due to the close-knit nature of their culture and often remote location. This was begun in 2003 at national level with the development of The National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, which targeted strengthening of health service infrastructure, accessibility to health services, and health promotion, most importantly the importance of balanced nutrition and regular exercise (Couzos et. al. 2008, p.522, Insel, Ross, McMahon and Bernstein, 2010, p. 653). Cribbes and Glaister (2007, p. 167) describe the importance of health promotion and awareness at the community level, with a focus on re-establishing more traditional food choices and encouraging traditional hunting skills. The traditional Indigenous diet is highly nutritious, being high in protein, low in fat and high in complex carbohydrates, and as considered by Cribbes et. al. (2007, p. 167) is an excellent way to protect against chronic conditions such as diabetes. However the majority of remote Indigenous peoples obtain their food from local stores, thus initiatives such as the Remote Indigenous Stores and Takeaway Project were undertaken to establish minimum healthy eating standards and to educate store managers in nutrition. By empowering local store managers in this way, they are able to further educate the local schools and wider community in healthy eating (Cribbes. et. al. 2007, p. 167). As reported by the Dragon and Anderson (2011, p.28), Close The Gap (CTP) is another national level campaign which has a carry on effect to the community level. CTP aims to resolve the disparity in life expectancy rates and health equality between Aboriginal Australians and the general population, and has been endorsed by federal and state governments. CTP focuses on management of chronic conditions such as diabetes and follow up care. Management and awareness of diabetes is an essential component of improving health standards, and as King (2001, p.147-155) explains, Aboriginal people with diabetes commonly avoid mainstream health services for their health care. This mismanagement can lead to the development of diabetes related complications and greatly reduced quality Page 6 of life and life expectancy. On going strategies and studies identified the need for Aboriginal health workers to deliver community level care and health services for successful diabetes management (King, 2001). In conclusion, Aboriginal health standards have been of an appalling standard for many years due to racist policies, attitudes and in-humane treatment. The damage done and denigration of their lives, families and cultures has only recently began to be repaired by collective efforts nation wide, with a unified goal of self and community-empowerment, improvement of quality of life and living standards. With the expansion and ongoing deliverance of community focused solutions, many risks for ill-health and chronic conditions can be greatly reduced and the health status disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians can in the future be eliminated. Page 7 References: †¢ Allman, T. (2008) Genes & disease : diabetes. New York; Infobase Publishing. †¢ Dragon, N. and Anderson, K. (2011). Indigenous health. Australian Nursing Journal, 19(2), 24-8. †¢ Burke, S. (2006). Changing practices, changing paradigms: working effectively with Indigenous clients. Australian Psychological Society. Retrieved October, 5, 2011 from http://www. psychology. org. au/publications/inpsych/changing/ †¢ Couzos, S. & Murray, R. (2008). Aboriginal primary health care: An evidence-based approach. South Melbourne; Oxford University Press. †¢ Cribbes. M. and Glaister. K. (2007). ‘It’s not easy’: caring for Aboriginal clients with diabetes in remote Australia. Contemporary Nurse, 25; 163-172. †¢ Forsyth (2007). Telling stories: nurses, politics and aboriginal australians, circa 19001980s. Contemporary Nurse, 24(1), 33-44. Insel, P. , Ross, D. , McMahon, K. and Bernstein, M. (2010). Nutrition. Massachusetts; Jones and Bartless Publishers. †¢ King, M. (2001). The diabetes health care of Aboriginal people in South Australia. Contemporary Nurse, 10(3,4), 147-155. Page 8 †¢ Thomson N, MacRae A, Burns J, Catto M, Debuyst O, Krom I, Midford. R, Potter C, Ride K, Stumpers S, Urquhart B (2010). Summary of Australian Indigenous health, 2010. Retrieved October. 6, 2011 from http://www. healthinfonet. ecu. edu. au/health-facts/summary †¢ World Health Organization. (2008). Closing the Gap in a generation. Health equity through action on the social determinants of health. Commission on Social Determinants of Health Final Report. Retrieved October, 6, 2011 from http://www. who. int/social_determinants/thecommission/finalreport/en /index. html †¢ Zeng, Y. (2006). Longer life and healthy aging. Philadelphia; Springer.

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Philosophy - Essay Example Introduction Death Penalty, also referred to as Capital punishment, entails the execution of a convicted wrongdoer by law/judicial process enforcement officers as a punishment for a particular crime(s). It is ever the most severe punishment form. The various lawful means through which death penalty is administered comprise hanging, lethal injection, firing squad, electrocution, gassing and use of the guillotine (Duhaime 1). The offences punishable via capital punishment include but are not limited to rape and other sexual crimes, murder, espionage, treason and repeated crimes. They are referred to as capital crimes. This form of punishment is also performed as part of military justice. The criminal provisions for death penalty deem such individuals (convicted offenders) as a gross menace to the existence of the society (Legal-explanations.com 1). Majority of countries around the world have banned the death penalty. Infoplease.com quotes Amnesty International which records that 137 co untries have abolished this form of punishment. Additionally, a considerable reduction in the number of executions yearly in countries that have not banned it is evident. For instance, in the year 2007, twenty-four countries put 1,252 people to death, (of which eighty-eight percent took place in Saudi Arabia, China, Pakistan, Iran and USA alone), while in the previous year, they had executed 1,591 individuals. In 51 countries that apply death penalty to particular crimes’ offenders, approximately 3,350 people received the death penalty in 2006. In the year 2009, more than twenty thousand prisoners were on death row globally (Infoplease.com 1). In the view of people who support capital punishment, the threat of executions dissuades individuals from committing capital crimes, and thus it is more effective than incarceration. While this claim is credible, numerous studies on the topic of death penalty and deterrence in addition to the rate of capital crimes in countries that app ly the death penalty yields different result – they do not support this idea. In effect, in countries that do not apply the death penalty, the rate of capital crimes is continuously lower as opposed to those countries that apply it.  For instance, of the four regions of the United States, the Southern region has the highest rate of capital crimes despite the region having more than eighty percent of all executions in the United States. Moreover, a recent study revealed that of the surveyed United States’ top criminologists, eighty-eight percent are not for the belief that capital punishment deters capital crimes (Lacock & Radelet 503). There is ample prove that capital crime rates and the death penalty lack correlation. A major study by the United Nations concluded that there lacks substantiation of the view that compared to life incarceration; death penalty has a greater deterrent effect. Findings from the United States of America in addition indicate that death pen alty does not prevent capital crime. Moreover, reports from the American Civil Liberties Union divulge that states that apply death penalty laws do not have lower rates of capital crimes than those states that do not apply it (Peikrishvili 5). What is more is that a US police chiefs’ national survey disqualifies the  claim that death penalty is an essential tool of reducing the number of capital crimes with the police chiefs

Critically assess the importance of performance appraisal as an Essay

Critically assess the importance of performance appraisal as an integrative function of human resource management - Essay Example One of such tools is the performance appraisal system which elaborates on the evaluation of the individual employee performances and likewise suggests the determination of the reward system. However, being linked with employee performances in a direct way, the tool can be identified to impose various limitations and complexity issues for the modern day management. Based on this notion, it has often been argued that performance appraisal performs a vital function to determine the sustainability of an organisation by a large extent (Rees & Porter, 2004). Emphasising on this particular aspect, the discussion hereby deals with the role of performance appraisal system to support the success of an organisation by gaining sustainability in terms of enhanced employee loyalty and consistent augmentation in their productivity. The sole intention of the essay is thus to critically discuss about the importance of performance appraisal system taking into account the case example of Rother Homes, a major player in the market of UK housing association. Importance of Performance Appraisal as an Interpretive Function of HRM Performance appraisal can be identified as one of the most important tools considered in the modern day applications of HRM to evaluate the performance of the employees effectively in an organisation (The University of Texas- Pan America, 2008). It is in this context that an appropriately executed performance appraisal tends to make the organisation familiar with the employee’s performances and their capacity to work. The feedback obtained from the performance appraisal is often useful for the organisation to accurately decide upon the employees’ reward in terms of promotion or demotion. Hence, a properly executed performance appraisal program helps the organisation to identify the shortfalls of the employees and effectually work on the indentified issues. Moreover, it helps to conduct management development program efficiently and prepare qual ity workforce for the future operations (Dargham, n.d.). Although formulating standards is regarded as quite difficult in the application of HRM, it is also necessary to establish standards for measuring and evaluating the overall employee performances accurately and effectively. In order to ensure that the performance appraisal is effective in an organisation, it must include the features in terms of validity and reliability being free from biases and relevance (Khan, n.d.). Illustrating the Importance of Performance Appraisal in Rother Homes Separating the Financial Bonus from Performances In the case of Rother Homes, it has been witnessed that the management attempts to relate financial incentives with the performance appraisal system in order to motivate the employees to contribute their best in the organisational process. However, in executing the process, the organisation tends to lack analysing its impact on the employees which in turn indicates a major lacuna of the entire p erformance appra

Business Report for Radisson Hotels and Resorts Case Study

Business Report for Radisson Hotels and Resorts - Case Study Example Additionally, Carlson and SAS (Scandinavian Airlines System) are equity holders of the Rezidor Hotel Group (Forbes); thus giving the name "Radisson SAS" outside the United States(Forbes). Moreover, it has established partner networks with more than 20 worldwide airline programs (Radisson SAS) as well as with major financial companies such as American Express, Diners Club, Discover Visa and Mastercard to provide their customers with special offers and promotions (Radisson SAS). Its vision is: "We want to be the most admired company in London and in Manchester"(Radisson Edwardian), while its mission is to provide 100% guest satisfaction (customers are able to report to the company if any dissatisfaction occurs and Radisson will take corrective action or guests are not required to pay that particular service), 100% employment engagement (i.e. full staff empowerment) as well as acquiring a positive cash flow (by keeping every customers and employees satisfied) (Radisson Edwardian). The hotel industry is facing many established competition, such as Four Seasons, Hyatt, Ritz Carlton, Le Meridien, Marriot, etc. Thus to make itself outstanding and unique, providing quality service is a strategic action. Radisson's service guarantee statement should include a promise of providing only the best service, experienced and skilled employees to ensure customer satisfaction. If the company does not fulfill its commitment, hence the business promises to repay for its mistake. It should make it acknowledged by stating it in its business plan, code of conduct, in all of its hotels (in all rooms, at the lobby, etc.), in employee's and franchisee's contract as well as in its media, website, catalogues, brochures, email newsletters, etc; to make all of its employees, customers, franchisees aware of its commitment. Technological advancements have been developing very fast in recent years. Radisson should make use of this enhancement. The business could place a customer survey questionnaire at its website or send them via email. This action will allow the company to analyze and evaluate its customer opinion around the world and thus Radisson will be able to take corrective action to ensure that its commitment of providing 'customer satisfaction' is fulfilled. By having the internet available, the communication process between the company and its customers is enhanced; customers are able to contact Radisson and receive replies from the company more rapidly. This system reduces the possibility of not responding to certain customers and also reduces time delays. In order to guarantee employee and customer satisfaction, monitoring is essential. This can be done by undertaking performance appraisals, where employees fill out a form regarding their performance as well as complaints; with this the company is not only able to know its employees' dissatisfaction but how it has affected its performance. Feedback from performance appraisals will provide information for planning in training, recruitment, selection, development, rewards and separation. Radisson should also perform a grievance procedure (2-way communication system), where employees are able to communicate their complaints and employers are able to reprimand staff for conducting unsatisfactorily performance. The 2-way communication system enables an equality of power, a better relationship

Personal Code of Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Personal Code of Ethics - Essay Example ed commitment, principled living style, objectivity, harmonious behavior, constructive criticism, beneficial communication, learning passion, and critical reflection. In pursuing my career in finance and accounting, I will take care to conduct myself as much ethically as possible in both personal and professional life by always ensuring the definite presence of this ethical code in my mind. By keeping the values which form the hallmark of my code, I will learn the ropes to establish a smooth career which would not be marred by insignificant criticism, harsh communication, unprofessional thinking, workplace debauchery, and demoralized behavior. Developing a code of ethics prior to initiating a professional career holds utmost importance, because it saves one from engrossing in character-destroying activities and ruining one’s career for life. I will promote healthy and constructive dialogue with fellow colleagues and managers, while taking care to criticize where necessary but in a bias-free manner. I will negotiate certain issues with other people at workplace by being critical, reflective, and ethical at the same time. I will never hold back my passion and commitment for offering solutions for myriad problems and will always consult my code of ethics for maintaining workplace

Managing Construction Site Constraints Research Paper

Managing Construction Site Constraints - Research Paper Example   Geotechnical engineering is a field of study concerned with the behavior of rocks and soil present at any particular area. The features of geotechnical engineering are not just restricted to construction of buildings; rather it serves many other areas that include petroleum, military, and mining (Benny). Some of the main areas of study covered by geotechnical engineering include soil mechanics, rock mechanics, and design of foundations. Geotechnical engineering plays a key role in site development and, in particular, in designing foundations of a building. According to Rowe, geotechnical engineers study the behavior of soil and rocks in order to determine their physical and chemical properties that are necessary to be investigated at the earliest stages of building design (31). Based on investigations, engineers move towards the process of designing soil stabilization system in order to overcome the soil contamination problems.Working of Geotechnical EngineersThe first thing geot echnical engineers do in building design process is starting the design process by taking soil samples from the land where construction is to be started. The purpose is to determine the environmental impact on the soil of the site. Some other aspects of the site that geotechnical engineers study include chemical properties of soil, soil stability, and the presence of air pockets in the soil. The results of these tests determine the viability of the decision to start construction at the site or not.   The tests reveal the soil behavior at the site, as well as help the engineers in finding suitable solutions to the identified problems. The engineers use the results to design foundations for the building planned for construction. Here, an important point is that the complexity of the design of foundations depends on the condition of the soil. According to Day, if condition of the soil is normal, the design of the foundation will also be simple, whereas it will be complex in case the soil at the construction site shows atypical pattern or behavior (71). Geotechnical engineers not only provide feasibility report for the designing of foundations but also play an important role in the designing of earth support structures. The earth support structures play a valuable role in the construction of dams, roads, and tunnels. Some of the main tasks of

Political science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Political science - Essay Example A conservative would probably agree with all the Alabama measures against illegal immigrants. A conservative would think that since illegal aliens defied immigration laws they deserved to be treated like criminals and flushed out of their hiding places using all means. He will also consider as justifiable the use of stop and search measures on the basis of a vague rationale as reasonable suspicion, usually employed in anti-terrorism related drives, to ensure the apprehension of law breakers. On the other hand, a liberal, while realizing that illegal immigrants have violated immigration laws, will consider some of these measures as extreme, inhuman and unnecessary. A liberal will know how to balance between crime and punishment, and will not forget that illegal immigration is driven by the desire to find greener pastures and not to terrorize Americans. The punishment must fit the crime, but in any case no human being deserves to be treated like a rat. ... ?lack of codified law and coercive authority, a penchant for processes that are participatory and spontaneous, and an inherent impetus among community members to associate voluntarily and cooperatively† (Amster 291). Despite the system’s ideal underpinnings, anarchy is evidently unpopular. Successful rebellions against governments in various times of the world’s history did not result into the establishment of anarchic societies, but of new governments that were instantly installed to replace the toppled ones. The utopian nature of anarchy imports impracticability, presupposing a society where individuals stand together on equal footing, a notion that is illusory. There will always be individuals who will assert themselves above others and establish themselves as leaders, a position that can only be sustained if the community is organized and restrictions are imposed. Governments or systems of hierarchy are, therefore, inevitable (Kenneth & Goldman ). Moreover, an archy basically aspires for perfection, a condition impossible to achieve and more so to sustain. Nonetheless, anarchic societies do exist in the history of the world and even into the 20th century. This is exemplified by the Eskimo tribes of the North American Arctic, Pygmies in Zaire, the Yurok of North America, the Ifugao of the Philippines, the Land Dyaks of Sarawak, to name a few (Stringham 371-372). As can be seen, these societies are characterized by their small size, backward civilization and remoteness from the rest of the world, conditions that are impossible under a highly globalized world. Question 3: War on Terror The National Supremacy clause under Article VI of the US Constitution and the Reserve Clause of the Tenth Amendment have established the boundary between federal and state powers.

Restrictionist Policy, Mexican Labor, and Immigration Essay Example for Free

Restrictionist Policy, Mexican Labor, and Immigration Essay The article on Jewish refugees, Mexican guestworkers and administrative politics vividly describes the immigration policies that the United States followed during the turn of the twentieth century.   A cursory reading of the article would show what type of policy regime the United States followed with regards immigration and the factors that affected the same.   The article also depicted the different treatments towards Southern and/or Latin American immigrants, more specifically Mexicans, and European and/or Asian immigrants, more specifically Jewish Germans.    This paper is a summary of the article, focusing on the two abovementioned topics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The United States immigration policy during the turn of the twentieth century was coined to be a two-tiered bureaucracy.   The first layer was the new State Department and consular officials â€Å"employed exclusionary powers to all but shut down European and Asian immigration.†Ã‚   The second layer was administered by the Labor Department, which was characterized by the legal and illegal immigration of southern and Latin Americans, more specifically the Mexicans.   This second layer was actually described as an â€Å"iron triangle,† illustrated by â€Å"southwestern growers, immigration bureau officials, and powerful congressional committees dominated by southern and western conservatives.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This two-tiered immigration regime was actually a result of the rise of the World War I protectionist state, wherein there was a need for self-defense against foreigners since they were considered as dangerous and/or inferior.   This protectionist regime is highlighted by the Passport Control Act of 1918 wherein aliens are required to obtain a visa from consular officials abroad before they were allowed to enter the United States.    Note however that despite the end of the war, there was a move to continue implementing the Passport Control Act of 1918 as the country is still vulnerable to national security threats.   This law actually complemented the Immigration Act of 1917 and both previous laws were in turn supported by the 1924 Quota Act wherein inspections overseas where done prior to embarkation for the United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The restrictionist or nativist regime being discussed by the article was illustrated by two examples.   The first example is one for the first layer, or the shutting down if immigration to Europeans and Asians.   In fact, this shut down affected not only workers but refugees as well.   With the rise of Nazi Germany in Europe, and ideas of anti-Semitism spreading fast, many German Jews and Germans who opposed the Nazi Government were seeking asylum, to protect themselves from the Nazis. However, there seemed to be an unmistakable prejudice against the Germans and the Jews, bolted by an executive order in 1930 which barred aliens who were likely to be of public charge (or those wage earners who are coming to the United States without means of support).   There was a move to loosen this strict executive order by allowing bonds for entering refugees, which was actually ineffective since this was a double barrier for the refugees who were seeking asylum:   they needed a bond to enter the United States and yet the Nazi Government did not allow them to take capital out of the country. True, it was claimed that the idea of asylum as the special commitment of the American people.   And yet the article had enumerated a couple of reasons why despite the special commitment, the entrance of refugees cannot be as lax as those of Mexicans since refugees will only be a public charge, and attention should be paid to the many citizens of the United States who are homeless, unemployed and are struggling as well.   And yet another irony occurs, the strict policy was only on the German Jews and not on the British who were seeking refuge in the United States, and granting visas to Chinese immigrants, justified only by courting alliance with the Chinese during the war. The complete opposite of the experiences of the Jewish refugees were the Mexican workers.   This is actually the second tier of the regulatory policies on immigration by the United States government.   As compared to the European immigrants, the Mexican immigrants had an easier time entering the United States.   Despite the increase in illegal immigration due to inefficient and unmonitored security of the Canadian and Mexican borders, which was blamed on the lack of funds, lack of men and lack of facilities to effectively guard the borders of the United States, there were more legitimate reasons why the Mexican workers were easily granted immigration into the country.    One reason is that there is a need for unskilled workers.   Nativist and restrictionist politicians believed that the reason why Americans are being sent to school is so that they will not do the back-breaking work that unskilled laborers do.   Another reason, which is tied to the first, is that Mexican workers mean cheaper labor.   And lastly, the stay of Mexican migrant workers in the United States is but temporary and they can easily be expelled and sent back to their home countries.   In fact, this was proven when rumors started spreading that even immigrants will be enlisted in the armed forces to fight during the war.   Instantly, the Mexican workers returned to their native countries. Of course, the increase in Mexican guestworkers was not continuous as the Great Depression raised sentiments that the Mexicans were taking the work of the Americans and there was a heightened deportation campaign.   But this did not last long since the construction of highways and the invention of automotive traveling.  Ã‚   Once again, Mexican immigration was on the rise. The abovementioned summary of the article â€Å"Two-Tiered Implementation† definitely shows a great disparity of treatment between the Europeans and the South Americans.   But the same is understandable as the article sufficiently explained the justification for such. The United States, although committed to granting asylum to refugees, is practical in the sense that refugees will be taken care of the public and at the time of the implementation of the nativist immigration policies, the economic situation of the country just does not permit it to loosen immigration of refugees.   But on the other side, the United States gain greatly from the entry of cheap Mexican workers, allowing the Americans to concentrate on skilled jobs, and without having to worry about the deportation of the workers as their native country is just a border away. Indeed, there were good reasons, supported by evidence, that the article posed in explaining the restrictionist regime and the differences in immigration between the Jews and the Mexicans.

The Global Significance of the Middle East Essay Example for Free

The Global Significance of the Middle East Essay Middle East, a term for an indefinite region centered on southwest Asia and extending into North Africa. According to the most widely accepted definition, the region includes Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Egypt and all the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. According to other definitions, it includes various adjacent countries. The term originated in the early 20th century and came into popular use during the World War II. The older term Near East, now becoming obsolete, sometimes was also used to include the Balkan countries as well as the lands around the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. Much of the Middle East is desert or semidesert, and most of the people are clustered in oases or river valleys, where water makes the land productive. It was in these centers that some of the world’s earliest known civilizations flourished. From the Middle East, also, came three major religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Today, the people are predominantly Moslem (Islamic); about half use the Arabic language. The regions principal assets today lie in its rich oil fields, mainly in the Persian Gulf region, which have more than half of the world’s proven reserves. This wealth has placed new importance on Middle East’s position at the junction of three continents, where it controls vital links in the international transportation system. There has scarcely been any period in the history, however, when significant developments did not center on the Middle East. Middle East is a very rich country basically because of its oil reserves and other resources. But lately it has been a source of chaos and tragedy among the individuals living in it. Other countries are envious of what they have and therefore are doing things that could ruin the reputation and stand of Middle East. Some citizens also of Middle East, specifically the â€Å"armed groups† makes it hard for their own country to be more affluent and be well- developed because peace and order is one of the factors that has to be considered. Hence, the government itself within Middle East should take proper actions for the amelioration of their country and for their people as well. References: 1. â€Å"Middle East†. New Standard Encyclopedia. Volume 11. Pages 342-348. 2. Armajani, Yahya, and Thomas Ricks. The Middle East. Prentice Hall, 1986.

The suzlon energy

The suzlon energy Suzlon Energy is a leading name in the world of energy sector, company having a 14000 employee operating in the 21 countries. Company operations in the Asia, Americas, Australia and Europe. In terms of manufacturing company have manufacturing operation in three Continents. The research and development is set-up in the Denmark, Germany, India and Netherlands. Suzlon is market leader in the Asia and 3rd largest wind tower manufacturer in the whole world. The share market prices have grown 12.3% which give a new direction to the company to reach on 3rd position in the world among the energy sector. Reason to Choose Suzlon Energy The reason to choose Suzlon Energy is that it is the leading company in energy sector. Its policies have helped the company to become a key player in the energy sector. The philosophical and strategic are the main reasons that reflect the Suzlons identity. These factors are discussed in detail below: Suzlon ethics and beliefs As a company it contributes to the society a sustainable wind-energy on a commercial scale with focusing to increase efficiency and reliability to produce better wind energy. Suzlons strategy is always focused on good relations with their customers, which ultimately results in total customer satisfaction (Suzlon, 2009). This will help Suzlon energy to maintain their market share in the energy sector and will provide it the long term sustainability. Furthermore, Suzlon also focused on standards related to quality, they believe in better quality by maintaining safety on work place. And they consider environmental factors for local community and whole society. The most important philosophy is to build relationship with internal and external parties, and Suzlon is focus to maintain relationship with their shareholders, their employee, suppliers and service provider, government, local community and the most useful their customer. As per the company philosophy this is imperative to maintain relation to all this parties and thats what Suzlon does (Suzlon, 2009). To contribute the society a healthy energy, Suzlon stand forward, they produce wind energy which is environment free and they not use any fuel to produce the energy, on that way its not west other resources in their operation. Strategic factors of Suzlon Turnkey Solutions The main factors of the Suzlon are to offer clients range from development, in construction. The supply chain system of the manufacturing process and the strength of this chain give global identification among the customers and they provide best quality services to their customer. The Suzlon is the best to help the clients in overall wind power project delivery. Vertical Integration The no of industries supply chain identify the critical The Wind Industrys supply chain experiences the critical blockage of a long production lead time for key components such as Bearings, Gearboxes, Forging materials etc. However, Suzlon has got the critical competitive advantage such as., Suzlon focused o time and cost and concentrate on better quality. Company provide long term support to their customer after delivery. They make combination in the turbine technology. Easiest production system and work devision. Global Integration The growth of Suzlon Energy can be classified with reference to its global integration, Company has global experience and a talent capital to run their operation in the 23 nation which gives the company to talent workforce. Conclusion: It can be seen from the sources that the overall strategy of the Suzlon leads to the company towards the overall development. Apart from this the company has global reputation in the energy sector working globally, these key factor attract to choose the Suzlon to write this topic. Who are the major stakeholders of the organization and what consideration should be made to insure their (stakeholder) participation in developing management strategy? Introduction: in any limited organization the stakeholders play an important role, because stake holders are the key elements of any organization. There are two types of stakeholders, internal and external, both play an important role to achieve strategic goal of an organization. Definition An individual or group with an interest in the success of an organization in delivering intended results and maintaining the viability of the organizations products and services. Stakeholders influence programs, products, and services. (Online) Stakeholders of Suzlon Energy: Suzlon stakeholders are divided in two parts, Indian stakeholders and foreign stakeholders. Indian Stakeholders promoters groups Individual Hindu undivided family:- this category of share holder is the major stakeholders of the Suzlon energy which have 43% of total share of the company. Bodies Corporation is the second stake holders of the company 6 corporation bodies have 9.50% of share out of total share. There is no any foreign institution or individual are involved in the company stake. Public Shareholding In public shareholding Mutual Fund (UTI) is the major stakeholder of the company who has 6.44% of share out of total. Financial bake institute is the second investor of the Suzlon share which is 0.63%. Some foreign institution has invested about 235783372 which are 15% of total. Stakeholders participation in developing management strategy In any organization, stakeholders play an important role. The activities of the business affected by the stakeholder, they are directly or indirectly interested in the business, and they remain in connection with business constantly. In Suzlon Energy stake holders play an important role to develop management strategy. Company responsibility towards the stakeholders Shareholders: Shareholders are the main investors of the company, they invest the money in the company for good return, so the company strategy should be relevant to make good profit and development, and if company make more profit then shareholders also gain good rewards. To give good return on the investment company should have good management strategy. Management and employees: management and employee the important capital of the organization, the success of the business is depend on the management and employee because they run the company effectively so there is company responsibility towards their employee to pay fare remuneration and make good working condition. Customers and suppliers Customer and supplier are the key stakeholders of the Suzlon Energy, company responsibility is to solve the customer problem and provide good services, apart from this they should encourage customer to increase the selling by providing fair prices and qualitative product. On other side company have to build long term relationship with their suppliers by encouraging them by introducing JIT (just in time production system). Banks and other financial organisations By encouraging banks and other financial organization to provide enough fund as and when required by the company on good terms but it is possible when company develop good business strategy. Government By following the government rules and regulation, and taking part in various government schemes to take advantages of subsidies and relief. Local community For local community development Suzlon Foundation organization develop several projects for the local community development. To encourage the surrounding community company built schools and colleges for education development. Suzlon foundation also organizes some health awareness programme for the surrounding community area. Introduction Strategy is the long term planning which direct to the organization towards the achieving the goal. In this competitive market good strategic planning help the organization to develop their resources and help to meet the market needs, finally good strategy also fulfil the expectation of the stakeholder. Definition:- According to Johnson Scholes Strategy is the route and scope of an organisation over the long-term, which achieves advantage for the organisation through its configuration of resources within a challenging environment, to meet the needs of markets and to fulfil stakeholder expectations. Strategy development to resolve an issue. Corporate-Level Strategy of Suzlon Energy Corporate level strategy of Suzlon Energy cover main five area which are, growth, stability, endgame, defensive, and combination strategies. Company examine the process of evaluating and choosing from the various strategic alternatives. Generic Business Unit Strategies The common business unit strategies is examines the important issue of how a firm rival in this business. This kind of strategies is most appropriate for business units, which is connected with cost leadership, differentiation and focus. This chapter also reviews the importance of technology in shaping competitive in and industry. In the concluding section, it is re-evaluate the progress of the strategy unit towards developing a right dynamic theory of strategy. Functional Strategy Deals with the strategic decisions made within each of the business functions used to complement and support the competitive advantages sought by the business level strategy. This chapter examines functional strategies in the areas of purchasing and materials management, production/operations, marketing, finance, research and development, human resource, and information systems. Then, the ways in which these functional strategies can be integrated and analyzed. Required resources for strategic development Introduction Ethical, social and cultural are the major responsibility of any organization towards the society, these all objective create a good impact on the organization. Suzlon Foundation leads corporate social responsibility initiatives for Suzlon group of companies. Suzlon is committed to practice sustainable development for Powering a Greener Tomorrow. The Foundation will ensure that business policies and practices support sustainability as its guiding principle. Suzlon Foundation is registered under Section 25 of the Companies Act. Work culture at Suzlon The work culture at Suzlon hinges on the three pillars of corporate values, brand core and philosophy of global assimilation. Agility, creativity, adding value, commitment and integrity are the base values of Suzlons work culture. Inducting people into Suzlons brand core of sustainable development is a process that involves imbibing these values and blending the best qualities of the individual with those of the organization. Suzlons 14,000 employees have helped raise the performance bar in professionalism, opportunity, responsibility, belongingness and accomplishment. With our vision cast high and focus on our people, we offer a truly global exposure with more than 1000 clients worldwide and projects from The Americas to Asia, Europe to Asia Pacific. Suzlon has leveraged the rich operational experience of the worlds finest wind power technology to industriously harness an individual towards a powerful greener tomorrow. Social objectives of the Suzlon At Suzlon, the Corporate Social Responsibility division ensures that all stakeholders are involved through workshops, consultations and written communications. The Foundation disseminates information, sensitizes, initiates dialogues, and solicits stakeholder involvement in evolving a culture of sustainable development within and around the Company. There are some social objectives taken care by the Suzlon Energy is as follows Community welfare : for the local community development Suzlon developed many programmes like., education, healthcare programme, environment awareness and Provide Employment: the next social responsibility of the Suzlon is to provide employment and create more employment opportunity to cope with unemployment. Environment culture of Suzlon All large corporations have an impact on the resources surrounding it. In the past years environmental degradation in industrialized areas has been very evident. This is why Suzlon Foundation, has identified the environment as one of the key areas of activities. Suzlon Energy environmental initiatives also enable them to work towards the 7th Millennium Development Goal Ensuring Environmental Sustainability. Transformative programme aimed to continual improvement in business practices and procedures, so that there is minimal harm to the natural, social, human, physical and financial resources around it. Responsive programme aims to offset (even-potentially) negative impact and optimise the positive impact of business on its surroundings. Proactive programmes aims to contribute towards addressing global development issues and sustainability by going beyond business boundaries. How this factors affected by the current business and economical climate Social how consumers, households and communities behave and their beliefs. For instance, changes in attitude towards health, or a greater number of pensioners in a population. Legal the way in which legislation in society affects the business. E.g. changes in employment laws on working hours. Economic how the economy affects a business in terms of taxation, government spending, general demand, interest rates, exchange rates and European and global economic factors. Political how changes in government policy might affect the business e.g. a decision to subsidise building new houses in an area could be good for a local brick works. Technological how the rapid pace of change in production processes and product innovation affect a business. Ethical what is regarded as morally right or wrong for a business to do. For instance should it trade with countries which have a poor record on human rights. Discuss how a timetable for strategy implementation can be determined. Include a sample timetable, to include key milestone and their timings. Introduction: Despite the experience of many organizations, it is possible to turn strategies and plans into individual actions, necessary to produce a great business performance. But its not easy. Many companies repeatedly fail to truly motivate their people to work with enthusiasm, all together, towards the corporate aims. Most companies and organizations know their businesses, and the strategies required for success. However many corporations especially large ones struggle to translate the theory into action plans that will enable the strategy to be successfully implemented and sustained. Here are some leading edge methods for effective strategic corporate implementation. These advanced principles of strategy realisation are provided by the Farsight Leadership organization, and this contribution is gratefully acknowledged. Strategy implementation timetable This Strategic Planner is suitable for substantial start-ups, established businesses and strategic business units within major corporations. Following is the timetable for strategy implementation. Name of the Organization:- Suzlon Energy Ltd. Purpose of business plan The preparation of a written business plan is not the end-result of the planning process. The realization of that plan is the ultimate goal. However, the writing of the plan is an important intermediate stage fail to plan can mean plan to fail. For an established business it demonstrates that careful consideration has been given to the businesss development, and for a start-up it shows that the entrepreneur has done his or her homework. Vision and Mission Vision The first step is to develop a realistic Vision for the business. This should be presented as a pen picture of the business in three or more years time in terms of its likely physical appearance, size, activities etc. Answer the question: if someone from Mars visited the business, what would they see or sense? Mission The nature of a business is often expressed in terms of its Mission which indicates the purposes of the business, for example, to design, develop, manufacture and market specific product lines for sale on the basis of certain features to meet the identified needs of specified customer groups via certain distribution channels in particular geographic areas. A statement along these lines indicates what the business is about and is infinitely clearer than saying, for instance, were in electronics or worse still, we are in business to make money (assuming that the business is not a mint !). Also, some people confuse mission statements with value statements (see below) the former should be very hard-nosed while the latter can deal with softer issues surrounding the business. Corporate Value The next element is to address the Values governing the operation of the business and its conduct or relationships with society, customers, employees etc. Business objectives The third key element is to explicitly state the businesss Objectives in terms of the results it needs/wants to achieve in the medium/long term. Aside from presumably indicating a necessity to achieve regular profits (expressed as return on shareholders funds), objectives should relate to the expectations and requirements of all the major stakeholders, including employees, and should reflect the underlying reasons for running the business. Key strategy Next are the Strategies the rules and guidelines by which the mission, objectives etc. may be achieved. They can cover the business as a whole including such matters as diversification, organic growth, or acquisition plans, or they can relate to primary matters in key functional areas, for example: How might the dissemination process be used to help an organisation gain commitment to its strategy and the implementation of this? Introduction: Grant application priorities vary in their emphasis on dissemination as a necessary part of a successful proposed scope-of-work. Often, however, the results and impact of your grant efforts rest in the effectiveness of your dissemination activities. With effective dissemination, the awareness, recognition, and possible use of your grant outcomes may be greater than expected. Sound planning can help achieve this result. Effective dissemination process to gain organization goal Project summery: to make effective dissemination plan the initial step is to make project summery by describing the current environment or context that provide the business movement for the research. Dissemination goals: to achieve organization goal and to make further development in the business there should be a single long term goal like., business policy, practice and event culture. Effective planning: every project need well planning, to meet an organization goal, it is implicate to make effective planning about the further process and make planning about the project. Research and development is also a part of planning because before making any decision about the product and his demand it is very essential to make effective planning. Co-ordination: to reach to the organization goal the next step is to maintain co-ordination among the department as well as management because co-ordination make work easy and help to solve the problem. Co-ordination is one kind of group work, and group work has always remained effective to solve any kind of organization problem. Destination Statement: In order to make rational decisions about organizational activity and not least set targets for those activities, an enterprise should develop a clear idea about what the organization is trying to achieve (Senge 1990, Kotter 1995). A destination statement describes, ideally in some detail, what the organization is likely to look like at an agreed future date (Olve et al 1999 and Shulver et al 2000). In many cases this exercise builds on existing plans and documents but is rarely in practice to find a pre-existing document that offers the necessary clarity and certainty to fully serve this purpose within an organization. Strategic Objectives: The destination statement offers a clear and shared picture of an organization at some point in the future, but it does not provide a suitable focus for management attention between now and then. What needs to be done and achieved in the medium term for the organization to reach its destination on time is agreed upon in the form of objectives or priorities. By representing the selected objectives on a strategic linkage model, the design team is encouraged to apply systems thinking (Senge 1990; Senge et al. 1999) to identify cause-and-effect relationships between the selected objectives i.e. what do we need to do to achieve the results we expect. This approach also helps ensure the objectives chosen are mutually supportive and represent the combined thinking of the teams high-level perception of the business model. Strategic Linkage Model and Perspectives: The chosen strategic objectives are spread across four zones or perspectives. The lower two perspectives contain objectives relating to the most important activities in terms of business processes, cycle time,. productive, etc. (Internal Processes) and what needs to happen for these processes to be sustained and further developed in terms of people, product and process development (Learning Growth). The two top perspectives house objectives relating to the desired results of the activities undertaken, i.e., how we wish external stakeholders (e.g. the general public, partner agencies and organizations to perceive us (External Relations) and how this will ultimately translate into financial results and economic value (Financial). Measures and Initiatives: Once objectives have been agreed, measures can be identified and constructed with the intention to support managements ability to monitor the organizations progress towards achievement of its goals (Olve et al., 1999). Initiatives are special projects with a finite start and end date and are mapped to strategic objectives to give an indication of the projects or actions needed in order to realize the objectives (Niven 2002). References http://www.researchutilization.org/matrix/resources/dedp/#introduction http://www.chsrf.ca/knowledge_transfer/pdf/dissemination_plan_e.pdf http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Business_Intelligence/Create_and_disseminate_scorecard http://www.globusz.com/ebooks/Business21/00000018.htm Suzlon Energy, 2009. Philosophy and Strategy , (Online) http://www.suzlon.com/about_suzlon/l3.aspx?l1=1l2=1l3=10 (Accessed on 08/12/2009): ttp://www.suzlon.com/key_differentiators/l2.aspx?l1=4l2=14 http://www.businessballs.com/businessstrategyimplementation.htm http://www.planware.org/strategicplanner.htm#2 http://www.planware.org/businessplan.htm#1 http://www.globusz.com/ebooks/SmallBusiness/00000012.htm http://www.suzlon.com/pdf/Suzlon_Final_PDF_Low_One_piece.pdf http://www.philodialogue.com/10.html http://tutor2u.net/business/gcse/external_environment_introduction.htm http://www.suzlon.com/images/investor_shareholdings/1_SEL_Shareholdingpattern_30-09-09.pdf http://tutor2u.net/business/gcse/organisation_stakeholders_ethics.htm http://www.suzlon.com/careers/l2.aspx?l1=8l2=36

The Language of Male Supremacy in She and The Sign of Four Essay

The Language of Male Supremacy in She and The Sign of Four These days we have to be extremely careful when we write or speak.   In fact, at times it seems as if we must communicate as if tip toeing through a veritable minefield of the dangerous misinterpretations of our words.   Since many words and phrases can be construed or misconstrued as offensive, there is a heightened sensitivity to the use of language.   This is not necessarily a bad thing.   We certainly need to live in world where all people are treated with dignity and respect, and our use of language should reflect this ideal.   Most of us would not intentionally offend a person from a different race, culture, or creed, but the problem today is that there is such a subsurface tension that rage occasionally erupts over anything that even remotely resembles the offensive.   Where does this social extremism that condemns even ambiguous statements come from?   Things were not always this way.   If we were to look deeper into the history of the English language, we would typically find outlandish words and phrases that debased women and members of other cultures.   These expressions may not necessarily have been malicious in spirit in all instances, but they were certainly demeaning and ranged from the subtle to the intentional.   Certainly, some of the phrases that were commonly printed then would be socially unacceptable to print today.   For example, any representative sample of late Victorian literature will reveal misogynistic and racist remarks by contemporary standards. In fairness to the Victorians, the world was going through a rapid state of change then, and England was leading the way.   Part of the motivation behind the imperialistic ende... ...winism dramatically changed the way many people thought then, our modern ideas of cultural diversity and gender egalitarianism have changed the way many people think today.   Our modern language clearly reflects this change.   We have come a long way in disregarding boldly offensive descriptions, to questioning the propriety of statements such as "You people."   Some people have eager ears that are always ready to latch onto the next faux pas and have clenched fists that are ready to gaff their next victim.   Therefore, a masked tension remains, but on a lighter note, the positive force that guides our present evolving world in which we are conscientiously laboring to temper our language with human dignity balances this tension.   Yet, our language can only be truly dignified to the degree to which it preserves the dignity of all of whom it dares to describe.

Charles Dickens - Oliver Twist :: essays research papers fc

Janice Vincent Characters as Social Aspects in Oliver Twist "The Victorians were avowedly, unashamedly, incorrigibly moralists. They . . . engaged in philanthropic enterprises in part to satisfy their own moral needs. And they were moralists in behalf of the poor, whom they sought not only to assist materially but also to elevate morally, spiritually, culturally, and intellectually . . . ." (Himmelfarb 48(8)). Charles Dickens used characterization as the basis of his pursuit of this moral goal in the serialized Oliver Twist. His satyr was meant to draw parallels to the dark side of an era of British progress. One side of progress is wealth, the other side of the same coin is poverty, despair, misery and crime. Dickens allegorized evil in contrast to good through characterization and melodrama. "Most of the moral judgments of the reader are pre-made for him or her. As a result, the reader objectively absorbs the moral lessons Dickens has set forth" (Stoddard). Gregory Stoddard writes: "in Oliver Twist, there is a clear, defined system of criticism and rhetoric marked by sarcasm, and the language of judgment" (Stoddard). The first words of Chapter 2 are an example. In it, he describes the situation that the innocent, Oliver, finds himself. "Here is a clear example of the sarcasm and careful word choice in which lies the authorial social criticism," writes Stoddard. "Consider the choice of words in this passage, 'treachery and deception.' The connotations of these words imply an inherent evil, and consequently, a moral judgment. More subtly, the choice of 'victim' implies that there is an entity that victimizes, and the word 'systematic' strengthens that impression, lending to it an intentionality, and as a result, an evil nature" (Stoddard). Stoddard continues, ". . . when the victimizing entities are systematic in their methods, a conflict of good versus evil results" (Stoddard). Although the overall message was clear, coming on the heels of the of Poor Law of 1834 as the book did, the characters Dickens created for the purpose of making his social commentary ranged from one dimensional to multidimensional caricatures. He used them as a means of presenting the "other" side of wealth-the dark, evil side. To that end, Oliver operates as a catalyst rather than as a hero. His lack of hero status allows us to follow him into the underworld without ever being a participant in it, just as he never desired to be a participant in it.

Erickson’s Psychosocial Development

Psychosocial Development Erik Erikson describes psychosocial development as occurring in stages. He describes the different stages according to personality traits shown at the various stages. I have Interviewed and made my observations of persons at the different stages as follows: Infancy (birth to 18 months) Trust vs†¦ Mistrust A one year old baby was observed during a session of breastfeeding. The baby is hungry and it is time for the mother to breastfeed him.She picks up her son and holds him gently on her lap telling him she is going to give him some milk and etches him on to her breast. The baby immediately calms down and sucks for a few minutes. While the baby Is drinking, the mother looks at her son lovingly and the child fluctuates his attention from the mother to what his happening around him. The above behaviors show the affection and loving relationship between the baby and the mother who Is very patient and gentle towards her son. This renders breastfeeding to be a wonderful experience to both mother and child. According to Erikson, the first stage of trust vs†¦Mistrust is shown in the above observations the baby fully trusts his mother who is caring for him with a lot of love, patience and predictability. This is shown in the fact that he calms down and is comfortable to look around him while he is feeding during the session. Early childhood (2 to areas) Autonomy vs†¦ Shame and Doubt A boy of two and a half years who Is still undergoing toilet training has been observed. The mother asks her son every two hours If he needs to go potty. The child is still inconsistent in his response but sometimes out of his own free will go to the potty and points to it.The mother pulls down the child's pants and gently asks him to it down on the potty. She tells him that he is now growing into a big boy and that she will be very happy if he uses the potty. The boy sits down for a minute on the potty whilst his mother brings his blocks to play with h im while he is sitting down on the potty. After a while the boy gets bored, stands up, runs into the kitchen and picks up a packet of biscuits. The mother explains to her son that as soon as he urinates in the potty she will give him a biscuit.The child insists on eating the biscuits immediately and does not cooperate. The mother looks frustrated since she has been ring to potty train her son for the past few months without success. According to this stage of Erikson, the toddler becomes more mobile and assertive on his Independence. I think that this has been shown In the above observation. The toddler seems to try to please his mother initially by sitting down on the potty. Which he likes at the moment. When his mother refuses to give him a biscuit he protests and wants to have his own way.On the other hand the mother seems to be at a loss on what to do next since she thinks that her son needs to be toilet trained in order to be accepted at his new school. The toddler does not see m certain of what he has to do yet. He still seems to be unprepared to be potty trained though he is showing first signs. He is showing he is bored and insecure when trying to use the potty. That is probably the reason why he went to fetch the biscuit so he will do something he likes instead of something which makes him feel less confident. The mother needs to be more patient and give more encouragement to her son regarding this issue.Introducing stories of other toddlers/cartoon characters being potty trained, and maybe singing some songs might help her son be more motivated, calm ND patient in his training. Preschool (3 to 5 years) Initiative vs†¦ Guilt A four year old girl was observed at play in a children's playground whilst her mother looked on. Initially the girl clutches her mother and does not want to go to play with the other children whom she doesn't know. The mother takes her daughter's hand and walks around the playground slowly with her daughter showing her the va rious activities and what fun it is to play with the other children.After sometime the little girl sees a little see-saw in the form of a bright colored snake. She moves towards it ND climbs onto it and starts playing. After sometime she climbs down and runs towards the slide. She climbed up the slide behind the other children and took turns for about ten minutes on the slide enjoying the activity and sometimes looking at her mother for approval. After some time she moves on towards the other activities and starts playing with the other children feeling happy and secure. The mother looks happy that her daughter is mixing with the other children and is enjoying herself.From time to time she encourages and praises her. When the child is told that it is mime to go back home, she does not want to obey and throws a tantrum. The mother starts shouting at the child, the child continues to cry and lies on the ground. The girl seems to be insecure and shy when we arrive at the playground but then seems to gain confidence and starts playing with the other children. She enjoys the activities but still looks at her mother for approval. According to Erikson during this stage children need to find a healthy balance between initiative and guilt.This girl seems to be going through this stage by not wanting to leave her mother on her own and by aging the initiative and going around the playground to have fun and play with the other kids. When it comes to leaving the playground the girl does not accept the fact that she has to go back home and tries to assert herself by throwing the tantrum in order to have her way. In my opinion, the mother should have prepared the girl better and warned her that they only have a few minutes left before going home. Industry vs†¦ Inferiority I interviewed a nine year old boy for this stage.The boy seems to be doing very well at school. He told me that he is one of the best boys in class especially in mathematics. He likes reading and doing his homework. In fact he asks his mother to buy him some workbooks to have work to do during the summer holidays. When asked if there is something he wants to improve on, he mentions that he would like to be better in football and art. He also mentions that he worries that he has not done his work perfectly as his teacher would like him to. He seems to like to please his teachers and be considered to be the ideal student.He also says that he enjoys going to school to play with his friends during break time. Although this boy seems to be doing very well academically, he still seems to feel mom insecurity when it comes to pleasing his superiors. The boy seems to be competent and satisfied with his achievements. He likes learning new things and skills. According to Erikson the child's peer group becomes more important and significant in the child's life at this stage in fact this boy emphasizes the importance of having friends at school and at the football he attends.Adolescence (12 t o 18 years) Identity vs†¦ Role confusion For this stage I have observed and interviewed a 17 year old girl. When asked who she feels she is, she says that she is happy about herself, feels that she is full of Lana and energy and she has a very promising future in front of her. She says she would like to become a teacher and later on have her own family. In my observations she seems to be confident and very sociable with different people. This adolescent seems to be secure and happy as she has the support of her family and friends.She is motivated to continue studying in order to reach her goal of becoming a teacher as well as to make her parents proud of her achievements. She feels self confident as a result of the support she receives from those around her. According to Erikson, urine this stage, children become more independent and begin to look at the future. In fact this is shown by this adolescent during the interview when she talked with enthusiasm about her future plans in terms of career, relationships and families. Young Adulthood (19 to 40 years) Intimacy vs†¦Isolation she is happily married and has two young children though she is kept very busy and hardly has time for herself, she feels very happy and satisfied with her life. She has also been qualified in a profession and she loves her work from which she has taken some time off for the moment to look after her young family. Besides her family, she has also kept contact with some friends and sometimes they call each other to meet. According to Erikson, this stage involves forming relationships and long term commitments with persons who are not family members.This woman seems to have acquired this stage in that she has established her professional career and settled down in her own family with her husband and children. Middle Adulthood (40 to 65 years) Generatively vs†¦ Stagnation For this stage, I interviewed and observed a 46 year old woman. This woman has a family made up of a hus band and three children. She also has professional lubrications. In the past few years she has changed her career so she would be able to spend more time with her family.She said she feels useful and accomplished in both her family life as well as at work. According to Erikson during middle adulthood we establish our careers, settle down within a relationship, and have our own families we also give back to society through raising our children and being productive at work. It seems that this woman has moved on in this regard. Maturity (65 to death) Ego Integrity vs†¦ Despair For this stage I have observed and interviewed a 77 year old man. During the interview, this man seems to enjoy narrating his past experiences and how life was in the past.

Biography of William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Essay

In the mid-sixteenth century, William Shakespeare’s father, John Shakespeare, moved to the idyllic town of Stratford-upon-Avon. There, he became a successful landowner, moneylender, glove-maker, and dealer of wool and agricultural goods. In 1557, he married Mary Arden. John Shakespeare lived during a time when the middle class was expanding in both size and wealth, allowing its members more freedoms and luxuries as well as a louder voice in local government. He took advantage of the change in times and in 1557 became a member of the Stratford Council. This event marked the beginning of his illustrious political career. By 1561, he was elected one of the town’s fourteen burgesses and subsequently served successively as constable, one of two chamberlains, and alderman. In these positions, he administered borough property and revenues. In 1567, he became bailiff—the highest elected office in Stratford and the equivalent of a modern-day mayor. Town records indicate that William Shakespeare was John and Mary’s third child. His birth is unregistered, but legend pins it on April 23, 1564, possibly because it is known that April 23 is the day on which he died 52 years later. In any event, his baptism was registered with the town on April 26, 1564. Little is known about his childhood, although it is generally assumed that he attended the local grammar school, the King’s New School. The school was staffed by Oxford-educated faculty who taught the students mathematics, natural sciences, logic, Christian ethics, and classical language and literature. Shakespeare did not attend university, which was not at all unusual for the time. University education was reserved for wealthy sons of the elite, mostly those who wanted to become clergymen. The numerous classical and literary references in Shakespeare’s plays are a testament, however, to the excellent education he received in grammar school (and to his ability as an autodidact). His early plays in particular draw on the works of Seneca and Plautus. Even more impressive than his formal education is the wealth of general knowledge exhibited in his works. His vocabulary exceeds that of any other English writer by a wide margin. In 1582, at the age of eighteen, William Shakespeare married the twenty-six-year-old Anne Hathaway. Their first daughter, Susanna, was baptized only six months later—a fact that has given rise to speculation concerning the circumstances surrounding their marriage. In 1585, Anne bore twins, baptized Hamnet and Judith Shakespeare. Hamnet died at the age of eleven, by which time Shakespeare was already a successful playwright. Around 1589, Shakespeare wrote his supposed first play, Henry VI, Part 1. Sometime between his marriage and writing this play, he moved to London, where he pursued a career as a playwright and actor. Although many records of Shakespeare’s life as a citizen of Stratford—including marriage and birth certificates—have survived, very little information exists about his life as a young playwright. Legend characterizes Shakespeare as a roguish young man who was once forced to flee London under suspect circumstances perhaps having to do with his love life. But the little written information we have of his early years does not necessarily confirm this characterization. In any case, young Will was not an immediate and universal success. The earliest written record of Shakespeare’s life in London comes from a statement by the rival playwright Robert Greene. In his Groatsworth of Witte (1592), Greene calls Shakespeare an â€Å"upstart crow†¦ [who] supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as the best of you. † While this is hardly high praise, it does suggest that Shakespeare rattled the London theatrical hierarchy even at the beginning of his career. It is natural, in retrospect, to attribute Greene’s complaint to jealousy of Shakespeare’s ability, but of course we can’t be sure. With Richard III, Henry VI, The Comedy of Errors, and Titus Andronicus under his belt, Shakespeare was a popular playwright by 1590. * The year 1593, however, marked a major leap forward in his career. By the end of that year, he secured a prominent patron in the Earl of Southampton and his Venus and Adonis was published. It remains one of the first of his known works to be printed and was a huge success. Next came The Rape of Lucrece. Shakespeare had also made his mark as a poet and most scholars agree that the majority of Shakespeare’s sonnets were probably written in the 1590s. In 1594, Shakespeare returned to the theater and became a charter member of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men—a group of actors who changed their name to the King’s Men when James I ascended to the throne. By 1598, he was the â€Å"principal comedian† for the troupe; by 1603, he was â€Å"principal tragedian. † He remained associated with the organization until his death. Although acting and playwriting were not considered noble professions at the time, successful and prosperous actors were relatively well respected. Shakespeare’s success left him with a fair amount of money, which he  invested in Stratford real estate. In 1597, he purchased the second largest house in Stratford—the New Place—for his parents. In 1596, Shakespeare applied for a coat of arms for his family, in effect making himself a gentleman. Consequently, his daughters made â€Å"good matches,† marrying wealthy men. The same year that he joined the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, along with Love’s Labour’s Lost, The Taming of the Shrew, and several other plays. Two of his greatest tragedies, Hamlet and Julius Caesar, followed around 1600. Hamlet is widely considered the first modern play for its multi-faceted main character and unprecedented depiction of his psyche. The first decade of the seventeenth century witnessed the debut performances of many of Shakespeare’s most celebrated works, including many of his so-called history plays: Othello in 1604 or 1605, Antony and Cleopatra in 1606 or 1607, and King Lear in 1608. The last play of his to be performed was probably King Henry VIII in either 1612 or 1613. William Shakespeare lived until 1616. His wife Anna died in 1623 at the age of 67. He was buried in the chancel of his church at Stratford. The lines above his tomb—allegedly written by Shakespeare himself—read: Good friend, for Jesus’ sake forbear To dig the dust enclosed here. Blessed be the man that spares these stones And cursed be he that moves my bones. *The dates of composition and performance of almost all of Shakespeare’s plays remain uncertain. The dates used in this note are widely agreed upon by scholars, but there is still significant debate around when and where he wrote most of his plays.

Night World : Secret Vampire Chapter 4

Poppy was staring without appetite at a dinner tray of chicken nuggets and french fries when Dr. Franklin came in the room. The tests were over. The CAT scan had been all right, if claustrophobic, but the ERCP had been awful. Poppy could still feel the ghost of the tube in her throat every time she swallowed. â€Å"You're leaving all this great hospital food,† Dr. Franklin said with gentle humor. Poppy managed a smile for him. He went on talking about innocuous things. He didn't say anything about the test results, and Poppy had no idea when they were supposed to come in. She was suspicious of Dr. Franklin, though. Something about him, the gentle way he patted her foot under the blanket or the shadows around his eyes . . . When he casually suggested that Poppy's mother might want to â€Å"come for a little walk down the hall,† Poppy's suspicion crystallized. He's going to tell her. He's got the results, but he doesn't want me to know. Her plan was made in the same instant. She yawned and said, â€Å"Go on, Mom; I'm a little bit sleepy.† Then she lay back and shut her eyes. As soon as they were gone, she got off the bed. She watched their retreating backs as they went down the hall into another doorway. Then, in her stocking feet, she quietly followed them. She was delayed for several minutes at the nursing station. â€Å"Just stretching my legs,† she said to a nurse who looked inquiringly at her, and she pretended to be walking at random. When the nurse picked up a clipboard and went into one of the patients' rooms, Poppy hurried on down the corridor. The room at the end was the waiting room – she'd seen it earlier. It had a TV and a complete kitchen setup so relatives could hang out in comfort. The door was ajar and Poppy approached it stealthily. She could hear the low rumble of Dr. Franklin's voice, but she couldn't hear what he was saying. Very cautiously Poppy edged closer. She chanced one look around the door.She saw at once that there was no need for caution. Everyone in that room was completely occupied. Dr. Franklin was sitting on one of the couches. Beside him was an African-American woman with glasses on a chain around her neck. She was wearing the white coat of a doctor. On the other couch was Poppy's stepfather, Cliff. His normally perfect dark hair was slightly mussed, his rock-steady jaw was working. He had his arm around her mother. Dr. Franklin was talking to both of them, his hand on her mother's shoulder. And Poppy's mother was sobbing. Poppy pulled back from the doorway. Oh, my God. I've got it. She'd never seen her mother cry before. Not when Poppy's grandmother had died, not during the divorce from Poppy's father. Her mother's specialty was coping with things; she was the best coper Poppy had ever known. But now . . . I've got it. I've definitely got it. Still, maybe it wasn't so bad. Her mom was shocked, okay, that was natural. But it didn't mean that Poppy was going to die or anything. Poppy had all of modern medicine on her side. She kept telling herself this as she edged away from the waiting room. She didn't edge fast enough, though. Before she got out of earshot, she heard her mother's voice, raised in something like anguish. â€Å"My baby. Oh, my little girl.† Poppy froze. And then Cliff, loud and angry: â€Å"You're trying to tell me there's nothing?† Poppy couldn't feel her own breathing. Against her will, she moved back to the door. â€Å"Dr. Loftus is an oncologist; an expert on this sort of cancer. She can explain better than I can,† Dr. Franklin was saying. Then a new voice came – the other doctor. At first Poppy could only catch scattered phrases that didn't seem to mean anything: adenocarcinoma, splenic venous occlusion, Stage Three. Medical jargon. Then Dr. Loftus said, â€Å"To put it simply, the problem is that the tumor has spread. It's spread to the liver and the lymph nodes around the pancreas. That means it's unresectable – we can't operate.† Cliff said, â€Å"But chemotherapy . . .† â€Å"We might try a combination of radiation and chemotherapy with something called 5-fluorouracil. We've had some results with that. But I won't mislead you. At best it may improve her survival time by a few weeks. At this point, we're looking at palliative measures – ways to reduce her pain and improve the qualityof the time she has left. Do you understand?† Poppy could hear choking sobs from her mother, but she couldn't seem to move. She felt as if she were listening to some play on the radio. As if it had nothing to do with her. Dr. Franklin said, â€Å"There are some research protocols right here in southern California. They're experimenting with immunotherapy and cryogenic surgery. Again, we're talking about palliation rather than a cure – â€Å" â€Å"Damn it!† Cliff's voice was explosive. â€Å"You're talking about a little girl! How did this get to – to Stage Three – without anybody noticing? This kid was dancing all night two days ago.† â€Å"Mr. Hilgard, I'm sorry,† Dr. Loftus said so softly that Poppy could barely pick up the words. â€Å"This kind of cancer is called a silent disease, because there are very few symptoms until it's very far advanced. That's why the survival rate is so low. And I have to tell you that Poppy is only the second teenager I've seen with this kind of tumor. Dr. Franklin made an extremely acute diagnosis when he decided to send her in for testing.† â€Å"I should have known,† Poppy's mother said in a thick voice. â€Å"I should have made her come in sooner. I should have – I should have – â€Å" There was a banging sound. Poppy looked around the door, forgetting to be inconspicuous. Her mother was hitting the Formica table over and over. Cliff was trying to stop her. Poppy reeled back. Oh, God, I've got to get out of here. I can't see this. I can't look at this. She turned and walked back down the hall. Her legs moved. Just like always. Amazing that they still worked. And everything around her was just like always. The nursing station was still decorated for the Fourth of July. Her suitcase was still on the padded window seat in her room. The hardwood floor was still solid underneath her. Everything was the same – but how could it be? How could the walls be still standing? How could the TV be blaring in the next room? I'm going to die, Poppy thought. Strangely enough, she didn't feel frightened. What she felt was vastly surprised. And the surprise kept coming, over and over, with every thought being interrupted by those four words. It's my fault because (I'm going to die) I didn't go to the doctor's sooner. Cliff said â€Å"damn† for me (I'm going to die). I didn't know he liked me enough to swear. Her mind was racing wildly. Something in me, she thought. I'm going to die because of something that's inside me, like that alien in the movie. It's in me right now. Right now. She put both hands to her stomach, then pulled up her T-shirt to stare at her abdomen. The skin was smooth, unblemished. She didn't feel any pain. But it's in there and I'm going to die because of it. Die soon. I wonder how soon? I didn't hear them talk about that. I need James. Poppy reached for the phone with a feeling that her hand was detached from her body. She dialed, thinking, Please be there. But this time it didn't work. The phone rang and rang. When the answering machine came on, Poppy said, â€Å"Call me at the hospital.† Then she hung up and stared at the plastic pitcher of ice water by her bedside. He'll get in later, she thought. And then he'll call me. I just have to hang on until then. Poppy wasn't sure why she thought this, but suddenly it was her goal. To hang on until she could talk to James. She didn't need to think about anything until then; she just had to survive. Once she talked to James, she could figure out what she was supposed to be feeling, what she was supposed to do now. There was a light knock at the door. Startled, Poppy looked up to see her mother and Cliff. For a moment all she could focus on was their faces, which gave her the strange illusion that the faces were floating in midair. Her mother had red and swollen eyes. Cliff was pale, like a piece of crumpled white paper, and his jaw looked stubbly and dark in contrast. Oh, my God, are they going to tell me? They can't; they can't make me listen to it. Poppy had the wild impulse to run. She was on the verge of panic. But her mother said, â€Å"Sweetie, some of your friends are here to see you. Phil called them this afternoon to let them know you were in the hospital, and they just arrived.† James, Poppy thought, something springing free in her chest. But James wasn't part of the group that came crowding through the doorway. It was mostly girls from school. It doesn't matter. He'll call later. I don't have to think now. As a matter of fact, it was impossible to think with so many visitors in the room. And that was good. It was incredible that Poppy could sit there and talk to them when part of her was farther away than Neptune, but she did talk and that kept her brain turned off. None of them had any idea that something serious was wrong with her. Not even Phil, who was at his brotherly best, very kind and considerate. They talked about ordinary things, about parties and Rollerblading and music and books. Things from Poppy's old life, which suddenly seemed to have been a hundred years ago. Cliff talked, too, nicer than he had been since the days when he was courting Poppy's mother. But finally the visitors left, and Poppy's mother stayed. She touched Poppy every so often with hands that shook slightly. If I didn't know, I'd know, Poppy thought. She isn't acting like Mom at all. â€Å"I think I'll stay here tonight,† her mother said. Not quite managing to sound offhand. â€Å"The nurse said I can sleep on the window seat; it's really a couch for parents. I'm just trying to decide whether I should run back to the house and get some things.† â€Å"Yes, go,† Poppy said. There was nothing else she could say and still pretend that she didn't know. Besides, her mom undoubtedly needed some time by herself, away from this. Just as her mother left, a nurse in a flowered blouse and green scrub pants came in to take Poppy's temperature and blood pressure. And then Poppy was alone. It was late. She could still hear a TV, but it was far away. The door was ajar, but the hallway outside was dim. A hush seemed to have fallen over the ward. She felt very alone, and the pain was gnawing deep inside her. Beneath the smooth skin of her abdomen, the tumor was making itself known. Worst of all, James hadn't called. How could he not call? Didn't he know she needed him? She wasn't sure how long she could go on not thinking about It. Maybe the best thing would be to try to sleep. Get unconscious. Then she couldn't think. But as soon as she turned out the light and closed her eyes, phantoms swirled around her. Not images of pretty bald girls; skeletons. Coffins. And worst of all, an endless darkness. If I die, I won't be here. Will I be anywhere? Or will I just Not Be at all? It was the scariest thing she'd ever imagined, Not-Being. And she was definitely thinking now, she couldn't help it. She'd lost control. A galloping fear consumed her, made her shiver under the rough sheet and thin blankets. I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to – â€Å"Poppy.† Her eyes flew open. For a second she couldn't identify the black silhouette in the darkened room. She had a wild idea that it was Death itself coming to get her. Then she said, â€Å"James?† â€Å"I wasn't sure if you were asleep.† Poppy reached for the bedside button that turned on the light, but James said, â€Å"No, leave it off. I had to sneak past the nurses, and I don't want them to throw me out.† Poppy swallowed, her hands clenched on a fold of blanket. â€Å"I'm glad you came,† she said. â€Å"I thought you weren't going to come.† What she really wanted was to throw herself into his arms and sob and scream. But she didn't. It wasn't just that she'd never done anything like that with him before; it was something about him that stopped her. Something she couldn't put her finger on, but that made her feel almost . . . frightened. The way he was standing? The fact that she couldn't see his face? All she knew was that James suddenly seemed like a stranger. He turned around and very slowly closed the heavy door. Darkness. Now the only light came in through the window. Poppy felt curiously isolated from the rest of the hospital, from the rest of the world. And that should have been good, to be alone with James, protected from everything else. If only she weren't having this weird feeling of not recognizing him. â€Å"You know the test results,† he said quietly. It wasn't a question. â€Å"My mom doesn't know I know,† Poppy said. How could she be talking coherently when all she wanted to do was scream? â€Å"I overheard the doctors telling her. . . . James, I've got it. And . . . it's bad; it's a bad kind of cancer. They said it's already spread. They said I'm going to . . .† She couldn't get the last word out, even though it was shrieking through her mind. â€Å"You're going to die,† James said. He still seemed quiet and centered. Detached. â€Å"I read up on it,† James went on, walking over to the window and looking out. â€Å"I know how bad it is. The articles said there was a lot of pain. Serious pain.† â€Å"James,† Poppy gasped. â€Å"Sometimes they have to do surgery just to try to stop the pain. But whatever they do, it won't save you. They can fill you full of chemicals and irradiate you, and you'll still die. Probably before the end of summer.† â€Å"James – â€Å" â€Å"It will be your last summer – â€Å" â€Å"James, for God's sake!† It was almost a scream. Poppy was breathing in great shaking gulps, clinging to the blankets. â€Å"Why are you doing this to me?† He turned and in one movement seized her wrist, his fingers closing over the plastic hospital bracelet. â€Å"I want you to understand that they can't help you,† he said, ragged and intense. â€Å"Do you understand that?† â€Å"Yes, I understand,† Poppy said. She could hear the mounting hysteria in her own voice. â€Å"But is that what you came here to say? Do you want to kill me?† His fingers tightened painfully. â€Å"No! I want to save you.† Then he let out a breath and repeated it more quietly, but with no less intensity. â€Å"I want to save you, Poppy.† Poppy spent a few moments just getting air in and out of her lungs. It was hard to do it without dissolving into sobs. â€Å"Well, you can't,† she said at last. â€Å"Nobody can.† â€Å"That's where you're wrong.† Slowly he released her wrist and gripped the bed rail instead. â€Å"Poppy, there's something I've got to tell you. Something about me.† â€Å"James . . .† Poppy could breathe now, but she didn't know what to say. As far as she could tell, James had gone crazy. In a way, if everything else hadn't been so awful, she might have been flattered. James had lost his consummate cool – over her. He was upset enough about her situation to go completely nonlinear. â€Å"You really do care,† she said softly, with a laugh that was half a sob. She put a hand on his where it rested on the bed rail. He laughed shortly in turn. His hand flipped over to grasp hers roughly; then he pulled away. â€Å"You have no idea,† he said in a terse, strained voice. Looking out the window, he added, â€Å"You think you know everything about me, but you don't. There's something very important that you don't know.† By now Poppy just felt numb. She couldn't understand why James kept harping on himself, when she was the one about to die. But she tried to conjure up some sort of gentleness for him as she said, â€Å"You can tell me anything. You know that.† â€Å"But this is something you won't believe. Not to mention that it's breaking the laws.† â€Å"The law?† â€Å"The laws. I go by different laws than you. Human laws don't mean much to us, but our own are supposed to be unbreakable.† â€Å"James,† Poppy said, with blank terror. He really was losing his mind. â€Å"I don't know the right way to say it. I feel like somebody in a bad horror movie.† He shrugged, and said without turning, â€Å"I know how this sounds, but . . . Poppy, I'm a vampire.† Poppy sat still on the bed for a moment. Then she groped out wildly toward the bedside table. Her fingers closed on a stack of little crescent-shaped plastic basins and she threw the whole stack at him. â€Å"You bastard !† she screamed, and reached for something else to throw.