The Shadow – Creative Writing

The sun rose from behind the hill, at tower hill, as it climbed higher in the sky, its rays beamed through the window pains of the roof of the train station. Mr Hitchin's stood staring at the train schedule; he didn't know where to go, London, or Leeds? Mr Hitchin's was looking for work, tower hill just wasn't good enough, he had bigger and better things in mind, he wanted to make the money and give the orders, but this time he wasn't going to let happen what happened last time. He had decided, he was going to Leeds. He was wearing a black trilby hat, and a black pin striped suite, he was also wearing a long brown trench coat, that traipsed along the floor as he made his way to the ticket office. â€Å"One way to Leeds† he said to the ticket officer. â€Å"What time?† said the ticket officer? â€Å"12:35, please if that's the one that goes the earliest† questioned Mr Hitchin's â€Å"Yes sir, that is the earliest train to Leeds today sir, that's à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12.50 please† Mr Hitchin's handed the officer the money â€Å"Thank you sir, you look familiar have we meet before? you remind me of somebody that I saw in the paper, but I can't remember what for, ow well was probably somebody else, have a pleasant journey sir† â€Å"Thank you† Mr Hitchin's replied. He made his was to the platform ready to catch the train, the time was now 12:39, 4 minutes late, two police officers walked through the entrance of the train station, Mr Hitchin's stood with his back to the wall, around the corner from the platform, wedged between the wall and a vending machine. The police officers were getting closer to him, as they walked down the platform asking people questions and showing them a piece of paper. â€Å"Excuse me sir, have you seen this man?† Mr Hitchin's looked at the sheet of paper there was a picture of him and the words ‘wanted, for attempted murder' on it! He quickly jerked his head down and slightly pushed the brim of his hat over the edge of his face. â€Å"No, sorry† he quickly replied. The train was now at the platform, and people were boarding it, one of the officers' looked him up and down. â€Å"Excuse me sir, do you mind if you come with us, so we can ask you some questions?† â€Å"Of course† Mr Hitchin's replied, as they made there way to the exit of the train station, Mr Hitchin's turned and ran to the doors of the train, the police officers stumbled behind him trying to catch him. As Mr Hitchin's jumped onto the train the doors firmly closed behind him. The train set off, as the police officers ran at the side of it trying to catch it, but the train carried on going, all the way to Leeds. Mr Hitchin's was scared; the police were onto him again†¦ Mr Hitchin's was awoken as the train jerked to a halt; people clambered over each other as they exited the train. He rose from his seat, collected his belongings, and left the train as well. Here he was Leed's city station, he looked around there was police at the entrance and still the wanted posters were around on the walls as well. He made his way over to a news paper stand, were he brought a copy of the Yorkshire post, were he had happened to make the front page, again, the headline read â€Å"convict on run for attempted murder†. He jerked quickly hading over the cash and makes a swift exit of the station, he turned out of the station, and made his way to the Queens hotel. He exited the hustle and bustle on the streets, and made his way into the reception of the queen's hotel. The warm air welcomed him with the smell of peaches, he swiftly made his way to the front desk, were he rang for some service. â€Å"Hello sir, and welcome to the queens hotel† said a man, who emerged from behind the counter, he was quite short and had jet-black hair. â€Å"Hi, I'd like a room for one, for 4 week's,† said Mr Hitchin's â€Å"Yes sir, the total will be a total of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2,100, when would you like to pay?† â€Å"On my departure† replied Mr Hitchin's â€Å"Very well sir, we do insist of a deposit of 10% sir† Mr Hitchin's handed the receptionist the money â€Å"Thank you sir, her is your room key, it is room number 24 it is up the stairs and is the first room on your right†. Mr Hitchin's made his way to his room, he opened the door and walked in, he paced over to the window and peered out, the streets were full of people making there way to work, what was he going to do? He needed a job, so he grabbed the Yorkshire post he bought earlier and started to look for a decent job. Half an hour had past, he still hadn't found anything. He needed a new identity, a now look, so he grabbed his phone and called Steve, â€Å"hi Steve, it's Greg, well I'm in Leeds and as you know in a spot of trouble and I need a cover, can you help?† â€Å"Meet me outside the royal armoires in 2 hours† replied Steve. Mr Hitchin's set off to meet Steve, he walked down bridge gate end, over the river Aire, and onto dock street, soon he reached armouries way and waited for Steve to arrive. He saw Steve inside, and sharply made his way inside, making sure his identity wasn't recognisable. He sat in an arm chair by the side of the door, Steve walked over and sat down next to him, he placed an envelope that he had in his hand on the arm of the chair, Steve then got up, leaving the envelope on the chair arm and walked away, Mr Hitchin's took the envelope and placed it in his inside pocket, and made his way back to the hotel. On his way back, Mr Hitchin's noticed that there was a black ford escort following him, with two men on foot, who also seemed to be following him, Mr Hitchin's quickened up his pace, he was just about to turn into the street were the hotel was, when a police officer stepped in front of him and said â€Å"Greg Hitchin's, I think we need to talk†

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 16

As I walked into my building after dropping Seth off, I was surprised to see the guy who staffed the front desk still working. He usually went home at dinnertime. A sheaf of papers in his hands indicated some sort of mandatory overtime. He brightened when he saw me. â€Å"Miss Kincaid! I have something for you.† I blanked for a moment, then remembered the daily Post-it reminders on my door. There'd been a total of three now. â€Å"Oh, yeah,† I said. â€Å"Sorry I haven't had a chance to pick it up yet. I keep forgetting.† He was already rustling around for something behind him on the other side of the window. I strolled over, just as he heaved a huge box up onto the counter. The printing on the side was upside down, but I could still make it out: Christmas Tree – Austrian Fir. â€Å"Oh, man,† I grumbled. â€Å"This is somebody's idea of a – â€Å" But the guy was busy hauling another box up to the counter, a smaller one with pictures on the side depicting the ‘pre-decorated fiber optic tree' inside. It was followed by another box, a bit smaller than the Austrian Fir, and a smaller one still that was about two-by-two feet. These last two boxes were wrapped in glittery green paper, with a wrapping job so perfect that only one being on earth could have managed it: Peter. The desk guy surveyed the boxes. â€Å"You must really like Christmas.† â€Å"I thought each of those notes was a reminder for the same package.† â€Å"Nope. New one each day. Want some help?† We hauled the trees up to my apartment and deposited them on the living room floor. I thanked him, and as soon as he left, Aubrey emerged and began stalking the boxes. â€Å"That's a lot of tannenbaum,† a voice behind me suddenly said. I jumped and turned around. Yasmine. â€Å"Don't do that. Carter does exactly the same thing.† â€Å"Sorry,† she said, looking sheepish. â€Å"Wasn't intentional. I just got here.† She walked over to the boxes, tilting her head to read them. She wore jeans and an LSU sweatshirt, her black hair pulled into the trademark ponytail that made her look seventeen. â€Å"What's up with all these?† I took off my coat and flounced onto the couch with a sigh. â€Å"My friend Peter started this whole buzz that I needed a Christmas tree after Carter burned mine down. So I guess everyone made good on it.† â€Å"Wait,† she said. â€Å"Did you say Carter burned down your Christmas tree?† â€Å"Yeah, it's a long story.† â€Å"He must feel bad.† She pointed to the little fiber optic tree, the one that was already decorated. Words were scrawled on the side of the box in spidery, nearly illegible writing: G – Figured you could handle this one. Ready and decorated! – C P.S. – And flame retardant. â€Å"Hmm,† I mused. â€Å"‘C' could be Cody too.† â€Å"Nah. I recognize the poor attempt at penmanship. It's Carter.† â€Å"Okay, so the angel repents. But who are the rest from?† We soon found out. The wrapping job on the two matching boxes had already given Peter away. The larger box contained a very beautiful, very expensive tree with ‘winter moss green' needles that were lightly dusted with silver glitter. The smaller box contained a matched set of lights and ornaments all done in purple and fuchsia. Peter apparently hadn't trusted me to decorate his gift myself. The Austrian Fir turned out to be from the bookstore staff. A card from Maddie read: Surprise! We all pitched in for it. Now you can't be a Scrooge. It was signed by other store workers, as well as Seth. I looked back and forth between the boxes. â€Å"It's a Christmas miracle. I had no tree. Now I have a forest.† â€Å"C'mon,† said Yasmine. â€Å"I'll help you set them up.† I looked at her in surprise. â€Å"Aren't you here to meet up with Vince or something?† She shook her head. â€Å"I'm here to talk to you.† Uh-oh. I didn't really want to set up the Christmas trees, but a being vastly more powerful than me did, so I set to it. Carter's tree was the easiest since all I had to do was plug it in. I placed it in a window sill, one with an outlet right underneath. The tree's fiber optic needles lit up to pale pink, then purple, then teal, then white. â€Å"Good God,† I said. â€Å"It's the Christmas tree equivalent of a lava lamp.† â€Å"I like it,† declared Yasmine. â€Å"It's got moxie.† She looked really excited. She could have been a kid on Christmas morning. You'd think after seeing so many Christmases (and trees) in her existence, they'd get kind of old. She pointed at Peter's tree. â€Å"Let's do the prissy one now.† We were stringing purple lights on the ‘winter moss green' tree when she finally started The Talk. â€Å"So. Vincent told me what happened.† She paused as she looped the lights over a branch. â€Å"I'm glad your guy is okay.† â€Å"Me too. He was lucky†¦if Vincent hadn't been there†¦Ã¢â‚¬  More silence. I didn't entirely know where Yasmine was going with this. My guess was that she was concerned I'd tell someone about Vincent. I felt absolutely certain, however, that she wasn't going to threaten to break my kneecaps or anything to keep me silent. In fact, I realized then that what she wanted was reassurance. It was a crazy and startling idea. She was an angel, after all. A being of hope and peace, a being that others prayed to for comfort. Yet, here she was, seeking it from me – a creature of Hell. â€Å"I meant it,† I told her. â€Å"What I said to him. I'm not going to tell anyone.† â€Å"I believe you,† she said, confusion all over her face. Angels knew when others were telling the truth. â€Å"But I don't understand it. Why? Why wouldn't you? You could get into big trouble if your superiors – if Jerome – found out you knew and weren't telling.† Vincent had said the same thing. It was true. â€Å"Your people tend to get pissed off over stuff like that.† â€Å"What, and yours don't? Would they be forgiving if they found out?† She looked away from me, diverting her attention to hanging a pink glass dove. â€Å"Look,† I said. â€Å"I work for Hell, but I don't, like, delight in others' suffering. Especially since I like both of you. I don't want to see you get into trouble. I don't even think what you're doing is wrong. Dangerous, maybe, but not wrong.† â€Å"Which part? The loving part or the nephilim part?† I shrugged. â€Å"It's all risky.† She smiled at me. â€Å"You talk about nephilim pretty calmly. Most people – in our circles – go running for the hills.† â€Å"I met one once. Dated him.† I hung a bejeweled purple orb on the tree. â€Å"He was scary as hell, yeah. Had this whole homicidal revenge thing going on, which kind of negated his sexiness a little. But at the end of the day†¦I don't know. He wasn't much of a monster. He couldn't help being born what he was.† I was glad to be free of Roman, glad he was somewhere far away from me. He'd posed too much of a threat to both me and those I loved. Still, there had been something in him I found appealing. It was why we'd connected before things literally blew up. I understood his weariness with the games Heaven and Hell played. He'd offered to take me away and free me from it all, and there were days I would still wake up and long for that. â€Å"No,† Yasmine agreed. â€Å"They can't help what they are. And it's not their fault. But their existence is a reminder of our faults†¦of our weaknesses.† She held her hands open in front of her, studying them as though they held answers. â€Å"None of us higher immortals want to be shown that we're weak. That's our hubris, I guess. Especially the angels. No one's perfect, but we like to play that we are.† She sighed and let her hands drop. â€Å"I should walk away from this. I should have a long time ago.† I jerked my head up. â€Å"But you love him.† â€Å"Sometimes loving someone means you have to do what's ultimately good. What you need instead of what you want.† â€Å"I suppose. But ending it seems so extreme. There must be a way to†¦I don't know, have it all.† The door opened, and Vincent walked in. He didn't look surprised to see either of us, but then, he would have sensed our auras. His eyes met Yasmine's, and it was like lightning crackling through the room. Both of them lit up, shining in a way that I doubted my succubus glamour could even begin to compete with. He expressed surprise over my Yuletide Forest but jumped in to help us, appearing just as excited as Yasmine over the activity. The two of them never touched, but I noticed the same thing that I had at breakfast: an intimacy in the way they interacted with each other. They didn't need to touch. Their relationship was obvious, and I wondered how it was possible none of the other angels had ever noticed this. Maybe it was like what Yasmine had mentioned about angels and hubris. Maybe angels always assumed they were perfect and were too blind to see flaws in each other, whereas someone like me – who exploited weakness – knew what to look for. We finished Peter's tree, and then I found my ornaments from last year – the ones that hadn't been destroyed in the fire – and used them on the bookstore's tree. When my woodland paradise was finally complete, Yasmine and Vincent made their farewells and left. I still had no idea what their divine mission in Seattle was, but I assumed it had universal consequences. I felt a little weird that it had been put on hold to decorate my home. As I cleaned up the boxes, I kept thinking about what Yasmine had said about needing versus wanting. In some ways, that was what Seth and I did. We wanted to have sex. We needed to avoid it. I also found myself recalling Andrew again, that annoyingly good priest who'd caused me so many headaches. I hadn't thought much about his story since last week, but as my body mindlessly completed chores, the images began replaying in my mind. Despite my best efforts, he'd remained a bastion of purity and willpower. While frustrating, it nonetheless continued to make the game fun. And although I didn't appreciate it as much back then as I did now, I sort of took pleasure in just hanging around him. He was good company, and he came to mean more to me than just a sexual conquest. It was obvious he cared about me too. It would figure that things went bad between us on a beautiful, sunny day. I remembered it distinctly. I had wandered over to the church he ministered out of and sat with him in the vegetable garden. I stayed clear of the dirt, conscious of the yellow silk dress my bishop had just had made for me. Andrew, less concerned, worked on his knees, unhesitatingly digging in – literally – and cultivating the church's small crop. â€Å"Don't you have other people who could do this for you?† Squinting up at me in the bright light, he smiled. â€Å"Nothing compares to the satisfaction of doing something yourself.† â€Å"If you say so.† He returned to his work, and I continued to sit quietly, watching him and the lazy vista of that golden afternoon. Not far away, the sounds of daily hustle and bustle carried over. I liked this town – it was a nice break from the large, busy cities I'd spent most of my succubus time in. Eventually, though, I knew I'd grow restless and move onto some place with a little more excitement. I turned back to Andrew. â€Å"Thomas Brewer just got back from Cadwell. He says they're all getting sick there.† Andrew nodded. â€Å"People are getting sick everywhere. There have been outbreaks in a lot of the western towns.† â€Å"Are you worried?† He shrugged. â€Å"What comes will come. None of us can change God's will.† I grimaced. I'd heard about this illness, what later generations would call the Black Death. The rapid onset. The blackened skin. The swollen lumps. Even if it couldn't technically hurt me, I didn't want to see it spread here. â€Å"I don't think God can be as merciful as you say in mass if He's inflicting something like that on his people.† â€Å"It's a test, Cecily. God is always testing us. It makes us stronger.† â€Å"Or dead.† He didn't respond. â€Å"What will you do if it comes?† I pushed. â€Å"Geoffrey says he'll leave. Will you go with him?† His dark eyebrows rose in surprise, like I'd asked if the sun would take tomorrow off. â€Å"Of course not. I mean, as bishop, I'm sure Geoffrey must†¦do what is necessary to continue fulfilling his duties, but me? I serve the people. I will continue to serve the people. If they're sick, I'll tend them.† My sarcasm gave way to shock, and I leapt to my feet, striding toward him. â€Å"You can't do that! Haven't you heard about this? People don't come back from it. The only thing to do is get out and let it run its course.† It was true. Call it cruel, but as I'd told Liam on our post-auction date, that was the way the world had dealt with epidemics for a lot of human history. Certainly, some people cared and ministered unto others, but when disease grew really terrible, with no clear answer in sight, ignorance and fear reigned supreme. Most people of that era saw the simplest solution as putting as much distance as possible between them and the illness. Andrew stood up as well, wearing an expression so annoyingly wise and serene as he faced me. â€Å"If that's what you must do, then you must do it. My place is here.† I didn't even have seduction on my mind when I reached out and grabbed his hands. He flinched with surprise but didn't let go. â€Å"It's stupid,† I told him earnestly. â€Å"You can't stop it. You'll die, and I – I can't watch that.† â€Å"Then go. Go with Geoffrey. Or go†¦out to the convent. It's isolated. You'd be safe there.† I scowled. â€Å"Not that again.† â€Å"I just want what's best for you, that's all.† One of his hands reached up and cupped my chin. â€Å"I don't want to see you suffer either.† It occurred to me then how close we stood. The heat building between our bodies rivaled that of the sunshine pounding down on us from above. Andrew, realizing this too, started and tried to pull away. I held on to his hand, anger flaring up in my chest. â€Å"So that's how you'll let it end then? You spend your whole life living in poverty and chastity, only to die in a pile of stinking corpses with oozing sores and rotting skin?† â€Å"If that's what God – â€Å" â€Å"Stop it,† I said, leaning forward. â€Å"Just stop it. Don't you get it? God doesn't care. He's not even paying attention.† â€Å"Cecily – â€Å" I didn't let him finish. Instead, I pressed my mouth against his mouth, molding my body to his. I don't know if he'd ever kissed anyone else before, but if not, he was a quick study. He didn't break from me. In fact I would have sworn there was an eagerness to his lips as they explored mine, willingly letting my tongue stroke and dance with his. And oh, God help me, he was so very good and noble that I tasted a sunburst of energy just from that kiss alone. It poured into me like honey, glorious and sweet. And surprisingly, it was me who finally broke the kiss, though I still stayed pressed against his body, my arms encircling him. â€Å"Don't you see how stupid it is?† I whispered, our lips so close we shared each other's breath. â€Å"Are you going to die without having lived? Without having tasted everything that's out there? Are you really just going to rush into death like that?† His eyes weighed me, his own hands resting on my waist. â€Å"I don't need fleshly pleasures to complete my life.† â€Å"You're lying,† I told him. â€Å"You want to.† â€Å"Wanting and needing are two different things.† He stepped away from me, and I suddenly felt incomplete without his body against mine. I had a fleeting flash of some connection bigger than both of us, and then it was gone. â€Å"A long life means nothing if it's empty and has no purpose. Better to live a short one filled with the things that are important to you.† â€Å"You're a fool,† I snapped. â€Å"I'm not going to stay and watch you die.† â€Å"Then go.† And I did.

Causes of the Holocaust

With the rise of anti-Semitism, Nazi's propaganda and Hitler's message, the Germans accepted the claim of the unwelcome Jewish of the Nazi regime, so they became audiences of the Holocaust, created the power of the party, moved forward , And excluded. The Jewish German people regard the Jews as scapegoats for economic and political problems. People like Germans think that others should be responsible for themselves. This will help to create anti-Semitism. David Downing believes that Jews are considered the murderers of Christ. The Jewish focus on how the teacher treats the Holocaust is clear. The most common cause of massacres of Jewish day schools is anti-Semitism. Political instability, intolerance, prejudice, hatred of Weimar Republic, Hitler, Nazi Party were second, which were quoted at about the same frequency. The third most frequently cited reason is World War I and the Treaty of Versailles. Regarding covered topics, the focus of the Jewish focus is clear again (from the most frequently quoted to those not quoted quite often): Anti-Jewish Act (86%), Slum Life (86%), Jewish Unmarried Massacre (82%), Warsaw Jewish uprising (82%), Auschwitz (79%), Slum area (79%), Kristallnacht (79%), Final solution and descent concentration camp (75%), boycott and main combustion (75%). From the Jewish point of view, all these themes will be regarded as the core of the Holocaust. Did Jud Suss guide the Holocaust? It is probably not the case, but it may play a larger role than the Holocaust catalyst that was previously accepted as a catalyst. When the Holocaust was divided into three stages of elimination, elimination, and extinction, most people placed Jud Suss in the middle of the exclusion period. This arrangement usually comes from a 90-minute meeting of Nazi senior officials held on January 20, 1942. However, as early as 1939, Poland had already begun mass murder of Jews.

HRM and the Public Sector Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

HRM and the Public Sector - Research Paper Example This paper now seeks to establish a general overview of human resources management, including its functions and its relation to public administration. This paper is being carried out in order to establish a general understanding of HRM functions, including their general applicability to corporations and to the public sector. The 20th century ushered in a period where researchers started to consider ways of establishing value through the efficient management of the workforce (Merkle, p. 3). This function started first as a transactional activity to manage payroll as well as to administer benefits. In the current globalized setting, however, where technological advancements, as well as company mergers, abound, HR is concerned with strategies on mergers, acquisitions, talent management, skill training, labor relations, industrial relations, diversity, as well as transition planning (Ulrich, p. 37). For new companies, the responsibilities of the HR are often carried out by trained professionals, and in some instances, even non-HR employees. For the larger companies, however, an entire unit or group of professionals is devoted to the management of human resources; these groups of professionals are involved in various HR duties, and they are engaged in strategic decision-making in the business (Ulrich, p. 23). In order to manage practitioners, academic institutions, professional associations, and corporations have established study programs in order to specifically meet the functions of corporations. Practitioners and academicians have also sought to engage deeper into the field of human resources based on various specific publications and research studies (Ulrich, p. 12). In businesses, the goals of human resources have been specifically described by Dave Ulrich as four-fold – first, to align HR and the organizational goals or to be a strategic partner; second, to re-engineer organizational processes or to be an administration expert.

The role of e-business and the internet for Starbucks Essay

The role of e-business and the internet for Starbucks - Essay Example The paper tells that in the modern day and age, the use of the internet is ever increasing and more companies are getting involved in electronic business, often shortened to e-business. It now plays a major role in the economy at a global level. E-business consists of all the products and services that are offered in the online environment, including things such as online purchasing, customer service, communication of sales and new products. There are many advantages to e-business, not in the least because it can reach a different audience than traditional physical business. In addition, the two are not mutually exclusive; many businesses have a strong e-business component as well as a strong physical business component. One business that has incorporated e-business successfully into its business model is Starbucks. From starting as a single store, Starbucks is now a chain that spans the globe with more than 15,000 distinct stores worldwide. Part of their success is their ability to integrate new type of business into their model beyond the business of being a physical coffee shop. Starbucks offers franchising opportunities; sells coffee, tea, brewing items, food and a wide variety of drinks, with many of their products also being available in their online store. The term business-to-business (B2B) transactions refer to transactions between a manufacturer and a whole sale seller or a franchisee. As the product is sold in a bulk the cost per product is less for the buyer and the sales volume of Starbucks is improved as the selling quantity is large. Business-to-business transactions contribute to a major portion of transactions in any selling company as it is done in bulk. In the example of Starbucks, a B2B transaction would involve selling its products to a supermarket, which would then mark them up and sell them at a profit. In contrast, business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions are direct sales between one customer and the business . Generally an individual con sumer will buy a much lower quantity than a business; however, Starbucks is able to sell their products at a higher price to consumers than it can to businesses. Business benefits to having a website Having a website allows a business to establish an online presence. This is particularly important in modern times as the internet is becoming increasingly important and many more people are making the decisions based on information they find online. There are many competitive benefits that having a website and e-business in general can give a company . Advertising – The internet can be used to advertise new products on the home web page and also on other related web pages in order to reach out to a greater mass . To communicate – Communicating online via chat windows to possible customers can help in easier ordering for the customer and bring more business to the company . Communication helps to maintain customer loyalty . To inform – Any special offers and discoun ts offered can be announced on the web page. This will lead to an increase

Fred Bailey An Innocent Abroad(1) Exam case study Essay

Fred Bailey An Innocent Abroad(1) Exam case study - Essay Example So before venturing out on any project, a global project manager must do a complete examination of communal, fiscal, governmental, traditional and technical factors so that he is better equipped to alleviate trials posed with global projects (Varner, 2011). Analysis A cautious scrutiny of this case discloses a unsophisticated lack of cross-cultural knowledge, Personality stereotyping, miscommunication and poor decision making ability (Cheerla, 2010). Fred does not reveal a high level of cultural awareness enough to identify some of the noticeable cultural challenges, which were steady in showing the greatest gaps. Fred, the project manager culture is evidently different from that of Japan. This is key to a company overall performance because it encompasses the four cultural dimensions, which are, emotion, time, power and thinking. Problems encountered by Fred during his meeting with subordinates denote communication problems (Deresky, 2000). Having laid down his plans for future dire ction of the company office, he did not receive the desired response from his Japanese colleagues. United States is vastly individual oriented (Briscoe et al, 2012). People are anticipated to make decisions, and those decisions are expected to be in the best interest of the individual and his or her close family. In contrast, Japan is a community oriented; community and/or group interests take preference over the privileges of individuals. This contributed to miscommunication problems between Fred and his new colleagues. First, during the staff first meeting, he asked people for their individual opinions on how to improve things, and second, when he asked Tashiro, â€Å"what he thought† about the significant task being assigned to him. In both situations, they were reluctant to answer and, when they did answer, they gave vague explanations. To achieve success, Fred would have invited the group as a whole to discuss ideas and come up with a unified group vision. Personality st ereotyping was contributed by Fred lack of cross-cultural knowledge (Nkomo et al, 2010). Establishment of heartfelt relations with coworkers is necessary for Japanese. Employees intermingle with each other informally outside of the office and these relationships are taken into description when making professional decisions. Fred had to maintain authority, yet create a relationship that would unite all staff. On his arrival, he relaxed for two days at home then headed straight to work where he clearly assumed authority. He did not take time to know about his colleagues outside the company environment. Thus, when he assigned the project to an individual and encouraged him that he was worthy of the task required, that was stereotyping from him. He approached the employees in an impersonal style and expected them to be engaged because the company anticipated it. Lack of cross-cultural knowledge was the basis for poor decisions Fred made (Stroh, 2005). Relying on his American culture, he immediately lays down his proposal to the prospective Japanese client and he expects him to respond immediately. Fred was actually was not aware of the importance of personal relationship in business dealings in Japan during his strategizing and staff meeting. In Japan, comfort during business meetings is essential for success. Lack of basic knowledge of Japanese business environment; lead Fred to make poor decisions even before he arrived in Japan. For instance, his

Analysis of the business situation of the Virgin Mobile Essay

Analysis of the business situation of the Virgin Mobile - Essay Example bile operates as a virtual network operator, riding on the physical network of T-Mobile, and later Everything Everywhere (Answers Corporation, 2014; Virgin Mobile USA, 2009; Telecompaper, 2014; RCRWirelessAdmin, 2011; RCRWirelessAdmin, 2013; Thomas, 2013; Ofcom, 2013). Virgin Media UK provides a breakdown of financial data for Virgin Mobile in its UK investor relations reports of financial performance. That aside one can get a glimpse of the kinds of numbers that Virgin Mobile is able to generate too, by looking at the financial and subscriber data for Virgin Media, which is the owner of Virgin Mobile in the UK. As of end of December of 2013, Virgin Mobile had about three million customers, a third of whom are prepaid customers, while more than two million are postpaid customers. They offer voice and data services to this customer base, as well as content. The direction of growth is towards increasing the base of postpaid customers (Virgin Media, 2013; Virgin Media, 2014). Moving on to the financial numbers, total revenues for 2013 amounted to 1.846 billion pounds, a substantial slowdown from revenues of over 3 billion pounds for 2011 and for 2012. As a group, this slowdown reflects a general drop in total revenues for the Virgin Media Group, from about 4 billion pounds for 2011 and for 2012, to just 2.3 billion pounds for 2013. The large drop can be attributed to the large drop in revenues for Virgin Mobile (Virgin Media, 2013; Virgin Media, 2014; Google, 2014b). The chosen SBU unit for analysis in this paper is Virgin Mobile n the UK, as a subsidiary of Virgin Media. In turn, Virgin Media has been bought by Liberty Global, with the Virgin Group being able to retain a small share of total ownership after the acquisition. In terms of competition, the big players include BT, Vodafone, and a slew of broadband players like BSkyB also making plays in the same set industry. EE also competes in this same space, the firm providingVirgin Mobile with the physical

SLP - 2 RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, AND RETENTION Essay

SLP - 2 RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, AND RETENTION - Essay Example The employees need to feel that they are part and parcel of the organization and to own its success as well as failures. This can be attained through sharing of bonuses or shares of the company in times of huge profits as well as increasing their remuneration and rewarding top performances in order to boost their morale. Making employees to own the organization will make them cautious on how they relate among each other and how they will handle the assets of the organization. Choosing the right reward for employees offers another approach to retention strategies (Dibble, 1999). The management needs to devise creative techniques of appreciating the performance of employees which is not only based on monetary terms but the inclusion of other incentives. Such may include time off, initiation of shifts, leave days or exclusion from work on certain occasions. It has been realized that some employees quit their jobs because of lack of proper treatment by their immediate managers who may not have the basic knowledge required to relate well with their juniors. Therefore another strategy of retaining employees is by investing in the line managers through training so that they can be well equipped to empower employees to success and growth. It is proper for the management to create more opportunities for the check-ins of employees with their respective managers as well providing avenues for both formal and informal interactions. Some of the retention strategies that are not appropriate for the organization to adopt include the use of strict supervision to ensure to ensure that employees comply with the laid down rules and regulations of the organization or setting stiffer penalties for employees who wish to resign from their positions. Some organizations do not allow their employees to exit at their own free will so that they can be retained in the organization which only serves to lower the morale of the employees thus reducing their performance. Another

Integrated Systems Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Integrated Systems Management - Research Paper Example It rather refers to a situation whereby there is a pact in the delivery of all components of the business. It is actually this characteristic of integrated systems management that makes it suitable for not just a limited group of companies or business openings but all businesses. Caution must also be taken in identifying what needs to be integrated and what needs to be left out. In their opinion, the Chartered Quality Institute (2012) states that an integrated systems management â€Å"should integrate all currently formalized systems focusing on quality, health and safety, environment, personnel, finance, security.† In the present study, the use of integrated systems management in facility location is going to be assessed into detail. Stage One: Is location predetermined? Location management is an important practice in every integrated systems management that aims at facility location. This is because a comprehensive location management would ensure that a great deal of cost b enefit analysis is done of all available locations so that the best choices can be made (Gilpin, 2002). Location management can therefore be said to ensure that the best value is got of a place in terms of determinants such as labor, transportation and market availability. In some unfortunate situations however, location managers tend to be arbitrary in their management tasks. What this means is that they use predetermined factors to judge between available options of locations to make their selections. Commonly, location managers use certain logics to justify their reason for predetermination of location. Some of these logics include the thinking that an appropriate location of a factory should be close to a source of raw material. Another includes the thinking that a service industry must be close to a market it served. Again, they may come up with the argument that dependencies like fuel and energy must be catered for within the location. However, these are major misconceptions t hat defeat the very impetus of location management. Indeed, for the company I work for, effective location management is achieved by ensuring that location managers make use of primary rather than secondary data. This means that they are always admonished to on the ground to gather empirical data. Stage Two: Solving a centralized versus decentralized location problem To solve a centralized versus decentralized location problem in a facility location system, project managers and all concerned stakeholders would be thinking of a cost benefit analysis in terms of production cost as against distribution cost. In some schools of thought, it is actually held that centralized versus decentralized location refers to pre-production and production cost against post-production cost; whereby pre-production and production cost cutting suits a centralized location whiles a post-production cost cutting suits a decentralized location. For the company in question, there are two major options availab le and these are either to locate a single location point where all production and distribution will be done from or to locate several regional location points where production and distribution will be done from. However judging from the fact that the cost of production has relatively being high than the cost of distribution due to the fact that the

Schizophrenia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Schizophrenia - Research Paper Example Background In this article, the objective was to examine the impacts of using antipsychotic medication to treat individuals with early episode schizophrenia illness. Wu et al. (2005) unfold schizophrenia as a persistent, severe, poorly understood, and debilitating psychotic illness that undoubtedly involves several disorders. The stamp schizophrenia symptoms are psychotic indicators such as delusions and auditory hallucinations. Impaired disturbances or cognition in information handing is not a highly vivid schizophrenia symptom although it can be highly disturbing. For the individuals suffering from schizophrenia, Wu et al. (2005) study has unfolded lower rates of marriage, employment, and independent lifestyle in comparison to the normal people. A neuroimaging statistics collected by Bola et al. (2011) has confirmed anatomical abnormalities that include ventricles enlargement and reduction in the volume of the brain in the medial chronological areas. These observations are of great er study interest than clinical use. The hippocampus is a cortical, minute, supposedly seahorse-shaped brain part curled within the temporal lobe medial edge. Functionally, hippocampus is a limbic system part when processing of the emptions takes place. In the hippocampus, the episodic or declarative memories are formed (memories of events and facts). The Alzheimer diseases (the memory problem preeminent disease) usually affect this hippocampus. A study by Haraldsson et al. (2011) examined the children suffering from schizophrenia as well as their healthy controls and siblings. At the onset of the study, the average age was approximated to be 12 years. The illness hippocampal volume was observed to be less in comparison to that of the siblings and controls and recorded a steady decrease over the 12 follow-up years, although this decrease was not at an increasing rate. For the children suffering from schizophrenia, antipsychotic medications were administered. From the study, Haraldss on et al. (2011) observed a high likelihood of hippocampal volume deficit because of the illness. Therefore, the volume deficit was not linked to utilization of antipsychotic prescription. Additional interests have also evaluated the various connections with the brain as opposed to specifically examining one brain part. Indeed, the neuropsychology reveal impaired processing of information as a result of Schizophrenia. From medical researches, anatomic abnormalities are observed in limbic and neocortical regions network. Method Search Strategy In this study, the Cochrane Schizophrenia group record was examined together with references of the studies that were included. For more data, the authors of some relevant studies were contacted to provide with further statistics. Criteria of selection Randomized experimental trials were included with numerous second-episode and first-episode acute schizophrenia gamut disorders linking the early antipsychotic medication treatment with psychosoc ial, milieu, or placebo treatment. Data collection and analysis Working individually, the records from 18 studies were critically assessed. Out of these records, six were observed to meet toe inclusion standards. When possible, the risk ratios were calculated as well as their degree of confidence at 95% for the weighted mean differences and dichotomous

Rationale - how women are treated in soap operas Essay Example for Free

Rationale how women are treated in soap operas Essay I am going to be investigating into how women are treated in soap operas. The reason I have chosen to carry out this study is due to the fact that I think that women are given very stereotypical roles within soap operas and it is very hard for them to break out of those boundaries and those specific labels they have been given. The method I will take to reach my objective is to use the content analysis approach. This is a method I will adopt using Meehans research. My aim is to compare how much or how less has changed within that period of time. I hypothesise that in comparison to Meehans analysis of soap operas women are still labelled in the same categories. From this method I should be able to reach to a conclusion as to whether my hypothesis is correct. The method of research I am going to use is content analysis of magazines, TV and newspaper. Content analysis involves the very careful quantification of the content of the media messages. It is able to give a general impression about media content, which can be the basis of theoretical work or policy and programme development. Therefore the way I will carry out my research is by using Meehans study that was carried out in 1960s and 1970s on soap operas and how he categorised the women within the soaps into specific groups. I will carry out my research using a lot of primary resources. To investigate this concept I am going to look at the model, which is similar to the hypodermic syringe model. I am also going to use the feminist approach to try to explain some of the reasons as to why there are so many stereotypical views within soap operas towards women. I am going to be looking at Fergusons feminist cult theory. This highlights how there are many stereotypical views within the soap operas. Context She is seen in Meehans content analysis study of the presentation of women in soap operas shows that in American drama serials there are only 10 female character types that are presented, they are; The Imp, a rebellious tomboy character. She is adventurous, not really sexual, often finds herself in trouble, she is the opposite of what society expects a women to be and the trouble she gets into is often a result of this. The Goodwife, she is domestic, attractive, home-centred and content. She does not wish to become involved with the world outside the home, leaving this to her lovely husband. The Harpy, is an aggressive single woman. She is powerful, even overpowering and not afraid to take on or chase after men. The Bitch, is a sneak and a cheat. She is manipulative, dangerous and deceitful. She lacks the power to be a real villain (invariably male) but she causes real trouble for the forces of good. The Victim, is the passive female who suffers accident, disease or violence, depending in the type of show or it could be to domestic violence. The Decoy, she is a heroine disguised as a victim. Apparently helpless and dependent, shes actually strong and resourceful. She is quite likely to be mistreated, hurt or captured, but she is capable of overcoming her difficulties. The Siren, is a woman who uses her sexuality to lure her victim to a sticky end. The Courtesan, is close to being a prostitute and perhaps has been one. The Witch, has extraordinary power despite this she is invariably dominated by a man and is persuaded often reluctantly to suppress her powers or use it for his aims. The Matriarch, prestige and authority. a positive light despite the fact that she is too old to be sexually attractive. Her status is almost of that of a hero. This study shows that women are portrayed as neater good or evil, never a combination. It also shows that good women are portrayed as submissive, sensitive and domesticated. Bad women are portrayed as rebellious, independent and selfish. Male evil characters are always counterbalanced by good ones, this is not so with female evil characters. The number of occupations which women are portrayed as holding is limited to a few, primarily housewife, receptionist and whore, male roles are also few in number compared to reality, but are more exciting, such as doctor, spies, detective and astronaut. While studies such as Meehans, could be criticised for being dated and referring to the series of the 1960s and 70s. The content recycling of such series on satellite and cable channels means that they are still relevant. Moreover, many of the point she makes are relevant even in more recent television. The number of women portrayed in the media depends very much on the medium concerned and the genre type. Soap operas have relatively high proportion of women, though they are still outnumbered by as much of 7 men to 3 women in some types of soap opera. In advertisements, there are three all male ads to every one all female ads. A study conducted by Beuf (1974) was based on 63 interviews with boys and girls between the ages of three and six. Some girls had abandoned their ambitions even by this early age. Several girls mentioned that their ambitions could not be realised because of their sex. The implication is that because of the small number of high-status female models in the media available for girls to model themselves on, the ambitions of real women are limited. The power of the media in this respect is thought to be very strong. This is not surprising as the Average American girl will have spent more time in front of the TV by the time she is 15 than she will have spent in the classroom. Beuf also argues that women suffer anxiety and stress due to this and because advertising and soap operas create concerns in women particularly about; their body image, the constant need to spend money on products to make them more attractive and desirable for males and also the competition with other women to fight and keep their man. Liberal feminists argue that individuals are trained by the mass media and other social institutions into patterns of behaviour which are performed unconsciously. Sex-roles in particular, have been built up over a long period of time and have become embedded in our culture. Radical feminists identify men as the enemy. They believe that men consciously and unconsciously manipulate social institutions for their own benefit and to the detriment of women. Men hold the dominant positions throughout the media and are able to use them to reflect the images of women which they desire. According to socialist feminists the role of the media is to sustain and perpetuate the capitalist system and the supporting role of women in it. Davies says that those who control the media are almost all rich men, there is every incentive for them to present the capitalist, patriarchal scheme of things as the most attractive system available and to convince the less privileged that the oppression and limitations of their lives are inevitable. According to Skirrow, for example video games are particularly unattractive to women, as they are part of a technology which is identified as male power, and they are about mastering a specifically male anxiety in a specific male way.

Commentary on Women Beware Women Essay Example for Free

Commentary on Women Beware Women Essay Beware Women is a Jacobean tragedy, which has a complex plot and deals with corrupted characters. This tragedy is about corruption in the court and life in general, love by money and how women can lead other women to destruction. As Tricomi states about the characters, they ‘are not wholly the product of their circumstances, but their circumstances condition their choices and propel them toward their destiny’. Middleton, as other Jacobean playwrights before him, has managed to point out that ‘aristocratic life is brutal and corrupt’. 2] The focus of this commentary will be concentrated on marriage and to what can lead one to fall apart. The first scene (Act I), deals with the characters of the play’s main plot: Leantio, Bianca and the Mother. In this scene, the readers come across with the insulting behaviour towards Bianca, where she is treated as an object. Leantio speaks of his wife with words of business, to him she is â€Å"the most unvalued’st purchase†.He describes her as if she was a dangerous object that must stay hidden and safe, away from the sight of men. When he talks about her, it is obvious that Bianca is for him a treasure and he is the thief that now has to hide his â€Å"best piece of theft† (I. ii) in a safe place so no one will steal it from him. Such words describing a human being are rather cruel, especially when Leantio is talking about a person for whom he is supposed to have true and pure feelings of love. Leantio is aware that Bianca’s family is rich, but he also knows that by marrying Bianca in secrecy and taking her away from them, Bianca will lose all of the property and money that belongs to her. He has also written over to her his house and put his mother in jeopardy. Although his act seems a romantic one and, even though he speaks of that relationship and feelings as being pure, his love is not mature; rather, it is one filled with jealousy. In the beginning of the play Bianca could be characterised as the victim because she has a mother-in-law who is not fond of her and does not approve their marriage and she is now imprisoned in poverty and in home. However, Bianca is ‘as much a victim as perpetrator, and she is to be judged as a tragic protagonist with a vexing mix of virtues and flaws’. [3] As seen in the plot, the Mother aids and abets in Bianca’s meeting with the Duke. The Mother and Livia hatched up a plan for Bianca’s rape and she falls into the trap, as Isabella did, but the rape was almost enticed on her part. ‘The attitude towards Bianca is one of dehumanizing possession and manipulation’. [4] But Bianca, after that, changes drastically and soon enough she becomes one of the most corrupted characters, who along with others, brings about the downfall and the final bloodshed in the play. Bianca chose money over her marriage, although, she blames the other women for her disaster. ‘Treachery and betrayal [ ] are Bianca’s terms of explanation for her downfall’. [5] Bianca is seen by her mother-in-law as an added burden to her son’s finances. The Mother’s interest is focused only on money. For the Mother, Bianca as a wife has nothing to offer, she will only demand and receive. The Mother is sizing up the economics of their situation now that there are three members in the family. Leantio can barely support himself, and up until now he had to support his mother as well. The Mother doubts that her son is able to support a family of three. She claims that nothing can save him from this financial dead end by saying â€Å"My life can give you But little helps, and my death lesser hopes† (I. i). The Mother thinks of Bianca, as for every other wife, that she will require from Leantio â€Å"maintenance† (I. ii) fitting to her â€Å"birth and virtues† (I. ii), but also gratification of her desire for â€Å"affections, wills, and humours† (I. ii). [6] Leantio then expresses his intentions towards Bianca, by replying to his mother’s words, pleading with her not to â€Å"teach her to rebel† (I. ii) now that â€Å"she’s in a good way to obedience† (I. ii). Leantio’s â€Å"assurance† (I. ii), of keeping his â€Å"jewel† (I. ii) locked away â€Å"from all men’s eyes† (I. ii), is his mother. She is the one who holds the â€Å"key† (I. i) to his â€Å"treasure† (I. ii), and â€Å"old mothers† (I. ii) are â€Å"good to look to keys† (I. ii) when â€Å"sons lock chests† (I. ii). However, the irony here is that later on, it’s the Mother herself who pushes Bianca towards rape with the Duke, first to get rid of her, but then to accrue some of the benefits from the court life for herself and her son. Bianca is to Leantio nothing but an object of â€Å"great value† (I. ii), a â€Å"matchless jewel† (I. ii) that he has stolen. Because â€Å"temptation is a devil will not stick to fasten upon a saint† (I. ii), Leantio’s â€Å"gem† (I. ii) must stay hidden and locked. This is the â€Å"great policy† (I. i) for Leantio in order to never lose a treasure; never â€Å"show thieves our wealth† (I. ii). Bianca is the â€Å"treasure† (I. ii), Leantio is the â€Å"thief† (I. ii), and the â€Å"key† (I. ii) to his happiness holds his mother, thus, it could be said that the chest with the key is symbolic of Leantio and Bianca’s relationship. To conclude, this tragedy proves that women should beware women. Women lead other women to destruction, and are even responsible for another woman’s rape. Corruption and enemies are present everywhere but, as Bianca says in her dying breath, â€Å"Like our own sex, we have no enemy†.

Depression and Criminal Behavior

Depression and Criminal Behavior Depression is a wide-reaching condition that affects millions of Americans who experience it in a few different archetypes, but each can be crippling. Bipolar disorder, a severe type of depression, has been connected to criminal behavior when one considers prison-population statistics and the percentage of manic depressives who commit crimes. Factors such as substance abuse, environment, and gender unpack the criminal side of depression and lead to the ultimate question of whether depression lends itself to crime or vice versa. Depression and Criminal Behavior What is depression? Depression is described as an illness that affects every aspect of a human being. The way a person eats, sleeps, and feels about life is typical of depression. One can also characterize depression by what it is not. For example, depression is not simply a blue feeling that comes and goes. We all experience sadness from time to time, but depression is a very deep feeling of sadness that does not go away by wish or will. One does not get over or shake off depression. It is also not a sign of weak or flawed character. How does one characterize this deep feeling of sadness? A more correct term used when describing depression is illness. The term illness insinuates that, without treatment, symptoms can last for a significant length of time. The longevity of symptoms differentiates occasional sadness from clinical depression. Strock, (1994). Depression (NIH publication no. 00-3561). This point is addressed by the VA, For many, a depressed mood is a normal reaction to the death of someone they love or the loss of the ability to perform routine activities. But, when a depressed mood persists for a long period of time with no signs of lifting, a person will benefit most from talking to their primary care provider to determine if clinical depression is the cause. (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2002) There is, however, treatment available that can help individuals regardless of the degree of symptoms. Types of Depression The three main types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disorder. There are many other types of depression besides the three listed, however, the variances are more of degree than nature. For all practical purposes, the three main types of depression encompass the entire spectrum. The first type, major depression, virtually disables a person in every aspect of his or her life. Menial tasks such as eating or sleeping are just as affected by major depression as harder tasks, such as social interaction and cognitive functioning. In addition, people suffering from major depression do not enjoy activities that were once pleasurable. This disabling of function in every aspect of life typifies major depression. Strock, (1994). Depression (NIH publication no. 00-3561). The second main type of depression is dysthymia. This type of depression is less severe than major depression in that it does not disable. The hallmark of dysthymia is that it keeps a person from having a feeling of wholeness or good. People who have dysthymia, however, are not completely safe from the effects of major depression, as it is common to suffer from major depression at some point in ones life. Strock, (1994). Depression (NIH publication no. 00-3561). Bipolar Disorder, also labeled manic depression, is the third type of depression that is the least common and most severe form of the illness. Bipolar disorder is characterized by cycling mood changes: severe highs (mania) and lows (depression). The shift between these two moods is often gradual, but can also happen abruptly with no notice. The depressed aspect of Bipolar Disorder is virtually the same as major depression. The person loses interest in activities, whether routine or pleasurable and feels a deep sense of sadness. The mania aspect of this illness is what differentiates it from the other forms of depression. When a manic depressed person has fits of mania, he or she has a heightened energy level that is well above normal. The person may talk more than usual or react in a way that is inappropriate to the situation. While in a state of mania, a manic depressed person may do things that are a cause for shame or embarrassment later, but in the moment, they may seem perfectly right. If left untreated, manic depression may lead to a psychotic state. Strock, (1994). Depression (NIH publication no. 00-3561). This is the type of depression that can lead to criminal behavior. Link to Criminal Behavior Of the three types of depression, bipolar disorder is most commonly linked to criminal behavior, especially violence. In a study that considered a cross section of 261 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder, it was found that when compared to criminal records, manic-depressives were more often convicted of crimes (Englander, 2003). However, those who were unipolar (only depressive, not manic) were found not to be more prone to criminal behavior. This leads one to focus on the manic aspect of depression in connecting the dots to an increased propensity to commit crimes. A study of 50 juvenile boys corroborated this notion by noting that manic depression not only increased criminal behavior, but also was linked to antisocial tendencies. Though a high level of aggression was identified, only 14% were ever incarcerated for aggressive acts (Englander, 2003). Prevalence of Mania in Prisons A look at criminal behavior within the construct of mania leads to an obvious question of whether individuals within the prison system are more likely or less likely to exhibit manic tendencies. A study completed in the mid-1980s evaluated over 1,000 prisoners in the HMP Brixton in London, England and found that prisoners were seven times more likely to suffer from manic depression when compared to the general population (Blumenthal and Lavendar, 2000). Other mental illnesses were found less frequently. Schizophrenia was discovered to exist only three times higher in the prison sample than in the general populace. Alcohol and Drug Abuse Risk Factors Alcohol and drug abuse are key indicators in determining whether someone is prone to criminal acts. It is helpful, once again, to compare bipolar disorder to schizophrenia, this time in terms of sufferer usage. There is a high rate of substance abuse among mentally ill persons across the spectrum of mental illness. In fact, mental illness doubles the risk of substance abuse. Schizophrenics abuse drugs and alcohol at a rate of 47%, while manic depressives abuse at a much higher rate of 61% (Blumenthal and Lavendar, 2000). General substance abuse frequency among manics coupled with the notion that a majority of violent crimes such as rape, assault, and murder are committed after high drug or alcohol use shows that those who suffer from bipolar disorder are more likely to commit violent crime (Blumenthal and Lavendar, 2000). Thus, substance abuse is a predictor of violence and manic depressives are prone to substance abuse. Gender Considerations It is interesting to look at gender differences as it relates to bipolar disorder. Women generally suffer from depression more often than men, and this is also true in the bipolar aspect of depression. Along with frequency, women suffer from more intense forms of depression than men, meaning mania could be potentially more severe and lead to violence or other forms of criminal behavior. This, however, is outweighed by the significantly higher prevalence of male arrests within the context of a manic state. In the U.S., men commit more crimes per capita, up to six times more than women. Even though women are less likely to commit crimes than men, those who suffer from bipolar disorder offend at a higher rate than women who are not diagnosed with mental illness (Friedman, 2005). Causal Relationship Question Though there is a relationship found between depression and crime, some argument exists as to the extent of the connection. Two possibilities must be considered, whether the crime was committed because the individual was depressed or did the person become depressed as a result of committing a crime. One of the more closely linked facets of depression and violent crime are found when a depressed person becomes so hopeless that, before committing suicide, they kill friends or loved ones. In a study of 78 murder cases, a link was made between depression and violent crime only when environmental factors, such as a negative life event, spurred on the criminal behavior (Hollin, 2002). Conclusion In conclusion, depression is a vast subject of which much is known. Types of depression have ranges of degree from relatively mild to very severe forms of the disorder. In terms of criminal behavior, bipolar disorder is most closely linked, particularly the manic aspect of the mental illness. A relationship is seen when one considers the higher prevalence of bipolar criminals in the prison system compared to the general populace and the propensity for manic depressives to abuse alcohol and drugs, a key indicator of criminal behavior. Though the causation of criminal behavior is akin to the chicken and egg argument, questioning which one causes the other, it is proven that depression is a factor in the context of criminal behavior.

Encryption - Regulation of Devices That Code Messages is Not Necessary :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Regulation of Devices That Code Messages is Not Necessary Legislation has been proposed to regulate devices that code messages. The Clinton administration believes a better way to provide for our public safety is by requiring technology that scrambles electronic data for privacy reasons to contain a feature that would allow immediate decoding of any message, known as a trapdoor feature. The capability to monitor encrypted, private communications, however, does not yield greater public safety since it would create feeling among the people of constant supervision. According to government officials, access to scrambled data is needed for national security and law-enforcement. On the contrary, the trapdoor feature can work against law-enforcement, supplying criminals with an additional entry point to access and view private communications. Purchases made over the internet, including secure credit card numbers, would be required to allow immediate decoding when the feature is accessed. Second, personal privacy would be compromised since no one could tell if they were being watched at any given moment. The feeling that "Big Brother" is watching would always exist. Finally, the trapdoor feature could weaken national security on account of this feature simplifying the means of viewing securely encrypted messages. Foreign nations might be able to exploit the trapdoor feature and intercept classified military and intelligence transmissions. For these reasons, the government does not need to create an easier way to access private communicat ions. Government officials claim requiring the decoding technology doesn't necessarily mean using the technology. First, if use isn't intended then the technology would never have been developed. Time, money, and other resources are only spent by people who intend to do something. Second, intent for technology required yet inactive is ludicrous. This is as absurd as walking up to a stranger on the street, demanding a $100 bill, and, when they balk at the idea, replying that it won't necessarily be spent. Finally, the only motivation to require technological features is the availability for use. No one would have gone to the trouble to make a proposition without the intent of use. The feature would have been a proposed option in technology if it wouldn't necessarily be used. Requiring decoding technology stipulates full intent for use.

The Mystery of Kurtz in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness :: Heart of Darkness Essays

The Mystery of Kurtz in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness Many works of literature not readily identified with the mystery or detective story genre nonetheless involve the investigation of a mystery. Sometimes finding out the answer of the mystery can illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. This is present in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. The mystery in this novella is about a character named Kurtz. Kurtz was an English man who traveled to the Congo in search of excitement, money and experience. To many people back home, he was known to be a loving intelligent young man. In Congo he was also known as being very intelligent, but also as being insane. The question is what happened to Kurtz how and why he let his self go insane. In a way you can say that he found the â€Å"heart† of his â€Å"darkness,† embraced it and could not escape it. In dealing with Kurtz many questions became visible for an example towards the end of the book what did he mean by â€Å"the horror, the horror!† was he referring to what he witnessed and experienced while he was in command of his ivory station or was he talking about the civilization of Europe and how he did not wish to return? Perhaps he saw Europe as being his darkness and the Congo being his light or vice versa. When reading each page, a sort of investigation begins in trying to figure out how Kurtz became insane. However, that investigation was not fully closed because in the end no one knew what had happened to him. In a way his character presented the idea that perhaps the darkness, his darkness was his own and was all along in him waiting to come out. Because there were other men living and working in the Congo who had not become insane as he did, such as the Russian trader or the ivory company’s accountant.

Management Development - Reviews & Appraisals :: Business and Management Studies

Management Development - Reviews & Appraisals Introduction Management development is used so that they the company can motivate their staff, so that the performance of their workforce will be improved. Therefore it is used to improve the performance of the business so that their share price increases and they will attract more shareholders and their sales and profits will be increased, this will also mean that the shareholders will give paid good dividends. Due to that happening their stakeholders will be showing more interest in the business, which means that they will be able to employ staff more easily so that they will have a wider range of candidates to choose from so they can employee a larger range of highly skilled staff. Purpose of appraisal schemes As it is said that the main problem that arises with an appraisal scheme is the confusion over the objectives that are set. Mainly it can be said that an appraisal scheme is used to develop staff by giving information for progression and resource planning, as well as being able to make out and state the weaknesses of performance. It helps to provide data that can relate to the salary that a member of staff should be paid and the improvements and chances that need to be made to staff to meet the required standards and improve them for the future. As well as helping to show whether the staff should have training/career planning and if so what they need in relation to it and how the communication can be improved between the manager and member of staff, especially in relation to general feedback. Methods of Reviewing and appraisal schemes It has been said that appraisals are the most suitable methods of reviewing employees for management and supervisory staff. Increasingly clerical, secretarial and manual staffs with skilled or technical jobs are now also being appraised. There are many different people within a business who may carry out an appraisal; the appraisers are sometimes called raters. Below I have shown a list of the people who may carry out an employee’s appraisal, with explanation about them ad why they would be chosen: - Self-appraisal This is quite a new idea to the process of development. It is not a highly used form of reviewing. With self-appraisal’s, which is pretty self explanatory, the member of staff will perform a self-analysis in the traditional appraisal schemes, although there is the involvement of the superior whose decision officially counts. The ratings that the employee gives themselves maybe changed, but only in the light of the workers notes. Peer-appraisal These are said to be the majority of the time a very reliable method

MRP (Materials Requirements Planning)

From reading about material requirements planning (MRP), I deciphered that this is a manufacturing planning and inventory control system that helps manage manufacturing procedures. MRP systems ideally have three main purposes.The first is to make sure that all materials are obtainable for manufacturing and the products are accessible to deliver to the buyers. The second purpose is to uphold the low inventory in store, and the third is to design manufacturing actions, delivery agendas and purchasing actions.The simple purpose of MRP system is to regulate the inventory. The use of MRP assists companies in keeping their inventory as low as possible while helping plan manufacturing, purchasing and delivering functions.Businesses need to regulate the kinds and amounts of supplies that they buy, strategize which products are to be made and how much of it and confirm that they are capable of meeting existing and upcoming consumer requests, while sustaining the lowest price for the company. Making a bad decision in any of these areas will make the company lose money.Not planning accordingly within this criterion could cause the company to lose a lot of capital. MRP can help you know what resources are needed and how many, as well as when you will need these materials.MRP can be used for materials that are bought from external sellers as well as those made in-house. You need to keep in mind what materials you are making, how much of it do you need, how long they can be stored for. For the planning portion, you need to know what limitations you may have for producing the materials as well as how to make them.For the outputs and reports part of MRP, you have output 1 which is the â€Å"Recommended Production Schedule†. What this does is that it gives you a thorough schedule of the dates that you need to complete the task along with how many to fulfill the call from the Master Production Schedule.Output 2 is the â€Å"Recommended Purchasing Schedule†. This ou tput gives you the dates you will get the materials bought and the dates that the purchase orders should transpire to equal the production schedules. Like with any other system, there are problems that evolve from using theMRP system. The main issue with MRP systems is the integrity of the data. If for some reason there are any mistakes in the inventory data, the bill of materials data, or production schedule, then this would make the output data wrong.To rectify these issues however, some businesses use pull systems and bar code scanning which makes it more accurate. A big concern with the MRP systems is the fact that they are mandated to state the length of time that a manufacturer will need to make a product.The system assumes that this time in manufacturing won’t change every time the item is produced, with no concern as to how many are made, or other things that may be made at the same time. Regardless of some of the issues that the MRP system may have, it does help comp anies reduce cost and inventory on hand.It helps companies produce what they need, when they needed to meet any demands that any consumers may have as well as deadlines etc. This system works well with many different types of companies and it seems to be fairly efficient.

Exemplar

INVESTIGATING THE ECOLOGICAL NICHE OF THE CRAB USING A FAIR TEST INTRODUCTION: The ecological niche of the crab Hemigrapsus edwardsi. The crab is a member of the Crustacea phylum and is in the family Grapsidae. This crab species is found only in New Zealand on rocky shores. The rocky shore, where the crabs studied in this investigation were found is quite exposed. There is a large rock platform that provides small crevices and small rocks which help to protect them from wave action and predators. There are also sea lettuce, and other algae growing on parts of the rocks.The crab has many adaptations that allow it to live on the rocky shore including: †¢ grey/black colour for camouflage †¢ food detection structures (antennae on its head and hairs on the mouth parts to sense chemicals in the sea water) †¢ 4 pairs of legs with muscles that allow it to move sideways, as well as forwards and backwards †¢ behavioural adaptations such as scuttling under rocks when the tid e goes out or to avoid predators †¢ freezing when being attacked (we noticed this when we touched some of them on their backs). This might confuse predators. †¢ gills for gas exchange.The rock pools provide a micro-climate where the temperature and salinity of the water will change, depending on the weather. If it was a really hot day, the rock pools will get warmer, more water will evaporate and the salinity will increase. The crab would have to be adapted to cope with these changes in salinity, otherwise, as the concentration of salt in the water around it changes, it will gain or loose mass due to osmosis. Through the process of osmoregulation, the crab is able to maintain a constant water balance in its body, but to do so requires energy and this could be measured by an increase in the respiration rate.This is what I am going to investigate. Aim: To determine whether the respiratory rate of the crab changes in different salinities. Hypothesis: The respiratory rate of t he crab will increase as the salinity changes away from â€Å"normal† salinity. METHOD Thirty crabs of similar size, were collected from the rocky shore. The salinity was varied by diluting the 200% conc. seawater provided in to five different concentrations. The volume of the solutions was 200mL each. The concentrations were 150%, 125%, 100%, 75%, 50% conc. Water with 100% concentration is equivalent to the concentration of normal seawater.Sixty-five mL of the 150% solution was poured into a petri dish. The petri dish had a thin layer of stones in the base to recreate the natural environment of the crabs. One crab was put into this petri dish and left for five minutes to allow them to adjust to the conditions. The petri dishes were floated on a water bath which was set at 180C. The water bath was placed in the room where the light intensity was the same for all petri dishes. An indirect method of estimating respiration was used. This was to count the number of currents seen on the surface of the water.I assumed that a higher number of currents indicated a higher respiration rate. A little bit of carmine red was sprinkled onto the solution in the petri dish in order to see the movement of water more clearly. The crabs were left in the petri dishes for five minutes before counting the respiratory currents. The respiratory currents were counted for 30 seconds. This amount was doubled to give the rate per minute. 5 more trials with different crabs were done at each concentration. Each time a fresh 65 mL of solution was added. The results were recorded and the rates per minute were averaged.This process was repeated for the 4 remaining concentrations and the results for these were averaged. Results: Average respiratory rate of the crab in different concentrations of seawater. | |% concentration of the water (100% = normal sea water) | | |50 |75 |100 |125 |150 | |Average number of respiratory | | | | | | |currents per minute |7. 2 |6. 75 |6. 00 |7. 50 |12. 4 2 | Average respiratory rate of the crab in different seawater concentrations. Statistical analysis of results: The graph of the results suggests that there is a significant relationship between the concentration of the seawater and the respiratory rate of the crabs. This is confirmed by the r2 value of 0. 9642, which indicates that 96% of the variation in the results is explained by the change in seawater concentration. Conclusion:The respiratory rate of the crab, as measured by respiratory currents, increased when the concentration of the seawater either increased or decreased from the 100% conc. (normal seawater). Discussion: This investigation was carried out to determine whether respiratory rates of the crab increased as the salinity was changed from normal levels. The crab is a euryhaline organism that lives on the rocky shore, often in rock pools. Because of the tidal movements of water, the salinity of the crab’s environment fluctuates. To maintain homeostasis, the cr ab osmoregulates.This means it actively controls the salinity levels inside its body. As the seawater concentration increased or decreased from the concentration of normal seawater (100% conc. ) the respiration rate increased. This is because the crab is most comfortable at the concentration of normal seawater. As osmoregulation involves the active transport of ions, it requires energy to adjust to higher or lower seawater concentrations than 100% seawater. As the salinity of the crab’s environment increases or decreases from the salinity of normal seawater it requires more energy in order to osmoregulate.So in order to obtain that energy, it needs more oxygen and its respiration rate increases. This is necessary for the crab as it must deal with a range of salinity as the tidal pools dry out. If the concentration of the water is greater than that of the crab’s internal environment, it will go through osmosis. Although the crab has an exoskeleton, water can still leave its body through the space around its joints and gills. Evaluation: Initially I found that there were several problems with my investigation.The most significant one was that the crabs were out of their natural environment which made them more fidgety. Some of mine even attempted to escape from the petri dishes during the trials. This clearly shows that they were unsettled and perhaps not responding as they usually would. If they decided to stay inside the petri dish, they stayed close to the edge and moved away from the movement of people around them. I moved my investigation to a more secluded position and screened them off with a cover so that were not able to see what was around them.I also lined the petri dish with a thin layer of stones to attempt to somewhat recreate the natural environment. This change made the crabs calmer and produced a more natural response. The counting of actual respiration itself was difficult as it was a humid day and the carmine red seemed to be con gealing before being placed in the water. Perhaps in humid conditions chalk dust or very fine sand would have been more suitable but these were not available where I was carrying out the investigation.Where the crabs were sampled from may have biased the outcome of the results as the position in the tidal zone might influence the levels of salinity that they were accustomed to. Most of my animals appeared to be female, this may also have biased my results. Further investigations would need to be carried out to determine if sex or original location influences crab respiration rate. Despite these limitations my results show that the increase in respiratory rates can be explained by the changing concentration of the seawater. ———————–INTRODUCTION ECOLOGICAL NICHE AIM HYPOTHESIS Explains aspects of the ecological niche that are related to the investigation. Hypothesis linked to ecological niche. VARIABLE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE CONTRO LLED VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE Controlled variables A valid range of the Independent variable Controlled variables Dependent variables Sufficient data PROCESSED DATA [pic] STATISTICAL ANALYSIS CONCLUSION Sufficient data that is appropriately and accurately processed to show relevant pattern. (raw data is in log book) Workable method outlinedSufficient data that is appropriately and accurately processed to show relevant pattern. (raw data is in log book) Statistical analysis of the validity of the conclusion A valid conclusion that is justified by the data and relates to the hypothesis DISCUSSION EVALUATION Critical evaluation through analysis of the validity of the investigation Critical evaluation – limitations discussed and changes made to the method justified in relation to validity of investigation Discussion of results related to niche Significance of findings in relation to the ecological niche

I’Ve Witnessed the Arrival of a Golden Age Essay

The article â€Å"I’ve witnessed the arrival of a golden age† was published 14th August, 2007 and written by the Guardian’s Delhi correspondent, Randeep Ramesh. Throughout the article, Randeep Ramesh describes the development of India. Among other things he tells the story about some years ago when he visited an Indian software millionaire, who shows him around the computer industry. The software millionaire comments on the correspondents’ education, because he thinks it is a shame that he was not born in Indian for that cause that the British system makes scientists become journalists instead. The headline, â€Å"I’ve witnessed the arrival of a golden age† is mainly factual, because it informs us. It actually tells that the writer has witnessed a golden age and what we will find within. The language which is used is formal or rather a quotation. It tells us what we will find within. The structure of this article is basically like any other article. It is structured with a lot of sections. It has a headline and beneath it there are three sentences which briefly give the reader a general idea of what the article is about and then a little introduction which is an experience where a software millionaire shows him around. The memories from his past are mentioned. Then it moves on to the body of the article which is a description of how India has developed and how he had witnessed the arrival of the golden age while he was living in Delhi. The body only sticks to one topic and that is India. In the ending there is a sum up which also solve the problem in the article. Besides that there is an interesting point in the three last sentences. That is, you see that India has put the past behind and now see a bright future coming and still is optimistic. The writer does not use a figurative language. Many of the sentences are long and some complex etc. â€Å"In the unselfconscious, no-nonsense manner of many educated Indians, the entrepreneur quizzed me on which university I had gone to (Cambridge) and the subject I had studied (physics), before triumphantly declaring that I had been â€Å"born in the wrong country†. (p. 1, line 8-11) Language is formal, there is not used any kind of slang nor sarcasm or irony. There is much appeal to logos in the article because it is based on logic or reason and there are several facts. The article is argumentative for the reason that the reader becomes wiser and informed. The arguments which are used are objective and the choices of words are neutral. The purpose of writing the text could be that the Randeep Ramesh wants to influence the reader and express his own opinion. He generally informs the reader and makes his point clear.

Arguments of the Afterlife Essay

Throughout all recorded history mankind has battled to find answers to each and every one of life’s questions and to some avail found quite a few; still, one question that has yet to be answered pertains to the possibility of life after death. Some argue that the idea of survival of consciousness without a body is extremely impractical and out of the question; however, when relying on only practical evidence alone it is hard to formulate a concrete theory. On the other hand, when we look at things such as cross-cultural studies on near death experiences and their underlying similarities we can utilize them as clues to suggest the possibility of an afterlife. Using both logic and intuition we should be able to gain some insight on the matter. A near death experience (NDE) is a term that was originated by Dr. Raymond A. Moody in his bestseller Life After Life, a book that has revolutionized the way many people see death (Morris, 1; C.  Tan 1). According to Moody NDEs are visions of the afterlife that must happen to an individual under the conditions of one of the three following circumstances: being pronounced clinically dead; are close to death due to traumatic injury; or descriptions of visions seen by a dying person and later described by someone who is present (12). These visions are similar to fingerprints in the fact that no two are exactly the same (Moody, 17). However, there are many common characteristics such as: feelings of quiet and peace; strange noises that have been sometimes described as â€Å"disturbing† or even â€Å"peaceful†; beautiful being(s) of light that are often religious figures, but not always; dark winding tunnels that are usually cylindrical; intense flashbacks that play back the person’s entire life in order to â€Å"provoke reflection†; being greeted by family members or friends who have passed on before; and borderlines that could be any sort of border imaginable (Moody, 21-55). Although the term â€Å"NDE† is fairly new the experiences that define it are not. Since the beginning of civilization every culture has mentioned some form of an afterlife idea based on various religions and areas in which they are centered around; thus, we can compare anthropological and psychological observations from reliable sources- every civilization (C. Tan, 1). The earliest clues to NDEs can be found in ancient texts such as: The Egyptian and Tibetan Books of the Dead, which both describe the transition of life to death and what they might see; and even Plato acknowledges these experiences in Book X of the Republic which tells a short story of a soldier who was killed in battle along with several other soldiers, they all traveled through a tunnel together to be judged by a light; however, he was sent back by the light to tell everyone what he had experienced. Still another important clue is that NDEs are not limited to any certain religious group, gender or age. Muslims, Jews, Christians, Buddhists, males, females, adults and children have told their NDE accounts (C. Tan, 2; â€Å"Historical Tradition† sec. 2-3; Moody, 86; Williams, sec. 3). Skeptics may argue that the concept of an afterlife is unrealistic and brush these findings to the side by labeling them under hallucinations and psychological factors. Not only does the brain release certain chemicals such as DMT as a physical response to death, but also culture plays a strong roll in what a person might describe to have seen during an NDE (Neimark, sec. 1). For example, both a Christian and a Muslim encounter the same â€Å"being of light† during an NDE, while the Christian believes they have encountered Jesus Christ the Muslim believes that they have encountered Allah; simply in accordance to their religious beliefs. It is true that the brain releases DMT during its time of death and certain aspects of NDEs do vary from culture to culture due to psychological factors; nevertheless, this does not disprove the evidence supporting the idea of an afterlife (Williams, sec. 1-2). Meanwhile, when we study cases of NDEs such as Harvard neurosurgeon and former skeptic, Dr. Eben Alexander III; consequently, whose personal encounter with such an experience changed his whole view on this topic (â€Å"Heaven Exists, Says US Neurosurgeon Eben Alexander after Waking from Coma†, 1-2). In his book, Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeons Journey into the Afterlife, Alexander descriptively illustrates his personal NDE through a logical and intuitive point of view. He was admitted to the hospital on November 10th 2008 when he was discovered to have bacterial meningitis; moreover tests taken indicated gram-negative meningitis, which has a high mortality rate. Dr. Alexander was reported to fall in to a coma for 6 days and his mortality rate rose up to 97 percent, until the 7th day when he miraculously awoke. According to Scott Wade, M. D. who treated Dr. Alexander, â€Å"The fact that he went on to have a full recovery from this illness after being in a coma for nearly a week is truly remarkable. † (Wade, 184). Yet Dr. Alexander’s quick recovery from an almost fatal coma was not the only aspect that should be noted as â€Å"truly remarkable† (Wade 184). Not only did he experience some of the more commonly reported events in NDEs, such as: noises, beings of light and even an encounter with a family member who had passed some years before (Alexander, 38-79). But, Alexander also underwent some unconventional events in his NDE, that have never been reported in previous times, including: that during this NDE he had no knowledge of who he was before, what he was or even where he was; the family member that lead him through his afterlife experiences turned out to be his biological sister who he had never seen until after his NDE when a photo of her was sent to him by another biological sibling; and during this coma his neocortex which is the part of the brain that hallucinogens such as DMT affect was shut down (Alexander, 29-171). In fact, Alexander was in such a heave state of coma that there would have been no possible way of the vivid recollections of his NDE, because his cortex was not even functioning (Alexander, 140-186). Similar to having reoccurring characteristics in NDEs, the most universal reported event NDEs is that that everyone who has been â€Å"sent back† claims to have been â€Å"told† that the reason we are all here to learn how to love. They display a more spiritual lifestyle and usually have a set notion of certain beliefs pertaining to the afterlife, which cannot be budged (Alexander, 72-79; C. Tan 1-2; Neimark 3; Williams sec. 5). As Moody puts it â€Å"Still, the experience affects his life profoundly, especially his views about death and its relationship to life. † (C. Tan, 1). A number of these people even assert that â€Å"†¦we are not using the word ‘death’†¦ after you have the experience that I had, you know in your heart that there is no such thing as death. † (Moody, 73). Although we live in a world where scientific backing must play a roll in our research to conclude theories, we must also note that we are not scientifically advanced enough to rule out all that is considered to be an illogical argument. Likewise, until we are completely able to balance logic with intuition we will never be fully capable of finding answers to all of our questions. NDEs cannot be disproved until all holes in the logical argument are filled; moreover, NDEs show more supporting or at least unexplainable evidence than they do contracting evidence that could quite possibly answer some of questions if better researched.

Understanding the Special Needs of Children. Building Patterns of Essay

Understanding the Special Needs of Children. Building Patterns of Kindergarten Teaching from Student Assessment - Essay Example During this time I was introduced to the Kindergarten teacher Mrs. â€Å"Adams† as well as the school Principal and other teachers on the staff. The Edge Academy is a Kindergarten through Fifth Grade (K-5) school located in Akron with approximately 98% of the students coming from African-American families. According to statistics, â€Å"The Edge Academy spends $7,064 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 45% on instruction, 48% on support services, 7% on other elementary and secondary expenditures.† (Education.com, 2011) In standardized test results, the school scores an average of 2/10 nationally last year. This school can be seen as having potential problems due to the challenges the children and their families manage in coming from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Some parents have removed children from classes in preference for more racially diverse and integrated schools. However, while there may be many challenges in this school it is a very good place for children’s education. The teachers at Edge Academy are attentive and caring about the students’ needs, and conduct themselves in a professional manner. The school has facilities for music, sports, science, library, and other special activities. The Edge Academy has been developed to meet the challenge of providing the best education and foundation for future personal development to students in Akron. I am happy about the time I spent there in observation, and I gained many memories in working with the children and staff. The Edge Academy represents a school that I would like to seek a career in because I believe it is possible to make a difference in children’s lives by being a good teacher in such an environment. The Edge Academy is in the Akron School District and is publicly funded through tax dollars. It participates in standardized testing and also upholds Ohio Department of Education standards of quality in education. The Edge Academy has an enrollment of approximately 158 to 268 stude nts per year. (BES, 2006; Great Schools, 2008, Education.com, 2011) The school has been rated between 3/10 - 2/10 on the Standardized Testing Scale, based on national averages of performance for similar aged students in the country. (BES, 2006; Great Schools, 2008) The school has classrooms for six classes, plus additional rooms for group activities, events, and administration. The school has only a limited outdoor play area, but is near to a local city park in Akron. Source: Council of Chief State School Officers, 2011 The Kindergarten class I was assigned to observe in had all of the students sitting at four big tables in the room. There are three windows in the room to allow for natural sunlight and fresh air. There is a large chalkboard at the front of the room which the teacher uses for instruction. The classroom has a teacher’s desk in the corner that is used to prepare lessons and keep class materials organized. There is also a large rug that students can move to for p lay or other activities related to instruction. There is a restroom facility attached directly to the class for the students to access. The

What aspects of an organisations internal environment are critical to Essay

What aspects of an organisations internal environment are critical to the success of an organisations strategy - Essay Example This essay will deal with certain vital facts related to internal environment and strategic management. The first few paragraphs are devoted in introducing the concept of organisational strategy and internal environment. In the latter part, an elaborate discussion is conducted on the various process by which internal environment of an organisation influences the organisational strategy. Some real life examples are also discussed to understand the manner in which few companies have modified their organisational strategy as per the internal environment to gain synergy and competitive edge in the market. Different authors have nurtured different views on the concept of strategy. In general it can be concluded that strategy assists in identifying objectives which will add competitive edge to the company over its market rivals (Sutton, 1980, p.1). Organisational strategy provides a vision or direction that organisation should strive to gain competitive position over its rivals. While developing any strategy, the management should keep in mind that the strategy should be aligned with the organisation’s market position, prevailing resources and capability possessed by it. Strategy provides the guideline for resource allocation and management policies (Walker, 2003, p.4). External environmental factors are those factors which are not under the direct control of the company. These include economic, political, social, technological, legal and environmental factors. Since these factors lie beyond the reach of the company, they constitute the threats and opportunities of the business (Norton, 2008, p.10). On the other hand, the internal factors which directly or indirectly affect an organisation are financial resources, physical resources, objective of business, managerial policies, work environment, corporate image of the organisation, its relation with labours, technical and R&D capability and promoters’ vision