Last Sacrifice Chapter Twelve

DIMITRI AND I BOTH FROZE as the shock of that name hit us. Sydney, glancing between our faces, gave us a dry smile. â€Å"I take it you know who that is?' â€Å"Of course,' I exclaimed. â€Å"She was my teacher. She went crazy and turned Strigoi.' Sydney nodded. â€Å"I know.' My eyes widened further. â€Å"Shes not †¦ she's not the one who had an affair with Lissa's dad, is she?' Oh dear God. That would be one of the most unexpected developments in the rollercoaster that was my life. I couldn't even begin to process the effects of that. â€Å"Not likely,' she said. â€Å"The account was opened several years before she was added as the beneficiary–which was right when she turned eighteen. So, if we're assuming the account was created around the time the baby was born, then she would have been way too young. Sonya's probably a relative.' My earlier astonishment was giving way to excitement, and I could see the same thing happening to Dimitri. â€Å"You must have records about her family,' he said. â€Å"Or if not, some Moroi probably does. Who's close to Sonya? Does she have a sister?' Sydney shook her head. â€Å"No. That'd be an obvious choice, though. Unfortunately, she has other family–tons of it. Her parents both came from giant families, so she has lots of cousins. Even some of her aunts are the right age.' â€Å"We can look them up, right?' I asked. A thrill of anticipation was running through me. I honestly hadn't expected this much information. True, it was small, but it was something. If Sonya Karp was related to Eric's mistress, that had to be something we could track. â€Å"There's a lot of them.' Sydney shrugged. â€Å"I mean, yeah, we could. It'd take a long time to find everyone's life history, and even then–especially if this was covered up enough–we'd have a hard time finding out if any of them is the woman we're looking for. Or even if any of them know who she is.' Dimitri's voice was low and thoughtful when he spoke. â€Å"One person knows who Jane Doe is.' Sydney and I both looked at him expectantly. â€Å"Sonya Karp,' he replied. I threw up my hands. â€Å"Yeah, but we can't talk to her. She's a lost cause. Mikhail Tanner spent over a year hunting her and couldn't find her. If he can't, then we're not going to be able to.' Dimitri turned away from me and stared out the window. His brown eyes filled with sorrow, his thoughts momentarily far away from us. I didn't entirely understand what was happening, but that peaceful moment in the library–where Dimitri had smiled and shared in the daydream of an ordinary life–had vanished. And not just the moment. That Dimitri had vanished. He was back in his fierce mode, carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders again. At last, he sighed and looked back at me. â€Å"That's because Mikhail didn't have the right connections.' â€Å"Mikhail was her boyfriend,' I pointed out. â€Å"He had more connections than anyone else.' Dimitri didn't acknowledge my comment. Instead, he grew pensive again. I could see turmoil behind his eyes, some inner war. At last, it must have been decided. â€Å"Does your phone have reception out here?' he asked her. She nodded, reaching into her purse and handing him her phone. He held it a moment, looking like it caused him total agony to touch it. At last, with another sigh, he stood up and headed for the door. Sydney and I exchanged questioning looks and then both followed him. She lagged behind me, having to toss cash on the table and grab her laptop. I emerged outside just as Dimitri finished dialing a number and put the phone to his ear. Sydney joined us, and a moment later, the person on the other end of the line must have answered. â€Å"Boris?' asked Dimitri. That was all I understood because the rest was a string of rapid Russian. A strange sensation spread over me as he spoke. I was confused, lost because of the language †¦ but there was more than that. I felt chilled. My pulse raced with fear. That voice †¦ I knew that voice. It was his voice and yet not his voice. It was the voice of my nightmares, a voice of coldness and cruelty. Dimitri was playing Strigoi. Well, â€Å"playing' was really too gentle of a word. Pretending was a better way to describe it. Whatever it was, it was pretty damned convincing. Beside me, Sydney frowned, but I didn't think she was experiencing what I was. She had never known him as Strigoi. She didn't have those horrible memories. His change in demeanor had to be obvious, but as I glanced at her face, I realized she was focused on following the conversation. I'd forgotten she knew Russian. â€Å"What's he saying?' I whispered. Her frowned deepened, either from the conversation or me distracting her. â€Å"He †¦ he sounds like he's talking to someone he hasn't spoken to in a while. Dimitri's accusing this person of slacking off while he's been away.' She fell silent, continuing her own mental translation. At one point, Dimitri's voice rose in anger, and both Sydney and I flinched. I turned to her questioningly. â€Å"He's mad about having his authority questioned. I can't tell, but now †¦ it sounds like the other person's groveling.' I wanted to know every word, but it had to be hard for her to translate to me and listen at the same time. Dimitri's voice returned to normal levels–though still filled with that terrible menace–and among the flurry of words, I heard â€Å"Sonya Karp' and â€Å"Montana.' â€Å"He's asking about Ms. Kar–Sonya?' I murmured. She hadn't been my teacher for a long time. I might as well call her Sonya now. â€Å"Yeah,' said Sydney, eyes still on Dimitri. â€Å"He's asking–er, telling–this person to locate someone else and see if he can find Sonya. This person †¦' She paused to listen again. â€Å"This person he's asking about sounds like he knows a lot of people in the area she was last seen in.' I knew â€Å"people' in this context meant â€Å"Strigoi.' Dimitri had risen quickly in their ranks, asserting his will and power over others. Most Strigoi operated solo, rarely working in groups, but even the lone ones recognized threats and more dominant Strigoi. Dimitri was working his contacts, just as he'd said earlier. If any Strigoi had heard about his transformation–and believed it–they wouldn't have been able to pass the news quickly, not with their disorganization. As it was, Dimitri was already having to play leapfrog to find sources who knew other sources who might know Sonya's location. Dimitri grew loud and angry again, his voice becoming–if possible–more sinister. I suddenly felt trapped, and even Sydney looked scared now. She swallowed. â€Å"He's telling this guy that if he doesn't get answers by tomorrow night, Dimitri's going to find him and rip him apart and †¦' Sydney didn't bother finishing. Her eyes were wide. â€Å"Use your imagination. It's pretty terrible.' I decided then that I was kind of glad I hadn't heard all of the conversation in English. When Dimitri finished the call and returned Sydney's phone, that mask of malice melted from his face. Once again, he was my Dimitri, Dimitri the dhampir. Dejection and despair radiated off him, and he slumped against the cafe's wall, staring upward into the sky. I knew what he was doing. He was trying to calm himself, seize control of the emotions that had to be warring within him. He'd just done something that might give us clues we needed †¦ but it had been at a terrible cost to himself. My fingers twitched. I wanted to put a comforting arm around him or at least pat his shoulder so he'd know he wasn't alone. But, I held back, suspecting he wouldn't like it. At last, he turned his gaze back to us. He'd regained his control–at least on the outside. â€Å"I've sent someone to ask about her,' he said wearily. â€Å"It might not work out. Strigoi are hardly the type to keep a database. But they do occasionally keep an eye on one another, if only for their own self-preservation. We'll find out soon if there are any hits.' â€Å"I †¦ wow. Thank you,'I said, fumbling at the words. I knew he needed no thanks, but it felt necessary to me. He nodded. â€Å"We should get back to the Keepers †¦ unless you think this is a safe place to stay?' â€Å"I'd rather stay off civilized radar,' said Sydney, moving toward the truck. â€Å"Besides, I want my car keys back.' The ride back felt ten times longer. Dimitri's mood filled up the whole cabin, almost suffocating us with its despair. Even Sydney could feel it. She'd let him drive again, and I couldn't decide if that was a good or bad thing. Would the road distract him from his Strigoi torment? Or would his agony distract him from the road and put us off in a ditch? Fortunately, we made it back safe and sound and found two of the Keepers waiting for us in the lot, a Moroi woman and a human guy who both looked fierce. I still couldn't shake the strangeness of both races being battle-ready. I wondered if these two were a couple. Back in the camp, we found the communal bonfire ablaze and people sitting out around it, some eating and some just socializing. I'd learned at breakfast that the fire was always there for those who wanted to bond but that plenty of families kept to their own households as well. We went back to Raymond's house, but only Sarah and Joshua were there. She was cleaning up dishes, and he sat restlessly in a chair. As soon as he caught sight of me at the door, he sprang up, radiant smile on high-beam again. â€Å"Rose! You're back. We were starting to worry †¦ I mean, not that anything had happened to you–not with your skills–but that maybe you'd just left us.' â€Å"Not without our car,' said Sydney, placing the truck keys on the table. The CR-Vs were sitting there already, and relief flooded her face as she snatched them up. Sarah offered us leftovers, which we declined, having stocked up on snack food at Rubysville's gas station. â€Å"Well,' she said, â€Å"if you're not going to eat, you might as well join the others out at the fire. Jess McHale might sing tonight if they can get her to drink enough, and drunk or sober, that woman has the finest voice I've ever heard.' I briefly met Dimitri and Sydney's eyes. I admit, I was a little curious to see how this wilderness group partied it up, even though moonshine and folk songs weren't really my first choice of entertainment. Dimitri still wore that haunted look from the phone call. I had a suspicion he would have been content to isolate himself in our room, but when Sydney said she'd go to the fire, his response came automatically: â€Å"I'll go too.' I knew instantly what he was doing. His Strigoi days tormented him. Talking to Strigoi tormented him. And maybe–no, certainly–he wanted to hide away and try to block it all out, but he was Dimitri. Dimitri protected those who needed it, and even if listening to fireside songs wasn't exactly life-threatening, it was still a semi-dangerous situation for a civilian like Sydney. He couldn't allow that. Plus, he knew Sydney would feel safer with both of us nearby. I started to say I'd join them, but Joshua spoke before I could. â€Å"Do you still want to see my cave? There's a little light left outside. You'll get a better view that way than if we have to use a torch.' I'd forgotten about my last conversation with Joshua and started to decline his offer. But then, something flashed in Dimitri's eyes, something disapproving. So. He didn't want me going off with some young, good-looking guy. Was it legitimate concern about the Keepers? Was it jealousy? No, surely not the latter. We'd established–many, many times–that Dimitri wanted no romantic connection with me. He'd even stood up for Adrian earlier. Was this some kind of ex-boyfriend thing? Back in Rubysville, I'd believed Dimitri and I could be friends, but that wouldn't happen if he thought he could control me and my love life. I'd known girls with exes like that. I wouldn't be one. I could hang out with whomever I wanted. â€Å"Sure,' I said. Dimitri's expression darkened. â€Å"I'd love to.' Joshua and I headed off, leaving the others behind. I knew part of my decision was to prove my independence. Dimitri had said we were equals, yet he'd made an awful lot of decisions in this escape plan without me. It was nice to feel like I had the upper hand for a change, and besides, I liked Joshua and was kind of curious to learn more about how his people lived. I don't think Sydney wanted me to leave, but Dimitri would look after her. As Joshua and I walked, we passed plenty of Keepers out and about. Just like earlier, I received a fair amount of stares. Rather than lead us down the road to where his father lived, Joshua took me around the small mountain. It was still good-sized, but after living near the Rockies, everything in the Appalachians seemed â€Å"small' to me. I guess I was a mountain snob. Still, the mountain extended quite a ways, and we moved farther and farther from the Keepers' main settlement. The forest grew thicker, the light growing scarce as the sun finally began sinking into the horizon. â€Å"I'm kind of on the outskirts,' Joshua said apologetically. â€Å"We keep growing and growing, and there's not much room in the town's center.' I thought â€Å"town' was an optimistic term but didn't say so. Yeah. I was definitely a snob. â€Å"But the caves keep going, so there's still space.' â€Å"Are they natural?' I asked. â€Å"Some are. Some are abandoned mining caves.' â€Å"It's pretty out here,' I said. I liked all the deciduous trees. I might be homesick for Montana, but the wide leaves here were a neat contrast to pine needles. â€Å"And hey, at least you get lots of privacy, right?' â€Å"True.' He smiled. â€Å"I figured you'd think it was †¦ I don't know. Too rustic. Or savage. You probably think we all are.' His observation startled me. Most of the Keepers had been so fiercely defensive of their way of life that I hadn't thought anyone would even think an outsider would question it–or that any Keeper would care if we did. â€Å"It's just different,' I said diplomatically. â€Å"A lot different from what I'm used to.' I felt a flash of homesickness for all the people and places I was now cut off from. Lissa. Adrian. Our other friends. Court. St. Vladimir's. I shook the feeling off quickly. I had no time to mope and could at least check on Lissa later. â€Å"I've been to human towns,' continued Joshua. â€Å"And other places the Tainted live. I can see why you'd like them.' He turned a bit sheepish. â€Å"I wouldn't mind electricity.' â€Å"Why don't you guys use it?' â€Å"We would if we could. We're just too far out, and no one really knows we're here anyway. The lily-people say it's better for hiding us.' It hadn't occurred to me that they simply endured these conditions because they were forced to in order to conceal themselves. I wondered how many of their choices came from clinging to the so-called old ways †¦ and how much was influenced by the Alchemists. â€Å"Here we are,' said Joshua, pulling me from my musings. He gestured to a dark hole at ground level. The opening was big enough for an adult to enter. â€Å"Nice,' I said. I'd noticed earlier that some of the caves were set higher into the mountains and had watched their residents either climb the rock bare-handed or use homemade ladders. An easy-access doorway seemed luxurious. Joshua looked surprised at my praise. â€Å"Really?' â€Å"Really.' We'd ended up losing too much daylight. He paused to light a torch, and then I followed him inside. We had to duck a little at first, but as we went deeper into the cave, the ceiling slowly expanded and opened up into a wide, rounded space. The floor was hard-packed dirt, the stone walls rough and jagged. This was a natural cave, but I could pick out the efforts made to civilize it. The floor had been cleaned and leveled, and I saw some stones and rocks in a corner that looked like they'd been gathered up to clear space. A couple pieces of furniture had already been moved in: a narrow wooden chair and a mattress that looked like it could barely hold one person. â€Å"You probably think it's small,' said Joshua. It was true, but it was actually bigger than my dorm room at St. Vladimir's. â€Å"Well †¦ yeah, but I mean, how old are you?' â€Å"Eighteen.' â€Å"Same as me,' I said. This seemed to make him pretty happy. â€Å"Having your own, um, cave at eighteen is pretty cool.' It would have been cooler still with electricity, Internet, and plumbing, but there was no need to bring that up. His blue eyes practically shone. I couldn't help but notice what a pretty contrast they made against his tanned skin. I dismissed the thought immediately. I wasn't here for a boyfriend. But apparently, I was the only one who believed that. Joshua suddenly took a step forward. â€Å"You can stay if you want,' he said. â€Å"The other Tainted would never find you here. We could get married, and then when we had kids, we could build a loft like my parents' and–‘ The word married had me moving toward the entrance as shocked and panicked as I would be by a Strigoi attack. Except, I usually had fair warning before those. â€Å"Whoa, whoa, slow down.' No. I hadn't seen a proposal coming. â€Å"We just met!' Thankfully, he didn't come closer. â€Å"I know, but sometimes that's how it is.' â€Å"What, marriages between people who hardly know each other?' I asked incredulously. â€Å"Sure. Happens all the time. And seriously, just in this short of time, I already know I like you. You're amazing. You're beautiful and obviously a good fighter. And the way you carry yourself †¦' He shook his head, awe on his face. â€Å"I've never seen anything like it.' I wished he wasn't so cute and nice. Having creepy guys profess their adoration was a lot easier to deal with than one you liked. I remembered Sydney saying I was a hot commodity here. Scorching was more like it, apparently. â€Å"Joshua, I really like you, but,' I added hastily, seeing hope fill his features, â€Å"I'm too young to get married.' He frowned. â€Å"Didn't you say you were eighteen?' Okay. Age was probably not a good argument around here. I'd seen how young people had kids back in Dimitri's home-town. In a place like this, they probably had child marriages. I tried another angle. â€Å"I don't even know if I want to get married.' This didn't faze him. He nodded in understanding. â€Å"That's smart. We could live together first, see how we get along.' His serious expression turned back into a smile. â€Å"But I'm pretty easygoing. I'd let you win every argument.' I couldn't help it. I laughed. â€Å"Well, then, I'm going to have to win this one and tell you I'm just not ready for †¦ any of it. Besides, I'm already involved with someone.' â€Å"Dimitri?' â€Å"No. Another guy. He's back at the Tainted Court.' I couldn't even believe I was saying that. Joshua frowned. â€Å"Why isn't he here protecting you then?' â€Å"Because †¦ that's not how he is. And I can take care of myself.' I'd never liked the assumption that I needed rescuing. â€Å"And look, even if he wasn't in the picture, I'm leaving soon anyway. It would never work out between you and me.' â€Å"I understand.' Joshua looked disappointed but seemed to be taking the rejection okay. â€Å"Maybe when you've got everything sorted out, you'll come back.' I started to tell him not to wait for me and that he should just marry someone else (despite how ridiculous it was at his age), but then I realized that was a pointless comment. In Joshua's fantasies, he could probably marry someone else now and then add me on to his harem later, like Sarah and Paulette. So, I just simply said, â€Å"Maybe.' Groping for a change in subject, I searched for anything to distract us. My eyes fell on the chair and a leafy pattern carved into it. â€Å"That's really neat.' â€Å"Thanks,' he said, walking over. To my relief, he didn't pursue the earlier topic. He ran his hand lovingly over the ornately carved wood. The design looked like braided leaves. â€Å"I did it myself.' â€Å"Really?' I asked in true surprise. â€Å"That †¦ that's amazing.' â€Å"If you like it †¦' His hand moved, and I feared there was a kiss or embrace coming. Instead, he reached into his shirt pocket and produced a finely carved wooden bracelet. It was a simple, sinuous design, the true marvel being how narrow and delicate it was to all be one piece. The wood had been polished to brilliance. â€Å"Here.' He handed me the bracelet. â€Å"This is for me?' I ran my finger along the smooth edge. â€Å"If you want it. I made it while you were out today. So you'll remember me after you leave.' I hesitated, wondering if accepting this would be encouraging him. No, I decided. I'd made my views on teenage marriage clear, and anyway, he looked so nervous, I couldn't stand the thought of hurting his feelings. I slipped it onto my wrist. â€Å"Of course I'll remember. Thank you.' From the happy look on his face, taking the bracelet made up for my earlier refusal. He showed me a few more details around the cave and then followed my suggestion to join the others at the fire. We could hear the music echoing through the trees long before we made it back, and while it was hardly my style, there was something warm and friendly about this community's way of life. I'd never been to summer camp, but I imagined this was what it'd be like. Sydney and Dimitri sat near the group's edge. They were quiet and watchful, but everyone else sang, clapped, and talked. Again, I was stunned at how easily dhampirs, humans, and Moroi could all be involved with one another. Mixed couples were everywhere, and one–a human and Moroi–were openly making out. Every so often, when he kissed her neck, he'd also bite and take some blood. I had to glance away. I turned back toward my friends. Sydney noticed me and looked relieved. Dimitri's expression was unreadable. Like always, the others' eyes followed my movement, and to my surprise, I saw open jealousy on some of the guys' faces. I hoped they didn't think Joshua and I had been off getting naked in the cave. That was hardly the reputation I wanted to leave behind. â€Å"I have to talk to Sydney,' I told him over the noise. I decided it'd be best to keep my distance before any rumors started, and truthfully, Sydney looked like she wanted me by her side. Joshua nodded, and I turned away. I'd taken two steps when a fist suddenly came right toward my face. I'd had no defenses up and just barely had the presence of mind to turn my head and catch the blow on my cheek, rather than end up with a broken nose. After the initial surprise, all my training kicked in. I quickly sidestepped out of the line of attack and put my body into a fighter's stance. The music and singing stopped, and I turned to face my attacker. Angeline. She stood in a way similar to my own, fists clenched and eyes completely honed in on me. â€Å"Okay,' she said. â€Å"It's time to find out how tough you really are.' What it was time for was someone–say, like, a parent–to come and drag her off and punish her for punching guests. Amazingly, no one moved or tried to stop her. No–that wasn't quite true. One person stood up. Dimitri had sprung to action the instant he saw me in danger. I expected him to come pull Angeline away, but a group of Keepers hastily moved to his side, saying something to him that I couldn't hear. They didn't try to physically restrain him, but whatever they said, it kept him where he stood. I would have demanded to know what they'd told him, but Angeline was coming at me again. It looked like I was on my own. Angeline was short, even for a dhampir, but her whole body was packed with strength. She was pretty fast too, though not fast enough to get that second hit in on me. I neatly dodged it and kept my distance, not wanting to go on the offensive with this girl. She could probably do a fair amount of damage in a fight, but there was a sloppy– no, more like rough–edge to it. She was a scrapper, someone who'd done a lot of brawling but without any formal training. â€Å"Are you insane?' I exclaimed, moving out of the way of another assault. â€Å"Stop this. I don't want to hurt you.' â€Å"Sure,' she said. â€Å"That's what you want everyone to think, right? If you don't actually have to fight, then they'll all go on believing those marks are real.' â€Å"They are real!' The insinuation that I'd faked my tattoos sparked my temper, but I refused to get drawn into this ridiculous scuffle. â€Å"Prove it,' she said, coming at me again. â€Å"Prove you're who you say you are.' It was like a dance, keeping away from her. I could have done it all night, and a few dismayed cries from the crowd demanded we â€Å"get on with it.' â€Å"I don't have to prove anything,' I told her. â€Å"It's a lie then.' Her breathing was heavy now. She was working a lot harder than me. â€Å"Everything you Tainted do is a lie.' â€Å"Not true,' I said. Why was Dimitri letting this go on? Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of him, and so help me, he was smiling. Meanwhile, Angeline was still continuing her tirade as she tried to hit me. â€Å"You all lie. You're all weak. Especially your â€Å"royals.' They're the worst of all.' â€Å"You don't know them at all. You don't know anything about them.' She might be able to carry on a conversation, but I could see her growing increasingly frustrated. If not for the fact I was pretty sure she'd hit me in the back, I would have taken the noble approach and simply walked away. â€Å"I know enough,' she said. â€Å"I know they're selfish and spoiled and don't do anything for themselves. They don't care about anyone else. They're all the same.' I actually agreed with Angeline about some royals but didn't like the generalization. â€Å"Don't talk about things you don't understand,' I snapped. â€Å"They're not all like that.' â€Å"They are,' she said, pleased to see me angry. â€Å"I wish they were all dead.' It was hardly enough to push me into offense mode, but the comment did cloud my thoughts enough that I let her get through my guard, just a little. I never would have let that happen with a Strigoi, but I'd underestimated this wild girl. Her leg snaked out just enough to hit my knee, and it was like tossing a spark into gasoline. Everything exploded. With that hit, I stumbled slightly, and she pushed her advantage. My battle instincts took over, and I had no choice but to strike back before she could hit me. People began cheering now that the fight was â€Å"really going.' I was on offense, trying to subdue her, meaning the physical contact had jumped up exponentially. I was still better than her, no doubt, but in trying to get to her, I put myself in her range. She landed a few blows on me, nothing serious, before I was able to tackle her to the ground. I expected that to be the end, but she pushed back against me before I could fully restrain her. We rolled over, and she tried to take the dominant position. I couldn't allow that and managed a punch on the side of her face that was a lot harder than the earlier one. I thought that would be the end of the fight. My hit had knocked her off me, and I started to stand, but then that little bitch grabbed my hair and jerked me back down. I twisted out of her hold–though I'm pretty sure she took some hair away with her–and this time managed to fully pin her, throwing all my weight and strength into it as I pressed down. I knew it had to be painful but didn't really care. She'd started it. Besides, this skirmish had gone beyond defense. Pulling someone's hair was just playing dirty. Angeline made a few more attempts to break away, but when it became clear she couldn't, those around us began whistling and cheering. A few moments later, that dark and furious look vanished from Angeline's face, replaced by resignation. I eyed her warily, not about to let down my guard. â€Å"Fine,' she said. â€Å"I guess it's okay. Go ahead.' â€Å"Huh? What's okay?' I demanded. â€Å"It's okay if you marry my brother.'

Helping Children with Manners

Manners are constantly changing from one century or one generation to the next. For example, a handshake originally was meant to show that men were not carrying a sword or dagger in their hands. Men still tip their hats because once knights in armor lifted the visors of their helmets to show their faces. And it wasn't too many years ago that a man almost always got up in a crowded bus and gave his seat to a woman. Nevertheless, certain manners do survive from one decade to the next, and this is because manners make life easier for everybody. There are three important ideas behind the good manners we use today: custom, consideration, and common sense. Custom is the habit of doing certain things like shaking hands and tipping hats mentioned above. Consideration is the most important idea behind all good manners. Almost always, being considerate is being well-mannered. Consideration is simply thinking about the way the other person feels. Being rude to someone are bad manners, not because a book says so, but because it causes hurt feelings. Nearly all good manners have in element of common sense. If you are standing in the rear of a crowded elevator, it's neither reasonable-nor good manners-to try pushing your way to the front so you can get out first. These are the basic ideas we want to teach our children when we are trying to instill good manners-simple kindness, consideration, and common sense.   The following suggestions written for and directed to children may give some added authority in the matter of what is common courtesy and what is not. Manners at Home Home is where you learn to get along with people. ‘Me closer you live with other people, the more important good manners are. Everybody in a household should respect the rights and feelings of everybody else. Try to listen when others in the family have something to say. Even a little brother or sister who can't yet read or a grandmother who seems quite old has a right to an opinion. It is important for members of a family to consider each other's privacy. No matter how crowded a home is, everyone in it has a right to some place that is his own. Here are some privacy don'ts: Don't open a closed door until you have knocked and waited for permission to enter. Don't go into anyone else's bureau, desk, box, or papers at home or anywhere else without his permission. Don't read anyone's mail or anything he has written (for example, a diary) unless he asks you to. Don't discuss the private affairs of your family with outsiders or tell about a family problem. Another important part of family good manners is sharing. You share the TV set and the telephone and the bathroom and maybe a bedroom or a closet or a desk. You share the work. This means cleaning up after you and sharing the responsibility for the safety of everyone in the house. Telephone Manners Always give the person you are calling plenty of time to get to the phone before you hang up. If the person who answers is not the one you want, give your name and ask if you may speak to the person you've called. Ask, â€Å"May I speak to Tommy?† not â€Å"Is Tommy home!† If he isn't in, you may leave a message. If someone dials your number accidentally, accept his apology. Everyone sometimes dials a wrong number. No one intends to. If you accidentally dial a wrong number, excuse yourself. It is considerate to make phone calls at a time when they will not disturb people. Try not to call too early in the morning (before about 9:00) or too late at night (after about 9:30). Try not to call at mealtime. It's handy to keep a pencil and paper near the phone. If someone calls a member of the family who is not at home, ask the caller if he would Ilk to leave a message. If he does, be sure to get his name and number. 7 if you take a message are sure to remember to deliver it! Table Manners Most families have established their own table manners that are important to them. Here are a few that should be remembered when you are at home and when you are a guest Never reach for any food that is not right in front of you. Ask someone to pass it. And if you are passing something, don't help yourself along the way. If your food is too hot, wait for it to cool. Don't blow on it. If you put something in your mouth that's too hot, don't spit it out. Reach for your water and take a quick swallow. Don't talk with your mouth full. Bring your food up to your mouth rather than bending over to reach it. There are a few additional rules for eating in a restaurant: Don't be upset if you spill something. It happens all the time. The waiter will clean it up. Don't pick up your silverware if you drop it on the floor. Ask the waiter to replace it for you. Don't put packages or handbags on the table. Don't comb your hair at the table. Don't use a toothpick in public. Being a Guest We all know that we have certain responsibilities when we are the host or hostess. But there are responsibilities when one is guests that are equally important. Here are a few of them: Don't go visiting unless you're expected. Don't overstay your invitation. Don't expect to be waited on. Offer to help. Don't plan to stay overnight without consulting the hostess and your parents. Don't upset the family's routine. Try to fit in and (your part. Don't make extra work. Make your bed, straighten up after yourself. Be sure to say thank you for a meal or an overnight visit at a friend's house. Manners on the Street Unless you are at home or at a friend's house, you are on public property. Bemuse this property is used by many people, it is especially important that everyone use common sense and good manners. Here are some street don'ts: Don't walk in bunches so that you block others. Don't stop to chat in the middle of the sidewalk. Step to the side so that people won't have to move around you. Don't stare at or make fun of anyone, no matter how strange he may look. Don't be a litterbug. Don't mark on buildings or other public property. If you bump into someone or step on his toe, say you're sorry. A Final Note to Parents You have most likely already dealt with most of the above suggestions with your child. However, when it comes to manners, children need frequent reminders. One of the best ways to teach manners is to role-play; the parent takes the role of host or hostess, guest, salesperson, someone at the other end of the telephone, etc. This reduces the child's conception that the parent is nagging, and it is a technique that works. Website: www.childdevelopmentinfo.com

Benjamin Franklin Gender Roles

Gender and the Age of Reason â€Å"In these two books, we have the story of a young man coming of age and finding success in the world and the story of a young woman coming of age and failing to do so. In either book, what gender roles prevailed? † In The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, we are reading the path that one man took to go from a middle class child to a well respected adult. Benjamin Franklin created what we know today as the American dream. Today we understand the American dream to be that one can go from rags to riches with a little hard work.The autobiography is based around the age of reason and a time man was thought to be able to be perfected by means of science and invention. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is full of success, however, the male gender prevails much more than the female gender. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin begins in 1706, when Benjamin was born. He was the fifteenth of seventeen children. His father, Josiah, had intended t hat Benjamin go to school to become a minister. However, Benjamin showed a great love for reading and writing and soon enough the path to become a minister was abandoned.At age ten, he was soon taken out of school to begin work with his father Josiah. This work included making candles and soap. During this time, Ben’s father taught him the importance of debate, which would stick with Ben for the rest of his life. Not long after, Benjamin began to work for his brother James, a printer. Ben signed an eight year work contract with his brother. Ben disliked his fathers trade and preferred working for a printer because it allowed him to read and hone his writing skills. This brief history of Ben’s childhood alone shows the importance of the male gender during the 1700’s.A female would never have been given a job at a printing press or put through school in the same way that Benjamin was. His success began right when he was born because of his father putting him throu gh school and finding jobs for him. More importantly, his father teaching him the importance of debate is a groundbreaking moment. Benjamin Franklin is known as a political figure and scientist/inventor. Learning the importance of debate at such a young age clearly served him in great and many ways. Benjamin Franklin spent his teen years practicing his writing. In 1720, James started a newspaper known s the New England Courant. According to Franklin, this was the second newspaper in America. Franklin worked as a delivery boy and would publish his own writings anonymously. Franklin often disputed politics and books with another â€Å"bookish lad† by the name of John Collins. One of their arguments speaks directly about the female gender during the 1700’s. â€Å"A question was once, somehow or other, started between Collins and me, of the propriety of educating the female sex in learning, and their abilities for study. He was of opinion that it was improper†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Franklin, Benjamin.The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. New York: Bantam Books, 1982, pg 14. ) Collins shares the same views and mentalities that many men of the 1700’s shared. At the time, it was understood that education and teaching was not to be wasted on women. Not only was it a waste but Collins specifically states that it is improper. â€Å"I took to the contrary side, perhaps a little for disputes sake. † (Franklin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, 14. ) This statement, made by Benjamin Franklin, is of great importance. He goes against the general population, whether by choice or simply for the sake of argument.When he states that it was perhaps a little for disputes sake, he leaves room for the reader to assume that he was in fact for the education of women. That being said, this doesn’t mean he is wishing their success in following the American dream like many women are more than capable of doing today. Nonetheless, the fact that Franklin promotes their educational well-being at all is a big step and is of significance. Benjamin Franklin doesn’t mention too much about his own family’s success. However, the beginning of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is written as a letter to his son, William.William did succeed however, quite well in fact. He went on to be the royal governor of New Jersey in 1771. Benjamin’s wife, Deborah Read, was never mentioned as being a very successful woman. In fact, together, they lost a son who was only four years old at the time. This death is only given a brief mention, most likely in order to not relive the tragedy. Within Franklin’s family, the male gender prevails. The most significant sign of this is with William Franklin’s rise to royal governor of New Jersey. However, there is also a great deficit within the male gender of Franklin’s family.The passing of Franklin’s second son shows that while the male gender succeeded greatly d uring the Age of Reason, there was also a great loss as well. The 1700’s were designed for a male to succeed. From the beginning of the discovery of America, which was done by Columbus and mostly men, the male gender has taken leadership. It has taken nearly five hundred years for females to become as successful as they are today, and yet they still aren’t equal with men. In conclusion, even if it wasn’t by choice, Benjamin Franklin and the male gender in general were much more successful than the female gender during the 1700’s and the Age of Reason.

Burgertown Report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Burgertown Report - Research Paper Example 1.2 312 Staff Cost 127664 0.74 94.952 Total Variable Cost 406.952 Marginal Contribution 260000 0.00 295.048 Fixed Cost 83 Depreciation Cost 25 Total Fixed Cost 108 Profit Before Interest 187.048 & Tax (PBIT) Interest 30 12% on Rs. 250000 Profit Before Tax (PBT) 157.048 c) Break Even Point Fixed Cost / Marginal Contribution 95170.96 Per Unit As you can see above that by producing 95,170.96 units the total sales realized would be equal to the total cost and thus the firm would be under Break Even situation meaning thereby that they would be a no profit no loss situation. d) Margin of Safety Actual Sales - Break Even Sales 164829 (in volumes) The Firm is in a better situation as the Margin of Safety is in a much strong position both in terms of quantity as shown above and in percentage as shown below : = Margin of Safety / Total Sales * 100 164829 / 260000 * 100 = 63.40% f) No. of units to be produced extra to gain additional profit of Rs. 50,000 PARTICULARS No. of Units Rate Value Sales x 2.90 2.90x Variable Cost Cost of Meals x 1.2 1.2x Staff Cost x 0.74 0.74x Total Variable Cost x 1.94x Marginal Contribution 0.96x (Sales - Total Variable Cost) Fixed Cost (Break up given below) 173000 Depreciation Cost 25000 Total Fixed Cost 198000 Profit Before Interest 237048 & Tax (PBIT) (Stated that the profits would be 50,000 additional than the earlier profits Also Marginal Contribution = Fixed Cost + Profit Before Interest & Tax Therefore no. of units produced to achieve an additional profit of Rs. 50,000 would be (237048+198000) /... Some limitations are typically due to the lack of precision in the numbers (e.g., what is the actual price, is it purchase price or life cycle price) and getting the precise figures for fixed and variable costs. Beyond that, it is limited by its total focus on the quantitative elements of a business plan and doesn't consider competitive reactions, customer needs, etc. http://books.google.co.in/booksct=result&id=958o8MoaYmMC&dq=high- low+method++variable+labour+cost+per+meal+and+the+annual+fixed+labour+cost.&ots=RibYVyeuS7&pg=PA133&lpg=PA133&sig=ACfU3U2ievG4GwJltFY_kQEL94YQYXEaKw&q=high-low+method++variable+labour+cost+per+meal+and+the+annual+fixed+labour+cost.+#PPA135,M1

An american slave by Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Essay

An american slave by Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass - Essay Example In this book, Douglass narrated the life of a slave in the United States into finer details. This paper will give a description of life a slave in the United States was living, as narrated through the experiences of Fredrick Douglass. Life of a slave in the United States The narrative begins by informing the readers that slaves were kept in the dark about crucial issues in their lives such as their dates of births. The slaves, particularly those born in slavery, were not allowed to know such important aspects of their lives as birthdays. For instance, Douglass was not sure of his exact birth date. They were even kept in the dark on the identity of their parents, â€Å"I do not recollect ever seeing my mother by the light of day† (Douglass, 10). This implies that the slaves were separated from their biological parents at a tender age, and subjected to harsh living conditions. One of the slaves, Fredrick Douglass, was separated from his mother, Harriet Bailey, when he was seven years old. The slaves are not emotionally affected by the separation since they are separated from their parents at a tender age and they become used to living without their parents. Slaves are subjected to harsh conditions of slavery, despite their parents or even relatives being the slaveholders. Slaves start to witness brutal acts of slavery at a very young age. The slave masters did not care whether their children or relatives were undergoing the harsh conditions of slavery. It is believed that Douglass’ father owned the slaves, â€Å"the opinion was whispered that my master was my father; but of the correctness of this opinion I know nothing.... My mother and I were separated when I was but an infant† (p 10). Slave masters use totalitarianism as a means of monitoring their subjects. The slaves are required to behave in a particular manner when they are interacting with their masters. Slaves themselves encounter cruel interaction among their peers and slave holders . Slave masters administer fears among the slaves, since this is what keeps them going. When they speak the truth, they are penalized by their owners. Ignorance is a slavery tool that is widely used by slaveholders to administer acts of slavery. Initially, many individuals were made to believe that slavery was a natural occurrence. People believed that blacks did not have the capability of actively participating in their civil rights, and therefore should be owned by white community. In this narrative, the whites are depicted as individuals who access power and keep blacks from the time they are born till they die. Slaves are ignorant of important aspects in their lives, not because they like it, but are forced to be in this status. The ignorance that is enforced ensures that the slave children are deprived of the individual identity sense. However, as the children tend to grow older, they secretly learn how to read and write as a means of acquiring literacy, resulting into their se lf sufficiency sense. According to the slaveholders, literacy would make the slaves be on the know-how of their rights and in turn question the whites on why they are keeping them. Ignorance is also used by slaveholders as a means of maintaining active control over what the rest of the world knows about acts of slavery. In this regard, if the slaves are not able to write, their brutal experience would not be exposed to the outside world. When slave masters discovered that the slaves were secretly learning how

Risck Factor for colon cancer related to Obesity Essay

Risck Factor for colon cancer related to Obesity - Essay Example It is advised that individuals should add a lot of fiber and calcium intake in their diet to reduce the chances of acquiring colon cancer. Moreover, people should be conscious of their weight and maintain an ideal weight to prevent complications that are linked with being overweight or obese. This paper will discuss the risk factor for colon cancer related to obesity. Colon cancer is discovered in its asymptomatic or premalignant stages, and there is a possibility for cure and prevention. Colon cancer can be considered as an illness confined to an anatomically and geometrically clear plane of flesh that is easily accessible to direct assessment. Colon cancer starts as benign polyps which develop slowly into cancer. A polyp is the flesh protuberance from the colon mucosa and the greater the polyp, the higher the risk. Colon cancer grows directly from the inner lining via the muscle wall of the bowel and into neighboring tissues. The tumor may metastasize direct to the liver through the portal vein, the lymphatic system to adjacent lymph nodes and rarely through the bloodstream to the lungs or bones. In the early stages, colon cancer produces no symptoms. Patients experience blood in the stool, cramping pain in the lower abdomen and rectal bleeding are a sign of advanced disease. Digital rectal examination (DRE) is employed to reveal 15% of colon c ancer (Lippincott & Wilkins, 2013). Colon cancer arises from two kinds of precursor polyps through two clear pathways: serrated adenomas according to the serrated adenoma-to-carcinoma theory and conventional adenomas by the conventional adenoma-to-carcinoma sequence. The conventional adenomas result from mutation of the APC gene; advancement to colon cancer is a multistep procedure. The important genetic defect in serrated adenomas is not known. Furthermore, diet also contributes to the development of colon cancer. Diets with high fat and low fiber

China. Economic Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

China. Economic Analysis - Essay Example Amongst the top three economies of the world, and just after United States has more stable condition after the international recession as the world recovers from it five years after the biggest slump hit the entire globe. The trade partners stretch far and wide and its industries are strong enough to manufacture all kinds of stuff, with specialization in electronics in modern times. China has the largest population bench in the world, and thereby resources are needed to accommodate the citizens. Energy sources are a serious concern, for this purpose the government in recent years has started focusing on energy sources besides the conventional sources. Nuclear power plants and other renewable energy sources are in line for this purpose. Only recently did China become the world’s largest exporter to all parts of the world. This despite being the recession that has hit the entire world with its storm. While the period from 2008 to 2011 marked severe lows in the world market, chin a has shown better performances in terms of their economic growth, their exports and other variables. They have devised policies that ensure minimizing the deficit and losses due to recession. Though it would be a biased statement to say that it was not hit by the recession, it’s wise and safe to say that the policies crafted by Chinese helped resisting the global recession in a better and organized manner. Government has contributed in the field of state owned organizations and with its efforts has aimed at revamping the entire structure to strengthen this sector. In recent times, the G.D.P growth has come down slightly to a single digit value (Mundi). This has to do with the international recession, the domestic demand increase and various other factors. Still considering the nature of recession all over, this is considerable resistance with regard to the G.D.P decrease. Down slide on Chinese graph of economy and G.D.P will definitely effect the other pats of the world and their economies since its economy, exports and investments are spread are spread all over in the local markets(The Economist Online). Chinese exports find a large market in Europe and considering the inter dependence, with Europe still strangled deep into the economic crisis and with Euro issues looming dark over their markets, being a global player China is, it is bound to feel the heat from the Europe side and this could impact its G.D.P and overall economy’s progress. China’s success can be attributed to its separation of currencies on local and international front. Without any surprise people are advocating this form of approach for the euro crisis as well. After the policy change from 1980s, China’s policy depended largely on the private sector organizations, however having stabilized that pole, their forte in recent times has been the governmental organizations. They have regularized them, brought about necessary changes and provided them with the necessar y security that would be demanded for the investors who are willing to invest in the state owned organizations. This is aided by the incentives attached to the investments in the government sector by both the local investors and the foreign investors. Having identified the achievements and the pluses that are there, there are obstacles at the same time that are being faced by the Chinese government and economy. One of these is the small domestic demand; this has largely got to do with the low capita income in domestic. The per capita income zone has the margin for improvement as it is relatively lower compared to other parts of the world and especially those countries that are in the rank and have some say and command over the international markets. Other problems and challenges faced include the handling of the large number of immigrants

How well has poverty reduction policy in Turkey succeeded Essay

How well has poverty reduction policy in Turkey succeeded - Essay Example Attacking poverty had been one of the main aims in the world in recent times and Turkey had been no exception. It is important to know more about the programme and assess how well Public economic management in Turkey is progressing. No doubt, poverty reduction cannot be done in a few years, or as a result of a few policies. This has to be based on a very sound continuous economic programmes and right directions. All over the world, there are many impediments in the way of poverty eradication. In the world of globalization, economic change also depends on many other world problems and economic fluctuations. Hence, expecting an overnight result cannot be exactly practical. In the Press Release No. 39, September 19-20, 2006, Ali Babacan, Governor of the IMF for Turkey, said in the 2006 Annual Meetings of Board of Governors held at Singapore held: â€Å"Inflation is likely to exceed the 2006 target mainly because of adverse energy and commodity price developments. However, it is expected that, in the medium term, it will converge to our target. Current account deficit has widened on account of rising cost of energy imports and accelerating investments whereas the composition of the financing significantly improved by the increasing long term capital inflows† http://www.imf.org/external/am/2006/speeches/pr39e.pdf Turkish economy has undergone a series of changes with the tightening of the fiscal policy and central banking. This does not mean that Turkish economy does not have any worth-mentioning growth. It is considered to be one of the fastest growing economies, in spite of many connected cultural, social and economic problems.

Management and Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management and Research - Essay Example 3. Innovation in business is a route that represents a high risk for any business endeavor. A higher risk implies the possibility of failure is more likely than normal. Many times the technological concept is solid, but not economically viable. Another deterrent is when a firm runs out of funds to continue developing a concept or the market does not accept a new product despite its technological superiority. 1. An individual can achieve an internal state of mind that allows for creativity since the person controls all dimensions to take the idea and convert into innovation that creates income or contributes a valuable service to society. Universities use innovation as a general guideline to foster R&D. Companies focus on innovation to create value. Governmental organizations use innovation to spark economic activity. Non-profit organizations value innovation since it opens new doors that lead to solutions to solve social, environmental, and other community concerns. \ 4. The relationship between company creativity as a function of the creativity of the individual associated with the firm is a hypothesis that a mathematical model could test to determine the correlation between the independent and dependent variable. In a business model with multiple variables such as structures, routines, incentives, etc. a multivariable regression model can accomplish the desired objective. A company that uses employee creativity to as part of its operating activities is IBM with its wide array of personalized high tech business solutions. 5. Collaborative research agreements allow for technological transfers among participants in the research alliance. Different geographical points across earth have certain characteristics that are unique to the region and may be of interest for foreign investigators, thus collaborative research agreements are imperative to foster

Studies in International Film Critical Analysis Essay

Studies in International Film Critical Analysis - Essay Example They produced films which were dream like with flawless linear narrative and with little relation with the realities of life outside the theatre. They conceived of a star system to help the marketing of these films. Hollywood films were exported all around the world and just after the World War 1 Hollywood Cinema was the major influence in the world of cinema globally. Both the German expressionism as well as the Soviet Montage movement countered this Hollywood supremacy and its concept of Cinema. The Soviet Montage: Cinema had evolved a language through the classics of Edwin Porter (The Great Train Robbery – 1905) and D.W Griffith (Birth of a Nation -1915), both of course from Hollywood. But it was the era of silent Soviet cinema of the 20s that gave this language a grammer.The grammer is decided by the director and not by the actor. Actor, unlike in the Hollywood star system was yet another object in front of the camera. After the 1917 October revolution, young film makers i n Soviet Union, began working on building a new cinema for the new society. They experimented with the camera and with the shots on the edit table. Lev Kuleshov (1899-1970) was the leader of these experiments in the State Film School. His famous experiment with the stock shot of the face of the actor Ivan Mosjoukin proved that a single shot generated no particular meaning. Two shots juxtaposed and clashing with each other generate a concept or idea in the mind of the spectator. Thus cinema happens not on the screen but in the mind of the spectator. Sergei Eisenstein, the most famous disciple of Kuleshov, clarifies it like this: â€Å"A work of art understood dynamically is just a process of arranging images in the feelings and minds of the spectator (Word and Image, Film Sense PP 17). Vsevolod Pudovkin (Mother -1926) and Dziga Vertov (The Man with a Movie Camera -1929) were the other disciples of Kuleshove. Battleship Potemkin: Sergei Eisenstein is not only a master film maker, but also one of the most prominent film theoretician in the history of world cinema. He developed the concept of montage further and found out five different types of montage possible-- Metric Montage which concentrates on the contradictory lengths of the shots, Rhythmic Montage which concentrates on the contradictory movements within the shot, Tonal montage based on the contradiction of color tones or emotional tones, Over tonal Montage depending on the over tones / under tones of color and Intellectual montage, consequential images juxtaposed and generating an intellectual idea. Battleship Potemkin made in 1925 carries all the five types of montages at different stages of the development of the film and hence is a text book for the Soviet Montage theory. The film is based on the incidents of 1905 revolution. The crew of a battleship revolts against the officers on account of bad meat served to them. The officers oppress the revolt and the leader of the rebellion is killed. But the re bellious crew captures the control of the ship which moves to the port of Odessa. The people of the port town join the rebels and start sending the badly needed supplies to the rebellious ship. Suddenly the military appears to take revenge against the people, and the people are shot down brutally on the steps of Odessa. The battle ship returns fire to the military head quarters. The guns are

Sales and Operational Planning in Supply Chain Management Research Paper

Sales and Operational Planning in Supply Chain Management - Research Paper Example This is a scenario that may be inevitable for Stone Horse Supply Company. There is even the possibility of legal challenges as to which business ventured into a particular market first in order to provide a service. If the company expanded or grew its portfolio it could be taken as an entry into a field or market where they are not supposed to be in. Despite this, it is highly recommended that the company’s sales and operational planning transcends its boundaries. The only thing it has to do is to balance the fact that it is a commercial enterprise with the usual commercial pressures, and its current relationships are very crucial (Jacobs, 2011). As a result of this, there is a need to be continuously aware of points and blends of likely conflict. In short, Stone Horse Supply Company only has to know when and how it should expand and offer its services, products and skills. Sales and operational planning is composed of and stretch across many boundaries (Weele, 2010). In order to effectively manage it, managers, policy makers of Stone Horse Supply Company need to understand their different reaches and the organizational implications underlying these reaches or boundaries. The company needs to carry out a clear definition of its boundaries as an initial step in managing its sales and operational planning and identifying its spheres of concern, influence, control and constraints. A lot of boundaries exist and can be determined. Each and every boundary can be presented through many layers of analysis. Sales and operational planning that transcends the company’s boundaries is known to be very responsive to the demands of customers and also has the capacity and capability to quickly match and keep up with demand through mass customization or postponement (Crandall, 2010). As a result of this, it is very agile (especially at the downstream end) in terms of responding to customer demands. By building and managing a sales and

Prelab for Calibration of Volumetric Glassware Essay Example for Free

Prelab for Calibration of Volumetric Glassware Essay 1). Weigh a 50 mL Erlenmeyer flask. Make sure the glassware is clean and free of any cracks or stars. Also, take note of the temperature of water, as volume varies with temperature 2). Transfer a portion of the water to flask with a pipette and record the mass of flask with the water. Use this data to calculate how much water was transferred from the pipette to the flask. 3). Repeat step two 4 times, ensuring the remaining results are similar to the first trial. Use this data to calculate the mean amount of water transferred and the standard deviation between the data points. Calibration of a 50 mL Buret: 1). Fill the buret with 50 mL of the temperature-equilibrated water. Be as precise as possible in order to obtain reliable data. If the volume changes over a period of a few minutes, obtain a new buret. Be sure to obtain the temperature of the water as well. 2). Weigh a 125 mL Erlenmeyer flask with its stopper. Again, make sure the flask is sanitary and has no cracks or stars. 3). At a rate of 20 mL/min, open the buret stopper and allow 10.00 mL of water to submerge into the flask. Remember to seal off the flask as soon as the water stops in order to minimize evaporation. 4). Using the technique of reading meniscus’s, record the volume reading for the buret to the hundreds place. The last significant digit may be an approximation. 5). Weigh of the stopped Erlenmeyer flask with the water on a scale. Determine the quantity of water transferred from the buret by finding the mass difference from the flask with no water vs. the new weight. 6). Repeat the steps from three to five four more times for the remaining volume of the buret and repeat the whole procedure again with a new 50 mL volume. Remember to record all data. Also, make sure to repeat data that is not duplicated correctly to ensure accurate and precise results. 7). Use the correction data from table one in order to find the true volume of water transferred based on the temperature. Create tables of the recorded data as well as a plot of the correction data with the apparent volume with labeled axis. Perform Calculations 8). Dispose of all glassware and materials accordingly and clean up the lab area. Hazards: No harmful chemicals will be dealt with in this lab. The only safety hazard is to be cautious of broken or chipped glassware that may cut one’s skin. Make sure to report any mutilated glassware to TA and accidents in the lab must be handled properly.

Red Ocean and Blue Ocean Approach

Red Ocean and Blue Ocean Approach Introduction â€Å"Blue Ocean Strategy† by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne is a strategy that challenges companies to distance itself away from fierce competition by establishing uncontested market space that makes existing competition irrelevant. One of the reasons why the authors have used the colours red and blue is to describe the market. Red ocean is the market space where industry boundaries are defined and known. The red ocean contains a massive conflict between companies where they are constantly trying to outperform each other to achieve a greater share or demand. Kim and Mauborgne explains in an interview that when market spaces become crowded with competitors, companies try out perform each other and profits and growth is greatly reduced due to cutthroat style competition which turns the red ocean bloody. In contrast, blue oceans is the unknown market space where it is unaffected by competition and demand is created rather than fought for. In blue oceans, competition is not relevant because the rules or barriers to the market space is not set yet and is often waiting to be set. The Authors uses the blue ocean analogy to describe the uncontested market space with no competitors and the opportunity to explore. The analogy of a blue ocean can be associated with profitability and growth being â€Å"vast†, â€Å"deep† and â€Å"powerful†. Traditional approaches to competitive strategies are highly influenced by Michael E. Porter. Kim and Mauborgne present to us in their book a fresh approach to make the competition irrelevant. In this paper I will discuss the differences between conventional red ocean strategies which are influenced by Porter and Kim and Mauborgnes blue ocean strategy. Furthermore, the paper will discuss the differences between the SWOT analysis and the four actions framework. Competing in existing market space versus Creating new market space The red ocean represents the existing market space where there is always a constant intensity of rivalry to fight for market share. To successfully operate in a red ocean, it is important for companies to conduct competitor analysis to allow them to stay updated on what their competitors are doing and what they are planning to do. Red ocean strategies represent approaches to protecting and stealing market share from competitors. According to DAveni, market share can be stolen by companies satisfying their competitors customers better. To compete in the existing market space, companies need to mould their services or products in line with the customers liking through refining existing products or creating new to the world products. However, the bloody cutthroat competition of the red ocean most often causes companies to develop similar or replications of products or services of the competitor that has done well. In the red ocean where competition is based on price and quality, being a first mover is an important advantage because by being flexible a company can adjust easily to external changes such as customer demands and trends. By being a first mover, the company gets benefits such as low costs and economies of scale. I think this is also the reason why the red ocean is so bloody because similar products and services have been refined and replicated over and over again with low cost, it has caused companies to be afraid to look into new options and therefore in a constant battle to fight for market share by cutting profit margins lower and lower. For the companies that succeed in gaining a competitive advantage by being a first mover, it is important for them to exploit the opportunity of that advantage as much as they can because very soon the competition will catch on to it. The tradition theory to competing in existing market space is focused on building your company through analysing competitors. In contrast, Blue Ocean refers to all the industries that are not in existent. In the opening chapter of the Blue Ocean Strategy book, Kim and Mauborgne suggest that the only way to beat the competition is to stop trying to beat the competition. This is a complete contrast to conventional red ocean strategies because instead of analysing competitors, and try out perform them, Blue Ocean Strategy encourage companies to differentiate or break away from the existing market space, hence making competition irrelevant. The authors suggest that there are many ways to create blue oceans. In few cases, companies can establish completely new industries. An example of this is what eBay did with online auctioning. Blue ocean strategy says a company can create a blue ocean market space by innovating a new product or service mainly focusing on new to the world services. However I believe developing new to the world services come with high risk and expenses but if done correctly can be very profita ble. Kim and Mauborgne argue that most companies tend to adapt to new trends rather than trying to shape new trends. What the authors mean by this is that companies make actions directed at keeping up with trends and dont look across time or look at the big picture. They argue that to create a untapped market space, companies need to find trends that are observable today and look at the big picture and see what happens to the value it will have in the future. A prime example of how a company successfully executed this strategy would be Apple. Apple studied and monitored the growing trend of music sharing over the internet during the last decade through software used illegally such as LimeWire and Kazaa. The trend of music sharing became clear to Apple and they took the opportunity and created the online iTunes music store in 2003 which distributed music legally. Red Ocean and Blue Ocean approach to industry boundaries Red ocean markets are large and the rate of product innovation is low. Therefore the market is usually heavily populated by competition and there are a set of rules that is known. In the hostile red ocean environment, companies strive to outperform each other in order to control market share and demand. As the market space gets crowded, growth and profits are greatly reduced and a price war is begun. Competition based strategies have been the main fundamentals of strategic thinking over the past decades and as a result, most companies benchmark themselves towards competition. In contrast, blue ocean strategy emphasises on finding and exploiting market space. The authors argue that companies must realise that in order to be successful long-term, they need to stop competing and benchmarking the competition. It is important for companies to view the competition from a broad perspective and consider industries that produce alternatives with the same functions and forms to satisfy the end customer. According to Kim and Mauborgne, most companies concentrate on improving the competitive position within a segment and focus on outperforming competition in the same segment. They argue that is it imperative to understand the actions of competitors in other segments not only the one your company is in. To be able to create a blue ocean environment, companies need to understand the factors that influence the customers decisions to change segments such as price and performance. Blue ocean strategy also focuses on looking across chain of buyers. By changing the industry tradition of which buyer group to target and looking across the chain of buyers, companies can get an insight on how to focus on overlooked groups of buyers. Kim and Mauborgne discuss the importance of considering the whole chain of buyers including purchasers, actual users and influencers. By focusing on all of these groups the company can break away form the competition and create a blue ocean environment and the competition would become irrelevant because the industry boundaries are waiting to be created. An example of an Australian organisation that has used this strategy is wine manufacturer Casella Wines. Casella Wines broke free from the boundaries of the domestic competition and moved towards the US market through implementing blue ocean strategy and targeting a segment which was not tainted yet which was the non-wine drinking population. Differentiation and Cost cutting The traditional red ocean view focuses on the importance of creating just one competitive advantage. Porter (1980) has developed recognised theories that describe the three types of competitive strategies as cost leadership, differentiation and focus. Porter emphasises the danger of a company being in the middle of the strategies and the importance of clearly selecting one strategy. If an organisation tries to operate with multiple strategies, it will supposably lose its competitive advantage and focus.

Fundamental Changes Of Marketing On The Internet Information Technology Essay

Fundamental Changes Of Marketing On The Internet Information Technology Essay Describe the important Internet properties that affect marketing and the fundamental changes the Internet has brought to marketing. In a fast-paced society, everything has to be done in an instant. Everything costs more. Everything moves faster like bricks and mortar. The good thing is that we can have anything we want in just one click. We have the different technological advances right within our reach time efficient and cost effective- which make our way of life more convenient. All of these realities of modern society have been in the name of progress. One of the most popular, most obvious technological advances at present is the Internet, which provides the users convenience from entertainment to education and from personal concerns to business matters. Indeed, the Internet introduces many unique benefits to marketing including low costs in distributing information and media to a global audience. Internet has brought so much impact on marketing and help to increase the sales of a company goods and product faster than before and even more efficient. Internet has also brings so much benefit and convenience to both company and also customers. As example of the benefits are such as time saver and such convenience for the customer as they can have their shop or make transaction at their own pace and just one click away. Internet also makes marketing more flexible where any business transaction can be done anytime, anywhere even from home. Internet has also helps to enhance the customer services as they can share information and keeps their transaction save and easily shop later on. This also helps to promote and distribute the companys goods and products faster and more reliable. QUESTION 2 What concerns about customer privacy are raised by the increased use of wireless computing and handheld devices outside the home or workplace? Customer privacy are raised by the increased use of wireless computing and handheld devices outside the home or workplace has made the concerns in which a security issues where the data or information of some particular person or company can be exposed or shared without permission hence it will risk the person or company at target if it is used by irresponsible individual or agencies. It will also increase the high possibility of virus spread either it is by intention or unintentionally by sharing the accessibility of the wireless network to outsiders. This will cause a big risk or damage to the network itself. So, it needs to be control and monitor at times. Other than the spread of virus, cookies and spam are also a big issues to the wireless computing plus nowadays the mobile internet have expand faster than any conscious internet device that can be found nowadays, this will also affect the customer privacy anywhere they connect to the network. QUESTION 3 How will social media and consumer-generated content change the way marketers operate? Social Media Will Become a Single, Cohesive Experience Embedded In Our Activities and Technologies. By this time next year, social media will no longer be social media it will be an integrated, unquestionable component of your online and offline experience. Last year we spoke of cross-platform integration across media sites. Open APIs and OpenID made that possible and even LinkedIn announced last month that it too will finally open its APIs. 2010 will be about integration and a single, cohesive experience across platforms as well as across products and devices Web, mobile, TV, and video will become near-inseparable experiences. Users will access content from any device or platform, co-create and mash up their photos, videos and text with traditional content while interacting with each other. Publishers will create new kinds of content for the connected world, and the last years lull in good entertainment will finally be lifted. This trend will cut across all of our activities from playing games to shopping to emailing and texting nothing will be lost; everything we do will be gathered and streamed together, allowing people to view their world of activities as if it were projected in front of them, open to change, review and input at any point in time from any device or online tool. Social media innovation will no longer be limited by technology. With web technology maturing and the near-elimination of previous barriers such as closed platforms and discrete logins, companies will now look to innovate the way they use existing technology, rather than focus on technology enhancements themselves. We will see a move to leverage existing assets content and capabilities in new ways, turning information to wisdom and insight to action. Whereas once user research required focus groups and usability tests, companies will utilize the Webs capabilities to achieve the same. Naturally occurring conversations will be utilized in product innovation and design, and companies will create incentives for peoples attention and engagement while repurposing and analyzing content and engagement in new ways that will deliver valuable input. Mobile will take center stage. As the technological barriers come down, people will increasingly use their phones on-the-go to access social networks, search, read content and find location-based information. Our phones will be used as a central hub and beacon enabling a slew of new capabilities and experiences and enterprises will shape the next generation of what we would call Social Media. QUESTION 4 It is observed that the global Internet has driven styles, tastes, and product to coverage and create a more homogeneous, global marketplace, and creating an online monoculture. Explain the observation. Internet has expand and evolve from one stage to another in just less than two decades and at the same time it has also brought revolution to marketing and increase the population of internet shoppers even more bigger than any population of other technology users. Marketing has become more styles, customer-friendly, product expansion and business reach directly to their buyers home. Many companies have changed their marketing style to more internet comprehension and sent their marketers to training and learn how to reach their customers through internet and increase their products coverage. Recently, year 2010, mobile internet has been introduced with the competition between mobile manufacturer as Blackberry, Apple and Android, the internet has been easier and just on our hand anywhere, anytime. This has stimulated the increase of ways for marketers to promote their product through email, Facebook and also Twitter. Many organizations and even individual has made a lot of income through internet marketing by promoting their products on others websites and people also gain a lot of benefits through this. Some example of successful organizations that manage to make fortune out of this was Amazon of selling books, eBay of bidding transaction, GSM Company that provides products such as mobile and other latest technologies and so on. Internet marketing also has made a huge change to the companys profitability and maximizes their income to beyond what they can achieve before internet affect their marketing styles. Internet on marketing also has increase the companys return on marketing investment and made a new direction to the ways of organization or business including B2B, B2C, and even C2C.

Deanna Favre Essay -- Biography Biographies Bio

Deanna Tynes Favre is an American activist for the fight against the disease of breast cancer. After being diagnosed in 2004 she started the Deanna Favre Hope Foundation to raise money and awareness for women around the country. She is the wife of NFL quarterback Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers and has two beautiful daughters. She is now a proud survivor of breast cancer and shares a strong belief in God as a Catholic. Deanna was born December 1968 in Kiln, Mississippi. She was born to Ann, a single mother. When Deanna was young her mother married a man named Kerry Tynes. Deanna was later adopted by Kerry and acquired two siblings, a half-sister Christie and a half-brother Casey. Deanna met Brett Favre, her later in life to be husband, in school. They attended the same school since early childhood. They began dating in high school during Deanna’s sophomore year, and Brett’s freshman year. They continued dating all through high school and into college. When high school ended in 1986 Deanna attended Poparville Mississippi Community College on a basketball scholarship. After attending school there for a few years Deanna transferred to the University of Southern Mississippi. There she studied to complete her bachelor’s degree in exercise science. During college, when Deanna was nineteen, she became pregnant and gave birth to Favre’s daughter, Brittany Nichole, on February 6, 1989 (Deanna Favre). Deanna knew premarital sex was wrong, but for whatever reason did it any way. She knew she was going to keep the baby from the moment she found out she was pregnant, even if it meant putting her career goals on hold. As a strong believer in the Catholic faith Deanna was totally against abortions and also did not want t... ...2. Southern Mississippi University B. Daughter C. Brett’s addictions 1. Vicodin 2. Drinking D. Marriage III. Cancer A. Breast B. Treatment IV. After Cancer A. Foundation 1. Deanna’s HOPE foundation 2. Brett’s FOREWARD foundation B. Books 1. â€Å"Don’t Bet Against Me: Beating the Odds Against Breast Cancer and in Life† 2. Bible V. Family and Life Now Works Cited Favre, Deanna.†A letter from Deanna Favre†. (29 January 2008) â€Å"Deanna Favre†. The Wikipedia encyclopedia Favre> (29 January 2008) Favre, Deanna and Brett. Personal interview by Fox. 26 September 2007 Lucero, Sam â€Å"Green Bay Packers Brett Favre and Deanna Credit Catholic Faith.† 2007 (29 January 2008) â€Æ'

Napster Dilemma :: essays research papers

A major business ethics issue has surfaced which has a dramatic impact on the recording industry and may affect additional industries. As this issue of our newsletter goes to press, the 9th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals in San Francisco, California should be close to rendering a decision in the Napster case. This case has been in the limelight for several months, and many people are following it with great interest since they have important stakes in its outcome. Many college and university students, faculty and administrators have been particularly tuned in to the case, since Napster is very popular on campuses. Regardless of its outcome, the case is expected to transcend the parties involved and have an immense impact on the future of cyberspace, the internet, and the information highway. In this article, I will bring the readers up to date on the case, including the court arguments presented in support of both sides. As one can imagine, the legal documents in the case are very voluminous, technical and complex. So to make it easier for the reader to follow, I am presenting the key points in layman's terms. What is Napster and how does it work? In early 1999, Shawn Fanning, a Northeastern University freshman, created Napster software. That summer he made it available for free through his Napster.com website. Napster is a peer-to-peer technology, which makes it possible for users to freely share their music files through the internet with other users all over the world. Specifically, this is how Napster works: A user sends a request for a song. Napster checks its database of music to see if the song is on the PC hard-drive of another Napster user whose computer is turned on (Note: No music is stored on Napster servers). Napster finds the song. Napster sends the song in MP3 format to the user who requested it. What is the controversy and status of the case? The record industry alleges that Napster is engaging in or assisting others in copying copyrighted music without payment or the express permission of the rights owner. The chronology of the case is, as follows: December 6, 1999: the record industry sued Napster in Federal District Court for copyright infringements, and petitioned that court to shut down Napster. July 26, 2000: the judge issued a temporary injunction to shut down Napster. July 27, 2000: Napster appealed the ruling before the U.

cold war Essay -- essays research papers

The cold War The Cold War was a response to the perceived threat by the United States that Communism would interfere with national security and economic stakes in the world. It was a perceived threat by communist countries that the United States would take to the world. During the Cold War, the United States, Russia, and other countries made efforts to avoid another world war, while warring in proxy in other lands. The devastation caused by the hydrogen bombs exploded in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the next technological advancements became only deterrents to the public. Governments had their own agenda which would result in worsening the strain between nations. The United States hid behind a curtain of nationalism resulting in increased hatred and mistrust between the people of the United States and Russia. Noam Chomsky reminds us that Communism is a broad term that includes those with the ability to get control of mass movements. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles once stated that, â€Å"The poor people are the ones they appeal to and they have always wanted to plunder the rich.† So, in one view, the U.S. felt they must be overcome, to protect our doctrine that the rich should ravage the poor. This became another motivation for the Cold War. In his historical account of the events leading to the Cold War, Jacob Heilbrunn reports that after World War II, â€Å"realists†¦ agreed that Soviet aggrandizement was responsible for the cold war.† (Heilbrunn) They felt the reason, rather than Communism, Heilbrunn notes, was that â€Å"Stalin was pursuing Russian national interests that dated back to the czars.† Others, however, accused the president and Congress â€Å"of following a consistent policy of economic imperialism, â€Å" tracing it back to the â€Å"Open Door Diplomacy of the nineteenth century, which outlined â€Å"an insatiable American appetite for new [economic] markets.† (Heilbrunn) Heilbrunn says that Gabriel Kolko also felt th at Roosevelt’s anti-Russia stance was formed to create dominance by the United States in world economic markets. (Heilbrunn) Heilbrunn says that Leffler’s A Preponderance of Power, has become the â€Å"sacred text of the neo-revisionists.† (Heilbrunn) Leffler claims that U.S. security policy was established between 1940 and 1946 based on geopolitics, not economics. Truman was far from fearing a Soviet military attack and was defending American economic stability... ...not easy accomplishments but were satisfied by the constant insistence of the threat of the great enemy. This phase has ended, but conflicts continue. The Soviet Union may have called off the war, but the U.S. is continuing as before, even more freely with Soviet obstruction a thing of the past. George Bush celebrated the symbolic end of the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, by immediately invading Panama and announcing that the U.S. would overturn Nicaragua’s election by maintaining its economic stranglehold and military attack unless â€Å"our side† won. With the threat of the Soviet Union no longer existing the U.S. is now free to use unlimited force against almost anyone it may choose. The end of the Cold War has caused its problems too as new enemies have needed to be invented. This problem has been solved quite easily if you were to look at the United States’ current international footing. A new and possibly better convincing enemy has been found i n the likes of Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. The U.S. government has continued a policy of convincing the American public of the great evil existing elsewhere to achieve their economic, technological and defensive objectives.

my SWOT Essay

Brochure More information from http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/641109/ London Biscuits BHD Description: Quantitative analyses of financial statements (Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Sources of Capital), extensive ratio tables (Accounting, Asset Utilization, Employee Efficiency, Fixed Charges Coverage, Leverage Analysis, Liquidity Analysis, Per-share Data and Profitability Analysis) and proprietary Wright Quality Rating analyses tables. The Wright Quality Rating, a measure of corporate risk, examines the liquidity of the stock, financial strength, profitability and corporate growth characteristics of London Biscuits BHD. There is a textual review of the financial results of London Biscuits BHD versus Cocoaland Holdings Bhd, Apollo Food Holdings Berhad and Teck Guan Perdana Berhad. The comparative analysis of these companies compares Sales (sales, sales growth and sales per employee), Company Valuations (Price/Earnings, Price/Book, Price/Sales and 52-Week Price Change) and Financial Position (Long-term Debt/Equity). Also included for London Biscuits BHD are the Company Description, Recent Stock Performance, Profitability Analysis, Dividend Analysis, and Key Data Items (Ticker, Major Industry, Sub-Industry, Fiscal Year End Month, Employees, Share Type, Market Capitalization, Total Shares Outstanding and Number of Closely Held Shares.) Additional research for London Biscuits BHDincludes tables with up to 10-years of history of computed ratios, sales, earnings, and security prices. Contents: This product typically includes the following sections: Company Fundamentals – Company Profile – Comparative Business Analysis – Summary Analysis per Share – Sales Analysis – Price Analysis – Earnings and Dividends Analysis Financial Statement Analyses – Balance Sheet – Common Size – Balance Sheet – Year-Year Percent Change – Balance Sheet – Five-Year Averages- Income Statement – Common Size – Income Statement – Year-Year Percent Change – Income Statement – Five-Year Averages- Sources of Capital Financial Ratio Analyses – Accounting Ratios— Asset Utilization— Employee Efficiency– Fixed Charges Coverage – Leverage Analysis – Liquidity Analysis— Per-Share Data – Profitability Analysis Wright Quality Rating Analyses – Investment Acceptance – Financial Strength – Profitability and Stability – Corporate Growth Notes: – Report is included when there are five or more years of data history. — Report is included when employee counts are available. —These reports are not produced for Financial Companies. Ordering: Order Online – http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/641109/ Order by Fax – using the form below Order by Post – print the order form below and send to Research and Markets, Guinness Centre, Taylors Lane, Dublin 8, Ireland. Page 1 of 2 Fax Order Form To place an order via fax simply print this form, fill in the information below and fax the completed form to 646-607-1907 (from USA) or +353-1-481-1716 (from Rest of World). If you have any questions please visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/contact/ Order Information Please verify that the product information is correct. Product Name: London Biscuits BHD Web Address: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/641109/ Office Code: OC8DIPRONORURY Product Format Please select the product format and quantity you require: Quantity Electronic (PDF) Single User: â‚ ¬75 Contact Information Please enter all the information below in BLOCK CAPITALS Title: First Name: Mr Mrs Dr Miss Last Name: Email Address: * Job Title: Organisation: Address: City: Postal / Zip Code: Country: Phone Number: Fax Number: * Please refrain from using free email accounts when ordering (e.g. Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL) Ms Prof Page 2 of 2 Payment Information Please indicate the payment method you would like to use by selecting the appropriate box. Pay by credit card: American Express Diners Club Master Card Visa Cardholder’s Name Cardholder’s Signature Expiry Date Card Number CVV Number Issue Date (for Diners Club only) Pay by check: Please post the check, accompanied by this form, to: Research and Markets, Guinness Center, Taylors Lane, Dublin 8, Ireland. Pay by wire transfer: Please transfer funds to: Account number 833 130 83 Sort code 98-53-30 Swift code ULSBIE2D IBAN number IE78ULSB98533083313083 Bank Address Ulster Bank, 27-35 Main Street, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. If you have a Marketing Code please enter it below: Marketing Code: Please note that by ordering from Research and Markets you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions at http://www.researchandmarkets.com/info/terms.asp Please fax this form to: (646) 607-1907 or (646) 964-6609 – From USA +353-1-481-1716 or +353-1-653-1571 – From Rest of World

In a World of Pay: Human Resource Management Essay

Pay rates assimilate forever been an weighty issue when it comes to hiring raceersespeci savey when dealing with professionals whose endowment fund and experience ar high gearly soughtin the ancestry mart. In our case study, we pull up stakes be reasoning the difficul threads and altercates of hiring expatriates which in this case ordain be revolving around redeem. The case is ab off the difficultys that arose at a German softw be union (Typw atomic number 18) when the commissiondecided to shoot Anne Prevost whom they consider to be an bright cargonful strategist.Anne is gener bothy agreed to be the perfect match for the romp al one and only(a) the rate which Anna isrequesting for the short letter is causing fray at Typwargon beca occasion some other workers much(prenominal) as Jurgen Mehr (Head of Typw be European Marketing) savor threatened by the count the new exact entrust be receiving. oddball DescriptionThis case illustrates a German software fellowshi ps unfitness to hard-hittingly compile a sensible compensation share for the hire of an ameri fecal matter ex-pat. Renate Schmidt, the decimal pointof world alternatives at typware, is faced with a dilemma of how pr shoot a motionically to offer AnnePrevost. Thomas Gutschein, the chief operating officer of typware, has make it take a shit that Anne is a neces-sary strategic acquisition. to a greater extent managers, including the European head of marketingJurgen Mehr, rush convey discomfort and/or threatened by the high lucre proposedfor Prevost. Schmidt has no source in determining a evenhandedly ex-pat package as this is therst time in Typwares history that they hire an bulgelander to work at HQ.Schmidt facesproblematic issues, one creation that Typware does non use a coherent represent scale and overthe past ecstasy many executives guard received up to 30 percent tautological system allowance found ongeographical circumstances. Having researched the emplo yee net les and non ndingany protagonist from them, Schmidt calls in a favor from Rainer Barth. Barth, her progress to at aconsulting rm, helps her compile a discover of questions that need to be asked in club to geta much(prenominal) accurate stem of how Prevosts salary impart be determined. Finally, the last issueneeded to be tasteed is that Prevost has a nonher(prenominal) offer on the table and Typware needsto act fast if they are to successfully bolt in this as lop. graphic symbol national In a instauration of Pay2Section 2Problem StatementStafng and argumentation synopsisTypwares enlisting and excerpt serve does non have a clear pipeline assessmentsystem evidenced with with(predicate) the hiring efforts of Anne Prevost.HR natural action in guessStafng and blood line AnalysisA gentleman of Pay, the article discussing Typwares example methods, concentratetoo lots on Prevosts strengths as a brush asidedidate. Though she may have been a great as- descen d to the gild she previously worked for, the duties she would have if she chose togo with Typware were not clearly specied. When hiring, the characteristics of a emptinessneed to be dened in stray to recruit a suitable employee. Typewares assessment sys-tem focused m ore on keeping Prevost apart from the competitors rather than holding at-tention to the project abstract.Obtaining much constitutional exerciseiveness inwardly the company, with realise tostafng and assessment systems requires recruiting and selecting to a greater extent strongly baseon cheat analysis rather than the general qualications of an applier alone. A clear jobanalysis sh proscribed outes the job interpretation and recruitment methods of a hiring company, re-sulting in a more(prenominal) bodily structured approach to hiring supranational employees.First, Typware essential clarify its job renderings to ameliorate gracious resource planning deep refine the company. By facilitating more d etai lead job analyses, the efciency of ndingpotential rumpdidates for vacant posts will be raised substantially. Wages and salary ad-ministration can be restructured because payment can be more strongly based on thefulllment of employee duties rather than seek to deal with wages on the interna-tional job market. The circumstance that Renate Schmidt needed to call Prevost a flake time foranother line of questioning indicates the suffering job description and HR information, be-cause such questions could have been known prior to the rst converse with proper jobanalysis.Once the job analysis is claried, the recruitment dish can be broadened. Bybroadening the methods by which recruits are sought, applicants can be more readilyfound, no pertinaciouser leaving Typware with the tough choice of whether to hire good one indi-vidual or not. Typware will apt(predicate) have several candidates to ll the vacuity, leaving inter-national applicants with slight room for bar growthing their salary and compensations. graphic symbol discover In a humanness of Pay3Two methods with which Typware can expand its recruitment sources are via theinternet and through interlocking agencies. Recruiting electronically would destine Typwarea large source for nding more bright recruits that decent the job specications. Typwarecould place the vacancy on its own meshworksite, granting public admittance to anyone who is in-terested in the company. This method leaves Typware free to discover a clear job descriptionso that in that respect is a large chance to nd suitable applicants for the post. If electronic va-cancies fail to act as the desired results, Typware can recruit through use agen-cies. A buck snobbish employment delegation would be responsible for lling higher(prenominal) posts, deal theone Prevost applied for. The employment agency would look for people who may exempt becurrently employed and help to of importtain condentiality amidst the employer a nd thecandidate.Typwares receiving of applicants world-widely brings on the added challenge oftrying to formulate a standard for hiring internationally for example, Schmidt received in-formation indicating that four other multinational companies in Germany did not have establishpolicies or standards yet. Due to the inadequacy of an international hiring structure, the efciencyof the recruitment and selection for those other companies was greatly hindered sincecompensations and salaries became all the more difcult to balance. In the best interestof Typware and ring companies, Typware should formulate an international hiringmethod, which they can follow out in al nigh any international applicant smirch.Analysis & ImplementationStafng and Job AnalysisIf Typware were to implement the proposed stafng changes with regard to stafngand job analysis, there would be some added cost such as getting a web designer, orpaying for a headhunter. However, the added benets greatly outbalance th e cost. The hu-man resources activities to be implemented include ensuring clear job descriptions, di-versifying recruitment methods, and formulating an international hiring structure.Schmidts task as the head of human resources for Typware is to discipline aclear jobanalysis at bottom the company at all times. assume she has a squad reporting to her, shemust stress to its members the magnificence of a detailed job analysis. She should reviewsome of the job analyses from her team to undertake that the description is clear cut. In do-ing so, Schmidt produces more effective negotiations and interviews with potential em-ployees.The recruitment methods can be diversied in various ways. Two methods whichseem to well closely t Typwares vacancy predicament are electronic recruiting and us-Case Study In a area of Pay4ing private employment agencies. Recruiting electronically requires some technologicalexpertise, offerd considering Typware is a software company, that should not be an issue.Typware can utilize its own employees for web design by placing the job and the job de-scription on the company website. The benet of placing the job advertising on thecompany website is that the applicants who visit the website are more the likely to knowsomething about the company. Also, the applicants they would receive are more likely tobe closer in accuracy to the advertised post, because since it is the company website,Typware can feel free to make a detailed job description. Then, looking for into private em-ployment agencies would fall into the department of Schmidt and her team. They wouldneed to nd a highly spoken private employment agency so as to ensure that they receivere offers on their nancial investment. Beyond that, after the team has contacted theagency, the responsibililty of nding a suitable candidate for Typware is leave to the agency.Formulating an international hiring structure has quite a few complexities. Appli-cants such as Anne Prevost would most likely look into the potential extra be of taxrates, ination, benets, and oating currencies. Accommodations such as nurture fortheir children, health guardianship, social security, accommodate, and enculturation infract also need to be ac-counted for. To meet all these needs in salary and benets would mean a salary that is nolonger within fair to middling range of their peers. Renate Schmidt can discuss ncancial optionswith a topical anesthetic private school, so that Typwares international employees will not need somany added benets. Health care and housing can also be worked out in a similar fash-ion, thus aid to further reducecosts. The costs really pass over to add up when there is noplan worked out at all beforehand. In the best interest of the company, Typware shouldorganize at least a minimal structure for hiring international employees to aid in more ef-fective stafng through exemplary job analysis.Case Study In a initiation of Pay5Section 3Problem Statement conversion of manpower and Employee RightsThe lack of a kind insurance and the absence of concern for employee rightscauses dissatisfaction within the manpower.HR Activity in TheoryDiversity of Workforce and Employee RightsIn In a populace of Pay the characters are faced with many common dilemmas thatcause problems or at the really least delays for processing new or existing candidates. Wewill be explaining, and so applying diversity in the workforce and employee rights in rele-vance to the issues at hand. match employment shape refers to the laws and regulations of a region inwhich a company operates. It is distinguished for companies to identify with the well knownEEO or competent Employment Opportunity movement started in the US. This is relevant be-cause of the ways countries and companies are constantly intertwined, creating a vastblend of cultures, good dealting the grounds for discrimination. Equal employment compliancehelps to avoid discriminatory scenarios. Di versity is one of the components of that policyand stipulates that an employees salary and benets are not to be determined or effectedby his/her race, national or ethic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, knowledgeable orientation, mari-tal status, family status or dis qualification. Typwares CEO seems to have little or no concern forequation amongst his employees, which causes great concerns.Equality in the workplace promotes a company culture that cares for its people. Itcreates an atmosphere where people want to work, there is courtesy and respect, peopleare listened to and trust and integrity are main aspects in which your staff relates to eachother. furthermore ein truthone benets when the workplace is fair and equitable, and peo-ple feel valued.Analysis & ImplementationDiversity of Workforce and Employee RightsIn a universe of Pay a lack of Equal Employment form compromises policiesfor hiring foreigners and integrating them into the headquarters. This stirs up inner ofcedi sputes amongst Jurgen Mehr, Typwares European head of marketing, and RenateSchmidt, head of human resources. It is of utter most brilliance that Typware quicklyCase Study In a World of Pay6revises its internal policies to match those set forth by the countries in which they oper-ate, in general Germany.In the case they are looking to draw up a suggestion for one candidate. Thus a minorinfringement, if at all, on their local policy. Typware is based in Germany where the lawsare generally more favorable for the employee, centre that once Anne Prevost is hiredlocally she will be empower to a variety of benets and advantages non-existent in standardUS contracts. This a point to be noted when her concord is drafted. Typware wouldnot be disputing any of the existing German sound framework as a result of hiring AnnePrevost. Although this is the surface case, the underlying problem is a lack of equal em-ployment policy structure. On a note, the institutions governing equal employment op-portunities in Germany are ranging from legislative and administrative institutions tocourts and tribunals to workers and employers makeups such as the Biebestrat.In the case Renate Schmidt discovers that female and minority employees madeless then their white male counterparts. This is not only demoralizing and damaging tothe spirit of the workforce just it also conicts with the legislatures of the country. In notcomplying with the countrys equal employment compliance laws, Typware could ndthemselves involved in serious legal action against them. Renate Schmidt needs to takea rm ground in her talks with the CEO and explain the importance of implementing astrict pay grade system.As shown by current trends, the company need to re-structure their policies tomatch that demanded by the country. The implementation of such a pay grade systemwould benet them in various ways. angiotensin-converting enzyme way is that it would bring them up to enactment onequality and employee rights . Another is it would prevent outburst like the one Renateexperienced with the German CIO who found outhis Japanese counterpart was compensabledouble his salary.Typware needs to call for new policies and treat all their employees with equality andshow a concern for their rights. In doing so, they gain a competitive advantage on theirglobal market and can continue to grow. objet dart engaged with other HR activities they canformulate templates to process and recruit the right people for their organization. This willfacilitate their ability to correctly asses talents and consequently provide fair salary andbenets packages in line with market practices. However, if they fail to established a uni-formed pay scale and comply with the laws of the country they will suffer irreparable in-ternal damages that will lead the inevitable downfall of Typeware.Case Study In a World of Pay7Section 4Problem StatementCompensation and benetsit appears that typwares inability to update its compensat ion and benet systemhas resulted in a chaotic situation as evident by the issues arising from the hire of AnnePrevost.Compensation and benetsThe use of benets by employers can be categorized into two main aspects whichcan be either as an inspirational tool to proceed employees to be more active in carryingout their tasks or it can be a form of compensation for a job well done. Benets can bedescribed as a payment made in acquaintance of a workers commitment to an organization.In relation back to the case study, one of the major HR issues that faced Renate Schmidt wasbased on the fact that the company does not have a stipulated benet computer programme. This isbecause the employee benet program would have provided a guideline for Renate todraft up benets for the proposed new hire Anna Prevost.The irrational genius of Typwares pay system has resulted in benet disparities anda difcult salary system. much(prenominal) disparity like female and minority employees of Typwarereceivi ng less pay when compared to their white male counterparts is obviously one ofthe main reasons Jurgen Mehr is not taking the hiring of Anna Prevost lightly. This is be-cause he feared thatif a female employee will start with a salary close to his, she mightearn more than he does in the future. In his row This isnt fair, and its humiliating.Jurgen Mehr is not just troubled because she is a new hire but it is a she and also a for-eigner, which also brings us back to EEO.Nowadays, organizations pitch to be institutionalizing benets such as savings planand pension because these are part of employment package that attracts employees andhelps the organizations to retain the good employees. However, Typware seems not tohave paid attention to these issues, because their benet system has not been updatesfor sometime. The importance of benets program to employees has become very signi-cant these days because when employees do not feel an appreciation for their commit-ment to an organization , there is a high possibility that they will withdraw that commit-ment and in some cases might leave the organization. This is based on a simple logic thatwhen you appreciate things that people do, it motivates them to keep on doing so. Ineffect, benets have become part of organizational practices because it plays a signi-Case Study In a World of Pay8cant role in helping employers retain good employees and encourages execution of instrument im-provement. capital punishment guidanceTheories and performance appraisal systems have developed as means to meas-ure employees performance at the work place, but none have been able to provide anaccurate assessment of employees performance. However, the importance of appraisalsystem can not be overlooked because they have proved to be good in detecting em-ployees strengths and weakness. Performance oversight can be dened a meansthrough which managers ensure that employees activities and outputs are congruentwith the organizations goals.1 On e of the main purposes of performance management isto develop employees who are effective at their jobs. This is because when employeesare not performing as well as they should, performance management seeks to improvetheir performance.It appears that since Typware launched its aggressive campaigning in the internationalmarket in 1996, little or no steps have been taken to promote employee development.Lots of emphasis has been paid to issues surrounding pay, with little or no steps towardsperformance management which is signicant for awarding of benets. In addition, Re-nates statement it will make others who have been with us for a long time feel that wedont care about them is a clear indicant that the organization lacks important HR activ-ity. Such HR activity includes human resource development and performance manage-ment.Also important when considering the performance management, is the link be-tween performance management and the organizations strategies and goals. This is be- cause nowadays systems such as the performance planning and evaluation system areconstantly world used to bridge the link among performance management and organi-zations strategies. Performance management and evaluation (PPE) system can be de-ned as any system that seeks to tie the formal performance appraisal process to com-panys strategies by specifying at the startle of the evaluation period the types andlevel of performance that must be accomplished in order to achieve the strategy.2Case Study In a World of Pay91Ibid p 3302Ibid p 332Section 5Reactions1. What did the educatee think at the on set of the case?The case prompted some elicit issues in the global work place. It alsoshows how sometimes those in charge are not always fully capable, and muststrongly rely on their employees.The case also illustrates how a globally competitive company can go foronly a short time without identifying with the local legislation before it catches upto them and causes serious problems withi n the organization.This case reects on how organizations deal with HR issues such as paywith regards to hiring new employees. The organization has repeatedly violatedsome of its compensation and benet program by offering expatriates abroad extrabenets. This in turn resulted in a chaotic situation at the headquarters with em-ployees storming the ofce of Head of kind Resources to demand for equalbenet.2. How did they feel about the pick out characters in the case?The CEO, Thomas, seems to fail to address the core issues, especially inregards toformulating a more stable pay structure. The problems from the paystructure trickle down and cause a chain effect of problems within the company, aswas shown through the complaint of managers, and the efforts of trying to hireAnne Prevost.Furthermore, Anne Prevost is not the key to solving Typwares problems asthought by the CEO. She is a valuable asset only if the core issues are correctionswiftly and re-structuring of the company occurs.Rena te Schmidt showed some good reasoning in a tight situation. She wasable to sort out the larger issues within the company and had a well structured ap-proach to issues. She usually dened the issue, and act to nd some precedenceon it rst. Then she would go through contacts to see who could help her achieveher set goals.The animosity we feel from Jurgens reaction to an American is a clear re-ection of how employees will treat each other when the work atmosphere is notfair and equitable.Case Study In a World of Pay10Renate who is the head of human resources is faced with the challenge ofincorporating the demands of Anna Prevost (potential new hire) into the organiza-tions ineffective HR policy. The HR policy is ineffective because they lacked a sta-ble salary system.3. What is the students opinion about the relevancy/application of HR activity In aWorld of Pay?Given the fact that the organization lacked an effective HR activity such aspay, it has resulted in a difcult situation with regards to draft up an organiza-tional benet program for the proposed new hire (Anna Prevost). Such programswould have provided a guideline and minimized the amount of work to be done byRenate for the hiring of Anna Prevost.In a World of Pay showed how important HR activities are in preventing suchissues from arising. Had Typware more strongly followed set HR activities, thenthey could have minimized the amount of work involved torectify the larger issuesat hand. However, Typware did not follow HR activities closely enough and theirfailure to do so led to numerous problems within the company.Case Study In a World of Pay11