Analytical Exposition - Comparison of the domestic sitcoms Brady Bunch and My Wife and Kids

Diagnostic Exposition - Comparison of the local sitcoms Brady Bunch and My Wife and Kids The notoriety of local sitcoms is expanding. Certain shows generally address issues applicable to the lives of their watchers. It could be recommended that specific network shows add to the advancement of watcher's perspectives and convictions. In spite of the distinctions in the periods that these sitcoms originate from, The Brady Bunch (delivered 1970) and My Wife and Kids (created 2000-2005), speak to family as a position of adoration, security, backing and love. Anyway the makers present this picture through various specialized, emblematic and language procedures. The portrayals of family introduced in the two sitcoms mirror the times of production.The Brady Bunch is a great circumstance satire. The Brady Bunch is an all-white all American energetic family. Mike Brady, a bereft draftsman with three young men weds Carol Martin, a solitary youthful mother with three little youngsters. The couple and their once in the past independent families conjoin to become one affectionate mixe d family. The Brady family likewise comprise of Alice Nelson who fills in as the family's live in housekeeper.BRADY CHESIREThe topics spin around family solidarity, kin contention, dating and misunderstandings.My Wife and Kids is the perfect circumstance parody speaking to the present society. My significant other and children depends on the African American Kyle family. The Kyle family could be portrayed as a useless family. Michael Kyle yearns for a customary life, however his informal investor spouse Janet Jay compromises his concept of the perfect family situation. Michael and Janet have 3 youngsters, their gangsta rap-adoring child Michael Jr. what's more, agonizing girls Claire and Kady. My Wife and Kids tackle issues, for example, substance misuse, kin competition, connections, and adolescent pregnancy. Both of these shows portray conventional relationships with manliness and womanliness. In The Brady Bunch Mike is the main wellspring of pay in the family, yet he wins enough for the family to live serenely. This is...

Susan Dellinger Psycho-Geometrics free essay sample

Psycho-Geometrics I love incredible open speakers. Ive seen some extraordinary ones throughout my life. They dazzle the crowd, engage, instruct, even make you snicker. The most significant part is that they make it look easy and normal. Susan Dellinger, the speaker for the video, Psycho-Geometrics is one of them. Her introduction was unimaginably engaging, fascinating, and clever. However, the point of convergence was unquestionably Ms. Dellinger herself. The degree of fervor in her voice was incredible, her certainty and information regarding the matter was articulated, and she had astonishing vitality. The main analysis I can truly think of is that she may have been excessively energized now and again. The second she began talking, you could tell she was truly into Psycho-Geometrics. She talked obviously and excitedly. I was charmed and intrigued from the initial scarcely any sentences myself, and I had a feeling that it was a direct result of her degree of energy. We will compose a custom article test on Susan Dellinger: Psycho-Geometrics or on the other hand any comparable theme explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page On the off chance that she introduced it in an increasingly instructive or proficient way I probably won't have given a lot of consideration from the outset. There was not a second where Ms. Dellinger faltered, delayed, or even pondered on her topic. She knew it every last bit of it by heart, presumably even by soul. I didnt question her validity by any means, she talked with such certainty and conviction it was inconceivably great. You can simply tell, when a speaker is talking, in the event that they have a positive vitality about them. Ms. Dellingers vitality was through the rooftop, she was so energetic all you needed to do was take a gander at the crowds grins to see it for yourself. The one little thing I didnt like about the introduction was that she was excessively energized in some cases. She would articulate words like taught gradually with a hard D toward the end. It was a little off-putting and felt like constrained diversion. In spite of the fact that the crowd appeared to be into it so it may very well be me.

50 Places That Will Give You Free Stuff on Your Birthday

50 Places That Will Give You Free Stuff on Your Birthday 50 Places That Will Give You Free Stuff on Your Birthday 50 Places That Will Give You Free Stuff on Your BirthdayFriends and family didnt get you any birthday gifts this year? Well, head on down to the local Baskin Robbins or Subway for a free birthday treat instead.If it’s your birthday, then you deserve free stuff. It’s just that simple. However, we wouldn’t suggest that you walk into any old store and start taking the things you want. That is called stealing, and it is illegal. Even on your birthday.Don’t worry, though. We got you. Here’s a list of 50 businesses where you can get special freebies for your birthday.1. Applebee’s: Sign up for the Applebee’s email list and get a birthday coupon for a free dessert.2. Arby’s: Get a coupon for a free birthday shake when you  sign up for mobile offers from Arby’s.3. Au Bon Pain: Become a member of the Au Bon Pain eClub  and get a coupon for a free sandwich or salad on your birthday.4. Auntie Annies: You’ll get an extra special offer during your birthday month when you get t he My Pretzel Perks mobile app.5. Baskin Robbins: Sign up for the Baskin Robbins Birthday Club and on your birthday they’ll send you a coupon for a free two-and-a-half ounce scoop and three dollars off an ice cream cake.6. Chick-fil-A: All members of the Chick-fil-A One  program receive a free birthday reward.7. Chili’s: Join Chili’s My Chili’s Rewards program and you’ll be eligible for a free birthday dessert.8. Cinnabon: Enter your birthday when you subscribe to Club Cinabon and they’ll send you a “special present” to help sweeten the celebration.9. Cold Stone Creamery: One of the perks of the My Cold Stone Club Rewards program is a “Buy One, Get One Free” account loaded into your account for your birthday.10. Culver’s: Get a free sundae on your birthday when you join Culver’s eClub.11. Dairy Queen: The folks at Dairy Queen have upped their game. Not only does signing up for the Blizzard Fan Club mean an “extra special coupon” for your birthday, it mean s a surprise for your half-birthday, too!12. Del Taco: Join Del Taco’s Raving Fan eClub and receive a free premium shake on your birthday. Choose from vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.13. Denny’s: You can celebrate your birthday with a free Grand Slam breakfast on your birthday. Restrictions may apply so probably call your local Denny’s ahead of time to double check.14. Dunkin Donuts: Sign up for DD Perks and you’ll get a coupon for a free beverage of any size that you can enjoy anytime during your birthday month.15. Einstein Bros. Bagels: Add your birthday when you sign up for a Shmear Society account and youll receive a coupon for a free egg sandwich.16. Famous Dave’s: Get a tasty birthday gift when you join the  Famous Nation email list.17. Firehouse Subs: Sign up for Firehouse Rewards and get a free medium sub on your birthday.18. Friendly’s: Joining Friendly’s BFF Club not only means a free birthday sundae for you, it means free birthday sundaes for your kids as well.19. Great American Cookies: You can get a free slice of birthday cookie cake (with the purchase of a soda) by signing up for Great American Cookies’ Cookie Club.20. Houlihan’s: Join Houlihan’s Email Club and you’ll receive a free entree on your birthday.21. IHOP: Sign up for the IHOP’s adorably named MyHop program and you’ll be eligible for a free meal on your birthday.22. Jack in the Box:  Subscribe to Jack in the Box’s email newsletter  for two free birthday tacos.23. Jamba Juice: Get a free birthday smoothie or juice with  Jamba Insider Rewards.24. Jersey Mike’s Subs: Members of Jersey Mike’s Email Club receive an email on their birthday for a free regular sub and 24-ounce drink that is valid for the next year.25. Johnny Rockets: Sign up for Johnny Rockets’ Rocket eClub and get a free birthday burger.26. Krispy Kreme: Joining Krispy Kreme’s More Smiles rewards program means getting a free treat for your birthday.27. Longhorn Steakhouse: Sign up for the Longhorn Steakhouse Rewards Program and get a free dessert on your birthday.28. Noodles and Company: You’ll get a free Rice Crispy Treat on your birthday when you sign up for the NoodlesREWARDS program.29. Olive Garden: Get one free birthday dessert when you sign up for Olive Garden’s eClub.30. Orange Julius: One of the perks of membership in the Julius League is a Buy One, Get One Free coupon for your birthday.31. Panda Express: Signing up to receive emails from Panda Express means that you’ll get an exclusive offer on your birthday.32. Panera Bread: Register for a  MyPanera account and get special birthday reward.33. P.F. Chang’s: Membership in P.F. Chang’s Rewards Program means a special birthday reward.34. Pinkberry: Members of the Pinkcard loyalty program get a free yogurt on their birthday.35. Qdoba Mexican Grill: Get a free treat on your birthday when you sign up for Qdoba Rewards.36. Redbox: Join Redbox Perks and receive a free one-night DVD rental for your birthd ay month.37. Red Lobster: Get  a special birthday coupon with the My Red Lobster Rewards program.38. Red Robin: One of the rewards you’ll receive when you join the Red Robin eClub is a free burger during the month of your birthday.39. Ruby Tuesday: Receive a free special treat on your special day when you subscribe to Ruby Tuesday’s SO CONNECTED program.40. Sbarro: The famed pizzeria offers birthday surprises for members of the  Sbarro Slice Society.41. Sephora: You can get a free gift of mini products during your birthday month when you’re a Sephora Beauty Insider member.42. Sprinkles Cupcakes: All three levels of the Sprinkles Perks program comes with a free cupcake on your birthday.43. Starbucks:  As a Starbucks Rewards member, you get a free beverage on your birthday plus 15 percent off purchases at Starbucks’ online store.44. Subway: Sign up for a MyWay Rewards Card and get 20 free points in your account on your birthday that you can redeem for a number of different men u items.45. TCBY: You can get a special birthday treat when you sign up for the myTCBY loyalty program.46. Texas Roadhouse: Their  VIP Program  will send you a special email offer for your birthday.47. TGI Fridays: You’ll receive a coupon for a free dessert during your birthday month when you become a TGI Fridays Rewards member.48. Waffle House: Do you want a free waffle to celebrate your birthday? Then become a member of the Waffle House Regulars Club.49. Wing Stop: People who join  The Club from Wing Stop get a free gift on their birthday.50. Zaxby’s: Receive a postcard for a free birthday Nibbler when you join the Zax Mail Club.Want to learn more about ways you can save money? Check out these related posts and articles from OppLoans:How to Make Money Online: The Ultimate Resale GuideNeed Cash Fast? Try These 10 Great Side Hustles10 Tips to Help You Score That Big PromotionWhats your favorite place to get a free birthday treat? We want to hear from you! You can find us  on  Fa cebook  and  Twitter.Visit OppLoans on  YouTube  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  LinkedIN

The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini - 1141 Words

The Kite Runner, a novel by Khaled Hosseini, is a story about a Pushtun boy who experiences a life full of guilt after consciously betraying his best friend. Several minor characters serve dramatic roles that contribute to the development of the novel. These supporting characters include Rahim Khan, Soraya, Sohrab, Sanaubar and Assef. Rahim Khan serves as a mediator and liaison between Amir and Baba throughout their life in Kabul. Rahim Khan divulged the veracity regarding Hassan’s true father, through the readings and understanding of Hassan’s letters. Khan, in addition, becomes the motivation for Amir’s return to the Taliban controlled Afghanistan; he promised Amir that, â€Å"There is a way to be good again†. (Hosseini 202). Rahim Khan is precisely the virtuous voice of wisdom in The Kite Runner. Not only does he give advice to Amir, but also acts as a second parent to him. Whenever Baba ignored Amir, Rahim was consistently present to provide propitious advice. This is proven as Amir remarks, â€Å"As always it was Rahim Khan who rescued me.† (Hosseini 43). This shows that Rahim Khan is always there for Amir and is a loyal and supportive guiding character in Amir’s life. Soraya’s role, like the role of all Afghan women under the Taliban, is minor from a plot perspective, yet the significance that she has on Amir’s character growth proves to be instrumental. Soraya provides the good and bad in Amir’s life and she is what drives him to be a better person, however, she continuesShow MoreRelatedThe Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini883 Words   |  4 Pagesregret from past encounters and usually feel guilty and bitter about the situation. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, revolves around the theme of redemption. Redemption can be used as a cure for guilt. Throughout the novel, the author shows that redemption requires some sort of sacrifice and the only way that is possible is if you can forgive you rself from the mistakes you have made in the past. Khaled Hosseini effectively portrays redemption through motifs such as rape, irony and flashbacks, symbolismRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini1651 Words   |  7 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚   The novel â€Å"The Kite Runner† by Khaled Hosseini describes the life of a boy, Amir. Amir’s best friend and brother (although that part isn’t known until towards the end), Hassan, plays a major role in Amir’s life and how he grows up. Hosseini portrays many sacrifices that are made by Hassan and Amir. Additionally, Amir seeks redemption throughout much of the novel. By using first person point of view, readers are able to connect with Amir and understand his pain and yearning for a way to be redeemedRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini1655 Words   |  7 PagesSarah Singer Major Works Data Form Title: The Kite Runner Author: Khaled Hosseini Date of Publication: 2003 Genre: Historical Fiction Historical information about the period of publication: Since the September 11th attacks in 2001, the United States has been at war with Afghanistan. Their goals were to remove the Taliban, track down those in charge of the attacks, and destroy Al-Qaeda. Biographical information about the author: Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1965. HIs motherRead MoreThe Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini1098 Words   |  5 PagesIn The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, we learn a lot about Amir the main character, and Hassan his servant/brother. In the beginning Hassan and Amir’s relationship was one of brotherly love despite the fact that Hassan was a Hazara and Amir a Pashtun. Back in the 1970’s race and religion played a big part in Kabul and these two races were not suppose to have relationships unless it was owner (Pashtun) and servant (Hazara). Baba Amir’s father had an affair with Hassan’s mother, but it was kept aRead MoreThe Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini1313 Words   |  5 Pagesis not unique to just J.K. Rowling. Khaled Hosseini also incorporates life experiences into some of his novels. A prime example of this is The Kite Runner. The storyline of this novel reflects his past to create a journey of a young Afghanistan boy, whose name is Amir. This boy changes drastically throughout his lifetime from a close minded, considerably arrogant boy to an open hearted and minded man. This emotional and mental trip is partially based on Khaled Hosseini’s own life. Throughout Hosseini’sRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini1908 Words   |  8 Pages​In the novel, â€Å"The Kite Runner†, written by Khaled Hosseini, was taken place in Afghanistan during the 1970’s to the year of 2002. Many historical events happened during this time period and Hosseini portrayed it into his novel. Kabul, the capitol of Afghanistan, was a free, living area for many Afghanistan families to enjoy the life they were given. Until one day, Afghanistan was then taken over and attacked. In the novel, Amir, the protagonist, must redeem himself and the history behind his actionsRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini1050 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"There is a way to be good again.† (Hosseini 334). This quote given by Rahim Khan to Amir holds a great amount of force and symbolism. In theory, this quote symbolizes the beginning of Amir’s path to redemption. The eye-opening Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini tells about the struggles of Afghanistan before and during the Taliban, and one’s struggle for redemption and acceptance. With regards to the opening quote, some see Amir’s actions as selfish. However, others may believe that Amir truly changedRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini1583 Words   |  7 Pagesnovel the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Amir, the main character, shares his thoughts and actions due to his poor decisions. The problems he encountered were all because of the sin committed in his youth. His sins taunted the beginning of his life and gave him a troublesome memory full of guilt. As the novel continued, Amir attempted to disengage the memory of his sin and forget about it. Amir then faced the long bumpy road to redemption. Khaled Hosseini’s novel the Kite Runner is about sinRead MoreThe Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini871 Words   |  4 Pagesthat person is trying to fix that mistake. This also applies to the novel The Kite Runner. The story revolves around the main character Amir, and his childhood friend, Hassan. After Amir came to America with Baba, his father, he still regrets the things he had done to his childhood friend. He left Hassan getting raped by Assef in a small alley in 1975. Thereafter, Amir always feel regret and seeks for redemption. Hosseini -the author, argues that redemption can be achieved by helping others, teachRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini3402 Words   |  14 Pagestitle â€Å"The Kite Runner† is symbolic as fighting kites and the kite runnings are impacting moments in the novel. Hassan was the best kite runner in Kabul, if not the whole country, after Amir won the kite fighting the running of that last blue kite triggered the monumental changes for Amir. For the beginning of the story the kite running was associated with Hassan’s rape and Amir’s grief. As kites appear throughout the story, they begin Amir’s story and also end it. Amir flying the kite with Sohrab

Transactional And Transformational Leadership Theory

**TransformationTransformational leadership. Burns (1978) and Bass (1985) provided much of the foundational research on transactional and transformational leadership theory that led to advancements in guidelines for leaders. Although Burns (1978) and Bass (1985) agree on the characteristics for both theories, there iswas one point of difference. The one area where a difference exists is that Burns (1978) offered that translational and transformational theory were two separate approaches that existedexist on opposite ends of the spectrum. whereas Bass (1985) argued that transactional leadership was the starting point for a leader moving to a transformational approach. Before a more in-depth review is provided for these alternative views, it is first necessary to provide further background information on transformational leadership. Transformational leadership theory is based upon four specific constructs; charismatic or idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectua l stimulation, and individualized consideration. The four constructs serve the leader’s attempt to connect with the follower at a higher level of interest (Alabduljader, 2012; Groves LaRocca, 2011; Liu et al., 2011; Odumeru Ogbonna, 2013; Washington et al., 2014). Laissez faire Leadership. Laissez faire leadership. The laissez-faire leadership approach is characterized as management-by-exception, or passive management (Sosik Jung, 2010). The leader only intervenes when tasks have notShow MoreRelatedTransactional And Transformational Leadership Theory756 Words   |  4 PagesTransactional and Transformational leadership The transformational leader, according to Burns (1978), is one who† raises the followers level of consciousness about the importance and value of designated outcomes and ways of reaching them; gets the followers to transcend their own self-interests for the sake of the team, organization, or larger polity; and raises the follower’s level of need on Maslow’s (1954) hierarchy from lower-end concerns for safety and security to higher-level needs for achievementRead MoreTransactional And Transformational Leadership Theory1504 Words   |  7 Pagespick good men to do what he wants done and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it†. The theories that will aid me in my career as a leader are transactional and transformational leadership styles. Transactional leadership theory emphasizes the role of management and how their followers are encouraged through reward and punishment. Transformational leadership theory focuses on the leader and how they inspire his/her followers to achieve a higher level of ethical values and motivationRead MoreLeadership Theory : Transformational And Transactional Leadership Theories1137 Words   |  5 Pagesvarious theories appeared in literature on situational leadership. In some instances, situational leadership is part of a broader theory and vice versa. Related theories include transformational and transactional leadership, contingency theory, path-goal theory, and personality theories. Life Cycle Theory was not included since situational leadership originated from Life Cycle Theory. Transformational and Transactional Leadership Theories According to McCleskey (2014), transformational leadershipRead MoreLeadership Theory, Transformational, And Transactional Theory2421 Words   |  10 Pages Leadership Theories Unit 3 PSF8603 - Management and Leadership Theory Instructor Steven Kline Capella University Ann-Marie Cameron Introduction There are a few leadership theories, but for this research I will only focus on four of these theories. The theories that will be discussed are Situational leadership theory, Contingency theory, Transformational, and Transactional theory. The theory Transformational is pondered by several to be the theory improvement for transactional leadershipRead MoreThe And Transformational Transactional Organizational Theories Of Leadership1735 Words   |  7 Pagescontingency and transformational-transactional organizational theories of leadership. The strategic literature highlights leadership style as an especially important influence on organizational innovation (Garcia-Morales, Jimenez-Barrionuevo, Gutierrez-Gutierrez, 2012). Contingency Theory Contingency theories are based upon the current leadership situation and are subject to change depending on the goal to be achieved (Waters, 2013). In contingency theory, the effectiveness of the leadership style dependsRead MoreTheory and Practice of Transactional-Transformational Leadership843 Words   |  4 PagesRunning head: THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TRANSACTIONAL-TRANSFORMATIO Theory and Practice of Transactional-Transformational Leadership THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TRANSACTIONAL-TRANSFORMATIO Abstract This essay details the different behaviors characterized by the contemporary transactional and transformational leadership models. The specific behaviors of each model are reviewed and their corresponding relation to motivation of individuals and teams are assessed. Both leadership techniquesRead MoreTransactional Vs. Transformational Leadership Theory Essay1082 Words   |  5 PagesThe first set of opposing leadership theories I would like to review is transactional vs. transformational leadership. Transactional leadership is based on an exchange between leaders and followers. This type of leader establishes a reward-based system in order to incentivize workers. In transactional leadership theory managers seek to find what employees want and then incentivize them to achieve high performance through a rewards-based approach. The employee provides job performance and is rewardedRead MoreSituational Leadership Theory, Transformational, And Transactional Theory2386 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction There are a few leadership theories, but for this research I will only on four of these. The theories that will be discussed are Situational leadership theory, Contingency theory, Transformational, and Transactional theory. The theory Transformational is pondered by several to be the theory improvement for transactional leadership theory, and it appears to have a cumulative number of research studies that are supporting the benefits of this theory. So, I will also compare and discussRead MoreThe Importance Of Transactional And Transformational Leadership1243 Words   |  5 PagesDifferentiating Transactional and Transformational Leadership There have been identified leaders in the world as far back as history has recorded. In addition, there have been negative and positive leaders, as this is the human condition. Leadership models and theories have been the subject of research for over 100 years. The contributions of leadership theories may have altered the delivery of leadership throughout modern age for positive leaders, because he or she saw the ‘new and different’Read MoreImportance Organizational Leadership Has on Companies Today1657 Words   |  7 Pagesreading an article about organizational leadership, I was more enlightened on the value and importance organizational leadership has on companies today. The article discussed the significance of organizational leadership and how leaders can motivate their followers to accomplish corporate objectives and help them realize their full potential. More importantly understanding the organizational leadership theories can support the growth and developme nt of leadership skills and identify potential leaders

The Impractical Philosophies of Self-reliance and Civil...

The Impractical Philosophies of Self-reliance and Civil Disobedience nbsp; The philosophies of Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson would work well in a society comprised only of highly intellectual, healthy individuals who were willing put forth the effort needed to thoroughly examine themselves and formulate their own opinions about every issue pertaining to them. Emerson said that all members of society should think for themselves and formulate their own opinions rather than conforming to a popular belief. Thoreau said that the best government was no government, and that people should always do what was just. A society that functioned under the ideals of Emerson and Thoreau would have no problems. No money would be†¦show more content†¦nbsp; Thoreau said, Government is best which governs not at all. For society to be able to survive without government, all members of society must be willing and able to do what is right. They must always do what is good for the community rather than for themselves and they mustnt be tempted by greed, lust, or hate. If all members of society cannot meet these requirements, then a government is needed to resolve problems that arise. Emersons philosophy is based on the idea that people are inherently good, and will eventually make each decision based on their good nature. According to him, every person knows in their soul the difference between right and wrong, and wants to do right. However, if one member of society strays from his good nature and acts in a way that is detrimental to the community, all of society can no longer follow the advice of Emerson or Thoreau. nbsp; A person who lives under a government cannot be self-reliant. A republican government, by nature, takes self-reliance away from its citizens. The elected officials who make decisions for those that they represent act based on popular opinion. Therefore all the people represented by an elected official automatically conform each time the official casts a ballot. Government is the compromise forced upon society by those members who do not make the effort to be self-reliant and do what isShow MoreRelatedOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesorganization theory: back to the future? Neo-modernist organization theory: putting people first? Neo-modernist organization theory: surfing the new wave? Postmodernist organization theory: new organizational forms for a new millennium? Postmodernism as a philosophy: the ultimate challenge to organization theory? Reflective organization theory: symbols, meanings and interpretations Reflexive organization theory: critical theory and psyc hoanalysis The evolution of management as reflected through the lens ofRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesthe century. Due in large part, however, to the weaknesses of the League, resistance to the rise of internal repression and interstate aggression in the interwar years was feeble at best. Stalinist, fascist, and Japanese militarist contempt for civil rights, much less even peaceful protest, opened the way for brutally repressive regimes that actively promoted or systematically engineered the massive episodes of rape, oppression, and genocidal killing that were major offshoots of a second globalRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pages40071 173—dc22 I. Cameron, 2009040522 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 ISBN 10: 0-13-612100-4 ISBN 13: 978-0-13-612100-8 B R I E F TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S Preface xvii Introduction 1 PART I 1 2 3 PERSONAL SKILLS 44 Developing Self-Awareness 45 Managing Personal Stress 105 Solving Problems Analytically and Creatively 167 PART II 4 5 6 7 INTERPERSONAL SKILLS 232 233 Building Relationships by Communicating Supportively Gaining Power and Influence 279 Motivating OthersRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesWork–Life Conflicts 21 †¢ Creating a Positive Work Environment 22 †¢ Improving Ethical Behavior 22 Coming Attractions: Developing an OB Model 23 An Overview 23 †¢ Inputs 24 †¢ Processes 25 †¢ Outcomes 25 Summary and Implications for Managers 30 S A L Self-Assessment Library How Much Do I Know About Organizational Behavior? 4 Myth or Science? â€Å"Most Acts of Workplace Bullying Are Men Attacking Women† 12 An Ethical Choice Can You Learn from Failure? 24 glOBalization! Does National Culture Affect Organizational

The Trial Of Martha Stewart free essay sample

Im convinced that Martha Stewart did commit the crime of insider trading, on December 27, 2001. Looking at the events leading to her decision to liquidate her shares in lone, it is evident that she was in possession of material information that was not available to the public yet. The fact that her Financial Advisor, Mr..Biconcave had instructed Baneful to call Martha Stewart and let her know of the selling frenzy that was going on with the Wassails, which suggests that Peter Biconcave was in possession of insider information about lone company, which e shared with Martha and advised her to sell her shares before the stock plummets proves that, Stewart was aware of upcoming changes effecting lone stock beforehand.Another incident that suggests Martha Stewards quilt is the fact that when Peter Biconcave asked Baneful to call Martha and break the news to her, Baneful hesitated asking Peter whether or not it was permitted to share that sort of sensitive information, with another client. We will write a custom essay sample on The Trial Of Martha Stewart or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Merrill Lunchs Privacy Policy prohibits the release of client information, except upon clients authorization or when permitted or squired by law. The telephone call that was made to Martha Stewards secretary, Ann Armstrong revealed that Baneful left a message stating, Peter Biconcave thinks lonely is going to start trading downward. Peter, in possession of material information has tipped off Martha Stewart about the Wassails selling their shares in lone and as a result she acted on this information and sold her shares. The act of selling her shares based on the insider information provided to her violated the insider trading law. 2. I believe the U. S. Attorneys and the SEC used good Judgment n indicting Martha Stewart. All of the evidence that was presented in court suggests that Martha Stewart was guilty of insider trading and she should pay the price like anyone else.The fact that she is a public figure and is wealthy does not seem to have clouded the Judgment of any law enforcement agency involved. I believe she received a well-deserved punishment for breaking the law. Many times such high volume trading results in sever market fluctuations which effects many individuals that have their life savings invested, the fact that Martha Stewart participated in manipulating McConnell stock effected many hard working individuals portfolios in a negative way.As a result of her wrongdoing, the SEC and the US attorneys made the right decision to indict her, not to make an example out of her or because of ulterior motives, but solely because she was guilty of an actual crime. 3. I agree with the Jury that Martha Stewart was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of conspiracy and obstruction of Justice charges. She had lied about the fact that she had been tipped off with insider information.There is a wealth of evidence that mints to her liquidating her shares in Lincoln right after she found out the Stewards were selling their shares, yet she persisted that she had a pre-existing agreement with Biconcave to sell if the stock dipped below $60 a share. Even though there was no concrete evidence that Biconcave fabricated the @60 dollar agreement, there was evidence found that a different type of pen was used to write @60 on Martha Stewart profile sheet. Also, Stewart hiring a criminal defense attorney after a meeting with Backboard shows that she knew she had done something wrong.What s even more obvious is that a criminal defense attorney was hired even before government investigators contacted her. 4. Martha Stewards punishment seemed light when you consider her actions of deception, lying to the detectives and acting on insider information. A fine of only $30,000 was very minuscule in comparison to the crime committed. The prison sentence was a reasonable timeshare, and the house arrest made sense as well. Overall, Martha Stewart was let off the hook fairly easy. When it comes to Peter Biconcave, I believe he should have received a longer term in prison and a heftier fine.After all, he was the professional and he knew better not to share his clients sensitive and private information with others. Yet for his own gain, he tipped off Martha Stewart and violated the insider trading law. As someone that worked with affluent clients, he should have respected their privacy and safeguarded his clients information. Peter not only violated his employers Privacy Policy, but he also tried to alter company documents in hopes of hiding the truth. Douglas Baneful redeemed himself when he came forward and shared the truth with the investigators and the law enforcement.

Evaluation of a Qualitative Research Study

The article reviewed in this report presents a qualitative research study aimed at exploring the perceptions and views of mothers of children aged 16 and below on health promotion recommendations provided by health promotion professionals. The study used several qualitative methods in recruiting participants into the study and in other aspects of the study such as data collection and data analysis.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Evaluation of a Qualitative Research Study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Generally, the researchers used qualitative semi-structured interviews to collect data from 46 mothers who met the criteria for this study. The selection criterion was based on a variety of qualitative characteristics. Here, the researchers made an assumption that the participants drawn from a socio-economically deprived community will have poorer health, more distorted understandings of healthy diets, and more health-threatening behaviors (Wood et al., 2010). As a result, the researchers conducted their study within Llanedeyrn community area because many community members are socio-economically deprived. More specifically, the researchers used the Townsend score, which is a criterion used to categorize people into different socioeconomic statuses in the United Kingdom. Accordingly, the study used a total of four variables based on the Townsend score, including; unemployment, lack of wealth, low income, and poor living conditions to classify the participants into the category of socio-economically deprived people (Wood et al., 2010). Furthermore, the study focused on women participants because they play a central role in planning the family’s diet. Besides, previous studies involving women participants from the same community had indicated that most women never prioritized healthy lifestyles. On the other hand, the study used the social learning theory as the basis for data collecti on considering that the researchers were interested in the participants’ beliefs and perceptions regarding good health, health behavior changes, and healthy lifestyle changes. As a result, the qualitative semi-structured interviews were designed to measure the participants’ beliefs about the factors influencing good health and their perceived responsibilities in promoting good health within the community. Moreover, the interviews were designed to measure the sources of dietary information among the participants and additional information regarding family diet and constraints to healthy eating. Generally, the interviews involved face-to-face conversations between the interviewer and the women participants, and all the interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim (Wood et al., 2010).Advertising Looking for report on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Further, the data collected was analyzed usin g the principles of framework analysis, which involves five stages including familiarization, identification of thematic frameworks, indexing, charting, and mapping/interpretations (Wood et al., 2010). All these methods are common forms of qualitative data analysis. Accordingly, the study findings indicate that all the participants were familiar with the basic terms used in health promotion, and thus, they had incorporated them into their daily language. Additionally, the study found out that time, money, family preferences, and the need to improve the quality of life were the major barriers to making health behavior changes among the participants. Further, the participants admitted to misunderstanding the messages concerning the significance of healthy diets, and hence, they were subject to making inappropriate dietary plans for their families. On the other hand, most participants reported that they willfully interpreted the messages regarding dietary health promotion in such a way that fits their preferences and budget (Wood et al., 2010). Therefore, based on the foregoing qualitative analyses and study findings, the researchers concluded that health promotion professionals should try to understand how different families perceive healthy diets and the way they interpret messages concerning good health in order to design appropriate health promotion programs. Moreover, the study recommends that health professionals should provide dietary advice and information based on individual perceptions and understanding of healthy diets. Additionally, the researchers indicated that health professionals should consider individual family preferences and socio-economic circumstances in designing health promotion programs for the community (Wood et al., 2010). Reference Wood, F., Robling, M., Prout, H., Kinnersley, P., Houston, H., Butler, C. (2010). A question of balance: A qualitative study of mother’s interpretations of dietary recommendations. Annals of Family M edicine, 8(1), 51-57. This report on Evaluation of a Qualitative Research Study was written and submitted by user Christina Owens to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tesco Changing Business Environment Essays

Tesco Changing Business Environment Essays Tesco Changing Business Environment Paper Tesco Changing Business Environment Paper Briefly describe and measure the altering concern environment at Tesco over the last five old ages utilizing appropriate theories, theoretical accounts and relevant illustrations. Introduction Tesco was been founded by Jack Cohen, on his first twenty-four hours he managed to derive a net income of ?1 and gross revenues of ?4. Tesco is graded 3rd in universe for largest food market retail merchant, with its operations in more than 14 states. The name â€Å"Tesco† had appeared foremost in 1924, and its first store was opened in London. In 1947 the company was been listed on London Stock Exchange and in 1948 it opened the first self-service stores for concern. First Tesco supermarket was opened in 1956 in Essex. In 1947 Tesco started selling Gasoline. Its one-year Employee turnover in 1979 was around 1 billion lbs. It started its first senior section in 1975 and in 1997 Its first Large shops ( excess ) . Companies chief intent is to make value for clients in order to gain them lifetime trueness. This scheme made them successful and is now the topmost Supermarket in UK. Tesco apart from being one of the largest retail merchants for nutrient have besides embraced the non nutrient merchandises and spread outing on family goods, toilet articless, electrical points, dressing etc. One of the most of import schemes of Tesco is focus on non nutrient points. Business environment: Business environment includes of many factors that affect an administrations operation are clients, rivals, stakeholders, providers, industry tendencies, ordinances, other authorities ordinance, societal, economic factors and technological developments. â€Å"Business Environment is the sum of all things external to concern houses and industries which affect their administration and operations.† ( Bayard O Wheeler, 1968 ) The concern depends on many factors, but it has to move and respond consequently indoors every bit good as exterior of mill. Changes that occur within a company is called as internal factors and alterations outside the company are called as external factors. This consequence the aims and schemes of the company. PESTEL Analysis of Tesco: PESTLE Political, Economic, Social and Technological factors: analysis measures the market potency and state of affairs, peculiarly bespeaking growing or diminution Tesco is the giant of all supermarkets due to its UK laterality. Analysis of the marker has shown three chief grounds for this. A PESTLE analysis is hence utile in maintaining TESCO up to day of the month with their environmental milieus, for illustration, gaining in progress that we were heading for a recession would hold helped them to be after in front. Tesco are scattered everyplace both locally and internationallyThey sell to about every section of the societyThey sell both nutrient and non nutrient points Political:Politically, the recession is one of the chief spectrums that are presently impacting all the states which may take to higher Numberss of unemployment. As one of the largest and fastest turning retail merchants more occupations will be available with TESCO hence assisting to cut down the degrees of unemployment. Economic:One of TESCO’s competitory advantages at present relates to their overpowering physical presence, there are issues about TESCO driving out the competition from other retail merchants. There are policies every bit good as Torahs and ordinances regulating monopolies and competition which would be identified though an analysis. This is potentially one of the chief issues that TESCO’s are faced with. Protecting consumers and guaranting that enterprisers have the chance to vie in the market economic system are of import within consumer jurisprudence. Due to the current province of the economic system, many little concerns are neglecting and many unable to come in the market. Analysis has helped to measure where location wise there is a demand for enlargement. The state of affairs is in no manner being assisted by the of all time spread outing TESCO’s ironss of shop. Under EU jurisprudence, there is given that an administration with a big market portion is dom inant. The concerns with this are that quality of merchandises and services will steal and there is a hazard of paying higher monetary values. TESCO to day of the month has non been assessed as presenting a hazard of development but should bear this in head. This is the ground why habitue or uninterrupted scans doing usage of the PESTLE analysis will take to uninterrupted appraisals which can guarantee that TESCO’s laterality is non in any manner exploitatory. Planing permission is an issue that TESCO earnestly necessitate to be cognizant of due to their continued enlargement. Planing permission is to a great extent regulated in the UK. A thorough analysis would assist us to place the relevant Torahs on planning permission and whether any opposition to planning was on lawful evidences or simply local people’s dissent. It hence ab initio assesses the possible success of a shop in a new country. Sociable:Sociological facet of the PESTLE analysis involves lifestyle tendencies, demographics consumer attitudes and sentiments, consumer purchasing forms major events and influences purchasing entree and tendencies in the instance of Tesco considerations such as the addition in in-migration of Eastern Europeans or increase in immature professionals. Naturally there is hence a demand for new goods for illustration ; the calling minded professional who is a individual individual. This has seen a rise in the repasts for one or quick microwaveable repasts to do cookery quick and easy for those ever on the spell. Technological:Technological factors which have possibly had the most impact on TESCO has been the growing in the usage of the cyberspace.Internet has given new form to new twenty-four hours shopping They have capitalised on the usage of online shopping forum Tesco direct and supply a bringing service through their web site at www.tesco.com.this has aided the company to provide to a larger section of people at their convenience. TESCO’s are besides instrumental as a retail merchant in back uping C decreases and have created a ?100 million Sustainable Technology Fund for this intent. They besides encourage their clients to do low C picks. Yet if TESCO’s did non take their corporate duties earnestly in relation to environmental issues it could hold face effects for TESCO’s repute. By making a PESTLE analysis we can analyze the development and the success of TESCO’s in add-on to the twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours direction of each shop in line with strategic determinations. Without cognizing what external factors affect the administration, it is hard to pull off the concern in an efficient mode. Tesco s Business Operations Understanding thorough assorted concern theoretical accounts, all companies need several concern schemes to run their concern in a smooth mode. They follow assorted methods to make so. One of the major is to analysis the strengths failing of the company along with the chances it has and which may originate in future and the menaces which they may confront. SWOT Analysis Strength, failing, Threat and Opportunities Strengths 1. Tesco is one of the largest and renowned food market retail merchants. The trade name name is one of the biggest strengths they possesses. They have diversified into different states with about 1 million work forces from different backgrounds and different age groups. During the diminution of planetary retail overall gross revenues the company has still shown a growing of 13 % within the UK markets and 26 % internationally.They have won several retail awards for maintaining up their criterions and supplying best retails services maintaining in head their corporate duties. They are continuously spread outing with propositions of opening several shops on an international degree. 2. Of the major supermarkets in the UK, merely Tesco, The Co-operative, Iceland and Sainsbury s offer trueness card schemes to clients. Customers can roll up two Club card points for every ?1 ( or one point for ˆ1 in Ireland and Slovakia ) they spend in a Tesco shop, or Tesco.com, and 1 point per ?1 in gasoline station ( non in Slovakia ) . Customers can besides roll up points by paying with a Tesco Credit Card, or by utilizing Tesco Mobile, Tesco Homophone, Tesco Broadband, selected Tesco Personal Finance merchandises or through Club card spouses, E.ON and Avis. Each point equates to 1p in shop when redeemed or 4p when used with club card trades ( offers for vacations, twenty-four hours trips, etc ) . Club card points ( UK A ; IE ) can besides be converted to Air stat mis. Club card points are besides converted into vouchers which can be redeemed for excess points or hard currency sums. 3. They use its own-brand merchandises, including the upmarket Finest , mid-range Tesco trade name and low-price Value embracing several merchandise classs such as nutrient, drink, place, vesture, Tesco Mobile and fiscal services. Failings 1. Due to the current economic conditions TESCOs may endure from the lifting cost of life and lower incomes available to the public resulting in less demand for the non indispensable and mid to high priced points. 2. Due to the on-going recession TESCOs Finance net income degrees were impacted through bad debt, recognition card arrears and family insurance claims. This could go on if the market doesn’t see alteration shortly. 3. TESCOs has retained its place as a monetary value leader in UK markets for which they had to cut down net income borders in order to retain the cardinal monetary value points on commercial points. 4. Grocer mercantile establishments are non set up to run as specializer retail merchants in specific countries of merchandise which can be capitalised on by smaller retail merchants and things can be sold locally. Menaces 1. Due to the on-going recession UK and American markets have been affected by economic concerns. Loss of employment and Lower income available will impact and strategic focal point may necessitate to alter to take down priced basic merchandises with less focal point on higher priced trade names and luxury merchandises proposing a alteration in pricing construction. 2. Due to modern development and changeless alterations in engineering there are a batch of alterations to consumer purchasing behavior. Necessitating farther analysis as engineering develops consumer purchasing forms alteration which will ensue in merchandise countries necessitating rating invariably to maintain up with the demands. 3. Rising natural stuff costs from both nutrient and non nutrient will impact net income borders overall. 4. Sourcing alterations to Far East locations with respects exporting limitations on some non nutrient merchandise countries will cut down border rates on merchandises with already low borders. 5. Tesco has ever feared the menace of coup detat from the market leader Wal-Mart who has both agencies and motivation to prosecute such action. Wal-Mart has been a leader particularly in the US market for few old ages now. With its confederation with ASDA in the UK they are one of the nearest rivals. Opportunities 1. After researching the growing figures and gross revenues of Tesco the statics suggest that TESCO is the 3rd largest planetary grocer which indicates a degree of purchasing power to guarantee mainstream economic systems of graduated table. 2. The acquisition of Homever provides the chance to develop the trade name through Asia, specifically South Korea and farther turn International markets for the group. 3. Tesco Direct has been one of the recent and great accomplishments which has been seen as one of the of import tools in increasing the gross revenues borders. The online and catalogue shopping will turn the usage of engineering, supplying the launch tablet for larger non nutrient based merchandises with moderate to high border returns and less focal point on gross revenues and border per pes return to infinite. The development of such platforms non merely assist in salvaging retail infinite but reach a larger figure of people. 4. TESCO mobile have grown ? million clients in 2008 and moved into profitable position proposing farther growing and development within this technological country can be developed. Tesco’s Market Share ( Figures based on twelvemonth 2008-2009 ) in comparing with the closest rivals ASDA, Morrison, Sainsbury ) Fig 1 TESCO’s growing chart over the last five old ages ( 2005-2009 ) demoing changeless growing in turnover and net income. Bowman scheme It s another suited manner to analyse a company s competitory place in comparing to the offerings of rivals. Bowman considers competitory advantage in relation to be advantage or distinction advantage. There are six core strategic options Low monetary value / depression added value: this option is based on cleavage. Tesco has merchandises that will be suited for different geographical countries, population or age Low Monetary value: this option signifies the importance of being the cost leader. The company has to the hazard of monetary value war and low borders Hybrid the Company need to take attention of the rhythm of reinvestment by maintaining a low cost base and low monetary value Differentiation: Differentiation can be created either with a monetary value premium the perceived added value should be sufficient plenty to bear the monetary value premium or without where the perceived value by user giving market portion benefits Focused distinction: the company tries to concentrate on perceived added value to a peculiar section which will guarantee a premium monetary value. Increased monetary value criterion: maintaining higher borders in instance rival do non desire value put on the lining fring the market portionIncreased monetary value /low values.this option will merely work if the company holds a monopoly and has no rivals Low value criterion monetary value: in this option one would lose the market portion as the value provided is low at a standard monetary value of the market Tesco s Steering Wheel ( 1997 ) Cardinal public presentation indexs: The principle for the scheme is to broaden the range of the concern to enable it to present strong sustainable long-run growing by following the client into big spread outing markets at place – such as fiscal services, non-food and telecoms – and new markets abroad, ab initio in Central Europe and Asia, and more late in the United States. The schemes and aims of the company: Tesco has a well-established and consistent scheme for growing, which has allowed us to beef up our nucleus UK concern and drive enlargement into new markets. To be a successful international retail merchant: Tesco is concentrating on non merely a full enlargement within the UK but besides throughout the universe. Presently they have several undertakings including reopening of retail mercantile establishments in states like China, India, Brazil. To turn the nucleus UK concern: Tesco wants to supply first-class client service and value to all clients thought the UK To be as strong in non-food as in nutrient. The enlargement of hypermarket manner supermarkets and the accent of sale of non merchandises have increased over the last few old ages.non nutrient represents a important net income chance I have tried to look at the overall company’s policies and schemes of Tesco to be as strong in non nutrient point like it does in nutrient. To develop retailing services such as Tesco Personal Finance, Telecoms and Tesco.com To set community at the bosom of what we do: Tesco accent on supplying value services and to gain life clip trueness. They take inaugural in developing the community and doing an attempt to determine the environment for improvement. The policies they follow include utilizing just trade policies, making shared value, societal accounting etc. They have close associations with charitable organisations like malignant neoplastic disease research, race for life etc The growing of any merchandise sale depends on different facets. I have visited about all Tesco formats and had a position of what Tesco is offering and how the services are provided for the same Gaining Customer Loyalty- What is in topographic point and how have they improved over the five twelvemonth – trueness card, rank Tesco’s Club card plan boasts 10 million active families and captures 85 % of hebdomadal gross revenues. It is besides a symbol of Tesco’s committedness to their clients as persons: multidimensional client cleavage and tailored communications as of last June, four million alone quarterly mailings prove to Tesco’s clients that they can number on their â€Å"local grocer† to cognize them. Mailings are tailored to the demands, involvements, and possible involvements of Club Card members. Customers are segmented into cost witting, mid-market, and up-market sections, which are in bend segmented into healthy, gourmet, convenient, household life, and so on. These sub sections are so segmented further and communications are tailored to each.Impressively, Club Card voucher salvation is in the 20 % -40 % scope and cost per salvation decreased since the origin of the Club Card Program. By aiming in such a relevant manner and treating clients harmonizing to their single behaviours, demands, and desires, Tesco came to understand that a higher-value voucher is non needed when you’ve reached the right individual in the right manner with a trim message.In the five twelvemonth period following the execution of the Club Card plan, gross revenues have increased by 52 % and still turn at a rate higher than the industry norm. Shop gaps and enlargements have increased Tesco’s floor infinite by 150 % .In the on-line infinite, tesco.com boasts 500,000 minutess hebdomadal, numbering about two billion lbs in gross revenues each twelvemonth. The profitableness, plus the size of the tesco.com concern and the figure of minutess it completes, makes tesco.com a genuinely alone on-line food market shop. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.loyalty.vg/pages/CRM/case_study_14_Tesco.htm ) Decision and recommendation: After a thorough research of Tesco as a company, its schemes and the turnover and gross revenues figures it can be assessed that the company has been on a changeless growing graph. The company is confronting few challenges due to recession and changeless technological developments nevertheless with their schemes they are turning them into chances. The company non merely is concentrating at a diversified and international market but is besides making it in manner which will non merely profit it clients and run into the corporate duty. They presently besides are one of the leaders in the UK market with 30 % portion and 3rd internationally. Tesco besides y launched a new scope of cheaper price reduction goods to halt shoppers abandoning, which hit Tesco s top-line gross revenues as shoppers traded down to the new points. Shoppers now buy an norm of two points each from the price reduction scope. The launch of the Tesco Club card to promote shopper trueness is besides been a great advant age. The company should concentrate on covering with recession and inventing new ways to maintain up with the market portion than cut downing the monetary values down to run into competition. Bibliography Mentions: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.tescoplc.com/plc/about_us/strategy/hypertext transfer protocol: //www.businessballs.com/portersfiveforcesofcompetition.htmhypertext transfer protocol: //www.oppapers.com/essays/Tesco/249648hypertext transfer protocol: //www.modelanswer.co.uk/business/help/pestle/tescos.phphypertext transfer protocol: //www.businessteacher.org.uk/business-resources/swot-analysis-database/tesco-swot-analysis/hypertext transfer protocol: //www.tescoplc.com/plc/about_us/strategy/community/hypertext transfer protocol: //www.oppapers.com/essays/Tesco/249648hypertext transfer protocol: //www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jun/16/tesco-sales-losing-market-share Other Essaies on Tesco Other essays available on the Tesco administrations are: Tesco Business analysis Tesco is one of the taking supermarkets Tesco Strategy analysis Tesco SWOT analysis Tesco Fresh Veg Supply Chain Management

Liability and Risk Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Liability and Risk Management - Essay Example I am the Account Manager for Best Western Hotels and work for a worldwide insurance broker, Aon Reed Stenhouse. It is possible Best Western may employ a staff Risk Manager, but it is more likely this function is performed by an insurance broker since only some of the very largest corporations have an in house Risk Manager. Regardless of whether done by staff or an outside agency, the functions are very similar. At this point, a distinction must be made an insurance agent and an insurance broker. An agent serves only 1 or a very few insurance companies and is paid a commission by them for a business referral. In contrast, a broker has access to the entire insurance market and therefore place coverage with any insurer or group of them in the case of subscription policies for physical damage on behalf of a client such as Best Western. Because their remuneration is derived from their client rather than insurer(s) they are usually more attuned to their customers’ needs than an agen t is. While brokers do place insurance coverage their function is much broader than that. Especially if Best Western does not have a staff Risk Manager, the brokers’ function is to supervise the hotels’ static risk management. For example, as Account Manager for Best Western, I would be responsible for liaising with them to ascertain the risks they face and advising them on the most efficient ways of dealing with each one whether by insurance, transfer to subcontractors, reduction through preventative safety measures, retention, or avoidance.   To assist me, I would have a site inspector make at least annual inspections to identify and decide how to minimize perceived hazards. I would probably also have the services of a Claims Manager who would monitor Best Westerns’ claims and if they felt an insurers’ position was wrong, go to bat for the hotel, or conversely if they agreed with the insurer try to convince the hotel their decision was right and in ac cordance with policy terms. In a nutshell my role would be to assist and advise Best Western in all maters related to static risk management. Risk Identification Although there may be slight variations in the risks associated with individual properties due to such variables as differing amenities provided or specific locations, most static risks are common to all. They include the physical risks of damage to the property itself such as by fire, smoke, earthquake ( especially in California), flood, water damage due to leakage from plumbing and fire

Assignment about management & strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Assignment about management & strategy - Essay Example TQM has been adopted by many organisations worldwide and has been defined in multiple ways that suited their businesses. A generalized definition is that of Evans and Dean, which states, ‘TQM is a comprehensive, organisation-wide effort to improve the quality of products and services’ (as qtd in Cooney & Sohal, 34, ch.3). The British Railways Board (1989) defined TQM as ‘the process which seeks to meet and satisfy customer requirements throughout the whole chain of internal and external customers and suppliers’ (Pike and Barnes, 25). The International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) defines TQM as a management approach for an organisation, centered on quality, based on participation of all its members and aiming at long-term success through customer satisfaction, and benefits to all members of the organisation and to society (Gupta, 113). Emergence of TQM may be traced back to period before the World War II and with American influence on quality assur ance principles. Although first put forth by Edwards Deming, who was known as the ‘father of the quality movement,’ TQM principles did not receive much attention at the time. These principles are said to have gained great significance after they were adopted in Japanese management theories, which modified the principles to suit their industries. TQM concepts have reinforced the Japanese management and businesses greatly and have helped the Japanese products enter the world markets. The United States recognized Japanese progress during 1980s and 1990s, and realized the significance of TQM concepts. Since then, the US industries have embraced TQM and re-emerged as global competitors (Daft & Marcic, 33). Deming’s contribution to the elaboration and development of TQM has been profound after advancing Stewhart’s statistical studies through the PDCA cycle (plan, do, check, act), which provided the base for continuous improvement. These statistical methods devel oped by Stewhart and Deming came to be known as the Statistical Process Control (SPC). The SPC in combination with Elton Mayo’s human relations movement eventually became the theoretical base for TQM (Sallis, 7). From these studies it is clear that TQM is a quality concept that must be applied to every aspect of the business and should be measured and controlled statistically. This means it would also require involvement from all members associated with the business. In short, TQM needs to be applied to the organisational systems, structure, and culture; it would require commitment from management and staff at all levels; it should involve all stakeholders including the external suppliers and vendors. With this concept coming in, quality is seen as a strategic issue and can play a major role in saving huge costs for the company. It involves everyone associated with the organisation. It focuses on continuous improvements, maintaining zero defects, build quality and enhance cus tomer satisfaction. All these achievements become benchmarks for others and help the organisation in sustaining their competitive position in the market and with their customers. TQM has been applied by many organisations with different names, like Leadership Through Quality (Xerox); Quality the ICL Way (ICL); Quality Service Programme (Nat West); Total Quality Culture (Texas Instruments); Total

Julius Caesar Essay Example for Free

Julius Caesar Essay Cause and Effect Prompt based on William Shakespeare’s tragedy Julius Caesar Search the cause and effect of the assassination of Julius Caesar in William Shakespeare’s tragedy Julius Caesar by examining Julius Caesar being a Tragic Hero with a Tragic flaw(s), and how this led to his downfall. Your paper must provide description of his tragic hero traits. Cite your literature textbook with at least two examples using quotations from the play that demonstrate this cause and effect. Then compare and contrast this dilemma with another world figure (either from the past or the present) that has been untimely assassinated. Find parallels between your selected figure and Julius Caesar. Analyze their likenesses and differences of the impact of these two deaths on their respective societies. Include another quotation as text evidence for your discussion. * Remember that your examples from the text must be within quotation marks. * Remember that you are demonstrating the tragic flaw that Julius Caesar had through the use of the quotations you find and how this cause his downfall, then you are comparing and contrasting this same situation with another world figure leader who also was lost due to an assassination. * Remember to write a clear thesis for your paper which will give direction for your remarks. Tragic Hero TraitsTherefore * Born into nobility* He/she falls from great heights * Responsible for his/her own fate* Realizes they have made an irreversible mistake * Endowed with a tragic flaw* Faces and accepts death with honor and humility * Doomed to make a serious error in judgment * May meet a tragic death Themes of Julius Caesar Fate versus Free will Public versus Private Self Misinterpretations and misleadings Inflexibility versus compromise Political rhetoric versus Power Essay Requirements: 1. At least 5/6 well-constructed paragraphs 2. A clear thesis within your introduction 3. Two quotations: these must express his tragic flaw in a cause and effect manner (if this- then that). 4. You must compare and contrast the situation and downfall of Caesar to a current or past public figure that has been lost through an assassination. One quotation is required. 5. This is a timed writing piece. Please apply your knowledge of time management through use of prewriting, drafting and revising skills. You must  proof read your own paper before submission. 6. MLA requirements: Neatly written document with proper documentation of your quotations followed by a Works Cited entry of all documented sources at the end of your paper. Do not write on the back of your paper.

Helen Humphreys’ Afterimage and Anne Sexton’s poems, For John, Who begs

Helen Humphreys’ Afterimage and Anne Sexton’s poems, For John, Who begs Me Not to Enquire Further and The Black Art Woman artists have often been condemned as lesser artists than their male contemporaries, and this critical view appears in Helen Humphreys’ Afterimage and in Anne Sexton’s poems â€Å"For John, Who begs Me Not to Enquire Further† and â€Å"The Black Art†. The woman artists in these works use their creative talents to escape the mundane and sometimes painful realities of their lives. They are also experimental in their approach to subject matters and are eager to transgress societal beliefs. While their methods and journeys differ, the women in these works emerge as true artists through their distinct outlooks on life, their novel approaches to subject matter, and their transgressions of traditional beliefs. In Humphreys’ Afterimage, the protagonist Annie Phelan is a budding artist-model who has suffered from a life of loss and pain. To escape from reality, she flees to the imaginary world of Jane Eyre. Annie compares her new employers, the Dashells, to the characters in her favourite novel. She is disappointed, for she is unable to make her imaginary world come alive. This dreamy quality of the female artist resonates in the heart of the female narrator in â€Å"The Black Art† who hurts from feeling â€Å"too much† (The Black Art 1). Like Annie, this poet senses ennui towards everyday life. She feels â€Å"as if mourners and gossips/and vegetables were never enough† (4-5). At the end of the poem, the narrator is still at odds with the real world in which â€Å"the children leave in disgust† (23). In Afterimage, however, Annie finds hope in Jane Eyre after she discovers that the Dashells are easygoing employers: â€Å"Perha... ...sitions, especially from male artists. Romanticizing their arts, the woman artists in these works gravitate towards escapism from their painful, mundane lives. If one loves something, one must set it free. Annie Phelan in Afterimage lets go of the burning boy dressed as an angel. This burning angel evokes the image of the Fallen Angel. It is also symbolic of these woman artists’ works: although their artworks transgress the rules of society, they make a lasting impact on all those who witness them, thus making these women influential artists. Works Cited Humphreys, Helen. Afterimage. Toronto: HarperFlamingo, 2000. Sexton, Anne. â€Å"For John, Who begs Me Not to Enquire Further†. 1960. The Complete Poems. pp. 34, 35. Boston: First Mariner Books, 1999. Sexton, Anne. â€Å"The Black Art†. 1962. The Complete Poems. pp. 88, 89. Boston: First Mariner Books, 1999.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Twenty-nine

THE EVENTS THAT FOLLOWED were a blur. Sonya might have kept spirit's touch at bay, but it didn't matter. I was still in shock, still unable to think. They put me in the front seat, as far from Victor as possible. Dimitri drove us somewhere–I didn't pay much attention–where he and Sonya disposed of the body. They didn't say what they did, only that it was â€Å"taken care of.' I didn't ask for details. After that, we were back and headed toward Court. Sonya and Dimitri tossed around options on what to do when we got there. Seeing as no one had yet cleared my name, the current plan was that Sonya would have to escort Jill into Court. Jill asked if she could call her parents to let them know she was okay, but Dimitri felt that was a security risk. Sonya said she'd try to reach Emily in a dream, which made Jill feel a little better. I coped during the drive by checking in on Lissa. Focusing on her took me away from the horrible guilt and emptiness I felt, the horror at what I'd done to Victor. When I was with Lissa, I wasn't me, and just then, that was my greatest desire. I didn't want to be me. But things weren't perfect for her either. Like always, a number of issues were weighing her down. She felt close–so, so close–to unraveling who had killed Tatiana. The answer seemed within her grasp, if only she could reach just a little farther. The guardians had dragged Joe the janitor in, and after a fair amount of coercion–they had methods that didn't require magical compulsion–he'd admitted to having seen the twisted-handed Moroi in my building on the night of the murder. No amount of pushing would get Joe to admit he had been paid off–by either the man or Daniella. The most he'd admit was that he might have been â€Å"a little off' in his times that night. It was by no means hard evidence to save me. Lissa had Ambrose's letter too, which had subtly threatened Tatiana. The writer had opposed the age law for being soft, disapproved of Tatiana's endorsement of spirit, and resented the secret training sessions. The letter might have been perfectly polite, but whoever penned it had had a serious grudge against the queen. That supported the political motive theories. Of course, there were still lots of personal motives for the murder too. The sordid mess with Ambrose, Blake, and the women involved pegged any of them as the murderer. Daniella Ivashkov being on that list was a constant point of stress for Lissa, and she dared not breathe a word to Adrian. The saving grace there was that Daniella's bribery had been to get Adrian out of trouble–not solidify my guilt. The unknown Moroi had funded that bribe. Surely, if she had killed Tatiana, Daniella would have paid for both of Joe's lies. And of course, there was the last test pressing against Lissa's mind. The riddle. The riddle that seemed to have so many answers–and yet, none at all.What must a queen possess in order to truly rule her people? In some ways, it was more difficult than the other tests. Those had had a hands-on component, so to speak. This? This was her own intellect. No fire to build. No fear to look in the eye. She hated that she took the riddle so seriously too. She didn't need its stress, not with everything else going on. Life would have been simpler if she'd kept treating the trials simply as a scam to buy us time. The Court was continually swelling with those who had come to see the election, and more and more of them–much to her disbelief–were throwing their support behind her. She could hardly walk anywhere without people calling out about â€Å"the Dragon' or â€Å"Alexandra reborn.' Word of her attack had gotten out too, which seemed to have fueled her supporters even more. But, of course, Lissa still had plenty of opposition. The biggest case against her was the same old legal one: that she wouldn't be eligible for votes when the time came. Another mark against her was her age. She was too young, her opponents said. Who would want a child on the throne? But Lissa's admirers wouldn't hear any of it. They kept citing young Alexandra's rule and the miracles Lissa had wrought with her healing. Age was irrelevant. The Moroi needed young blood, they cried. They also demanded the voting laws be changed. Unsurprisingly, her opponents also kept bringing up the fact that she was tied to a queen-killing murderer. I'd have thought that would have been the biggest issue in her candidacy, but she'd been so convincing about how I'd shocked and betrayed her that many felt her being queen would actually right the wrong I'd committed. She'd used bits of compulsion whenever the topic came up, which also went a long way in making others think she was now completely dissociated from me. â€Å"I'm so tired of this,' Lissa told Christian, back in her room. She'd sought escape there and was lying on her bed in his arms. My mom was there, on guard. â€Å"This queen thing was a horrible idea.' Christian stroked her hair. â€Å"It's not. Abe said the election will be delayed because of the uproar. And no matter how much you complain, I know you're proud you made it this far.' It was true. The chalice test had cut the nominees in half. Only five remained. Ariana Szelsky was one of them, as was Daniella's cousin, Rufus Tarus. Lissa was the third, with Marcus Lazar and Marie Conta rounding out the group. Ronald Ozera hadn't made it through. My mother spoke up. â€Å"I've never seen anything like this–it's incredible how much support you're getting. The Council and other royals are under no obligations to change the law. But the mob's loud †¦ and gaining the love of â€Å"commoners' could benefit certain royals. Standing by your claim to run would certainly reflect well on a couple families that are out of favor. What's holding them back is the thought that you might actually win. So they'll just keep arguing and arguing.' Lissa stiffened. â€Å"Winning †¦ that's not really possible, is it? Ariana's got it sealed †¦ right?' Winning had never been a part of this crazy plan, and now, with so few candidates, the pressure was even greater to get Ariana on the throne. As far as Lissa was concerned, the other candidates showed no promise of improving Moroi life. Ariana had to win. â€Å"I'd say so,' said Janine. There was pride in her voice, seeing how close she was to the Szelsky family. â€Å"Ariana's brilliant and competent, and most people know it. She'd treat dhampirs fairly–more so than some of the other candidates. She's already spoken about reversing the age law.' The thought of worse laws oppressing the dhampirs made Lissa's stomach sink. â€Å"God, I hope she wins. We can't have anything else go wrong.' A knock at the door snapped my mom into full guardian mode until Lissa said, â€Å"It's Adrian.' â€Å"Well,' muttered Christian, â€Å"at least his timing's better than usual.' Sure enough, my boyfriend entered, wreathed in his now usual scent of smoke and liquor. True, his vices were the least of my concerns, but it kept bugging me that he needed me to be there in person to enforce his good behavior. It reminded me of when he said I was his strength. â€Å"Get up, guys,' he said. He looked very pleased with himself. â€Å"We've got a visit to pay.' Lissa sat up, puzzled. â€Å"What are you talking about?' â€Å"I am not hanging out with Blake Lazar again,' warned Christian. â€Å"You and me both,' said Adrian. â€Å"I've got someone better. And more attractive. Remember how you were wondering how close Serena was to Grant? Well, looks like you can ask her yourself. I found her. And yes, you're welcome.' A frown crossed my mother's face. â€Å"Last I heard, Serena had been sent away to teach at a school. One on the east coast, I think.' After the Strigoi attack that had killed Grant and several others, the guardians had decided to pull Serena from active bodyguard duty for a while. She'd been the only guardian to survive. â€Å"She is, but since it's summer, they brought her back to help with election crowd control. She's working the front gates.' Lissa and Christian exchanged looks. â€Å"We have to talk to her,' said Lissa excitedly. â€Å"She might have known who Grant was secretly teaching.' â€Å"That doesn't mean one of them killed Tatiana,' warned my mother. Lissa nodded. â€Å"No, but there's a connection, if Ambrose's letter is right. She's there now? At the gates?' â€Å"Yup,' said Adrian. â€Å"And we probably don't even need to buy her a drink.' â€Å"Then let's go.' Lissa stood and reached for her shoes. â€Å"Are you sure?' asked Christian. â€Å"You know what's waiting out there.' Lissa hesitated. It was late at â€Å"night' for Moroi, but that didn't mean everyone was in bed–especially at the gates, which was always jam-packed with people lately. Clearing my name was too important, Lissa decided. â€Å"Yeah. Let's do it.' With my mother leading the way, my friends made their way to the Court's entrance. (The â€Å"door' that Abe had made had been patched up.) The Court was surrounded in high, multicolored stone walls that helped further the human image that this was actually an elite school. Wrought iron gates at the entrance stood open, but a group of guardians blocked the road leading into Court grounds. Normally, only two guardians would have manned the booth at the gate. The extra numbers were both for greater interrogation of cars and for crowd control. Spectators lined the road's sides, watching the arriving cars as though they were at a red carpet premiere. Janine knew a roundabout way that avoided some people–but not all. â€Å"Don't cringe,' Christian told Lissa as they passed a particularly vocal group, which had noticed her. â€Å"You're a queenly nominee. Act like it. You deserve this. You're the last Dragomir. A daughter of royalty.' Lissa gave him a brief, astonished look, surprised to hear the fierceness in his voice– and that he clearly believed his words. Straightening up, she turned toward her fans, smiling and waving back, which excited them that much more. Take this seriously, she reminded herself. Don't disgrace our history. In the end, getting through the crowd to the gate proved easier than getting time alone with Serena. The guardians were swamped and insisted on keeping Serena for screening, but my mom had a quick conversation with the guardian in charge. She reminded him of Lissa's importance and offered to stand in for Serena for a few minutes. Serena had long since healed from the Strigoi attack. She was my age, blond-haired and pretty. She was clearly surprised to see her former charge. â€Å"Princess,' she said, maintaining formalities. â€Å"How can I help you?' Lissa pulled Serena away from the cluster of guardians speaking to the Moroi drivers lined up at the gate. â€Å"You can call me Lissa. You know that. You taught me to stab pillows, after all.' Serena gave her a small smile. â€Å"Things have changed. You might be our next queen.' Lissa grimaced. â€Å"Unlikely.' Especially since I have no clue how to solve that riddle, she thought. â€Å"But I do need your help. You and Grant spent a lot of time together †¦ did he ever mention training Moroi for Tatiana? Like, secret combat sessions?' Serena's face gave the answer away, and she averted her eyes. â€Å"I'm not supposed to talk about that. He wasn't even supposed to tell me.' Lissa gripped the young guardian's arm in excitement, making Serena flinch. â€Å"You have to tell me what you know. Anything. Who he was training †¦ how they felt about it †¦ who was successful. Anything.' Serena paled. â€Å"I can't,' she whispered. â€Å"It was done in secret. On the queen's orders.' â€Å"My aunt's dead,' said Adrian bluntly. â€Å"And you said yourself you might be talking to the future queen.' This earned a glare from Lissa. Serena hesitated, then took a deep breath. â€Å"I can pull together a list of names. I might not remember all of them, though. And I have no clue how well they were doing–only that a lot resented it. Grant felt like Tatiana had purposely picked those most unwilling.' Lissa squeezed her hand. â€Å"Thank you. Thank you so much.' Serena still looked pained at giving up the secret information. They come first didn't always work when your loyalties were split. â€Å"I'll have to get it to you later, though. They need me here.' Serena returned to her post, bringing my mother back to Lissa. As for me, I returned to my own reality in the car, which had come to a stop. I blinked to clear my eyes and take in our surroundings. Another hotel. We should have had gold member status by now. â€Å"What's going on?' â€Å"We're stopping,' said Dimitri. â€Å"You need to rest.' â€Å"No, I don't. We need to keep going to Court. We need to get Jill there in time for the elections.' Our initial goal in finding Jill had been to give Lissa voting power. It had since occurred to us that if Lissa running was mucking up the elections, the surprise appearance of her sister would likely create just as much sensation and disbelief. A genetic test would clear up any doubts and give Lissa her voting power, but the initial confusion would buy us more of the time we so badly needed to find the murderer. In spite of the random evidence my friends kept turning up, they still had no substantial theories on a culprit. Dimitri gave me a don't lie to me look. â€Å"You were just with Lissa. Are the elections actually happening yet?' â€Å"No,' I admitted. â€Å"Then you're getting some rest.' â€Å"I'm fine,' I snapped. But those fools wouldn't listen to me. Checking in was complicated because none of us had a credit card, and it wasn't the hotel's policy to take a cash deposit. Sonya compelled the desk clerk into thinking it was their policy, and before long, we had booked two adjoining rooms. â€Å"Let me talk to her alone,' Dimitri murmured to Sonya. â€Å"I can handle it.' â€Å"Be careful,' Sonya warned. â€Å"She's fragile.' â€Å"You guys, I'm right here!' I exclaimed. Sonya took Jill's arm and guided her into one of the rooms. â€Å"Come on, let's order room service.' Dimitri opened the other door and looked at me expectantly. With a sigh, I followed and sat on the bed, my arms crossed. The room was a hundred times nicer than the one in West Virginia. â€Å"Can we order room service?' He pulled up a chair and sat opposite me, only a couple feet away. â€Å"We need to talk about what happened with Victor.' â€Å"There's nothing to talk about,' I said bleakly. The dark feelings I'd been shoving back during the drive suddenly fell upon me. They smothered me. I felt more claustrophobic than when I'd been in the cell. Guilt was its own prison. â€Å"I really am the murderer everyone says I am. It doesn't matter that it was Victor. I killed him in cold blood.' â€Å"That was hardly cold blood.' â€Å"The hell it wasn't!' I cried, feeling tears spring to my eyes. â€Å"The plan was to subdue him and Robert so we could free Jill. Subdue. Victor wasn't a threat to me. He was an old man, for God's sake.' â€Å"He seemed like a threat,' said Dimitri. His calmness was the counter to my growing hysteria, as usual. â€Å"He was using his magic.' I shook my head, burying my face in my hands. â€Å"It wasn't going to kill me. He probably couldn't have even kept it up much longer. I could have waited it out or escaped. Hell, I did escape! But instead of capturing him, I slammed him against a concrete wall! He was no match for me. An old man. I killed an old man. Yeah, maybe he was a scheming, corrupt old man, but I didn't want him dead. I wanted him locked up again. I wanted him to spend the rest of his life in prison, living with his crimes. Living, Dimitri.' It seemed strange that I'd feel this way, considering how much I hated Victor. But it was true: it hadn't been a fair fight. I'd acted without thinking. My training had always been about defense and striking out against monsters. Honor had never really come up, but suddenly, it meant a lot to me. â€Å"There was no honor in what I did to him.' â€Å"Sonya said it wasn't your fault.' Dimitri's voice was still gentle, which somehow made me feel worse. I wished he'd chastise me, confirming the guilt I felt. I wanted him to be my critical instructor. â€Å"She said it was a backlash of spirit.' â€Å"It was†¦ .' I paused, recalling the haze of that fight as best I could. â€Å"I never really understood what Lissa experienced in her worst moments until then. I just looked at Victor †¦ and I saw everything evil in the world–an evil I had to stop. He was bad, but he didn't deserve that. He never stood a chance.' Honor, I kept thinking. What honor is there in that? â€Å"You aren't listening, Rose. It wasn't your fault. Spirit's a powerful magic we barely understand. And its dark edge †¦ well, we know it's capable of terrible things. Things that can't be controlled.' I lifted my eyes to his. â€Å"I should have been stronger than it.' There it was. The thought behind all my guilt, all these horrible emotions. â€Å"I should have been stronger than it. I was weak.' Dimitri's reassuring words didn't come so quickly. â€Å"You aren't invincible,' he said at last. â€Å"No one expects you to be.' â€Å"I do. What I did †¦' I swallowed. â€Å"What I did was unforgivable.' His eyes widened in shock. â€Å"That †¦ that's crazy, Rose. You can't punish yourself for something you had no power over.' â€Å"Yeah? Then why are you still–‘ I stopped because I'd been about to accuse Dimitri of continuing to punish himself. Except †¦ he no longer was. Did he feel guilt for what he'd done as a Strigoi? I was certain of it. Sonya had admitted as much. But somewhere in this journey, he had taken control of his life again, bit by bit. She'd told me that, but only now did I truly understand. â€Å"When?' I asked. â€Å"When did it change? When did you realize you could keep living– even after all that guilt?' â€Å"I'm not sure.' If the question surprised him, he hid it. His eyes were locked with mine, but they weren't quite focused on me. The puzzle occupied him. â€Å"In bits, really. When Lissa and Abe first came to me about breaking you out, I was ready to do it because she asked me to. Then, the more I thought about it, the more I realized it was personal too. I couldn't stand the thought of you locked in a cell, being cut off from the world. It wasn't right. No one should live like that, and it occurred to me that I was doing the same–by choice. I was cutting myself off from the world with guilt and self-punishment. I had a second chance to live, and I was throwing it away.' I was still in turmoil, still raging and full of grief, but his story kept me quiet and transfixed. Hearing him pour his heart out was a rare opportunity. â€Å"You heard me talk about this before,' he continued. â€Å"About my goal to appreciate life's little details. And the more we continued on our journey, the more I remembered who I was. Not just a fighter. Fighting is easy. It's why we fight that matters, and in the alley that night with Donovan †¦' He shuddered. â€Å"That was the moment I could have crossed over into someone who fights just to senselessly kill–but you pulled me back, Rose. That was the turning point. You saved me †¦ just as Lissa saved me with the stake. I knew then that in order to leave the Strigoi part of me behind, I had to fight through to be what theyaren't. I had to embrace what they reject: beauty, love, honor.' Right then, I was two people. One was overjoyed. Hearing him talk like that, realizing he was fighting his demons and close to victory †¦ well, I nearly wept with joy. It was what I'd wanted for him for so long. At the same time, his inspiring words only reminded me how far I'd fallen. My sorrow and self-pity took over again. â€Å"Then you should understand,' I said bitterly. â€Å"You just said it: honor. It matters. We both know it does. I've lost mine. I lost it out there in the parking lot when I killed an innocent.' â€Å"And I've killed hundreds,' he said flatly. â€Å"People much more innocent than Victor Dashkov.' â€Å"It's not the same! You couldn't help it!' My feelings exploded to the surface again. â€Å"Why are we repeating the same things over and over?' â€Å"Because they aren't sinking in! You couldn't help it either.' His patience was cracking. â€Å"Feel guilty. Mourn this. But move on. Don't let it destroy you. Forgive yourself.' I leapt to my feet, catching him by surprise. I leaned down, putting us face to face. â€Å"Forgive myself? That's what you want? You of all people?' Words seemed to escape him. I think it had to do with my proximity. He managed a nod. â€Å"Then tell me this. You say you moved past the guilt, decided to revel in life and all that. I get it. But have you, in your heart, really forgiven yourself? I told you a long time ago that I forgave you for everything in Siberia, but what about you? Have you done it?' â€Å"I just said–‘ â€Å"No. It's not the same. You're telling me to forgive myself and move on. But you won't do it yourself. You're a hypocrite, comrade. We're either both guilty or both innocent. Pick.' He rose as well, looking down at me from that lofty height. â€Å"It's not that simple.' I crossed my arms over my chest, refusing to be intimidated. â€Å"It is that simple. We're the same! Even Sonya says we are. We've always been the same, and we're both acting the same stupid way now. We hold ourselves up to a higher standard than everyone else.' Dimitri frowned. â€Å"I–Sonya? What does she have to do with any of this?' â€Å"She said our auras match. She said we light up around each other. She says it means you still love me and that we're in sync, and †¦' I sighed and turned away, wandering across the room. â€Å"I don't know. I shouldn't have mentioned it. We shouldn't buy into this aura stuff when it comes from magic users who are already half-insane.' I reached the window and leaned my forehead against the cool glass, trying to decide what to do. Forgive myself. Could I? A small city sprawled before me, though I'd lost track of where we were. Cars and people moved below, souls out living their lives. I took a deep breath. The image of Victor on the asphalt was going to stay with me for a long, long time. I had done something horrible, even if my intentions were good, but everyone was right: I hadn't been myself. Did that change what had happened? Would that bring Victor back? No. And honestly, I didn't know how I would move past what I'd done, how I'd shake the bloody images in my head. I just knew I had to go on. â€Å"If I let this stop me,' I murmured, â€Å"if I do nothing †¦ then that's the greater evil. I'll do more good by surviving. By continuing to fight and protect others.' â€Å"What are you saying?' asked Dimitri. â€Å"I'm saying †¦ I forgive myself. That doesn't make everything perfect, but it's a start.' My fingertip traced the line of a tiny crack in the glass's surface. â€Å"Who knows? Maybe that outburst in the parking lot let out some of the darkness Sonya says is in my aura. Skeptic that I am, I have to give her some points. She was right that I was at a breaking point, that all I needed was a spark.' â€Å"She was right about something else too,' Dimitri said after a long pause. My back was to him, but there was a strange quality to his voice that made me turn around. â€Å"What's that?' I asked. â€Å"That I do still love you.' With that one sentence, everything in the universe changed. Time slowed to one heartbeat. The world became his eyes, his voice. This wasn't happening. It wasn't real. None of it could be real. It felt like a spirit dream. I resisted the urge to close my eyes and see if I'd wake up moments later. No. No matter how unbelievable it all seemed, this was no dream. This was real. This was life. This was flesh and blood. â€Å"Since †¦ since when?' I finally managed to ask. â€Å"Since †¦ forever.' His tone implied the answer was obvious. â€Å"I denied it when I was restored. I had no room for anything in my heart except guilt. I especially felt guilty about you–what I'd done–and I pushed you away. I put up a wall to keep you safe. It worked for a while–until my heart finally started accepting other emotions. And it all came back. Everything I felt for you. It had never left; it was just hidden from me until I was ready. And again †¦ that alley was the turning point. I looked at you †¦ saw your goodness, your hope, and your faith. Those are what make you beautiful. So, so beautiful.' â€Å"So it wasn't my hair,' I said, unsure how I was even capable of making a joke at a time like this. â€Å"No,' he said gently. â€Å"Your hair was beautiful too. All of you. You were amazing when we first met, and somehow, inexplicably, you've come even farther. You've always been pure, raw energy, and now you control it. You're the most amazing woman I've ever met, and I'm glad to have had that love for you in my life. I regret losing it.' He grew pensive. â€Å"I would give anything–anything–in the world to go back and change history. To run into your arms after Lissa brought me back. To have a life with you. It's too late, of course, but I've accepted it.' â€Å"Why †¦ why is it too late?' Dimitri's eyes grew sad. â€Å"Because of Adrian. Because you've moved on. No, listen,' he said, cutting off my protests. â€Å"You were right to do that after how I treated you. And more than anything else, I want you to be happy once we clear your name and get Jill recognized. You said yourself that Adrian makes you happy. You said you love him.' â€Å"But †¦ you just said you love me. That you want to be with me.' My words seemed clumsy, unworthy of his eloquence. â€Å"And I told you: I'm not going to pursue another man's girlfriend. You want to talk honor? There it is in its purest form.' I walked toward him, each step ramping up the tension around us. Dimitri kept saying the alley was his turning point. For me? It was now. I stood on the precipice of something that would change my life. For the last week, I'd done a very good job of detaching myself from anything romantic with Dimitri. And yet †¦ had I? What was love, really? Flowers, chocolate, and poetry? Or was it something else? Was it being able to finish someone's jokes? Was it having absolute faith that someone was there at your back? Was it knowing someone so well that they instantly understood why you did the things you did–and shared those same beliefs? All week, I'd claimed my love for Dimitri was fading. In reality, it had been growing more and more. I hadn't even realized it was happening. I had been re-establishing our old rapport, strengthening the connection. Reaffirming that of all the people in the world–even Lissa–Dimitri was the only one who truly gotme. I'd meant it: I loved Adrian. It was hard to imagine life without him, but my other words at the Mastranos' had betrayed me: I have fun with him. Now, you should have fun with the one you love, but that shouldn't have been what first came to mind. I should have said, We strengthen each other. Or, He makes me want to be a better person. Perhaps most importantly: He understands me perfectly. But none of that was true, so I hadn't said those things. I'd sought Adrian for comfort. His familiarity and humor were an important part of my world. And if he was in danger? I'd throw my life before his, just as I would for Lissa. Yet, I didn't inspire him, not really. He was trying. He did want to be a better person, but at this moment in his life, his motivations were more about impressing others–about impressing me. It wasn't for himself. That didn't make him bad or weak, but it made me his crutch. He would get past that, I was certain. He would eventually come into his own and be an amazing man, but he wasn't at that point of self-discovery yet. I was. I stood in front of Dimitri now, looking into those dark eyes again, the eyes I loved so much. I placed my hands on his chest, feeling his heart beating strong and steady–and maybe a bit faster than normal. Warmth spread through my fingertips. He reached up and caught hold of my wrists but didn't push me away. The lines of that gorgeous face looked strained as he fought some inner conflict, but now that I knew–now that I knew for sure–I could see his love for me. Love mingled with desire. It was so, so obvious. â€Å"You should have told me,' I said. â€Å"You should have told me this a long time ago. I love you. I've never stopped loving you. You have to know that.' His breath caught when I said I love you, and I could see his internal struggle for control become an all-out war. â€Å"It wouldn't have made any difference. Not with Adrian involved,' he said. The fingers around my hand tightened slightly as though he really might push me away this time. He didn't. â€Å"I mean it. I won't be that guy, Rose. I won't be that man who takes someone else's woman. Now, please. Let go. Don't make this any more difficult.' I ignored the request. If he'd wanted to get away from me, he could have. I splayed my fingers, touching more of his chest, drinking in the feel of that warm contact I'd missed for so long. â€Å"I don't belong to him,' I said in a low voice, pushing close to Dimitri and tilting my head back so that I could see his face clearly. So much emotion, so much conflict as his heart tried to decide right from wrong. Being pressed against him felt like †¦ completion. Sonya had said no couple could share one aura or one soul, but ours weren't meant to be apart. They fit together like a puzzle, two individuals making something greater than themselves. â€Å"I don't belong to anyone. I make my own choices.' â€Å"And you're with Adrian,' said Dimitri. â€Å"But I was meant for you.' And that did it. Any pretense of control or reason either of us possessed melted away. The walls crumbled, and everything we'd been holding back from each other came rushing out. I reached up, pulling us together for a kiss–a kiss he didn't let go this time. A kiss I didn't end by punching him. His arms encircled me as he lifted me onto the bed, one hand soon sliding along my hip and down to my leg, already half-bare, thanks to that poor tattered dress. Every nerve in my body lit up, and I felt that desire returned in him–and then some. After a world of death, he seemed to appreciate love more. Not only that, he needed it. He needed life. He needed me–not just physically, but in the same way my heart and soul always cried out for him. What we did then, as our clothes came off and we brought our bodies together became more than just lust–even though there was plenty of that too. Being with him after so long, after everything we'd endured †¦ it was like coming home. Like finally being where–with whom–I belonged. My world, my heart †¦ they'd shattered when I lost him. But as he looked at me, as his lips spoke my name and ran along my skin †¦ I knew those pieces could come back together. And I knew, with absolute certainty, that waiting for this–for my second time having sex–had been the right thing to do. Anyone else, any other time †¦ it would have been wrong. When we finished, it was like we still couldn't get close enough. We held each other tightly, our limbs entwined, as though maybe closing the distance now would make up for the distance that had been between us for so long. I closed my eyes, my senses flooded with him, and sighed dreamily. â€Å"I'm glad you gave in. I'm glad your self-control isn't as strong as mine.' This made him laugh, and I felt it rumble through his chest. â€Å"Roza, my self-control is ten times stronger than yours.' I opened my eyes, shifting to look into his. I brushed his hair back and smiled, certain my heart would expand and expand until there was nothing left of me. â€Å"Oh yeah? That's not the impression I just got.' â€Å"Wait until next time,' he warned. â€Å"I'll do things that'll make you lose control within seconds.' That comment was just asking for a witty Rose Hathaway quip. It also made my blood burn, which was why we were both surprised when I abruptly said, â€Å"There may not be a next time.' Dimitri's hand, tracing the shape of my shoulder, froze. â€Å"What? Why?' â€Å"We have a couple of things to do before this happens again.' â€Å"Adrian,' he guessed. I nodded. â€Å"And that's my problem, so put your honor-able thoughts aside. I have to face him and answer for this. I will. And you †¦' I couldn't believe what I was about to say. I couldn't believe I meant it. â€Å"You still have to forgive yourself if we're going to be together.' His puzzled expression turned to pain. â€Å"Rose–‘ â€Å"I'm serious.' I met his eyes unflinchingly. â€Å"You have to forgive yourself. For real. Everyone else has. If you can't, then you can't go on either. We can't.' It was one of the biggest gambles of my life. Once, I would have run to him without question, ignoring our problems, overjoyed just to be with him. Now †¦ after everything I'd been through, I'd changed. I loved him. I loved him so much, and I wanted him. But it was because of the strength of that love that I had to do this. If were going to be together, we had to do it the right way. Sex had been amazing, but it wasn't a magical cure for everything. Damn. Somewhere along the way, I'd picked up common sense. I still intended to confront Adrian. And if Dimitri wouldn't do what I asked, I really would walk away. I'd lose both men, but it was better to be alone with my self-respect than be in the wrong relationship. â€Å"I don't know,' Dimitri said at last. â€Å"I don't know if I can †¦ if I'm ready.' â€Å"Decide soon then,' I said. â€Å"You don't have to right this second, but eventually †¦' I didn't push the topic after that. For now, I would let it go, though I knew he would hold onto it and grasp its importance. I knew I was right to stand by it too. He couldn't be happy with me if he wasn't happy with himself. It occurred to me then, as I stood up for myself and what I needed, that our old teacher-student roles were gone forever. Now we really were equals. I rested my head on his chest and felt him relax. We'd bask in this moment, if only for a little longer. Sonya had said we needed â€Å"rest,' making me think we still had some time here before the ticking clock drove us back to Court. As Dimitri and I continued to keep close to one another, I found myself actually wanting to sleep. I was exhausted from the fight–which, I realized, had taken a very unexpected turn. My guilt and despair over Victor and the explosion of spirit had taken their toll too, no matter the healing locket still around my neck. And yes, I thought with a small smile, I was simply exhausted from what Dimitri and I had just done. It was kind of nice to use my body for something that didn't result in serious injury for a change. I fell asleep in his embrace, blackness wrapping around me as warmly as his arms. It should have been that simple. It should have been peaceful, happy rest. But as usual, I wasn't that lucky. A spirit dream pulled me from the enveloping depths of sleep, and for half a second, I thought maybe Robert Doru had come for me to take revenge for his brother's death. But, no. No vindictive Dashkov. Instead, I found myself staring into a pair of emerald- green eyes. Adrian.