Succubus Revealed Chapter 4

â€Å"But I don't know what it is I'm doing!† I cried. â€Å"Do you?† â€Å"I've told you all I can for now,† said Carter, that sadness returning. â€Å"The most I can do now is buy you a drink.† I shook my head. â€Å"I don't think there's enough whiskey in the world.† â€Å"There isn't,† he said bleakly. â€Å"There isn't.† Despite Carter's pessimism, I still tried calling Hugh to see if he knew anything. He didn't, but his incredulity was so similar to mine that I took some comfort in it. â€Å"What? That's ridiculous,† he told me. â€Å"It was a mistake. It has to be.† â€Å"Will you try to get ahold of Jerome for me?† I asked. â€Å"I mean, I'll keep trying too, but maybe if we're both calling, he'll eventually notice the phone.† Even though it was still early for the demon, I also had this strange feeling that he could very well be avoiding my calls if something was afoot. Hugh might sneak in where I couldn't. I was fast approaching the time when I was supposed to meet Seth at the twins' school. I had wanted to run home and try talking to Roman about my potential transfer, but it didn't seem as important now, not until I had the story confirmed or denied by Jerome. So, after a few more errands that seemed hopelessly mundane compared to the greater supernatural workings of the universe, I drove up to Lake Forest Park and arrived at the school just as Seth did. Ian got out of the car too, and Seth flashed me a quick look that said he wasn't thrilled about having brotherly company. Ian was wearing the jacket Seth had mentioned, a brown wool peacoat that fit him well enough to be tailored and had strategically placed patches meant to give it a vintage appearance. Ian completed the look with a carefully knotted striped scarf and fedora. He also had on glasses, which I'd seen no sign of at Seth's. â€Å"I didn't know you wore glasses,† I told him. He sighed. â€Å"They go with the scarf.† Seth was carrying two huge containers of white-frosted cupcakes that were liberally and sloppily dusted with green and red sparkles. I took one batch from him and walked inside with the brothers, where we signed in and were given directions to the classroom. â€Å"Looks like you were productive,† I said with a smile. â€Å"No thanks to Mom,† Seth replied fondly. â€Å"It took her forever to leave. She kept offering to help and double-check my work, make sure the oven was set and all that. It was a boxed mix. There wasn't that much I could mess up.† Ian muttered something about preservatives and high fructose corn syrup. The classroom was pleasant, organized chaos. Other parents and family friends were there to help with the party, distributing food and running games. The twins ran up to the three of us with quick, fierce hugs before scurrying off to play with their friends. I didn't see Morgan and McKenna outside of the family very often, so it was neat to watch them so active and outgoing with their peers. They charmed their friends as much as they charmed me, and it was clear the two girls were leaders of sorts. Tiny, adorable blond leaders. The knot I'd carried inside me since getting the HR memo began to soften as I allowed myself the small joy of observing them. Seth slipped an arm around me, following my gaze as we maintained our post near the food table. He nodded toward where Ian was trying to pitch his own cupcakes – organic, vegan, gluten-free creations from a local bakery – to some of the twins' classmates. To be fair, the cupcakes were beautiful. They were vanilla, topped with elaborately swirled chocolate icing that was in turn adorned with perfect white frosting flowers. They made Seth's cupcakes look like something the girls might have made, but I knew better than to be fooled. When you made cupcakes without most of the ingredients found in traditional baked goods, the truth came out in the taste. Pretty or not, Ian wasn't doing so good a job moving them. â€Å"These are so much better for you than all this other junk food,† Ian was telling a wide-eyed boy named Kayden. Despite the fact we'd been inside the warm classroom for almost an hour, Ian was still completely clad in his scarf and wool coat ensemble. â€Å"They're made with brown rice flour and garbanzo bean flour and sweetened with maple syrup – none of that processed white sugar crap.† Kayden's eyes grew impossibly bigger. â€Å"Those have beans and rice in them?† Ian faltered. â€Å"Well, yes . . . but, no, I mean. It's flour derived from those ingredients in a way that's totally fair trade and nutritious. Plus, I picked a brown and white color scheme, not only to save you from artificial dyes but also to show respect for all holidays and tradition, rather than giving into the mainstream domination of the Judeo-Christian machine.† Without another word, Kayden grabbed a red-frosted snowman cookie from the snack table and wandered off. Ian gave us a long-suffering look. â€Å"I fear for today's youth. At least we can take the leftovers back to Terry's.† â€Å"We'd better,† said Seth. â€Å"Those cost me a small fortune.† â€Å"You mean they cost me a small fortune,† said Ian. â€Å"They're my contribution.† â€Å"I paid for them!† â€Å"It was just a loan,† said Ian imperiously. â€Å"I'll pay you back.† The party didn't last too much longer – seven-year-olds didn't need to slam drinks for hours like my friends did – but I still kept checking my phone whenever Seth wasn't watching. I had it set to vibrate in my pocket but was afraid I would miss Jerome's call. But no matter how many times I looked, the phone's display remained the same. No incoming calls or texts. With things winding down, McKenna made her way back to me and wrapped herself around my leg. â€Å"Georgina, are you going to come to our house tonight? Grammy's cooking. We're going to have lasagna.† â€Å"And cupcakes,† piped in Ian, carefully packing up his goods. By my estimation, he'd given away exactly one cupcake, and that was to a boy who'd taken it on a dare from his friends. I lifted McKenna up, surprised at how big she was getting. The years didn't alter my immortal friends or me, but mortals changed by leaps and bounds in such short time periods. She wrapped her arms around me, and I pressed a kiss into her blond curls. â€Å"I wish I could, baby. But I have to work tonight.† â€Å"Are you still helping Santa?† she asked. â€Å"Yes,† I said solemnly. â€Å"And it's very important work. I can't miss it.† Without me, there was no telling how sober Santa would stay. McKenna sighed and leaned her head against my shoulder. â€Å"Maybe you'll come over when you're done.† â€Å"You'll be in bed,† I said. â€Å"I'll see what I can do for tomorrow.† This earned me a tighter hug, and I felt my heart ache. The girls always had this effect on me, triggering a mix of emotion that was both love for them and regret for the children I myself would never have. Children had been something I'd wanted as a mortal, something denied to me even then. The pain of that reality had been driven home last year when Nyx, a primordial chaos entity, had visited me in my sleep and used tantalizing dreams to distract me while she stole my energy. The one that had recurred the most had shown me with a little girl – my own daughter – stepping outside into a snowy night to greet her father. He'd been shadowy at first, later revealed as Seth. Nyx, in a desperate bid for help later, had sworn the dream was true, a prophecy of things to come. It had been a lie, however. An impossibility that could never be mine. â€Å"Maybe you'll come by my house after you're done with work,† Seth said to me in a low voice, once she'd wriggled away. â€Å"That depends,† I said. â€Å"Who's going to be in your bed?† â€Å"We had a talk. He knows to stay out of my room.† I smiled and caught hold of Seth's hand. â€Å"I would, but I've got some things to do tonight. I've got to hunt down Jerome about . . . business.† â€Å"You're sure that's it?† he asked. â€Å"You're sure my family's not scaring you off?† I'll admit, I didn't relish the thought of seeing Margaret Mortensen's disapproving gaze, but I also couldn't imagine I'd be very good company for Seth if I still didn't know what was going on with my transfer by tonight. The transfer. Looking into his kind, warm eyes, I felt a pit open in my stomach. Maybe I should be jumping at every chance I could get to be with him. Who knew how many more we had? No, I scolded myself. Don't think like that. Tonight you'll find Jerome and clear up this mess. Then you and Seth can be happy. â€Å"Your family has nothing to do with it,† I assured Seth. â€Å"Besides, now that you have extra help, you can use your free time to get some work done.† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"I thought self-employment meant not having a boss.† I grinned and kissed him on the cheek. â€Å"I'll come by tomorrow night.† Kayden, passing by for one last cookie, caught sight of my kiss and scowled disapprovingly. â€Å"Ew.† I parted ways with the Mortensens and headed off to the mall. It was often a surprise to mortals to learn immortals like me purposely chose to take day jobs, so to speak. If you were around for a few centuries and semiwise with your money, it wasn't that hard to eventually build up enough to comfortably live off of, making human employment unnecessary. Yet, most immortals I knew still worked. Correction – most lesser immortals I knew did. Greater ones, like Jerome and Carter, rarely did, but maybe they already had too concrete of a job with their employers. Or, maybe, lesser immortals just carried over the urge from when we were human. Regardless, days like today were clear reminders of why I chose gainful employment. If I'd had nothing but free time on my hands, I would've spent the rest of the day ruminating about my fate and the potential transfer. Assisting Walter-as-Santa – as absurd as it was – at least gave me a distraction while I waited to hear from Jerome. Vocation gave purpose too, which I'd found was necessary to mark the long days of immortality. I'd met lesser immortals who had gone insane, and most of them had done nothing but drift aimlessly throughout their long lives. A new elf – one whom Walter had christened Happy – had joined our ranks today, one who was certainly helping pass the time if only because of how much she was grating on my nerves. â€Å"I don't think he should be drinking at all,† she said, for what felt like the hundredth time. â€Å"I don't see why I have to learn this schedule.† Prancer, a veteran elf, exchanged glances with me. â€Å"None of us is saying it's right,† he told Happy. â€Å"We're just saying it's reality. He's going to get a hold of liquor one way or another. If we deny him, he'll sneak it in the bathroom. He's done it before.† â€Å"If we're the ones giving it to him,† I continued, â€Å"then we control the access and amount he gets. This?† I gestured to the schedule we'd drawn up. â€Å"This isn't much. Especially for a guy his size. It's not even enough to get buzzed.† â€Å"But they're children!† Happy cried. Her eyes drifted off toward the long line of families trailing through the mall. â€Å"Sweet, innocent, joyful children.† Another silent message passed between Prancer and me. â€Å"Tell you what,† I finally said. â€Å"Why don't you make them your priority. Forget about the liquor schedule. We'll handle that. You go trade places with Bashful at the head of the line. She doesn't really like working with the public anyway.† When Happy was out of earshot, I remarked, â€Å"One of these days, someone's going to report us all to the mall's HR office.† â€Å"Oh, they have plenty of times,† said Prancer, smoothing out his green spandex pants. â€Å"I've worked with Walter for three years now, and Happy's not the first elf to have moral qualms about Santa getting lit. He's been reported lots.† That was news to me. â€Å"And they haven't fired him?† â€Å"Nah. It's harder to fill these jobs than you might think. As long as Walter doesn't touch or say something inappropriate, the mall doesn't seem to care.† â€Å"Huh,† I said. â€Å"Good to know.† â€Å"Georgina!† Beyond the gates leading to Santa's pavilion, I saw someone waving at the edge of the crowd. Hugh. My heart rate sped up. This mall was actually right around the corner from his office, so he'd come by before for lunch. In light of recent events – and the look on his face – something told me he wasn't here for a casual meal today. â€Å"Hey,† I said to Prancer. â€Å"Can I take my break now?† â€Å"Sure, go for it.† I cut through the crowd and met up with Hugh, trying not to feel self-conscious about wearing the foil dress. Hugh had come from the office and was dressed impeccably, playing up the role of successful plastic surgeon. I felt cheap beside him, especially as he and I walked farther from the holiday mayhem toward some of the mall's more upscale shops. â€Å"I was on my way home from work and thought I'd stop by,† he said. â€Å"I figured you weren't taking many calls while on the job.† â€Å"Not so much,† I agreed, gesturing to the tight dress and its lack of pockets. I caught hold of his arm. â€Å"Please tell me you heard something. The transfer's a mistake, right?† â€Å"Well, I still think it is, but no, I haven't heard anything back yet – not from HR or Jerome.† He frowned slightly, clearly not liking the lack of communication. Underneath that, I also sensed another emotion in him – nervousness. â€Å"I've got something else for you. Can we talk somewhere . . . kind of private? Is there a Sbarro or Orange Julius around here?† I scoffed. â€Å"Not in this mall. There's a sandwich place we can go to.† â€Å"Sandwich place† wasn't entirely accurate. They also sold gourmet soups and salads, all of which were made fresh and packed with enough prissy ingredients to make Ian happy. Hugh and I snagged a table, my appearance gaining the attention of some children there with their parents. I ignored them as I leaned toward Hugh. â€Å"What's up, then, if not the phantom transfer?† He eyed the watchers uneasily and took several moments to begin speaking. â€Å"I was calling around today, trying to work connections and see if I could find out anything about you. Like I said, I couldn't. But I got caught up on all sorts of other gossip.† I was kind of surprised Hellish gossip was what he wanted to discuss, more surprised still that it had apparently warranted him coming in person. If he'd heard a rumor about a mutual friend, it seemed like a phone call would've sufficed to pass the news. Even e-mail or text. â€Å"Do you remember Milton?† he asked. â€Å"Milton?† I stared blankly. The name meant nothing to me. â€Å"Nosferatu,† he prompted. Still nothing, and then – â€Å"Oh. Yeah. Him. The vampire.† A month or so ago, Milton had visited on vacation, much to Cody and Peter's dismay. Vampires were territorial and didn't like outsiders, although Cody had been able to use Milton's presence to impress his macabre loving girlfriend, Gabrielle. Or so I'd heard. â€Å"I never actually saw him. I just knew he was in town.† â€Å"Yup, and it turns out last week, he was in Boulder.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"So, first of all, it's weird that he'd have two ‘vacations' in that short time. I mean, you know how it is for vampires. You know how it is for all of us.† It was true. Hell didn't like to give us vacations very often. When your employers owned your soul, they really didn't feel any need to make your life pleasant. That wasn't to say we didn't occasionally get time off, but it certainly wasn't a priority for Hell. The business of souls never rested. For vampires, this was doubly true because they didn't like to leave their territory. They also had various complications with traveling, say, like with sunlight. â€Å"Okay, so, it's weird. How does that affect us?† Hugh dropped his voice low. â€Å"When he was in Boulder, a local dark shaman died under mysterious circumstances.† I felt my eyebrows rise. â€Å"And you think Milton was involved ?† â€Å"Well, like I said, I had time to make some calls and do some research today. And it turns out that even though he's based in Raleigh, Milton travels an awful lot for a vampire – and every place he goes, some mortal in the supernatural community ends up dead.† â€Å"You're saying he's an assassin,† I said, intrigued but still not seeing the point. As part of â€Å"the great game† we all played, angels and demons weren't supposed to directly influence mortal lives. That's where lesser immortals came in, with our offers of sin and temptation. Now, we weren't really supposed to kill either, as far as the game went, and we certainly weren't supposed to do it on behalf of a greater immortal's instructions. We all knew it happened, however, and Milton wasn't the first assassin I'd heard of taking out inconvenient mortals. â€Å"Exactly,† said Hugh. He frowned. â€Å"He goes to places, and people disappear.† â€Å"How does that affect us?† Hugh sighed. â€Å"Georgina, he was here.† â€Å"Yeah, but nobody – † I gasped, freezing a moment in shock. â€Å"Erik . . .† The world reeled around me for a moment. I was no longer in an elite mall's food court but instead was looking down on the broken, bleeding body of one of the kindest men I knew. Erik had been a longtime friend in Seattle, using his many years of occult and supernatural knowledge to advise me on my problems. He'd been investigating my contract with Hell when a freak robbery at his store had resulted in his death by gunshot. â€Å"Are you saying . . .† My voice was barely a whisper. â€Å"Are you saying Milton killed Erik?† Hugh shook his head sadly. â€Å"I'm not. I'm just laying out the evidence for you, which is compelling – but not enough to form a hard link to Milton.† â€Å"Then why tell me at all?† I asked. â€Å"You don't like to get involved with anything that questions the status quo.† It was true, and it had been a constant point of contention with Hugh and me. â€Å"I don't,† he said. I understood now why he was so uneasy. â€Å"Not at all. But I care about you, sweetheart. And I know you cared about Erik and wanted answers.† â€Å"Key word: wanted. I thought I had them.† My heart still mourned Erik, but I had begun to heal from his loss, moving on with life the way we all must after losing a loved one. Knowing – or, well, thinking – he'd been killed in a robbery didn't exactly give me peace, but it did provide an explanation. If there was any shred of truth to Hugh's dangerous theory, that Milton – a potential assassin – might have been responsible, then my whole world was suddenly knocked offkilter. And in that scenario, the big issue wasn't that Milton had done it. What became important was why he had done it. Because if he was one of those Hellish assassins lurking in the shadows, then someone higher up had given him his orders, meaning Hell had a reason to want Erik dead. â€Å"You okay?† Hugh's hand on mine made me jump. â€Å"Jesus, Georgina. You're like ice.† â€Å"I'm kind of in shock,† I said. â€Å"This is big, Hugh. Huge.† â€Å"I know,† he said, not sounding happy at all. â€Å"Promise me you won't do anything foolish. I'm still not sure I should have told you.† â€Å"You should have,† I said, squeezing his hand and making no such promises about the foolish part. â€Å"Thank you.† I had to leave shortly thereafter, returning to assist Happy. A little of her zeal about the pure, magical nature of children had faded in that time. I think it was the six-year-old who asked for a nose job that might have cracked her. As for me, I was in a daze, stunned over what Hugh had told me. Erik murdered. His dying words to me had implied something more was going on, but there'd been no evidence to prove it. Or wait . . . was there? I vaguely remembered the glass pattern of his broken window, the suspicion from the police that it had been broken from within. But what did I do with this theory? How did I get the answers I needed? Equally amazing to me was the concession Hugh had made in telling me this. He valued his job and his comfortable position. He really wasn't the type to try to upset Hell or ask questions about things that didn't concern him. Yet he'd pursued his hunch about Milton and passed on the news to me, his friend. Hell made desperate, soulless creatures out of its employees – and most certainly liked it that way – but I doubted any of the higher-ups had imagined the levels of friendship we were still capable of managing. Naturally, only one other thing could have distracted me from this new development, and that was Jerome's presence in my condo later that night. I was returning home after work and sensed his aura coming from within as soon as I put my key to the door. My fears and theorizing about Erik and Milton moved to one part of my brain, replaced by all the old speculation about the mystery transfer. When I entered, I found Jerome sitting in the living room with Roman, both at their ease and barely acknowledging my presence. â€Å"And so,† Jerome was saying, â€Å"that's why you need to do this. As soon as possible. Nanette's people have been at it for a long time, so you've got a lot of ground to cover. Set up a schedule – I don't care how rigorous it is – and make those slackers start putting in their time at the alley.† I stared incredulously. â€Å"You're here about the bowling competition?† Both men looked at me, Jerome seeming irritated at the interruption. â€Å"Of course. The sooner you start practicing, the better.† â€Å"You know what else might be better the sooner it happens ?† I produced the well-worn HR memo with a flourish. â€Å"You telling me if I'm being transferred or not. My money's on it being a mistake because surely, surely you wouldn't put off telling me. Right?† Several heartbeats of silence hung in the room. Jerome held me in his dark, dark gaze, and I refused to look away. At last, he said, â€Å"No. It's real. You're being transferred.† My jaw wanted to drop to the ground. â€Å"Then why . . . why am I only just now hearing about it?† He sighed and made an impatient gesture. â€Å"Because I just found out about it. Someone jumped the gun and delivered the memo to you before telling me.† His eyes glinted. â€Å"Don't worry, I wasn't too thrilled about that myself. I made sure they know my feelings on the matter.† â€Å"But I . . .† I swallowed. â€Å"I was so sure there was a mistake. . . â€Å" â€Å"There was,† he agreed. â€Å"Just not the kind you were thinking of.† I wanted to sink to the floor and melt away but forced myself to stay strong. I had to ask the next most important question, the question that would shape the next phase of my life. â€Å"Where . . . where am I going?† Jerome studied me once again, this time I think just to drag out the suspense and agony. Bastard. At last, he spoke. â€Å"You're going to Las Vegas, Georgie.†

Our Family Wedding Essay

â€Å"Our Family Wedding† tells the story of two families from different races in order to prepare the wedding for their daughter and son that makes them come together in this planning process. There were series of friction and collision plots between those two families. The main reason is because the cultural difference between two sides of family. The family of bride (Lucia) is a traditional Mexican family. And, the family of groom (Marcus) is African-American family. Their habits, life styles, life values and the ways of thinking are totally opposite of each other. There were a lot of cultural differences in the movies. Firstly, Lucia’s father thought that the man should propose marriage to the woman’s parents (Lucia’s father mentioned it to Marcus on their way to buy eggs). Marcus thought that modern society would not be necessary to do it. And then Lucia’s father felt out it’s extremely important to propose that was a kind of respect for the woman’s family. That was a cultural conflicts of the modern American culture and traditional Mexican culture. Maybe that was fully integrated into the different ways of thinking between the earlier generation with traditional thinking and American young people . Secondly, those two engaged young people mentioned that they would like to have a simple wedding when two families discussed how to plan their wedding. However, two families all had their own mind for the wedding which caused a controversy between the two sides. The bride’s family wanted to have a traditional Mexican wedding and the groom’s family wanted to have an African descent wedding. In addition, the cost of the wedding was another big issue during their planning process because of the different customs and traditions. Finally, the young couple made a concession for their wedding (our marriage, their wedding). Their parents agreed to share the cost of the wedding. Thirdly, the question of whether a Catholic-style wedding in the church or the father Paes wedding. Marcus would like to adopt a non-traditional style wedding but was refused by Lucia’s mother and grandmother that is religious beliefs conflict. However, Marcus does not religious believers. As their wedding planner, I would like to discuss the wedding detail with two family separately. I will try to talk about the detail of wedding with each family at one time. And them combine their ideas together to reduce their argue. I am also will tell these two families the traditional culture is important but make a wedding that the engaged couple like will be more important. Cross-culture wedding is kind of special for two families. â€Å"Our Marriage, their Wedding† these words is telling me that those young people’s marriage, but their parents’ wedding. In the movie, the two engaged couple’s families were from different races, and they all wanted to have their own traditional wedding to their daughter and son. The parents from bride and groom all have so many ideas for their children’s wedding. Parents didn’t listen what kind of wedding the young couple wanted to have. These two families were trying to make a wedding that families like not this couple. Because two families have different culture and they wanted to use their traditional way of the wedding. In my opinion, the best way to avoid this situation is two family listen to young people’s idea. If the engaged couple like simple, let them make it. And then two family can celebrate their wedding separately. One for bride’s family, and one for groom’s family.

National Identity and Multiculturalism of Canada Research Proposal

National Identity and Multiculturalism of Canada - Research Proposal Example It is impossible to avoid the mixture of cultural views as people foreign to Canada bring along with them their own traditions and beliefs. Also, some Canadians may have the tendency to develop some romantic relationships with non-Canadians that result in the mixing of cultures and races at the same time. Religion is also part of the culture that can get mixed up in the process (Beaman and Bayer). The diverse population greatly contributes to the shaping of Canada as a country. They do not develop their system alone as ethnic groups and migrants also contribute to the development of Canada (Banting and Soroka). The history of Canada will also be explored as it may give answers on how Canada formed its identity the people behind the culture (Bumsted). The sociological and political aspects of integration of immigrants will also be studied in the paper as there could be dilemmas that the integration may bring into the nation (Banting). The questions revolving around the topic would be basic such as who is involved? What is the concept of multiculturalism? What are the concerns in the national identity? How does it take place? What are the impacts on society? Can it be traced back in history? What are the effects on individuals? Multiculturalism exists as the ways of life of various groups of people coexist and in some ways mix with one another (Banting). The people involved in the study are the Canadians, ethnic groups and the migrants as they have a different culture but they coexist and influence each other especially in creating a national identity. It takes place in the country of Canada and as foreigners move to Canada for work, they add up to the population and can bring significant change to the established culture and norms.

Second paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Second paper - Essay Example He argues that internet has altered the way we think and read. The cognitive effects of using internet for reading and research have been emphasized and the article clearly provides a balanced opinion on the use of internet. Carr appraises internet or Google specifically, for providing information easily, quickly and in vast amounts. He highlights the time saving ability of internet and the ease of gathering information without spending days on finding the correct book for the information required. Carr provides much of his article on how internet is badly affecting the reading habits and in doing so he asserts that "The more they use the Web, the more they have to fight to stay focused on long pieces of writing" (Carr p. 187). The analysis of the topic is credible for the use of views of other professionals in different fields like computer, medicines, literature and so on. This article is useful for our research topic as it provides ample information on the negativity of internet o n our learning, reading and thinking abilities. Gibson, William. "THE NET IS A WASTE OF TIME." New York Times Magazine 14 Jul. 1996: n. pag. Web. 31 Mar 2011. ... His sarcastic way of telling the internet story is brilliant. The article focuses on how internet use employs all the time we have. The person surfing over internet, emailing, chatting or browsing ends up doing nothing or having lesser information in hand by the end of the day. Internet provides a number of distractions for the user, hence the author titles the article "The net is a waste". Gibson concludes that " it offers us the opportunity to waste time, to wander aimlessly, to daydream about the countless other lives, the other people, on the far sides of however many monitors in that postgeographical meta-country we increasingly call home" (Gibson 1996). The article helps in understanding the real image and position of internet in our lives. The internet provides a whole new world to the users but is it reality? The author questions the practicality of the ideas provided and efficiency of it in the real life of people. This article is a good source of information on how well we use the technology in pursuing our goals and how its use is wasteful for us. Bradley, Eric. "Technology is making us lazy ." Computers & Technology. Helium, 10 Mar 2009. Web. 31 Mar 2011. . Erica Bradley's article is a more informed research towards understanding the technological impacts on our lives. The article contains researches and articles of various newspapers like from 'the rocky mountain news' which make the information in the article credible. Most of the authors indicate that ease of communication is the benefit of internet and latest technologies. However, Bradley suggests that "the best

Create New business plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Create New business plan - Essay Example This category was based on performance of the real jewellery which. As the key consumers of real jewellery are the wealthy persons, therefore they appeared to be less sensitive to the sudden economic slowdown and as a result amongst the other personal accessories, jewellery performed the best. With the positive economic scenario, jewellery sales will continue to grow in the markets of Brazil over the period which is forecasted by the analysts ( ). A Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10% in respect to this business is projected by the analysts over the forecasted period. The increase in sales value will be dependent on the rise in the unit prices, because sales volumes are likely to see a reduced amount of growth as compared to the value( Confusion). The number of jewellery stores have increased in brazil, Left.... The business will be based on the production and designing of artificial jewellery in Brazil. The jewelleries will be designed as per the latest trends and based on the specifications of the customers as well. The products will have a variety of ranges and designs for customers belonging to various standards. There will be use of precious as well as artificial stones on the jewelleries offered by Belle, as per the need of the customers. Various metals will also be used by the company for making the jewelries. Unlike other jeweler stores, the products offered by Belle will have a sole motive to cater to the need of the people coming from different standard of living. It will have a variety of jewelleries on offering within affordable price ranges. The target market of Belle will be Brazil. It is the fifth largest country in the world. The standard of living of the people of Brazil is quite high. The company will open a shop in Brazil, as the country has a number of real jewellery based shops but lacks artificial jewellery shops. The shop

Mitigating the Toxic Leaders of Tailhook 91 Essay

Mitigating the Toxic Leaders of Tailhook 91 - Essay Example The Tailhook Association was initiated in 1956 during a reunion event in Mexico where aviators from different fleets met. The membership grew rapidly to over sixteen thousand members in 1991. General membership incorporated active aviators, those retired as well as civilians. As indicated the Tailhook represents a political and social situation that incorporated active as well as retired Naval and Marine Corps aviators of different ranks and grades and from different departments of the Department of Defense. In real essence, the entire story is about the disturbing events within the 35th Annual symposium that was organized by Tailhook Association in 1991. The association is recognized for a number of activities one of which includes organizing annual symposium that brings together different members of the association. Most of the social activities took place on the squadron hospitality suites in Las Vegas Hilton. The events that took place during the symposium is what triggered the T ailhook investigations. The investigations were initiated following rampant accusations made by the females in attendance concerning the indecent behavior and assaults of junior officers as well as senior officers towards the female attendees. Several issues should be reviewed and followed by appropriate correction.The toxic leaders in the Tailhook Association annual symposium ’91 were recognized as top ranking navy officials alongside other junior officers who were involved in sexually-related activities.

Financial Forecasting TESCO Plc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Forecasting TESCO Plc - Essay Example For estimating the revenues earned by the business, the Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) over the last four years has been used. The revenue earned by the company during the year 2005 was  £33974 million. This increased at a CAGR of 12% to  £54327 million in the year 2009. Assuming that the rate of growth remains the same in 2010, the estimated revenue of the company for this year is estimated to be  £61091.81 million. The cost of sales is taken as a percentage of revenue at 0.92. Therefore the estimated cost of sales of the company for 2010 is  £56348.58 million. The â€Å"Normal Operating Expenses† of  £31845 million for the year 2005 is assumed to be the ‘cost of sales’ for the year. The operating costs of the company depend on the level of sales. Higher the sales level, higher is the amount of operating expenses of the company. This ratio is calculated as 0.02. Based on this ratio the operating cost of the company is estimated as  £1403.40 mill ion. It has been assumed that the net interest payable of the company grows at a compounding rate of return. Based on the net interest expense of  £170 million in 2005, the CAGR for the four year period is calculated as 21% making the estimated net interest payable of the company for 2010 to be  £437.29 million. Taxation and dividend- In the year 2005 and 2010, Tesco Plc paid taxes at a rate of 20% and 40% respectively. The CAGR of taxes is calculated as 19% making 48% as the forecasted tax rate for 2010. Therefore the estimated taxation of Tesco Plc is  £1386.44 million. The dividend paid by the company has increased at a CAGR of 19% from  £587 million in 2005 to  £883 million in 2009. From this the forecasted dividend of Tesco Plc is estimated as  £977.89 million. The revenue of Tesco Plc is expected to grow in 2010 by  £6765 million. For this the company will need total funds of  £5734.52 million. As a

Updates and Revisions to previous project on Multigenerational Assignment - 1

Updates and Revisions to previous project on Multigenerational Leadership - Assignment Example Effective multi-generational team leadership is required across the spectrum of industries. This paper analyzes several characteristics of effective multi-generational team leadership and offers recommendations for management. Emphasis is on how effectively managing multi-generational work teams can lead to increased organizational success. While organizational success is the common goal of business leaders, many businesses have failed to achieve the expected level of success due to ineffective leadership. Leadership styles and methods vary, but many common practices exist. In the 21st century workplace, several generations of employees work together. Their varying beliefs and values add a uniquely important expectation of management. According to Martin and Tulgan (2003), multi-generational teams find it hard to embrace innovation, productivity, collective learning, and responsibilities. This challenges a leader’s leadership strategy. This paper considers this leadership challenge, and seeks to deepen understanding of the complexities of multi-generational work teams. The paper also seek to answer the question: What are best practices to effectively lead multi-generational work teams? The outcome of the study will be to advise business management on how effectively they can lead and inspire multi-generational work teams to create a business advantage. Leading multi-generational work teams presents unique challenges for management, because different generations of employees possess widely varying beliefs, values, and expectations. Fully understanding the unique characteristics of multi-generational work teams, and employing strategies for managing them, is a challenge for business leaders that must be met. Additionally, the leadership team itself is now comprised of individuals from multiple generations, adding even more complexity to this critical

Case Study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Case Study - Assignment Example Second priority should be given to children as they stand a higher chance of survival. Moreover, they have a lot to achieve in life as compared to elderly who may as well not survive even after the vaccine. On personal reflection, caring for a patient diagnosed with HIV can be of significant challenge. Even after the patient has been found positive for the disease, the patient might not want the information disclosed to the family. On the other hand, the family faces a great risk as it is easier to contracting the disease during the nursing period from the patient. This brings a great fight between code of ethics and personal conscience or compassion. The patient’s confidentiality is important but with utilitarianism, defying the code of ethics is what will bring the great good for the majority. The patient needs to be convinced that making the condition known to family will be of great benefit to all of them. This will help the patient get appropriate care. It will also assist the family stay

Gulf Cooperation Council Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gulf Cooperation Council - Essay Example Gulf Cooperation Council was started in 1981 by the leaders of the state of Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia (Rashid, 21). The purpose of the council was to promote and enhance close ties among the member states and by formulating strategies to ensure that non-GCC countries would not intimidate its members or attack them. As a result, the council engages in integration courses including peace campaigns in its member’s countries (23). The council intentions are more visible in its political activities including the diplomatic campaign to reduce tension between Oman and Yemen and to a whole range of efforts and initiatives to bring peace in Qatar, Yemen, Iraq, Iran as well as Oman. The council also helps in protection of the fundamental freedom of the citizens of its member states and stresses on the importance of GCC countries to take all the necessary measures to protect the citizens from their states. The GCC purpose towards Yemen is mainly on its deep concern for the Yemen situation and its continued condemns of the violence experienced in Yemen (Rashid 45)

Examine Conan Doyle Essay Example for Free

Examine Conan Doyle Essay Examine Conan Doyles The Speckled Band and Brian Moons Visitors. Discuss how far they are representatives of the detective genre and how far they reflect the attitudes to crime and punishment of the centuries in which they were written The Speckled Band and Visitors are two very different stories written in two different times. They were both written for different audiences, and thus the conventions of the genre have been interpreted in different ways over time. My essay will examine how far the stories conform to or diverge from the conventions and how far they relate to the crime situation of their time. The Speckled Band was written by the famous Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is a pre 20th century story involving an unusual plot. A murder has taken place at a stately home and a young lady called Miss Stoner approaches Holmes for an answer. A strange plot twist makes Holmes think about the situation in a different light, but as normal the case is solved as soon as possible. Visitors is a short story written by Brian Moon. It is a very short story compared to The Speckled Band but in this time, a lot is achieved. The story is somewhat back to front, with the robbers gentlemen, and the police louts. Burglary has been nationalised, and the Property Re-Allocation Technicians have visited the home of a young lady. There is no set story line, and the events occur at a rapid pace. The indication of a new genre of novels emerging was in 1842 when a short story, oddly called Who is the murderer? was released by Edgar Allen Poe. Poe highlighted and isolated the process in which the murder is unravelled the denouement. The conventions of the detective were first outlined in the book, and have been developed in further novels. The conventions of the novel are like rules. They are what the reader expects to be in the book, and when exercised, make the book more enjoyable. If conventions are employed, the book is easier to follow and understand, unlike Visitors. In Poes book the conventions of the detective genre are still sketchy, giving Poe a certain amount of Poetic License to mould them. A detective book should include the following. A crime, usually a murder or kidnapping, starts the novel, normally to grip the readers interest in the story. A detective is then introduced, who is a normally a loner, with a rich background. He normally does his work because he feels that the police force is incompetent and do not do their job properly. A confidant, who is not as bright as the detective is then introduced, he is more talented on the physical side of the investigation than the detective, often to the readers enjoyment. The investigation itself normally involves a red herring or plot twists to throw the detective off the track. Some of these are successful, and confuse the detective (and the reader) further. At the end of the story, the denouement is pronounced, and the solution to the story is revealed. The books are written in such a way, as to involve the reader and to make him/her think try to discover the answer themselves. The conventions are illustrated in both stories, but are interpreted by the author in different ways, and with different meanings or consequences. The stories illustrate the changes in the justice system in the time between their writing. In the era of Conan Doyles story, the police force in the country had just been formed, and was still learning how to deal with problems. In comparison to this, in the age of Brian Moons story, the police force has become near unnecessary. Burglary has become legalised to combat unemployment, so the government has found that the police are in a somewhat strange position. All they are required for is to take statements, and to verify a burglary has occurred. This means they can recruit people with no credentials. The Speckled Band has conformed to the conventions of the detective story with very little divergence. I. e. the writer has looked at the rules of the genre and tried to make sure his story sticks to all of them. At first, The Speckled Band looks to be diverging from the rules, when the crime is not a murder, but a mystery. No weapon is found, and the cause of death is unclear. This is the first of the plot twists that we find. We meet the detective, Holmes, at the start of the story, and find that he is indeed, highly intelligent. This is illustrated by some of Watsons observations of his actions. following Holmes in his professional investigations and admiring the rapid deductions, as swift as intuition and yet always found on a logical basis are comments at the beginning of the story. This piece is written as if it were Watson telling the story of Holmes professional triumphs. Watson is obviously in awe of Holmes and his brains, which leads on to the third convention, the detectives confidant. Watson is the assistant to Holmes, and in compliance with the genre, he is clever, but not a genius. He is a practical man, and assists Holmes in the more physical side of detective work. Have your pistol ready in case we should need it Holmes comments. We (the reader) are constantly finding Holmes explaining things to Watson, and in some cases, Holmes becomes exasperated by Watsons lack of understanding. You see it Watson? But I saw nothing The police in Holmes view, will fail at everything. He is annoyed that his job is sometimes referred to as having connections with the police. Fancy him having the insolence to confound me with the official detective force! After Roylotts departure from his office, Holmes illustrates his strength and annoyance at what he has done by bending the poker (previously bent by Roylott) back into its original shape. In other novels by Conan Doyle, Holmes is usually congratulated on solving the case before the police, by the police themselves! Holmes sees the police in a very demeaning light, and assumes any case he chooses to investigate, the police have already failed.

Processes of Employee Resourcing

Processes of Employee Resourcing INTRODUCTION EMPLOYEE RESOURCING PROCESS Employee resourcing process is a part of human resourcing management which addresses one of the core areas of human resource practices: recruitment and selection. The greatest and most precious Assets of any organization is its employees and the most successful organizations comprise of a well formulated strategy and better management of human resources. The major role of human resource management is acquiring the employee services, developing their skills motivating them to high levels of performance And ensure that they continue to maintain their commitment to organizational objectives that leads to the implementation of organizational Strategy. Now considering the broad of context of global recession with increasing competition and scarcity, for Modern corporation for operating in its core firms the large scale employment is both a constraint and opportunity, where we can see the birth of strategic human resource management. In order to say employee resourcing process supports strategic human resource management, by considering the facts we can see that the strategic management of human resources is spread in successive layers of organization, which is addressing some fundamental environmental demands starting from hiring the right people for participation, motivating them to achieve organizational objectives. EMPLOYEE RESOURCING PROCESS SUPPORTING STRATEGIC HRM Resourcing is a process which helps management to establish and then change the behaviour of employees and increase their competencies too. Strategies of resourcing are basically two: Recruitment: Recruitment is the process by which an applicant is attracted towards the company and where the organization sells itself as an attractive workplace. Selection: Selection is the process in which a candidate is given a job from the pool of applicants, even assessing the applicant’s performance in accordance with the legislation and companies requirements. Selection is different from requirement, where recruitment technically precedes selection. Recruitment involves identifying the sources of manpower and stimulating them to apply for jobs in the organizations. On the other hand selection is the process choosing best out of recruited. Recruitment aims at increasing the number of applications for increasing the selection ratios. SELECTION PROCESS According to Gupta (2006), selection is a process of choosing the most suitable persons out of all the participants. In this process, relevant information about applicant is collected through series of steps so as to evaluate their competence for the job to be filled. Selection is the process of assessing the candidates by various means and making a choice followed by an offer of employment (Graham, 1998, p.206). The selection process includes all activities related to internal movement of people across positions in departments and as well as hiring. The process should match the available human resources to jobs or positions in the organization. The main strategic concern is Design, Careful attention should be given to Design a selection system that supports the organizational strategy. For example if a company plans to diversify or is going to change its strategy a careful analysis should be made of the types of people who will be needed to staff the new business or businesses and also parallel analysis should be made of general availability Of such person. Even though some Companies say that this type of planning will not yield a sufficient return on their investment of Time and energy, they say that they will go out and hire the appropriate people from the competition, if necessary, when they are needed. Strategic fit is the key to the success of any recruitment and selection activity. Gathering of evidence and information does selection process from a variety of sources, most commonly by interviews, assessment centre’s, psychometric tests and references. Any selection method must be job related. Generally there are four stages of selection where these stages are again divided. Short-list from evidence supplied Selection process Assessment of evidence from all sources Validating selection 1. Short-listing Short-listing can be a difficult process if supply far exceeds demand or if the criteria specified for the job are so general that they fail to act as self-selecting filter. In some organizations, short-listing can be fairly arbitrary but in others an objective assessment against the job description and person specification or competency requirements will take place. 2. Selection It is unusual for one selection method to be used alone. A combination of two or more methods is generally used. A. Application forms Forms were considered to act as a useful preliminary to employment interviews and decisions. This made sorting of applications and short listing easier and enabled interviewers to use the form as the basis for the interview. Generally these are used as a straight forward way of giving a standard synopsis of applicant’s history. B. Telephone interviewing These can be used if speed is particularly important, and if geographical distance is an issue, as interviews with appropriate candidates can be arranged immediately. CIPD (2006) report that 56% of organizations use this method of selection. Positive aspect is content will be concentrated rather than person. Interviews Various interviews include one-to-one, one-to-two, panel, sequential and behavioral interviews.( these interviews are not discussed in brief as they are discussed in detail in the below 2nd section) C. Tests The use of tests in employment procedures is surrounded by for and against feelings. Tests can be seen as giving credibility to selection decisions in strategic aspects. Different types of tests include 1.Psychological tests, 2. General intelligence tests, 3. Special attitude tests, 4. Trainability tests, 5. Attainment tests. 6. Aptitude tests, 3. Assessments centre’s Assessment centre’s is a multi method strategy for selection and may include interviews and psychometric tests. Assessment centers are developed from the recruitment criteria. For each dimension identified for a particular job role a variety of exercises or tasks are developed to test that dimension. Design of an assessment centre is crucial and needs to be specific to the vacancy being filled and to the organization. 4. Validation of selection procedures The critical information that is important for determining validity is the selection criteria used, the selection process used, and evaluation of individual at the time of selection and current performance of individual. It is useful for validation process if a record is made of the scores that each achieved in each part of the selection process. Test results are easy to quantify and for interview results a simple grading can be used. This includes medical checks and reference checks. Reference check helps to confirm (or deny) the information received from the employee resourcing process (factual check) and/or provide evidence of character or ability (character reference). Factual reference gives an indication of the candidate’s previous experience, his /her suitability and development potential Useful to provide the referee with a job description and ask his/her questions about the candidate’s previous job performance and relate this to the position on offer. Structured telephone reference check is the most beneficial way to obtain the information as people are usually more forthcoming with verbal feedback than written information. If the company does supply a reference it must be accurate. Employee resourcing policy should state clearly whose reference will be used, when in the process they will taken up and what kind of references will be necessary (e.g. from former employers). Objectives of Selection The basic idea in a selection process is to solicit maximum possible information about the candidates to ascertain their suitability for employment. Various steps involved in a selection process. Firstly, the selection process depends upon the type of personnel to be selected. For example, more info is required for the selection of managerial person when compared with subordinate workers. Secondly, it depends on the sources of recruitment and the method that is adopted for making contact with prospective candidates. For example in case of advertisement, selection process is more comprehensive and time-consuming, where as in the case of campus recruitment the process is shortened Thirdly, it also depends upon on the number of candidates that are available for selection. If the number is large enough, there is a need for creating various filtering points and reducing the number of applicants at each successive point. There is no standard selection procedure to be used in all organizations or for all jobs. The complexity of selection procedures increases with the level and responsibility of the position to be filled. Therefore, the strategy and the method used for selecting employees varies from firm to firm and form one job to another. Selection Interviews Legislation underpinning the selection process in strategically aspects â€Å"Law is not an abstract thing, it’s a living organism Since it’s applied on living human beings â€Å" Impact of legislation on selection process Right from the starting legislation has greatly influenced the selection process. Legislation is geared to remove discrimination from the process and ensure equal opportunity. Any selection process is designed to discriminate, but it is on the grounds of who has the best skills and abilities which fits the job and nothing else. Lester says, â€Å"When people sell their services and spend their lives in the premises of the purchaser of the services, a varying amount of dissatisfaction, discontent, industrial unrest likely to occur Hence the need for employee legislations. The employee legislation, labour legislation, human resource legislation whatever name it may be called refers to one and same concepts that cover a number of legislations passed by the governments. As the companies invest a lot through joint ventures or own source will definitely look towards concept of maximizing profit, which will lead to exploitation of Human resources and the executives Needs to be trained in the labour legislations, sociology, psychology, and psychiatry aspects. Now we will discuss the Federal laws and state laws specifying required, acceptable and prohibited employment practices, place constraints on recruitment, selection, placement and training and other human resource activities. Facts and resources say legislation and regulations enacted by governments have a direct impact on area of HRM policy and practice in which they are concerned. Moon (1991) noted there is an impact of legislation in areas such as equal opportunity, occupational health and safety and industrial relations in Australia. Moore and Devereaux Jennings stated, †In Canada, to a considerable extent, legal regulations shape human resources policies and constrain HRM practices.† Source: ( Bob Kane, Ian palmer.1995.International Journal of Man power: page no 11-19,viewed on December 3rd 2008 ,15:16) link- .http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewPDF.jsp?contentType=ArticleFilename=html/Output/Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Pdf/0160160501.pdf) From the above figure we can easily identify the potential influences of legislation on HRM. LEGISLATIONS IN UNITED KINGDOM If we take United Kingdom, the employment laws are concerned with deterring employers from discriminating. There are two major acts of parliament that govern sex discrimination matters in UK, they are the Equal Pay Act 1970 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. Sex discrimination is an area of law which has been one of EU competence so appeals can be made to the European court of justice. Sex discrimination Act and Racial Relations Act Under this terms of Sex discrimination act(SDA) and the Race relations act 1976 (RRA), it is unlawful to discriminate in employment-including recruitment, training and promotion-on the grounds of a person’s sex or martial status (SDA) or their race, colour ,nationality, ethinic and national orgin (RRA) Three different types of discrimination is defined under this act Direct discrimination Indirect discrimination Victimisation Gender Reassignment Sexual orientation Genuine occupational orientation Race relations amendment act 2000 Disability discrimination Act Under the terms of this act (DDA) discrimination will arise if , for a reason which relates to the person’s disability, the employer treats that person less favourably than it treats or would treat others who are not disabled ,unless there is a substantial justifaction. Under this act a disabled person is defined as anyone with â€Å"physical or mental impairment which has substantial and long term adverse effect on his/her ability to carry out normal day to day activities. Employers are expected to make â€Å"reasonable adjustments† to accommodate people with disabilities. Religious cultural beliefs Under this act no applicant should receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of his/her religion. This legislation out lawing discrimination on grounds of religion was introduced in UK in December 2003, Effectively it prohibits direct indirect discrimination, harassment and victimization on the grounds of religion or belief. Ageism Employment Equality(age) regulations 2006 came into force on 1 october 2006, They prohibit unjustified direct and indirect age discrimination, and all harassment and victimization on grounds of age. Equal pay act The Equal pay act means that men and women in the same employment have the right to equality in the terms of their employment contract. This applies where the person is engaged on like work, the work is related as equivalent work and also considered to be of equal value. Rehabilitation of offenders act The rehabilitation of offenders Act concerns the employment with a criminal record. If a person has been convicted of an offense, provides they have not been re-convicted for a further offense during a specific period. The person( job applicant) is required to disclose it, if asked by an employer. Data protection act This act applies to personal data held in a structured way in a medium (paper, computer, microfiche, tape, etc). To comply with Act, information must be collected and used fairly ,stored safely and not disclosed to anyone unlawfully. There are eight data protection principles set out in the act. Processed fairly and lawfully; Obtained and processed for specified purposes Adequate, relevant and not excessive Accurate and update Held for no longer than necessary Processed in accordance with subject rights Kept secure; Not transferable outside the European economic area –unless equivalent levels of protection for personal data exist. Asylum and immigration act Under the asylum and immigration act the employer could be guilty of a criminal offense if they employ someone who doesn’t have permission to work in UK . This act applies to all temporary, permanent and casual appointments. The fixed –term employees regulations 2002 This regulation on fixed-term employees came into effect from 1 october 2002. The regulations are intended to protect employees engaged on fixed term contracts from being treated less favorably than comparable employees on indefinite contracts. All the above regulations were made, not only for the employee but also for the employer so that the employment can be upholded. These regulations can affect the selection process so that no job applicant will receive less favorable treatment on the grounds of political belief, sex, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or social crisis. Orange.co.uk Cipd.co.uk 1000ventures.com Hrmguide.co.uk Hr.com

Poaching Elephants for Ivory

Poaching Elephants for Ivory Poaching of elephants has been present from the past 1000 years. However it increased considerably in the 1970s and consequently the elephant population of the world registered a sharp decline with statistics showing that the number of elephants in Africa declined from 1.3 million in 1980 to just 400,000 in 1990 (Ivory trade threatens future of African Elephants). Sudan and the Central African Republic have also registered a decrease in their elephant population. The crucial factor which results in the poaching of elephants is ivory trade. Therefore to save the dwindling elephant population of the world, cutting the demand for ivory in the world became necessary. The first attempt against ivory trading was made in 1975 with the advent of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which placed elephants under the list Appendix II species (White gold: The ivory trade ban). These are the species that, though not threatened by extinction, are at risk of being endangered. This did not ban ivory trading and was just a means of regulating it. However it failed to achieve its purpose as the killing of elephants not only continued but increased as the demand for ivory in the international market increased. Thus in 1989 CITES was forced to revise its position in context with elephants. As of 1990 the elephants were removed from Appendix II and rather placed under Appendix I (a species threatened by extinction) by which the killing of elephants was illegalized and a full ban was imposed on ivory trading (White gold: The ivory trade ban). After the ban was put under practice ivory trade was nearly eliminated because publicity surrounding the issue turned public sentiment so far against the ivory trade that it nearly eliminated the demand for ivory worldwide; most poaching stopped abruptly in response. After the imposition of the ban the number of poached elephants in Kenya was reduced to 500 in 1993 from a huge 3500 in the 1980s (White gold: The ivory trade ban). Also because the demand for ivory had decreased, the price of ivory per pound also decreased from $125 to $5 (White gold: The ivory trade ban). This reduction in price made the poachers lose incentive and poaching of elephants diminished. Another act, The Botswana Conservation and Management of Elephants Act of 1991 (The Conservation and Management of Elephants in Botswana) also helps protect the elephant population. By the application of strict rules by the government of Botswana, which includes the setting up of anti-poaching units, poaching is prevented on a large scale within the country. As a result the elephant population of Botswana is not only stable but is experiencing an increase. There are many points in favor of the ban being continued. These arguments are based on the profitability of live elephants to the countries they are in and on animal rights. Elephants provide a lot of benefits both to the countrys economy in which they reside and also to the natural habitat of other wild life. Some countries like Zimbabwe and Kenya thrive on the tourism brought about by the presence of elephants in their lands. Zimbabwe has earned a net total of $424 million and Kenya has earned a net of $100 million on account of the attraction their elephant population created for the tourists (White gold: The ivory trade ban). Thus, as ivory trade involves the hunting and killing of the elephant population of these countries, it has a detrimental effect on the tourism industries without which these already poor countries will lose significant amounts of money and a major contributor to their gross domestic product (GDP). The former chief executive of the Zimbabwe Council for Tour ism, Paul Matamasia, stated in regards with poaching: Without wildlife, we do not have a tourism industry to talk of (Zimbabwes Wildlife Threatened by Poachers). Another benefit of elephants is that they help change woodlands into grasslands, an action which helps provide habitats for the varied wildlife. Thus if the elephant population is reduced due to ivory trade it indirectly has an adverse effect on the habitats of other animals. This was exemplified in the 1970s in the Tsavo National Park in Kenya when a decrease in elephant population led to a decrease in the population of other animals such as zebras (Why Ivory Trade should be banned). The other main argument presented in favor of the ban is that of animal rights. The indiscriminate slaughter of the elephants is necessary in order to acquire ivory as it cannot be obtained while the elephant is alive. After it has been killed the process of extracting ivory involves the poacher to cut into the head of the elephant because roughly 25% of the ivory is contained in the head. This brutal killing of elephants just to take their tusks is a violation of animal rights and of the law as elephants are considered to be an endangered species and according to The Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 ESA prohibits everyone, private person and federal agency alike, from taking endangered wildlife. The regulations extend this to threatened animals. Take includes harming a listed species. Harm: in the definition of take in the Act means an act which actually kills or injures wildlife. Such act may include significant habitat modification or degradation where it actually kills or inj ures wildlife by significantly impacting essential behavioral patterns, including breeding, feeding, or sheltering (The Endangered Species Act). However some argue that the ban is wrong and should not be imposed. There is a debate regarding the endangerment of the elephants with one side claiming that they are not endangered at all. This side argues that rather than being in danger of extinction, the elephant are experiencing a rise in their population. The advocates of this viewpoint cite the examples of Kruger National Park and Botswana. In Kruger National Park the population of elephants increased from 7000 in 1994 to 12000 in 2005. Also in Botswana the elephant population is not only increasing but the authorities registered a threat of overpopulation. The number of elephants increased from 54700 to 60935 (White gold: The ivory trade ban). The ban imposed on ivory trade by CITES requires the elephant population to be below 2000 to qualify. Thus these advocates claim that the ban has been wrongly imposed and should be lifted as the population exceeds that stated by law (White gold: The ivory trade ban).. It must be noted however that this increase in population of the elephants only registered after the ban had been imposed in the first place and can be directly attributed to it because after it was imposed the poaching incidents were reduced to negligible amounts. As far as the problem of overpopulation is concerned it can be justified to still put the elephants under Appendix I of CITES in order to protect the population from falling to such low level that it will become too late to save elephants from extinction; as the old clichà © goes: prevention is better than cure. The primary party opposing the ban is the Southern African Development Community (SADC) which includes 12 countries including Botswana, Tanzania and Namibia. The reason SADCs opposition of the ban is the loss of revenue it had from ivory sales. It argues that due to the ban these countries cant even trade in legitimate ivory which is obtained after the elephant dies a natural death. These countries also claim that the population of elephants in their territories is much greater than the level at which a species is considered endangered. In fact these countries claim that they lack the area and resources to cater for the growing population of the elephants (White gold: The ivory trade ban). This, they claim, poses a threat to their human population as elephants come in conflict with the villagers and are responsible for destroying many crops. Another argument they present is that allocating areas especially for elephants is indirectly very costly as they need that area to grow crops and as agriculture serves as a main form of livelihood it is very difficult. Jon Hutton summates the problem by saying: Crops give survival. Elephants dont (White gold: The ivory trade ban). SADC further says that the ban should be lifted so that these countries can sell up to a collective stockpile of $8 million dollars (White gold: The ivory trade ban) that is collected from elephants that died a natural death. These countries claim that the revenue generated from these trades will be used to conserve the elephant population by building better places for them to live in. In response to the argument that legal ivory and stockpiles should be allowed to be traded and that elephants should rather be placed under Appendix II by CITES, it can be inferred from a similar situation that this is not a good solution. In the past, in response to the appeal by Botswana, CITES placed elephants under Appendix II rather than Appendix I in 1997 which allowed a one off trade of ivory with Japan. However this gave way to increased poaching activity in the area as the demand for ivory tusks was restored which acted as a stimulant for the poachers which led to a considerable decrease in elephant population. A complete ban was soon placed afterwards to stop the poaching as illegal advantage had been taken of a lenient decision. This just helps reinforce the idea that a ban is the only solution to protect the elephant population and if lifted gives rise to illegal trade in ivory which is difficult to tell apart from legitimate trade because while DNA testing has been intro duced it is very costly and it will be very difficult to test each batch of ivory. If we consider the argument of the destruction of existing crops and too little space for practicing agriculture we can see that lifting the ban is not the only solution and neither is the killing of elephants a good option as it might aggravate the situation rather than making it better. Much better and effective answers exist in the form of relocation of elephants. The relocation of elephants from overpopulated areas to areas where they exist in very few numbers is a very feasible solution as it answers both the problem of overpopulation in some countries and dearth of elephants in others and will help reach equilibrium between the two. This idea was used in 2001 when some elephants were transferred from Kruger National Park in South Africa to Mozambique. Will Travers, a member of the Born Free Foundation, said: Translocation as a management option, rather than culling, is going to be increasingly used (Worlds Biggest Elephant Relocation Begins) The argument that the revenue generated will be used to help the elephant population is impractical on two bases. Firstly for most of the countries the amount earned from legal ivory trade is much lower than the amount earned by tourism. Thus harming the elephant population for lesser revenues is not a good option. Secondly most of these countries are developing countries and the amount required to increase the living standards of the elephant population will be too high and cannot be fulfilled alone by revenues generated from trade of ivory tusks which is detrimental to the elephant population in the first place. By carefully considering the arguments presented by both the advocates in favor of the ban and those who are opposed to it and by considering the statistical evidence presented in this essay, it can be firmly concluded that the ban on ivory should remain and is the only barrier standing between live elephants and the extinction of a species. Any other scenario, whether it was a nonexistent ban or a lenient one, has proved damaging to the population of elephants in the world. When a ban had not yet been imposed the numbers of elephants was dwindling at a worrying rate while when a little leverage was allowed to some countries for legitimate trade the consequent rise in demand of ivory and the increase in poaching pushed the elephants one step closer to being wiped of the globe. Also the killing of elephants for ivory is a very atrocious crime as the life of a living being is much more important than the benefits it can provide in death and the conservation of a species is much more es sential than monetary benefits. Thus a full ban is the only answer and the protagonists of the group who think that the ban should be lifted should reconsider their arguments.

The Issue of Happiness in Gooseberries Essay example -- Gooseberries E

The Issue of Happiness in Gooseberries One who seeks their own happiness through life will fail to do much good for others. A preoccupation with achieving this "ideal" state of happiness will certainly lead to an inconsiderate view of the world. Anton Chekhov's story Gooseberries portrays a man who has come to this realization. He has seen the consequences of pure unadulterated happiness, and describes his subsequent emotions as "melancholy". Why should an educated man, a veterinary surgeon none the less, have such issues with human happiness? This paper seeks to understand the question and relate it to the motives of the author, Anton Chekhov. It is important, first of all, to ascertain the meaning of the word happiness in the context which it is used in the story. This would be a good time to give the Webster's Dictionary definition of the word happiness. But is that really necessary? Who is Webster anyway to attempt to define a human emotion!? Instead, it would be more accurate definition if you simply think of your own happiness. What makes you happy? What do you do in order to attain happiness? Only after you answer these questions will you be able to understand the word in the way that Chekhov intended. Wouldn't it be difficult to suppress happiness? If you don't think so, just ask Bertha from Bliss. In the first paragraph of Gooseberries, the last line reads, "On this still day, when the whole of nature seemed kindly and pensive, Ivan Ivanich and Burkin felt a surge of love for this plain, and thought how vast and beautiful their country was". If beauty and love don't afford happiness, what does? It becomes apparent after reading and re-reading the story, what Chekhov means by the word happiness. T... ...easants at his home without fee. Chekhov also worked in clinics during times of famine and epidemic. Thus, Chekhov was exposed to all of "...the terrible things in life that are played out behind the scenes". Although Chekhov performed many good deeds throughout his life, it is likely that he felt as if he had not done enough. One reason why he might have felt this way was his long and painful battle with tuberculosis. As he writes near the end of the story: "I am old and unfit for the struggle, I am even incapable of feeling hatred. I can only suffer inwardly, and give way to irritation and annoyances, at night my head burns from the rush of thoughts, and I am unable to sleep...Oh, if only I were young!" Anton Chekhov was by no means old when he died from tuberculosis. But how it must make a man feel old knowing that his days are numbered.

Great Gatsby :: essays research papers

Greatness Prevails   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Is Gatsby truly great? There are a couple of different types of greatness. In fact there is â€Å"good† greatness and â€Å"bad† greatness. Adolph Hitler, although a horrible man was a great leader, he convinced and entire army that it was right to kill non-white, non-Christians. There are war heroes who are great because they fight for the cause and risk their own lives to save others. Gatsby was great in a different sense though. Gatsby is truly great because he led an incorruptible life in devotion of following his dream of a romanticized life with Daisy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gatsby started off as a poor man who has to struggle through life. The only nice clothes that he has is his army uniform, which Daisy, his girlfriend enjoys when he wears she thinks that he looks nice. Gatsby is in love with Daisy and she is in love with him but because he was so poor they cannot get married. To survive Gatsby has to join the army and when he goes to war Daisy marries Tom, a rich stockbroker from New York, who gives Daisy a life of luxury. The problem, unbeknown to Daisy is that he is cheating on her. When Gatsby returns from battle he notices that Daisy has married a rich man and after realizing that Daisy was after Tom’s money Gatsby figures that the only way to get her back is by becoming rich himself. Once Gatsby has his dream of being rich he makes it his goal in life†¦to fulfill the needs of Daisy and marry her. Although luring ones wife into marrying yourself is not polite, it does make Gatsby great because it takes a strong willed man to make a li fe goal and stick to it Gatsby changes many things in his life when he makes his decision of becoming rich, he wants money, and he wants it as fast as possible. Since he had no real education he decides that he must attend college. Gatsby spends six months in Oxford University in England, but obviously it isn’t enough because he then seeks help from another rich man. This person supported Gatsby in his quest for Daisy and even gave him money to start his investment. A quick way to get rich fast is to be a criminal and steel money various ways. This man taught Gatsby the â€Å"trick of the trade† or the secret behind being steeling money to become rich.

Non-Dominant Voices on Difference and Diversity :: Multiculturalism Cultural Culture Politics Essays

Non-Dominant Voices on Difference and Diversity Chapter one of Multiculturalism from the Margins: Non-Dominant Voices on Difference and Diversity is "Social Movements and the Politics of Difference" by Cheryl Zarlenga Kerchis and Iris Marion Young. This chapter examines the idea of assimilation versus acceptance of group differences. The chapter begins by explaining the historical acceptance of assimilation especially in the United States with its ideals of the American melting pot. However, as Kerchis and Young explained each social group evolved and eventually began to embrace the idea of a politics of difference. Although assimilation is still often part of policy and social practice in the United States, Kerchis and Young point out that this idea oppresses the socially disadvantaged group in three separate ways. First, assimilation oppresses socially disadvantaged groups because in trying to assimilate the socially disadvantaged group is always playing a game of catch up. Secondly, assimilation suggests that one culture is the right one. Lastly, members of the socially disadvantaged group can end up feeling abnormal or deviant. On the other hand, the idea of politics of difference allows "members of an oppressed group to celebrate and be proud of their identity"(Harris, 1995, p.11). Also, the politics of difference allows the disadvantaged social groups to accept their differences and not try and adjust their culture to the more dominant culture. Therefore, there is not a sense of a correct culture versus a less desirable one. Politics of difference also allows society to view the dominant culture in a critical light, which can lead to necessary changes. Lastly, politics of difference embraces the concept of individualism, which American society has always held in high esteem. The author suggests that "Our nation should strive for social justice in its political and social institutions." (Harris, 1995, p. 16). Just an informal review of the political or judicial establishment reveals that social justice has not been accomplished. Most Americans agree that the justice system strongly favors the dominant culture. American politicians are certainly not a diverse group of people. In education, the changes have been more strident. I work in a school district that is primarily Hispanic. More and more administrators who are Hispanic are being hired. However, primarily white men hold the top district positions. The author next discusses the disadvantage women of child bearing years face in the work force. This is certainly an issue that I have experienced personally.

Management and Organizational Bahaviour Essay

Q.No.1.â€Å"The major challenge Management faces today is living in a world of turbulence and uncertainitywhere new competitions arrive daily and competitive conditions change.† Explain with an example of any one product or service in the market . Validate your answer with research findings /stastical data . What measures can be taken to meet these challenges? Ans 1.A Challenge of Change The organizations and the individuals working in the organizations have a great challenge to deal with the change. The principle of dynamism and the theory of ‘Ignore and Perish, Change and Cherish’ have come to stay and the organizations have to respond positively to the changing environment. The challenge of change demands that the organizations become more transparent and open and the employees are given more autonomy. The institutions have to more concentrate on the quality of its people than product. The wind of change is affecting the organizations all over,from north to south and from east to west. Managers must create a new organizational space where those (new) capabilities can be developed. There are three possible ways to do that. Managers can * create new organizational structures within corporate boundaries in which new processes can be developed, * spin out an independent organization from the existing organization and develop within it the new processes and values required to solve the new problem, * acquire a different organization whose processes and values closely match the requirements of the new task’ * Business Process Outsourcing is further going to gain importance and the various processes in the production are going to be narrowed down into various parts. * The experiences of mergers and acquisitions could be followed for better presence in the market. Example:Changing market scenario : Medical Devices Industry Medical device market is quite diverse which includes medical and diagnostic equipment; medical implants like heart valve and cardiac stents, pacemakers, cannulae, knee joints; and lower end plastic disposables, blood bags, IV sets, syringes etc.. Even within the same group of implants, there are diverse products which may have hardly anything in common: for examples, Intra-ocular lens and knee joints. According to one source, in 2012, the Indian medical devices and diagnostics market has been estimated to have reached Rs. 139bn ,that had potential to grow at a CAGR of 23.2 percent over the period 2009-13. It has been estimated the market will grow by an average of 15.6 row percent over the next few years, to around USD 4.8bn by 2015 . Increasing physicians’ awareness and increasing patients’ requirement to avail high quality care are amongst the driving force for such a growth rate. Figure: Indian medical devices market size and forecast (09-13) (USD mn) Source: KPMG-CII In India, there are around 700 medical device makers; however, major players remain the foreign companies. Few major players in medical devices industry include: B. Braun Medical(I)Pvt. Ltd; BL Life sciences Ltd; 8.3 Baxter India; Bayer Diagnostics India Ltd; Godrej Industries Ltd;Johnson & Johnson Medical India (JJMI) Ltd; Nicholas Piramal India Ltd; Opto Circuits (I) Limited; Philips Electronics India Ltd (Medical Systems Division); Roche Diagnostics India; Siemens India Ltd; Span Diagnostics Ltd; Trivitron Medical Systems; Wipro Biomed Ltd; Wipro GE Medical Systems. Coping with the Change * To constantly train people in new technology, new business practices and new paradigms. * Synergize organizational objectives with individual aspirations * Training Managers at all levels both in behavioral field as well as technical field as people are not going to be sitting face to face but will be connected mouse to mouse. * As the consumers are becoming more aware, the organizations have to train their employees for better customer relationship management (CRM). The individuals who are able to learn new competencies quickly are going to be valued more in this fast changing environment. Fundamentally, all organizations – from the military to schools to hospitals to private enterprises – need to dramatically increase the pace of change if they are going to thrive. * The organizations have to create an atmosphere where the employees from bottom level to the top level have a positive attitude towards change. * ‘Particular attention needs to be paid to young employees. They are a company’s long term investment. The contribution they make is dependent on how quickly they commit themselves to their work, and what they do about it’ . Three things can be said about change in today’s intense competitive environment: it’s hard, it’s necessary, and most people are bound to resist it. The question for leaders, then, is what actually makes change happen? Change is sensed as one of the most dynamic activity. It is more important to think about our roles in the changing environment rather than concentrating on what makes change happen. The fashion changes, individuals change, ‘only foolish and dead never change their opinion’ – so the opinions change, demands change, needs change and so does the market, trade and business and further so does our attitude change. â€Å"executives are recognizing that their most important need is to have ma nagers who deal with change and complexity by growing and by developing their capacities.† A Note for the Future Present organizational structure of course it has changed from what it was before 10 years but in coming few years it is further going to change. ‘As far as the interface of technology and business goes, it’s easy to predict what the characteristics of the next big thing will be; transparency, egalitarianism, immediacy, convenience, and economy. Nor is it difficult to hazard a guess on where its utility will be felt most; the way we work, the way we live; the way we interact; and the way in which we address larger problems related to the environment’. The future of work and the future of business is going to be decided by the methods and approaches followed by the organizations to face the challenge of change. The way the industry has reacted to the waves of change, we can expect that there is going to be better management of people and the human factor is going to be the most important factor in the coming days. The existence of knowledge society would certainly provide better outlook and perspective for thinking but the need is to be more cautious and more judicious in decision making for deciding the future course of action Q.No.3How can a leader transform potential into reality? What type of leadership is best suited in service providing units like healthcare centers? Give reasons for your choice. Ans.3. Introduction A leader is an individual who is able to demonstrate a specific set of roles, behaviours to influence the attitudes and behaviours of others. It is usually a group phenomenon. Two specific aspects of being a leader are: 1. The individual attributes or styles needed to be an effective leader. 2. The organizational skills required to manage the process of change Keys to Effective leadership Trust and confidence in top leadership was the single most reliable predictor of employee satisfaction in an organization. Effective communication by leadership in three critical areas was the key to winning organizational trust and confidence: 1. Helping employees understand the company’s overall business strategy. 2. Helping employees understand how they contribute to achieving key business objectives. 3. Sharing information with employees on both how the company is doing and how an employee’s own division is doing — relative to strategic business objectives. Turning potential into Reality : the Leadership challenge The leader must analyse the following issues while framing a vision of growth of organization: 1. Recognize the capabilities of the organization 2. Recognize the decisions that need to be made and the changes that must occur 3. Recognize the importance of people in achieving the vision 4. Recognize your needs in relation to the larger organization These four issues align with four phases for achieving the vision: Phase 1: Analyze your organization Phase 2: Develop your organization Phase 3: Value and develop your people Phase 4: Maintain and develop your sphere of influence Leadership Styles Leadership style is the way in which a leader accomplishes his purposes. It can have profound effects on an organization and its staff members, and can determine whether the organization is effective or not. Leadership style depends on the leader’s and organization’s conception of what leadership is, and on the leader’s choice of leadership methods. Depending how those fit together, a leader might adopt one of a variety styles, each reflected in the way the organization operates and the way its staff members relate to one another. * Autocratic – totally in control, making all decisions himself * Managerial – concerned with the smooth operation, rather than the goals and effectiveness, of the organization * Democratic – consulting with others, encouraging equality within the organization, but making final decisions herself * Collaborative – sharing leadership, involving others in all major decisions, spreading ownership of the organization. Other viewpoints of leadership styles are: * Transactional or autocratic (Burns, 1978). This might have been called in the past the ‘top down approach’ or autocratic leadership.* Transformational/interactional (Burns, 1978). Transformational leadership is aligned to democratic forms of leadership. It is a leadership style based upon embracing change and encouraging innovation. * Renaissance or modern (Cook, 1999 Renaissance leadership requires the effective use of power, influence and the ability to network to ensure key decision makers support changes. * Connective. There are similarities between both transformational and renaissance styles (Ewens, 2002) although this type of leadership is less likely to delegate in a way that empowers the workforce. The focus is that of building collaborative structures and networks to effect change 2. Defining the task: Focus on an objective that is SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely). Adaptive leadership for health care sector A new kind of leadership is needed for health care. It is both figuring out why the current approaches aren’t sufficient and surfacing how the forces at play in the system allow incremental efforts or the status quo to carry the day. It takes courage to identify the tough issues and create change, even when you are uncertain about the outcome. The adaptive nature of the challenges in health care demands that people see themselves as orchestrating conflict rather than resolving it, holding the attention of others to the harder issues rather than taking the burden off of their shoulders, confronting dearly-held legacy behaviors that prevent deep change from taking root rather than tolerating them, identifying and then letting go of values and behaviors that are getting in the way, and making your own adaptations. Currently Practiced Currently Needed Rely on tradition and past approaches Launch many experiments & identify emerging solutions Implement Best Practice Create â€Å"Next Practice†Overcoming Competing Commitments For people in senior authority, this type of leadership is different than what people expect You can develop these skills and apply them to a variety of adaptive challenges. Adaptation is more than surviving; it is about mobilizing people and creating environments that are more robust and resilient, environments for people to thrive. With the right focus, you can engage people in adaptive work and nurture the new DNA that will promote wellness and healing that brings your organization into the future Q.No.5. What are the indicators which tell you about the HRD climate in a healthcare centre? Ans 5. HRD stands for Human Resources Development in a business or an organization. Climate meant the atmosphere in the company, especially a supportive atmosphere that allows staff members to develop their skills for the benefit of the company. Management Indicators Ideally, HR and other management indicators are constructed from generally available data and describe constituents of organisational activity, namely inputs, processes and outputs. It is this data that managers use in monitoring and as a basis for decision making. The indicators are usually created by linking two separate pieces of data to form a ratio. The indicators literally provide an â€Å"indication† of the relative state of key determinants of efficiency and effectiveness in comparison to â€Å"norms† of organisational activity. These norms may be derived from: – external comparisons with other similar organisations; – internal comparisons with the previous performance of the organisation; – comparisons with some pre-determined standard. Indicators of HRD Climate in Health sector Indicators can be developed to examine all the different elements of organisational performance.The four main elements of performance which require management attention are illustrated here using indicators focused on HR aspects: †¢ Inputs: this covers the resources introduced into the health system. Human resources account for the majority of health service costs and are therefore the most significant input. In making comparisons between health system units or over time it is useful to be able to look at measures such as: -relative proportions of different staff types and grades; -staff costs in relation to the total health service expenditure; – numbers of staff relative to the local population. †¢ Processes: This looks at how the health service works as an organisation. In the HR dimension, process issues include organisational environment in which people work and the effect this might have on their performance, as well as more direct measures of HR efficiency with respect to the way the HR resources are used. Thus * staff turnover rates; the â€Å"actual to planned† staff ratio; the ratio of new staff recruited to new staff trained all give an indication of the quality of the organisational environment. * Bed occupancy rates to staff employed, on the other hand, provide a more direct relationship between HR and other resources inputs in the health care process. †¢ Outcomes: These are the products of the organisation. This is particularly difficult to measure in health service systems as there is little agreement on ways of measuring health outcomes (ie. the change in health status for a person having been in the health care system). Usually the best that can be managed are proxy measures such as overall population mortality rates to staff employed. †¢ Outputs: Outcomes are often expressed in so-called â€Å"intermediate† output measures such as the number of patients treated. This data can be more easily measured, but does not give an accurate picture of how health status is affected. Typical HR output measures could include: * the number of nurses per thousand clinic attendances; * trained nurses/ midwives per 1000 live births. Peters and Waterman (6) identify the â€Å"7Ss† – strategy, structure, skills, style of management, systems, staff, shared values – as key interrelated factors determining the performance of an organisation. The HR elements in this (staff, skills, shared values and structure) can be expected to play a significant role in changing organisational performance. The most common words used to assess the impact of these related elements are â€Å"efficiency†, â€Å"effectiveness† and â€Å"quality†.