Career Development Plan Part Iv †Compensation Essay

Now that we have structured our new team, identified their roles, identified ways to manage their performance and created an appraisal system we are now proposing a new compensation plan. This part will outline the plan, describe how it will help motivate employee performance, describe our total rewards program and outline how this program will benefit the individual and InterClean. Account Executive Financial Compensation Plan Compensation structures can be broken down into two distinct categories, financial and non-financial (Cascio, 2006). This section overviews the financial compensation plan for account executives, which includes pay and benefits. Account executive pay will be primarily commission based. Each account executive will receive a base salary at minimum wage, with the rest of their salary coming from commission. We feel that a generous commission structure will motivate performance because pay will have a direct correlation with sales volume. We structured our proposed commission plan to reflect InterClean new strategic direction (University of Phoenix, 2007), and how employees are rated in their quarterly appraisal. This means a focus on retention, up-selling and volume. Account executives will receive 8% commission on sales for the first six-months of revenue. 10% commission on sales after six-months of continuous revenue. 13% commission on sales after one-year of continuous revenue. 13% commission on up-sells and account executives that meet their quarterly sales volume will also receive a bonus equaling 3% of total revenue earned. New Business Account Executive, The New Business Account Executive has different goals, and therefore a different pay scale will apply. He or she will receive a base salary of $30,000 per year, plus a 3% quarterly commission on revenues earned from the accounts he or she acquired. We feel that this structure will adequately reflect the difference between new account acquisition and account retention. Cumulatively, the maximum amount of commission paid on revenues to account executives would be 19%. In related to the benefits Account Executives will receive the standard benefits due to all InterClean employees, including; †¢ Health Insurance with employee share of cost †¢ 401k match 14 days paid vacation †¢ 6 days sick time †¢ Health, Financial, Stress and Motivational Counseling through our employee wellness program. Managerial Financial Compensation Plan The managerial financial compensation plan will focus on overall team performance. We feel that creating a plan that rewards managers for team performance helps ensure management’s focus on creating a strong team that meets financial objec tives. Managers will receive a base salary dependent on their pay grade, ranging from $50,000 annual for the solution expert and $65,000 annually for the sales manager. The rest of their salary will be based on team performance as 3% commission on total revenues per quarter of all account executives that have met his or her goal, and 2% on total revenues per quarter if all account executives meet their goals. We feel that paying based on meeting objectives, and sharing in total revenues accomplishes two important things such as rewards managers who ensure account executives meet their goals by providing the tools and support they need. And it encourages over-achieving by not setting a limit on revenue sharing. In terms of the benefits, managerial employees share in the aforementioned benefits, and are given one additional week of paid vacation (five days) per year. As mentioned, compensation does not only include financial compensation; there are certain non-financial rewards that motivate employee performance, increase loyalty and decrease turnover. The following non-financial rewards were chosen based on a survey conducted in the United Kingdom (Employee Benefits, 2006) as additional â€Å"perks† for employees. Sales Employees, All sales employees are eligible the following reward package flexible working arrangements. Employees can work at home when appropriate on dates arranged between them and their manager. Flexible work time is the top-rated non-financial reward in the UK survey (Employee Benefits, 2006) and offering such an arrangement can increase productivity by diminishing stress caused by work-life conflicts. And corporate gym membership also ranked high on the survey, and using our corporate pull to offer a free membership not only encourages wellness, but exercise has countless benefits such as stress relief, increased creativity, and energy. Also, we will include employee discount at restaurants. Using the promise of higher volume by internally promoting local restaurants to our employees, HR has arranged for employee discounts at local restaurants. This benefit decreases the costs of lunch for our employees and gives them another reason to value InterClean. Managerial Rewards, The following rewards are available to managers in addition to the preceding rewards available to all employees such as use of company vehicle: Surprisingly, the UK survey listed â€Å"sports car as company vehicle† as the number one â€Å"benefit they don’t receive but wish they had† (Employee Benefits, 2006, para4. . Company gas card, not only should our sales manager ride in prestige, but we understand that the majority of driving they do benefits our company, so they also have use of our company gas card. The compensation and rewards system outlined in this plan are geared to motivate performance by tying pay directly to the revenue gained for InterClean. Our new strategy of fo cusing on solution-based selling (University of Phoenix, 2007) means we must grow retention, up selling, and total volume. This plan rewards all three by reducing the base pay of account executives, increasing commission and tiering commission based on retention and up selling. We reward achievers and not low-performers. Tying managerial pay directly to the performance of the team rewards good managers (Vigoda-Gadot & Angert, 2007. ) Finally, offering a substantial but not overly high base pay takes into account fluctuating economic and environmental constraints. Offering bonuses quarterly rather than annual avoids penalizing employees for one bad quarter, which can happen to even the best sales person. Finally, our reward system is built to make InterClean a great place to work, that values the employees well-being and offers perks as part of the job. Offering this reward system can help InterClean retain the best possible account executives and managers (Cascio, 2006). Because we offer competitive pay and creative rewards that ease the work-life conundrum, and add a certain level of prestige to those who work for InterClean.

Kevin Carter Essay

Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph made by Kevin Carter in 1993 I decided to describe the story behind this photograph, because of two reasons. The first one is a book I am reading now: ‘The Bang – Bang Club’. Kevin Carter – the author of this photograph belonged to this four-member club of South African photographers. The second reason is that this is an important moment in documentary photograhy. This photograph was taken during the Sudan Famine in 1993. The picture depicts a hunger stricken child crawling towards a United Nations food camp, located a kilometer away. The child is dying and he won’t make it to the camp. In the background a vulture is waiting for the child to die so it can eat him. The photographer waited for the vulture to spread its wings over the child, but it didn’t happen. Nevertheless, this picture shocked the whole world in 1993. As it turned out, it also took another death-toll – three months after taking the shot Kevin Carter, aged 33, committed suicide due to depression. The photograph first appeared in New York Times on March 26, 1993 and was reproduced in many other newspapers around the world. After the publication lots of people contacted the Times to ask about the fate of the boy. His fate was unknown, but it was almost impossible for him to have reached the feeding center. In 1994, the photograph won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography. It wasn’t the most shocking scene in Carter’s career, as he had been working ear- lier for â€Å"The Johannesburg Star†, being exposed to the real brutality of Apartheid. The publication caused rapid reactions. Carter was bombarded with questions about why he had not helped the child, and only used him to take a picture. He was accused by another newspaper: â€Å"The man adjusting his lens to take just the right frame of his suffering, might just as well be a predator, another vulture on the scene. † In most cases photojournalists say that showing the whole world in its drama is more important that helping starving children at a particular moment, for they will die anyway. It may sound cynical but I believe this is the right thing for them to do. Carter’s photograph started a discussion about the moral aspects of photojournalism. But the author appeared to be its victim. After his death, Carter’s daughter Megan responded: â€Å"I see my dad as the suffering child. And the rest of the world is the vulture. † Photojournalism is a tough profession. Only one member of Carter’s â€Å"Bang – Bang Club† has survived. Others were killed while working or committed suicides, due to stress and depression. The world should have a bit more respect for photojournalists who have been showing us the most important events in the 20th century. Not longer then a week ago the ‘Chicago Sun-Times’ fired all its staff photographers and decided to give reporters some Iphone training†¦ It wasn’t the most shocking scene in Carter career, as he was working earlier for â€Å"Johanesburg Star† being exposed to the real brutality of apartheid.

Admission Essay

I would like to get an admission in a dental school so that I can pursue a career that has always been my dream. I must say that I have had a vast experience and exposure on this profession dating back to my old days as a dental student in India. During that time, I worked in various government hospitals for a year. This enabled me get sufficient exposure on some of the dental ailments like tooth fractures, gingivitis and temporo mandibular disorders and how to treat them. Consequently I was exposed to the principles and ethics of dentistry that includes confidentiality, competence, being compassionate and portraying a high level of professionalism. These factors make me suitable for the career. In addition, I have worked with a re-knowned dentist, Dr. Swalan thus gaining more knowledge about dental surgery. I have worked with various people and I well understand the dentist-patient relationship and how this can be enhanced. It is important to note that am very conversant with the American Dental Association code of ethics that outlines the dos and don’ts of the profession. I have learnt quite a lot of things to date as for as dental surgery is concerned. I not only know about administering oral care, but also reconstructive and cosmetic services. I have also learnt that patience pays because many are times when dental patients endure pain for so long only for a Doctor to clear it in seconds. I was motivated into joining dentistry by my brother who was himself a dental student. His encouragement together with the invaluable support of Dr. Salwan made me develop a lot of interest in the profession. In my early childhood, I used to frequent dental clinics. This earlier exposure of this environment and the kind approach with which doctors exercised their duty thrilled me into making it a career dream. I was also made to understand that dentistry is an absolutely good income job that would enable me make ends meet in my life. In my present job as a dental assistant, I handle quite a number of tasks. These range from preparing the patients on behalf of the doctor to taking of X-rays for the patients. In addition, I clean patient’s teeth, receive payments and make bills. My goal is to learn more about dentistry and to become a professional dentist that one can reckon with. I do not want a case whereby am only referring patients to other doctors as a result of incompetence. I would rather look forward into learning all dental aliments and their treatment procedures/processes. As I sit besides the Doctor while administering treatment, I aspire to induce as many students as possible into joining this profession. I also dream of becoming a professional Dental surgeon myself, offering consultation services to other medics. If my admission is guaranteed I would be contented as my other goal of pursuing a practical job of which I am good at, shall have been accomplished. References Please use the references I had given you earlier.

Renewable energy (about Hydropower) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Renewable energy (about Hydropower) - Essay Example The development of hydropower turbines and dams took place in the late 19th century and hydropower became a major source of electricity by the start of the industrial revolution [1]. Hydropower has not been developed in the Middle East mainly because of the scarcity of water resources in most of the countries in this region of the world. However countries like Iraq, Syria and Egypt have constructed hydropower projects on the few rivers which flow through the country. The cheap and easy availability of fossil fuels is also a major cause of the lack of development of the hydropower sector in the region. The changing climatic conditions have also affected the development of hydropower in the Middle East because the declining quantity of water in the rivers consequently the contribution of hydropower to the overall electricity generation is on the declining trend. Hydropower contributed 70% to the generated electricity of Egypt in 1970 but the percentage have fallen to less than 10% in t he recent years, same is the case with other Middle Eastern countries. The research and publication in hydropower is being carried out by various research institutes, most notable of which are China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Institute of Energy Research of US, United Nations Development Program and the World Bank [2]. The most noteworthy advantage of hydropower is the rapid payback and the low cost involved in generation. The initial costs are high and the setup time is relatively long for the dams and connected power plants which can be designed to give high power generation capacities. Once built, the dam can produce huge amount of electrical power with virtually no running costs. The only costs involved are the operation and maintenance expenses of the power plant and civil infrastructure. The running costs range between five to ten percent of the cost of generated power. Other renewable energy resources such as solar and wind require huge initial inve stment and greater running costs for the same amount of power generated by hydroelectric power plants. A remarkable example in this regard is the hydroelectric power generation in China which has grown a great degree in the recent years supporting the ever increasing demands of the developing industry. The cheap electricity produced through hydroelectric plants generates further resources for the installation of new power plants. Since the economic and industrial growth of a country is directly dependent on its energy production, hydropower can have a large impact on economic and industrial growth [3]. Another important advantage which these hydroelectric power plants provide is the flexibility of operation. The power plants normally have a starting time of five to ten minutes compared to more than twenty four hours for a fossil fuel fired power plant. The hydroelectric power plants and related dam structure are mostly designed to comprise of multiple small generating units rather t han one large unit. This provides the freedom to vary the generation according to the load while the extra energy (possessed by the flowing water of the river) can be stored in the water storage. Moreover, the dam is provided with a spill way which can be used to allow extra water to bypass the power plant and flow back to the river. Hydroelectric power plants have minimum environmental impact when in use. The environmental impact on the ecology of an area can be significant and need thorough analysis and feasibility assessment.

Art History - Romanticism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Art History - Romanticism - Essay Example The Romantic Movement featured phrases like romantic originality, romantic composers, romantic originality, romantic thinkers, and not limited to the romantic era. The definition of romanticism initiates with nature and irrationality. Romanticism freed individuals and art from the contemporary thinking of the mid 19th century and late 19th century, which was judgmental and restrictive. The following philosophers and writers greatly influenced the growth of the Romantic Movement, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Johann Arthur Schopenhauer, Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche. These philosophers believed and emphasized on the fact that an individual’s emotions and feelings were fundamental in the process of searching for truth in the universe. Romantic literature as a form of romanticism stressed on the idea of the inner self, the dream and the intrinsic part of the individual. In romantic literature, the visionary and imaginary part of the individual was exposed this was contrary to the contemporary thinking, which blindly, focused on traditions. In romantic literature, the church faced a huge criticism since it was judgmental and restrictive. Individuals indulged in romantic literature since it brought them on the verge of exemplifying their inner feelings and experiences. The Romantic Movement allowed individuals and more specifically, artist to focus on what they perceived without guilt or facing criticism. â€Å"The sublime† was a strong phrase when it came to the practice of romantic literature.... Romantic literature Romantic literature as a form of romanticism stressed on the idea of the inner self, the dream and the intrinsic part of the individual. In romantic literature, the visionary and imaginary part of the individual was exposed this was contrary to the contemporary thinking, which blindly, focused on traditions. In romantic literature, the church faced a huge criticism since it was judgmental and restrictive. Individuals indulged in romantic literature since it brought them on the verge of exemplifying their inner feelings and experiences. The Romantic Movement allowed individuals and more specifically, artist to focus on what they perceived without guilt or facing criticism. â€Å"The sublime† was a strong phrase when it came to the practice of romantic literature as it included emotional experiences such as horror, awe and magnificence. The ultimate basis of romantic literature was the indulgence in emotions and feelings, as it was seen to be important than a nalysis and logical thinking. A further analysis reveals that in romantic literature senses were important that intellect. Romantic literature aimed at eradicating the premise that materialism, empiricism, rationalism and idealism was important than emotions, feelings and irrationality (Riou 156). 2 Romanticism and nature The world around us better known as nature was highly used in the romantic era to help in defining romanticism. Romantics embraced nature as a definite work of art. Romantics expressed that any reasoning or analysis regarding nature put across by traditional thinking was short of the transcendence that nature depicted in terms of

USING EVIDENCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

USING EVIDENCE - Essay Example Leaving children unsupervised, ignoring their needs, and making them feel unworthy are forms of child abuse as well. Several myths are related to child abuse; for instance, abuse is related to violence, only strangers abuse children, and abuse does not occur in families (Saisan, Smith & Segal, 2012). Therefore, it is important for the staff to learn the symptoms and signs of child abuse, and as a result, making a difference in their lives. Schools are regarded as a second home for children; despite the staff being trained on their profession, training on signs of child abuse is also vital. Members of staff can have positive influence on the children’s lives once they detect signs of abuse at an early stage. This is because child abuse has serious effects on children, which affect their academics and future lives as well, such as, the ability to maintain a healthy relationship and lack of self-worth. This essay will discuss whether staff members are trained appropriately to rec ognize signs of child abuse. Both academic and online sources will be used to produce a literature review, and their outcome will be discussed as well. When child abuse is detected at an early stage, it gives room for recovery and effective treatment for the abused child. According to Children First (2011, p.8), child abuse occurs in different forms; neglect involves depriving a child his/her needs such as clothing, food, shelter, security, health care services and love. Therefore, neglect can be defined as ill-treatment of a child by depriving his/her needs. Signs of neglect include frequent absenteeism from school, stealing or begging for food, lack of clothing and medical care, and lack of personal hygiene (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2007; Cambridgeshire county council N.d, p.5). Secondly, emotional abuse occurs when a child is deprived affection, such as, unresponsive parent who neglects his responsibility to the child and unrealistic

Dick Hebdige argues that subcultural style should be regarded as a Essay

Dick Hebdige argues that subcultural style should be regarded as a semiotic form of resistance against authority - Essay Example Culture is an indispensable part of social life. From this point of view, culture is also necessarily related to politics even if the particular relationship is not standardized, in terms of its forms. Hebdige has thoroughly explored the potential relationship between culture and politics. In his book ‘Subculture: the Meaning of Style’, first published in 1979, Hebdige uses examples from cultural trends developed in Britain during 1970s (Blake 1998, p.97). Emphasis is given to the cultural trends, especially in terms of music and dress, of youths in different subcultures (Blake 1998, p.97). The research on this subject has led Hebdige to the assumption that social relations can be influenced by the cultural background of the parties; for politics, a similar view could be developed (Blake 1998, p.97). The view of Hebdige that subcultural style should be regarded as a semiotic form of resistance against authority is evaluated in this paper. Reference is primarily made, pri marily, to the concept of subculture, as described in the study of Hebdige. Then, two examples are employed for showing the value of the views of Hebdige if they are used in practice. It is proved that, indeed, subcultural style can be used as a form of resistance against authority. Still, the implications of such use are rather difficult to be identified. Neither can it be said that a particular subcultural style has been found to be effective in supporting a strong resistance against authority. 2. Hebdige and subcultural style as a semiotic form of resistance against authority 2.1 Key points of Hebdige’s view in regard to subcultural style For Hebdige, subcultures are related to two key terms: ‘conjuncture and specificity’ (During 1999, p.441). More specifically, Hebdige promotes the idea that subcultures are not limited to a particular aspect of life or to a particular area (During 1999, p.441). Rather, subcultures can be identified ‘almost everywhereâ⠂¬â„¢ (During 1999, p.441) being influenced though by specific conjunctures (During 1999, p.441). The term ‘conjunctures’ (During 1999, p.441) in the above use reflects not just the cultural and social trends developed in a particular region but also the political and economic conditions of the region (During 1999, p.441). It is in this framework that subcultures are created and developed (During 1999, p.441). At the next level, these subcultures change as they are adopted by people in different social classes and of different age (During 1999, p.441). Through the above transformation process a high range of styles appears (During 1999, p.441). It should be noted that the notion of subculture as developed by Hebdige is based on the continuous opposition with the system, leading to a phenomenon described as ‘resistance through style’ (Muggleton and Weinzierl 2004, p.86). The particular type of subculture has been characterized as heroic, indicating a strong willingness for fighting the system, including politics (Muggleton and Weinzierl 2004, p.86). However, today subculture has been slightly transformed; a transmission to ‘a post-heroic phase’ (Muggleton and Weinzierl 2004, p.86) has been unavoidable since the willingness of people to fight the system has been gradually reduced. On the other hand, the value of subculture for evaluating the social trends for opposing the system remains significant (Muggleton and Weinzierl 2004, p.86). When efforts are made for evaluating the power of subculture within a particular society the following fact should be taken into consideration: subculture, as described by Hebdige, needs to ‘represent noise, disturbance and blockage of the system of representation’ (Muggleton and Weinzierl 2004, p.86). If the above requirement is not met, then the social

The Muslim Insurgency in Thailand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Muslim Insurgency in Thailand - Essay Example Thailand - A Brief History: It is prudent to include a brief history of the country so as to analyze whether the present disturbances faced by the country has any its roots in its history. Thailand is credited to have been in existence from the late 1300's itself and till 1930, was known as the Siam. Even though, it is a constitutional monarchy, the country had its shares of coups and the last one had happened as late as September 2006. 95% of its population is Buddhist, with Muslims constituting a meagre 4.5% and other minority groups forming the rest. Its main source of income is through exports of electronics and machinery. Tourism too is a major revenue earner and Pattaya beach is a very popular tourist destination. It has a healthy per capita income of USD 3700 and an envious unemployment rate of only 1.5% of the labor force. "Thais date the founding of their nation to the 13th century." (Background Note: Thailand: Profile: History, 2008). The Ongoing insurgency in Thailand: Since 2001- the same year that Thaksin Shinawatra assumed the prime ministership of Thailand - the Southern provinces of Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat have been rocked by almost unprecedented violence. Although some accounts trace the cite January 4th, 2004 - the date of an attack on an army base in Narathiwat (which produced four deaths) and 20 school burnings - as the true start of the violence that has since continued unabated. In what amounts to the gravest political violence in Thailand's recent history, during 2004 and 2005 almost 2,000 separate assaults shook the three Southern promises and claimed more than 1,000 lives. Though Prime Minister Thaksin was celebrated by some for his "businesslike solutions" to various problems, following the January 2004 assaults, his government and forces responded to the violence with hard-line tactics that apparently including a number of covert, illicit actions on the parts of military and security person nel. Yet the imposition of martial law throughout the South and intense, heavy-handed policing tactics failed to staunch the deadly attacks. Indeed, the assaults appeared to become ever more sophisticated and more fatal. The roots of ongoing crisis date back more than 100 years to the prolonged fighting which led the annexation, in the early twentieth century, of the majority-Muslim Malay sultanate of Pattani into the Kingdom of Siam. Such analysts note that, for decades following the annexation, the Thai regime employed authoritarian policies intended to consolidate an expanded, Thai-dominated nation-state, moving aggressively to prevent Malay-Muslims from preserving their traditional cultural and ethnic identities. Perhaps not unsurprisingly, many Malay-Muslims resisted official policies that sought, in effect, to eradicate their traditions and clamored for separation from Thailand, but the Thai regime responded to that resistance with even fiercer and more repressive measures. Fr om the 1960s and into the late 1980s, "separatist" groups were active in the South, with levels of tension and violence reaching particularly high levels during the 1970s, when the so-called "separatist movement" reached a peak. During the 1980s, the Thai government under Prime Minister General Prem Tinsulanond initiated new policies towards

Refugee protection in International Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Refugee protection in International Law - Essay Example The essays together give a broad overview of the dimensions of refugee protection, especially setting out to what extent and how refugee protection is at present grounded in international law. It also points out the paradox that despite an emerging ‘theory of race’ that stipulates that race is not biological, in order to achieve protection, membership of a certain group, and thus race, has once again to be established – often based on biological criteria.The publication will be particularly helpful because of the breadth of its cover and also due to the legal aspects that are covered. When looking at the question of refugees, it is often unclear what means are legally open to people who are fleeing their country and how effective these avenues may be. There is often evidence that refugee-seekers are not following established pathways, with blame often attached to these people as ‘not genuine’ or as ‘queue-jumpers’.... The Editor in Chief is Professor Edward Craig and the source has become an essential research tool for university faculties and students alike. The definition sought from this source was that of ‘theory of race’, for which an entry by Michael Banton was available. In his article, he argues that race is not pure , as stipulated by Cuvier, nor does it develop over time, as Darwin suggested. Both these views mark racial discrimination as an integral part of race. Banton argues instead that racial discrimination is ‘learned’ and that race does not constitute ‘genetic or social’ difference and that there is no biological evidence that such a distinction exists in nature. For his summation, he draws on the findings of scientists as well as social scientists, including Freud, Linden, Martin and Jupp). At the outset of research into ‘races’ it is vital to understand what is meant by this term, as the word ‘race’ has been and st ill is used in a multitude of ways and understanding (including my own) has been quite ambiguous. It is startling to find to what extent we are taking for grated that ‘race’ is a fact and to what degree the ‘certainty’ of belonging to a race pervades communication. Refocusing this issue is therefore of paramount importance before writing about it. From this new perspective, it is possible to approach the task of ‘races and refugees’ with a deeper understanding of the problems of identification that exist in the home countries of those who flee. Suhrke, Astri. â€Å"Human security and the protection of refugees†, in Edward Newman and Joanne van Selm (eds.), Refugees and Forced Displacement: International

Decision Analysis Essay Example for Free

Decision Analysis Essay Finally, some typical problem classes are examined and some requirements for prototypical structures are discussed. An introduction to problem structuring Decision analysis can be divided into four steps: structuring the problem; formulating inference and preference models; eliciting probabilities and utilities; and exploring the numerical model results. Prac* This research was supported by a grant from the Department of Defense and was monitored by the Engineering Psychology Programs of the Office of Naval Research, under contract While writing this paper, the author discussed the problem of structuring extensively with Helmut Jungermann. The present version owes much to his thought. Please don’t take footnote 3 too seriously. It is part of a footnote war between Ralph Keeney and me. ** Presently with the Social Science Research Institute, University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90007, (213) 741-6955. 12 D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems titioners of decision analysis generally agree that structuring is the most important and difficult step of the analysis. Yet, until recently, decision analytic research has all but ignored structuring, concentrating instead on questions of modeling and elicitation. As a result, structuring was, and to some extent still is, considered the ‘art’ part of decision analysis. This paper examines some attempts to turn this art into a science. Trees are the most common decision analytic structures. Decision trees, for example, represent the sequential aspects of a decision problem (see Raiffa 1968; Brown et al. 1974). Other examples are goal trees for the representations of values (Keeney and Raiffa 1976) and event trees for the representation f inferential problem aspects (Kelly and Barclay 1973). In fact, trees so much dominate decision analytic structures that structuring is often considered synonymous to building a tree.

Problems Facing Bmw Company Marketing Essay

Problems Facing Bmw Company Marketing Essay Globalization diversifies markets for vehicle manufactures where regions like Japan, North America and Western Europe are established big manufactures with over 18 vehicle manufactures across the board. This accounts for almost 90 percent of vehicle produced thus a scramble for available markets, attention now turns to upcoming economies like Russia, Latin America and Eastern Europe, Governments in developing economies aware of the value of their prospective growth auction off their market share to the highest bidders, like BMW, this investors hoping to increase manufacturing capacities so as to build their intended market bid away their economic returns and in so doing multiply the overcapacity problem on a large scale (Griffin Pustay 2009). Risks involved in venturing into new markets weigh in and most companies aware of the consequences of losing a market place bid, this either plays out in the company over bidding or throwing in the towel and losing the market.   Differentiation Successful ECO-Specialties must emphasize their differentiation. Differentiation means that the marketing mix is distinct from and better than what is available from the competitor; product differentiation is the core to a healthy market share. An abundance of option for the vehicle buyers exists with vehicle models with almost similar functional characteristics, BMW is now forced to manufacture unique products for a particular region at a point in time, and this is to cope with tastes and fickle needs of consumers. This differentiation wanes on their budget heavily since financial consequences of missing a market are disastrous (Prahalad Hamel 1990). Innovation Commitment to innovation and product variety has brought on the greatest challenge in the companies history, the intricacy and complexity of the functions offered in BMWs premium luxurious cars has burgeoned making manufacturing costs increase. Product development is the most financially taxing for BMW, the cost of developing a new models and model parts is enormous, time consuming and carries major risks. where the ford and general motors GM experience of 1970s and 1980s implies that commonization among manufactures leads to consumer backlash and confusion, BMW is now faced with expensive process of innovating prototypes and going through rigorous expensive and risk prone testing phases (Hollensen 2007). Competition Competition from other vehicle manufacturers dictate company strategies, with 69% of the market controlled by six companies its more difficult for a manufacturer to maintain his buyers without raids from rivals, this has the most direct effect on prices. Slow growth in automobile industry intensifies competition and has affected the BMW strategy leading to the BMW brand acquiring the merger partners (Tata Motors Inc. 2009). Substitute Products Substitute products threat on the auto market relates to products, materials or resources that may cause the demand for a product to shift. BMW targets premium buyers with whom quality matters, however other manufactures targeting this premium car market like, Mercedes, Audi, and the Porsche consequently become a close substitute to BMW. Global Warming With Global Warming a great concern in the modern world, environmental activists, non governmental organizations and governments are pushing for manufacturing companies to go green, BMW The carmaker, whose stable includes its core BMW brand along with the compact Mini and the super luxury Rolls-Royce, which hopes to deliver over 1.8 million vehicles a year by 2012 is faced with stricter regulation to conform, the company warned it is also likely to be confronted in the future by stricter emission standards in many countries. This implies further costs in innovation of more environmentally friendly engines, fuels and investment into alternative sources of energy to drive their cars. Proposed Solutions On globalization BMW can solve this over taxing problem through carefully calculated mergers and acquisitions, this allow the company to gain market share and penetration as well as access to already existing technology, local professionals and local brands. Furthermore, reviewing policies to improve the ratio of profitable to unprofitable customers which tends to run 20:80. Developing a global view of the brand and the buyers portfolio will reveal uncharted regions for expansion. And the use of existing plants in suitable locations to manufacture or assemble vehicles maintaining the quality of the BMW brand will greatly cut operational start up costs. Differentiation BMW has adopted advanced technology used to increase engineering and the quality of the models which are the route to competitive advantage. Mainly the major areas of differentiation are in alternative energies and security features, ensuring the brand maintains uniqueness, the BMWs 2002 (sports sedans) ensured differentiation was achieved, BMW use of advanced electronics make their cars luxurious as well as sporty to drive Innovation and product variety The use of technologically announced Intel Xeon processor 5500 series helps BMW Group to balance hardware, energy and application licensing costs, while also increasing its performance. This allows for new applications to be run, prototypes can be virtually created and tested virtually, Dr. Burkhard Goeschel, member of BMW board explains key areas of innovation incorporated in product development, this key areas include, Connected Drive which allows for an innovative and comprehensive concept networking the car, the driver, and the surrounding world, by-wire technology and iDrive control, all these concepts are available in the new BMW 7 series. Competition BMW has introduced new models, the x5, x3 and z4 with advanced electronics to make them sporty as well as luxurious, BMW has also acquired the Mini Cooper and Rolls Royce car manufacturers and the new models have boosted their competitive edge. Substitute products BMW prioritizes quality and product differentiation such that for its targeted premium market the BMW standards remain top and the car is still prestigious. Environmental challenges To combat this BMW along with other motor companies have tried to use some of the emerging technologies to make money, lower costs and ultimately help in reducing pollution. Toyota, Ford and BMW have incorporated this mentality in manufacturing of three lines of their cars, the new BMW 7series and the greatly awaited z4 are all projected to embrace these environmental friendly features, in future innovation of electric cars and alternative fuel sources are being considered. Major Strategic Alternatives BMW has established a basic supply chain in order to improve its load planning, this aids in determining its allocation strategies to cope with globalization; this supply chain ensures putting up of new manufacturing plants in suitable foreign countries and dedicated assembly lines for every product with few variants and thus increases productivity and reduces costs. With the market full of options for the buyer, the chain allows BMW to establish its brand in emerging anomies before competitors bid for market shares. Mergers and acquisitions of key brands of premium brands of cars have further solidified BMW market dominance. Beginning with the BMW Rover merger, the company has newly acquired MINI, and Rolls Royce cars. Its products cover the full range of size classes and car types but consist exclusively of premium-class cars, this allows the company to venture into new markets use the facilities used by former brands to re model new cars thus reducing operational costs while fostering growth. Unlike former mergers like the vole-Renault deal of the early 1990s which collapsed because the company cultures were incompatible, BMW integration with their new acquisitions have proved profitable, most vehicle manufactures have resulted to creating entirely new vehicle segments, and BMW hit home run with its 2002 sports sedan which generated returns to its innovator by fending its differentiated position, the company has designed and always built cars with exponentially greater responsiveness to a dri vers actions, this has been greatly attributed to the companies product differentiation policies (Teece et al 1996). The BMW engine roaring sound is music to the ears of sports and performance car lovers, outside the box thinking like the BMW sedans and convertibles give BMW a competitive advantage over other manufacturers. New and advanced technology like greatly improved safety features, advanced control features have led to market dominance. BMW cars typically have product life cycle of seven years. and according to Jim McDowell, vice president of marketing at BMW If a product is declining, we would prefer to withdraw it from the market, as opposed to having a strategy for dealing with the declining product this awareness ensures that BMW ventures are only profitable ones, the rover case shows how failing mergers operate and instead of working on it BMW sold it to UK venture capital firm Alchemy Partners (Siciliano Zuvich 2006). To foster growth BMW instead acquired profitable mergers like with luxury cars rolls Royce. This ensures the company always remains relevant to the market and trendy to its buyers With advancing technology and introduction of fiber optic cables in developing economies, the world has become a global village where car enthusiast can order in their premium BMW cars online, check features and ask questions on performance, : BMW Car maker uses web mostly to drive its brand, taking the phrase beyond the banner seriously, online adds like the Marketing Channels Internet 46860 banners, appear on equal rotating basis with each search result, with BMW targeting 26.5% the percentage of viewers between age group (25-34) , this along with E-mail Marketing, Brochure test-drive Registration for Mail alert message, and e-catalogue, enable more availability of information anywhere to prospective buyers, BMW has launched an email marketing campaign for the release of the long awaited Sporty new Z4 Convertible, Z4 BMW (Key General Motors Financial 2007). This guarantees availability to buyers who dont have to attend gallery shows at the dealership. BMW has established Numerous Overseas Subsidiaries in countries like, south Africa, India, china Canada and Egypt, where BMW vehicles are assembled, 2003 saw the signing of a deal the production of sedans in China, this subsidiary firms are well equipped to build cars for export to specific markets like, the south Africa plant builds left hand drives for the Taiwan market, and also right hand drives for sub Saharan Africa, Malaysia and Singapore. This shows a great understanding of the market and understanding of the buyer needs in different regions, Predictions If put in place supply chains will enable the company to greatly take advantage of existing infrastructure in different regions, this will allow for strategic allocation of plants in areas where the BMW brand will not be compromised, this areas will preferably have skilled professional workers, laid out infrastructure which the company will exploit. This aids in reduction of start up costs in new markets. Integration with already existing local brands allow for easy market penetration (Franey 2008). E-commerce is a must have for companies in the modern world and will increased emphasis on e marketing, BMW stands to break into markets far and wide, most upcoming economies have low income citizens without many premium luxurious cars available, the internet brings the BMW experience closer to them, thus when the market is established the concept of luxury cars wont be so alien, this allows for easier market penetration and preparation of a ready market (Juslin Hansen 2003). Product differentiation among premium car market is a key to successes, with the targeted buyer giving more emphasis to quality and uniqueness and elegance as opposed to pricing, BMW seeks to offer intricate designs and features to these new models allowing for elegance that buyers crave. In reaction to the differentiation major competitors like Volkswagen, Porsche, Mercedes, have released new models like the jeep Cherokee luxurious SUV, and the mustang pony cars so as to try and keep up. Establishing of overseas subsidiary in developing markets in the Latin America, and parts of eastern Europe, and Africa BMW will be able to put up assembly plants closer to the buyer, sales are predicted to sore with introduction of this new markets, the subsidiary firm are able to carry out research in respective Regions and integrate the outcome in their strategic plans to give the buyers exactly what they desire, this bolsters sales, Strategy outcome Prediction When implementing E- Marketing as a basis for extending growth and penetration to market regions, various risks are involved especially when the internet is being used to launch details of new vehicle series being manufactured, BMW had a case in 2004 when there were cases of website incursions, theft of vehicles and a constant threat of arson even in its UK head offices in Bracknel (Hambrick Fredrickson 2001). In addressing all these, the company specified a self-sufficient security solution that was cost effective and that required minimal human supervision and intervention. Reliance securities implemented a state of the art security solution including CCTV surveillance with intelligent detector activation, to avoid future incursions. Mergers and acquisitions are effective in breaking into new markets through acquiring and integrating an already existing brands, great risks are involved in such takeovers, having seen the BMW-Rover merger record massive losses, in light of this failure BMW has learnt to plan its mergers with companies whose cultures are compatible, this has seen successful mergers with luxurious car manufactures rolls Royce and the mini (Pearce Robinson 2009). Production of entirely new brands is the most expensive aspect of car manufacturing with average of 2 models released in a decade, across the wide range of car manufactures, though this allows for product differentiation and preferences to the buyer, great risks are involved, since the sports sedan in 2002, only the 2seater roadster and coupe have been sold since 2002 (Marshall Stuart 2008). The company has however heavily invested in technology when intricate applications are put in place to virtually make desired prototypes, and virtually test the models this greatly reduces costs of manufacturing a car and having it fail.   Many countries have enacted stricter environmental restrictions on pollution and emissions, BMW, has greatly put in place measures to manufacture more fuel efficient cars, this comes with elevated costs and consequently the cost is projected down to the buyers, more fuel efficient engines are expensive, electric cars which are regarded as the future are even more costly even to premium market target manufacturers, The 2011 BMW Active Hybrid 7 and the vision Efficient Dynamic Concept car which was unveiled during the September 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show are projected to offer fuel economy of 62.6 mpg. BMW also has a recycling policy where they use the shredded parts of the cars in their yard, this reduces pollution, and the foundation for the environmental friendly recycling of vehicles is laid during the production of each vehicle (Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft 2008).    Supply chains overall levels of integration ensuring a reduction to fixed costs of assets and labor, they also serve to reduce the number competitors supplying into the same market, for instance India is a viable market but has competitors such as, Audi, Daimler Chrysler, Tata, Mahindra an Hyundai looking to invest in that market by putting up assembly units, the supply will ensure such a flooded market is avoided or a more appropriate means of entry is effected (Thompson Strickland 1996). Globalization leads to governments of up coming economies take advantage of their growth potential and thus bid off their markets to the highest bidders amongst the major vehicle manufactures. But there is growing unwillingness within the supply community to invest in plants that might not reach potential in over a decade, this leads to investors pulling out instead of bidding away, this markets form good grounds for take over and acquisitions of already in place plants (Kiley 2004).

Lament :: Personal Narrative Writing

Lament I have matured, and, at the proper time, the winnower will come for me. I will be ready. I have cast off my seed into the rich humus born of past generations. It has taken root, and now sings its own Song of Spring Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they? Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,-- John Keats, â€Å"To Autumn† It is fitting on this day of cold bluster and unsentimental sunlight to write of endings. Spring, so recently past, seems a dream. Was it so long ago that I, like spring, burst onto the scene? The faces and days of my youth are veiled within the mist of memory, but not beyond my reach. I inhale and the aroma of lilacs engulfs me, just as they encircled my house. A sister is born; she is named June Iris, but she has arrived too early in April. She is carried home in her namesake month. My mother places her in the sunlight that leaks between our drapes. We have to be quiet; she is sleeping. . . . In an instant I am riding my bicycle beneath the elms whose branches rise to the sky like the vaulted ceiling of a cathedral. Lining my street, they provide a cool respite from the relentless heat of a Midwestern sun. The orb drifts over, shifting the patterns of shade and light as though it were setting designs in stained glass. Sometimes with a friend, but more often alone, I gallop my two-w heeled steed up and down the block. Obsessed with horses and the westerns on television, I have no need for companions to challenge my imagination and diminish the enjoyment. In pretend, I wile away the days of girlhood that reach to a future I never consider. I try to recall the sounds. The birds sang, I’m certain. Surely there were the shouts that accompanied the games. But there is no music in my reverie, no sound to break the white silence. Like the caterpillar in its cocoon, I’m insulated within myself. The Wind. I remember the wind as it rushed through the elms, ruffling the branches or swirling them in circles. I turn and am standing in the picture window that looked out upon our street. The sky is blackish green. The trees shift violently from side to side. I watch, oblivious to the potential danger of a breakaway limb, mesmerized by the dance before me.

Abortion :: essays research papers

When I think about abortion, I think about my cousin. She had an abortion more than once. As she told me how she regretted having an abortion, I just sat there an listen. She cried everyday on how and what she has done for herself. She wishes that she had ever gotten an abortion. I asked her why and she told me. She said, tan, I messed up my body on the insides and then I realized that I killed my own flesh and blood. After telling me that I felt really bad. That is why that I am so against women getting abortions. I think that it is wrong for a woman to get an abortion. A lot of women think that having an abortion is the right way to get rid of a child that they do not want. Well, I think that it is just wrong for them to do that. How can a woman kill her own child, which is just very sad and hurting? If a woman gets an abortion she is not only killing a child, but also messing up the insides of her body. When getting an abortion, women will still be going through a lot of pain. As women take that unborn child from her womb, she will still be through a lot of pain. So, if women are going to get an abortion, they might as well go ahead and carry that child for nine months. Women will still be going through the same pain, but the good thing about it is that a woman will not be killing a child. Some younger women make-up excuses that they do not want the child. They say they cannot afford to have a child right now. My opinion is that if they are complaining that they do not want that child, then they should not have lain down and gave themselves to men. Another reason is that a woman has gotten raped. But, that is still not a reason to kill another human being. If that woman was raped and became pregnant with child, then she should give that child up for adoption or give the child to a family member. I clearly understand that if a woman was raped and became pregnant, that she would not want that child. But I still do not see that being a reason to kill an unborn child.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare Essay -- Hamlet William Shakespeare Essa

Hamlet by William Shakespeare A Shakespearean scene, with all of its intricacies and details, has the capacity to uncover the fundamental aspects of characters while acting as a space for precise language to lead the reader through multilayered themes, tensions, and ideas. Particularly in Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, the dense, rippling text packs provocative and meaningful language within nearly every line to compose an intricate, seamless tragic play. Specifically in the first scene of Act 3, the actions, dialogue, and movements of each character involved creates a momentum of revelation for the reader regarding central character, Hamlet, and the breadth of his character. Every major, influential character of the play—King Claudius, Queen Gertrude, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and, of course, Hamlet—appears in 3.1 and every line of dialogue directly concerns Hamlet in one way or another. The scene exhibits the prince alone on stage in a soliloquy to illustrate his inne rmost thoughts, as well as in the presence of others; thus, the reader learns of Hamlet’s propensity to feel, think, or say one thing, while his actions do not always cohere with his thoughts or speech. In this way, one of Hamlet’s tragic character flaws lends itself to the aforementioned discord between thinking and acting, and the scene chronicles the ways in which his dissonance profoundly affects the major themes and characters of the play. Scene 3.1 first unfolds with King Claudius, Queen Gertrude, Polonius and Hamlet’s cronies Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in anxious dialogue concerning Hamlet’s recent shift in disposition. Claudius refers to Hamlet’s recent state as a put-on of â€Å"confusion† (3.1.2) and a â€Å"turbulent and d... ...impressive ability to move and shape the play’s characters in such a way that the threads of language create a complex web between the layers of each character involved. In this way, the psychology of the characters gains autonomy from the bounds of authorship through the very language of the text and begs to move freely within the text. Shakespeare entrusted an enormous power into Hamlet’s character, especially, because though he acts tentatively and waveringly, the character of him, including his disposition, manners, speech and outward exhibitions, adhere to the other characters of the play as puppet strings, and he inspires almost all of their actions because of his own reluctance to initiate movement. This interdependence of the minutiae of the complex text contributes to the achieved brilliance and long-lived speculation regarding Shakespeare’s tragic play. Hamlet by William Shakespeare Essay -- Hamlet William Shakespeare Essa Hamlet by William Shakespeare A Shakespearean scene, with all of its intricacies and details, has the capacity to uncover the fundamental aspects of characters while acting as a space for precise language to lead the reader through multilayered themes, tensions, and ideas. Particularly in Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, the dense, rippling text packs provocative and meaningful language within nearly every line to compose an intricate, seamless tragic play. Specifically in the first scene of Act 3, the actions, dialogue, and movements of each character involved creates a momentum of revelation for the reader regarding central character, Hamlet, and the breadth of his character. Every major, influential character of the play—King Claudius, Queen Gertrude, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and, of course, Hamlet—appears in 3.1 and every line of dialogue directly concerns Hamlet in one way or another. The scene exhibits the prince alone on stage in a soliloquy to illustrate his inne rmost thoughts, as well as in the presence of others; thus, the reader learns of Hamlet’s propensity to feel, think, or say one thing, while his actions do not always cohere with his thoughts or speech. In this way, one of Hamlet’s tragic character flaws lends itself to the aforementioned discord between thinking and acting, and the scene chronicles the ways in which his dissonance profoundly affects the major themes and characters of the play. Scene 3.1 first unfolds with King Claudius, Queen Gertrude, Polonius and Hamlet’s cronies Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in anxious dialogue concerning Hamlet’s recent shift in disposition. Claudius refers to Hamlet’s recent state as a put-on of â€Å"confusion† (3.1.2) and a â€Å"turbulent and d... ...impressive ability to move and shape the play’s characters in such a way that the threads of language create a complex web between the layers of each character involved. In this way, the psychology of the characters gains autonomy from the bounds of authorship through the very language of the text and begs to move freely within the text. Shakespeare entrusted an enormous power into Hamlet’s character, especially, because though he acts tentatively and waveringly, the character of him, including his disposition, manners, speech and outward exhibitions, adhere to the other characters of the play as puppet strings, and he inspires almost all of their actions because of his own reluctance to initiate movement. This interdependence of the minutiae of the complex text contributes to the achieved brilliance and long-lived speculation regarding Shakespeare’s tragic play.

The Positive Effects of Athletics and Education

Samantha Buehler English 112 Mrs. Schaefer 2/25/13 The Positive Effects of Athletics and Education Academic learning and Sport Education are actually the complementariness of each other. They are the two sides of the same coin, which go hand and hand with each other. If education and athletics make a full development of the over-all personality of a person possible, he or she gets the qualities of leadership, tolerance, sharing and team-spirit from sports.In the article â€Å"The Positive Effects of Athletics On Educations† by Matt Blackburn(71) states that athletics has shown the improve the work ethic, increase the self- esteem, and increase the academic performance and achievement of the student-athletes involved. But according to the article â€Å"Contrary to Popular Belief: Athletics, A Negative Effect on Education† by Jake Cartwright states, In this country, athletics are seen as a great stepping stones for students to develop character, learn valuable skills, and they further aid in the everyday education of students.However, too many people are naive as to the truth about what effects athletics truly have on a student’s education. But with that said, I agree with Matt Blackburn and see that there are many positive effects of athletics in education and believe he proves his opinion very well. As I go on how athletics and education are complimentary of each other, I will discuss how education and athletics go hand and hand, and the positive benefits of Athletics. The mental development, including the power of reasoningof course comes from the academics.It, therefore, becomes necessary that education should result in the mental, moral and physical development of a student, which comes from athletics because while he or she participates in a sport, he or she develops how to have good work ethic and self-esteem according to Blackburn(71). But no one can deny that unfortunately, the present day system of education has too much stress on m ental development for a student. In the article â€Å"In College Classroom, the Problem is High school Athletics,† by Steven Conn states, American higher education bears some measure of the esponsibility. There are number of reasons that high school sports follow the lead of college sports becoming more professionalized. Athletes are becoming more and more competitive because they want that scholarship to a college and because of that the athletes drive off of education and athletics. But f or an all-round development of a child to get to that point, the curriculum should include sports and games and health education at a young age. A balance amount of school time should be devoted to Sports and Education.Sports and Education need to be introduced with all eagerness, because mental and moral development is just not possible without physical development. We must remember that a strong and healthy student will be more eager to stay focus with school and educations, who will set goals and will also gain life skills and knowledge for their future according to J. D. Robinson (101), the student/athlete, will develop more scholarly in education with experience of athletics. Not only will the athlete be scholar in education but will also build great self-esteem that will carry with them into the class room because they will see that hard work pay off.According to Matt Blackburn, athletics does build the self-esteem of student-athletes by providing them with opportunities to set and achieve goals. As athletes accomplish these goals their self-esteem and self-confidence skyrocket, and many times this boost of self-confidence is carried over into endeavors, including academics. A healthy and strong body is not possible without sports. The development of body is very essential in life. All our physical enjoyments, and even mental enjoyments, depend upon our body. All our degrees and achievements will be of no use without a good healthy personality.Life is a struggl e and the person with a healthy and strong body alone can face it successfully. Besides promoting health and strength, sports develop many good qualities to the athlete and with a healthy athlete he or she will have a healthy life style. They strengthen the power of endurance and promote discipline. Young men and women are trained to face defeat with a smile and maintain composure even in victory. Games are the greatest and the healthiest means of refreshment and recreation. They fill one with joy, drive, endurance and energy, which help a person a lot in facing the actual odds of life without yielding to gloom.So sports are not only essential but also necessary for an all-round development of the personality. The famous saying, â€Å"The battle of Waterloo was won on the play-grounds of Eton,† correctly and relevantly sums up the importance of sports in education even though people will still have questions of how athletics and education go hand and hand. Those people who st ill have those questions just do not see the joy in an athlete. Having athletics and academics can certainly strengthen a person all around and will give them an advantage to life. References Blackburn, M. (2012). The Positive Effects of Athletics on Education. † In The Popken writer, (pp. 71-74). Boston: Houghton-Mifflin Co. , Cartwright, J. (2012). â€Å"Contrary to Popular Belief: Athletics, A Negative Effect on Education ( A Response to Matt Blackburn). † In The Popken writer, (pp. 103-105). Boston: Houghton-Mifflin Co. , CONN, S. (2012). In College Classrooms, the Problem Is High School Athletics. Education Digest, 78(4), 21-24. Robinson J. D. (2012). â€Å"A Point of View of Athletics and Education: A Response to Matt Blackburn. † In The Popken writer, (pp. 101-102). Boston: Houghton-Mifflin Co.

Cry the Beloved Country Restoration Analysis

Restoration Through Symbolism Restoration is a beautiful thing. Watching something go from nothing to everything is amazing. In the book Cry, the Beloved Country, by Alan Paton, restoration is one of the main themes of the book. I am going to talk about two main examples; a quotation from a character and the significance of a certain character. The first thing developing the concept of restoration is the character Napoleon. Napoleon was an allusion used in the story. He was a demonstrator that came to the city of Ndotsheni to help them ‘get back on their feet again' by teaching them how to efficiently farm.However, his advice was not exactly received with open arms. As a character, he is quite similar to Napoleon Bonaparte, a French leader. Both of them had very helpful ideas to improve life for everyone, but not everyone appreciated his suggestions. The Napoleon in the story also symbolizes starting the process of restoration. When Ndotsheni finally accepts his advice and begi ns doing things more efficiently, it's an enormous turning point for the city. Also symbolizing the restoration process is the words of another character, Father Vincent. Feature Article  Country School  Allen CurnowFear is a journey, a terrible journey, but sorrow is at least an arriving†, he says, while comforting Stephen Kumalo. When he says this, he also hints at the concept of restoration, because later in the quote, he references building a house, directly saying that you can rebuild what you have lost. I've just given two examples on how different types of material in the same book can mean almost the exact same thing. Watching restoration is still thrilling for me, whether it be in real life or in a fictional town.

Bloodlines Chapter Twenty-Seven

I THINK ADRIAN would have agreed to anything to get his own place. He didn't waste any time in moving his few possessions over to Keith's old apartment, much to Clarence's dismay. I had to admit, I felt kind of bad for the old man. He'd grown fond of Adrian, and losing him right after Lee was especially tough. Clarence still opened his home and feeder to our group but refused to believe anything we told him about Lee and Strigoi. Even once he accepted Lee was dead, Clarence continued blaming vampire hunters. Shortly after his move, I went to check on Adrian. Word had come to us that the â€Å"research party† from the Moroi was due to arrive in town that day, and we'd decided to meet with them first before bringing in Jill and Eddie. Like before, Abe was apparently escorting the newcomers, who included Sonya and Jill's new roommate. I had the impression there might be others with them but hadn't heard the details yet. â€Å"Whoa,† I said when Adrian let me into his apartment. He'd only been there a couple days, but the transformation was startling. With the exception of the TV, none of the original furniture remained. It was all different, and even the apartment's layout had changed. The decorating scheme was new as well, and the scent of fresh paint hung heavy in the air. â€Å"Yellow, huh?† I asked, staring at the living room walls. â€Å"It's called ‘Goldenrod,'† he corrected. â€Å"And it's supposed to be cheerful and calming.† I started to point out that those two traits didn't seem like they'd go together but then decided against it. The color, slightly obnoxious though it was, completely transformed the living room. Between that and the blinds that had replaced Keith's heavy drapes, the room was now filled with color and light that went a long way to obscure the memory of the battle. I shuddered, recalling it. Even if the apartment hadn't been needed to buy Adrian's help, I wasn't sure I could've accepted it and stayed here. The memory of Lee's death – and the two Strigoi women's – was too strong. â€Å"How did you afford new furniture?† I asked. The Alchemists had given him the place, but there was no other stipend involved. â€Å"I sold the old stuff,† Adrian said, seeming very pleased by this. â€Å"That recliner†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He faltered, a troubled look briefly crossing his features. I wondered if he too could imagine Lee's life bleeding away in that chair. â€Å"That recliner was worth a lot. It was appallingly overpriced, even by my standards. But I got enough for it to replace the rest. It's used, but what choice did I have?† â€Å"It's nice,† I said, running my hand along an overstuffed plaid sofa. It looked ghastly with the walls but appeared to be in good shape. Plus, much like the brightness of the yellow, the clashing furniture helped diminish the memories of what had happened. â€Å"You must have done some savvy shopping. I'm guessing you don't buy a lot of used stuff.† â€Å"Try never,† he said. â€Å"You have no idea the things I've had to lower myself to.† His pleased smile dimmed as he regarded me carefully. â€Å"How are you holding up?† I shrugged. â€Å"Fine. Why wouldn't I be? What happened to me isn't nearly as bad as what Jill went through.† He crossed his arms. â€Å"I don't know. Jill didn't watch a guy die in front of her. And let's not forget that same guy wanted to kill you only moments before in order to rise again from the dead.† Those were things that had definitely been on my mind a lot in the last week, things that were going to take a while to get over. Sometimes, I didn't feel anything at all. Other times, the reality of what had happened descended on me so swiftly and heavily that I couldn't breathe. Strigoi nightmares had replaced the ones of re-education centers. â€Å"I'm actually better with it than you might think,† I said slowly, gazing off at nothing particular. â€Å"Like, it's terrible about Lee and what he did, but I feel I can get over it in time. Do you know what I keep thinking about the most, though?† â€Å"What?† asked Adrian gently. The words seemed to come forth without my control. I hadn't expected to say them to anyone, certainly not to him. â€Å"Lee telling me I was wasting my life and staying aloof from people. And then, during that last meeting with Keith, he told me that I was naive, that I didn't understand the world. And it's true to a certain extent. I mean, not what he said about you guys being evil†¦ but well, I was naive. I should've been more careful with Jill. I believed the best of Lee when I should've been more wary. I'm not a fighter like Eddie, but I am an observer of the world†¦ or so I like to think. But I failed. I'm no good with people.† â€Å"Sage, your first mistake in all of this is listening to anything Keith Darnell says. The guy's an idiot, an asshole, and a dozen other words that aren't suitable for a lady like yourself.† â€Å"See?† I said. â€Å"You just admitted it, that I'm some kind of untouchable, pure soul.† â€Å"I never said any such thing,† he countered. â€Å"My point is that you're leagues above Keith, and what happened with Lee was dumb, ridiculous bad luck. And remember, none of us saw it coming either. You weren't alone. It casts no reflection on you. Or†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His eyebrows rose. â€Å"Maybe it does. Didn't you say that Lee considered killing Keith for Alchemist blood?† â€Å"Yeah†¦ but Keith left too soon.† â€Å"Well, there you go. Even a psychopath recognized your worth enough to want to kill someone else first.† I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. â€Å"That doesn't make me feel better.† Adrian shrugged. â€Å"My earlier point remains. You're a solid person, Sage. You're easy on the eyes, if a little skinny, and your ability to memorize useless information is going to totally hook in some guy. Put Keith and Lee out of your head because they have nothing to do with your future.† â€Å"Skinny?† I asked, hoping I wasn't blushing. I also hoped if I sounded outraged enough, he wouldn't notice how much the other comment had disarmed me. Easy on the eyes. Not exactly the same as being told I was hotness incarnate or drop-dead gorgeous. But after a lifetime of having my appearance judged as â€Å"acceptable,† it was a heady compliment – especially coming from him. â€Å"I just tell it like it is.† I almost laughed. â€Å"Yes. Yes, you do. Now tell me about a different subject, please. I'm tired of this one.† â€Å"Sure thing.† Adrian infuriated me sometimes, but I had to admit, I loved his short attention span. It made dodging uncomfortable topics so much easier. Or so I thought. â€Å"Do you smell that?† An image of the bodies flashed into my head, and for a moment, all I could think he meant was the smell of decay. Then I sniffed more deeply. â€Å"I smell the paint, and†¦ wait†¦ is that pine?† He looked impressed. â€Å"Damn straight. Pine-scented cleaner. As in, I cleaned.† He gestured to the kitchen dramatically. â€Å"With these hands, these hands that don't do manual labor.† I stared off into the kitchen. â€Å"What did you use it on? The cupboards?† â€Å"The cupboards are fine. I cleaned the floor and the counter.† I must have looked more puzzled than amazed because he added, â€Å"I even got down on my knees.† â€Å"You used pine cleaner on the floor and counters?† I asked. The floor was ceramic tile; the counters were granite. Adrian frowned. â€Å"Yeah, so?† He seemed so proud to have actually scrubbed something for once in his life that I couldn't bring myself to tell him pine cleaner was generally only used on wood. I gave him an encouraging smile. â€Å"Well, it looks great. I need you to come over and clean my new dorm room now. It's covered in dust.† â€Å"No way, Sage. My own housecleaning's bad enough.† â€Å"But is it worth it? If you'd stayed at Clarence's, you had a live-in cook and cleaner.† â€Å"It's definitely worth it. I've never really, truly had my own place. I kind of did at Court†¦ but it might as well have been an over-glorified dorm room. This? This is great. Even with the housecleaning. Thank you.† The comic look of horror he'd worn while discussing housecleaning had been traded away for utter seriousness now as those green eyes weighed me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable under the scrutiny and was reminded of the spirit dream, where I'd questioned if his eyes really were that green in real life. â€Å"For what?† I asked. â€Å"For this – I know you must have twisted some Alchemist arms.† I hadn't told him that I'd actually passed on taking the place for myself. â€Å"And for everything else. For not giving up on me, even when I was being a major asshole. And, you know, for that saving my life thing.† I looked away. â€Å"I didn't do anything. That was Eddie – and Jill. They're the ones who saved you.† â€Å"Not sure I would've been alive for their rescue if you hadn't set that bitch on fire. How did you do that?† â€Å"It was nothing,† I protested. â€Å"Just a, uh, chemical reaction from the Alchemist bag of tricks.† Those eyes studied me again, weighing the truth of my words. I'm not sure he believed me, but he let it go. â€Å"Well, from the look on her face, your aim was right on. And then you got backhanded for it. Anyone who takes a hit for Adrian Ivashkov deserves some credit.† I turned my back to him, still shy with the praise – and nervous about the fire reference – and walked over to the window. â€Å"Yeah, well, you can rest easy that it was a selfish act. You have no idea what a pain it is to file paperwork for a dead Moroi.† He laughed, and it was one of the few times I'd heard him laugh with genuine humor and warmth – and not because of something twisted or sarcastic. â€Å"Okay, Sage. If you say so. You know, you're a lot spunkier than when I first met you.† â€Å"Really? All the adjectives in the world at your disposable, and you pick ‘spunky'?† Banter I could handle. So long as I focused on that, I didn't have to think about the meaning behind the words or how my heartbeat had increased just a little. â€Å"Just so you know, you're a little more stable than when I met you.† He came over to stand by me. â€Å"Well, don't tell anyone, but I think getting away from Court was a good thing. This weather sucks, but Palm Springs might be good for me – it and all the wonders it contains. You guys. Art classes. Pine cleaner.† I couldn't help a grin and looked up at him. I'd been half-joking, but it was true: he had changed remarkably since we'd met. There was still a hurting man inside, one who bore the scars of what Rose and Dimitri had done to him, but I could see the signs of healing. He was steadier and stronger, and if he could just continue to hold the course, with no more crises for a while, a remarkable transformation might truly happen. It took several seconds of silence for me to realize that I'd been staring at him while my mind spun out its thoughts. And, actually, he was staring at me, with a look of wonder. â€Å"My God, Sage. Your eyes. How have I never noticed them?† That uncomfortable feeling was spreading over me again. â€Å"What about them?† â€Å"The color,† he breathed. â€Å"When you stand in the light. They're amazing†¦ like molten gold. I could paint those†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He reached toward me but then pulled back. â€Å"They're beautiful. You're beautiful.† Something in the way he was looking at me froze me up and made my stomach do flip-flops, though I couldn't quite articulate why. I only knew that he looked as though he was seeing me for the very first time†¦ and it scared me. I'd been able to brush off his easy, joking compliments, but this intensity was something different altogether, something I didn't know how to react to. When he looked at me like this, I believed that he thought my eyes were beautiful – that I was beautiful. It was more than I was ready for. Flustered, I took a step backward, out of the sunlight, needing to get away from the energy of his gaze. I'd heard spirit could send him off on weird tangents but had no clue if that's what this was. I was saved from my feeble attempts to muster a witty comment when a knock at the door made both of us jump. Adrian blinked, and some of that rapture faded. His lips twisted into one of his sly smiles, and it was as though nothing weird had happened. â€Å"Showtime, huh?† I nodded, reeling with a confusing mix of relief, nervousness, and†¦ excitement. Except, I wasn't entirely sure if those feelings were from Adrian or our impending visitors. All I knew was that suddenly, I was able to breathe more easily than I had a few moments ago. He walked across the living room and opened the door with a flourish. Abe swept in, resplendent in a gray and yellow suit that coordinated bafflingly well with Adrian's paint job. A wide grin broke out over the older Moroi's face. â€Å"Adrian, Sydney†¦ so lovely to see you again. I believe one of you already knows this young lady?† He moved past us, revealing a lean dhampir girl with auburn hair and big blue eyes filled with suspicion. â€Å"Hello, Angeline,† I said. When they'd told me Angeline Dawes was going to be Jill's new roommate, I thought it was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard. Angeline was one of the Keepers, that separatist group of Moroi, dhampirs, and humans who lived in the wilds of West Virginia. They wanted nothing to do with the â€Å"civilization† of any of our races and had a number of bizarre customs, not the least of which was their abominable tolerance for interracial romance. Later, when I'd thought about it, I decided Angeline might not be such a bad choice. She was the same age as Jill, possibly giving Jill a closer connection than I could manage. Angeline, while not trained the way a guardian like Eddie was, still could hold her own in a fight. If anyone came for Jill, they'd have their work cut out for them getting through Angeline. And with the aversion Angeline's people had toward â€Å"tainted† Moroi, she would have no reason to further the politics of some rival faction. As I studied her and her threadbare clothes, I wondered, though, just how well she was going to adapt to being away from the Keepers. She wore a cocky look on her face that I'd seen when visiting her community, but here it was underscored with some nervousness as she took in Adrian's place. After living in the woods her entire life, this small apartment with its TV and plaid sofa was probably the height of modern luxury. â€Å"Angeline,† said Abe. â€Å"This is Adrian Ivashkov.† Adrian extended his hand, turning on that natural charm. â€Å"A pleasure.† She took his hand after a moment's hesitation. â€Å"Nice to meet you,† she said in her odd southern accent. She studied him for a few more seconds. â€Å"You look too pretty to be useful.† I gasped in spite of myself. Adrian chuckled and shook her hand. â€Å"Truer words were never spoken,† he said. Abe glanced over at me. I probably had a look of terror on my face because I was already imagining the damage control I'd have to do with Angeline saying or doing something completely wrong at Amberwood. â€Å"Sydney will undoubtedly want to†¦ debrief you on what to expect before you begin school,† said Abe diplomatically. â€Å"Undoubtedly,† I repeated. Adrian had stepped away from Angeline but was still grinning. â€Å"Let Jailbait do it. Better yet, let Castile. It'll be good for him.† Abe shut the door but not before I got a glimpse behind him to the empty hallway. â€Å"It's not just the two of you, is it?† I asked. â€Å"I heard there were others. Sonya's one, right?† Abe nodded. â€Å"They'll be right up. They're parking the car. Street parking's terrible around here.† Adrian looked over at me, hit by revelation. â€Å"Hey, do I inherit Keith's car too?† â€Å"Afraid not,† I said. â€Å"It belonged to his dad. He took it back.† Adrian's face fell. Abe stuffed his hands in his pockets and strolled casually around the living room. Angeline remained where she was. I think she was still sizing up the situation. â€Å"Ah, yes,† mused Abe. â€Å"The late, great Mr. Darnell. That boy's really been beset with tragedy, hasn't he? Such a hard life.† He paused and turned to Adrian. â€Å"But you, at least, seem to have benefited from his downfall.† â€Å"Hey,† said Adrian. â€Å"I earned this, so don't give me any grief about bailing on Clarence. I know you wanted me to stay there for some weird reason but – † â€Å"And you did,† said Abe simply. Adrian frowned. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"You did exactly what I wanted. I'd suspected something odd was going on with Clarence Donahue, that he might be selling his blood. I'd hoped keeping you on hand would uncover the plot.† Abe stroked his chin in that mastermind way of his. â€Å"Of course, I had no idea Mr. Darnell was involved. Nor did I expect you and young Sydney to team up to unravel it all.† â€Å"I'd hardly go that far,† I said dryly. A strange thought occurred to me. â€Å"Why would you care if Keith and Clarence were selling vampire blood? I mean, we Alchemists have reasons for not wanting that†¦ but why would you feel that way?† A surprised glint flashed in Adrian's eyes, followed by insight. He eyed Abe carefully. â€Å"Maybe because he doesn't want the competition.† My jaw nearly dropped open. It was no secret to anyone, Alchemist or Moroi, that Abe Mazur trafficked in illegal goods. That he might be moving large amounts of vampire blood to willing humans had never occurred to me. But as I studied him longer, I realized it should have. â€Å"Now, now,† said Abe, never breaking a sweat, â€Å"no need to bring up unpleasant topics.† â€Å"Unpleasant?† I exclaimed. â€Å"If you're involved in anything that – â€Å" Abe held up a hand to stop me. â€Å"Enough, please. Because if that sentence ends with you saying you'll talk to the Alchemists, then by all means, let's get them out here and discuss all sorts of mysteries. Say, for example, like how Mr. Darnell lost his eye.† I froze. â€Å"Strigoi took it,† said Adrian impatiently. â€Å"Oh, come now,† said Abe, a smile twisting his lips. â€Å"My faith in you was just being restored. Since when do Strigoi do such precision maiming? Very artful maiming, I might add. Not that anyone probably ever noticed. Wasted talent, I tell you.† â€Å"What are you saying?† asked Adrian aghast. â€Å"It wasn't Strigoi? Are you saying someone cut his eye out on purpose? Are you saying that you – â€Å" Words failed him, and he simply looked back and forth between me and Abe. â€Å"That's it, isn't it? Your devil's bargain. But why?† I cringed as three sets of eyes stared at me, but there was no way I could acknowledge what Adrian was starting to put together. Maybe I could have told him if we were alone. Maybe. But I couldn't tell him while Abe looked so smug and certainly not with an outsider like Angeline standing there. I couldn't tell Adrian how I'd found my sister Carly a few years ago, after a date with Keith. It was when he'd still been living with us and just before she went off to college. She hadn't wanted to go out with him, but our father loved Keith and had insisted. Keith was his golden boy and could do no wrong. Keith believed that too, which was why he hadn't been able to take no for an answer when he and Carly were alone. She'd come to me afterward, creeping into my bedroom late at night and sobbing while I'd held her. My instant reaction was to tell our parents, but Carly had been too afraid – especially of our father. I was young and nearly as scared as she was, ready to agree with whatever she wanted. Carly had made me promise I wouldn't tell our parents, so I sank my efforts into assuring her that it wasn't her fault. The whole time, she told me, Keith had kept telling her how beautiful she was and how she'd left him no choice, that it was impossible for him to take his eyes off of her. I finally convinced her that she'd done nothing wrong, that she hadn't led him on – but she still held me to my promise to stay silent. It was one of the biggest regrets of my life. I'd hated my silence but not nearly as much as I hated Keith for thinking he could rape someone as sweet and gentle as Carly and get away with it. It wasn't until much later, when I had my first assignment and met Abe Mazur, that I'd realized there were other ways Keith might pay that would allow me to keep my promise to her. So, I'd made my deal with the devil, not caring that it bound me – or that I was stooping to barbaric levels of revenge. Abe had staged a fake Strigoi attack and cut out one of Keith's eyes earlier this year. In return, I'd become Abe's sort-of â€Å"retainer Alchemist.† It was part of what had driven me to help Rose with her jail break. I was in his debt. In some ways, I reflected bitterly, maybe I'd done Keith a favor. With only one eye left, maybe he wouldn't find it so â€Å"impossible† to keep it off uninterested young women in the future. No, I certainly couldn't tell Adrian any of that, but he was still looking at me, a million questions on his face as he tried to figure out what in the world would have reduced me to hiring Abe as a hit man. Laurel's words suddenly rang back to me. You know, you can be scary as hell sometimes. I swallowed. â€Å"Remember when you asked me to trust you?† â€Å"Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Adrian. â€Å"I need you to do the same for me.† Long moments followed. I couldn't bring myself to look at Abe because I knew he'd be smirking. â€Å"‘Spunky' was kind of an understatement,† Adrian said. After what felt like forever, he slowly nodded. â€Å"Okay. I do trust you, Sage. I trust that you have good reasons for the things you do.† There was no snark, no sarcasm. He was deadly earnest, and for a moment, I wondered how I could have earned his trust so intently. I had a weird flash to the moments just before Abe had arrived, when Adrian had spoken of painting me and my feelings had been a jumble. â€Å"Thank you,† I said. â€Å"What,† demanded Angeline, â€Å"are you guys talking about?† â€Å"Nothing of interest, I assure you,† said Abe, who was really enjoying this all too much. â€Å"Life lessons, character development, unpaid debts. That sort of thing.† â€Å"Unpaid?† I surprised myself by taking a step forward and fixing him with a glare. â€Å"I've paid that debt a hundred times over. I don't owe you anything anymore. My loyalty is only to the Alchemists now. Not you. We're finished.† Abe was still smiling, but he wavered slightly. I think my standing up for myself had caught him off-guard. â€Å"Well, that remains to be – ah.† More knocking. â€Å"Here's the rest of our party.† He hurried to the door. Adrian took a few steps toward me. â€Å"Not bad, Sage. I think you just scared old man Mazur.† I felt a smile of my own begin to form. â€Å"I don't know about that, but it felt kind of good.† â€Å"You should backtalk people more often,† he said. We grinned at each other, and as he regarded me fondly, I felt that same queasy feeling return. He probably wasn't experiencing that exact sensation, but there was an easy, bright mood about him. Rare – and very appealing. He nodded toward where Abe was opening the door. â€Å"It's Sonya.† Spirit users could sense each other when they were close enough, even behind closed doors. And sure enough, when the door opened, Sonya Karp strode in like a queen, tall and elegant. With her red hair swept into a bun, the Moroi woman could have been Angeline's older sister. Sonya smiled at us all, though I couldn't help a shiver as I thought back to the first time I'd met her. She hadn't been nearly so pretty or charming then. She'd been red-eyed and trying to kill us. Sonya was a Strigoi who'd been restored back to a Moroi, which really made her the ideal choice to work with Adrian on figuring out how to use spirit to prevent people from being turned. Sonya hugged Adrian and was walking over to me when someone else appeared in the doorway. In retrospect, I shouldn't have been surprised at who it was. After all, if we wanted to figure out what special spirit magic in Lee had stopped him from being turned again, then we needed all the data possible. And if one restored Strigoi was good, then two were better. Adrian paled and went perfectly still as he stared at the newcomer, and in that moment, all my high hopes for him came crashing down. Earlier, I'd been certain that if Adrian could just stay away from his past and any traumatic events, he'd be able to find a purpose and steady himself. Well, it looked like his past had found him, and if this didn't qualify as a traumatic event, I didn't know what did. Adrian's new research partner stepped through the door, and I knew the uneasy peace we'd just established in Palm Springs was about to shatter. Dimitri Belikov had arrived.

Bass River

In the short story’s, â€Å"The Bass, The River, and Shelia Mant† written by W. D Wetherall and â€Å"Catch the Moon† written by Judith Ortiz Cofer, the two main characters realize who they truly are by the end of the story. In â€Å"The Bass, The River, and Shelia Mant the narrator is in love with a girl he meets at his cottage in the summer. The narrator describes her in the story as â€Å"There was a summer in my life when the only creature that seemed lovelier to me than a largemouth bass was Sheila Mant. The story â€Å"Catch the Moon† includes the main character Luis who overcomes many obstacles, leading up to meeting a perfect girl for him, Naomi. In â€Å"The Bass, The River, and Shelia Mant† and â€Å"Catch the Moon† the female characters have a direct impact upon the lives of the male protagonists. The main characters both realize who they truly are by the end of the story. The change within each of these characters reveal theme. The theme in â€Å"Catch the Moon† states that love can help us move on, and confront our problems.The theme in â€Å"The Bass, The River, and Shelia Mant† concentrates on following your heart and not letting other people change you. In â€Å"The Bass, The River, and Shelia Mant† the narrator undergoes a tough interaction with Shelia Mant. During the story Shelia says to the narrator â€Å"Look,† she said. â€Å"I can get Dad’s car. † â€Å"It’s faster this way,† I lied. â€Å"Parking’s tense up there. Hey, it’s safe. I won’t tip it or anything. † Shelia could not of broken the narrators heart any more at this point. The narrator had spent hours of the day trying to make the canoe sparkle and clean it up.The narrator was shooken up by this, but as the story continued he realized Shelia’s attitude. Shelia told the narrator straight up that she does not like fishing. Once the narrator catches th e fish he has always dreamed of cathching gets on his fishing rod! Shelia states she doesn’t like fishing and its dumb. He had realized she was so careless about him or anyone else and just cared about herself. When they get to concert she rides home with another guy leaving the narrator on their date. Human interactions bring in best or worst have to know how to react

Why is Bill Gates a successful leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Why is Bill Gates a successful leader - Essay Example Through his innovative ideas, constant hard-work and extraordinary leadership skills he has achieved tremendous success and fame. His exceptional example is given in various management courses and his wise quotes are used to motivate and direct individuals around the world. Bill Gates exemplary leadership is dependent upon many steps that he has consciously adopted. 1. A Clear Vision Bill Gates knows that in order to move forward he can leave no man behind, to ensure this he has a clear vision not only in his mind but he also makes certain to pass it on to his employees. He sets a clear standard, an exact measurement of what is expected from them. By saying inspiring expressions like, Every house and business must run on Microsoft software, or a computer on every desktop, he provides an unambiguous picture to his employees of exactly what is expected of them. This helps clear misconceptions and misunderstandings and provides refreshing clarity to employees. He has set a standard for them, they can easily envision it and therefore achieving it becomes easier. (Samson, Danny, and Daft 17) 2. Empowering Employees After giving his employees a clear goal, Bill Gates ensures that his employees have the power to achieve them. He is heard to say on several occasions that leaders are those who have the ability to empower others.By exercising leadership through a participative style he ensures that employees at all levels are involved in decision making. Everyone provides their valuable input and contributes to providing the best solution. He is very positive in his attitude and energizes his employees and pushes them to achieve more than they think they are capable off hence promising success for Microsoft. 3. It’s Okay to Make Mistakes People who work for Bill Gates are fearless and confident. They take risks and have the ability to think out of the box because he never discourages them. Bill Gates is a staunch believer of the philosophy that mistakes and failur es are important contributors to success. He is constantly ensuring his employees that they should not be afraid of making mistakes. He went so far as to say on one occasion that, unhappy customers are the greatest source of learning. Such a positive and open attitude affirms employee beliefs that they will not be punished if they do something wrong therefore being more confident in themselves and their jobs. Such confidence makes the work environment not only positive but also fun where employees go an extra mile to achieve results. The 2007 version of Microsoft Office that has become so popular was a design put forward by an IT technician. Even though this idea is a complete opposite of Bill Gates original design the employee had confidence that she could discuss her idea with Bill Gates without any fear of offending him. This is an excellent example of the confidence that Microsoft employees have and how this confidence gets translated into astounding achievements for the organiz ation. (7 Key Lessons from a Greatest Leader of all times - Bill Gates | Life of Excellence) 4. Appreciating Employees Bill Gates is not that stereotypical boss who sweeps in at the end of the day and takes credit for all the work. He appreciates his employee’s efforts and whenever necessary makes it popular that his employees are his main strength and the greatest factor contributing to Microsoft’s success. He personally interacts with employees to find out who is doing what, offers solutions to problems and gives praise without a second thought. His admiration of employee work and ideas is positive reinforcement that encourages employees to work harder and harder, because they know that their efforts are not wasted. (Manager's Role in Successful Motivation: