Communication Plan Example Essay

Background/Purpose Description of project The Denver International Airport (DIA) Project was created to handle the projected increase in passenger travel, due to the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. The DIA project would consist of improved airfield configuration, international facilities and efficiency in operation of regional airspace and terminal layout, reduction in noise impact, and new baggage handling and communications systems. This anticipated $1.2 billion conversion project turned out to be a $5 billion ordeal. Improper project management appeared to be the underlying cause of this costly project. The City of Denver appointed two companies, referred to herein as the project management team (PMT) to manage the DIA project. However, beginning with the selection of the architects, the PMT relinquished control by failing to maintain the City’s goals and objectives. Project Scope Provide the scope of the project The scope of the DIA was to replace Denver’s Stapleton Airport with a new runway and baggage handling system to serve the needs of the growing air travels through it city which would satisfy its needs for at least 50-60 years with an initial estimate of $1.2 billion agreed upon by Denver Mayor Federico Pena and Adams County officials in 1985. The project benefits included: Improved airfield configuration; Improved efficiency in the operations of its regional airspace; Improved and efficient terminal/concourse layout; Improved international facilities; Significant expansion capability; and Enhanced efficiency of airline operations. Communication Plan Purpose: what is the purpose of the communications plan The purpose of the communications plan is to guarantee that all parties involved in the project are communicating in an efficient and timely fashion. The plan states the audience involved, as well as the type of vehicle of communication vehicle and frequency, medium, source, task responsibilities, sensitivities, lessons learned, expected results, historical information, and closing statements. Prioritizing and organizing skills are essential elements to a communication plan in order to disseminate information in accordance with the project’s timeline to meet its goals and objectives. The project stakeholders are: City of Denver Greiner/MKE Engineering New Orleans Architectural Firm Continental Airlines United Airlines Communication Plan Scope: Scope: Why a communication plan and what it does for the project The communication plan is essential to the DIA project because it fosters accountability to the stakeholders for effective communication regarding the work that needs to be completed according to the approved deadline and costs to complete the project. Effective communication includes the method in which the information will be delivered, details about the timeline of events and any unforeseen circumstances with remedies for modification and approval. References Kerzner, H (2004). Advanced Project Management: Best Practices on Implementation, 2nd Edition, Retrieved June 23, 2013 from DeVry Library Database 24Ãâ€"7.

John Proctor Essay

The audience now have conflicting emotions; there is confusion as although we know he has made a mistake, he doesn’t deserve to die for it, we also feel disappointed that Proctor has given into Danforth showing a weakness rather than power and bravery. The courts are relieved that Proctor decides to confess and they want him to sign a confession, Danforth explains why it needs to be signed ‘Why, for the good instruction of the village†¦ ‘ Proctor first shows signs of changing his mind ‘You have all witnessed it- it is enough’ Proctor is adamant that he doesn’t want to take his verbal confession any further. He says ‘I have given you my soul; leave me my name! ‘ he is in a desperate situation as although he has confessed to impiety he doesn’t want everyone in Salem to see the evidence of it. Proctor †¦ tears the paper and crumples it, but he is weeping in fury but erect. He has resolved his dilemma and has made his final decision to hang. The audience feel empathy for Proctor however we are glad he has made the righteous decision, redeeming himself in the end. His final words convey his good sense of morals and his courage. He says ‘†¦ I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. ‘ The audience agree with his decision as it separates him from the hypocrisy of others. It also expresses his honesty in direct conflict with Danforth who is completely corrupt and irrational; Proctor says ‘Show honour now, show a stony heart and sink them with it! ‘ It is a heroic end for Proctor showing his strength and dignity. By the end of the play some of the characters hold different views on Proctor. At the beginning of the play when Hale first arrived in Salem he was very enthusiastic about the witchcraft but throughout the play his views swayed towards Proctor’s explanation of the accusations. He realises that the witch-hunts are a consequence of dangerous pretence caused by a young girl’s vengeance. ‘It is a lie! They are innocent! ‘ Hale is certain that this is fraud and he feels guilty for his earlier actions. ‘Let you not mistake your duty as I mistook my own†¦. And where I turned the eye of my great faith, blood flowed up. ‘ Hale knows he has done wrong and he is sincere and honest enough to admit his errors. As the play progresses we see a change in Elizabeth’s attitude, at the very end of the play a lot of the tension between them is resolved. Elizabeth admits that she was also to blame for their difficult marriage; ‘It needs a cold wife to prompt lechery’ she has now fully forgiven him and they both realise their love for each other. Moments before Proctor hangs they share a loving, affectionate kiss He has lifted her, and kisses her now with great passion. Now that Proctor feels a genuine love and forgiveness he can die with an easy mind and with dignity. Hale’s condemnation and pleading with Elizabeth to save Proctor is a point of high dramatic tension as he knows that she is the only one that can change his mind. Hale pleads, ‘Woman, plead with him! Woman! It is pride, it is vanity. ‘ Elizabeth knows that she can’t take Hale’s advice as she knows her husband has made the morally right, honourable decision for himself. Miller uses Elizabeth’s final statement to confirm that Proctor is a tragic hero. ‘He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him! ‘ This demonstrates that she cannot intervene because she can’t take away his honesty and make his imperative decision for him. This proves that Proctor is a tragic hero as he chooses to die with an honest conscience. Proctor refuses to collaborate with the evil of the courts. ‘God does not need my name nailed up upon the church! ‘ He will not agree to his signed confession being shown to the people of Salem because he doesn’t want there to be any significant evidence of the lie he is giving. When Proctor reflects on himself, he is quite harsh. ‘I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint. It is fraud. ‘ He is blaming himself for the situation he is in now as it is a consequence of his affair with Abigail. As he realises his mistakes he begins to see himself as a fraud. The witch-hunt shown in The Crucible has a strong link to the McCarthy trials in the early 1950s, as both occasions created a vast hysteria. Both Danforth and Abigail are closely linked to John McCarthy as they are trying to gain power. Abigail was constantly manipulating the courts; therefore a consequent fear and hysteria is created and innocent people like Mary Warren, who get frightened and intimidated, start to betray friends. Millers’ message is trying to tell the audience to be aware of, and stand up to people like Danforth and Abigail and expose things before it’s too late. Also, that we should beware that a petty pretence can become extremely dangerous. As we observe, Proctor comes across as very self-centred at the beginning of The Crucible and he doesn’t seem to be aware of his mistakes- he is hypocritical and angry at Elizabeth for not forgiving him straight away for his affair, ‘You forget nothin’ and forgive nothin’. Learn charity woman. ‘ However as the play progresses the audience experience a new, moral and powerful Proctor who notices his faults. He now understands his errors and thinks of himself as a sinner ‘I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint†¦ My honesty is broke. Elizabeth; I am no good man. ‘ I do not completely agree with the statement ‘What is John Proctor? I am no saint; for me it is fraud. I am not that man. ‘ Although he has sinned by lying and committing lechery with Abigail he doesn’t deserve to die as a consequence of Abigail’s vengeance. I feel that Proctor is being quite harsh on himself because even though he makes mistakes that put him in this situation, he redeems himself in the end by telling the truth and dying with dignity. ‘†¦ for now I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. ‘ To conclude, I consider Proctor as more of a saint than a sinner. He is not a complete saint but I do believe that his courage, good sense of morals and power should be honoured and respected as he was a decent, noble man.   C20th Drama Coursework Essay: The Crucible Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section.

Management: Human Resources Essay

Human Resources are perhaps the most important factors in attainment of organizational objectives. For years, this aspect of management has been overlooked or in a sense has not been given the importance that it deserves. During the course of this particular paper, the author shall try to focus over the points which make human resources the most crucial point for organizational prosperity and what a manager shall do in order to increase the efficiency of the workers. Undervaluation of intellect capital: The businesses rely on a number of resources in order to attain various goals and objectives. But this has been a proven fact that no other resource is so crucial in organizational progress like that of the human resources. The human resources bring along with them knowledge and information which are perhaps pretty crucial in achieving overall objectives. It is so crucial for the organization to make sure that the relevant data and information flows in the current direction and is present in almost all parts of the business organization. Even though the organizations have not been giving too much of importance to the intellectual capital as of today, still future belongs to this factor only. The managers need to develop proper models for developing, retaining and managing the intellectual resources of the business organization. As the General Manager, the author would like to propose a model for managing the intellectual capital of the business organization. The author proposes a simple model for management of intellectual capital of the business organization. The model consists of the following major elements:  · Strategic Direction and Vision: This element could be derived from the human resources of the business organization. The strategies are formulated by human resources and the vision of the organization is also decided by the human resources.  · Focus on the customers: The prime source of organizational prosperity.  · Products and processes: which the organization is dealing in.  · Culture of the organization These elements together constitute the intellectual capital for any kind of business. It becomes so crucial for any business form to ensure that all the four elements are managed in best possible way in order to make sure that overall intellectual capital is retained within the organization. Intellectual capital, in both the structural and human forms, comes together with customer knowledge. It is a winning combination. Capabilities Audit: Contribution in assessing the performance of the organization: In today’s business environment, the identity of any organization is not restricted to the output which they are producing, neither on the quarterly results or any related issues. The organizations are known for their capabilities. The manager should have the knowledge about the potential of the workforce and overall capabilities of the organization. Ulrich and Smallwood have suggested a pretty powerful and efficient way to assess the intangible resources of the business organization. A capabilities audit â€Å"provides a high level picture of an organization’s strengths and areas for improvement.†Ã‚   (Smallwood, Ulrich, 2007) The scope of capabilities audit is huge and it could really help in increasing the efficiency of the organization as it includes a number of points which cover almost all the concerned areas of the business organization. A custom capabilities audit includes the following points:  · What are the competencies and capabilities of the workforce: Are they able to deliver the products and services in accordance to customer’s expectations.  · Can the organization change in accordance to the ever dynamic business environment.  · What is the work culture of the organization? Are both customers and employees part of the organizational culture?  · What is more importance for the organization: High performance or following the strategies?  · What are the ways by which both efficiency and leverage could be attained?  · What is the level of the organization as compared with the changing global environment?  · The quality of leaders and the leadership styles in the organization.  · What is the amount of trust which we share with the customers?  · Do our employees share an intellectual, behavioural, and procedural agenda for our strategy?  · The amount of innovation in various aspects of the business.  · How important is cost reduction and cost management for the organization. Evaluation of HR functions in the organization: Talking about the author’s organization, HR happens to be one of the most important functions of the organization. Traditionally the organization concerned HR as a cost centre and something which could not be considered as a profit generating centre for the organization. But with development in management ideas, it was found that HRM is most crucial aspect in attainment of organization’s strategic objectives. HR function actively contributes in attaining organizational objectives. Every organization should have the capacity to retain the talent and knowledge which are crucial in context of the organizational success. Each person has got a different perception, attitude and outlook in life. These three factors are those, which he carries with him all the time, even while working in an organization. A manager has to make sure that he takes a different approach while dealing with different people. And this is where the real challenge lies—an HR manager has to make use of maximum skills, even in pettiest situations. Of course, the task of HR manager becomes even more difficult when the size and complexities of business increases. HR manager’s task also becomes so difficult due to diversity present in the workforce. HRM includes a series of activities that includes the staffing and recruitment of the people required for an organization, along with deciding the source and method to hire the people. (Bratton, Gold, 2001).

Discussion 6 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Discussion 6 - Assignment Example The opinion poll is generally conducted as an attempt to measure and depict some broader conclusions about its audience. The poll which I found online is a representation of 1000 US citizens. I dare to think that 1000 people can be representative of the overall US population which is around 813 million. After a careful research I understand that actually collecting a 1000 opinions is the standard for any poll which I found. I dont think a sample of 1000 people can be representative to form a general opinion on an important matter. And I do believe that very often polls are biased in terms of how the question is asked and what answers the interviewees have to choose from. The limited answer options in the poll may influence how people project their opinion and may produce biased results. 2. According to the textbook, a hypothesis is â€Å"a causal explanation offered for further investigation or testing.† The book provides several methods for testing the quality of a hypothesis. Choose one of the statements below and use one or more of the tests provided in the textbook to evaluate the quality of the hypothesis. Identify the hypothesis in the statement, and then say why it is or is not a good one. b) Crop circles are complicated, symmetrical designs formed in grain fields through depressing grain stalks. Because of their complexity and symmetry, they cannot be natural phenomena. These crop circles appear overnight. Since it would take far too long and too much complex planning for one or two people to make these designs, which can be seen only from above, aliens from outer space must be making them. c) The other day, I was walking in the mall and suddenly remembered an old school friend whom I had not spoken to in years. Not five minutes later, there I was face to face with my old friend. There must have been some deep karmic connection that drew us together that day. The hypothesis here is the statement that 2 people must have karmic

The Late Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Late Paper - Essay Example In the scenario presented, Kim is the most responsible person for her own failure. It may seem unfair, considering she has done her part in completing her requirements for the course, but did give in to the temptation of delaying its submission due to her desire for pleasure with her friends. She became complacent in her duty to submit her paper before its due date because it was already done ahead of time. Arnold, Kim’s husband, further puts Kim in trouble by refusing to drive his wife to her professor’s office to make it faster and more convenient for her to submit the paper. He is so immersed in his own insecurity of Kim’s rise to success that he tries to sabotage it by being unsupportive. His pride as the man of the house keeps him from allowing his wife to develop as person, as she is most likely to overtake him in terms of stature. Cindy, Kim’s classmate was a carefree influence in Kim’s decision to delay the submission of her paper. Cindy was out for a good time with Kim and her friends that she did not consider the importance of Kim’s priority. Philip, Arnold’s co-worker is responsible for planting insecurities in Arnold’s psyche by feeding him malicious information regarding Kim’s desire to better herself as a person through her studies. In teasing Arnold that Kim will be able to find a college guy to replace him, Philip has undeniable triggered Arnold’s jealousy, which prompted him to be unsupportive of Kim. Professor Freud has not been remiss in laying out her ground rules form the beginning. However, in Kim’s case, being an â€Å"A† student, the good professor should have just exempted her from her tardiness of a mere 15 minutes in submission of the paper. She knows how hard Kim has worked, and should have considered her performance for the whole term instead of a minor fault as a deciding factor in giving Kim an â€Å"F† for the course. Mary, Professor Freud’s secretary, tactlessly gave Kim assurance that

Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 8

Macroeconomics - Essay Example function of the economy is also referred to as total supply of the economy as shows the total supply of goods and services that the firms are willing to supply at given price levels. It also shows the capacity of the firms of the economy and the fact that the firms can supply the economy with the appropriate level of goods and services in order to satisfy the demands of the economy. Aggregate supply curves are made on the basis of long and short term which depicts the total supply function of the firms of the economy both in the long term and in the short term for the economy. There can be some shifts in the aggregate supply curve for the economy which can be attributed to number of different factors and variables affecting the economy. These factors can be many some of which may be the change in the size and quality of labor, the mere fact that the labor size has changed that is more and more labor is available to the firms for the production of their goods and services or that the labor which is already available to the economy has gained more and more skills due to which it has become easier to produce more for the economy. Other factors can be the change in technology or it can be said that the technological innovations can cause a shift in the aggregate supply curve of the economy. Â  Increase in wages, increase in production costs, changes in producer ta xes and subsidies, and changes in inflation can also be some of the driving factors in the shifting of the aggregate supply curve for the economy. Different schools of thoughts have different views of economics and therefore they have different approaches towards the determining of aggregate supply of the economy that is to be made to the economy. Aggregates supply is the function of aggregate availability of labor and other resources in the given time period and the price levels for the production of those goods and services that provide the aggregate supply of those goods and services to the

Xerox Corporation Case Study 03066 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Xerox Corporation Case Study 03066 - Essay Example One of the major and unexpected cases was of Xerox Inc., a huge reputed global technology entity. It was reported that the company practiced creative accounting techniques to manipulate its performance during the period from 1997 to 2000. Considering the case, below presented is a critical review of the case via investigating the underlying matter deeply with its circumstances and consequences. The discussion will be an effort of aligning and comparing case evidences with the defined code of conduct in the regard by authorities and authentic literature of the underlying discipline. Being a global entity in document technology business, Xerox inc., is known for quality and innovation in the field (Mui, 2012). Founded in 1906, Xerox is currently working with around 140000 employees, 12000 active patents and reported $19.5 Billion revenue for the year 2014 (Xerox, 2015). The company got entangled in an accounting scandal for the period of 1997-2000 by SEC. At that time, company’s worth was 92,500 employees, 87th rank in Fortune 500 and reported $18.7 billion sales for the year 2000 (Jessup, & Nance, 2011). Known for innovation in document technology, Xerox deals in a variety of products and services related to the digital documentation measures (Xerox, 2014). The portfolio of the company holds mainly ranges of printing devices, scanning machines, communication devices, publishing systems (Jessup, & Nance, 2011) and a wide range of offered outsource services as well (Girod, Alter, Harris and Junglas, 2011). Claiming to be the leader in document technology, Xerox admits the volatile nature of its business due to the association with the ever-changing technology. Girod, Alter, Harris, and Junglas, (2011) suggest that technology businesses work under high pressures of current competitive scenario. Slow paced innovation, technologically outdated products,

Rationale and Teaching Episode Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rationale and Teaching Episode - Assignment Example These cultural differences and preferences affect effective curriculum implementation in Australia. Curriculum is able to mobilize understanding of culture in Australian Society through various ways which are practical in nature. This is because it is able to instill good schooling system standards in an effort to impart knowledge to the Australian Indigenous population (Phillips & Lampert, 2005).Since some cultures are associated with bad habits or practices that does promote crime rate. For instance, alcohol is known to be a common antecedent to offending among the Indigenous Australians. This indicates that it is a factor contributing to the high crime rate of all the indigenous Australian people. The crime culture has led to the establishment of committee whose role amongst others include having initiatives on ways of diverting any cultural practice that promotes crime in one way or the other. The drop in crime and certain cultural practices enables good environment for promoting education standards. Curriculum specialist provides the avenue for promoting education system even to the Indigenous Australians. For instance, it is quoted that every indigenous young people with self education support fund is to be assisted. This is by promoting their participation which then enables their retention in the education system (Phillips & Lampert, 2005). ... At this point there is across culture mix. The system of education must support this in order to strengthen the population. Teachers have a daunting tusk in playing a crucial role to ensure that existing curriculum system is implemented effectively across the divide (Phillips & Lampert, 2005). In identification of multicultural classroom setting, the international students, indigenous Australian and non indigenous Australians come together irrespective of the cultural differences among them. The teacher must have a definite approach to the scenario in away of implementing the curriculum effectively (Clancy, 2004). In this case, there are several individual differences some of which includes personal interest, gender, nationality, hobbies among others. Curriculum enhances cultural understanding and confirms that the presence of unique identities within several families from different communities which contributes to the greater concept of being Australian .All these need to be integra ted in the cultural teaching (Clancy, 2004). Make up of classes should promote social cohesion plus cultural diversification of various communities. Emphasis on cultural diversity should also exist in monoculture classes just as it exists in multicultural classroom setting. There should also be an emphasis on the Australian identity. When the name of the greater nation is shared among different personalities, this enhances unity and promotes social understanding of people of different cultures (Bell, 1998). In the school setting, the most appropriate thing to be done is to expand students’ knowledge on their identity. The students should also be urged to develop tolerance and understanding amongst themselves and

Healthy College Cafeteria Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Healthy College Cafeteria - Assignment Example Eating healthy is made more difficult by the lack of available healthier foods in college canteens yet due to the economic restraints and busy lifestyles of students, the college canteen is often the main place that students eat. There is a responsibility from our educational institutions to focus on providing healthy , nutritious , reasonably priced foods that ensure that students have healthy eating options. In the UK, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has become notorious for his scathing attacks on the food served in schools. A ten part TV series released in 2005 based in a school, exposed exactly the type of food that was being served (processed food that is high in sugar and fat) and the negative effects on health. His pioneering work has since continued, urging schools to use natural ingredients, local and organic produce and serve well balanced meals. He has also succeeded in getting councils to sponsor "a ten-year strategic plan and fund a long-term public campaign to get people back on to a proper diet and empower/persuade (and possibly scare, if needed) the public to make better choices." (My Manifesto) Awareness Raising; Any significant change in the food served in the college canteens should also go hand in hand with a college funded awareness raising project. This has taken place in a number of colleges already in the UK and US2 and could provide students with ideas, recipes and information about the nutritional and health values of the food that they eat. Consultation with the students; In making a shift to providing healthier foods for students it is important that they are consulted in order to ascertain what health foods would be popular. By running a consultation information can be gathered to help design the new menus. Skills gap; To provide healthy and nutritious food using natural ingredients can often mean that those working on the cafeteria need proper training in food production. Training should be offered to cafeteria staff and their wages should reflect the potential increase in work hours caused by preparing meals with fresh ingredients. Sourcing Organic Foods; Organic foods can appear to be more expensive but often when they are brought in bulk the price goes down significantly. Maybe joining up with other educational institutions in the area to make joint food orders with or looking for sponsorship for the college's healthy food project could ensure that prices stay affordable yet the quality goes up. Sourcing Local Foods; While the food might not be organic, buying food from local producers assures a number of things. It boosts the local economy, it is often cheaper for the buyer as the 'middle person' ( in this case the food distributor) is cut out. Regular orders and establishing a good relationship mean producers listen to their buyers and could in the future ( for example) reduce use of pesticides and fertilizers Sourcing Fair Trade Products; Fair trade products are often organic and produced by co-operatives therefore ensuring the best price for the farmer. By purchasing these products the college not only supports farmers in the developing world but also indirectly educates students about just and sustainable farming methods and food distribution. Environment; Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, As well as looking after our own

Developing a strategic approach Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Developing a strategic approach - Research Paper Example Apart from that, several government policies such as Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) where both uninsured and insured American citizens are guaranteed with the right of receiving medical attention at lower rates. This can harm the financial health of Jim’s Care Center (Wallace, 2006). Apart from that, the internal factors such as recruiting and retaining qualified employees. Hence, it is essential to devise relevant strategies that will allow the firm to remain consistent with the market situations. The first step in ensuring proper functioning of the business and ensure prosperity of the business is to set a relevant mission and vision statement. In addition, it is also essential to develop strategic goals for the firm as that will allow them to follow a proper direction and the process will be more systematic. In the subsequent sections, the mission and vision statement of the company will be developed and along with that the strategic goals of the firm will also be formulated. Apart from that, service delivery strategy and support components required will be discussed. Lastly, on the basis of the findings of the study, recommendations pertaining to the specific adaptive strategy or combination of adaptive strategies that would be most effective in ensuring that the organization achieves its strategic goals and approaches to manage those strategies will be clearly discussed. The mission of Jim’s Care Center is to provide health care services to the people at an affordable price and continue to offer medical consultation to the patient till the time he/she is fully cured. The vision statement of Jim’s Care Center is to make offer people make this world free from diseases. We believe that along with quality and timely treatment, sympathetic view and price affordability, together we can curb any disease and offer human

Please see instructions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Please see instructions - Assignment Example the fertilizer falls, then the market supply curve would shift to the right because of the following reasons: The cost of producing the corns would have been reduced thus leading to increased supply. This also would enable many farmers that are either farming on large scale or small scale to engage in the production of corn since the production cost has been reduced for them (Flynn, et al, 2007). Another possible reason may be that farmers who are specialized on the cultivation of other crops are most likely to shift their production towards corn production If the government offers new tax breaks to the farmers, the market supply curve of the corns would shift o the right due to the following reasons: The cost of production would have been reduced as the realized profits are increased. This is because; the reduction of tax imposed on the production of the corns would encourage many farmers to practice corn production since high tax on corn production make many farmers to shy away from producing them. If tornado sweeps through lowa, then the supply curve of the corn production in the US would shift towards the left since the tornado would affect the corn production negatively. As a result, the supply of the corns would reduce. If the incomes of the buyers in the market for Adirondack vacations increases, the demand curve would shift to the right because of the following reasons; when the income increases, the demand for the products increases thus leading to a shift towards the right. The second reason is that the number of people with the ability to afford the product would rise thus increasing the demand of the product If the in the market for pizza read a study linking pepperoni consumption to heart disease, the demand curve would shift to the left due to the following reasons. A change in taste is likely to occur thus increasing the demand for substitutes as the as the demand for pizza reduces. The pizza consumers may shy away from the heart disease

The Family That Walks on All Fours Essay Example for Free

The Family That Walks on All Fours Essay In The Family that Walks on All Fours, a documentary by PBS NOVA, a genetic anomaly was discovered in a remote location in Turkey. A family of twenty-one, two parents and nineteen children, six of the children were born quadrupedal. The diagnosis was a debate between reverse evolution and a mental deficiency in the cerebellum; both of which deal with genetics. However, it was not debatable that many key factors such as inbreeding amongst close relatives, isolation, the nature of the genes involved, and the role of environment and culture on the expression of the gene. Inbreeding amongst many species is common and not usually deleterious, but with the complexity of the human genome increases the chance of mutations. The reason inbreeding is common amongst many animals is because of assortative mating, which is a reproductive isolating mechanism in which a mate is chosen based upon certain specifications deemed valuable to the species. This is also a form of pre-zygotic selection. In the case of the family observed the parents were found to be first cousins, which is unusual for members of our species to mate when that closely related. One of the potential reasons for why this inbreeding could have happened is the geographical isolation. The community is in essence allopatric to the neighboring towns since that sort of travel is unfeasible to their lifestyle. It is unlikely that this family is a â€Å"genetic throwback† or a â€Å"missing link† and it was almost offensive to the family to act as if they were in reverse evolution, especially with the culture of the surrounding community. Throwing around labels like these are not helpful to a family in need of help of medical assistance so they are not seen as demons or monsters. However, this family could provide critical information about mobility in regards to the genome. MRI scans suggested that the brothers and sisters have a form of cerebellar ataxia. The condition affects the brains cerebellum, which is located at the top of the neck and is associated with balance and muscle coordination. Since it has been discovered, according to the video, that there is a basic set of â€Å"blueprints† odds are there is a gene for cerebral development. If the gene associated with cerebral development could be located it could not only help this family but many others with diffe rent cerebral defects as well. Due to the culture, the oldest brother taught himself to walk upright. With assistance and physical therapy majority of the affected siblings have been able to begin to walk upright. Some conclusions that can be drawn would be that this quadrupedalism is a recessive since only five out of nineteen children are affected. It cannot be sex linked for many reasons, one of which being that three daughters and two sons were affected. It is possible by definition that it could be a lethal allele in the aspect that there was a miscarriage and it clearly interferes with essential genes, but it probably is not. Hopefully continued research can lead to further insight into what genes are involved with this condition and more knowledge about cerebral development, motor function, and evolution.

Managerial Effectiveness In Indian Organizations Management Essay

Managerial Effectiveness In Indian Organizations Management Essay Purpose- This paper seeks to explore the dimensions of managerial effectiveness within the context of Indian organization and to analyze the impact of experience and level of manager (senior, middle, junior) on their overall effectiveness, and also to compare the female and male counterparts. Design/Methodology/ approach- This study based on Motts scale to explore the dimensions of managerial effectiveness adopted by managers while discharging their functions and responsibilities. The scale is used to analyze overall effectiveness and also subsets of effectiveness i.e. productivity (three items), flexibility (three items), and adaptability (two items). Findings- Results of study presents a pattern of relationship between dimensions of managerial effectiveness within the context of Indian organization. Practical implications- Study through its empirical evidences provide a clear picture of managerial effectiveness perception of Indian managers at different level and further help managers to improve his/her managerial performance. Originality/ Value- The study enrich the existing literature and theories of managerial effectiveness and provide understanding of the issue of managerial effectiveness in Indian organization. Keywords- Managerial effectiveness, Indian organization, productivity, adaptability, flexibility, responsiveness, resources. Paper Type- research paper. Introduction With Increasing cut throat competition and dynamic business environment around the globe Organizations require a team of effective managers to run the day to day operations. Managers play significant role in the development, formulation, and execution of the organizations long as well as short term strategies that determines the organizations success. As mentioned by the Peter F. Drucker; Management is a dynamic, life giving element in every business; without it the resources cannot be converted into high production. There are many attributes which are the necessities of time and critical to delivering improved results, effective operations, and programs (Kotter, 1995; Hacker and Washington, 2003). In the ever changing business environment and with increased dependency of business on information technology, managers are required to sort-out new ways to facilitate production and sustainable growth of self as well as of the organization. Regardless of its increasing importance, the fie ld of managerial effectiveness has been neglected as compared to other issues of management (Willcocks, 1992). So it is the need of the hour to study managerial effectiveness in a new dimension and dynamic business environment. Managerial Effectiveness The concept of managerial effectiveness has always been a big issue of concern for academicians, scholars and practitioners. The problem is mostly attributed to the presence of a great deal of misunderstanding and vagueness regarding What is Effectiveness? and who is an effective manager? (Brodie and Bennett, 1979, p.14). Due to its complex nature and vast sphere, in literature managerial effectiveness has been defined in different ways (Langford, 1979). Brodie and Benett (1979, p.14) defined it as, results and consequences, bringing about effects, in relation to purpose, and giving validity to particular activities. Reddin (1974) explained managerial effectiveness as the degree to which managers achieve the output requirements corresponding to their respective positions. In other words it is the act of fulfilling multiple expectations rather than optimizing one (Kirchoff, 1977), while Drucker (1988) termed effectiveness as the foundation of success. Boyatzis (1982, p. 35) underlined effectiveness as qualities, intrinsic abilities or personality strengths of an individual. Mintzberg (1973, p.24) defined effective manager as one who identifies the need to understand the functions and uses the available resources to carry out managerial functions. Rastogi and Dave (2004) explained effectiveness as something a manager generates from a situation by managing it appropriately, and thereby achieving the targets in every sphere of the organization. Managers have many resources and authorities at their disposal and the performance of any organization is largely dependent on how well these resources have been utilized (Rastogi and Dave, 2004). So, the ability of the managers and the techniques to increase their degree of effectiveness is becoming important day by day (Analoui, 1997). Why organizations need effective and skilled executives? because effectiveness is a key component which enables an executive for effectual operation and delivery of complex initiatives (Analoui et al. 2010). Effective managers also provide leadership to the business and help in achieving core objectives of the organization. Drucker (1967, p.1) explained that an executive is expected to get the right things done and this is simply saying that he is expected to be effective. So from the available literature study it can be concluded that there have been as many explanations as there are researchers in the field, and there is not a single clear cut definition for managerial effectiveness, which could be single handedly applied in every aspect of management. Comprehensive review of literature reveals the three important perspectives of research areas of the managerial effectiveness are Conventional Perspective, Organizational level proficiency based perspective and individual level competency based perspective. Conventional approach stresses the ability to set and achieve goals (Bartol and Martin, 1991, p.11) and explains that it is the managerial effectiveness which is responsible for organizational effectiveness. The organizational level proficiency based theory explains that internal and external factors have influence on long term future orientation of the organizations. Organizations mission, vision, and strategic plan formulation plays vital role in achieving future goals. This approach further divulges that any organization incorporates the internal resources i.e. man, material, money, machinery, know-how and the external surroundings as a system to accomplish tactical intent. The individual competency approach focuses upon the in dividuals rather than the association of external actors and puts stress on the enhancement of convenient management skills and tactics. Katz (1974) allied managers job with three major dimensions-technical, conceptual, and human. So it can be said that the efficiency of any organization can be amplified by the effective union of all the above three dimensions. Analoui (1995, 1997, 1999, and 2007) proposed following eight parameters (i.e. Managerial perception; The need for managerial skills; Organizational criteria; Motivation; Degree of demands and constraints; Presence of choices and opportunities; Nature of intra- and inter-organizational relationships; and Dominant managerial philosophy) of managerial effectiveness and explored that personal, organizational and environmental contextual factors influenced these parameters significantly. Mott (1971) also developed an instrument to measure managerial effectiveness and identified productivity, adaptability, flexibility as the dimension of managerial effectiveness, while in another study, Jain (1999) has recognized three dimensions of executive effectiveness namely fu nctional, interpersonal, and personal effectiveness. Drucker (2006) further identified the following eight factors : need identification, familiarity with organization culture and climate, development of action plans, responsiveness towards decisions, effective communication, taking advantage on opportunity, productive meetings and, team work, which are very common and enables the executive with required content knowledge and also helps him in translation of this knowledge into advantageous output. Sen and Saxsena (1999) enrich the list by adding i.e. do right things; focus on self contribution; time handling; motivational aspect; management of change; value system and ethics; as some important traits of an effective manager. In another study, Bao (2009) explored that provisions of necessary resources, appropriate staffing, training, and setting achievable goals are the factors that are able to promote managerial effectiveness. Stewart (1991, p.102) pointed that demand, constraints, and available choices of jobs are three important ele ments that are required in order to be an effective manager. The above discussion suggests that different researchers have highlighted different dimensions and aspects of managerial effectiveness and also suggests mapping of the degree of effectiveness of any individual basis not only on his skills, knowledge and personal competencies but also on his interpersonal interactions and the ways how he manages his team. Scope of the study Managers have been defined as those who organize business activities and every organization depends on managers. With growing competition, boom in information technology and availability of substitute products and services, job of a manager has become very complex and important. Not only the organization but also the development of any nation depends upon the effectiveness and contribution of its people. India is being a rapidly growing country and with different dynamic market forces (i.e. science and technical breakthrough, economical growth, infrastructure development, flow of FDI, Global Mergers and acquisition of firms etc.) increasing in number and tendency, needs organizations equipped with effective and efficient managers who can optimally utilize the available resources, and can contribute in the national development. So, it is very important to explore the perception of Indian managers towards different dimensions of managerial effectiveness. Objectives and Aims of Study Main objective of this paper is: To explore the perception of managers towards dimensions of managerial effectiveness. To investigate the managerial effectiveness perception of managers at different level (senior level, middle level, and junior level) To compare managerial effectiveness perception of male and female managers in Indian organization. Research Methodology Sample, Size and Instrument The study targeted all level of managers (senior, middle, and junior level) in large public and private sector companies in India and based on primary data. A survey was carried by means of a self administered and open ended scale developed and validated by Mott (1971). The scale basically divided in to three subscales (productivity, adaptability, and flexibility) consisting of eight items. The Cronbach alpha for the present scale is .78 as overall effectiveness scale. After establishing rapport, the subjects are asked to tick mark his or her choice against any of the five statements in each set. Scoring for the scale was done manually after getting response. There is no right or wrong answer to the statements or items. A total 63 response collected from 16 Indian (Service and manufacturing both) organizations (Details given in Table I). After collection of response data was initially administered by using Factor analysis, average and means. Factor analysis was used to reduce the dimensions of the factors and also to explain the variance in the observed variables in terms of latent factors (Kundu, 2003). Finally mean of the overall scale used to interpret managerial effectiveness with experience, position held by executive. Profile of Respondents: Position, Gender and Age A large fraction (Table II) of the respondent were male (N=52; 82.5%) and female comprise small fraction (N=11; 17.5%). Age profile of respondent varies with the youngest manager at 24 and oldest executive at 57 years old with average age of 40 years. All the respondents have some experience of work which varies between a range of 1 year to 34 years and with an average value of 16 years of experience. Most of the respondent (N=30) held senior level position, small portion (N=10) held junior level position and remaining (N=23) belongs to the middle level position. Analysis and Results Since the objective of this study is to find out the dimensions of managerial effectiveness. To achieve this, factor analysis has been used for data analysis. Before employing factor analysis data was examined whether the size of sample is adequate to run factor analysis and outputs shows that the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO=.703) value is near to 1 and indicates that the patterns of correlations are condensed. Bartletts test of sphericity with approximated chi square value 91.068 and with 28 degree of freedom, which is significant at the 0.05 level and held the factor analysis appropriate. A total of 8 variables regarding perception of managerial effectiveness were subjected to principal component analysis with varimax rotation by using the factors with eigen value more than 1.00 were retained. Harman (1976) indicated that factors with Loading score greater 0.29 at the 0.05 level were significant but in this study the factors having loading greater than 0.4 were considered and included to define the factor. Factor analysis has extracted a good amount of variance with values of communalities vary from 0.465 to 0.838. Three factors were extracted on the basis of eigen value criterion more than 1 (ranging from 1.058 to 2.790) and explaining 63.334% of variance. Table III gives rotated loading of variables for extracted three factors, Eigen value, and variance explained by each factors. At last on the basis of results from statistical analysis (Table III) of primary data a total of three factors are extracted and explained hereunder. Productivity This is first factor which shows highest value of variance and measure the productivity in terms of physical output of product and service delivered. This factor also includes using new method of production for capacity enhancement, optimum and efficient utilization of resources, and problem anticipation. Adaptability Second important factor with variance value 15.237% includes the variables i.e. acceptance of new system design, and adjustment to new work situation. Quality Flexibility The last one includes two variables each for quality and flexibility and measure the perception of employees towards work quality, and coping with new emergencies rapidly and successfully. Table IV shows the pattern of correlation between the items/variables measured reveals the correlation among eight items/variables used in the study. It can be observed that variable 6 (acceptance of change) has highest correlation with Variable 7 (adjustment to new situation) with a correlation coefficient of .450 (p> .01) followed by variable 1 (productivity) with variable 5 (change management). Table further reveals that highest correlation is observed among variable 2 (quality) and variable 8 (damage control) with a value of .405 and followed by variable 1 (productivity) and variable 4 (problem solving) and further with variable 4 and variable 5. Overall correlation matrix reveals the association among variables is statically significant. Table V shows the mean value of overall managerial perception of managers held different position and having varying work experience. It shows mangers at senior level (with mean value 3.42) have significant in compare to junior level (with mean value 3.06) but very little low than managers at middle level (mean value 3.5). The overall mean value of scale is (with mean value 3.40) very near to mean value of senior managers but significantly differ in the case of junior level managers. Their managerial perception lies below the average score. Managers at middle level have larger value than total mean value of overall scale and they also show greater perception than both other levels. But it gives contrary results with increasing work experience, from junior to middle level it increases but from middle to senior level it falls again. Results also show that mean value (3.42) of overall perception of managerial effectiveness remains above from mean value of total sample (3.40) and the mea n value of male participants (3.36) remains little somewhat lower than mean value of total sample (3.40). Average work experience of male (26) and female (9) participant support that it has no a significant impact on overall managerial perception. Discussion This study provides an overview of managerial (senior, middle, and junior level) effectiveness perception. A scale consisting of subscale (productivity, adaptability, and flexibility) and eight variables used to get responses from the sample. Mott (1971) grouped these eight variables under three factors i.e. productivity (three items/variables production output, optimum utilization of resources, and adoption of new method of production), adaptability (three items/variables i.e. quality, problem anticipation, and acceptance of changes) and flexibility (it includes two items/variables adjustment to new situation and cope with emergencies readily and successfully). Luthans et al. (1988) in his study also explained the same variable and describe a model of managerial effectiveness. Results of present study reveals the grouping of variables under the factors, factor analysis sorted the three important factor which are explained as productivity (including four items/ variables production output, optimum utilization of resources, and problem anticipation, and adoption of new method of production) As result shown in Table III, productivity has the maximum variance with 34.881% it shows that managerial productivity is highly related with managerial effectiveness and it is measured by the extent of their output (Laufer and Jenkins 1984; Reddin 1970; Campbell et al. 1970). Analoui (1997) explained that managerial effectiveness is depends on the extent of output of productivity. Dayal also (1984) in his study identified the developing capability of employees as an important dimension; the present study also identified the efficiency of employees as important variable for managerial effectiveness. Productivity of employees in this study includes items i.e. output of pro ducts and services, optimum utilization, problem anticipation and adoption of new method for production, these all variables can be concluded under competence of mangers and competence is identified by Gupta (1996) as one of significant dimensions of managerial effectiveness. Labbaf et al. (1996) referred competence as key stone of managerial effectiveness and also mean for improved organizational performance and effectiveness, and this competence further considered to reiterate the overall capability of management. Another important dimension of managerial importance which appeared from the study is the adaptability (includes two items i.e. acceptance of changes, adjustment to new situation) and it shows some contrasting results from the literature (Mott 1971: Chauhan et al. 2005; Luthans et al.1988) and only two variable shows significant rotation loading (0.6978, 0.907) with factor two adaptability with a variance of 15.237%. The third factor which evolved from the factor analysis has been named as quality concern and responsiveness and include two variable i.e. quality of services and products, and cope with new emergencies readily and successfully with a variance value of 13.226%. The important findings from the study are that this study reassembles the variables/items of original scale with significant alpha value and correlation pattern for perception of managerial effectiveness. The study also (table V) found that effectiveness perception has little significant effect of work experience and position held and increases with the experience. Mean value for overall effectiveness increases from junior level (3.06) to middle level (3.5) and again falls from middle to senior level (3.42). These findings are in tune with Sriastva and Kumar (1984) who explained that junior level executive are less effective than middle level executive. The study also found that overall managerial effectiveness of female managers (mean value 3.42) is more than their male counterpart (mean value 3.36) and their overall effectiveness is also greater than the average effectiveness of the whole sample (with mean value 3.40) and support the view of Schwartz (1992) that if a company attrac t, promote, reward and values women it will speaks directly and also provide a evidence for equal opportunity on employment. Overall mean value for the effectiveness remains close to the senior level and middle level and it proves that degree of effectiveness raises with respect to the position of managers in the hierarchy of the organization. Results further explain the if all variables are considered independently than Variable like adjustment to new situation, quality, and optimum utilization of resources (Table III) shows the higher loading value (0.8 Conclusion and implications The present study aimed to explore the dimensions of managerial effectiveness within the context of Indian organization and to analyze the impact of experience and level of manager (senior, middle, junior) on their overall effectiveness, and also to compare the female and male counterparts. Results of the study support the findings of other studies and suggest that effectiveness of managers at work place is generally a function of items, and importance of these items vary form manager to manger and from organization to organization, and it is, therefore assumed as the extent to which a mangers achieves. Findings from the study indicate the changed perception of managers in Indian organization from past, the reassemblies of items and emergence of responsiveness as new factor shows it clearly. Each of three factor shows a good value of Cronnbach alpha (productivity 0.78, adaptability 0.69, and quality and responsiveness .74) and validate the reassembly of items in the factors i.e. productivity, adaptability, and quality and responsiveness. Furthermore, the study reveals that there is a clear indication that female managers are more effective as compared to their male counterparts and hence strives for increased number of female managers in Indian organization at all level. Another important finding of the study is that effectiveness is not associated with the age of mangers (it increases from junior to middle and again fall form middle to senior level). In case of junior manager the study support that training and development programs can play significant role to raise their effectiveness. On the basis of review of referred literature and empirical evidence from the study it is concluded that managerial effectiveness can be referred as continuous improvement of the output and it plays an important role in overall organizational effectiveness. 9. Scope for Future Research The present is study is based on the limited number of subjects and targeted organization, and also restricted to geographical boundaries. Further research can be done with large sample size and with more number of organizations. One more important aspect untouched by the study is the moderators and mediators of managerial effectiveness; these can be studies within same context with their degree of influence on effectiveness. Many scholars devised the items to measure the effectiveness (i.e. Analoui, Gupta, Dhar) but present study based on Mott scale. More research can be done with other available parameters also.

The Usefulness Of Swot Analysis To Organisations Business Essay

The Usefulness Of Swot Analysis To Organisations Business Essay Change is a very significant word in business. Modern business is defined as the most competitive and active. To survive in the modern competitive business environment, the organizations have to adopt their strategies to meet the changing demands and needs of the customers. SWOT analysis is one the most significant business strategies which helps the organizations to assess their current situation both internally and externally and to implement a new strategy where necessary. Moreover, modern high technology, communication system and online shopping are highly influencing the customers and thus their demands and needs are becoming volatile. They have more choices, alternative products and services to get. Also, the changing life style of human beings is also another important reason why the business organizations need to modify their strategies. To balance these changes, both technological and social, the managers should plan a SWOT analysis and implement a new business strategy. However, change in business enables an organization to compete with its rivals and win the business position. Business organizations, particularly fashion, clothing, perfumed, mobile companies, technological instruments consider change as the most vital part of business strategy. For manufacturing companies, change is important in the sense that it gives variety to the existing customers and satisfies their unexposed desires. However, to bring change in business environment, the first thing is to identify the need of change, which will be followed by a specific plan for these changes. Various business tools, process, technology and performance meters are used to incorporate these changes. There is no alternative for continuous improvement in business environment. To survive in a competitive business environment, continuous improvement is mandatory to meet the business objectives. So, SWOT analysis is very important for business organizations to implement a new business strategy in order to cope with the modern competitive business market and to meet business objectives. Modern Business Environment: Volatile Change is one of the most significant and vital elements in business market. There are lots of reasons whey business market is changing and getting affected by it. The word change has now become the part of corporate business. Change management is a modern business philosophy which is adopted almost by every renowned business organization to meet the challenges of volatile business environment. The reasons of rapid change in business can be economic instability, inflation, changing life style, extensive use of modern technology, etc. Rapid rise and death of new companies also affect business environment. What is SWOT Analysis? An internationally recognized and extensive used business tool, SWOT analysis is a powerful technique to assess the current situation of a business organization and to predict the future business life. It is the primary level for marketers to plan and focus on key issues. However, SWOT is an abbreviated term for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors, while opportunities and threats are external. History of SWOT analysis: Albert Humphrey developed the SWOT analysis technique. Team Action Model was the research project that Humphrey led a Stanford University in the 1960s and 1970s from where the term was derived. He collected the data for this research from many top companies. However, SWOT analysis is an extended form of TAM, which helps to manage change in business organization. Moreover, since 1960s organizations have been using SWOT analysis as a business concept. It has been also used in management structure and corporate marketing. Indeed, with the passage of time the concepts of SWOT have been modified to suit the needs of business setting. Significance of SWOT analysis: SWOT analysis is one of the most significant business tools, which aims to assess the current situation of an organization in order to develop business strategies to encounter competition. It is a key element of strategic development. It helps a company to predict its future prospects and the financial environment. Again, it helps an organization to develop its critical and specific decisions to plan strategic objectives. It helps organizations to predict future difficulties or problems. Notably, SWOT analysis can also be used in human life. It helps individuals to get an instant view of personality or career. In fact, SWOT analysis is a magnificent tool for appraisal both in business and individual life. Apart from these, there are numbers of other reasons whey an organization uses SWOT analysis. It can be used as a tool of problem solving, decision making, planning, brainstorm meetings, workshop sessions, product evaluation and also personal development planning. Discussion and Analysis: SWOT A tool for auditing an organization and its environment, SWOT analysis is the primary stage of planning which helps marketers to focus on key issues of business strategies. However, SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. Opportunities and threats are external factors. SWOT ANALYSIS: INTERNAL FACTORS Strengths Strengths are the first elements of SWOT analysis which assesses the positive tangible and intangible attributes of an organization internally. These attributes are controllable and within the organizations. These strengths of a person or a company help to achieve the objectives. Strengths can also be defined as the elements which enable an organization to do well, comparing to the competitors. It focuses on the advantages of the organization over the business. For example, the strengths of an organization can be good quality of the products, brand image, attention of electronic media, customer loyalty, best location, strong communication, etc. Weaknesses Weaknesses include the elements which are harmful and stand in the way of achieving the business objectives. These are the internal factors within an organizations control that prevent to gain the desired objectives. It helps the organizations to identify the specific areas where improvements are necessary. The weaknesses of an organization, for instance, can be poor quality standards, broken reputation, past loss project, rejected by customers, old fashioned products, poor communication system, negligence of media, etc. SWOT ANALYSIS: EXERNAL FACTORS Opportunities Opportunities are the external factors over which the organization does have control. But, these factors affect the companys profitability and business processes both directly and indirectly. These are the factors why an organization exists and develops. These factors help an organization to foresee the future possibilities and opportunities that the organization may encounter. They help the organization to plan and identify the time line to achieve the objectives. Indeed, opportunities are the objectives of organization in a broad sense. For example, the opportunities of an organization can be a new business market, extending business overseas or to other outlets, launching a new product, adding new value (such as, online marketing), moving to global market, etc. Threats Threats are the external factors which cause dangers and risks for an organization to achieve the goals and objectives. As external factors, organizations do not have control over them, but are highly affected by them. These factors help an organization to have safeguard from risks and dangers. These factors also guide the organization to drive on the right road. Threats of an organization, for example, can be: Rising popularity of the competitors in local or global market Changing habits of customers Pricing competition with competitors Arrival of new alternative product in the market New taxation policy Difference between external and internal factors of SWOT: The difference between external factors and internal factors of SWOT analysis is very obvious. The basic difference between the two is that internal factors are controllable, while external factors cannot be controlled by the organization. Usually, the external factors (strengths and weaknesses) of an organization are mainly based on organization itself, corporate market or customer needs and demands. The strength of an organization can be defined as the way of meeting customer needs and satisfaction, while weaknesses are the problems or shortcomings that the company faces to fulfill the market or customer demands. However, the internal factors of an organization usually affect the following factors, such as sale and profitability, product quality and brand image, product cost and customer needs, employee potentiality and the financial ability of management, etc. On the other hand, the external factors of an organization are the issues that affect not only organization but the total business system. The common issues that affect the company externally can be business segments, customer motivations and unmet needs, business strategies, overall business structures, environmental issues (such as governmental, technological, economic, cultural, demographic, etc.), etc. How to implement SWOT Analysis? Though appeared as a simple and easy business tool, SWOT analysis is very powerful and meaningful technique. To implement SWOT analysis, the first thing an organization needs to have is time and adequate information and resources. It is not possible to implement a SWOT analysis in an organization by one person, because it requires team work and efforts. The positive traits of this technique are that it is quick, flexible and comprehensive managing tool, which make the process easy to implement. However, the process of SWOT analysis follows a sequential order. Obviously, there are four steps to follow in this analysis. Whether analyzing a product or a service, the SWOT analysis is done in the same way. First Step: Collection of information In this stage, an organization collects all the information regarding the first two internal factors, strengths and weaknesses. However, this information collection can be done through a number of different ways. One-to-one interview or a group discussion can be carried to gather information. There will be number of different views, questions and issues that related to these elements. Second Step: Listing possible Opportunities and Threats Here, the organization can make a list of all the opportunities that it may encounter in the future. It can make another list of all the future possible threats within the organization. Third Step: Planning action In this stage, the plan of action will carried out to meet these opportunities and to secure the company from the threats. In this stage, the organization makes sure that they can maintain the strengths, change or stop the weaknesses, prioritize opportunies and minimize threats. Again, there are other ways to implement SWOT analysis. The following chart shows another different technique of SWOT analysis. SWOT Analysis Framework Environmental Scan   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  / Internal Analysis  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  External Analysis /   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  / Strengths  Ã‚  Ã‚  Weaknesses  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Opportunities  Ã‚  Ã‚  Threats | SWOT Matrix According to the SWOT matrix formula, there must be a balance between these elements. The formula follows the following chart: SWOT / TOWS Matrix Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities S-O strategies W-O strategies Threats S-T strategies W-T strategies S-O strategies: strengthening positive traits or opportunities W-O strategies: stopping or conquering weaknesses to meet opportunities. S-T strategies: strengthening ways to win external threats W-T strategies: having a strong plan to avoid weaknesses and threats CASE STUDY: SWOT ANALYSIS OF TESCO There are numbers of organizations which are using SWOT analysis almost every day in this modern business environment. This analysis can be carried on a small area of the organization or on overall company. TESCO is one of the major global business installations which can be analyzed by applying SWOT analysis as a whole. Strengths in Tesco The first strength of Tesco can be found in their popularity and business achievement of World Retail Award. Again, the constant increase of overall sales is another significant strength of Tesco. Likewise, Tesco has another strength in their reserve funds for business expansion and meeting economic crisis. Weaknesses in Tesco The primary weakness of Tesco can be found in their bad debt, house insurance claims and credit card arrears. Being a price leader in the market, Tesco is losing profit. Again, Tesco business and its profitability is mainly based on the UK market. Opportunities in Tesco Being the 3rd largest global trader, Tesco has strong buying power. Tesco is a global business organization which has number of different products and services. It is still extending to the global market and gaiting global trust. Extensive use of modern technology is enabling Tesco to meet the modern challenge of marketing. Constant increase of Tesco mobile customers can also be considered as a business opportunity. Threats in Tesco Economic inflation is one of the major business threats that Tesco had encounter in the recent past. The rising cost of food and non-food raw materials is another threat for Tesco. Changing buying habits of customers also affect Tescos business strategies and thus it requires reassessment of the current market. Competition with rivals, particularly with Wal-Mart which can takeover Tesco business position anytime is another noteworthy threat that Tesco is encountering nowadays. CONCLUSION To sum up, SWOT analysis is one of the powerful business tools which can be used in almost every business situation and also in individual affairs. It helps organizations to assess their current position and to plan their future plans. It is decision making tool that provides the framework for an organization to generate business strategy, mark its position and direct its objectives. Though very simple, SWOT analysis requires close attention and experienced application. In the modern changing business market, SWOT analysis has been proved to be a very important tool to the marketers. SWOT analysis is often said to be paralleled and alternative to the PESTEL analysis. Often, organizations use both these business tools together to plan their strategies. Once again, the SWOT analysis helps organizations to get an overall picture of the company and the starting point of strategic planning. It is the primary tool of business analysis. To conclude, experienced marketers when utilizing SWOT analysis make sure that the company is based on its strengths and opportunities, able to stop and correct its weakness, and can protect itself from external threats. They consider the business environment extremely unpredictable and thus use this tool that may help organizations to predict their future through this process.

the outsiders :: essays research papers

"The Outsiders" is a story that deals with a conflict between two gangs, the "Greasers" from the East Side of town and the "Socs" from the West-side of town. This is a story that is told in the first person. This book took place in the early 1960’s.The mood of the story, in my point of view, was pretty misfortunate and is a tragedy, because when you think that it couldn’t get worse, it just did. Ponyboy Curtis is the one telling the story. The novel starts off, one day, as Ponyboy is walking home from a movie, he was about to get jumped and beaten by a gang of Socs, but at the last minute, his gang of greasers that includes his brothers Darry and Sodapop, who raise Ponyboy now that their parents have past away, the big tuff Dally Winston, innocent Johnny, and the loud and wise-cracking Two-Bit, show up to save him. The night after Jonny and Ponyboy went to the movies with Dally. They sat behind a pair of attractive Soc girls, whom Dally hits on very obnoxiously. After Johnny tells him to stop, Johnny and Ponyboy sit with the girls, Cherry and Marcia, and Ponyboy and Cherry finds out that they both have a lot in common. Ponyboy and Jonny sees Two-Bit there so they all sat together. As they are walking back to Two-Bit’s house so he could drive the girls home, they run into the girls’ drunk boyfriends. Cherry and Marcia agree to leave and go home with their boyfriends to prevent a big fight. Ponyboy got home very late, which made Darry very angry, but most of all worried. So sick and tired of having his brother critisizing and inspecting every little thing that he does, Ponyboy yells at Darry, which caused them to get in a bad argument. Being so furious Darry slaps Ponyboy across the face! In shock that his brother had slapped him, he ran out the door and meet up with Jonny, they left for the park. At the park Ponyboy and Jonny sees Bob and Randy, Cherry and Marcia’s boyfriends, with some of their Soc friends. One of the Socs held Ponyboy's head under the water of the fountain, and Ponyboy blacks out. When Ponyboy finally woke up he was lying next to Jonny. He looks to the side and sees a bloody corpse, it was Bob. To save Ponyboy, Johnny had to killed Bob. In the second third of the novel, so terrified, the only person that they thought that could help them was Dallas Winston.

paradigms :: essays research papers

The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it. "acategories.asp?Author=Flannery+O%27Connor+%281925%2D1964%29" If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts. "acategories.asp?Author=Albert+Einstein+%281879%2D1955%29" everyone since teh beginning fo time has had their own views and standards for the way that everything around them should be. these views are seemingly set in stone and unchangeable. there are many examples in the past of terrible consequences for expressing views other than the norm at the time. more recently this apprehension to change was described by Thomas Kuhn in his book, The Structure of Scientific Revoulutions. Kuhn’s book was focused on the scientific world. He said that normal science â€Å"means research firmly based upon one or more past scientific achievments, achievments thatsome particular scientific community aacknowledges for a time as supplying the foundation for its further practice† (Kuhn 10). These achievments needed to be unprecedented and open-ended so as to attract a group away from competing ideas and to leave all sorts of problems for this group to resolve. these achievments are called paradigms. a paradigm is defined by Kuhn as â€Å"an accepted canon of scientific practice, including laws, theory, applications, and instrumentation, that provides a model for a particular coherent tradition of scientific research† (Trigger 5). When results arise that cannot be explained through the current paradigm, a new paradigm may begin to form. the new paradigm originates with new theories that are proposed as a result of the anomalies that were found. â€Å"to be accepted as a paradigm, a theory must seem better than its competitors, but it need not, and in fact never does, explain all the facts with which it can be confronted† (Kuhn 17-18). when the new paradigm is finally accepted, a paradigm-shift occurs. the paradigm shift represents Kuhn’s â€Å"scientific revolution†. Once the paradigm-shift is completed normal science returns under the new paradigm until new set of unexplainable facts arise. paradigms help scientific communities to bind their discipline in that they help the scientist to do several things. they help to create avenues fo inquiry, formulate questions, select methods with which to examine questions and define areas fo relevance. Kuhn writes â€Å"In the absence fo a paradigm or some candidate for paradigm, all the facts that could possibly pertain to the development of a given science are likely to seem equally relevant† (Kuhn 15). what he was trying to show was that there must be a way to limit the direction of one’s research based on what is considered to be known from the past.

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening Chapter Thirteen

Elena stood within the circle of adults and police, waiting for a chance to escape. She knew that Matt had warned Stefan in time-his face told her that-but he hadn't been able to get close enough to speak with her. At last, with all attention turned toward the body, she detached herself from the group and edged toward Matt. â€Å"Stefan got out all right,† he said, his eyes on the group of adults. â€Å"But he told me to take care of you, and I want you to stay here.† â€Å"To take care of me?† Alarm and suspicion flashed through Elena. Then, almost in a whisper, she said, â€Å"I see.† She thought a moment and then spoke carefully. â€Å"Matt, I need to go wash my hands. Bonnie got blood on me. Wait here; I'll be back.† He started to say something in protest, but she was already moving away. She held up her stained hands in explanation as she reached the door of the girls' locker room, and the teacher who was now standing there let her through. Once in the locker room, however, she kept on going, right out the far door and into the darkened school. And from there, into the night. Zuccone! Stefan thought, grabbing a bookcase and flinging it over, sending its contents flying. Fool! Blind, hateful fool. How could he have been so stupid? Find a place with them here? Be accepted as one of them? He must have been mad to have thought it was possible. He picked up one of the great heavy trunks and threw it across the room, where it crashed against the far wall, splintering a window. Stupid,stupid . Who was after him? Everybody. Matt had said it. â€Å"There's been another attack†¦ They think you did it.† Well, for once it looked as if the barbari , the petty living humans with their fear of anything unknown, were right. How else did you explain what had happened? He had felt the weakness, the spinning, swirling confusion; and then darkness had taken him. When he'd awakened it was to hear Matt saying that another human had been pillaged, assaulted. Robbed this time not only of his blood, but of his life. How did you explainthat unless he, Stefan, were the killer? A killer was what he was. Evil. A creature born in the dark, destined to live and hunt and hide there forever. Well, why not kill, then? Why not fulfill his nature? Since he could not change it, he might as well revel in it. He would unleash his darkness upon this town that hated him, that hunted him even now. But first†¦ he was thirsty. His veins burned like a network of dry, hot wires. He needed to feed†¦ soon†¦ now. The boarding house was dark. Elena knocked at the door but received no answer. Thunder cracked overhead. There was still no rain. After the third barrage of knocking, she tried the door, and it opened. Inside, the house was silent and pitch black. She made her way to the staircase by feel and went up it. The second landing was just as dark, and she stumbled, trying to find the bedroom with the stairway to the third floor. A faint light showed at the top of the stairs, and she climbed toward it, feeling oppressed by the walls, which seemed to close in on her from either side. The light came from beneath the closed door. Elena tapped on it lightly and quickly. â€Å"Stefan,† she whispered, and then she called more loudly, â€Å"Stefan, it's me.† No answer. She grasped the knob and pushed the door open, peering around the side. â€Å"Stefan-† She was speaking to an empty room. And a room filled with chaos. It looked as if some great wind had torn through, leaving destruction in its path. The trunks that had stood in corners so sedately were lying at grotesque angles, their lids gaping open, their contents strewn about the floor. One window was shattered. All Stefan's possessions, all the things he had kept so carefully and seemed to prize, were scattered like rubbish. Terror swept through Elena. The fury, the violence in this scene of devastation were painfully clear, and they made her feel almost giddy. Somebody who has a history of violence, Tyler had said. I don't care, she thought, anger surging up to push back the fear. I don't care about anything, Stefan; I still want to see you. But where are you? The trapdoor in the ceiling was open, and cold air was blowing down. Oh, thought Elena, and she had a sudden chill of fear. That roof was so high†¦ She'd never climbed the ladder to the widow's walk before, and her long skirt made it difficult. She emerged through the trapdoor slowly, kneeling on the roof and then standing up. She saw a dark figure in the corner, and she moved toward it quickly. â€Å"Stefan, I had to come-† she began, and broke off short, because a flash of lightning lit the sky just as the figure in the corner whirled around. And then it was as if every foreboding and fear and nightmare she'd ever had were coming true all at once. It was beyond screaming at; it was beyond anything. Oh, God†¦ no. Her mind refused to make sense of what her eyes were seeing. No. No. She wouldn't look at this, she wouldn't believe it†¦ But she could not help seeing. Even if she could have shut her eyes, every detail of the scene was etched upon her memory. As if the flash of lightning had seared it onto her brain forever. Stefan. Stefan, so sleek and elegant in his ordinary clothes, in his black leather jacket with the collar turned up. Stefan, with his dark hair like one of the roiling storm clouds behind him. Stefan had been caught in that flash of light, half turned toward her, his body twisted into a bestial crouch, with a snarl of animal fury on his face. And blood. That arrogant, sensitive, sensual mouth was smeared with blood. It showed ghastly red against the pallor of his skin, against the sharp whiteness of his bared teeth. In his hands was the limp body of a mourning dove, white as those teeth, wings outspread. Another lay on the ground at his feet, like a crumpled and discarded handkerchief. â€Å"Oh, God, no,† Elena whispered. She went on whispering it, backing away, scarcely aware that she was doing either. Her mind simply could not cope with this horror; her thoughts were running wildly in panic, like mice trying to escape a cage. She wouldn't believe this, she wouldn'tbelieve . Her body was filled with unbearable tension, her heart was bursting, her head reeling. â€Å"Oh, God,no-† â€Å"Elena!† More terrible than anything else was this, to seeStefan looking at her out of that animal face, to see the snarl changing into a look of shock and desperation. â€Å"Elena, please. Please, don't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Oh, God,no !† The screams were trying to rip their way out of her throat. She backed farther away, stumbling, as he took a step toward her. â€Å"No!† â€Å"Elena, please-be careful-† That terrible thing, the thing with Stefan's face, was coming after her, green eyes burning. She flung herself backward as he took another step, his hand outstretched. That long, slender-fingered hand that had stroked her hair so gently- â€Å"Don't touch me!† she cried. And then she did scream, as her motion brought her back against the iron railing of the widow's walk. It was iron that had been there for nearly a century and a half, and in places it was nearly rusted through. Elena's panicked weight against it was too much, and she felt it give way. She heard the tearing sound of overstressed metal and wood mingling with her own shriek. And then there was nothing behind her, nothing to grab on to, and she was falling. In that instant, she saw the seething purple clouds, the dark bulk of the house beside her. It seemed that she had enough time to see them clearly, and to feel an infinity of terror as she screamed and fell, and fell. But the terrible, shattering impact never came. Suddenly there were arms around her, supporting her in the void. There was a dull thud and the arms tightened, weight giving against her, absorbing the crash. Then all was still. She held herself motionless within the circle of those arms, trying to get her bearings. Trying to believe yet another unbelievable thing. She had fallen from a three-story roof, and yet she was alive. She was standing in the garden behind the boarding house, in the utter silence between claps of thunder, with fallen leaves on the ground where her broken body should be. Slowly, she brought her gaze upward to the face of the one who held her. Stefan. There had been too much fear, too many blows tonight. She could react no longer. She could only stare up at him with a kind of wonder. There was such sadness in his eyes. Those eyes that had burned like green ice were now dark and empty, hopeless. The same look that she'd seen that first night in his room, only now it was worse. For now there was self-hatred mixed with the sorrow, and bitter condemnation. She couldn't bear it. â€Å"Stefan,† she whispered, feeling that sadness enter her own soul. She could still see the tinge of red on his lips, but now it awakened a thrill of pity along with the instinctive horror. To be so alone, so alien and so alone†¦ â€Å"Oh, Stefan,† she whispered. There was no answer in those bleak, lost eyes. â€Å"Come,† he said quietly, and led her back toward the house. Stefan felt a rush of shame as they reached the third story and the destruction that was his room. That Elena, of all people, should see this was insupportable. But then, perhaps it was also fitting that she should see what he truly was, what he could do. She moved slowly, dazedly to the bed and sat. Then she looked up at him, her shadowed eyes meeting his. â€Å"Tell me,† was all she said. He laughed shortly, without humor, and saw her flinch. It made him hate himself more. â€Å"What do you need to know?† he said. He put a foot on the lid of an overturned trunk and faced her almost defiantly, indicating the room with a gesture. â€Å"Who did this? I did.† â€Å"You're strong,† she said, her eyes on a capsized trunk. Her gaze lifted upward, as if she were remembering what had happened on the roof. â€Å"And quick.† â€Å"Stronger than a human,† he said, with deliberate emphasis on the last word. Why didn't she cringe from him now, why didn't she look at him with the loathing he had seen before? He didn't care what she thought any longer. â€Å"My reflexes are faster, and I'm more resilient. I have to be. I'm a hunter,† he said harshly. Something in her look made him remember how she had interrupted him. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then went quickly to pick up a glass of water that stood unharmed on the nightstand. He could feel her eyes on him as he drank it and wiped his mouth again. Oh, he still cared what she thought, all right. â€Å"You can eat and drink†¦ other things,† she said. â€Å"I don't need to,† he said quietly, feeling weary and subdued. â€Å"I don't need anything else.† He whipped around suddenly and felt passionate intensity rise in him again. â€Å"You said I was quick-but that's just what I'm not. Have you ever heard the saying ‘the quick and the dead,' Elena? Quick means living; it means those who have life. I'm the other half.† He could see that she was trembling. But her voice was calm, and her eyes never left his. â€Å"Tell me,† she said again. â€Å"Stefan, I have a right to know.† He recognized those words. And they were as true as when she had first said them. â€Å"Yes, I suppose you do,† he said, and his voice was tired and hard. He stared at the broken window for a few heartbeats and then looked back at her and spoke flatly. â€Å"I was born in the late fifteenth century. Do you believe that?† She looked at the objects that lay where he'd scattered them from the bureau with one furious sweep of his arm. The florins, the agate cup, his dagger. â€Å"Yes,† she said softly. â€Å"Yes, I believe it.† â€Å"And you want to know more? How I came to be what I am?† When she nodded, he turned to the window again. How could he tell her? He, who had avoided questions for so long, who had become such an expert at hiding and deceiving. There was only one way, and that was to tell the absolute truth, concealing nothing. To lay it all before her, what he had never offered to any other soul. And he wanted to do it. Even though he knew it would make her turn away from him in the end, he needed to show Elena what he was. And so, staring into the darkness outside the window, where flashes of blue brilliance occasionally lit the sky, he began. He spoke dispassionately, without emotion, carefully choosing his words. He told her of his father, that solid Renaissance man, and of his world in Florence and at their country estate. He told her of his studies and his ambitions. Of his brother, who was so different than he, and of the ill feeling between them. â€Å"I don't know when Damon started hating me,† he said. â€Å"It was always that way, as long as I can remember. Maybe it was because my mother never really recovered from my birth. She died a few years later. Damon loved her very much, and I always had the feeling that he blamed me.† He paused and swallowed. â€Å"And then, later, there was a girl.† â€Å"The one I remind you of?† Elena said softly. He nodded. â€Å"The one,† she said, more hesitantly, â€Å"who gave you the ring?† He glanced down at the silver ring on his finger, then met her eyes. Then, slowly, he drew out the ring he wore on the chain beneath his shirt and looked at it. â€Å"Yes. This was her ring,† he said. â€Å"Without such a talisman, we die in sunlight as if in a fire.† â€Å"Then she was†¦ like you?† â€Å"She made me what I am.† Haltingly, he told her about Katherine. About Katherine's beauty and sweetness, and about his love for her. And about Damon's. â€Å"She was too gentle, filled with too much affection,† he said at last, painfully. â€Å"She gave it to everyone, including my brother. But finally, we told her she had to choose between us. And then†¦ she came to me.† The memory of that night, of that sweet, terrible night came sweeping back. She had come to him. And he had been so happy, so full of awe and joy. He tried to tell Elena about that, to find the words. All that night he had been so happy, and even the next morning, when he had awakened and she was gone, he had been throned on highest bliss†¦ It might almost have been a dream, but the two little wounds on his neck were real. He was surprised to find that they did not hurt and that they seemed to be partially healed already. They were hidden by the high neck of his shirt. Herblood burned in his veins now, he thought, and the very words made his heart race. She had given her strength to him; she had chosen him. He even had a smile for Damon when they met at the designated place that evening. Damon had been absent from the house all day, but he showed up in the meticulously landscaped garden precisely on time, and stood lounging against a tree, adjusting his cuff. Katherine was late. â€Å"Perhaps she is tired,† Stefan suggested, watching the melon-colored sky fade into deep midnight blue. He tried to keep the shy smugness from his voice. â€Å"Perhaps she needs more rest than usual.† Damon glanced at him sharply, his dark eyes piercing under the shock of black hair. â€Å"Perhaps,† he said on a rising note, as if he would have said more. But then they heard a light step on the path, and Katherine appeared between the box hedges. She was wearing her white gown, and she was as beautiful as an angel. She had a smile for both of them. Stefan returned the smile politely, speaking their secret only with his eyes. Then he waited. â€Å"You asked me to make my choice,† she said, looking first at him and then at his brother. â€Å"And now you have come at the hour I appointed, and I will tell you what I have chosen.† She held up her small hand, the one with the ring on it, and Stefan looked at the stone, realizing it was the same deep blue as the evening sky. It was as if Katherine carried a piece of the night with her, always. â€Å"You have both seen this ring,† she said quietly. â€Å"And you know that without it I would die. It is not easy to have such talismans made, but fortunately my woman Gudren is clever. And there are many silversmiths in Florence.† Stefan was listening without comprehension, but when she turned to him he smiled again, encouragingly. â€Å"And so,† she said, gazing into his eyes. â€Å"I have had a present made for you.† She took his hand and pressed something into it. When he looked he saw that it was a ring in the same fashion as her own, but larger and heavier, and wrought in silver instead of gold. â€Å"You do not need it yet to face the sun,† she said softly, smiling. â€Å"But very soon you will.† Pride and rapture made him mute. He reached for her hand to kiss it, wanting to take her into his arms right then, even in front of Damon. But Katherine was turning away. â€Å"And for you,† she said, and Stefan thought his ears must be betraying him, for surely the warmth, the fondness in Katherine's voice could not be for his brother, â€Å"for you, also. You will need ft very soon as well.† Stefan's eyes must be traitors, too. They were showing him what was impossible, what could not be. Into Damon's hand Katherine was putting a ring just like his own. The silence that followed was absolute, like the silence after the world's ending. â€Å"Katherine-† Stefan could barely force out the words. â€Å"How can you give that tohim ? After what we shared-† â€Å"What you shared?† Damon's voice was like the crack of a whip, and he turned on Stefan angrily. â€Å"Last night she came to me. The choice is already made.† And Damon jerked down his high collar to show two tiny wounds in his throat. Stefan stared at them, fighting down the bright sickness. They were identical to his own wounds. He shook his head in utter bewilderment. â€Å"But, Katherine†¦ it was not a dream. You came tome †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I came to both of you.† Katherine's voice was tranquil, even pleased, and her eyes were serene. She smiled at Damon and then at Stefan in turn. â€Å"It has weakened me, but I am so glad I did. Don't you see?† she continued as they stared at her, too stunned to speak. â€Å"This is my choice! I love you both, and I will not give either of you up. Now we all three will be together, and be happy.† â€Å"Happy-† Stefan choked out. â€Å"Yes, happy! The three of us will be companions, joyous companions, forever.† Her voice rose with elation, and the light of a radiant child shone in her eyes. â€Å"We will be together always, never feeling sickness, never growing old, until the end of time! That is my choice.† â€Å"Happy†¦ with him ?† Damon's voice was shaking with fury, and Stefan saw that his normally self-contained brother was white with rage. â€Å"With thisboy standing between us, this prating, mouthing paragon of virtue? I can barely stand the sight of him now. I wish to God that I should never see him again, never hear his voice again!† â€Å"And I wish the same ofyou , brother,† snarled Stefan, his heart tearing in his breast. This was Damon's fault; Damon had poisoned Katherine's mind so that she no longer knew what she was doing. â€Å"And I have half a mind to make sure of it,† he added savagely. Damon did not mistake his meaning. â€Å"Then get your sword, if you can find it,† he hissed back, his eyes black with menace. â€Å"Damon, Stefan, please! Please, no!† Katherine cried, putting herself between them, catching Stefan's arm. She looked from one to the other, her blue eyes wide with shock and bright with unshed tears. â€Å"Think of what you are saying. You are brothers.† â€Å"By no fault of mine,† Damon grated, making the words a curse. â€Å"But can you not make peace? For me, Damon†¦ Stefan?Please .† Part of Stefan wanted to melt at Katherine's desperate look, at her tears. But wounded pride and jealousy were too strong, and he knew his face was as hard, as unyielding, as Damon's. â€Å"No,† he said. â€Å"We cannot. It must be one or the other, Katherine. I will never share you withhim .† Katherine's hand fell away from his arm, and the tears fell from her eyes, great droplets that splashed onto the white gown. She caught her breath in a wrenching sob. Then, still weeping, she picked up her skirts and ran. â€Å"And then Damon took the ring she had given him and put it on,† Stefan said, his voice hoarse with use and emotion. â€Å"And he said to me, ‘I'll have her yet,brother .' And then he walked away.† He turned, blinking as if he'd come into a bright light from the dark, and looked at Elena. She was sitting quite still on the bed, watching him with those eyes that were so much like Katherine's. Especially now, when they were filled with sorrow and dread. But Elena did not run. She spoke to him. â€Å"And†¦ what happened then?† Stefan's hands clenched violently, reflexively, and he jerked away from the window. Not that memory. He could not endure that memory himself, much less try tospeak it. How could he do that? How could he take Elena down into that darkness and show her the terrible things lurking there? â€Å"No,† he said. â€Å"I can't. Ican't .† â€Å"You have to tell me,† she said softly. â€Å"Stefan, it's the end of the story, isn't it? That's what's behind all your walls, that's what you're afraid to let me see. But you must let me see it. Oh, Stefan, you can't stop now.† He could feel the horror reaching for him, the yawning pit he had seen so clearly, felt so clearly that day long ago. The day when it had all ended-when it had all begun. He felt his hand taken, and when he looked he saw Elena's fingers closed about it, giving him warmth, giving him strength. Her eyes were on his. â€Å"Tell me.† â€Å"You want to know what happened next, what became of Katherine?† he whispered. She nodded, her eyes nearly blind but still steady. â€Å"I'll tell you, then. She died the next day. My brother Damon and I, we killed her.†