What Family Family Means to Me

Abstract Family is important as it is also important to have a happy family. We might think at times what makes a happy family? Is there such a thing as a happy family? Or is it possible to have a happy family. Having a happy family as we all might know is not an easy task to do, but it is neither impossible. What we can do is search for element to guide us through a happy family. I understand that no one is perfect therefore; there is no perfect happy family. We will learn that a happy family is unique and different from other happy families since we are all different human beings.What Makes Up a Happy Family Is There Such A Thing? â€Å"All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. † (Sokolik, 2010) There is a question that at some point in life a family member may ask themselves is there such a thing as a happy family, or what the elements are in order to have a happy family. Every family is happy in a unique way, there is no such a thing to b e a one hundred percent happy family with no problems what so ever. Every family has problems whether they are marriage problems or problems with their children.They also share sadness, happiness, love, freedom and many more emotions at the same time; otherwise it would not be a happy family. â€Å"In happy families, family comes before friends. The camp counselor understands something that parents don’t and that is that caring for kids also has to be fun. Give rules, but understand that kids need fun, too. When kids get bored and listless, they start looking for excitement out of the home and that is when friends become more important. Friendship is important but subordinate to family. (Mann, 2012) Therefore we should not let our children become bored of us and look for their friends. We must save the future conflicts and try to have the most possible fun with our children so they don’t get bored of us and enjoy being with us their parents, their family. References A gnes, M. (2003). Webster's New World Dictionary. New York : Pocket Books. Mann, D. (2012). Web MD. Retrieved April 2012, from WebMD, LLC: http://www. webmd. com/parenting/features/15-secrets-to-have-a-happy-family Sokolik, M. K. (2010). Sound Ideas. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Others vs. leaders Essay

To further test why there was a difference in the above results, t-test was further conducted between the two groups to identify the items where there are possible differences between the two groups under study. B. 1. Leadership, Item 1: There was no significant difference between the Leadership mean scores of the Others Group and the Leaders Group. This means that as far as the Leadership indicators were concerned the two groups could be considered as belonging to the same population, Table 4. Table 4. T-Test Results of Leadership Mean Scores of the Others Group and the Leaders Group Variables Others Leaders t-test Significance. Leadership 3. 805 4. 186 -1. 68 p=0. 10n. s. n. s. = not significant (accept hypothesis: mean scores of others = leaders) * significant at 1% level (reject null hypothesis) This implied that although the respondents belonged to different echelons in the organization studied, as far as the Leadership, Item 1, measures are concerned; the Junior Officers and the Senior Officers perform at the same level. B. 2. Strategic Planning, Item 2: The t-test showed there was no significant difference between mean scores of the two groups suggesting uniformity in perception as far as the indicators of strategic planning were concerned, Table 5. Table 5. T-Test Results of Strategic Planning Mean Scores of the Others Group and the Leaders Group Variables Others Leaders t-test Significance Strategic Planning 3. 852 4. 19 -1. 13 p=0. 265n. s. n. s. = not significant (accept hypothesis: mean scores of others = leaders) * significant at 1% level (reject null hypothesis) B. 3. Customer and Market Focus, Item 3: The t-test on comparing the mean scores of the Others Group and the Leaders Group showed a significant difference between the two groups with the Leaders Group considerably had higher mean score, Table 6. Table 6. T-Test Results of Customer and Market Focus Mean Scores of the Others Group and the Leaders Group Variables Others Leaders t-test Significance Customer and Market Focus 2. 708 3. 143 -2. 09 p=0. 043 * n. s. = not significant (accept hypothesis: mean scores of others = leaders) * significant at 1% level (reject null hypothesis) B. 4. Measurement, Analyses and Knowledge Management, Item 4: There is no significant difference between the Measurement, Analyses, and Knowledge Management mean scores of the Others Group and the Leaders Group, Table 7. Table 7. T-Test Results of Measurement, Analyses, and Knowledge Management Mean Scores of the Others Group and the Leaders Group Variables Others Leaders t-test Significance Measurement, Analyses, and Knowledge Management 3. 795 3. 531 0. 64 p=0. 527n. s. n. s. = not significant (accept hypothesis: mean scores of others = leaders) * significant at 1% level (reject null hypothesis) B. 5. Human Resource Focus, Item 5: There is no significant difference between the Human Resource Focus mean scores of the Others Group and the Leaders Group, Table 8. Table 8. T-Test Results of Human Resource Focus Mean Scores of the Others Group and the Leaders Group Variables Others Leaders t-test Significance Human Resource Focus 3. 217 3. 35 -0. 55 p=0. 587n. s. n. s. = not significant (accept hypothesis: mean scores of others = leaders) * significant at 1% level (reject null hypothesis) B. 6. Process Management, Item 6: There is no significant difference between the Process Management mean scores of the Others Group and the Leaders Group. Table 9. T-Test Results of Process Management Mean Scores of the Others Group and the Leaders Group Variables Others Leaders t-test Significance. Process Management 3. 772 3. 819 -0. 24 p=0. 813n. s. n. s. = not significant (accept hypothesis: mean scores of others = leaders) * significant at 1% level (reject null hypothesis) B. 7. Business Results, Item 7: There is significant difference between the Business Results mean scores of the Others Group and the Leaders Group. The Others and the Leaders Group differed in their responses for Business Results. The Leaders Group had higher responses for these types of questions, Table 10. Table 10. T-Test Results of Business Results Mean Scores of the Others Group and the Leaders Group. Variables Others Leaders t-test Significance Business Results 2. 245 2. 926 -2. 23 p=0. 031* n. s. = not significant (accept hypothesis: mean scores of others = leaders) * significant at 1% level (reject null hypothesis) B. 8. Implications of the t-test Results The t-test conducted revealed significant difference between the two groups on two items, namely Customer and Market Focus, Item 3 and Business Results, Item 7. According to the Baldrige Criteria, the Customer and Market Focus Category, Item 3, â€Å"examines how the organization determines requirements, needs, expectations, and preferences of customers and markets. Also examined is how the organization builds relationships with customers and determines the Key Factors that lead to customer acquisition and satisfaction, loyalty and retention, and to business expansion and sustainability. † We take note that this concern is a concern essentially external to the organization but defines the rationale or importance of the organization to the bigger society through which the organization was dedicated in serving. In the military service, the â€Å"customer and market† are presumably not only the men and women in the service but the public at large and all its agencies. It could be expected that the top echelon of the military leadership surveyed in the study were concerned not only with how the organization works but whether the expectations of its function to serve the public at large were being met. Another item which showed significant difference with the Leaders Group scoring higher than the Others Groups is Business Results, Item 7. Based from the Baldrige indicators, this item is customer-oriented and measures performance geared at satisfying the â€Å"customer† as well as performance in the â€Å"marketplace†. In other words, this item is concerned with results which would accomplish the mandate or mission of the organization. Again, we take note that this item is external to the organization which leads us to a possible explanation for such a result. The differences between the two groups suggested that there was a sort of a transformation in perception of officers as they go up in the hierarchy. This support the earlier observation that positions in the organization may have its own requirements given its functions which shape the perception or point of view of those occupying such positions. C. Excerpt from the Correlation Matrix for the Leaders Group To further probe into the nature of the difference of point of views or priorities between the two groups, cross-correlation between the items were conducted on the Leader Group. The results revealed a negative or inverse correlation between Strategic Planning, Item 2, and Customer Market Focus, Item 3; whereas, a positive correlation between Strategic Planning, Item 2 and Process Management, Item 6, Table 11. Table 11. Excerpt from the Correlation Matrix for Leaders Strategic Planning Item 2. Customer and Market Focus, Item 3 -0. 811 0. 027 Process Management, Item 6 0. 955 0. 001 Cell Contents: Pearson correlation p-Value These results further showed us some trends which were not shown in the cross correlation test conducted for the Others Group. That is, for leaders in key positions, the concern is satisfying the goals and achieving the results and the details like strategy become a lesser concern. Arguably, the top echelon of the military leadership has the whole organization working under its wings which would deliver and perform. Specifics, then have to be largely delegated to the Junior Officers. The positive correlation between strategy and process management suggested that top leadership in the case of the respondents surveyed in this study, likewise did not bother much with the details of certain processes possibly as in the case of strategy relegating the meticulous tasks to Junior Officers. Again, this supported the previous trend of position based perspectives suggesting opposing point views may be due to position occupied.

Marketing and Starbucks Essay

1.0 Introduction: The Starbucks Corporation was founded by three entrepreneurs at the place called Seattle in 1971. Initially they were selling of whole bean coffee in one Seattle store and by the year 1982 the business had grown tremendously and has opened five stores selling the coffee beans, a roasting facility, and a wholesale business for local restaurants. When the Starbucks started its business it was only a small retail coffee shop as like the other coffee shops. The main vision of the Starbucks owners was to educate customers about the fine coffees and feel the smell of the Dark roasted coffee, selling just the coffee was not their aim as the coffee was sold in the USA since 1960’s (Starbucks case study). Howard Schultz was recruited as the manager of retail and marketing and it was Howard who brought new ideas to the owners, but he was turned down. Schultz in turn opened his own coffee bar was named Il Giornale in 1986 based on Italian coffee cafes, selling brewed Starbucks coffee. By 1987, Schultz had expanded to three coffee bars and bought Starbucks from the original owners for $4 million and changed the name of his coffee bars from Il Giornale to Starbucks. His intention for the company was to grow slowly with a very solid foundation. For the first two years, Starbucks losses doubled as overhead and operating expenses increased with Starbucks expansion. Schultz stood his ground and did not sacrifice long term integrity and values for short-term profit. By 1991, Starbucks sales increased by 84% and the company were out of debt. Starbucks grew to 20 stores by 1988. By 1996 it grew to 870 stores with plans to open 2000 stores by the year 2000. 2.0 Marketing stategyof Starbuks: Marketing strategy is carrying out segmentation, targeting and positioning. Doing the detailed understanding of the marketplace into strategic decisions and the targeting of appropriate customer groups. This targeting should emphasise on any differential advantages and adopt a suitable positioning within the target segments (Dibb and Simkin, 1996). Starbucks has adopted a Differentiation strategy it is a strategy which seeks to provide product or service that offer benefits and should be different from competitors that are widely valued by customers. The aim this strategy is to achieve advantage by offering better products or services at same or higher price. When Starbucks was launched there were many coffee bars in the United States at that time but Starbucks wanted to stand unique from the others. Marketing has powerful potential to contribute to the highly important aspects of the organisational competitiveness, namely innovation (Kerin, 1992) and competitive analysis (Varadarajan, 1992) and Schulz wanted to innovate and recreate the experience of the Italian coffee bar culture. Starbucks mainly focused on the strategy of new products, a stronger connection with the customers as the Third place and expanding store locations in the United States and abroad. Starbucks has followed the simple STP process (Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning). 2.1 Segmentation: Market Segmentation is a process of dividing a market into distinct groups of buyers with different needs, characteristics, or behaviour that might require separate products or marketing programs is called Market Segmentation (Kotler and Armstrong, 2006). Initially Starbucks was based as a Socio-Economic segmentation base in consumer Markets as it has concentrated on social class particularly the business class people those who are working at the office and wanted to have a cup of coffee with a good atmosphere and facilities. Starbucks also had segmented his market by geographic and demographically by selecting the store location where they can find the educated and coffee lovers (Dibb and Simkin, 1996). 2.2Targeting: After a company has defined market segments, it can enter one or many segments of a given market and should make decision about how many and which customer groups to target (Dibb and Simkin, 1996). Target Marketing is a process of evaluating each market segment’s attractiveness and selecting one or more segments to enter (Kotler and Armstrong, 2006). The concept of target marketing is a logical implication of the basic philosophy of marketing (Lancaster and Massingham, 1993). A company should target segments in which it can profitably generate the greatest customer value and sustain it overtime. Starbucks wanted to develop a reputable relationship with the customers, Most of companies enter in a new market y serving a single segment, and if this proves successful than they add more segments, initially Starbucks did the same thing targeted the parents with the young children and it was hit concept and it has added more segments by including Teenagers and developed its product range also (Kotler and Armstrong, 2006). 2.3 Positioning: Once the company has decided which market segments to enter it should decide what positions it wants to occupy in those segments. Market Positioning is arranging for a product to occupy clear, distinctive, and desirable place relative to competing products in the minds of target customers. A products position is the place that the product occupies relative to competitors in consumers minds. Here in this case the Starbucks has developed a unique market position for their products because if a product is to be exactly same like the others on the market than consumers would have no reason to buy it. Starbucks has positioned themselves in the market as a highly reputed brand (Kotler and Armstrong, 2006). In this case Starbucks has planned his positioning in such a way that it distinguish their products from competing brands and give them the greatest strategic advantage in their target markets. Starbucks has a descriptively simple statement to inspire and nurture the human spirit-â€Å"one person, one cup, and one neighbourhood at a time†. Starbucks positioning strategy was customer base so that it can give the best service more than what the customers expect. Starbucks has gained a competitive advantage over customer satisfaction and employee satisfaction as Starbucks had developed its positioning strategy based on the customer and provided the utmost facility in terms of layout, furniture to the music, and in terms of employee satisfaction Starbucks make employee as a partners and gave them a personal security with a freedom to participate in the every decision of the business and make it successful (Porter & Miller, 1985, Porter, 1998). 3.0 Developing Marketing Mix: One of the major concepts in the modern marketing is once the company has decided its overall marketing strategy than it should plan the details of the marketing mix. â€Å"Marketing mix is the set of controllable, tactical marketing tools (product, price, place, and promotion) that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market† (Kotler and Armstrong, 2006). Starbucks has a made good decisions on marketing mix tools 3.1 Product: â€Å"Product means the goods and services combination the company offers to the target market†. Starbucks has used Brand name, Quality, Variety and Services as their Product tool which can be concluded by this statement, Starbucks with a good Brand name provides best Quality and with the Variety of Products, it has adopted Quality improvement strategy (Kotler and Keller, 2009). Initially Starbucks started with the coffee than it has included non-fat milk, cold blended beverages. Later on stated seasonal offerings such as strawberry and cream Frappuccino, gingerbread latte with some food items like cookies and pastries. Before launching the products Starbucks was getting the approval of the customers. 3.2 Price: â€Å"Price is the amount of money customers have to pay to obtain the product†. Though the Price of the Starbucks was higher than the other coffee shops, the customers were ready to pay the amount because Starbucks has developed a luxurious image with all the facilities inside the store. Starbucks as a good Brand have offered more benefits and facilities and the best quality of products to justify their higher prices (Kotler et al, 2006). 3.3 Distribution and Service: Starbucks has a good distribution channels initially it was selling coffee beans and doing wholesale business for local restaurants. In terms of service and location Starbucks opened the stores in a such a way that it can reach to targeted customers and it has also gave more stress on giving the best customer service by spending a lot of money by training its employees (Starbucks case study). 3.4 Promotion: Starbucks initially did not use the advertising tool for promotion but it was the Public relations and the Personal selling tool that helped the Starbucks to achieve its target

The influence of the US foreign policy on the prospective unification Dissertation

The influence of the US foreign policy on the prospective unification of Koreas - Dissertation Example Reports show that during 20th century, there had been various efforts to address the different issues that impeded reunification of North and South Korea. At this time it became quite clear to the stakeholders (Koreans and non-Koreans) and other experts on foreign affairs related to Korea that reunification of the two nations was an internal matter to be decided by only by the Koreans themselves. However, it was equally clear to stakeholders and experts that the US had a crucial role, both in the division and future reunification, and through various foreign policies adopted by it towards the two Koreas, the US also could play a major role in a united Korean future. Right from the start of the 20th century, the Koreans have always looked for ways to give the two countries a unified and independent framework. However, even before WW II, any such hopes of unification received a setback when in 1910 Japan forcibly conquered Korean Peninsula. When Japan was defeated at the end of WWII in 1945, there were some hopes of a Korean unification that were again destroyed by partitioning. At this time, a division was created (of a temporary nature) in order to hasten the capture of the defeated Japanese forces. This activity, which was more of a plan for collaboration during a war between different occupying forces, however, turned into game of rivalry during the post-war times and the Korean division became permanent with hopes of a reunification slowly disappearing. During the various Korean Wars that took place after the WWII there have been attempts from both sides for a forced reunification, which failed to produce any definite results. Despite the reu nification criteria, always remaining on agenda list of the Korean countries from 1953 onward, during the Cold War it was practically shelved after which the issue received very little attention. 3 The will to reunite is a strong emotion prevalent amongst both the Korean nations and is founded on the country’s long history of heritage, cultural ethnicity, and homogeneity that have created a sense of strong national unity.4 Integrated with significant influence from Chinese cultural heritage, Koreans believe in strong family ties and take deep pride in their national history and culture. Owing to this background, the Koreans still hope for a reunification, despite wars and years of tension between the two nations. Majority

Critical Analysis of Technology & Ethics in Pop Culture Essay

Critical Analysis of Technology & Ethics in Pop Culture - Essay Example However, people fail to focus on the actual themes of future ethics at play in the movie, since it primarily focuses on social choices and the outcomes of an economic profit that is ethics based. District 9 is a movie that tends to go against what a viewer expects. It is the kind that plays on a viewer’s a presumption with the purpose of creating far much deeper and disturbing issues. Actually, first and most noticeable subtext in the movie is a depiction of racism, or rather in this situation speciesism. The fact that the setting of the movie was done in South Africa is an instant creation of an association with apartheid, a factor that results to some interesting thoughts concerning the capacity of humans to despise and distrust others (Dir. Blomkamp; District 9). The well-known story of the extensive humanitarian (or, this situation, non-humanitarian) aid programs to offer assistance rapidly turns into suspicions and fear once the original disaster has been turned away and the non-humans must somehow integrate into the city’s life and identity. The rigid nature of most of the cultural norms of humans quickly conflicts with the diverse behavior and values tha t the non-humans hold, with a lot of distrust and hostility being the outcome. The allegory is obvious, and has been effectively applied, but in the final section there seems to be no deeper concerns at hand. Racism is not only the primary factor that actually lies at the center of the ethical questions brought about by the movie (Dir. Blomkamp; District 9): in reality, real  contact  with human beings being technologically advanced will lead to the impossibility of them being oppressed. This context of segregation is attached to questions that surround the economics and development of new technology, and the efforts that most people will make so as to ensure that they secure either military or financial dominance over others. During the movie’s progression, the

Constitutional & Administrative Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Constitutional & Administrative Law - Essay Example Political scientists refer to this law as "Organic", due to the fact that it has been "evolving" over time from its medieval origins. It has been observed that, this flexibility makes it responsive to political and social change, especially through political principles expressed in conventions. Until recently there was no modern statute or document that attempted to codify the rights of citizens in the UK, despite the fact that there is the tradition of freedom of speech and other rights in the UK, common law precedents being the main source of "rights". Common law has been remedied in recent years, with the incorporation of some important written sources, such as European Union law and the European Convention on Human Rights. These laws has formally granted the citizens of UK with rights that were previously lacking in the legal system. These sources are enacted in the European Communities Act 1972 and Human Rights Act 1998, respectively. Different opinions has come up from people on different walks of life on these changes. Some argue that these developments, and the Labour government's reforms from 1997, have improved the constitution, despite the lack of a central, written, entrenched constitutional document. Labour's reform programme has conducted many reforms, including the Human Rights Act, devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, partial reform of the House of Lords and a Freedom of Information Act. Parliamentary Sovereignty, is often called as a particularly elusive concept, is the paramount Principle in the United Kingdom's unwritten constitution and Dicey's (Dicey, AV, An Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution) legal theory holds that, "Parliament has the right to make or unmake any law whatever"; and that "no person or body is recognised by the law of England as having a right to override or set aside the legislation of Parliament." Sir William Wade (Wade HWR, "The Basis of Legal Sovereignty") takes the definition further by stating that: "there is one and only one, limit to Parliament's legal power: it cannot detract from its own continuing sovereignty." (Jennings, I, (1959), The Law and the Constitution, 5thedn, chapter 4) In the recent times, the political supremacy of Parliament in UK has been affected by membership of international organisations such as NATO and the IMF, the legal sovereignty, in that Parliament alone makes the law, has notionally, remained absolute. The introduction of the European Communities Act 1972 (ECA 1972) and the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA 1998) into our domestic law, has to a large extent raised questions about the consequences on that 'absolute' legal sovereignty. Here let us consider the constitutional implications of both these Acts and analyse their impact on the principle of Parliamentary Sovereignty. With the inclusion of UK in the European Community, by virtue of the Treaty of Accession in 1972, it so happened that, Parliament recognised that as a condition of membership, thereby, it had necessarily limited its own sovereign authority by effectively 'pooling sovereignty' with the other Member states.( Costa v ENEL and Amministrazione delle Finanze dello

Windows server Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Windows server - Research Paper Example If the system will not be compatible with the hardware in place, there will be a need for new hardware (TechGrant, 2012). The crucial business aspects to be considered when upgrading to Server 2008 involves the cost to be incurred. The new Server will have to be bought, and for every computer installed with the server, their licences will have to be paid. In this respect, only the necessary computers should be installed with the new server. This aims at avoiding incurring unnecessary costs. Costs will increase in case of lack of compatibility between the new servers with the hardware. This will have the company digging deeper into their pockets for new hardware. The server happens to be used universally. As of 2009, 98% of of the Fortune Top 100 Companies use the server (Rist, 2011). This means that the company’s employees will not have a hard time adapting to it due to its popularity. The popularity arises from it being user friendly hence the quick adaptation. Additionally, companies looking to network to build a strong e-network platform will find it easier to do so in the Windows 2008 Server. The new Server will serve to improve the quality of service given. The virtual server can be moved from one physical host computer to another without consuming any downtime. The ability to do so saves a lot of time in the case of a computer crash. The company will find this to be a significant advantage since time happens to be just as essential. Windows Server 2008 conserves power usage more than any other Window Server. This will go a long way in lowering expenses such as power bills. Additionally, the consumption of less power means that the Server will have fewer breakdowns due to overheating. a. A minimum of 1 gigahertz processor (32 bit) and 1.4 gigahertz processor (64 bit). The recommended processor should be at least 2 gigahertz. For Itanium based systems, an Intel

Women in business nowadays and the past Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Women in business nowadays and the past - Essay Example Stereotyping against women is a common trait around the business world. Yet, everybody should realize that a woman is in no way inferior to man and she can very well handle the pressures and stressful life of the business. Handling a family with the work is no easy job and many women in today's age are not just balancing work and family life, rather they are integrating it. The business world is getting infused with a diverse workforce day by day. The trend towards being an equal opportunity employer is rising. More and more women are being hired in today's corporate world. And the differences between men and women are being sorted out as women take on as many as 25% of top level managerial posts in successful organizations. Therefore, the composition of males and females in the workforce of a typical organization has changed. Yet men still possess a significant amount of decision making in their hands. Whether it is the power to hire and fire or to access financial resources, men are always given the advantage over women. But if businesses are to reach their highest potential, they need to make full use of women by accepting the fact that they are different from men and are not inferior to them in any way.1 Approaches to conflict: When it comes to a conflict, men usually consider it a healthy process and they use logic, bargaining and even anger to resolve it. Whereas, on the other hand, women tends to focus on the affective part by understanding each others feelings in a conflict. For women, conflict is undesirable and damaging in many ways. They have a negative view point of conflict and therefore, they would like to get it solved without exaggerating it thereby using less direct approaches. Research also suggests that men will tend to go for riskier solutions when it comes to resolution of conflict. Supervision and leadership styles: although leadership styles would look pretty similar on the core, they are quite different. Research has found that women tend to treat their subordinates more as colleagues than the men and women also encourage the participation of everyone in a decision making process. Men, in such positions, will go for a less collaborative style, and will give more directions and tend to be more dominating too. Relationship with others is an integral part of women's leadership styles than for men. A woman also tries to build a sense of community in the place where she is the leader, unlike men. Working in teams: men and women think differently in terms of what needs to be communicated when a team is in action. Women put a lot of importance to these team characteristics: competence, respect, fairness, knowledge of team member's roles, and team members should also provide extra help and support to each other when needed. Whereas, men do not place much importance on these characteristics. The Role of Women in the Society Women, more or less, assume a particular cultural and gender role that they have to fulfill. In pre-historic times, the women of the family used to help the man in doing whatever business they did out of the farms or by doing agriculture. The women used to gather products like fish or learn to

Electronic Health Record Functionality Standards Essay

Electronic Health Record Functionality Standards - Essay Example nt time and other resources in the evaluation and examination of the findings in relation to the required data for the EHR selection and decision making process, regulatory measures as well as the need for the EHR equipment (Carol 2007). This is the first step in incorporating findings into the EHR selection and decision making process; this committee should comprise all the stakeholders such as health practitioners, IT experts and other persons who may be affected by the EHR equipment. The formulation of a list of the functional models of the Electronic Health Record may be a complex process to most health practitioners; however, this process has been made easier by the use of the HL7 Functional Model which specifies various imperative aspects of the Electronic Health Records that apply to most health institutions (Carol 2007). This is the next crucial step in the incorporation of findings and results in EHR selection and decision making process. It ensures that persons purchasing the EHR equipment are in a position to access pertinent information that provides assurance in regard to the proper functionality of the products. Various acts have been implemented to certify EHR vendors who meet the needs and specification of the EHR equipment. These acts include; the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH). This act stipulates effective testing methodologies of the Electronic Health Equipment which checks compliance in relation to the section 320 (b). Other regulatory measures have been implemented by a non-profit organization known as the (CCHIT), Certification Commission for Health Information Technology. This commission authorizes the use of Electronic Health Records in the United States of America through certification (Kasprak 2008). In this aspect, the EHR committee may apply this knowledge in selecting the proper EHR equipment as well as their suppliers. The current rising number of EHR vendors may pose a challenge to the

Gangs and the Music industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gangs and the Music industry - Essay Example Today’s youths are like sponges soaking anything up which is given to them. The music industry has the greatest impact to today’s youth which gives it the most influential power, but sad to say the message being put out is not uplifting or promoting growth so that young people can better themselves. Instead, it puts out a message that it is okay to have multiple sex partners, to be part of a gang, and even use drugs every now and then. Music for a long time has been used to relay messages regarding sex and it is important to note that with time the sexual content and extent of explicitness has been getting worse decade after another. In the early to mid 20th century and before, music was quite conservative and sexual contents were rather to be deduced rather than explicitly expressed as the case is today. Today’s music is apparently changing the fundamental nature of sex to something that is causal and a form of expressing someone’s freedom rather than something with commitment for a relationship that is monogamous by nature. Today’s music and in this case rap and hip hop is bringing to the fore the idea that society is now liberal and all are free to act as they please. This kind of music has lyrics as well as videos that are clearly showing sex as an act of freedom and maturity. Martino, et al. (2006) says that there is increasing explicit use of sex on the songs’ lyrics and their mus ic videos as an expression of pleasure, empowerment, and freedom. The youth with their peer pressure attitudes take these messages as literally as possible ending up having sexual relations quite early in their life. â€Å"Fifty-one percent of teens who listened to music laced with sexual debauchery ended up engaging in sexual activity, compared to just 29 percent of those who listened to little or none of the same types of music† (Wallace, 2010, p. 2). A study reveals that 15% of music videos illustrate or feature violent

Retrenchment Strategy Essay Example for Free

Retrenchment Strategy Essay Since the beginning of the US financial crisis in 2007, regulators in the United States and Europe have been frustrated by the difficulty in identifying the risk exposures at the largest and most levered financial institutions. Yet, at the time, it was unclear how such data might have been used to make the financial system safer. This paper is an attempt to show simple ways in which this information can be used to understand how deleveraging scenarios could play out. To do so the authors develop and test a model to analyze financial sector stability under different configurations of leverage and risk exposure across banks. They then apply the model to the largest financial institutions in Europe, focusing on banks exposure to sovereign bonds and using the model to evaluate a number of policy proposals to reduce systemic risk. When analyzing the European banks in 2011, they show how a policy of targeted equity injections, if distributed appropriately across the most systemic banks, can significantly reduce systemic risk. The approach in this paper fits into, and contributes to, a growing literature on systemic risk. Key concepts include: * This model can simulate the outcome of various policies to reduce fire sale spillovers in the midst of a crisis. * Size caps, or forced mergers among the most exposed banks, do not reduce systemic risk very much. * However, modest equity injections, if distributed appropriately between the most systemic banks, can cut the vulnerability of the banking sector to deleveraging by more than half. * The model can be adapted to monitor vulnerability on a dynamic basis using factor exposures. About Faculty in this Article: Robin Greenwood is a Professor in the Finance unit at Harvard Business School. * Author Abstract When a bank experiences a negative shock to its equity, one way to return to target leverage is to sell assets. If asset sales occur at depressed prices, then one banks sales may impact other banks with common exposures, resulting in contagion. We propose a simple framework that accounts for how this effect adds up across the banking sector. Our framework explains how the distribution of bank leverage and risk exposures contributes to a form of systemic risk. We compute bank exposures to system-wide deleveraging, as well as the spillover of a single banks deleveraging onto other banks. We show how our model can be used to evaluate a variety of crisis interventions, such as mergers of good and bad banks and equity injections. We apply the framework to European banks vulnerable to sovereign risk in 2010 and 2011.

Comparing How Two Short Fiction Writers Effectively Convey a Common Theme Essay Example for Free

Comparing How Two Short Fiction Writers Effectively Convey a Common Theme Essay â€Å"A Visit of Charity† by Eudora Welty and â€Å"The Use of Force† by William Carlos Williams are both engrossing short stories featuring two young female characters who must face an ailment. Eudora Welty touches on a social ailment, using an indifferent teenage girl as takeoff point, and portrays the abandonment of the elderly in a home that is as cold as the treatment they are subjected to. On the other hand, Williams tackles a physical ailment, and he depicts how a medical practitioner will go to great lengths not to neglect his duty, even if he encounters resistance. Welty takes on a serious, somewhat mocking tone, while Williams is thoroughly amusing and almost comical, yet very realistic. In Welty’s short story, a teenage named girl Marian is the protagonist who temporarily leaves the confines of her cloistered existence to visit a home for the aged to fulfill a requirement for Campfire Girls, a group that seeks to develop character in the young.   Instead of gaining the expected social benefits from the visit, Marian ironically develops great uneasiness and retreats. Both short story titles reflect their themes and plot, although the titles may have other implications. â€Å"Visit† in Welty’s short story implies Marian’s fleeting and superficial encounter   with elderly women in the institution. Another possible meaning of the title, â€Å"A Visit of Charity† is that in the world of   apathetic young people, there may be an instance when life offers an opportunity to look beyond themselves and show helpfulness or compassion for fellow human   beings. The title may be seen then as a case of Charity paying Marian a visit by offering her the opportunity to help or give solace or relief to the needy.    Being young and preoccupied with her personal agenda, though, she fails, as most young people do, to enrich herself from a special opportunity to reach out and be of service to others. As for â€Å"The Use of Force† by William Carlos Williams, the title at first glimpse conjures a serious or frightening situation like the application of brute force, a common subject in many literary works. In â€Å"The Use of Force† by Williams, we see instead the firm hand   of a physician who responds to the call of duty as he overcomes the temporary setback of an unwilling and naughty, young patient who resists him. The setting, characters, events and situations in both short stories come alive through the use of vivid language. When Welty describes the home for the aged as   having walls that bounce off the winter sunlight like a block of ice† (Welty 245) and corridors that smell like the interior of a clock† (Welty 246), she lets readers in on the pitiable plight of the elderly women who endure not just the poorly illuminated and unkempt dwelling place but also the neglect and contempt of people entrusted to care for them, or society as a whole. Welty uses a lot of similes like these as the story progresses. William likewise uses figures of speech like personification as he amusingly narrates his experience with the impish Mathilda, the sick child with overprotective parents who are easily swayed by her whims but who care for her well-being. Williams, for instance describes the antagonist as follows: â€Å"The child was fairly eating me up with her cold, steady eyes† (Stuber). There are also symbolisms in each short story.   In â€Å"A Visit of Charity,† the potted plant that Marian brings to the home for the aged is just a thing or gift that is expected of a visitor.   In the same way, the elderly ladies are placed in the home because it is the right thing to do, even if they are not given the genuine warmth and attention they deserve as human beings. In â€Å"The Use of Force,† the parents of the sick child represent a bygone era, when medicine was not yet fully developed as a science and old-fashioned remedies were resorted to.   The doctor may therefore represent the western world’s modern man or â€Å"savior† of those afflicted with illness. In â€Å"A Visit of Charity† by Eudora Welty, the main character desires or concentrates on her own personal advantage.   In contrast, â€Å"The Use of Force† by William Carlos Williams depicts a doctor’s selfless concern to be of help to his patient. In both short fiction stories, the characters interact and engage in dialogue as part of a first-time encounter. The dialogue breathes life to the personalities of the characters, allowing readers to visualize and relate to them better, while also advancing the plot and making the story even more interesting. Both authors lend credibility to the main characters’ views by first establishing their age, gender. task or occupation, and the social class they represent as seen from their mode of dressing and speech. Overall, both William Carlos Williams and Eudora Welty are masters of the short story form who are effectively able to convey important social themes through imagery and characterization, among other elements of short fiction. Works Cited Stuber, Irene. The Use of Force by William Carlos Williams (1883-1963).† Classic Short Stories. 1995. 17 July 2008 http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/force.html. Welty, Eudora. A Visit of Charity.† Modern Satiric Stories: The Impropriety Principle. Ed. Gregory Fitzgerald. Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1971. 245-246.

What Is Performance Management?

What Is Performance Management? This chapter starts with the various definitions of performance management as described by different authors. Literature review is a process that empowers readers with a lot of information and knowledge, it can however be argued that such a process can be challenging as one has to integrate viewpoints of various authors in order to come up with a new viewpoint. (Brynard, et al 1997: 54) stated that a researcher should always try to follow the last mentioned action, as this is the path to the creation of new knowledge. 2.1 Defining Performance Maila (2006) stated that performance implies the action of doing things that is using things, attending to conditions, processing, communicating and achieving results. Performance is the actual work that is done to ensure that an organisation achieves its mission. In summary, performance encompasses inputs, conditions, processes elements, outputs, consequences and feedback. According to Maila (2006), the end product of performance should be measured against four elements that are: quantity, quality, cost or risk factors and time. The idea of measuring the end product is fully supported as it can be argued that a product can be in any form that is good or bad, hence the need to have it measured. 2.2 What is performance management? Different authors have attributed different meanings to performance management as illustrated below: In 1998 Armstrong and Baron define performance management can be defined as strategic and integrated approach to delivering sustained success to organizations by improving the performance of the people who work in them and by developing the capabilities of teams and individual contributors. Moreover Performance management is a system for integrating the management of organisational and employee performance (Williams, 2002 as cited by Maila, 2006:13). Also Performance management is defined as the systematic process by which an agency involves its employees, as individuals and members of a group, in improving organisational effectiveness in the accomplishment of agency mission and goals, this was obtained through (U.S. Office Personnel Management, (Undated) Fletcher (1992) defines performance management as an approach to creating a shared of the purpose and aims of organisation, helping each individual employee to understand and recognise their part in contributing to them, and thereby managing and enhancing the performance of both individuals and the organisation. He suggests that the approach include development of the organisation objectives and mission, enhancing communication within employer and employees so that they will be well aware of the objectives and planning of the business. This approach can also clarifies individual performance, rewarding and improving the performance of the staff and career development It has been pointed by Michael Armstrong (1994) Performance management is means of getting better results from the organisation, teams and individuals by understanding and managing performance within an agreed framework of planned goals, standards and attributes competences requirements. It is a process of for establishing shared understandings about what is to be achieved, and an approach to managing and developing people in a way which increases the probability that it will be achieved in the short and long term. The researcher has found some common words to arrive at this definition: performance management is a continuous process between staff and supervisors agreeing on the activity to be performed, how it should be measured and within what period, with an aim to accomplish a goal at employee and organisational level. Performance management may be defined as a formal and systematic process, by means of which the job-relevant strengths and weaknesses of employees are identified, observed, measured, recorded and developed. Performance management provides the opportunity for the organization to evaluate and take stock of its human resources. It also provides information so that important decisions can be taken and gives feedback for further development of staff (Doris, 1994:160). It gives management the opportunity for communication with staff, to clarify expectations and to take part in the development of each staff member. For the employer, it gives the opportunity to discuss with employees their performance and career goals for the future (Doris, 1994:161). Moreover Armstrong (1994) Performance is a process for establishing shared understanding about what is to be achieved, and an approach to managing and developing people in a way in which increases the probability that it will be achieved in the short and long term. It focuses on improving performance trough better result from organisation, team and individual by understanding and managing performance within agreed framework of planned objectives. According to IRS Management Review in 1996 to Performance management is a way of translating corporate goals into achievable objectives and cascade down throughout the organization to produce optimum results. Being a continuous and evolutionary process, performance improves over time. It relies on consensus and cooperation rather than control or coercion and encourages self management of individual performance. Performance management is an ongoing communication process, undertaken in partnership, between an employee and his or her immediate supervisor that involves establishing clear expectations and understanding about: The essential job functions the employee is expected to do. How the employees job contributes to the goals of the organization. What doing the job well means in concrete terms. How employee and supervisor will work together to sustain, improve, or build on existing employee performance. How job performance will be measured. Identifying barriers to performance and removing them. (Doris, 1994:163). 2.3 Aims of performance management The overall aims of performance management is to establish a high performance culture in which individuals in which individual and teams take responsibility for the continuous improvement of the business process and to make significant contribution to individual and organisational effectiveness and growth. 2.3.1 Employee development Performance management is concerned with sustainable improvement of individuals, increasing their job satisfaction and achieving their finest potential for their personal advantage and that of the organisation as a whole. 2.3.2 Communication and Involvement One of the major aims of performance management is to promote commitment to the organization and its goals by putting together individual and organizational objectives. Performance management creates a climate where there is permanent dialogue between managers and their staff. Managers can clarify expectations, organisations strategies and also the mission, values, norms and objectives of the organisation. Conversely, employees also can speak out their objectives, opinion and expectation and how they should be handled and treated. 2.3.3 Assess Performance Performance management facilitates accuracy and objective measurement and assessment of performance in relation to the established aims and principles, so that employees receive feedback from managers and supervision about their work. 2.3.4 Identify Training Needs A  Training Needs Analysis  (TNA) is used to determine an organizations training needs. The basis of the TNA is the gap analysis. This is an assessment of the gap between the knowledge, skills and attitudes that the people in the organization currently hold and the knowledge, skills and attitudes that they need to meet the organizations objectiveshttp://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hr/performance.jpg 2.3.5 Provide a basis for reward Performance management offers a basis for rewarding people in relation to their contribution by financial and non-financial means. It consists of performance related pay (PRP) and the Employees can feel the impact of their hard work by quickly appreciating the results. 2.4 Evolution of Performance Management As far back as World War I, WD Scott was qualified with coming up with performance appraisal. Formal Performance Appraisal systems were well recognized by the mid 1950s, with personality-based systems being commonly used. McGregor (1957) illustrated the unease surrounding the use of personality-based ratings and advocated a more participative approach and performance-based approach, including an element of self-appraisal. In the 1960s, the influence of the management by objectives movement meant that performance appraisal developed a greater importance on goal-setting and the assessment of performance-related skills. In the 1970s, appraisal practices became more open to analysis and, as a consequence, a number of legal cases were brought. One effect of this was an increase in research into rating scales and their use. Through the 1980s and 1990s, the concept of performance management came into the system, and this, according to Williams (1998), provided a more holistic approach to generating motivation, getting better performance and controlling human resources.   For example, in the UK school system, performance management is central to efforts to improve standards in education (both locally and nationally). Therefore, when understanding about appraisal it must quickly become clear that our attention is not just on perfect measurement. We are also concerned in issues such as: What persuades the quality of performance appraisal data? How do employees notice the appraisal process? How might the appraisal process be employed to motivate and develop staff? While, traditionally, job related tasks may have been perceived as the key elements in appraisal, appraisal now engage in a broader matter. Briscoe and Hall (1999) propose that employee development is underpinned by a set of meta competencies including qualities such as perfect self-awareness, feedback seeking, and openness to a range of information and perceptions etc. Other factors such as communication and teamwork skills, stress and conflict reduction, handling of emotion and care are now often observed as important concept to be considered and handle through performance appraisal and management processes. New recent improvement, include the reducing hierarchical environment of many organisations, have led to the increased use of multi-source, multi-rater feedback methods, more commonly known as 360-degree feedback. The sorts of changes that have overhauled organisations have distressed the environment of work itself, and the continuing rate of change means that the definition of what a job is, and what good performance is, are less stable concepts. It is also worth recalling that the majority of research on performance appraisal is drawn from a UK / US perspective. However, as Fletcher (2008) points out, national culture is likely to have a major impact on the way appraisals are carried out. Fletcher (2008) argues that in Western (high individualism) cultures where being assertive and determination is appreciated, appraisal is generally focused on the individual and what they do; in Asian cultures (strong collectivism) the sense of hierarchy and acceptance of authority, the focus on Western performance appraisal practices on individual performance, accountability and open confrontation are unlikely to be seen as appropriate (p. 175). Therefore, it is not always possible to believe that the findings from a piece of performance appraisal study will generalise across all national and organisational cultures. 2.5 Methods of appraising performance Performance appraisals are conducted by companies in order to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the employees; the frequency and methods of the performance appraisals are determined by the corporation. There are several performance appraisal methods that can be used to provide feedback on employee performance. Performance appraisals are used to provide feedback on an employees performance, provide the basis for a merit increase, create a development plan and provide the foundation for future promotions. Performance appraisal is conducted through different ways in various organizations. These ways are classified in two types: Traditional and development methods. Traditional methods are methods that have been in use in the organization since long. It is normally based upon their traits and is related to the self-appraisal of employees. 2.5.1 Paired Comparison In this style, there are a number of options which will be able to make full use of it. Each option can be compared with the others. Then, the results will be calculated and the one which has the highest score will be opted. 2.5.2 Graphic Rating Scales It is one of the most popular methods of performance appraisal. In this method, each employee is rated according to their performance. . The factors that need to take into consideration are the personal characteristics and characteristics related to the job performance of the employees. Figure 3 shows an example of the graphic rating scales. 2.5.3 Weighted Checklist Method In this method, the appraisal is made where the jobs are evaluated based on the performance and characteristics of the employee. It is a type of rating performance appraisal. The checklist contains a list of allegation on the basis of which the employer describes on the job performance of the employees. 2.5.4 Free Essay method A statement is prepared by the manager which will be focused on the workers strong and weak behaviour. It may also suggest certain remedy in case of problems concerning the employee. The statement may be written and edited by the appraiser alone, or it be composed in along with the appraisee. The essay can be open-ended but in most cases there are guidelines that need to be followed. 2.5.6 Critical incidence method The rater is required to record the good and bad behaviour of the employees related to a certain incidence. The recorded statement will normally consist of a brief of what happened in the incidence. There are two factors that make the use of critical incident successful, first, the manager must be given ample time to observe the subordinate during evaluation. The manager must take time to record the incident as many of the incidents may be forgotten. 2.5.7 Ranking This form of performance appraisal, the manager will compare the employee with other employees having the same kind of job. The performance is ranked from best to worst. This method is least favoured types of evaluations, yet many large employers utilize this, method of appraisal.   Development methods are methods that have been introduced during the last decades. It is also known as result method. 2.5.8 Assessment center Under this method, several evaluators come together to judge employee performance in job related simulations by making use of a variety of criteria that are considered important in the appraissees job. 2.5.9 Behavioural Anchored Rating Scale (BARS) This style is based on rating the employees behaviors in order to determine how effective the workers are. It is normally the combination of critical incidence and graphic rating scales. 2.5.10 360 Degree Feedbacks It is a style which obtains feedback from internal and external people in order to get more accurate perspective of an employees performance. Internal customers are those who work in the organization like managers, supervisors while external customers are those who are outside the organization like clients, suppliers. 360 Degree Feedback is a system which employees obtain confidential, anonymous feedback from their colleagues. The feedback process gives people an opportunity to adjust behaviours and develop skills that will help them to excel at their jobs.   2.5.11 Management by Objectives (MBO) Management by objectives is one of the most comprehensive methods of performance appraisal. It begins with when goals are set and ends with the results. It also consists of monitoring constantly the employees to improve their performance so a regular feedback is given to them.MBO is considered more than an evaluation program and process. With this technique, a manager can control, plan, organize, practice and communicate. 2.6 Performance management cycle A  performance management  cycle (PMC) is a system used by managers and executives in organisation to support employee growth and  job satisfaction. As illustrated below performance management cycle linked together. Perhaps one of the most important concepts of performance management is that it is a continuous process that reflects normal good management practices of setting direction, monitoring and measuring performance and taking action accordingly. The management cycle can be categorised as shown below: The strategic objectives for organisation as a whole as well as each line of business/ corporate function and each functional area are determined each year. The organisation goals are being broken down in line if business/corporate function goals and from there flowing down to individuals. Appropriate communication skills are being used to make employees understand the measurement of their performance and the system that will be used. The determinations of team members contribution are being identified before agreement takes place. Success hint are also specifies as per business plan and establishment objectives. Key result Area (KPAs) and key performance indicators are identified and by taking into consideration relative weights before concluding performance agreements. The planning phase must be agreed by line managers and employees. The performance agreement should contain a job profile job description delegation of authority (if any), individual development plan and statement of individual vision, mission and values. Also it has Key areas result, measurable criteria, and weight. Both employees and relevant managers should keep a copy of performance in which they should agree on the key result areas and measurement criteria, discuss barriers of performance, personal development and career planning and coaching. A formal review and assessment is being conducted and employees are being made aware so that they can be prepared for performance appraisal. Feedback is honest open fair and constructive to the level promising. It should be understandable, brief and based on facts and solid examples. The manager s and employees will bring about a conclusion about the performance. The weakness on performance will be identified and corrective measures will be taken. Them the employees is being rated accordingly and then they are being rewarded are paid. 2.7 performance management process A  performance management process  sets the stage for rewarding excellence by supporting individual employee accomplishments with the organizations mission and objectives and making the employee and the organization recognize the value of a specific job in understanding outcomes. By establishing clear performance opportunity which includes outcomes, performance and behaviours, it helps the employees in reflecting in what exactly is expected out of their jobs and setting of standards help in removing those jobs which are of no use any longer. With regular feedback and coaching, it helps to know the problems at an early phase and taking corrective actions. Different models have been developed to describe the process of performance management and how it operates. According to figure 2.2 it comprises of performance planning, performance monitoring, performance development, performance review and rewarding. 2.7.1 Performance Planning Performance planning is the core business process. It involves agreement between employer and the individual on what the employee need to do for the achievement of the objectives, raise standards, improves performance and develop the required competencies. The aim is to ensure they apply these every day at work. Employee performance planning should be flexible so that they can regulate for changing program objectives and requirements. These plans contribute to the achievement of continuous development that is predicted and everyone is capable of learning and doing better jobs. It also helps in enhancing the potential of individual to acquire higher level careers. 2.7.2 Performance Monitoring Progress towards meeting the objectives agreed at the planning meeting should be monitored throughout the cycle. All arrangements relating to the monitoring programme should have been agreed at the planning meeting and where possible a timetable for action established should be made. Thus employees are able to received ongoing feedback of their progress at work. Feedback should encourage reflection and self review. Monitoring performance include the Checking of new plan that need to be followed  and at a suitable moment, return to the appraisal stage to measure the impact of the changes on the behavioural and performance processes.  Having a continuous monitoring, unacceptable performance can be identified and proper measures can be taken rather than waiting till the summary rating levels. 2.7.3 Performance development Performance  development  is held as a very important aspect in the growth and progress of individuals in their individual careers. It includes several strategic processes that are included and employed with the idea of developing individual capabilities that will benefit the employee, particularly, and the organisation as a whole. While performance development usually targets organizations as a whole, individuals can also adopt this concept as a means to improve their own personal competencies. By carrying performance management it provide opportunity for Recognition and career. Situations for improving good performance also stand out and action can be taken to accomplish the organizations overall purpose. 2.7.4 Performance Review The  performance  review  is  a  key  element  in  the  performance  management  process. It can provide accurate feedback and also the areas of strength and areas in need of improvements and development is needed. In addition, it emphasises what has been done well in order to do it in better way in the future. There is an exchange of views and both parties together come to an understanding about what should to be done to develop performance and defeat shortcomings raised during discussion. 2.7.5 Rewarding Rewarding means providing encouragement and recognition of employees, independently and as members of groups, for their performance and recognizing their contributions to the organisations mission. To motivate staff and create a climate for enhancement, organisations need to make an obligation to a plan for recognising and rewarding performance which can both financial and non-financial rewards and both positive and negative rewards. A planned, strategic path of action is necessary to ensure that employees obtain rewards adequately with their performance, be that at an individual and or a team or group level, in a reasonable manner in the organisations. Rewards can be in the form of cash, praises, time off and other non- monetary items. 2.8 Benefits of Performance Management Performance management provide an opportunity to concentrate on work activities and goals, identify and correct existing problems and motivate employees to perform better. In the same line, there is an enhancement in the performance of the company. There are several benefits when an organization performs a performance management in its organisation and they are listed below. Need for training and better understanding of job responsibilities To begin with, it helps employees understand how their job responsibilities ultimately affect the overall objectives of an organization. Through the performance management, employees use this opportunity to indicate a need for training, express a desire for additional responsibilities, ask questions about the job and in some cases provide feedback that will help them meet the goals. Besides, it can be a positive way to identify developmental opportunities and can be an essential part of a succession planning process. Increase productivity and reward the employees Additionally, with performance management, it is easier to accurately gather data regarding employee improvement and to award acknowledgement and any other rewards to those employees, ensuring everyone who makes meaningful achievements at an organization, gets their due compensation. This reward system implemented at Organization may provide an incentive to strive towards productivity and at the same time, maintaining good working habits. With this reward system, motivation and workplace morale are both improved. Improve Areas of Weakness Through performance management, we are able to search for employees weaknesses and enable them to improve for further career development. For example, if an employee inspires to become a manager, performance reports will reveal about his lack of leadership skills. Thus, we will be able to focus on his weak points where he needs coaching and other relevant skills. Employees also reveal that these appraisals assist them in deciding if they are in an organization where they feel that their values and personality are being respected. Succession and Career planning The Performance Management process provides valuable information that can be used through succession and career planning. Employee ambition can be clarified and where possible integrated into general planning of the employees goals and outputs as well as his development plan. There is also the clarification of the managers goals and direction concerning the employee and his role within the department. Compilation of formal training and development plans per employee is obtained to ensure the development of the employee based on the results of the performance evaluation phase of the process.    Opportunity for Dialogue Performance management provide an opportunity to build their relationships. Employees are given sufficient time to communicate and interact more often with work related issues. This usually allows a better flow of ideas and communication is enhanced. Besides, with adequate communication throughout the year ensure that the employees always know where they stand. 2.9 Drawbacks of performance management system Although performance management can be very beneficial to the employee, no empirical studies can show how performance management systems actually enhanced performance at an organization. In fact, when it comes to performance, these classical approaches are difficult to be adopted, as the method does not produce systematic and verifiable information. Some common drawbacks are discussed below. Time consuming and focus on paper work Performance management are also not often appreciated due to the fact that, they are considered to be time consuming and toilsome. Hence, it can be tiring for both supervisors and employees as they lose interest rapidly and haphazardly fill out the paperwork. Misdirection Performance reports may cause employees to accomplish certain duties for their individual purpose in order to receive a better evaluation rather than to contribute to the general mission of the business. Sequentially to have job security, workers may become overly concerned with improving in areas where they have achieved inadequately, even to the detriment of the areas in which they formally surpassed. Demotivation Performance appraisal ratings can lead to demotivation and low staff morale. Negative feedback like criticism where managers document only on issues that need to be corrected and not on positive things that employee does thus this fails to motivate employee concerned but also causes him/her to perform worse. This can raise mistrust, fear and insecurity in the organisation. One size fits all fantasy Organisations tend to use a standard system across the organisation. Very a single tool which means a single rating form is used for everyone. This does really make sense; as people at different levels in hierarchy cannot be assessed in the same way as the level of responsibility and authority vary. Leniency Error Leniency error is the tendency of a supervisor to rate an employee higher than what his performance deserve. Reasons that a supervisor might do this could include evading conflicts, or thinking that by giving the employee a high rating, he will work harder to live up to the rating. Halo Error The halo effect is when a supervisor forms a positive thought of an employees skill in one part and then gives her high ratings across all rating criteria. When a supervisor rates employees with the qualities that he believed more essential greater in all rating areas than employees who do not have those qualities the supervisor is making the halo effect error. Playing God Some managers are reluctant to conduct an appraisal program as they do not want to judge others. Even if a manager actually feels that a particular employee has not made well and he/she should be rated poor, not many truly rate him/her poor. To them, the clear process of judgement can be dehumanisazing and demoralising and a cause of anxiety and depression to employees. 2.10 Empirical Evidence of the Impact of Performance Management on Organisation Success Recent studies have been identified trend in the effective performance management systems on organisational success. According to the results of the World at Work/Sibson 2010 Study on The State of Performance Management 47 % of respondents specified that a performance management system has helped out the organization in realizing its strategic goals. Performance opposed to competitors is also a key result of performance management. 60% of study participants designated company performance as better than average against competitors, and 40% signified that performance was typical. Employee trust is another essential outcome on excellent performance management system. Nevertheless, only 30 % of the respondents reported their employees belief the performance management system. The study of the World at Work/Sibson in 2010 on The State of Performance Management pointed out that improvement in performance management is necessary in many businesses and that performance management is usually very essential in higher-performing companies. In most cases, this has not altered since the study was accomplished in 2007. While some organizations are successful in using performance management to distinguish high performers from low performers, many still are making great effort to progress performance management from an HR practice to something that is business significant to the organization. Predominantly in a time of economic complexity, when improving business results is essential, motivating performance management by having leadership aid and effective implementation is essential. http://www.worldatwork.org/waw/adimLink?id=44473 Impact of organizational culture on performance management An additional study on the impact of organizational culture on performance management practices in Pakistan in January 2010 where 60 emplo

Clean Coal and Its Potential Essay -- Energy Coal Fuel Essays Papers

Clean Coal and Its Potential With the United States' increasing addiction for petroleum and imported energy, many organizations have begun to pressure government agencies to consider cleaner methods for fuel. As evident from recent government spending, the current administration favors the generation of electricity through a fossil fuel abundant in the United States; coal. Though coal is widely seen as a cheap source of energy, it contains many drawbacks: it’s emissions. Clean coal alternatives are available and they appear to have a promising future in the world of non-renewable energy. Coal, when used in the traditional manner, is the dirtiest fossil fuel on the planet. The combustion of coal releases a combination of harmful emissions into the surrounding atmosphere. These include but are not limited to NOx, SO2, CO2, and trace amounts of mercury (Rinstinen). Effects of these emissions are seen in the accumulation of low-level ozone, global warming, and acid rain. Despite these devastating affects coal remains the largest single producer of energy in the US (Schobert). With so many coal burning plants already in operation, and the obvious benefits of coal’s energy potential, scientists have set out to harness coal’s good properties while at the same time protect the earth from it’s devastating short-comings. The answer to the current debate over coal’s future seems to lie in the idealist potential of Clean Coal. It’s potential is so great that President Bush has poured millions of dollars into the Federal Budget to stimulate Clean Coal development and initiatives. Currently, countless plants from the 1950’s and 1960’s have become decommissioned or are in need of replacements; the need to reinv... ...the non-renewable energies require too many additional processes to be considered a sustainable fuel for the future. Works Cited "Clean Coal Technology: How It Works." BBC News. 28 Nov. 2005. bbc.co.uk. 14 Feb. 2007 . "Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle." Cogeneration. 8 Jan. 2004. CogenerationTechnologies. 14 Feb. 2007 . "Prospects For CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) – Fact Sheet." Iea.Org. 15 Feb. 2006. International Energy Agency. 14 Feb. 2007 . Ristinen, Robert A., and Jack J. Kraushaar. Energy and the Environment. New York & London: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999. Schobert, Harold H. Energy and Society. New York & London: Taylor and Francis, 2002. Clean Coal and Its Potential Essay -- Energy Coal Fuel Essays Papers Clean Coal and Its Potential With the United States' increasing addiction for petroleum and imported energy, many organizations have begun to pressure government agencies to consider cleaner methods for fuel. As evident from recent government spending, the current administration favors the generation of electricity through a fossil fuel abundant in the United States; coal. Though coal is widely seen as a cheap source of energy, it contains many drawbacks: it’s emissions. Clean coal alternatives are available and they appear to have a promising future in the world of non-renewable energy. Coal, when used in the traditional manner, is the dirtiest fossil fuel on the planet. The combustion of coal releases a combination of harmful emissions into the surrounding atmosphere. These include but are not limited to NOx, SO2, CO2, and trace amounts of mercury (Rinstinen). Effects of these emissions are seen in the accumulation of low-level ozone, global warming, and acid rain. Despite these devastating affects coal remains the largest single producer of energy in the US (Schobert). With so many coal burning plants already in operation, and the obvious benefits of coal’s energy potential, scientists have set out to harness coal’s good properties while at the same time protect the earth from it’s devastating short-comings. The answer to the current debate over coal’s future seems to lie in the idealist potential of Clean Coal. It’s potential is so great that President Bush has poured millions of dollars into the Federal Budget to stimulate Clean Coal development and initiatives. Currently, countless plants from the 1950’s and 1960’s have become decommissioned or are in need of replacements; the need to reinv... ...the non-renewable energies require too many additional processes to be considered a sustainable fuel for the future. Works Cited "Clean Coal Technology: How It Works." BBC News. 28 Nov. 2005. bbc.co.uk. 14 Feb. 2007 . "Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle." Cogeneration. 8 Jan. 2004. CogenerationTechnologies. 14 Feb. 2007 . "Prospects For CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) – Fact Sheet." Iea.Org. 15 Feb. 2006. International Energy Agency. 14 Feb. 2007 . Ristinen, Robert A., and Jack J. Kraushaar. Energy and the Environment. New York & London: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999. Schobert, Harold H. Energy and Society. New York & London: Taylor and Francis, 2002. Clean Coal and Its Potential Essay -- Energy Coal Fuel Essays Papers Clean Coal and Its Potential With the United States' increasing addiction for petroleum and imported energy, many organizations have begun to pressure government agencies to consider cleaner methods for fuel. As evident from recent government spending, the current administration favors the generation of electricity through a fossil fuel abundant in the United States; coal. Though coal is widely seen as a cheap source of energy, it contains many drawbacks: it’s emissions. Clean coal alternatives are available and they appear to have a promising future in the world of non-renewable energy. Coal, when used in the traditional manner, is the dirtiest fossil fuel on the planet. The combustion of coal releases a combination of harmful emissions into the surrounding atmosphere. These include but are not limited to NOx, SO2, CO2, and trace amounts of mercury (Rinstinen). Effects of these emissions are seen in the accumulation of low-level ozone, global warming, and acid rain. Despite these devastating affects coal remains the largest single producer of energy in the US (Schobert). With so many coal burning plants already in operation, and the obvious benefits of coal’s energy potential, scientists have set out to harness coal’s good properties while at the same time protect the earth from it’s devastating short-comings. The answer to the current debate over coal’s future seems to lie in the idealist potential of Clean Coal. It’s potential is so great that President Bush has poured millions of dollars into the Federal Budget to stimulate Clean Coal development and initiatives. Currently, countless plants from the 1950’s and 1960’s have become decommissioned or are in need of replacements; the need to reinv... ...the non-renewable energies require too many additional processes to be considered a sustainable fuel for the future. Works Cited "Clean Coal Technology: How It Works." BBC News. 28 Nov. 2005. bbc.co.uk. 14 Feb. 2007 . "Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle." Cogeneration. 8 Jan. 2004. CogenerationTechnologies. 14 Feb. 2007 . "Prospects For CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) – Fact Sheet." Iea.Org. 15 Feb. 2006. International Energy Agency. 14 Feb. 2007 . Ristinen, Robert A., and Jack J. Kraushaar. Energy and the Environment. New York & London: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999. Schobert, Harold H. Energy and Society. New York & London: Taylor and Francis, 2002.

Abortion Controversy Essay -- Pregnancy

The Abortion Issue Introduction Abortion has been a very controversial subject over these past few decades. Every time you pick up a paper or magazine it seems there is always some protest regarding abortion, whether it be for fetal rights or women's rights. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica the definition of abortion is "the expulsion of a fetus from the uterus before it has reached the stage of viability (in human beings, usually about the 20th week of gestation). An abortion may occur spontaneously, in which case it is also called a miscarriage, or it may be brought on purposefully, in which case it is often called an induced abortion." This paper will focus only on those abortions which are considered to be induced and will present the argument to both sides, considering both the argument for Pro-life as well as for Pro-choice. Pro-Life Argument Don Marquis states in his article Why Abortion is Immoral that killing someone is wrong because the killing inflicts the greatest possible loss on the victim. He says that it is not the effect on the murderer and the victim's friends and relatives that makes killing an absolute wrong. Although killing does affect those close to the victim the ultimate harm done is on the victim himself due to their loss of future. Marquis states that killing is regarded as one of the worst crimes because it is depriving people of the value of their future. If this view were applied to abortion it would be easy to see how abortion could be considered wrong. By willingly ending the life of the fetus you are willingly ending their possibility of a future. The fetus has the possibility of having a future with emotions, experiences and activities that are the same as human beings and even closer to that of young children. This argument applies in most cases of abortion but not all. For example, to abort a fetus whose life will be filled with unbearable pain and anguish because of a physical or cognitive disorder could be justified because it could be said that the future of the fetus would be bleak and uncertain. In ways it could be stated that the "means justify the end". It must be noted however, that this acceptance would not apply to all situations of physical and cognitive disabilities; only the most severe cases would qualify. For example, there could be no way to justify inducing an abortion because it has been de... ...e brain is functioning. Conclusion When analyzing both sides of the abortion issues, it is evident that both sides provide both strong and weak arguments. Abortion will always be a controversial issue in society and there will always be disputing sides to the matter. Each person must make their own decisions based on their beliefs and factual evidence. Both sides must learn to be open-minded to the other side and learn to respect the fact that they have different thoughts and views. WORKS CITED "Abortion." Encyclopaedia Britannica - Online. 1 Oct. 2000. Carrier, Richard C. "Abortion is not Immoral and Should not be Illegal." Internet Infidels. 1 Oct. 2002 . Jarvis Thomson, Judith. "A defence of Abortion." Gender Basics. 2nd Ed. Anne Minas. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Inc, 2000. 402-409. Marquis, Don. "Why Abortion is Immoral." Gender Basics. 2nd Ed. Anne Minas. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Inc, 2000. 398-401. Robinson, B.A. "Abortion." Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. 3 Jul 2002. 1 Oct. 2002 Sherwin, Susan. "Abortion." Gender Basics. 2nd Ed. Anne Minas. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning Inc, 2000. 410-417.

BMW Essay -- essays research papers

BMW and Audi, two German automobile manufacturers, have a reputation for making some of the best cars in the industry. Not only are both companies superior in their production, but their financial statements also indicate stability and efficiency. Looking at financial ratios, we will compare both companies on a basis of management efficiency and debt status. As a bank analyst, we will make a recommendation as to which company would be better to approve a loan for. A recommendation will also be made regarding management effectiveness and which company would make a better investment. BMW has captured the attention of automobile drivers from all around the world with their â€Å"Ultimate Driving Machine.† The BMW Company was originally established in Germany and has extended nationally reaching over 12 countries. With Germany and the United States being the top two target countries, BMW has established their products as a combination of luxury, safety, and comfort with product lines to suit all styles of living. Revenues have been increasing each year since before 1996 with profits coming from product line of automobiles and motorcycles. In 2001, BMW came out with a new product group, the Mini. The Mini also contributed to the revenue increase in 2001. BMW has current developments in their sports cars, the Z8. BMW has created a trustworthy name for the automobiles they produce and has all the potential to continue their success in the future. Audi, one of Germany’s first automobile producers, has been designing and building cars since August Horch, its founder, completed his first car in 1901. Over the years following, a series of innovations and mergers have led Audi to the position it is in today. Audi’s subsidiaries include companies to facilitate international operations, part manufacturers, a vehicle customization company, a technology research company, and Lamborghini Corp, a successful sports car manufacturer. Audi’s current developments include its holding the EU Seal of Environmental Protection, and a number of technological advancements, including new car designs and a â€Å"seeing car† technology that has been nominated for the German Future award for Technology and Innovation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  BMW  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Audi Profitability Ratios  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Return on Equity  ... ...reflects this. This again shows BMW’s less efficient cost management than Audi. Through Dupont analysis, we have been able to see the specific strengths and weaknesses of BMW and Audi’s management. BMW’s lower profit margin and asset turnover indicate less efficient cost management and asset management. Their debt multiplier indicates that they’re taking advantage of debt, but the benefit of this isn’t realized because of their problems with cost and asset management. Due to Audi’s more efficient use of their assets, and better cost efficiency, it can be said that their management has performed better than BMW’s over the past year. BMW and Audi both build cars that have a reputation for security, reliability and quality. These traits transcend into their financial statements, making both of them a good investment due to their debt status, and management effectiveness. Our recommendation as a bank loan analyst would be for BMW due to its superior liquidity and low risk. When evaluating management performance for equity investment, Audi is clearly a better investment. This is primarily due to its superior asset management, debt allocation, and inventory management.

The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter One

Grace Eversleigh had been the companion to the dowager Duchess of Wyndham for five years, and in that time she had learned several things about her employer, the most pertinent of which was this: Under her grace's stern, exacting, and haughty exterior did not beat a heart of gold. Which was not to say that the offending organ was black. Her grace the dowager Duchess of Wyndham could never be called completely evil. Nor was she cruel, spiteful, or even entirely mean-spirited. But Augusta Elizabeth Candida Debenham Cavendish had been born the daughter of a duke, she had married a duke, and then given birth to another. Her sister was now a member of a minor royal family in some central European country whose name Grace could never quite pronounce, and her brother owned most of East Anglia. As far as the dowager was concerned, the world was a stratified place, with a hierarchy as clear as it was rigid. Wyndhams, and especially Wyndhams who used to be Debenhams, sat firmly at the top. And as such, the dowager expected certain behavior and deference to be paid. She was rarely kind, she did not tolerate stupidity, and her compliments were never falsely given. (Some might say they were never given at all, but Grace had, precisely twice, borne witness to a curt but honest â€Å"well done† – not that anyone believed her when she mentioned it later.) But the dowager had saved Grace from an impossible situation, and for that she would always possess Grace's gratitude, respect, and most of all, her loyalty. Still, there was no getting around the fact that the dowager was something less than cheerful, and so, as they rode home from the Lincolnshire Dance and Assembly, their elegant and well-sprung coach gliding effortlessly across the midnight-dark roads, Grace could not help but be relieved that her employer was fast asleep. It had been a lovely night, truly, and Grace knew she should not be so uncharitable. Upon arrival, the dowager had immediately retired to her seat of honor with her cronies, and Grace had not been required to attend to her. Instead, she had danced and laughed with all of her old friends, she had drunk three glasses of punch, she had poked fun at Thomas – always an entertaining endeavor; he was the current duke and certainly needed a bit less obsequiousness in his life. But most of all she had smiled. She had smiled so well and so often that her cheeks hurt. The pure and unexpected joy of the evening had left her body humming with energy, and she was now perfectly happy to grin into the darkness, listening to the soft snore of the dowager as they made their way home. Grace closed her eyes, even though she did not think herself sleepy. There was something hypnotic about the motion of the carriage. She was riding backwards – she always did – and the rhythmic clip-clop of the horses' hooves was making her drowsy. It was strange. Her eyes were tired, even though the rest of her was not. But perhaps a nap would not be such a misplaced endeavor – as soon as they returned to Belgrave, she would be required to aid the dowager with – Crack! Grace sat up straight, glancing over at her employer, who, miraculously, had not awakened. What was that sound? Had someone – Crack! This time the carriage lurched, coming to a halt so swiftly that the dowager, who was facing front as usual, was jerked off her seat. Grace immediately dropped to her knees next to her employer, her arms instinctively coming around her. â€Å"What the devil?† the dowager snapped, but fell silent when she caught Grace's expression. â€Å"Gunshots,† Grace whispered. The dowager's lips pursed tightly, and then she yanked off her emerald necklace and thrust it at Grace. â€Å"Hide this,† she ordered. â€Å"Me?† Grace practically squeaked, but she shoved the jewels under a cushion all the same. And all she could think was that she would dearly like to smack a little sense into the esteemed Augusta Wyndham, because if she were killed because the dowager was too cheap to hand over her jewels – The door was wrenched open. â€Å"Stand and deliver!† Grace froze, still crouched on the floor next to the dowager. Slowly, she lifted her head to the doorway, but all she could see was the silvery end of a gun, round and menacing, and pointed at her forehead. â€Å"Ladies,† came the voice again, and this time it was a bit different, almost polite. The speaker then stepped forward out of the shadows, and with a graceful motion swept his arm in an arc to usher them out. â€Å"The pleasure of your company, if you will,† he murmured. Grace felt her eyes dart back and forth – an exercise in futility, to be sure, as there was clearly no avenue of escape. She turned to the dowager, expecting to find her spitting with fury, but instead she had gone white. It was then that Grace realized she was shaking. The dowager was shaking. Both of them were. The highwayman leaned in, one shoulder resting against the door frame. He smiled then – slow and lazy, and with the charm of a rogue. How Grace could see all of that when half of his face was covered with his mask, she did not know, but three things about him were abundantly clear: He was young. He was strong. And he was dangerously lethal. â€Å"Ma'am,† Grace said, giving the dowager a nudge. â€Å"I think we should do as he says.† â€Å"I do love a sensible woman,† he said, and smiled again. Just a quirk this time – one devastating little lift at the corner of his mouth. But his gun remained high, and his charm did little to assuage Grace's fear. And then he extended his other arm. He extended his arm. As if they were embarking at a house party. As if he were a country gentleman, about to inquire about the weather. â€Å"May I be of assistance?† he murmured. Grace shook her head frantically. She could not touch him. She did not know why, precisely, but she knew in her bones that it would be utter disaster to put her hand in his. â€Å"Very well,† he said with a small sigh. â€Å"Ladies today are so very capable. It breaks my heart, really.† He leaned in, almost as if sharing a secret. â€Å"No one likes to feel superfluous.† Grace just stared at him. â€Å"Rendered mute by my grace and charm,† he said, stepping back to allow them to exit. â€Å"It happens all the time. Really, I shouldn't be allowed near the ladies. I have such a vexing effect on you.† He was mad. That was the only explanation. Grace didn't care how pretty his manners were, he had to be mad. And he had a gun. â€Å"Although,† he mused, his weapon rock steady even as his words seemed to meander through the air, â€Å"some would surely say that a mute woman is the least vexing of all.† Thomas would, Grace thought. The Duke of Wyndham – who had years ago insisted that she use his given name at Belgrave after a farcical chorus of your grace, Miss Grace, your grace – had no patience for chitchat of any sort. â€Å"Ma'am,† she whispered urgently, tugging on the dowager's arm. The dowager did not say a word, nor did she nod, but she took Grace's hand and allowed herself to be helped down from the carriage. â€Å"Ah, now that is much better,† the highwayman said, grinning widely now. â€Å"What good fortune is mine to have stumbled upon two ladies so divine. Here I thought I'd be greeted by a crusty old gentleman.† Grace stepped to the side, keeping her eyes trained on his face. He did not look like a criminal, or rather, her idea of a criminal. His accent screamed education and breeding, and if he was not recently washed, well, she could not smell it. â€Å"Or perhaps one of those dreadful young toads, stuffed into a waistcoat two sizes too small,† he mused, rubbing his free hand thoughtfully against his chin. â€Å"You know the sort, don't you?† he asked Grace. â€Å"Red face, drinks too much, thinks too little.† And to her great surprise, Grace found herself nodding. â€Å"I thought you would,† he replied. â€Å"They're rather thick on the ground, sadly.† Grace blinked and just stood there, watching his mouth. It was the only bit of him she could watch, with his mask covering the upper portion of his face. But his lips were so full of movement, so perfectly formed and expressive, that she almost felt she could see him. It was odd. And mesmerizing. And more than a little unsettling. â€Å"Ah, well,† he said, with the same deceptive sigh of ennui Grace had seen Thomas utilize when he wished to change the subject. â€Å"I'm sure you ladies realize that this isn't a social call.† His eyes flicked toward Grace, and he let loose a devilish smile. â€Å"Not entirely.† Grace's lips parted. His eyes – what she could see of them through the mask – grew heavy-lidded and seductive. â€Å"I do enjoy mixing business and pleasure,† he murmured. â€Å"It's not often an option, what with all those portly young gentlemen traveling the roads.† She knew she should gasp, or even spit forth a protest, but the highwayman's voice was so smooth, like the fine brandy she was occasionally offered at Belgrave. There was a very slight lilt to it, too, attesting to a childhood spent far from Lincolnshire, and Grace felt herself sway, as if she could fall forward, lightly, softly, and land somewhere else. Far, far from here. Quick as a flash his hand was at her elbow, steadying her. â€Å"You're not going to swoon, are you?† he asked, his fingers offering just the right amount of pressure to keep her on her feet. Without letting her go. Grace shook her head. â€Å"No,† she said softly. â€Å"You have my heartfelt thanks for that,† he replied. â€Å"It would be lovely to catch you, but I'd have to drop my gun, and we couldn't have that, could we?† He turned to the dowager with a chuckle. â€Å"And don't you go thinking about it. I would be more than happy to catch you as well, but I don't believe either of you would wish to leave my associates in charge of the firearms.† It was only then that Grace realized there were three other men. Of course there had to be – he could not have orchestrated this by himself. But the rest of them had been so silent, choosing to remain in the shadows. And she had not been able to take her eyes off their leader. â€Å"Has our driver been harmed?† Grace asked, mortified that she was only now thinking of his welfare. Neither he nor the footman who had served as an outrider were anywhere in sight. â€Å"Nothing that a spot of love and tenderness won't cure,† the highwayman assured her. â€Å"Is he married?† What was he talking about? â€Å"I – I don't think so,† Grace replied. â€Å"Send him to the public house, then. There is a rather buxom maid there who – Ah, but what am I thinking? I am among ladies.† He chuckled. â€Å"Warm broth, then, and perhaps a cold compress. And then after that, a day off to find that spot of love and tenderness. The other fellow, by the way† – he flicked his head toward a nearby cluster of trees – â€Å"is over there. Perfectly unharmed, I assure you, although he might find his bindings tighter than he prefers.† Grace flushed, and she turned to the dowager, amazed that she wasn't giving the highwayman a dressing down for such lewd talk. But the dowager was still as pale as sheets, and she was staring at the thief as if she'd seen a ghost. â€Å"Ma'am?† Grace said, instantly taking her hand. It was cold and clammy. And limp. Utterly limp. â€Å"Ma'am?† â€Å"What is your name?† the dowager whispered. â€Å"My name?† Grace repeated in horror. Had she suffered an apoplexy? Lost her memory? â€Å"Your name,† the dowager said with greater force, and it was clear this time that she was addressing the highwayman. But he only laughed. â€Å"I am delighted by the attentions of so lovely a lady, but surely you do not think I would reveal my name during what is almost certainly a hanging offense.† â€Å"I need your name,† the dowager said. â€Å"And I'm afraid that I need your valuables,† he replied. He motioned to the dowager's hand with a respectful tilt of his head. â€Å"That ring, if you will.† â€Å"Please,† the dowager whispered, and Grace's head snapped around to face her. The dowager rarely said thank you, and she never said please. â€Å"She needs to sit down,† Grace said to the highwayman, because surely the dowager was ill. Her health was excellent, but she was well past seventy and she'd had a shock. â€Å"I don't need to sit down,† the dowager said sharply, shaking Grace off. She turned back to the highwayman, yanked off her ring, and held it out. He plucked it from her hand, rolling it about in his fingers before depositing it in his pocket. Grace held silent, watching the exchange, waiting for him to ask for more. But to her surprise, the dowager spoke first. â€Å"I have another reticule in the carriage,† she said – slowly, and with a strange and wholly uncharacteristic deference. â€Å"Please allow me to retrieve it.† â€Å"As much as I would like to indulge you,† he said smoothly, â€Å"I must decline. For all I know, you've two pistols hidden under the seat.† Grace swallowed, thinking of the jewels. â€Å"And,† he added, his manner growing almost flirtatious, â€Å"I can tell you are that most maddening sort of female.† He sighed with dramatic flair. â€Å"Capable. Oh, admit it.† He gave the dowager a subversive little smile. â€Å"You are an expert rider, a crack shot, and you can recite the complete works of Shakespeare backwards.† If anything, the dowager grew even more pale at his words. â€Å"Ah, to be twenty years older,† he said with a sigh. â€Å"I should not have let you slip away.† â€Å"Please,† the dowager begged. â€Å"There is something I must give to you.† â€Å"Now that's a welcome change of pace,† he remarked. â€Å"People so seldom wish to hand things over. It does make one feel unloved.† Grace reached for the dowager. â€Å"Please let me help you,† she insisted. The dowager was not well. She could not be well. She was never humble, and did not beg, and – â€Å"Take her!† the dowager suddenly cried out, grabbing Grace's arm and thrusting her at the highwayman. â€Å"You may hold her hostage, with a gun to the head if you desire. I promise you, I shall return, and I shall do it unarmed.† Grace swayed and stumbled, the shock of the moment rendering her almost insensible. She fell against the highwayman, and one of his arms came instantly around her. The embrace was strange, almost protective, and she knew that he was as stunned as she. They both watched as the dowager, without waiting for his acquiescence, climbed quickly into the carriage. Grace fought to breathe. Her back was pressed up against him, and his large hand rested against her abdomen, the tips of his fingers curling gently around her right hip. He was warm, and she felt hot, and dear heaven above, she had never – never – stood so close to a man. She could smell him, feel his breath, warm and soft against her neck. And then he did the most amazing thing. His lips came to her ear, and he whispered, â€Å"She should not have done that.† He sounded†¦ gentle. Almost sympathetic. And stern, as if he did not approve of the dowager's treatment of her. â€Å"I am not used to holding a woman such,† he murmured in her ear. â€Å"I generally prefer a different sort of intimacy, don't you?† She said nothing, afraid to speak, afraid that she would try to speak and discover she had no voice. â€Å"I won't harm you,† he murmured, his lips touching her ear. Her eyes fell on his gun, still in his right hand. It looked angry and dangerous, and it was resting against her thigh. â€Å"We all have our armor,† he whispered, and he moved, shifted, really, and suddenly his free hand was at her chin. One finger lightly traced her lips, and then he leaned down and kissed her. Grace stared in shock as he pulled back, smiling gently down at her. â€Å"That was far too short,† he said. â€Å"Pity.† He stepped back, took her hand, and brushed another kiss on her knuckles. â€Å"Another time, perhaps,† he murmured. But he did not let go of her hand. Even as the dowager emerged from the carriage, he kept her fingers in his, his thumb rubbing lightly across her skin. She was being seduced. She could barely think – she could barely breathe – but this, she knew. In a few minutes they would part ways, and he would have done nothing more than kiss her, and she would be forever changed. The dowager stepped in front of them, and if she cared that the highwayman was caressing her companion, she did not speak of it. Instead, she held forth a small object. â€Å"Please,† she implored him. â€Å"Take this.† He released Grace's hand, his fingers trailing reluctantly across her skin. As he reached out, Grace realized that the dowager was holding a miniature painting. It was of her long-dead second son. Grace knew that miniature. The dowager carried it with her everywhere. â€Å"Do you know this man?† the dowager whispered. The highwayman looked at the tiny painting and shook his head. â€Å"Look closer.† But he just shook his head again, trying to return it to the dowager. â€Å"Might be worth something,† one of his companions said. He shook his head and gazed intently at the dowager's face. â€Å"It will never be as valuable to me as it is to you.† â€Å"No!† the dowager cried out, and she shoved the miniature toward him. â€Å"Look! I beg of you, look! His eyes. His chin. His mouth. They are yours.† Grace sucked in her breath. â€Å"I am sorry,† the highwayman said gently. â€Å"You are mistaken.† But she would not be dissuaded. â€Å"His voice is your voice,† she insisted. â€Å"Your tone, your humor. I know it. I know it as I know how to breathe. He was my son. My son.† â€Å"Ma'am,† Grace interceded, placing a motherly arm around her. The dowager would not normally have allowed such an intimacy, but there was nothing normal about the dowager this evening. â€Å"Ma'am, it is dark. He is wearing a mask. It cannot be he.† â€Å"Of course it's not he,† she snapped, pushing Grace violently away. She rushed forward, and Grace nearly fell with terror as every man steadied his weapon. â€Å"Don't hurt her!† she cried out, but her plea was unnecessary. The dowager had already grabbed the highwayman's free hand and was clutching it as if he was her only means of salvation. â€Å"This is my son,† she said, her trembling fingers holding forth the miniature. â€Å"His name was John Cavendish, and he died twenty-nine years ago. He had brown hair, and blue eyes, and a birthmark on his shoulder.† She swallowed convulsively, and her voice fell to a whisper. â€Å"He adored music, and he could not eat strawberries. And he could†¦he could†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The dowager's voice broke, but no one spoke. The air was thick and tense with silence, every eye on the old woman until she finally got out, her voice barely a whisper, â€Å"He could make anyone laugh.† And then, in an acknowledgment Grace could never have imagined, the dowager turned to her and added, â€Å"Even me.† The moment stood suspended in time, pure, silent, and heavy. No one spoke. Grace wasn't even sure if anyone breathed. She looked at the highwayman, at his mouth, at that expressive, devilish mouth, and she knew that something was not right. His lips were parted, and more than that, they were still. For the first time, his mouth was without movement, and even in the silvery light of the moon she could tell that he'd gone white. â€Å"If this means anything to you,† the dowager continued with quiet determination, â€Å"you may find me at Belgrave Castle awaiting your call.† And then, as stooped and shaking as Grace had ever seen her, she turned, still clutching the miniature, and climbed back into the carriage. Grace held still, unsure of what to do. She no longer felt in danger – strange as that seemed, with three guns still trained on her and one – the highwayman's, her highwayman's – resting limply at his side. But they had turned over only one ring – surely not a productive haul for an experienced band of thieves, and she did not feel she could get back into the carriage without permission. She cleared her throat. â€Å"Sir?† she said, unsure of how to address him. â€Å"My name is not Cavendish,† he said softly, his voice reaching her ears alone. â€Å"But it once was.† Grace gasped. And then, with movements sharp and swift, he leaped atop his horse and barked, â€Å"We are done here.† And Grace was left to stare at his back as he rode away.