The Indigo Spell Chapter Sixteen

I GAVE MS. TERWILLIGER a full report on our trip to the inn the next morning. We met at Spencer's, and in a rare show of early rising, Adrian joined us. â€Å"I've got a study group meeting soon,† he explained. His mood was a lot better, with no mention of yesterday's . . . indiscretion. Even though there wasn't much to tell, lines of worry creased her face as she heard our story. The true panic came when I mentioned my dream. Ms. Terwilliger's eyes went wide, and she gripped her coffee cup so tightly, I thought it would break. â€Å"She found out,† she murmured. â€Å"Whether it was that Alicia girl or some other way, Veronica found out about you. I should never have sent you. I thought you'd slip underneath her radar if the other girls were charmed, but I was wrong. I was selfish and naive. It would've been better if she knew I was on to her from the very beginning. You're sure you were masking Sydney's appearance?† That was to Adrian. â€Å"Positive,† he said. â€Å"Everyone we talked to, all the girls and even Alicia . . . none of them would have a clear idea of what Sydney looks like.† â€Å"Maybe she's been spying on you,† I suggested. â€Å"And saw us together. I haven't been in disguise around here.† â€Å"Maybe,† Ms. Terwilliger conceded. â€Å"But we also know she was active in Los Angeles. She would have to spend considerable time stalking her victims, which wouldn't give her the chance to come here and watch me extensively. Even with her powers, she can't teleport.† Her expression hardened with resolve. â€Å"Well, there's nothing to be done now but damage control. She doesn't seem to know exactly where you are yet or that you're even connected to me. I'll make you another charm to try to boost this one, but it may not work if she's found a way to reach out to you. And in the meantime, don't worry about offense anymore. You need to focus on defense – particularly invisibility spells. Your best protection against Veronica at this point is for her simply not to find you if she comes looking around Palm Springs.† I'd continued reading the advanced offense spells, despite her warnings. With this new development, though, I knew she was right about defense being more important. Still, I couldn't shake the worry that Veronica had discovered me by watching Ms. Terwilliger, which in turn made me fear for my teacher's safety. â€Å"You keep saying she's not after you . . . but are you really sure?† â€Å"She'll avoid me if she can,† said Ms. Terwilliger, sounding confident. â€Å"I have the power but not the youth and beauty she's after. And even she would draw the line at taking on her sister. It's the only remnant of human decency she has left.† â€Å"Will she still have that attitude when you confront her?† asked Adrian. Ms. Terwilliger shook her head. â€Å"No. Then anything goes. I'd like to meet with you tonight to practice a couple other defensive tactics.† I eyed her carefully. â€Å"Are you up for that? No offense, ma'am, but you already look exhausted.† â€Å"I'll be fine. Meet me at the park again around ten. I'll get Weathers to let you go. We must keep you safe.† She stared off into space for several moments and then focused on me again. â€Å"In light of this development . . . it wouldn't be a bad idea for you to find some, ah, more basic means of defense as well.† â€Å"Basic?† I asked, puzzled. â€Å"She means like a gun or a knife,† supplied Adrian, catching on to what I hadn't. Ms. Terwilliger nodded. â€Å"If you ever confront Veronica, it'll most likely come down to magic fighting magic . . . but, well, one can never say. Having something else for backup might prove invaluable.† I wasn't a fan of this idea. â€Å"I have no clue how to knife fight. And I don't like guns.† â€Å"Do you like being put into a coma and aging before your time?† asked Adrian. I shot him a glare, surprised he'd be on board with this. â€Å"Of course not. But where would we even get one on such short notice?† From the look on his face, he knew I had a point. Suddenly, he became enthusiastic again. â€Å"I think I know.† â€Å"I'm sure you two will figure it out,† said Ms. Terwilliger, her mind already moving to something else. She glanced at her watch. â€Å"Almost time for classes.† We all stood up, preparing to go our own ways, but I held Adrian back. I couldn't imagine how in the world he would know where to get a gun on no notice. He wouldn't elaborate and simply said he'd meet me after school. Before he left, I remembered something I'd wanted to ask. â€Å"Adrian, did you keep my cross?† â€Å"Your – oh.† Looking into his eyes, I could practically see yesterday's events playing through his mind – including us rolling around on the bed. â€Å"I dropped it when – ah, well, before we left. Yo u didn't pick it up?† I shook my head, and his face fell. â€Å"Shit, I'm sorry, Sage.† â€Å"It's okay,† I said automatically. â€Å"It's not okay, and it's my fault. I know how much it means to you.† It did mean a lot to me, but I almost blamed myself as much as him. I should've thought of it before we left, but I'd been a little preoccupied. â€Å"It's just a necklace,† I told him. This didn't comfort him. He looked so dejected when we parted ways that I hoped he wouldn't forget about us meeting up later to visit his mysterious gun source. There was nothing to worry about, though. When classes ended, he was outside my dorm in the Mustang and looked much more upbeat, with no more mention of the necklace. When he told me his gun plan, I was shocked, but after a few moments of thought, I realized he might be on to something. And so, a little less than an hour later, we found ourselves far outside the city, driving up to a forlorn-looking home on a large, barren piece of land. We had reached the Wolfe School of Defense. â€Å"I never thought we'd be here again,† I remarked. Wolfe's house had no windows, and there were no cars in sight as we walked up to the door. â€Å"He may not even be home,† I murmured to Adrian. â€Å"We probably should have called first.† â€Å"Wolfe never struck me as a guy who leaves the house very much,† said Adrian. He knocked on the door, and almost instantly, we heard a flurry of barking and scampering feet. I grimaced. Wolfe, for reasons I would never be able to understand, kept a herd of Chihuahuas in his house. He'd once told us that they could kill a man upon a single command. We waited a few minutes, but the barking was the only sign that there was any sort of life inside. Adrian knocked one more time (driving the dogs into an even greater frenzy) and then shrugged. â€Å"I guess you were – â€Å" The door suddenly opened – just a slit – and one gray eye peered out at us from underneath a chain. â€Å"Oh,† came a grizzled voice. â€Å"It's you two.† The door closed, and I heard the chain being unlocked. A moment later, Wolfe slipped outside, careful not to let any of the dogs out. He had a patch over his left eye, which was probably just as well since his other eye alone seemed to peer straight through me. â€Å"You should've called,† he said. â€Å"I nearly turned the dogs on you.† Wolfe was dressed in his favorite pair of Bermuda shorts as well as a T-shirt showing a bald eagle riding on a monster truck. The eagle held an American flag in one set of talons and a samurai sword in the other. That seemed a weird weapon choice for such a patriotic shirt, but we'd long since learned not to question his wardrobe. That had come after he'd kicked a woman out of our class who'd dared to ask if he only had one pair of shorts or several identical ones. â€Å"What do you kids need?† he asked. â€Å"Next classes don't start until after New Year's.† Adrian and I exchanged glances. â€Å"We, um, need a gun,† I said. â€Å"I mean, just to borrow.† Wolfe scratched his beard. â€Å"I don't lend them out to students who haven't taken my gun class. Safety first.† I found it promising, however, that he lent out guns at all. It was a sign of his character that he didn't even bother asking why we wanted one. â€Å"I've already had training,† I said. That was true. It was mandatory for all Alchemists. I'd done well in it, but as I'd mentioned to Adrian, I really didn't like guns at all. At least a knife had other uses. But a gun? It was only there to injure or kill. Wolfe arched an eyebrow, the one over his good eye. Clearly, he didn't believe me. â€Å"Can you back that up?† â€Å"Do you have a shooting range?† I returned coolly. He almost looked offended. â€Å"Of course I do.† He led us to a building beyond the garage we'd trained in. I'd never been inside this building before, but like his house, it had no windows. The door was covered in enough locks to meet with Alchemist security standards. He let us inside, and I gaped when I saw not only a practice range but also a wall covered in various types of guns. Wolfe gave the small holding space a once-over. â€Å"Earmuffs must be in the house. Be right back.† I continued staring at the wall, knowing my eyes were wide. â€Å"There's no way those are all legal.† Adrian's response was unexpected. â€Å"Did you notice his eye patch?† I dragged my gaze from the arsenal. â€Å"Um, yes. From the day we first met him.† â€Å"No, no. I mean, I swear it was on his other eye last time.† â€Å"It was not,† I said immediately. â€Å"Are you sure?† asked Adrian. I wasn't, I realized. Words and numbers were easy for me to memorize. But other details, like clothing or hair – or eye patches – were sometimes easy for me to miss. â€Å"That doesn't make any sense,† I finally said. â€Å"Why would he do that?† â€Å"He's Malachi Wolfe,† said Adrian. â€Å"Why wouldn't he do that?† I couldn't argue against that. Wolfe returned with ear protection. After examining his wall, he selected a small handgun and then unlocked a cabinet containing ammunition. At least he didn't leave a bunch of loaded guns around. â€Å"I'll do that,† I told him. I took the gun from him and effortlessly loaded it. He made a small grunt of approval. He gestured toward the far end of the range, to a large paper cutout showing a human silhouette with various targets marked on it. â€Å"Now then,† he said. â€Å"Don't worry about hitting the – â€Å" I fired, perfectly emptying the clip into the most difficult targets. I handed the gun to him. He handed it back. Behind him, I could see Adrian staring at me with enormous eyes. â€Å"Keep it,† said Wolfe. â€Å"You passed. You've gotta buy your own ammunition, but as long as you fill out the rental agreement, you're good to go.† As it turned out, the â€Å"rental agreement† was a piece of paper where he wrote the gun type on one side and I put my initials on the other. â€Å"Really?† I asked. â€Å"That's all I need to do? I mean, I'm glad, but . . .† I didn't really know what else to say. Wolfe waved off my protests. â€Å"You're a good kid. If you say you need a gun, I believe you. Someone giving you trouble?† I slipped the gun into my messenger bag. â€Å"Something like that.† Wolfe glanced over at Adrian. â€Å"What about you? You need a gun too?† â€Å"I'm good,† said Adrian. â€Å"Besides, I haven't had the training. Safety first.† Wolfe opened up the ammunition cabinet again and produced a long wooden tube and a sandwich bag of what looked like small darts. â€Å"You want to borrow my blowgun? Not much of a learning curve on this. I mean, you'll never be able to match the skill and cunning of the Amazonian warriors that I stole this from, but it can get you out of a pinch.† â€Å"Thanks, but I'll take my chances,† Adrian said after several long moments. He almost sounded as though he'd considered it. I was still hung up on Wolfe's other words, not sure I believed what I'd heard. â€Å"You were in the Amazon?† This time, Wolfe arched the eyebrow above his eye patch. â€Å"You don't believe me?† â€Å"No, no, of course I do,† I said quickly. â€Å"It's just, you've never mentioned it before.† Wolfe gazed off beyond us. â€Å"I've been trying for years to forget my time there. But some things, you just can't escape.† A very long and very uncomfortable silence followed. At last, I cleared my throat. â€Å"Well, thank you, sir. We should get going. Hopefully I won't need the gun for very long.† â€Å"Keep it as long as you need,† he said. â€Å"If I want it back, I'll find you.† And on that disturbing note, Adrian and I left. Although I understood Ms. Terwilliger's reasons for â€Å"old-fashioned† defense, I was in no way comfortable having a gun around. I'd have to keep it in my car in case school authorities ever did a search of my room and discovered it. My Alchemist and magical kits were already a liability. I was pretty sure there'd be no talking my way out of a gun. Adrian returned me to Amberwood. I started to open the door and then paused to glance over at him. â€Å"Thanks,† I said. â€Å"For everything. Going to the inn. Suggesting we see Wolfe.† â€Å"Hey, that was worth it just to know Wolfe owns a blowgun.† I laughed. â€Å"Actually, I'd be more surprised if he didn't. See you later.† Adrian nodded. â€Å"Sooner than you think.† â€Å"What's that mean?† I asked, suspicion rearing up in me. He dodged the question and reached underneath his seat. â€Å"I called Alicia,† he told me, producing a small box. â€Å"She couldn't find your cross. Her housekeeping service had already gone through and cleaned the room, but she says she'll check to see if it got caught up in the bedding. Oh, and I also asked about Veronica. She hasn't been back.† That was disheartening news, but I was touched he'd called. â€Å"Thanks for trying.† He opened the box and pulled out a necklace with a tiny wooden cross on it. â€Å"I got you a replacement. I mean, I know there's no real substitute, but I wanted to get you something. And don't start about not being able to accept some fancy gift,† he said, guessing the protest I was about to make. â€Å"It cost me five dollars from a street vendor, and I'm pretty sure the chain is brass.† I bit off my words and took the necklace from him. The cross barely weighed anything. Studying it more closely, I could see a tiny pattern of silver flowers painted on its surface. â€Å"The vendor didn't do that. That's your handiwork.† â€Å"Well . . . I know you're into simple stuff, but I've always got to have some embellishment.† I ran my finger over the cross's surface. â€Å"Why'd you choose morning glories?† â€Å"Because I'm not the biggest fan of lilies.† I smiled at that. When I returned to my dorm room, I laid the necklace out on my dresser. I gave it one last fond look and then tried to decide how best to spend the rest of my day. Our trip to Wolfe actually hadn't taken that long, so I had plenty of time to catch dinner and make sure I was up to date on my homework. I actually ate with Kristin and Julia for a change, which was kind of a nice break from the drama of my other friends. Of course, most of the meal consisted of Julia gushing about â€Å"Dave.† By the end, both she and Kristin were demanding to know when I'd bring him by again. As the evening pushed on, I began to prepare for my meeting with Ms. Terwilliger. I wasn't sure what kind of magic we'd be practicing outdoors but figured I should be ready for anything. I packed a wide variety of items from my kit and even had the foresight to bring a granola bar for post-magic fuel. Once everything was in order, I headed back downstairs. I was nearly out the dorm door when Mrs. Weathers called out to me. â€Å"Sydney?† I paused to glance back. â€Å"Yes, ma'am?† â€Å"Where are you going? It's nearly curfew.† Frowning, I walked over to her desk. â€Å"I'm doing an assignment for Ms. Terwilliger.† Mrs. Weathers looked troubled. â€Å"Yes, I know you do that a lot for her . . . but I haven't received authorization from her to let you out after hours today.† Her expression turned apologetic. â€Å"I'm sure this is all on the up-and-up, but, well, rules are rules.† â€Å"Of course,† I said. â€Å"But she said she'd let you know. Are you sure you didn't get anything? A note? A phone call?† She shook her head. â€Å"Nothing. I'm sorry.† â€Å"I understand,† I murmured, though I wasn't sure I did. Despite her perpetually scattered nature, Ms. Terwilliger was usually good about this sort of thing. Mrs. Weathers assured me she'd let me go if Ms. Terwilliger gave the okay by phone, so I returned to my room and attempted to call her. I went straight to voice mail, and my text went unanswered. Had something happened to her? Had that magical confrontation I'd been dreading finally gone down? I kicked around my dorm room for the next hour or so, letting all my worries eat at me. Veronica. Marcus. St. Louis. Ms. Terwilliger. The dream. Over and over, I kept imagining the worst outcome for all of them. Just when I thought I'd go crazy, Ms. Terwilliger finally returned my call. â€Å"Why didn't you show up?† she asked as soon as I answered. I felt relieved. She'd gone to the park. That explained the lack of contact since there was no signal out there. â€Å"I tried! Mrs. Weathers wouldn't let me out. You forgot to give me permission.† â€Å"I most certainly didn't. . . .† Her words trailed off uncertainly. â€Å"That is, I thought I did. . . .† â€Å"It's okay† I said. â€Å"You've had a lot on your mind.† â€Å"It's not okay.† She sounded angry but it was at herself, not me. â€Å"I need to be on top of this.† â€Å"Well, you can call Mrs. Weathers now,† I said. â€Å"Too late. I'm already back home. We'll have to attempt this again another time.† â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said. â€Å"I tried.† Ms. Terwilliger sighed. â€Å"I know you did. It's not your fault. It's mine. I'm letting all of this wear me down, and now I'm getting sloppy. I've already taken too many risks at your expense, and it's put Veronica on your trail. I can't let her get any farther.† A chill ran through me as I thought of those comatose girls – and the possibility of me joining them. I'd been able to stay cool and collected while investigating, but last night's dream had driven home the dangers I faced. That image of the girl in the newspaper hovered in my mind as I held the phone and paced my room. I stopped in front of a mirror and tried to picture myself like that, aged before my time. I squeezed my eyes shut and turned away. I couldn't let that happen to me. I just couldn't, and I needed Ms. Terwilliger if I was going to stay safe. Maybe I was a prodigy, but I was nowhere near being able to take on someone like her sister. â€Å"Get some rest, ma'am,† I said at last. â€Å"You sound like you need it.† â€Å"I'll try. And you be careful, Miss Melbourne.† â€Å"I will.† Being careful was the only thing I could do on my own for now. I just hoped it would be enough. When we got off the phone, I didn't want to sleep again. I was afraid to, and it wasn't just because of the sheer terror I'd felt in last night's dream. Ms. Terwilliger had explained there was a type of searching spell that sought people in their sleep, and I worried that if Veronica reached out to me again, she might get a fix on my location. The problem was that after last night's sketchy sleep, I was now even more exhausted. My usual coffee and distraction tricks failed, and before I knew it, I was asleep. I don't know how much time passed before I dreamed. One moment I was lost in the oblivion of sleep. The next, I found myself standing in the room that had hosted Sonya and Mikhail's reception. It looked exactly the same: flowers everywhere, tables covered in white linen and crystal glasses . . . The only difference was that the room was empty and silent. It was eerie, seeing all that richness and glamour with no one to enjoy it. I could've been in a ghost town. I looked down and saw that I wore the same dress from that evening as well. â€Å"I could've made it red, you know. That's a better color for you – not that blue looks bad on you.† Adrian strode toward me, dressed in the same dark blue suit. Understanding hit me. I was in a spirit dream. It was another of that element's incredible feats, the ability for a spirit user to intrude on someone's dreams. No – not intrude. The user was actually able to create the dream itself, controlling every detail. â€Å"It's been a long time since you pulled me into one of these,† I said. â€Å"And look at the progress you've made. Last time you were kicking and screaming.† He held out a hand. â€Å"Want to dance?† â€Å"No music,† I said, not that I had any intention of dancing. He had a point about my reaction, though. I hadn't exactly been kicking and screaming, but I had kind of freaked out. I'd been in full possession of all my fears about vampires and magic, and being surrounded in a world completely constructed of that magic had left me frightened and unhinged. And now? Now I had apparently become so comfortable that my biggest concern was that he'd put me in this dress. I gestured to it. â€Å"Can you change me out of this?† â€Å"You can change yourself out of it,† he said. â€Å"I'm letting go of the control. Just picture yourself the way you are in reality.† I did exactly that, and a moment later, I wore jeans and a pale blue knit top. This obviously disappointed him. â€Å"That's what you sleep in?† â€Å"No.† I laughed. â€Å"I was trying not to sleep at all. It didn't work. Why'd you bring me here?† He strolled around and picked up one of the crystal goblets, nodding in approval as though he were some sort of glassmaking expert. â€Å"Exactly that reason. I saw how much that dream bothered you. I figured if I pulled you into one of these, it'd keep you from one of Veronica's.† I'd never thought of that. Vampire magic was certainly preferable to hers. Looking around, I gained a new appreciation for the room. It became a sanctuary, a place where she couldn't reach me. At least, I hoped not. We really didn't know how her magic would work against Adrian's. For all I knew, she might come walking through the door, carrying Sonya's bouquet. â€Å"Thank you,† I said. I sat down at one of the tables. â€Å"That was nice of you.† It was another one of those incredible moments when Adrian had had the insight to guess my thoughts – or in this case, my fears. â€Å"Well, it was also selfish. I wanted to see you in the dress.† He reconsidered. â€Å"Actually, I wanted to see you in that red Halloween dress again, but I figured that would be pushing my luck.† I looked away as an image of that dress returned to me. Lia DiStefano had created the costume for me. She'd loosely based it on an ancient Greek dress and ended up with a gauzy confection of red and gold. That was when Adrian had said I was the most beautiful creature walking the earth. It had happened before he expressed his feelings for me, but even then, his words had undone me. I thought about what he was doing for me now and decided to give him a small compensation. I focused again on my clothes, and the blue dress returned. â€Å"Better?† I asked. His face lit up in a way that made me smile in return. â€Å"Yes.† Hoping I wasn't setting myself up for some suggestive answer, I asked, â€Å"So what are we going to do?† â€Å"You sure you don't want to dance? I can make some music.† My silence spoke for me. â€Å"Fine, fine. I don't know. We could play a game. Monopoly? Life? Battleship? Twister? Whatever we do, I am not playing Scrabble with you.† We warmed up with Battleship – I won – and then moved on to Monopoly. That took a little work to set up because Adrian could only create things that he could imagine. He couldn't remember all the streets and cards, so we made our best attempt to re-create them. Neither of us could remember one of the yellow streets, so he named it Jet Way. We proved surprisingly well matched, and I became engrossed in the game. The power shifted back and forth between us. Just when one of us seemed to have all the control, the other would seize it back. I had no doubts about my ability to win – until I lost. I sat there, dumbstruck, staring at the board. â€Å"Have you ever lost a game before?† he asked. â€Å"I . . . yes, of course . . . I just didn't think . . .† â€Å"That I could beat you?† â€Å"No, I just . . . it doesn't happen very often.† I looked up at him and shook my head. â€Å"Congratulations.† He leaned back in his chair and laughed. â€Å"I think beating you just improved your opinion of me more than anything else I've ever done.† â€Å"I've always had a high opinion of you.† I stretched out, surprised to feel kinks in my body. It was strange how these dreams could have such a realistic physical component. â€Å"How long have we have been here?† â€Å"I don't know. It's not morning yet.† He appeared unconcerned. â€Å"What do you want to play next?† â€Å"We shouldn't play anything,† I said. I stood up. â€Å"It's been hours. I'm asleep, but you aren't. You can't stay up all night.† â€Å"I'm a vampire, Sage. A creature of the night, remember?† â€Å"One who's on a human schedule,† I chastised. He still didn't seem worried. â€Å"Only one class tomorrow. I'll make it up.† â€Å"What about the spirit?† I began to pace restlessly as more of the implications hit me. â€Å"You have to be using a lot of it. That's not good for you.† â€Å"I'll take my chances.† There was an unspoken for you at the end of his sentence. I returned to the table and stood in front of his chair. â€Å"You have to be careful. Between this and the Veronica hunt. . . .† I suddenly felt bad. I hadn't thought twice about asking him to help with that. I'd forgotten the risks. â€Å"Once we've stopped her, you need to lay off the spirit.† â€Å"Don't worry.† He grinned. â€Å"Once we've gotten rid of that bitch, I'll be celebrating so much that I won't be sober for days.† â€Å"Ugh. Not the healthiest way to do it. Have you ever thought about antidepressants?† I knew they helped some spirit users by blocking the magic. His smile vanished. â€Å"I won't touch those things. Lissa took them and hated them. Being cut off from spirit nearly drove her crazy.† I crossed my arms and leaned against the table. â€Å"Yeah, but using it will drive you crazy too.† â€Å"No lectures tonight, Sage. It mars my stunning Monopoly victory.† He was far too casual for such a serious matter, but I knew him well enough to recognize when he wouldn't yield. â€Å"Fine. Then let's end on a high note. Send me back, and get some sleep.† â€Å"You sure you'll be okay?† His concern was so intense. I didn't think anyone had ever worried about me that much. Well, maybe Ms. Terwilliger. â€Å"Probably she gave up for the night.† I really didn't know, but I couldn't let him keep exerting himself. The thought of Veronica reaching out again terrified me . . . but the thought of Adrian endangering himself almost scared me more. He'd risked so much for me. Could I do any less? â€Å"You can check on me tomorrow night, though.† Adrian's face lit up as though I'd just accepted a date. â€Å"It's a deal, then.† And like that, the reception hall dissolved around me. I returned to peaceful sleep and just barely heard him say, â€Å"Sweet dreams, Sage.†

Make an Ethical Referral

UNIT 2 (COVER SHEET 3) MAKING AN ETHICAL REFERRAL 2. 1 Quite often, a counsellor’s role is to assess and refer clients on to more appropriate help. Sometimes a client needs specialist counselling or a different approach and it is up to the counsellor to make this transition as smooth as possible for the client and to manage the process as sensitively as possible. The counsellor needs to take responsibility for making all arrangements but the client should also be empowered. SOURCES FOR REFERRALIts good practice for a counsellor to keep an up to date file of local and national agencies. A network of personal links is also important as it can help to instil a more human/caring element within a potentially anxiety provoking situation. PROCEDURE: The procedure for referrals differs from agency to agency but possible ways of managing this are: * Contact the agency concerned and find out about referral and appointment procedures. Be clear in your own mind, possibly after conferring with the help-seeker, what information you will pass to the agency in any discussion that arises during a telephone call. Contact the agency by telephone whilst the help-seeker is with you so that you can hand over to him to make the appointment after you have made the initial enquiry. * Write a referral letter to the agency. You could send a copy to the client so that he knows the letter has been sent to the agency. You might consider drafting the referral letter with the client so that he/she agrees the content Whatever the process of referral it is a time of contemplation and reflection for all involved.Confidentiality, boundary issues, supervision and adherence to laws/codes of practice need to be taken into account. 2. 3 When you suggest referral the help-seeker needs to understand that this is not a rejection. Many help-seekers have been passed from pillar to post and despair of genuine help being available, so they may feel cynical and/or rejected. It’s also possible t hat, having shown considerable courage to get this far, they feel daunted by approaching someone else and starting all over again.It is important to explain the reason why the referral is necessary and assure the client that their personal information will be help in confidence. The client also needs to be assured that the referral agency are the best placed to further their progress and ultimately that the referral is valid and necessary. 2. 4 When you engage with a client for a number of sessions you have a choice between an immediate (date/time defined) ending and a phased ending. A phased ending can take different forms: * A planned ‘weaning off’ (longer intervals between sessions) * An open door policy Endings with a follow up some weeks/months later Difficulties that clients may have with endings are: * Client is emotionally upset * Client is reluctant to end the sessions * If the ending is abrupt or unexpected * Client breaks the contract and sessions are ended W ithin the endings process you need to draw upon what you know about his/her attitude and experience of endings. For many people it’s a relatively small issue – if they are fairly self-supporting and motivated they probably move on with little regret.For others it’s a much bigger event. A Counsellor needs to ensure to flag that the end is drawing close and to give an opportunity for the client to comment on how he feels about the end. The longer the contact you’ve had, the more time you want to allow for this discussion and the earlier it needs to happen. Although you need to make the time limit clear in the initial contract, both counsellor and client are sure to have feelings about the ending of even short-term work.The extent of feelings probably relate to the intensity of the work and the investment in it by each party. Preparation for the ending should include: * Recognition of where the client is now (positive and negative) * A decision about the rea son for the ending (planned or immediate) * Goodbyes 2. 5 Supervision is an important part of the referral process and should be used to facilitate and explore how the process should be managed, how the client will react and how the counsellor will feel about the ending.I think as a counsellor you should have a prior understanding of how you feel the client will/is reacting to the ending of the helping relationship and the supervisor can draw upon his/her experience as to how the process should be best managed. I think as a counsellor, particularly when the ending has been abrupt or ‘premature’ may experience feelings of inadequacy or failure for not helping the client to overcome their presenting issues. I think a supervisor will be able to empathise and advise on the situation and how to frame it within your mind.The supervisor will advise how to end the relationship in a systematic way as positive as possible. 2. 6 Reasons for referral may be: Because the counsellor: * Has a personality clash with the client * Is out of their depth in terms of professional limits * Lacks experience to help the client further * There are boundary issues with knowing the client/friends of client on a personal basis * The clients issue is triggering issues within the counsellor * There is a clash of beliefs/values/culture that cannot be overlooked in terms of empathy Because the agency: Has time limits/limited sessions * Has a policy complication relating to clients issues * Does not deal with certain areas of counselling Because the client: * Needs/wants a different type of counsellor or other type of care * Has issues around availability/accessibility * Needs/wants a different package of care 2. 7 The BACP guidance relating to ethical referrals are that: * All referrals should be discussed with the client in advance and the client's consent obtained both to making the referral and also to disclosing information to accompany the referral.The referral should benef it the client, all confidential information should be protected during referral and the service/counsellor must be capable. * Prior to accepting a referral a practitioner should ensure that the referral is appropriate, will benefit the client and that the client is consenting. If the referrer is ultimately responsible for the client then they can receive update reports providing the client is consenting

Pornography and US Law Essay

In Catherine Mackinnon’s book â€Å"Only Words† she describes U. S law as a very strong indictment of a law system in conflict with itself. The book is divided and is a collection of three essays. The first one is a heavy and emotional criticism of pornography. The other two essays evaluate and compare pornography and sexual harassment with racial discrimination and abuse. She defines pornography as â€Å"explicit sexual material that subordinates women† (page 13). She argues that ‘pornography is sex’, as viewed by the American law, that only views it as a possible cause of injury, instead of an act of sexual discrimination that promotes sexual inequality. She holds that like other kinds of racial and hate speeches, it should be totally banned because it contributes heavily in the degradation, subordination and abuse of women in general. Mackinnon says even if pornography is a form of speech, this does not mean that it cannot be controlled and regulated by the government. She lashes out at the people who believe pornography and other acts of harassment and hate propaganda should be protected by law. Mackinnon argues that that pornography, harassment messages and racial speeches eventually do the same thing, which is ‘enact the abuse’. Porn, she says, lowers the dignity and self esteem of women and fuels the acts by â€Å"sexual harassers, wife beaters, child molesters, rapists and clients of prostitutes† (page 17). The first amendment promotes the problems the fourteenth amendment was supposed to fix. Mackinnon shows a society that is extremely hypocritical. Her words in the book have encompassed real abuse, directed at her as a woman; she has really tried to prove her point. Mackinnon believes that we need to change the first amendment in order to balance it out with the fourteenth amendment on issues concerning free speech and protection of equality. She is campaigning for the â€Å"new model in which free speech does not most readily protect the activities of Nazis, Klansmen and pornographers, while doing nothing for their victims† (page 32). She commended two Canadian court decisions which promoted the rights of people negatively affected by pornography and hate speeches and propaganda. Word that involve issues such as bribes, fixing of prices and segregation of facilities are treated as acts of law, but words or pictures target issues involving race and sex are not treated as acts of law, and that is why the courts end up permitting pornography in our societies. She shows how lawyers and judges have used the first amendment to justify the heinous acts of pornographers and racist individuals into political speech. She says that if words have ever been recognized as actions it is in situations concerning sexual harassment. She laments that the courts have reduced their effectiveness by overturning universities’ restraints of discriminatory and sexual speeches on campus by throwing out a complaint brought forward by a female shipyard worker who was harassed by having been shown pornography, which is a form of speech that is protected in the first amendment. In fact these words and pictures are protected by law explained as ‘the free and open exchange of ideas’, even reproduced for viewing. Mackinnon says that what the law is concerned with is not what the word does but what the consequences of the word is, the harassment, racism and hate speeches is showing the differences between the different social groups, the power one group has over another. Mackinnon through studies in workplaces, pornographers, on college campuses and others she shows these very discriminatory acts are protected by law as free speech; equality will only be seen and treated as a word. Mackinnon brings to the open many of the contradictions she has been saying in the previous essays, she says that â€Å"the law of equality and the law of freedom of speech are on a collision course in this country† (page 47). Mackinnon does a good job in showing the ignorance and shallow thinking of many defenders of pornography. The book is a passionate and eloquent plea to Americans to be able to see beyond the doctrines made normal by society, in particular concerning pornography and racial and hate speeches. She says that Americans suffer from obsession of expressive freedom to the trauma of the McCarthy era. Her arguments show that in some levels, pornography may be restricted, but it has not yet shown reason to be restricted. She later confuses by emphasizing that some of them are made from â€Å"actual child abuse and actual rape and tortures† (page 56). Certain weaknesses are evident in the book. First of all, she should have devoted more space for the definition of pornography so that it would have been applicable in law. Another weakness is the vague separation of debating and expressing intolerable ideas. These prevent from having clearly defined boundaries. What she fails to bring out in her book is the other side of free speech, the importance of free speech in an independent society like political accountability, self determination among others. Catherine Mackinnon’s views do have pros and cons. Her view that pornography should be controlled by the government I believe is a good thing. Pornography has really led to degradation of the society and this will reduce if it is controlled. To some extent it does lead to subordination of women leading to more cases of aggression towards women, it eventually ‘enacts the abuse’. Her suggestion that amendments should be made to the constitution to be able to defend those affected by pornography I believe is also a good thing. Campaigning for the new model that free speech does not protect the activities of those using the right of free speech to justify their actions is also a good idea. Some of the abuses of sexual inequality are regarded as free speech hence not seen as acts of sexual abuse. Lawyers and judges have used this to justify some of the issues affecting the society such as hate speeches, pornography and racial discrimination. Some of the cons is that she uses very few words to explain the definition of pornography, she should have taken more time define her view of pornography. I believe that pornography should be regulated and have to agree with Catherine Mackinnon. Pornography has caused serious consequences to the society in general and therefore should be controlled. The pornographers have the freedom to do a lot and they are protected by the constitution. To some extent it does lead to subordination of women, hence pornography should be controlled.

Political Sensibilities of Milk and Philadelphia( movies) Essay

Political Sensibilities of Milk and Philadelphia( movies) - Essay Example However, it is important to note that the film Philadelphia has more impact than Milk as far as raising political sensitivity on matter of homosexuality is concerned. Milk is about the last eight years of Harvey Milk’s life. Harvey Milk was not only a gay activist but also the first openly gay man to be elected into a major public office in America (Charity, 2008). On the other hand, Philadelphia is about the life of Andrew Beckett, a gay lawyer, who after contracting Aids is being hooded out of the law firm he practices law in (Perry, 2001). This film proceeds to illustrate the basic human rights and the needs of Andrew, his experience of alienation and vulnerability. It is however noteworthy that though Philadelphia affects the perspective of many Americans on matter of homosexuality it does not do it more vigorously as Milk. Milk and Philadelphia put gay subject matter into mainstream America, even though this subject was a taboo in 1990s when they were both released. In my opinion, the movie Milk changed the perspective of majority of Americans toward the homosexual population. In 1970s for instance, homosexual people enjoyed lesser liberty that the rest of the population which is not the case today courtesy of films like Milk and Philadelphia and gay right activists activities. To majority of American, homosexuality was wrong and immoral and therefore in their opinion unacceptable to them. Milk has a very big impact on our political view as far as homosexuality is concerned. It also compels us to pay close attention to the gay population and their rights. While it is utterly impossible to perfectly understand someone who does not come from your own background, and especially when it comes to matters of sexuality, people can almost experience it for a brief duration through the realistic visual of films. Films give people the insight they need to

Managing entrepreneurially Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing entrepreneurially - Essay Example In the use of entrepreneurship skills in management, maximization on the available resources is usually the highest priority to increase the level of output in a firm, without incurring additional costs both financially and through labor. As per the definition of entrepreneurial management, an entrepreneur is a good manager who assumes all the risks of a business by taking control of the company, as well as its goals and direction. The entrepreneurship model of management is made up of six different styles that are generated from a combination of one or more styles, but all aim at the earlier mentioned goals of effectiveness and independence. The first style is the classic and is more of a traditional entrepreneurial management style based on monitoring and supervision (Roslan et al 91). With this in mind, all hired personnel are monitored and supervised on a personal level, where personal refers to the manager taking the role of supervisor. This style also focuses on lack of delegat ion of responsibilities in the firm all thanks to the personal nature or attachment of the manager to the firm in taking the lead to oversee everything personally. The down side to this style lies in the failure to delegate duties and responsibilities due to the neurotic urge to do everything by oneself, which is more of a negative way to run a firm. The style is reformed by defining that which can be delegated and that which cannot, in order to create a convention on that which is right and wrong in running of the firm in relation to effectiveness. However, due to the common belief that this style uses team management, businesses often become too complicated to be run by the entrepreneur using this style; thus the inclusion of managers from outside to run the business. Still, due to the lack of trust in the delegation of responsibilities to subordinates and other members of staff, there is usually conflict in the running of the firm, as the leader needs to be in control. This is co ncerning running and supervising everything personally, which leads to over regulation what the managers are supposed t do for the development of the firm. As a result, it disillusions the subordinates and the firm is left without members of staff since they cannot handle the occurrence of such events on a regular basis as it appears disrespectful to the members of staff by subjecting them to some of the responsibilities that one cannot handle on his or her own. To correct the situation of the classic style of leadership with its down sides, to is crucial to identify the role of one’s leadership in relation to one’s ability to delegate. Therefore, when one cannot delegate effectively, it is crucial to keep the complexity of the business to a minimum in order to eliminate the need for managers and disillusionment of subordinates. The second style is the coordinator, which is an alternative to the classic method in that it takes the recommendations of reforming the class ic to mind. A firm can be easily run with a very limited number of employees together with the leader, where the role of the leader revolves around organization. In this case, entrepreneurial management involves the leader verifying that everything is done in the form and that the firm is

English Composition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English Composition - Essay Example ot only mean surfing online research sites or going to the libraries to dig up on records, books, and journals about the chosen topic; it also means talking or doing interviews with the experts on the field that covers the topic to be written about. Persuasive essay is also known as the argument essay because the writer states an argument about the chosen topic of a literary piece. The argument must always use sound reasoning and solid evidence by stating facts, giving logical reasons, using examples, and quoting experts (Essay Info, 2007). Topics for this type of essay may vary from a simple question whether a school uniform is still apt to wear these days to a more volatile subject of abortion or death penalty. Persuasive essays are usually written in a way that it can be delivered as speeches. Writing a persuasive essay requires an open-minded writer. For example, the topic is about the fear of the elderly about the new technology such as computers. The writer may make a stand that there is no reason to fear the technical innovations. Apart from preparing for the facts that will support the argument of the essay, the writer should also get ready for objections that the opposition will most likely present. In thinking about the opposition, here are a few questions that the writer should ask: What will they say against my idea? How can I defend my idea against their arguments? Are there any of my points that they can easily attack? Can I see any weak links in the oppositions thinking? (Geocities, 2007). In the topic on the elderly people’s fear of new technology, the opposition will be the elderly themselves and some old-fashioned persons. Every possible points of the opposition should be included in the essay, and the writer must be able to answer and overcome the objections. However, this style may not be applicable to other topics. Hence, experts suggest four steps in planning for a persuasive essay: the writer needs to choose the position or stand on a

Article Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 24

Article Review - Essay Example Bellamy & Basole (2013) reveal that with the ongoing evolution and adaptation of systems steered by multifaceted sociotechnical inter-firm contacts, traditional engineering and operations management modelling become less effective. The traditional modelling perspectives become ineffective in capturing of numerous complicated elements of supply chain systems or SCSs structurally and behaviourally. These drawbacks result to the acknowledgement of crucial benefits linked to network analytics in understanding, designing and managing SCSs. To understand the impact of network analytics, three interdependent themes evaluated are SCS system architecture or network structure, SCS system behaviour or network dynamics, and SCS system policy and control or network strategy. Network analysis involves interdisciplinary lens that relies on theories derived from organizational, social, and complexity sciences. Additionally, network analysis controls graph theoretic techniques to design, evaluate and visualize the SCS structure, strategies, and dynamics. Bellamy & Basole (2013) article relies on objectives of network analysis systematic review in the literature of supply chain; organization into an integrative framework and suggestions for future directions. The research fields included in the multidisciplinary analysis are operations management, sociology, biology, marketing, physics, economics, and system engineering. The data used by Bellamy & Basole (2013) was based on a supply chain context relative to the period starting 1995 to 2011. The year 1995 was chosen for being the first year network analysis use in analysing supply chain. Articles publication was based on publication year, research method and research theme, and publication outlet. The article’s research was found on 126 articles examined using varying combinations of the three themes but concerning the research

Halo 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Halo 4 - Essay Example Halos are a special ring like structures quite similar to Orbitals of the solar system. The main characters of the game are â€Å"Master Chief John-117† who was a human with supernatural qualities and â€Å"Cortana†, an artificial intelligent agent accompanying the John-117 in his tasks. Different versions of Halo that were available on Xbox and Xbox360 are as follows: Halo: combat Evolved also known as Halo: CE or Halo is the first game of the Halo Series that was released in 2001 and considered as the Killer app for Xbox gaming system. About five million copies of Halo: CE was sold within four years after its release that forced Microsoft to launch its computer versions. Second part of the Halo sequel was launched in 2004 on Xbox and later the Microsoft version for computer in 2007. The game was improved with multiplayer maps. Also, players can alternatively choose the role of a human and alien in a war that made the game more interesting. Halo 3 is the third part of the halo sequel that concluded the ‘story arc’ which continued for the previous 2 parts of the series. Halo 3 sold more that US $170 million worth copies in the first day of release that broke all the previous records. A new version of Halo 3: ODST was released in 2009 known as â€Å"Orbital Drop Shock Troopers†. Players are given the choice of two modes of playing that they can choose from. One is ‘Campaign mode’ and the other is ‘Firefight’. It is a multiplayer game with more difficult enemy line to kill and survive for longer. After releasing Halo 3 in 2007, Bungie split up in two teams, one created the ODST version while others created Reach. It came up with a new story line taking place in 2552, where humans are locked with aliens. Covenant attack the human world and players fight them back by controlling the soldier named Noble Six. Halo: CEA is an advanced form of Halo: Combat Evolved. It was released alongside of Halo 4 in 2011 by a large number of

Book Report ( The coming of Dragons by A.J.Lake) Essay

Book Report ( The coming of Dragons by A.J.Lake) - Essay Example It is on the ship that the children meet and become friends. While sailing on the ship, a mysterious appears in the sky and the ship is destroyed. All abroad it are lost and only the children survive. Relying on one another and their own wit, the children finally make it to shore. There they meet a mysterious old hermit who tells them some very strange tales. Elspeth and Edmund do not understand much of what the mystical and mysterious hermit tells them but soon discover that they have been given the responsibility of saving the world. Throughout their quest to save the world, Elspeth and Edmund come across many strange characters. Some of them are extremely sinister and quite frightening. However, they manage to survive and move from one stage of their adventure to another because of their courage, their wit and the magical powers they have been given. Edmund suddenly discovers that he can enter into the mind of the dragon and of people, and listen to all their thoughts. Elspeth finds a magical sword attached to her arm and which appears and disappears as needed. The adventures which the two characters experience in their quest to save the world are exciting and encourage readers to keep turning the pages of the book. The two main characters play an equally important role in keeping readers riveted. Despite their age and their inexperience, they manage to overcome the fears and courageously face their responsibility of saving the world. Elspeth and Edmund are courageous, intelligent and, above all, don’t rush into things blindly but wisely think over their every move. Besides making a good Christmas gift, The Coming of the Dragon has many lessons for its readers. It teaches courage, the importance of persistence and how, by facing your fears, you can overcome them. However, the most important lesson it teaches is responsibility. Edmund and Elspeth are given a responsibility which seems much greater than their

Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 5

Project Management - Essay Example The conceptualisation, development and production of the aircraft took several years since the treaty between Britain and France was signed in 1962 but test flights of the Concorde could not be conducted till 1967 while scheduled flights could only be conducted in 1976 (Wikipedia, 2006). At the same time, after many years of faithful service as well as rising and falling fates, the Concorde was retired in 2003. As a product, it does present the complete lifecycle of a product going from an idea to a cultural icon to the eventual death of the product. The overall command and control for a project like Concorde would have to be handled by many individuals who are experts in their fields but one person would have the responsibility of conducted the entire project. There are several skills and competencies which one could seek when looking for a person to handle a project like Concorde of which the most important would be planning skills. However, before a discussion is made regarding the project manager’s skills and abilities, it would be logical to examine some of the primary activities involved with the project. The first activity required for the Concorde project would be to secure the required financing for the project. In historical terms, the idea and the product itself was so costly that no single company could manage to come up with the financing required for the project. In fact, Britain and France had to pool their resources before the production and prototyping process could begin (Wikipedia, 2006). A project manager here would need to be a part of the negotiations between the two countries so that s/he can guide the political process away from the technological process to create as little interference as possible. Once the financing or financial backers have been secured for the project, there is a significant cost involved in terms of time and money which concerns the mobilisation of the project. This activity is

E-learning Evaluation Essay Example for Free

E-learning Evaluation Essay The Problem The adaptation of a new e-training program have brought questions of performance gaps in our orientation program to light and have brought into question the usefulness of an e-learning system and weather we should proceed with a more classical training approach in this area. The importance of the information conveyed in this training, such as fire evacuation points and health coverage options, combined with the need to create a positive first impression for new employees makes this program a high priority item. As it can affect workplace safety as well as company liability regarding the mandated OHS training in these fields, it is critical that we ensure that the program is at maximum effectiveness and are able to distinguish training gaps as a result of program delivery or other variables. As employee training and employee orientation are roles of the HR department, it would seem clear that the responsibility for evaluating the effectiveness of the delivery of this training should fall under the same department. Institution and evaluation of new training systems is something that we should always consider a high priority, but these evaluations are generally carried our as part of the delivery model and not as an afterthought, as in this case. Common Methods for E-learning Evaluation Recent writings in the areas of e-learning support a five faucet evaluation of the e-training program and its effectiveness, but it should be noted that this is still an emerging field. These evaluation areas can be considered common industry practice: (1) (2) Reaction Learning Behavior Results Return on investment These areas of focus are considered in context of several factors such as the learner, technology, instruction, instructor, institution, and community (1) to create a rich matrix of evaluation for the program effectiveness and delivery. ROI can be difficult to calculate and so has been grouped in with results in a number of methods of analysis. E-Learning’s upside seems to outweigh any drawbacks, but more research needs to be done in the areas of concrete costs and benefits as well as the contexts for the transfer of knowledge. â€Å"Proving connections between e-learning and the outcomes – benefits and drawbacks – would assist in the use of evaluation methods† (2)  and the use of evaluation should be considered â€Å"at every stage of the e-learning process† (1). As this field further develops we will undoubtedly see more tools emerge to aid in this evaluation. While the benefits of e-learning are well documented for the right context, the drawbacks highlighted may have some impact for us as well. E-Learning programs may rely heavily on self-discipline, may have a high initial cost, can be difficult to support, and may not be suitable for all types of training or all types of learners. (2) We should keep these limitations in mind when evaluating this program and when looking at implementing further programs of this nature. Application of Current Practices The first and probably most obvious learning to take from these writings is that the evaluation of an e-learning program should take place a various places throughout the delivery cycle. Pre-course, formative, and summative evaluations (1) should have been evaluated prior to this point; this in itself is a lesson we can take away to future implementations. From an evaluative approach we can first look at the learner, their skills, attitudes, and preferences as they relate to this e-learning program. Many of these variables are tied to the reaction level of evaluation but the preset attitude towards a training program will carry much weight in the conscious and subconscious effort put forth by individuals towards it. This form of unintentional or deliberate sabotage, as well as extraordinary effort towards a program will greatly affect results. From this we can see that the attitudes conveyed toward and about the technology, instruction, instructor, institution etc will need to be scanned for any negative presets or experiences with training. An additional factor to be taken from these resources is that the skill sets and resources of the learners may not be capable for this type of training to work. An evaluation of the computer literacy, computer comfort levels, and computer/internet availability that employees may possess is in order. We cannot assume that all individuals will have access to a computer and internet, or the appropriate skills and comfort level for this type of training. Gaps in performance may come about from deficiencies in any of these categories. Evaluation in terms of knowledge transference should be broken into the categories of reaction (as mentioned above), learning – cognitive knowledge transfer, and behavioral  changes. Objective gaps in these areas may be due to factors which are easier to analyze when the barriers are properly identified and grouped. And finally we can learn that the evaluation of this program in an â€Å"almighty dollar† may not be a significant as a blended evaluation which takes into account any increases in program availability this will create, the ability for staff to review the material at any time, and the opportunity to create a dynamic first impression within our staff that may translate into a shift in culture. From these and more we can see that there is much to be gained for our organization in evaluating our training systems, not only in terms of due diligence for current operating procedures, nor simply in terms of ROI – but also in terms of how we can improve, an d aid our staff in their learning. Works Cited 1. A Systemic, Flexible, and Multidimensional Model for Evaluating E-Learning Programs. Mungania, Peni and Hatcher, Tim. 2004, Performance Improvement, pp. 33-39. 2. E-Learning: evaluation from an organizations perspective. Kathawala, Yunus and Wilgen, Andreas. 2004, Training Management Development Methods, pp. 5.01-5.13. 3. E-learning: The Relationship Amoung Learner Satifaction, Self-efficacy, and Usefulness. Womble, Joy. 2008, The Business Review, Cambridge, pp. 182-188.

Womens Issues Essay Example for Free

Womens Issues Essay This research was conducted from an investigate concept through personal interviews of minorities and female executives, Human Resources executive recruiters, through journals, articles from websites, peer publications, and secondary research of studies performed through data collection and data analyzation. The various articles and journals reviewed will provide an overview of the glass ceiling, address the problems and challenges, identify the types of barriers and trends, and propose a solution. Through this study we will attempt to measure whether organization’s recruitment process, criteria, and strategic plans are aligned with the goals and objectives to meet the needs of the organization and better identify the best qualified candidate and improve the organization’s bottom line. Glass Ceiling Overview Definition The â€Å"glass ceiling† is defined as the invisible but real barrier through which the next stage or level of advancement can be seen, but cannot be reached by a section of qualified and deserving employees. Such barriers exist due to implicit prejudice on the basis of age, ethnicity, political or religious affiliation, and/or sex. Although generally illegal, such practices prevalent in most countries (www. businessdictionary. com) Overview The analogy â€Å"glass ceiling† is a terminology used quite often in corporate America to best identify just how far women or minorities have or will rise up the corporate ladder. Many feel it is often impossible for that demographic to exceed beyond the level of mid-management; and although we have made some strides and have increased the number of women and minorities entering today’s workforce, it’s no surprise a small fraction of those have successfully risen to the executive level in the corporate environment. Problems and Challenges Women Women face greater barriers and rely on strategies for advancement that are different from those of their male counterparts (Lyness and Thompson, 2000). There are many ways discrimination against women exists, such as job segregation, gaps in compensation, sexual harassment, inability to participate in career developmental opportunities, lack of available mentorship programs, and the lack of career advancement opportunities. According to a report from the federal bipartisan Glass Ceiling Commission (1995), 95% to 97% of senior managers of Fortune 1000 industrial and Fortune 500 companies are men, yet white males make up only about 43% of the workforce. The same study reported that only 5% of senior managers in the Fortune 2000 industrial and service companies are women. These commission findings are especially striking since women make up nearly half of the workforce (www. highbeam. com). One would have you believe the success of women career both economically and self gratifying can only be accomplished if and only if there is a change in behavior. We want to believe the selection process is objective and carefully thought out. Yet, others expect the process to be about the individual’s performance and merits and together the choice is based on the right fit for the organization. I conducted a total of 22 individual personal interviews, 11 of which included female executives. When asked what were some of the challenges they faced throughout their tenure? The responses varied but the one thing each clearly stated was â€Å"learning the language of the male dominant role†. Other challenges provided were: †¢ Advantages males have related to social networking †¢ Lack of mentorship †¢ Wage gaps for comparable work †¢ Work-life balance †¢ Shadows of the predecessor Minorities The remaining personal interviews conducted were with 11 male minority executives. When asked what were some of the challenges they faced throughout their tenure? Again, the responses were in variations; however each clearly identified â€Å"race† was the greatest challenge. But, the one thing that I found to be quite astounding when each expounded on race as an issue, was they all made the decision in their career they would not make this their problem, yet it would be others. What I got out of those words was without acknowledgment there cannot be acceptance. Other challenges provided were: †¢ Respect †¢ Removal of identity crisis †¢ Externally viewed before internally judged †¢ Education inferiority (studies outside of the U.  S. ) †¢ Mindset of organizational promotions Human Resources Meeting with executive recruitment representatives, I found they in fact face many of the same challenges women and minorities face. As a recruiter their responsibility first and foremost is to stay in-lined with the organization’s mission and vision. However finding the most qualified candidate is the biggest challenge. In terms of demographics, they aggressively seek to recruit more women or minorities for those positions because there is such a small percentage currently in place. Unfortunately if the candidate is not the right fit or if felt the cultural and/or environment carry an abundance of testosterone, many of the female executives are driven away which begins the recruitment process. Another challenge is with the selection process and not being able to question the decision-making especially when clearly felt other candidates were possessed more qualifications. Glass Ceiling Barriers Types The gender wage gap if asked is probably the biggest challenge women executives will tell you they encounter. A study conducted by the National Census Bureau showed U. S. omen still earned only 77 cents on the male dollar in 2008, according to the latest census statistics. That number drops to 68% for African-American women and 58% for Latinas (www. time. com). When speaking with one female executive she explains â€Å"one of the biggest challenges she faced would be the initial promotion as an executive. She indicated she was very excited because she knew the promotion was not only well deserved but she would be the only female executive within the organization. However in looking back she realized how the male dominant environment worked as she would only receive a 3% pay increase†. She regrets that decision but stated she attributes who she is today because of that unfortunate event. Discrimination or harassment is another challenge women and/or minorities face in achieving executive positions. African American executives feel to survive this culture it is essential remain true to themselves. However women executives will tell you there is a constant misrepresentation related to the gender and the ability to maintain as their counterparts. Although illegal, discrimination and harassment occurs subtle and overtly, with the glass ceiling harassment being the most difficult to prove. Work and family is another major challenge women face because many of the female executives are made to choose between working long hours and their family; while their male counterparts don’t have to make such decisions thereby giving them the opportunity and ability to put in those extra hours. The lack of mentorship is also challenging. One of the interviewees stated â€Å"higher profile jobs at the executive level will require more of your time. It is felt that males can depart and detach, however females feel an excuse has to be made†. Women enter the business environment in the early stages of their careers and in many instances are usually on the same level as men. However, according to the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) studies show in the next 5 to 10 years, men seem to benefit from upward career movement more than women, in part because women do not locate mentors as easily as men (www. shrm. com). Some organizations have recognized the need to assist in getting mentors and have also implemented training and development programs in support of women and minorities to develop mentoring relationships. Leadership Challenges Roles and responsibilities Many female and minority executives say leadership can be quite challenging especially being in the shadow of a predecessor. For women achieving this role, it is a constant second guessing of management styles. Clearly men and women possess different leadership styles. However one group may view as more of the nurturing role whereas counterparts are viewed as having no personal or emotional ties and are in capable of relating to personal issues. Many women feel like the outsider at the executive management level. They also have to deal with the shrewdness of having to prove they belong in that role. One of the interviewees is a Captain in the Police Department who not only was the first female she was the first African American to obtain that high ranking in the organization. One of her greatest challenge is having to constantly prove that she fits into this male dominant career. Many decisions are questioned and she often times finds herself having to put on the hardcore role to show she is capable of performing her roles and responsibilities while her counterparts are received with blessings.

SWOT Analysis OF NIKE

SWOT Analysis OF NIKE Partial fulfillment by the award of the post graduate diploma in business Management. From Fortune School of Technology and Management in Singapore. Nike Inc. was founded in  1962 by Bill Bower man and Philip H.  Knight as a  partnership under the  name, Blue  Ribbon Sports.  Since Germany conquered  the domestic market in America, Nike came with low-cost and high quality products for the American people. Today, Nike manufactures and distributes athletic shoes in the global market and 40% of  its sales come from athletic apparel, sports equipment,and subsidiary ventures and they have  traditional  as  well  as  nontraditional  distribution  channels  in  more  than  100countries globally. Nike has attained a premier position in the market but in 1998, the company has to face the issue of exploiting overseas workers and the altering consumer  needs negatively pretentious the sales of Nike. In this report, I have discussed the case history of Nike that majorly covers the child labor  problem and the problem of change in consumers preferences after which I have done the SWOT analysis and hav e come up with strategic objectives, market driven strategy Objectives. Furthermore, the marketing strategy is discussed that covers the segmentation strategy, targeting, positioning and channel distribution of Nike and the product, price and promotional strategy it must approve.  In the  end, I  have given some  recommendations to Nikes management to force it towards success. Contents INTRODUCTION: The company Nike has establish its brand with lot of efforts today almost all knows about Nike it is a world famous brand with a good reputation. Knight called his first shoe Tiger and began allocation at path meet. Blue Ribbon in 1971 earned its Swoosh and knight introduces the most important Nike brand line. In 1978 the Blue Ribbon becomes Nike and both years their earnings grow steadily. Due to Nike attention in informal shoes in the 1980, they missed the leaning to aerobic shoe and cut down after allowing Reebok to manage the marketplace. MISSION AND VISION: Nike states in its mission declaration that it entail responsibility commerce in a guilty way, most important to sustainable monetary increase. With the advance in knowledge, Human resource practices, the healthy knowledgeable and skilled employment power, here is extremely small deficient to distinguish organization. Living being seen to go added than the lowest amount necessary on community issue can draw and keep patrons. This bottle sea green modification attracts concentration to the association; they are view as thoughtful and public liable (Mullins, L. 2005). A speech, on the construction put into practice of Nike during its make obtainable sequence accuse the association of individual concerned in limited operational circumstances, defiance of hard work civil rights, low salary and pestering of its labor force. Nike takes this information seriously. On the basis of the learning answer the business has make stronger the check of its dealer (Hummels, H and Timmer, D.2004) OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: Provide an environment which develops people to maximize their contribution to NIKE. Identify focused consumer segment opportunities. Provide quality and innovative services and products internally and externally Establish and nurture relevant emotional ties with consumer segments. Maximize profits. SWOT ANALYSIS: Strengths Nike is a very competitive organization. Phil Knight (Founder and CEO) is frequently quoted as saying that Business is war without bullets. Nike has a healthy aversion of is competitors. At the Atlanta Olympics, Reebok went to the outlay of sponsoring the games. Nike did not. However Nike sponsored the top athletes and gained valuable reporting. Nike has no factories. It does not tie up cash in buildings and manufacturing workers. This makes a very lean organization. Nike is tough at research and development, as is evidenced by its evolving and innovative product range. They then manufacture wherever they can produce high quality product at the lowest possible price. If prices rise, and products can be made more cheaply elsewhere (to the same or better specification), Nike will move production. (ynkamat, 2009) Nike is a global brand. It is the number one sports brand in the World. Its famous Swoosh is instantly familiar, and Phil Knight even has it tattooed on his ankle Nike is quite strong regarding its research and development; quite marked regarding its evolving and innovative product choice. They manufacture high quality at the lowest potential price, if prices rise due to price hike then the production process is made cheaper by changing the place of production. It belongs to the  Fortune 500 companies. Nike employs about more than 30.000 people worldwide. It has a strong sense of marketing promotion by sponsoring top athletes. It uses linarite foam and flies wire materials in order to make the manufactured shoes lighter and more convenient. (Adam, 2009) Its standing for high quality and innovative footwear .Nike is also known for its innovative marketing .Nike ads are part of the pop culture an impressive achievement. Famous campaigns feature bo Jackson, Michael Jordon, and Tiger Woods the Nikes swoosh is highly recognizable world wide .Nikes recent comeback has been greatly helped by increased sales of Nikes apparel. (Robert N. Lussier, 2009) Political Analysis According to PEST analysis the political enviourment can be taken as strength The government must create economic policies that will foster the growth of businesses. Nike, fortunately, has been helped by the US policies which enable it to advance its products. The support accorded to Nike by the US government, particularly in the general macroeconomic stability, low interest rates, stable currency conditions and the international competitiveness of the tax system, form the foundation critical to Nikes growth. (Cuizon, 2009) Society Analysis According to PEST analysis the social enviourment can be taken as strength People are more health conscious currently. Diet and health are getting more prominence. Consequently, more and more people are joining fitness clubs. There is an accompanying demand for fitness products particularly exercise apparel, shoes and equipment. Nike is at the front position of this surge in demand as people are looking for sports shoes, apparel and equipment. (Cuizon, 2009) Technology Analysis Political Analysis According to PEST analysis the technological enviourment can be taken as strength Nike uses IT in its marketing information systems very effectively. Nike applies marketing information systems to the economics of improvement, segmentation and differentiation for nearly all of its businesses. Nikes leadership status owes in large part to the use of extremely valuable Information Technology, and applying it to every aspect of the product from development to distribution. Nike, being the world leader in the athletic footwear industry, is able to effectively harness its environment to boost its marketing efforts. This strategy has translated into robust sales of Nikes products. (Cuizon, 2009) Weaknesses The organization does have a diversified range of sports products. However, the income of the business is still heavily dependent upon its share of the footwear market. This may leave it vulnerable if for any reason its market share erodes. The retail sector is very price sensitive. Nike does have its own retailer in Nike Town. However, most of its income is derived from selling into retailers. Retailers tend to offer a very similar experience to the consumer. Can you tell one sports retailer from another? So margins tend to get squeezed as retailers try to pass some of the low price competition pressure onto Nike. Nike was for quite some time unwilling to disclose any type of information concerning its partnering companies. It was charged with the violation of overtime and  minimum wage  rates in Vietnam, 1996, that was seen as having poor working conditions, and that it was also charged for exploiting cheap workforce overseas. (ynkamat, 2009) Nike was also reported to have applied child labor in Pakistan and Cambodia to produce  soccer balls. It was positioned as a subject of criticism by anti-globalization groups due to its unruly and exploited manner that was quite a disaster for its reputation. (Adam, 2009) In late 2005 founder phil knight resigned from the CEO position at Nike. Since that time Nike has had two CEO s. Nike brand co president mark parker is the companies new president and chief executive officer following the resignation of William D. Perez will Nike ever be able to replace the larger than life founder Phil knight? Another question on the area concerning is that global sales, such as Europe and Asia ,have instead at a much faster pace than domestic sales in the United States. (Robert N. Lussier, 2009) Economic Analysis According to PEST analysis the economic enviourment can be taken as weakness In economy, the biggest threat for Nike would be economic recession. During recession, Nikes growth will be adversely affected. The US economy is experiencing a downturn right now. Consumer purchases are slowing down. Currently, Nikes feeling the pinch of the economic recession. The Asian economic crisis also affects Nike since its goods are manufactured in Asia. The labor costs and material prices are going up. Nikes growth is not just affected by the local economy but also in the international economy. A weak Euro and an Asian recession could mean weak sales for Nike. The overall results in the sales generated by Nike in athletic footwear, however, remained stable. The global market makes up for the variances in sales particularly between peak and lean seasons. (Cuizon, 2009) Society Analysis According to PEST analysis the social enviourment can be taken as weakness Nike, however, failed to foresee problems brought about by a sweatshop expose pertaining to labor and factory conditions at production locations in Asia. This caused bad publicity and declining sales as society and consumers Opportunities Product development offers Nike many opportunities. The brand is fiercely defended by its owners whom truly believe that Nike is not a fashion brand. However, like it or not, consumers that wear Nike product do not always buy it to participate in sport. Some would argue that in youth culture especially, Nike is a fashion brand. This creates its own opportunities, since product could become unfashionable before it wears out i.e. consumers need to replace shoes. There is also the opportunity to develop products such as sport wear, sunglasses and jewellery. Such high value items do tend to have associated with them, high profits. The business could also be developed internationally, building upon its strong global brand recognition. There are many markets that have the disposable income to spend on high value sports goods. For example, emerging markets such as China and India have a new richer generation of consumers. There are also global marketing events that can be utilized to support the brand such as the World Cup (soccer) and The Olympics. (ynkamat, 2009) The brand is sternly defended by its owners who believe that Nike is not a fashion brand, however, a large number of consumers wear Nike product because they derive a fashion  trend  rather than to participate in a sport. It is mostly argued that in youth culture, Nike is a fashion brand which also creates  opportunities  for Nike since its products would become outdated before even the product wears out i.e. consumers will feel the need to replace the product with a newer  trend. There are many international regions that still need tapping and there is need for sportswear and with Nikes strong global brand recognition, it can initiate in many markets that have the disposable income to spend on high value sports goods. Nike gives a lot of effort on its corporate marketing mainly through the  promotion of  corporate brand  and sponsorship agreements. (Adam, 2009) Nike has an opportunity to capitalize on its own Nike Technology. This is a sensor placed in Nike footwear that interacts with Apples iPod to record the distance a runner has completed and the calories that have been burned. Another opportunity will be to capitalize on an endorsement deal with LeBorn James after his NBA playoffs and championship series appearances. Additionally, Tiger woods yearly attempt to win all four major Golf Tourments automatically allows Nike to build product campaigns around the Tournaments. (Robert N. Lussier, 2009) Threats Nike is exposed to the international nature of trade. It buys and sells in different currencies and so costs and margins are not stable over long periods of time. Such an exposure could mean that Nike may be manufacturing and/or selling at a loss. This is an issue that faces all global brands. The market for sports shoes and garments is very competitive. The model developed by Phil Knight in his Stamford Business School days (high value branded product manufactured at a low cost) is now commonly used and to an extent is no longer a basis for sustainable competitive advantage. Competitors are developing alternative brands to take away Nikes market share. As discussed above in weaknesses, the retail sector is becoming price competitive. This ultimately means that consumers are shopping around for a better deal. So if one store charges a price for a pair of sports shoes, the consumer could go to the store along the street to compare prices for the exactly the same item, and buy the cheaper of the two. Such consumer price sensitivity is a potential external threat to Nike. (ynkamat, 2009) Consumers are constantly shopping around for a better deal that conveys a good quality and if one store charges a higher price for the products, the consumer would try to seek a better deal of the same product in the premises that delivers the same value but cheaper of the two, this type of price sensitivity among the consumers is a potential threat to Nike. The textile industry unpleasantly upsets the atmosphere, and therefore the organization is constantly struggling to retain its eco-friendly reputation. A recession may lead to job shortages in most of Nikes worldwide branches. The organization has experienced many adverse publicity feedbacks due to its widespread advertising If you have a body, you are an athlete   Bill Bower man said this couple of decades ago. The guy was right. It defines how he viewed the world, and it defines how Nike pursues its destiny. Ours is a language of sports, a universally understood lexicon of passion and competition. A lot has happened at Nike in the 30 years (Adam, 2009) Specific threat is the contracts that Reebok (now part of Adidas) signed with the NBA and NFL for its apparel businesses. Another threat is the ongoing public relationship s problem pertaining to working environments in the factories producing Nike sneakers. Nike has striven to overcome images of sweatshop conditions, but the problem has been difficult to solve. (Robert N. Lussier, 2009) Porters five forces Source:(http://www.google.co.in/images?hl=enq=porters+5+diagramum=1ie=UTF8source=univei=8UhZTfaOCoXJrQfarcnuBwsa=Xoi=image_result_groupct=titleresnum=1ved=0CCIQsAQwAAbiw=1366bih=643) Potential Entrants Low Bargaining power of buyers High Bargaining power of suppliers Low Threats of substitutes Low Industries rivalry High Refer to appendix 1 CONCLUSION: SWOT analysis should always be measured by all companies as it helps show companies all their weaknesses and threats. At the same time it also shows what the companies strengths and opportunities. Using this analysis companies can spotlight on their good part of the business and focus more on the bad part to make it good. Also a company can see what factors are external or internal which helps the business in a long run to be more capable REFERENCES Adam, 2009. Nike SWOT Analysis. [Online] Available at: HYPERLINK http://www.mba-tutorials.com/marketing/240-nike-swot-analysis.html http://www.mba-tutorials.com/marketing/240-nike-swot-analysis.html [Accessed February 2011]. angeletti3, 2005. Nike versus Adidas Case Study and Competitive Analysis. [Online] Available at: HYPERLINK http://www.echeat.com/essay.php?t=27606 http://www.echeat.com/essay.php?t=27606 [Accessed February 2011]. Cuizon, G., 2009. Marketing Audit of Nikes Strategies. [Online] Available at: HYPERLINK http://www.suite101.com/content/marketing-audit-of-nikes-strategies-a94402 http://www.suite101.com/content/marketing-audit-of-nikes-strategies-a94402 [Accessed February 2011]. E, P.M., 1998. In Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors. Free Press. Gerry Johnson, K.S.W., 2008. In P. Education, ed. Exploring Corporate Strategy. 7th ed. Phil Knight, 2011. Company History. [Online] Available at: HYPERLINK http://www.nike.com/nikeihm/about/history.shtml http://www.nike.com/nikeihm/about/history.shtml . Robert N. Lussier, D.K., 2009. Applied Sport Management Skills. Human Kinetics. ynkamat, 2009. SWOT of Nike. [Online] Available at: HYPERLINK http://www.scribd.com/doc/13163456/swot-of-nike http://www.scribd.com/doc/13163456/swot-of-nike [Accessed February 2011].

Student :: essays research papers

A summary of Into The Wild Through reading Into The Wilds, I have resented a lot of emotions mostly anger. I have never thought that such person would stand in greater instance in relationship to the environmental movement like McCandless until causing his own death. What sense then can we make of this tragedy, and I do believe the death of Chris McCandless was tragic. It is tragic because he confused isolation with solitude. If one seeks escape for its own sake and runs away from the world only because it is intensely unpleasant, then one will not find peace and one will not find solitude. Chris McCandless seemed to be running away, away from people, friends, institutions, and most significantly from living in right relationship with others. He began to turn away from friendships and companions, to espouse unpopular causes and to speak out at every opportunity against oppression and government intervention. He set out on a journey of self-discovery and independence by traveling to the deserts of many states . He walked away from the comfortable surroundings of his home, his family, and his friends, intending to live a solitary life in the desert because he determined that mainstream society does not hold a place for him. And him who went "into the wild" on a journey of self-discovery and illumination, was particularly unique in the attempt to find himself in the wilderness because even he abandon everything such as money clothers and more he realized that he needed those in the deserts in order to survive. During his odyssey, McCandless met and lived with several people whom he considered to be friends. Although he rarely took their advice or accepted any material gifts from them, he seems to have left a lasting impression. To Ron he wrote the following: We just have to have the courage to turn against our habitual life style and engage in unconventional living . . . you don't need me or anyone else around to bring this

The Sikhs Essay -- essays research papers fc

In the year 1469 a man named Guru Nanak was born into a Punjabi-Hindu family. His name means "He who was born at the home of his mother's parents", which was in Talwandi, near Labone ("Sikhs" 647). We know little about Nanak's life but a lot about his beliefs from a book called " Adi Granth" or " Granth Sahib", which means holy book. Some of his beliefs were the reality of "karma" and "reincarnation".These are beliefs that our actions in this life determine how high or low we'll be in our next life. The Hindus and Muslims believe it is best to worship, missionize, study and write the sacred scriptures, and other religious public actions and behaviors. Nanak believed that this is wrong. He felt that the people should be involved in inward meditation to the God, Akal Purakh (Nanak was a monotheist, believing in one god). Nanak believed that Akal Purakh is the almighty creator and sustainer of the universe and he has no form. If one is truly devoted to Akal then Akal may reveal himself to you in "nam" or the divine name. Since Akal created the world and everything in it then, the world can be considered an expression of "nam",(McLeod 5). Akal, to reveal himself through "nam", speaks the "sabad" or divine word, through a loyal believer. This believer acts as the eternal guru, or teacher, speaking in the mystical voice of Akal through the "sabad". A guru can achieve this divine harmony with Akal by the practice of "nam simaran". This can be accomplished in many ways. One way is by the repeating of a "mantra", a word that expresses the divine reality. Another way is to sing devotional songs or even to have deep mystical concentration. Guru Nanak attracted many disciples, or "sikha" (this is where the name Sikh comes from). These "sikhas" were the original Sikhs. Before Guru Nanak died he appointed a successor from among his disciples to be the second guru. This started the chain of the ten Sikh gurus which lasted 439 years from the birth of Nanak to the death of Gobind Singh, the tenth guru, in the year 1708, ("Hindus and Sikhs" 11). Nanak appointed as his successor Lehna or Lahina, who later changed his name to Angad (Angada was a lesser legendary hero of that time).... ... run away with the guns given to them by the police or join the Sikh militants, ("Throwing Punches" 30) It is very dangerous for journalists to write about the Sikhs. In the past few years. seventeen journalists have been killed by the Sikhs because they have written unfavorable articles about the Sikhs and their terrorist activities, ("Throwing Punches" 30). A recent Sikh terrorist act involved Sikh "freedom-fighters" stopping a train in Punjab. They boarded the train and killed forty-seven innocent people, ("Forty-seven Killed" A1). Sikhism has changed from the time of Guru Nanak, where it was a peaceful, inward religion to the present where there is much violence by the Sikhs and pride in their violent ways. Bibliography "Forty-seven Killed by Sikh Militants". Wall Street Journal 27 Dec. 1991: A1 "Hindus and Sikhs". Scholastic Update 10 Mar. 1989: 11 McLeod, W. H. The Sikhs. N.Y.: Columbia University Press, 1986. "Sikhs". Encyclopedia Brittanica. 1963 edition. "Sikhs Attack Bombay" New York Times 6 Mar. 1992: A12 "Throwing Punches in Punjab" The Economist 5 Jan. 1991: 30

Israel: The Vanguard of Middle East Stability Essay -- International G

The Middle East is a power keg about to burst. There are countries in the Middle East where their national stability is in question due to various terrorist and malicious attacks while others promote the inhalation of nations. If these fuses are allowed to spark, it would lead to a cataclysmic array of international consequences including skyrocketing oil prices, increased acts of terrorism, and even WWIII. But, there is a hope to quell this situation. The country of Israel has safeguarded the complete collapse of the Middle East to violence and chaos. It is the last country standing between relative peace to Total War. But, this country will not be able to combat the dread knight of chaos forever; it needs international support. The United States has always kept a keen eye on Israel and has allowed it to continue its heavy load. Without the United States financial support, Israel will certainly collapse, and the Middle East will become as unpredictable as the shifting sands of its d eserts. Due to the crisis in the Middle East and the potential escalation to World War, America needs to continue funding to Israel. As Israel fights the hydra of destruction, it does not have to look far to see the snarling teeth of Iran. Iran, more so than any other country, has the most turbulent and fragile relationship with Israel. This shaky peace is apparent as Israel and Iran had never had formal diplomatic relations since the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1979 (Farrar-Wellman). This lack of communication has not only led to increased skepticism between the two countries, but also the severe hatred of each other. The sub-human perspective of Iran about Israel was expressed when current president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadi... ...ifferent regions of the world, the situation will be dramatically worse without the military power of Israel. Without Israel, the terrorists will have a safe heaven by which to stage and plan terrorist attacks across the Middle East. This increased level of attacks will lead to increased levels of instability within the other countries, and eventually lead to the overthrowing of other democracies in the region. Works Cited Brad, Mitchell. â€Å"U.S Aid to Israel.† Jewish Virtual Library. January 13, 2010 (Updated). Codedesman, Anthony H., and Nerguizian, Aram. â€Å"The Gulf Military Balance in 2010: An Overview.† Center for Strategic and International Studies. April 23, 2010. â€Å"Country Reports on Terrorism 2008.† U.S. Department of State. April 30, 2009. Chapter 2. Farrar-Wellman, Ariel. â€Å"Israel-Iran Foreign Relations.† Iran Tracker. April 8, 2010.

Hamburger and Materials Management Essay

Resources: Ch. 12 of Introduction to Business. Read the Developing Good Business Sense activity on p. 394 of the text. Answer Questions 1–4 from the activity in a 700- to 1,050-word paper in APA format. Post your paper as an attachment. | The operations of a company consist of three stages. These stages are simple: the input, the operations, and the output stages. The process of the input stage includes raw materials, components, labor and customers. The operations process involves the skills, knowledge, machines, and experts needed to operate the company. As far as the output stage, this involves what we physically use or experience from the company, known as the goods and services (Jones, 2007). Every company, whether it be services such as hair and nails, serving, or patient care, or goods being sold such as jewelry, wholesale businesses, or a corporation like ShopRite or Wal-Mart, they all experience these stages uniquely. Each company runs experiencing input, operations, and output stages, but each stage is handled differently according to what kind of business, what is being offered, and who is running it. The activities that regulate the course of the resources between these particular stages is what we call materials management. Materials management helps operate these stages smoothly and effectively, providing necessities and organization (Jones, 2007). Let’s take a look at three different businesses and how each one handles materials management and the three operational stages. The first company that is going to be observed is Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is a company that has developed over the years into being a commonly recognized place to get everyday necessities for a great price. The process of operations for a business such as Wal-Mart is simple compared to others. The input stage focuses on what is needed for the company to run, such as, labor and employees, contact with a wholesaler, and more all while keeping the customers in mind. Wal-Mart strives to keep a friendly staff and low prices in order to keep the customer’s best interest and loyalty. The way Wal-Mart would go about doing this is hiring qualified staff and train them to best suit the company, and forming an alliance with suppliers that offer products at low prices. As far as the operations of Wal-Mart, they hire the best suited people with the skills and knowledge of this type of company’s operations. They are equipped with machinery and constantly updating in order to keep up with latest trends. With their input and operations, comes the output stage. This is where the goods and services that Wal-Mart offers is placed into the market for consumers to decide. Mentioned previously, Wal-Mart strives to meet the every need of customers providing a great shopping experience. So far, Wal-Mart is still one of the most successful companies of its kind and doesn’t look like anything is going to change that anytime soon. The second company that was observed is Burger King. Burger King is a fast food restaurant business that has a lot of competition. The slogan, â€Å"Have it Your Way,† has allowed Burger King to make way for success. The operations behind this slogan is a bit more complicated. The input of Burger King consists of associations with suppliers in order to have the best quality possible for a frozen, fast food restaurant. From the supplies of burgers, to fries, milkshakes and salads, Burger King is not going to have a supplier produce outdated food or else that would be horrible materials management. The operations stage of Burger King is figuring out new ways to produce faster and better food and service to its customers while living up to its slogan. Doing this, Burger King would have to make sure everything is up to date and employees are equipped with the skills and knowledge to come up with new innovations to suit the needs of the company. The output stage of Burger King is providing the service fast and efficiently. Making sure that all food is sanitary and delivered quickly. The third company that was observed is St. Joseph’s Hospital. This is a hospital that specializes in critical care and emergencies. The operations of this hospital is crucial because it is not only service, but it holds people’s lives at stake. The input of the hospital would be having ownership of the supplies and relationships with suppliers. This way when it comes to operations stage, the best and most updated equipment is ready for use and can provide the best service possible. Between these two stages, the best and most skilled doctors, nurses, and staff are hired in order to ensure safety and health. As far as the output stage of St. Joseph’s Hospital, the services provided are high-quality service and safety. As we look at these companies, we can see that a lot goes into operations behind the service and goods we receive as consumers. The way a company designs its operating system is crucial for success. The input, operations, and output are only a part of what is contributed. It is the materials management, the flow of how things are ran that really makes or breaks the backbone of a business. The way the systems are designed will give one company an advantage over another. Using materials management effectively and really going into detail about research will give a company more of an advantage than another. It will help a business increase its productivity, innovation, quality, and most importantly, its responsiveness to customers. Not only does the operations come into effect when running a successful business, but costs are a big part as well. Operations and materials management costs, also known as, OMM, consist of many costs pertaining to a company. The main costs of OMM are, raw materials and components, plant, labor, inventory, and distribution (Jones, 2007). These costs affect companies’ operations because each cost if part of the operating system. Without effectively running operations, costs will run a business†¦ out of business. Including costs during the operating process is a crucial way to success. This is all a part of materials management! References Jones, G. R. (2007). Introduction to business: How companies create value for people. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.