Golflogix Case Study Essay

Analysis: Market numbers suggest a much larger market of golfers as opposed to that of the golf courses. Units sold to target market differs with the target market in the case of golf courses because 60 units per golf course are sold. However, with various segmentation techniques, it can be concluded that the golfers who would buy the Distance-only or Complete System, would be those who measured their performance by measuring their handicap, thus forming the first target market within the golfers. Discouragingly, this was only 20% of the golfers. Also, the golfer market would further be divided by 4. Since a game usually consists of 4 players, only one of them would need the device, regular players may share the cost. Although the distance-only system is easy to get up and running, when sold directly to the golfers, the golfers would themselves need to outfit their green on the golf course. This would take away from the key value proposition to the golf courses that is ‘pace of play†™. Golf courses may need to charge an initial amount to the new customers (golfers) to take into account time spent in setting up the distance-only system. Also with the technical setup requirements of the Complete-System, it would be almost impossible for a golfer to do it himself. Also, with the golf-course channel, it will be easier to lock-in the golfers. The real benefit of the â€Å"Complete System† would be realizable to the end-user (golfers) when they see improvements in their game with their regular use of the system. Thus, locking the golf courses in who will push to throw in the system to the golfers per round would make its value proposition realizable. Sales to golf courses involve a three year lease, thus a guaranteed three year revenue stream and also the equipment can be reused elsewhere. If Golflogix goes with both channels, one may end up cannibalizing the other.  If devices are sold directly to golfers, golf-courses may not see any value in buying them, since their revenue in turn on the rent of the devices would not be guaranteed. Similarly, golfers would not buy the system if they knew golf-courses already provided it with a nominal fee. It is also noted that 80% of golfers played on public courses, which required a daily green fee. This was promising for the public golf courses channel, since with a per round fees, golf courses would make up for the cost of the golf logix systems much faster. Within the golf-courses, it would be beneficial to begin with the public courses. Surveys performed by the GolfLogix team, had compelling results. 80% of the golfers reported that they would regularly use the system if it were available on the courses they played. Also, 70% reported that they would be willing to pay $1-$3 per round. Appendix A is an income statement (with certain assumptions) that at the end lists the operating income per revenue stream. We see that with the retail channel, we lose one revenue stream. Up-selling to a Complete-system becomes easier with golf-courses. And although even the sum of the revenues through golf-courses is lesser than the revenue for Distance-only for golfers, two key points need to be kept in mind: 1) The equipment with the golf-courses channel is reusable, and thus costs incurred in the next three years will be lesser, and 2) # of units sold to golfers may reduce by 4, since the game is played in groups of 4. (# of unit numbers is derived from the market numbers above. A 1% penetration is assumed in the first three years ) Appendix A Golfers Golf courses Income Statement Distance Only Complete System Distance Only Complete System Revenue per unit $ 300 $ – $ 54,000 $ 72,000 # of units 267,000 $ – 170 170 Total revenue $ 80,100,000 $ – $ 9,180,000 $ 12,240,000 Cost of Goods Sold per unit $ 200 $ – $ 12,000 $ 17,000 # of units 267,000 170 170 Total cost $ 53,400,000 $ – $ 2,040,000 $ 2,890,000 Gross Margin $ 26,700,000 $ – $ 7,140,000 $ 9,350,000 Operating Expenses $ 2,700,000 $ – $ 2,700,000 $ 3,000,000 Setup Expenses $ – $ – $ 85,000 $ 340,000 Operating Income $ 24,000,000 $ – $ 4,355,000 $ 6,010,000

Assessing teachers by the quality of results they attain

Judging teacher quality on test marking is a extremely debated issue. Teachers are frequently assessed by the quality of consequences in which they attain. Policies and statute law in educational methods have changed dramatically throughout the 19th and 20th century. This is down to altering political parties being in power and their positions on how instruction should be taught, besides due to the economic alterations over the old ages. As new ideas and old pattern has been examined alterations have necessarily been made. Exam marking is a method which has been used for over a hundred old ages to judge teacher quality. However the inquiry which I intend to present is whether that is adequate to find how ‘good ‘ a instructor truly is. Should opinions on this be changed, have they started to alter and is it possible to alter the peoples view after a life-time of test mark being figure one? These are the inquiries that I intend to see through looking at old and current poli cies, international positions and policies and besides whether the course of study has a bearing on this position. History The method of tests and measuring kids was ab initio introduced in the 1870 Forster Act. This was besides when the authorities started to supply free instruction for all kids, nevertheless, with free instruction for all came the authorities saw that there needed to be a manner to turn out to the people of England that there money was being spent sagely: hence methods of proving the kids was instigated to demo that the kids were larning in schools. The manner in which kids were tested was via Her Majesty ‘s Inspectors, they would see schools in order to oppugn the category on how much they had learnt in their categories. The authorities besides gave instructors incentive to do certain that the kids could reply these inquiries as they were being judged every bit much as the kids. The better a category did in these reviews the more respectable the teacher wage would be. However this chalk and speak method was non without issue, as the kids were assessed merely on the inquiries tha t the inspector asked, which could be said to be an unjust proving method. Therefore schools jumped directly in with instruction to prove instead than learning to larn. ( Ward and Eden, 2009:87-88 ) Changes were brought approximately in 1902 with the Balfour Education Act, instructors were given more freedom to make their ain teaching method. The Early Old ages sector in peculiar was get downing to have more freedom within their instruction. There are many influences which supported this ideal. Possibly one of the earliest was Aristotle, his position that cognition came through experience was noted every bit early as 366BC ( Pound, 2008b ) . Followed on by Jean-Jacques Rousseau who believed that kids should believe otherwise about instruction, he believed in liberating up the kid ‘s head, promoting people to seek out new thoughts. ( Pound, 2008a:7 ) Maria Montessori believed that kids learned throughout their lives from the minute they are born. Montessori was another truster, like Rousseau, that observation was the key to a kid ‘s learning experience, besides she believed that kids should non be pushed to larn but excessively allow them larn at their ain gait. There fore from my position Rousseau and Montessori are opposing the thought of standardized testing as this is an impossible technique to verify good instruction if kids learn at different ages and phases. They believe in steering the kid in their acquisition instead than ‘teaching a kid ‘ what they need to cognize to complete scrutinies. Once once more the instruction system was changed dramatically ; the 1944 Education Act introduced the tripartite system, which in bend brought about the 11 plus scrutiny, one time once more proving the kids at certain age/stages to find what they have learnt. The 11-plus test aimed to find the intelligence of all 10s to eleven twelvemonth old kids, to set up which school they should go to, those kids that scored the highest would go to the grammar schools ; to learn extremely academic topics, where as the kids which scored the lower consequences would travel to either the secondary proficient schools ; for mechanical and scientific minded pupil or the secondary modern schools ; for kids taking for low skilled occupations and homecare. The kids that attended the grammar schools were seen to be the most intelligent ; the grammar schools brought in the better instructors therefore the kids that were in front were seen to be given the chance to acquire farther in front. Although, the in structor quality of the ‘best ‘ instructors should besides be up for argument, the instructor deemed the ‘best ‘ were merely so as they scored the highest on their tests. These tests did non integrate the aggregation of any cognition of the individual taking them. The testing does non enlist critical instructor quality issues such as whether the instructor has a good resonance with kids, nor does it prove if the instructor is considerate, sort or creative. Therefore it can be said that these kids are non truly accessing the ‘best ‘ instructors but simply being taught by an older coevals of in-between category people who has entree to the stuffs to win in tests. The 11 plus exam argument has many angles, it could be seen as carnival in some ways as the kids were tested on certain cognition, each kid was given the same trial with no exclusions, nevertheless did each kid have the entree to the same stuffs and the same chances to successfully take such tests? Social category is a large issue which should be taken into consideration when discoursing whether the test standards were a just proving method. Children from in-between category households ; kids of canvassers and physicians were more accustomed to the countries of involvement within the tests. Such things as anagrams would be tested seting some in-between category kids at an advantage as their parents are more likely to hold done things such as crosswords therefore the kids are more likely to hold come across this before, whereas the working category kids are much less likely to hold this experience. Reasoning that the authorities of the clip were still really much thought of doing the rich richer and the hapless poorer hence further spliting the societal categories. The 1967 Plowden Report one time once more changed the educational doctrines. The Plowden Report recommended that primary instruction became more like early old ages instruction, they called for more active scholars, kids should be larning through drama. The Plowden study besides called for the abolition of cyclosis, conveying about subject based larning for primary instruction instead than subject based acquisition. This was possible due to the abolition of the eleven-plus test therefore a broader course of study was possible, instead than the instructor to prove method. ( Ward and Eden, 2009:67/68 ) Parents protested the recommended alterations as they wanted kids to be taught specific lessons such as reading and authorship, the thought of kids traveling to school and playing was seen as unequal instruction. This position was one of which the parents were familiar, their instruction was one of command and work sheets, hence this is what the parents knew. This contention around the parent ‘s protests resulted in the authorities commissioning more research in the 1970 ‘s and 1980 ‘s. Even so, this testing was one time once more based upon exam tonss. Neville Bennett ( 1976 ) tested kids at the start and terminal of the academic twelvemonth. Bennett ‘s consequences found that the ‘traditional ‘ instructors produced better test consequences ; nevertheless Bennett ‘s consequences have been criticised as he merely tested the kids on the nucleus topic ‘s maths and English. Another unfavorable judgment of Bennett ‘s survey was his deficiency of detecting categories that he was researching. The bases of these consequences were strictly on the consequences they produced. This resulted in instructor quality once more being judged entirely on the consequences that they can bring forth. ( Ward and Eden, 2009:92 ) Course of study In 1988, the National Curriculum was introduced, it was at first really traditional but became more flexible with the debut of vocational topics. The national course of study was implemented with no authorities intercession in learning methods or teaching method, giving instructor ‘s freedom to make their ain teaching method and utilize their ain methods of learning. However the national course of study was to standardize school instruction to do testing and appraisal easier. Key Stage appraisals were implemented at ages seven, eleven and 16. These standardized trials have been used to categorize kids into ability groups. Ball ( 2003 ) claimed that the National course of study favoured in-between category groups, it has been said that it was besides bias against different cultural groups. For Example History lessons were based entirely on British history and the school twenty-four hours was covered in Christian traditions ; such as supplications before go forthing school and in school assemblies. The course of study has one time once more had a proposed alteration with the publication of the White paper 2010, this will be discussed subsequently on. Standards non Structures New Labour leader Tony Blair in concurrence with the educational curate Barry Gardiner recognised the demand to assist working category kids achieve. Blair believed in ‘standards non constructions ‘ . Rather than underscoring on grammar schools and school pick, Blair found it more of import to underscore acquiring good criterions out of all schools. Compulsory numeracy and literacy hours were introduced to do certain that all kids were ab initio being taught to read and compose decently, which in bend would foster their accomplishments in the hereafter. â€Å" Education should be about happening success in every kid. When I talk about elevation criterions, I do non merely intend what gets measured in external scrutinies. We have to be much more concerned about the quality and relevancy of instruction our immature people receive and with the scope of chances to let them to win in the universe of work in the twenty-first Century. † ( Gardiner, 2004 ) Standards non constructions is where kids are what affair, it is said that seting kids on the right way to lifelong acquisition is where they will see true success. Gardiner recognised that the procedure, in which the kid acquires these womb-to-tomb acquisition accomplishments, is much less of import than the devising certain the kid does achieve these accomplishments. Gardiner aimed for a more holistic attack to acquisition, besides a demand for more vocational topics in schools. Although the course of study was to be more holistic the kids ‘s accomplishments were scored on trial. ( Gardiner, 2004 ) International attacks In the United States, the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act stated that all instructors by 2005-2006 had to be extremely qualified, be a certified instructor and major in their specific capable therefore obtaining a certification. Thus the Centre of Assessment and Evaluation ( CAEL ) in pupil acquisition in America, noted in Tennessee, where there was an attack pioneered called the ‘value added ‘ attack. This was intended to measure the value teachers add to the pupils larning. Students are compared to their ain acquisition: pupil ‘s trial tonss are compared with their ain old tonss instead than being compared to other pupil ‘s tonss, therefore category or household income is non an issue. The instructors were judged on how the pupils they had had improved, besides they defined the instructors of best quality gained greater accomplishment from the lower achieving pupils, instead than the higher achieving pupils in which it is normally assessed. However it was stat ed that there ought to hold been some observation in schoolrooms to truly assess the pupil ‘s betterment. ( CAESL, 2004 ) In Wales conference tabular arraies were abolished in 2001, harmonizing to research workers at Bristol University this has severely affected the public presentation of pupils in Wales. In conformity to their research, this attack has decreased public presentation as there is no force per unit area for the pupils to better. GCSE consequences have been compared with England by comparing similar schools from each state ; this research showed that Welsh schools were acquiring up to two GSCE classs lower than the schools in England. Naming and shaming schools through conference tabular arraies in England is seen to hike overall classs due to the force per unit area to maintain league place. ( Loveys, 2010 ) However the NAS/UWT instructors brotherhood has clearly opposed this place in mentioning that Wales ‘s school public presentation is bettering twelvemonth on twelvemonth. ( BBC, 2010 ) â€Å" It handily fails to foreground the fact that overall school public presentation in schools in Wales additions during the period covered by the study. † ( BBC, 2010 ) These teacher Unions promote the abolition of League tabular arraies saying that schools are offering easier classs to better their conference place. Parents Choice It has been said that parents are non taking schools based on the school conference tabular arraies but are more interested in location for easiness of handiness, little category sizes and the attention that is given to the kids. John Bangs, the caput of instruction at the National Union of Teachers stated in an interview for The Times that parents choose schools for their ain grounds, he believes they would be better aided by a full position of school accomplishment instead than merely consequences of trials, public presentation tabular arraies and Ofsted reviews which merely focus on a few cardinal opinions. ( Sugden, 2010 ) The Departments for Schools has clearly set out to relieve this job, as a statement a interpreter at the Department for Schools has said in The Times interview, that they are presenting a new strategy which will present a new school study card, this aims to give a more clear and full position of the school including more than simply academic accomplishment. How ever, it is besides said that no apology will be made for seting a strong influence over academic consequences, as we have more good and outstanding schools than of all time before, giving parents a existent pick and the option to weigh out other factors. ( Sugden, 2010 ) Current ideals and statute law The alliance has brought about new ideals on instruction. Prosecuting new positions and combined positions of the conservativists and broad Democrats. OFSTED has upped criterions and the new authorities has publicised new thoughts of personality testing. First observing the recent OFSTED studies, that has stated that they are upping their criterions and have judged many schools as inadequate. This is due to the coming ideals that schools need now to be judged non merely on informations, as it was seen that OFSTED could merely phone in their consequences. ( Shepherd, 2010 ) It has been found that instructors are non good plenty equipped to learn pupils, their exanimate effort at learning pupils is go forthing pupils bored and unwilling or being inspired to larn. OFSTED have concluded that the hapless instructors that are fighting to hold on the pupil ‘s imaginativeness and are neglecting to animate the kids that they are learning, hence kids are being giving mundane undertakings, harmonizing to OFSTED ‘s main inspector Christine Gilbert. â€Å" There is excessively much instruction that is dull and uninspiring. This means that excessively many immature people are non equipped good plenty to do the best of their lives. † ( Gilbert, 2010 ) In correlativity with this the alliance has proposed alterations to the educational system. The White paper that has been published on the 24th of November is naming for more in-school preparation for instructors. The White Paper will besides get rid of clip bounds on the sum of clip schools are allowed to supervise schoolrooms, hence making more flexibleness, taking to make better instructors. ( Vasager, 2010 ) â€Å" The remarks came as the Coalition prepared to print a White Paper today that will toughen up tests, overhaul the national course of study, reform instructor preparation and give staff more power to train students. All schools will be forced to run into tough new marks or face being taken over. † ( Paton, 2010a ) Besides the White Paper has besides proposed that all manque instructors ‘ under-go personality showing and aptitude trials which all instructors must go through before modification, this method is already in usage in Finland. The national course of study is to be tightened up to halt forcing the ‘easier ‘ classs. The purpose of the new tightened up course of study is besides to set forward a more specific nucleus cognition, this go forthing more free clip for such things as humanistic disciplines, athletics and civilization. ( Paton, 2010b ) League tabular arraies are excessively be focused on the nucleus topics such as maths, English and Science so that schools can no longer acquire to the top of the tabular arraies by forcing pupils into the softer or easier topics, which are non found valuable by future employers. The focal point of future instructors will be that they have great capable cognition, and a love of learning and their maestro topic. ( Paton, 2010b ) Besides Broad Democrat leader Nick Clegg proposed the system of ‘Like-versus-like ‘ which the Tories have said to be unfastened excessively. This system will suggest that school conference tabular arraies will be compared to those in similar state of affairss for illustration hapless with hapless, in-between category with in-between category. ( Asthana & A ; Helm, 2010 ) Teacher quality is a construct which is difficult to specify, many factors such as observation, trial marking, personality testing and kid inspiring is needed in correlativity with each other to find if a instructor is truly a ‘good ‘ instructor. The history of instruction has evolved over the century, traveling back and Forth between ideals depending on the political party in power and the economic sciences of the clip. From the first oncoming of scrutinies, get downing from oppugning from Her Royal Highness ‘ Inspectors, to standardised proving. The eleven-plus tests were extremely respected in their clip, but as research continued it was found that these trials could be seen as favoring in-between category kids. The research has continually been extended until current thoughts that pupils need to be tested against pupils of similar backgrounds, which in bend provided more accurate histories of betterment and accomplishment. Through research of international ideal s of instruction, parts have begun to go intertwined within the English instruction system. International ‘failures ‘ ( harmonizing to some ) such as the Welsh schools get rid ofing conference tabular arraies has besides been taken into consideration. This research had the opposite consequence by turn outing the authorities with ground non to take on this attack. In decision throughout the last century instructor quality has basically been based upon scrutiny tonss, observation or kid inspiring yet none have put them all together, which could so give a better definition of the ‘good ‘ instructor. Quality of learning demands to be a holistic position, much like the instruction is taking towards.

English class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

English class - Essay Example It is therefore to my utter amazement how I have liked being in the country and has taken part in dispelling negative stories that are told back in Saudi Arabia about this good nation. Secondly, I delve in the impact of aggressive games on children. The motivating factor is the study carried out by Amanda Lenhart et al showing that on average, 96.5% of American children are exposed to video games. The article is a reminder of how video games and other media children are increasingly being exposed to contain images and scenes that are not suitable for young children. The article therefore proposes that parents take a pro active action in tackling this problem through proper guidance. The last article is more of a follow up on the second one. It looks at the real impact of violent games on children by using the popular GTA game as an example. It concedes that to some extent, the aggression of characters in such games may influence children’s behavior although it states that there might be other factors that may influence this. It therefore intimates on the value of bringing children in a proper way and points out that companies making such content should also look into

Describe recruitment and selection process among U.S police Essay

Describe recruitment and selection process among U.S police departments during the last half of the nineteenth centry (i.e., the first fifty years of policing) - Essay Example Police departments were organised as per political affiliations. Police in these early days was organised under police chiefs. These police chiefs were appointed by political bosses. These political bosses ensured that the police chiefs and the subsequent police mechanisms remained subservient to them. Corruption was the order of the day in order to satisfy the political bosses’ aims and objectives. The common man was harassed by utilising the police framework so as to secure political domination. The presence of political machines meant that political bosses were on the lookout for ways to offset the balance of power in their favour. Cops were recruited by political machines in an effort to encourage citizens to vote for the â€Å"right† political candidate. Often police brutality ensured that the wishes of the political bosses were carried out in letter and spirit. Police was used to exert political influence by intimidating, intruding and pressurising ordinary people and businesses. Corruption was reduced to a complete system. Payoffs on massive scales ensured that the policemen remained loyal to a political side. Crime was organised as robberies, extortions, gambling and other illegal activities were carried out systematically. Another tendency of this era was earmarking police personnel as per their political affiliations. Often as political machines waned, so did the police framework supporting them. Each political machine ensured that â€Å"their cops† were placed in active duty to protect their interests. These early tendencies for police brutality and corruption were in line with the sociological facets of the time. People were not politically organised in coherent regimes to ensure that police corruption could be settled through political resolve. Moreover, the presence of corrupt politicians backed by clandestine businesses ensured that the police framework remained in line with their demands and

Strategic problems facing HRM operating in multi-national companies Essay

Strategic problems facing HRM operating in multi-national companies - Essay Example This paper will talk about the possible strategic problems faced HR managers while working in multinational organizations. The three key problems discussed here are ‘Compensation and Reward Systems’, ‘Training and Development’, and ‘Job Expectations and Motivation Policies’. The symptoms are that HR departments are getting ready to take full advantage of their capital as well as staff when businesses need to progress. One of the most frequently talked about criticisms regarding HR is that several experts do not have the progressive thinking and strategic counseling focus considered necessary to be an successful business partner (Ulrich, 2013, p. 22). They do not use the time to know the business they sustain as well as concentrate additional on transactional HR activities that do not have the influence the business needs. HR managers have to be trusted consultants to the organizations as well as to the leaders they work with. They have to be effectual coaches and are responsive to their vital part as to successfully review workforce abilities and facilitate scheduling for potential requirements (Becker & Huselid, 2006, p. 899). HR should concentrate on turning into a trusted mentor to their business with the aim of give power to managers to drive better organizational performance. Human resources departments are in front of major problems as their responsibilities turn out to be broader as well as more strategic in the recent times. HR is â€Å"more than a basic function† (Dowling et al, 2008, p. 32) that includes appointment, development and retention of workforce. It is a main factor in developing a workforce that focuses on the objectives of the business. With bigger significance comes bigger hindrances - according to a study by Shipton et al (2006), the major problems faced by HRM are compensation and reward systems; training and

What do you think are the most important qualities for women to Essay

What do you think are the most important qualities for women to succeed in todays business environment Do you feel you hold these qualities - Essay Example Education has infused them with an understanding of liberty, which they use for their own good. Margaret Thatcher once said, â€Å"If you want something say ask a man, if you want something done ask a woman† (Evans, M. 2009). This can be seen as representative of the increasing importance that women had achieved in the twentieth century, Margaret Thatcher being a shining example of this. The ability to communicate to all sections of a firm would be one of the most important abilities that decide the success of a woman professional in the business environment of the twenty first century. Communicating with different people from different sections of the society is a challenge and would require women o come out of the roles that are traditionally assigned to them. These roles could pull them back from success as it may be construed to be a weakness. Communication requires one to be aware of the different situations that may arise in the functioning of a business firm as different situations would require different modes of communication. The ability that women are traditionally assigned, that of organization, is also something that is greatly required in business environments of today. It would enable the organization of events and meetings which may be crucial in the success of young women professionals. Being noticed in a business firm would require women to take up such roles and seek to be noticeable to their seniors at the workplace. An urge to succeed should be behind these actions of the employee. This would result in them wanting to succeed for the sake of their career rather than traditional institutions like the family. Being creative is another essential aspect of a person’s character that would enable him or her to succeed. This is a feature that is, again, traditionally attributed to women. Hence, women have lesser difficulties in accepting this role. This is also part of a person’s ability to be a leader. This ability would be the one that

Logic Application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Logic Application - Essay Example Now I know the sum of my cards: my cards’ sum value is either 14 or 18. From this question we realize we have the five odd numbers, that is, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. The ones that I can see are 1, 3, and 7. Because there are five odd numbers, then among my cards I must have 5 and 9. It has to be noted that the card numbers have to be between 1 and 9. Now that I know I have two odd numbers that is 5 and 9. I also know that my sum is either 14 or 18. Furthermore, the games rules are that I have three cards whose value is between 1 and 9 (Harris, 2000). The following steps shows my third cards Since I have three cards then obviously the sum of my cards has to be more than 14. If the sum is more than 14 then it can only be 18 indicating my third card’s value is 4. Therefore, my cards are 4, 5, & 9. Using information revealed by Andy’s question, I realized that the sum value of my cards is either 14 or 18. Using information from Belle question, I realized that I have two odd numbers 5 and 9. The sum value of these two cards is 14 and since I have a third card then the total sum value is 18 indicating my third card to be 4. Therefore, my cards are 4, 5, &

Trailing in Pennsylvania Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Trailing in Pennsylvania - Term Paper Example In U.S. Presidential primaries, the Democratic and Republican parties (the largest political parties in the United States) nominate an official candidate to run during the general election; which takes place on the first Tuesday in November. From January through June every four years, each of the 50 states hold elections (also known as primaries or caucuses) to determine how many delegates (party representatives) each candidate receives. Delegates are determined by the percentage of the popular vote received by each candidate; with each state and party having different allocation rules. Senator John McCain (Arizona) is the presumptive nominee for the Republican Party. (Candidates are officially nominated by the delegates at the national party conferences which usually take place between July and September.) Accordingly, Clinton and Obama currently receive most of the media attention as they are still fighting for the nomination. With the Pennsylvania primary on April 22, this New York Times article examines the tactics used by the Democratic candidates.

The Reckless Decade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Reckless Decade - Essay Example Rockefeller. While they amassed wealth for themselves, those at the bottom of the economic heap earned poorly, an account in chapter three given by a journalist, Jacob Riis, which Jane Addams also contributed to. The lords of Chicago and Tammany bosses of New York City corruptibly laid the foundation for a big city government. In the fourth chapter, Brands focuses on the labour movement, giving a description of Eugene Debs’ career, the strike of Pullman and the bizarre incidence involving Coxey’s Army (129). Populism arose due to agricultural depression and immense division on the standard of gold, factors that also promoted the unsuccessful, though democratic presidency bid for William Jennings Bryan. The 1896 Supreme Court ruling of Plessy vs. Ferguson promoted the erosion of black civil rights through acceptance of separate, though equal, measure. The imperialistic country thus found a reason to get involved in Hawaii, the Philippines, Venezuela and Cuba. Thus, Brand s, through this book, gives a vivid narrative of momentous challenges that faced America towards an uncertain future. The author perceives the existence of parallels between the then America and the current one which still faces social, economic, political and technological

Case study of the hydropower development in Argentina Essay Example for Free

Case study of the hydropower development in Argentina Essay In this paper I would also discuss one more case of the hydropower regulation and assessment. The next country to be discussed is Argentina. This country also possesses considerable hydropower potential. It has been estimated that the country has the potential of production of 169,000 GWh/year . Argentina relies in its future development on hydropower as a source of energy. That’s why its scientists resort to close examination of various aspects of hydropower development and impact on environment and society. Great emphasis is also placed on the financial aspect of hydropower development and legal regulation of hydroelectric plants and dams construction. Therefore, Argentina greatly relies on sustainable development, which can be defined as â€Å"the process which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs† . Sustainable development of the hydropower potential of the country requires deep consideration and cooperation of three basic components economic growth, environmental security and social justice . There are several acts, which serve the legal basis of the hydropower development in Argentina. One of the most important of them is The Electricity Regulatory Framework Law, which implemented the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (ENRE). ENRE is an independent item, which operates within the framework of the Secretariat of State for Energy. The latter in its turn creates the regulations, which control the work of the electricity industry . The Energy Secretariat (SENER) is the legislative component, which is responsible for the energy policy implementation. Within its frame this legislative body has one more component, the National Electricity Regulator (ENRE), which is responsible for actual application of the regulatory framework stated in the Law 26,046 of 1991 . ENRE is responsible for regulation and supervision of whole energy sector under federal control, while the other utilities are regulated by provincial regulators. The other important regulatory body of the energy sector is CAMMESA (Compania Administradora del Mercado Mayorista Electrico), which supervises whole wholesale electricity market through establishing the price of electricity, operating the electricity system and the controlling the commercial transactions in the electricity market Very important role in the energy sector of Argentina is given to the Electric Power Federal Council (CFEE), which was established in 1960 and currently plays the role of the administrator of the Funds, which given to special electricity operations. CFEF also performs consulting function of the National and the Provincial Governments regarding the power industry, new projects and researches, public and private energy services, and electricity tariffs and prices as well as changes in the legislative base of the power industry The National Promotion Direction (DNPROM) within the Energy Secretariat (SENER) regulates creation and implementation of programs concerning renewable energies and energy efficiency. The Secretariat for the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) is in charge of the questions concerning environmental policy. The legal basis of Argentina concerning the energy is Law 25,019 from 1998 and Law 26,190, from 2007. Changes to this law, made in 2007, focus on the national interest in renewable energy sources in regard with the public services. The law states that within the next ten years the consumption of the energy, produced from the renewable sources, will grow up to 8 %. The other main point is that law establishes a Trust Fund, which promotes the development of the renewable energy. Hydropower is recently viewed in Argentina as a potential key source of energy. On the one hand its advantages are clearly visible: it has less negative impact on the climate change as compared with fossil fuels, it’s relatively clean and environmentally-friendly, low-cost and renewable. However, not all the researchers are so optimistic. Many of them claim that hydropower plants have a negative influence on surrounding area and society. As one more proof they point at additional expenses in case of shortfalls . Sometimes, these disadvantages are even overemphasized, which presents hydropower in the negative light, or even present it as potentially dangerous. In the process of the research I found a very interesting fact, showing that such claims for the most part come from the most unexpected source – NGOs, the primary intention of which is conservation. However, in this process they seem to completely disregard such important aspects of the country development as poverty alleviation, obtaining a valuable source of cheap energy and promotion of the safe water environment, which can be provided by hydropower plants . Environmental and Social Impact Assessment of the hydropower plants in Argentina is based on the Sustainable Guidelines of the International Hydropower Association, which focus on environmental, social and economic aspects of the hydropower plant construction and operation . In order to develop new hydropower projects in accordance with the newest ecological and social requirements, Argentina greatly relies on five key areas characterized by Dr. Kofi Annan on the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002. These five key areas include: water, energy, health, agriculture and biodiversity . Conclusions. So, in this paper I investigated the role of the hydropower as an alternative source of environment, associated expenses and benefits to the society. I also made a review of the history of the hydropower as a source of energy and compared it with the other sources. I made an overview of the legislative base of two countries – China and Argentina concerning hydropower energy and their potential of development of the hydropower as an alternative source of energy. References ADB, Summary Environmental and Social Impact Assessment: Nam Theun 2 Hydroelectric Project in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Manila: Asian Development Bank, 2004. Online. Available at: http://www. adb. org/Documents/Environment/LAO/lao-nam-theun2. pdf 30 September 2007. Advantages of Hydropower. Online. Available from: http:///www. corpsresults. us/hydro 30 September 2007. Atkins, W. , Hydropower: Impacts and Trends. Online. Available from: http:///www. waterencyclopedia. com 30 September 2007. Buckley, L. Hydropower in China: Public Participation and Energy Diversity, Online. Available from: http://www. worldwatch. org/node/5037. 30 September 2007 Becker, H. A. Social impact assessment: method and experience in Europe, North America and the developing world, London, UCL Press, 1997. BP Annual Report, 2006, Online. Available from: http:///www. bp. com 30 September 2007. Burdge, R. J. , A Community Guide to Social Impact Assessment, Middleton, USA, Social Ecology Press, 2004. China Passes Renewable Energy Law, Online. Available from: http:///www. renewableenergyaccess. com 2005. Coordinacion de Energias Renovables, Potencial de los aprovechamientos energeticos en la Republica Argentina, 2006. Devoto, A. , Hydroelectric power and development in Argentina, ENTE Nacional Regulador de la Electicidad, 2005. Graham, I. , Water Power, Austin, TX, Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1999. Hydropower, Online. Available from: http://inhabitat. com/2006/12/01/rediscovered-wood-the-triton-sawfish/#more-1973 30 September 2007. Interorganizational Committee on Principles and Guidelines for Social Impact Assessment , 2003. Integrated Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Guidelines. Tunis: African Development Bank, 2003. Online. Available at: http://www. afdb. org/pls/portal. docs/PAGE/ADB_ADMIN_PG/DOCUMENTS/ENVIRONMENTALANDSOCIALASSESSMENTS/IESIA. PDF International Association for Impact Assessment, Online. Available from: http://www. iaia.org 30 September 2007. Kellert, S. R. , Macmillan Encyclopedia of the Environment, vol. 3. New York, Macmillan Library Reference USA, 1997. Learn about Hydroelectric Power Alternative Energy Source, Online. Available from: http://www. beyondfossilfuel. com/hydroelectric/ 30 September 2007. Petts, J. Handbook of Environmental Impact Assessment, Blackwell, Oxford, 2005. Renewabables Global Status Report. Online. Available from: http:///www. ren21. net/globalreport 30 September 2007. Rosso, A. La construccion como herramienta del crecimiento continuado. Sector electrico. Evaluacion de las inversiones necesarias para el sector electrico nacional en el mediano plazo. Camara Argentina de la Construccion, 2006. Rules of land compensation and people resettlement in medium and large hydraulic and hydroelectricity projects. State Council, 1991. Ryan, V. Advantages and Disadvantages of Hydropower, Online. Available from: http://www. technologystudent. com/energy1/hydr2. htm 30 September 2007. Summer of International dissent against Heavy Industry, Saving Iceland. Online. Available from: http:///www. savingisland. org 30 September 2007 Sadler, B. , Verocai, I. Frank Vanclay. Environmental and Social Impact. Assessment for Large Scale Dams. Middleton, WI: The Social Ecology Press, 2000 Taylor CN, Bryan CH, Goodrich CG. Social Assessment: theory, process and techniques. Middleton, WI, The Social Ecology Press, 2004. The Historic Mechanicville Hydroelectric Station, IEEE Industry Applications Magazine, Jan/Feb. 2007 Tremblay, V. , Roehm and Garneau, Greenhouse Gas Emissions Fluxes and Processes, Springer, 2005. Xiaogang, Yu Jia Jiguo. An Overview of Participatory Social Impact Assessment for Manwan Hydropower Station in Lancang River. Asian Science and Technology Institute, 2000.

Quality Of Service At The Zappos Company

Quality Of Service At The Zappos Company The proceeding paper investigates Zappos.com (Zappos), originally an e-tailing shoe company, which later adopted further merchandise lines. The company was founded in 1999 by Nick Swinmurn with its headquarters currently based in Henderson, Nevada, USA. With a revenue of $840 million in 2007 and a 1500+ employee staff Zappos.com has grown to the largest online shoe store in the world. In July 2009 Amazon.com acquired Zappos.com for the reported amount of $1.2 billion. Currently, the CEO is Tony Hsieh. The company is known for its customer centric business model and its unique corporate culture. In this paper Zappos.com is analyzed via papers and published articles with which various problems addressed are answered. The intention of this paper is to analyze how Zappos.com has leveraged its HR practices to build strategic effectiveness in the past and how can it build its future competitive strength on it. First, Zappos.coms business model is analyzed, second the companies supportive HR practices, third the role of leadership on the development of HR practices, fourth the implications for HR practices caused by the takeover of Amazon.com are addressed and finally challenges and recommendations to support the future business functioning at Zappos.com are addressed. A framework is developed to which parts of the analysis can be linked in order to say to which extent findings influence committed HR practices, the corporate culture and the loyalty business model of Zappos.com. The purpose of this paper is just to analyze the company and to accumulate knowledge. Zappos Business Model A good initial business model starts off with an idea of a good customer value proposition. When in 1999, Nick Swinmurn, walked through a mall in San Francisco, looking for a pair of shoes in his size, his preferred color and style, his unsuccessful search proposed an opportunity to satisfy currently unmet customer needs. When starting to analyze what features have enabled Zappos to build its strong brand position as well as its impressive growth through the past few years (from 2003 to 2007 annual revenue increases 623.7 percent) its good customer value proposition is essentially only a small part in its effective business model. A comprehensive study of Zappos business model will be composed of 4 integral parts (Figure 1). Following the (1) customer value proposition (CVP), the structure of Zappos business model, consisting of (2) the profit formula and the importance of (3) key processes and (4) key resources will be linked to Michael Porters (1985) value chain model in order to enable a detailed analysis on how the e-retailer has become so successful. Figure 1 Business Model One evident potential customer value proposition of Zappos is the offering of an extensive online selection of mainly footwear and a few other extended product lines. Surprisingly this is not how the company defines itself. Calling itself a service company that just happens to sell shoes, handbags and related items (Morris, 2008) more value is placed on providing a high-touch customer service aimed at engendering a customer long-term relationship (OReiley, 2009). Zappos has been a customer centric company since its startup in 1999. The retailer focuses on providing highest service quality, leading to customer satisfaction and consequent customer retention, what essentially can be described as a loyalty business model (http://bx.businessweek.com/zapposcom/). Repeat customers represent 75% of any days gross sales and word of mouth advertising has brought growth to Zappos in overwhelming numbers (Morris, 2008). Zappos first of the ten core values puts the CVP in clear terms: Deliver [a] WOW [customer experience] through service (Zappos.com). How Zappos excels in delivering that CVP will be addressed in the subsequent analysis. Zappos CVP is supported by a profit formula, which establishes how the company wants to earn money. That formula is linked to the products value chain. The primary activities (key processes) have a direct impact on the formula while being supported by support activities (key resources), all driven by the customer value proposition with the objective to deliver value to the customer and be profitable. Nurturing a successful value creation and delivery, Zappos profit model is directly influenced by: Inbound logistics with its link to the supply chain of Zappos offered merchandise (wholesale prices, distribution etc.); Operations which correspond to the cost structure of Zappos vertically integrated warehouse and inventory operations in Kentucky; and Outbound logistics including free shipping both ways, surprise upgrades to overnight shipping (Whitehorn, 2009). Moving further through the primary activities of Zappos value chain, the subsequent function of marketing sales is declared to be comparatively tenuous as current CEO Tony Hsieh explains: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦[we] put that money into the customer experience instead (Whitehorn, 2009). Key processes also include a firms metrics and measurements, which Zappos sets based on customer satisfaction indicators, rather than number of order taken (Morris, 2008). Service is a primary value chain activity that deserves some detailed inspection at this point. Being a significant contributor to the cost structure with items like 365-day return policy or a call center staff working 24/7, Service represents the most intense link between Zappos CVP and its profit model and most significantly enables the implementation of its loyalty business model. Service represents how Zappos creates value for its customers (CVP) and most importantly it defines how the company creates value for itself (profit formula); (Johnson, Christensen Kagermann, 2008). Identifying Service as the primary source of value and profit suggests the examination of how the support activities (key resources) are allocated to contribute to Zappos competitive strength. Not only the primary activities, but also Zappos support activities underpin deliver[ing] the Zappos experience to [its] customers (OReiley, 2009). Key resources like procurement channels, technology, equipment and people are illustrated in the value chain as support activities. While careful procurement activities ensure a certain standard of product quality to the customer, its technology, equipment and firm infrastructure are also aligned with Zappos delivery of great customer service (e.g. in-house developed information technology, fast storing and shipping system) (Masha, 2009). Nevertheless, the most essential and valuable key resource of Zappos customer service is its Human Resource Management (HRM). Strategic Human Resource Management, which is the HRMs role is supporting a certain business model and strategy (Wright et all., 2001) plays a crucial role in Zappos effectiveness in the past. How HRM as a key resource and support activity is employed by Zappos to foster its loyalty business model is the next level of analysis. Zappos Supportive HRM Practices Zappos customer centricity leads the company since its startup in 1999. This is embedded in its company culture. Zappos employees live, breathe and operate through ten core values. These particular values create a positive environment in which employees excel to the maximum of their abilities and still have the freedom to express and implement their own initiatives.The company culture creates an environment in which customers receive more than they expect. Nurturing this environment is done through committed human resource practices (article on ccomm hr practices. Zappos Human Resource Management plays a vital role in fostering the initial driver of the thriving environment: company culture. Committed HRM practices reach from recruiting the right employees to rewarding and helping to create an environment that allows for the company culture to continue and strive. HRM is strategically placed in Zappos (SHRM) and people related elements create the core competency of the firm (Wright et al.: Human resources and the resource based view of the firm (2001).) The people management practices are created around the core values and in this way make the most of the human, social and organizational capital. The environment in the company allows for easy creation, integration and transfer of ideas. All employees are constantly in a changing environment due to the type of products they sell and therefore they too become dynamic which leads to their core competency of providing excellent service (Wright et al.: Human resources and the resource based view of the firm (2001).) As a starting point the company only hires people who are both technically and culturally fit (A perfect organizational fit, Samantha Whitehorne.) This is such an important point that Zappos.com fires employees who although technically fit do not fit into their culture. A lot of time and money is invested in the recruitment process, the reason being that employees have a vital role in the success of the loyalty business model. Furthermore, every new employee, regardless of their position in the firm will go through a four week training period in which they learn about the company and how it functions. Normally this involves being part of the call centre to really understand what customers want and need. The underlining message throughout all human resource processes is that the company lives and breathes customer service and everyone is put into this way of thinking. Rewards too play a dominant role in establishing the company culture. They create a positive environment in which employees are encouraged to share ideas on all levels of the company; in addition employees are not afraid to take risks because they are encouraged to take these through the rewards. Rewards can be companywide, departmental and individually driven. A lot of time and money is put into the rewards, which vary from being very simple to big and elaborate. This however is seen as an investment because it improves employee satisfaction and motivation and increases the overall profits of the company. The different forms of celebrations create a positive and constructive environment without putting the employees in a stressful, competitive environment. Many of the rewards are created by the departments and individuals themselves. However Human Resources is still involved in the bigger picture. Ensuring that company goals and progress are shared amongst all employees, creating financing and merchandising rewards appropriate to the customer orientated business model and to ensure that employees feel free to try out new, innovative means of doing business and therefore being rewarded for results and not punished for mistakes. Both the resource based view and the transaction cost theory can be seen in how Zappos functions and remains competitive by heavily supporting there loyalty business model with human resource practices(Masters, JK. Miles, G.: Predicting the Use of External Labour Arrangements: A Test of the Transaction Cost Perspective (2002).) For example call centres are kept inhouse; it is a valuable asset which is frequently used by consumers and requires attentive and dedicated employees. There is continual development of the employee as the company is aware of dynamic capabilities. Every single individual is held accountable for the company culture, it is not only restricted to human resources or top management. Initiatives can be brought forward from any position in the company. The companys culture was established from day one but the human resources department along with all recruited employees is responsible to keep the inspiring, highly motivated, free spirited environment running with its main goal to provide the customer value proposition of exceptional service. With the emphasis of all individuals sustaining Zappos unique environment, an interesting question concerns the role of leadership and managerial influence at the e-retailer, which triggers the following discussion. Role of Leadership on Zappos HRM Zappos.com is one of the leading companies in its industry and since its startup it has seen an enormous amount of growth. From February 2010 on, Zappos.com is expected to grow 30% in the next 12 months. A challenge for Zappos.com is to be able to fulfill new positions that are the result of the growth of the company with skilled and suitable managers. This implicates that especially in this time of growth individual leaders have to be acquired which fit and understand Zappos.com unusual culture. The basis of this culture is founded by the initial owners and persons who joined the company from its early start. The characteristics and vision of the CEO and the manner he positions himself towards the employees still influences the committed HR practices and the corporate culture. Besides defining leadership as the guidance of individual managers and the characteristics of the CEO it can also be seen as the leading role of Zappos.com in its industry. Zappos.com has accounted on all thes e three levels of leadership throughout the company in the development of its HR practices. First, to attract individual leaders and to have a long-term relationship with them, different measurements are integrated into HR practices. Already in the recruitment phase the hiring is rather unconventional. Possible future employees are invited to events outside the office, for instance team building events and happy hours in order to hire them based on different events rather than one job interview. After acquiring an employee, regardless their position, an extensive 4 week customer training follows which contains various courses coordinated by the training, leadership and development department. Zappos.com recognizes leadership potential in every one of its employees, regardless their position. Employees are encouraged and taught to represent the companies culture in everything what they do and say and to be accountable for themselves, actually this one of the key fundamentals. To make sure a long term relationship is also expected from the employees side and that they are com mitted to the company and their work, 3000 dollar walk away money is offered to them after the training program. When looking at the framework (exhibit) acquiring individual leaders mostly influence committed HR practices, since recruitment has to make sure people are hired that fit into the culture. Second, the vision at the manner of working of Zappos.coms initial founders has a major influence on both the committed HR practices and the corporate culture. Todays CEO Tony Hsieh has agreed on an annual base salary of $36.000 in 2009 with which he signals a culture of motivation instead of extrinsic rewards. This stimulates employees to work from intrinsic motivation and HR practices concerning rewards might not be the most important asset for employees. How CEO Tony Hsieh influences the corporate culture of Zappos.com for instance is the way he wrote an open and honest letter to all the employees ensuring their perks would remain the same after Amazons takeover. The positioning of the companies leader towards the employees inspire the corporate culture because by showing honesty and transparency, an open corporate environment is stimulated. When looking at the framework one can say that the CEOs vision on the corporate culture influences HR practices committed. Third, to maintain the leading position of Zappos.com in a fast changing market due to technological and fashion market changes, more HR practices have been developed. Especially the core values are a tool to develop a culture and a mindset to maintain this position. Zappos.coms fourth core value is to be adventurous, creative and open-minded, which means risk taking does not have to be avoided. Herewith Zappos.com creates a mindset throughout the entire company. Zappos.com also recognizes the importance of creating a culture of continuous learning via their fifth core value pursue growth and learning in which is stated every employee should constantly challenge and stretch themselves. Due to the focus of Zappos.com on leadership on different levels and integrating this into different HR practices Zappos.com is able to acquire and keep appropriate employees which goal is to grow and learn every day. Also due to these acknowledgements and integrating them into the development of HR practices, Hay Group ranked Zappos.com number 16 at the Top 20 Best Companies For Leadership in 2009. Acquisition by Amazon.com Clash of Cultures? Amazon bought Zappos.com for 850 million dollars. Zappos.com is remaining a seperate entity within the company and has assured employees and the general public that their culture and workplace environment will not change (week in news). Although the companies are both customer centric, the approaches used towards satisfying customers differs significantly. Amazon strives for customer convenience, low prices and large vareity of goods for the customer to choose from. On the otherhand Zappos.com aims for customer loyalty by providing a unique experience with personal contact opportunities between customer and employee (A new lace on life, Tim O ´Reiley.) In addition Zappos.com was a privately owned company and Amazon a public limited company. The ownership structure creates differences in the way that the companies operate and more specifically how human resource practices are placed within each company. It is necessary to analyse the differences and identify to what extent these may lead to potential sources of conflict between the human resource practices. At Zappos.com human resource management can be classified as a strategic partner (chapter 2.) The use of committed human resource practices creates the companies core comptency. As previously mentioned it defines, maintains and help grow the corporate culture. The ten core values create an environment in which employees work to the best of their abilities to satisfy customers. Shortly said the business model is dependent on HR practices. At Amazon HRM is not as dominant, it can be seen as a business partner (Amazon, HR Spectrum eNews.) It is necessary in the sense that it provides the company with strong human capital and it provides assistance to other departments, however it does not define how the company runs the business. We can seperate the two further by looking at the different levels of integration that exist between HR practices and the strategy process of a comapny. Zappos.com has an integrative linkage , there is constant interaction throughout all phases of the strategy process. Communication flows freely from all levels of the business.Every employee has the ability to initiate actions or improve certain aspects of the business. Consistent with the business partner role, Amazon has a two-way linkage. It considers human resources issues during strategy formulation such as ensuring the recruitment of highly skilled employees that fit yith their company strategy. However it is a less dominant role than what HR plays in Zappos.com. (chapter 2 from the book.) From these differences it is apparent that their could be a clash between the two practices. They have different levels of authority, in Zappos.com employees are given the freedom to take risks which affect the entire company. Amazon appear to be more constrained in this.Amazon focuses on efficiency whearas Zappos puts alot of emphasis on giving employees the space to express their creativity in a productive environment. Although Tony Hsieh has promised no change in the company ´s structure it will definitly have to consider the differences and how Amazon could impact the HR practices. Zappos Future Challenges Although the strategic approach of managing human resources has been distinguished as a driving force of Zappos severe competitive position, the planned acquisition by e-retailer giant, Amazon, put forward some potential challenges. The reviewed threat of HRM clash, is only one of the possible challenges in the future business functioning of Zappos. Directional Strategies are strategic typologies for classifying the ways different organizations seek to compete within an industry (Noa, 2008, p.86). With the approved acquisition by Amazon, Zappos continues to strive for growth and decides to pursue an external growth strategy, strengthen its market position through entering new businesses (other merchandise) (Noa, 2008, p.87). While growing, Zappos need to sustain its valuable corporate culture by managing the trade-off between changing human resource knowledge, skills and behavior needs and the upkeep of its successful organizational environment. Zappos will need to constantly educate and motivate its employees to engage inself-directed learning to cope with the new challenges when growing with the company (Noa, 2008, p.295). Growth it not the only challenge encountered in Zappos future business functioning. There is a necessity of appropriate recruitment, training, development and promotion to meet the changing HRM needs in an increasingly dynamic environment. What can be defined as challenge of sustainability describes the current economic changes, changes in demographics and expectations of the workforce, the growing importance of corporate citizenship and legal and ethical issues, has a key influence on the management of HR. Special regard has to be given to manage HR changing needs in companies as Zappos, in which it represents the main source of competitive advantage. Other challenges include the global and technological challenge, which include the HR impact from expanding into international markets and the importance of sophisticated technology in the workplace. Zappos growth strategy has already reaches out into another North American country: Canada (zappos.com). Simply reconstructing similar values and HR practices will not easily reproduce the same valuable organizational environment that exists in the retailers home-country operations. Understanding cultural differences, diverse backgrounds and attitudes is needed to establish a HRM that truly enables international success. Technological challenges emerge when employing technological innovation to leverage knowledge creation and sharing through the firm, which Zappos need to support by adequate and committed HR recruitment, training and motivational rewards. Conclusion The examination of Zappos past effectiveness and successful implementation of the loyality business model has been linked to an ambitious customer value proposition of best service, a strong profit formula and a strategic alignment of key processes as well as key resources. Most emphasis has been given to one specific key resource, namely the committed human resource practices, which serve as a support activity and a strategic element in Zappos loyalty business model and yield final competitive strength. While defining Zappos people, environment and culture as a primary source of competitive advantage, the significant role of leadership in the development of HR practices has been indicated. Concluding on how Zappos has build up a successful business model based on excellent customer service, loyalty and retention and how it continuous to operate effectively, the prior analysis has comprehensively identified one major contribution: strategic human resource management. The aligning of human resources practices and activities to the strategic objectives of high customer service quality, demand a development of committed HR practices, which generate a unique corporate culture and environment and ultimately enable Zappos remarkable competitive strength.

Jewish Involvement in Shaping American Immigration Policy, 1881- 1965 :: American America History

Jewish Involvement in Shaping American Immigration Policy, 1881- 1965: A Historical Review This paper discusses Jewish involvement in shaping United States immigration policy. In addition to a periodic interest in fostering the immigration of co- religionists as a result of anti- Semitic movements, Jews have an interest in opposing the establishment of ethnically and culturally homogeneous societies in which they reside as minorities. Jews have been at the forefront in supporting movements aimed at altering the ethnic status quo in the United States in favor of immigration of non- European peoples. These activities have involved leadership in Congress, organizing and funding anti- restrictionist groups composed of Jews and gentiles, and originating intellectual movements opposed to evolutionary and biological perspectives in the social sciences. Ethnic conflict is of obvious importance for understanding critical aspects of American history, and not only for understanding Black/ White ethnic conflict or the fate of Native Americans. Immigration policy is a paradigmatic example of conflict of interest between ethnic groups because immigration policy influences the future demographic composition of the nation. Ethnic groups unable to influence immigration policy in their own interests will eventually be displaced or reduced in relative numbers by groups able to accomplish this goal. This paper discusses ethnic conflict between Jews and gentiles in the area of immigration policy. Immigration policy is, however, only one aspect of conflicts of interest between Jews and gentiles in America. The skirmishes between Jews and the gentile power structure beginning in the late nineteenth century always had strong overtones of anti- Semitism. These battles involved issues of Jewish upward mobility, quotas on Jewish representation in elite schools beginning in the nineteenth century and peaking in the 1920s and 1930s, the anti- Communist crusades in the post- World War II era, as well as the very powerful concern with the cultural influences of the major media extending from Henry Ford's writings in the 1920s to the Hollywood inquisitions of the McCarthy era and into the contemporary era. That anti- Semitism was involved in these issues can be seen from the fact that historians of Judaism (e. g., Sachar 1992, p. 620ff) feel compelled to include accounts of these events as important to the history of Jews in America, by the anti- Semitic pronouncements of many of the gentile participants, and by the self- conscious understanding of Jewish participants and observers. The Jewish involvement in influencing immigration policy in the United States is especially noteworthy as an aspect of ethnic conflict.

Borderline Personality Disorder Essays -- Psychology Psychological Hea

Borderline personality disorder "is defined in the DSM IV, a manual used by psychiatrists to diagnose all mental disorders, as an AXIS II disorder which has symptoms of impulsively and emotional dysregulation" (Livesley 146). A person with BPD has feelings of abandonment and emptiness, and has "frantic efforts to avoid abandonment, going to extremes to keep someone from leaving" (Burger 300). He or she is emotionally unstable and forms intense but unstable interpersonal relationships. They show impulsive behavior, such as spending money, sex, eating and substance abuse. Borderlines engage in self-manipulating behaviors and recurrent suicide attempts and thoughts. "Their behavior can be seen as maladaptive methods of coping with constant emotional pain" (Livesley 144). "Personality includes those aspects of a person's thinking, moods and behavior which affect his or her relationship with others" (Livesley 98). Differences in personality style (traits) add color and variety to relationships but may become too extreme, inflexible or maladaptive, significantly impairing a person's ability to function. When a person is not able to deal with people or problems of the environment, he or she is said to have a Personality Disorder (Livesley 99). "Originally the term borderline was used to refer to individuals whose adjustment was on the borderline between normal and psychotic" (Holmes 393). Today borderline personality disorder is primarily marked by instability, showing different symptoms at different times. Most of the symptoms revolve around problems of mood, mild disturbance in thought processes, and impulsive self-injurious behavior (Holmes 393). All of this prevents the borderline to have interpersonal relationships. Individuals with the borderline personality disorder tend to have intense relationships that are very unstable. "Frequent interpersonal conflict, unstable, stormy relationships are characteristics of a borderline; Relationships usually have "love and hate characteristics" (Durand 334). Individuals with this disorder do not simply drift in and out of friendships, but instead show abrupt, frequent and dramatic changes between "intense love and equally intense hate" (Durand 334) in any one relationship. The fluctuations in their mood, involved with their anger; involved with their thought disturbances, and mixed with their paranoid thoughts ab... ...ometimes symptoms can go unnoticed or are misunderstood. "Persons with BPD may often be thought of as manipulative or as attention-seeking (Burger 134). They can sometimes "act as if" they are okay. "People with BPD need validation and acknowledgment of the pain they struggle to live with as well as compassion without blame or judgments (Durand 99). Family members should always take suicidal statements and threats seriously and alert a mental health professional as soon as possible. "Education for family members cannot be stressed enough (Durand 99). Families need to learn all they can about BPD so that they can advocate for appropriate treatment for their loved ones. Informed families are then better able to deal with the stigma often encountered from mental health professionals. Instability might not even do borderlines justice, (Burger 199) chaotic is the best word to describe the life of a borderline. Their lives are intense their friendships abrupt. BPD is extremely painful to the patients, their families and to society. People with BPD experience intense emotions and are very vulnerable. They are among the most intensive and extensive utilizes of mental health services.

Al- Aqsa Mosque Essay -- essays research papers

The Noble Sanctuary is a significant site with a sacred mosque and a sacred shrine within its walls, held in Jerusalem, for the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religions. The Noble Sanctuary, which includes the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque, represents the sacrifices and hardships many people have faced throughout the decades that formed our world in to what it is today. The Jews and the Christians have a special place in their heart for The Noble Sanctuary, but the magnitude and relevance of this place is greatest with the Muslims. It relates to their great last prophet Muhammad, who they believe, was sent from God and established Islam. Al-Aqsa Mosque, the sacred mosque within the Noble Sanctuary, accommodates the Dome of the Rock in commemorating Muhammad and Muhammad’s Night Journey into Heaven. The shrine itself was not a religious place of worship; the Dome of the Rock was solely a shrine. Al-Aqsa Mosque was built to fulfill the religious needs of Muslims. It was b uilt, spatially, near the sanctuary’s closest wall to Mecca, to pay respect to the â€Å"holy city†, where so Muhammad first started preaching and where so much history occurred, contributing heavily to Islamic religion of today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Al-Aqsa Mosque would not have been built if it were not for the building of the Dome of the Rock. The Dome of the Rock was begun in the heart of Jerusalem around 684 C.E and was finally completed in 691 C.E during the Umayyad Dynasty. The ninth Caliph, Abd al-Malik, a successor of the great prophet Muhammad, built the sanctuary to remember the Prophet, who 1 established the Islamic religion.# The Dome of the Rock is the focal point of the Noble Sanctuary. It is an octagonal shaped building with a large dome that rests atop the structure. Spatially, it lies in the very center of the Noble Sanctuary. The Dome is decorated with colorful mosaics that depict the events that occurred in the sixth and seventh centuries before the Dome was created. The inside is a sight of beauty; the beauty that some say only God can show Muslims. It has pillars, arches, and columns that go around the outside of the golden dome. The windows are of stained glass that glistens when the sun shines through them and they project exquisiteness on those pillars, arches, and columns. The Dome also contains Arabic calligraphy all around the inside of the Dome, with re... ... example of destroying a building and an entire group retaliating for the hurt and destruction is September 11th when the Taliban took it upon themselves to suicide bomb the World Trade Centers. All of America was devastated and most Americans wanted to get revenge. The Taliban knew they would upset us by doing that. The Americans found it cruel, and the Taliban succeeded in making Americans mad. Sacred places are held very closely to the heart of those that they are sacred to.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Al-Aqsa Mosque is a place that exemplifies what a Muslim could and should be like. With all the history and fighting in Jerusalem, the Muslims needed a place that glorified their religion, and that is what the Al-Aqsa Mosque does. You can pay your respects to Muhammad at the Dome of the Rock shrine, but you cannot cleanse yourself and pray to Allah there. The Al-Aqsa Mosque teaches you about the history of Islam, the practices, Muhammad and his struggles, 7 and pays respect to Mecca. Values, virtues, and continued ummah were learned and practiced through the Al-Aqsa Mosque, allowing the Islamic religion to flourish into one of the largest practicing religions of today.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 20. New

Everything was so clear. Sharp. Defined. The brilliant light overhead was still blinding-bright, and yet I could plainly see the glowing strands of the filaments inside the bulb. I could see each color of the rainbow in the white light, and, at the very edge of the spectrum, an eighth color I had no name for. Behind the light, I could distinguish the individual grains in the dark wood ceiling above. In front of it, I could see the dust motes in the air, the sides the light touched, and the dark sides, distinct and separate. They spun like little planets, moving around each other in a celestial dance. The dust was so beautiful that I inhaled in shock; the air whistled down my throat, swirling the motes into a vortex. The action felt wrong. I considered, and realized the problem was that there was no relief tied to the action. I didn't need the air. My lungs weren't waiting for it. They reacted indifferently to the influx. I did not need the air, but I liked it. In it, I could taste the room around me – taste the lovely dust motes, the mix of the stagnant air mingling with the flow of slightly cooler air from the open door. Taste a lush whiff of silk. Taste a faint hint of something warm and desirable, something that should be moist, but wasn't†¦ That smell made my throat burn dryly, a faint echo of the venom burn, though the scent was tainted by the bite of chlorine and ammonia. And most of all, I could taste an almost-honey-lilac-and-sun-flavored scent that was the strongest thing, the closest thing to me. I heard the sound of the others, breathing again now that I did. Their breath mixed with the scent that was something just off honey and lilac and sunshine, bringing new flavors. Cinnamon, hyacinth, pear, seawater, rising bread, pine, vanilla, leather, apple, moss, lavender, chocolate†¦. I traded a dozen different comparisons in my mind, but none of them fit exactly. So sweet and pleasant. The TV downstairs had been muted, and I heard someone – Rosalie? – shift her weight on the first floor. I also heard a faint, thudding rhythm, with a voice shouting angrily to the beat. Rap music? I was mystified for a moment, and then the sound faded away like a car passing by with the windows rolled down. With a start, I realized that this could be exactly right. Could I hear all the way to the freeway? I didn't realize someone was holding my hand until whoever it was squeezed it lightly. Like it had before to hide the pain, my body locked down again in surprise. This was not a touch I expected. The skin was perfectly smooth, but it was the wrong temperature. Not cold. After that first frozen second of shock, my body responded to the unfamiliar touch in a way that shocked me even more. Air hissed up my throat, spitting through my clenched teeth with a low, menacing sound like a swarm of bees. Before the sound was out, my muscles bunched and arched, twisting away from the unknown. I flipped off my back in a spin so fast it should have turned the room into an incomprehensible blur – but it did not. I saw every dust mote, every splinter in the wood-paneled walls, every loose thread in microscopic detail as my eyes whirled past them. So by the time I found myself crouched against the wall defensively – about a sixteenth of a second later – I already understood what had startled me, and that I had overreacted. Oh. Of course. Edward wouldn't feel cold to me. We were the same temperature now. I held my pose for an eighth of a second longer, adjusting to the scene before me. Edward was leaning across the operating table that had been my pyre, his hand reached out toward me, his expression anxious. Edward's face was the most important thing, but my peripheral vision catalogued everything else, just in case. Some instinct to defend had been triggered, and I automatically searched for any sign of danger. My vampire family waited cautiously against the far wall by the door, Emmett and Jasper in the front. Like there was danger. My nostrils flared, searching for the threat. I could smell nothing out of place. That faint scent of something delicious – but marred by harsh chemicals – tickled my throat again, setting it to aching and burning. Alice was peeking around Jasper's elbow with a huge grin on her face; the light sparkled off her teeth, another eight-color rainbow. That grin reassured me and then put the pieces together. Jasper and Emmett were in the front to protect the others, as I had assumed. What I hadn't grasped immediately was that was the danger. All this was a sideline. The greater part of my senses and my mind were still focused on Edward's face. I had never seen it before this second. How many times had I stared at Edward and marveled over his beauty? How many hours – days, weeks – of my life had I spent dreaming about what I then deemed to be perfection? I thought I'd known his face better than my own. I'd thought this was the one sure physical thing in my whole world: the flawlessness of Edward's face. I may as well have been blind. For the first time, with the dimming shadows and limiting weakness of humanity taken off my eyes, I saw his face. I gasped and then struggled with my vocabulary, unable to find the right words. I needed better words. At this point, the other part of my attention had ascertained that there was no danger here besides myself, and I automatically straightened out of my crouch; almost a whole second had passed since I'd been on the table. I was momentarily preoccupied by the way my body moved. The instant I'd considered standing erect, I was already straight. There was no brief fragment of time in which the action occurred; change was instantaneous, almost as if there was no movement at all. I continued to stare at Edward's face, motionless again. He moved slowly around the table – each step taking nearly half a second, each step flowing sinuously like river water weaving over smooth stones – his hand still outstretched. I watched the grace of his advance, absorbing it with my new eyes. â€Å"Bella?† he asked in a low, calming tone, but the worry in his voice layered my name with tension. I could not answer immediately, lost as I was in the velvet folds of his voice. It was the most perfect symphony, a symphony in one instrument, an instrument more profound than any created by man___ â€Å"Bella, love? I'm sorry, I know it's disorienting. But you're all right. Everything is fine.† Everything? My mind spun out, spiraling back to my last human hour. Already, the memory seemed dim, like I was watching through a thick, dark veil – because my human eyes had been half blind. Everything had been so blurred. When he said everything was fine, did that include Renesmee? Where was she? With Rosalie? I tried to remember her face – I knew that she had been beautiful – but it was irritating to try to see through the human memories. Her face was shrouded in darkness, so poorly lit___ What about Jacob? Was he fine? Did my long-suffering best friend hate me now? Had he gone back to Sam's pack? Seth and Leah, too? Were the Cullens safe, or had my transformation ignited the war with the pack? Did Edward's blanket assurance cover all of that? Or was he just trying to calm me? And Charlie? What would I tell him now? He must have called while I was burning. What had they told him? What did he think had happened to me? As I deliberated for one small piece of a second over which question to ask first, Edward reached out tentatively and stroked his fingertips across my cheek. Smooth as satin, soft as a feather, and now exactly matched to the temperature of my skin. His touch seemed to sweep beneath the surface of my skin, right through the bones of my face. The feeling was tingly, electric – it jolted through my bones, down my spine, and trembled in my stomach. Wait,I thought as the trembling blossomed into a warmth, a yearning. Wasn't I supposed to lose this? Wasn't giving up this feeling a part of the bargain? I was a newborn vampire. The dry, scorching ache in my throat gave proof to that. And I knew what being a newborn entailed. Human emotions and longings would come back to me later in some form, but I'd accepted that I would not feel them in the beginning. Only thirst. That was the deal, the price. I'd agreed to pay it. But as Edward's hand curled to the shape of my face like satin-covered steel, desire raced through my dried-out veins, singing from my scalp to my toes. He arched one perfect eyebrow, waiting for me to speak. I threw my arms around him. Again, it was like there was no movement. One moment I stood straight and still as a statue; in the same instant, he was in my arms. Warm – or at least, that was my perception. With the sweet, delicious scent that I'd never been able to really take in with my dull human senses, but that was one hundred percent Edward. I pressed my face into his smooth chest. And then he shifted his weight uncomfortably. Leaned away from my embrace. I stared up at his face, confused and frightened by the rejection. â€Å"Urn†¦ carefully, Bella. Ow.† I yanked my arms away, folding them behind my back as soon as I understood. I was too strong. â€Å"Oops,† I mouthed. He smiled the kind of smile that would have stopped my heart if it were still beating. â€Å"Don't panic, love,† he said, lifting his hand to touch my lips, parted in horror. â€Å"You're just a bit stronger than I am for the moment.† My eyebrows pushed together. I'd known this, too, but it felt more surreal than any other part of this ultimately surreal moment. I was stronger than Edward. I'd made him say ow. His hand stroked my cheek again, and I all but forgot my distress as another wave of desire rippled through my motionless body. These emotions were so much stronger than I was used to that it was hard to stick to one train of thought despite the extra room in my head. Each new sensation overwhelmed me. I remembered Edward saying once – his voice in my head a weak shadow compared to the crystal, musical clarity I was hearing now – that his kind, our kind, were easily distracted. I could see why. I made a concerted effort to focus. There was something I needed to say. The most important thing. Very carefully, so carefully that the movement was actually discernible, I brought my right arm out from behind my back and raised my hand to touch his cheek. I refused to let myself be sidetracked by the pearly color of my hand or by the smooth silk of his skin or by the charge that zinged in my fingertips. I stared into his eyes and heard my own voice for the first time. â€Å"I love you,† I said, but it sounded like singing. My voice rang and shimmered like a bell. His answering smile dazzled me more than it ever had when I was human; I could really see it now. â€Å"As I love you,† he told me. He took my face between his hands and leaned his face to mine – slow enough to remind me to be careful. He kissed me, soft as a whisper at first, and then suddenly stronger, fiercer. I tried to remember to be gentle with him, but it was hard work to remember anything in the onslaught of sensation, hard to hold on to any coherent thoughts. It was like he'd never kissed me – like this was our first kiss. And, in truth, he'd never kissed me this way before. It almost made me feel guilty. Surely I was in breach of the contract. I couldn't be allowed to have this, too. Though I didn't need oxygen, my breathing sped, raced as fast as it had when I was burning. This was a different kind of fire. Someone cleared his throat. Emmett. I recognized the deep sound at once, joking and annoyed at the same time. I'd forgotten we weren't alone. And then I realized that the way I was curved around Edward now was not exactly polite for company. Embarrassed, I half-stepped away in another instantaneous movement. Edward chuckled and stepped with me, keeping his arms tight around my waist. His face was glowing – like a white flame burned from behind his diamond skin. I took an unnecessary breath to settle myself. How different this kissing was! I read his expression as I compared the indistinct human memories to this clear, intense feeling. He looked†¦ a little smug. â€Å"You've been holding out on me,† I accused in my singing voice, my eyes narrowing a tiny bit. He laughed, radiant with relief that it was all over – the fear, the pain, the uncertainties, the waiting, all of it behind us now. â€Å"It was sort of necessary at the time,† he reminded me. â€Å"Now it's your turn to not break me.† He laughed again. I frowned as I considered that, and then Edward was not the only one laughing. Carlisle stepped around Emmett and walked toward me swiftly; his eyes were only slightly wary, but Jasper shadowed his footsteps. I'd never seen Carlisle's face before either, not really. I had an odd urge to blink – like I was staring at the sun. â€Å"How do you feel, Bella?† Carlisle asked. I considered that for a sixty-fourth of a second. â€Å"Overwhelmed. There's so much. †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I trailed off, listening to the bell-tone of my voice again. â€Å"Yes, it can be quite confusing.† I nodded one fast, jerky bob. â€Å"But I feel like me. Sort of. I didn't expect that.† Edward's arms squeezed lightly around my waist. â€Å"I told you so,† he whispered. â€Å"You are quite controlled,† Carlisle mused. â€Å"More so than expected, even with the time you had to prepare yourself mentally for this.† I thought about the wild mood swings, the difficulty concentrating, and whispered, â€Å"I'm not sure about that.† He nodded seriously, and then his jeweled eyes glittered with interest. â€Å"It seems like we did something right with the morphine this time. Tell me, what do you remember of the transformation process?† I hesitated, intensely aware of Edward's breath brushing against my cheek, sending whispers of electricity through my skin. â€Å"Everything was†¦ very dim before. I remember the baby couldn't breathe___† I looked at Edward, momentarily frightened by the memory. â€Å"Renesmee is healthy and well,† he promised, a gleam I'd never seen before in his eyes. He said her name with an understated fervor. A reverence. The way devout people talked about their gods. â€Å"What do you remember after that?† I focused on my poker face. I'd never been much of a liar. â€Å"It's hard to remember. It was so dark before. And then†¦ I opened my eyes and I could see everything† â€Å"Amazing,† Carlisle breathed, his eyes alight. Chagrin washed through me, and I waited for the heat to burn in my cheeks and give me away. And then I remembered that I would never blush again. Maybe that would protect Edward from the truth. I'd have to find a way to tip off Carlisle, though. Someday. If he ever needed to create another vampire. That possibility seemed very unlikely, which made me feel better about lying. â€Å"I want you to think – to tell me everything you remember,† Carlisle pressed excitedly, and I couldn't help the grimace that flashed across my face. I didn't want to have to keep lying, because I might slip up. And I didn't want to think about the burning. Unlike the human memories, that part was perfectly clear and I found I could remember it with far too much precision. â€Å"Oh, I'm so sorry, Bella,† Carlisle apologized immediately. â€Å"Of course your thirst must be very uncomfortable. This conversation can wait.† Until he'd mentioned it, the thirst actually wasn't unmanageable. There was so much room in my head. A separate part of my brain was keeping tabs on the burn in my throat, almost like a reflex. The way my old brain had handled breathing and blinking. But Carlisle's assumption brought the burn to the forefront of my mind. Suddenly, the dry ache was all I could think about, and the more I thought about it, the more it hurt. My hand flew up to cup my throat, like I could smother the flames from the outside. The skin of my neck was strange beneath my fingers. So smooth it was somehow soft, though it was hard as stone, too. Edward dropped his arms and took my other hand, tugging gently. â€Å"Let's hunt, Bella.† My eyes opened wider and the pain of the thirst receded, shock taking its place. Me? Hunt? With Edward? But†¦ how? I didn't know what to do. He read the alarm in my expression and smiled encouragingly. â€Å"It's quite easy, love. Instinctual. Don't worry, I'll show you.† When I didn't move, he grinned his crooked smile and raised his eyebrows. â€Å"I was under the impression that you'd always wanted to see me hunt.† I laughed in a short burst of humor (part of me listened in wonder to the pealing bell sound) as his words reminded me of cloudy human conversations. And then I took a whole second to run quickly through those first days with Edward – the true beginning of my life – in my head so that I would never forget them. I did not expect that it would be so uncomfortable to remember. Like trying to squint through muddy water. I knew from Rosalie's experience that if I thought of my human memories enough, I would not lose them over time. I did not want to forget one minute I'd spent with Edward, even now, when eternity stretched in front of us. i would have to make sure those human memories were cemented into my infallible vampire mind. â€Å"Shall we?† Edward asked. He reached up to take the hand that was still at my neck. His fingers smoothed down the column of my throat. â€Å"I don't want you to be hurting,† he added in a low murmur. Something I would not have been able to hear before. Tm fine,† I said out of lingering human habit. â€Å"Wait. First.† There was so much. I'd never gotten to my questions. There were more important things than the ache. It was Carlisle who spoke now. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"I want to see her. Renesmee.† It was oddly difficult to say her name. My daughter, these words were even harder to think. It all seemed so distant. I tried to remember how I had felt three days ago, and automatically, my hands pulled free of Edward's and dropped to my stomach. Flat. Empty. I clutched at the pale silk that covered my skin, panicking again, while an insignificant part of my mind noted that Alice must have dressed me. I knew there was nothing left inside me, and I faintly remembered the bloody removal scene, but the physical proof was still hard to process. All I knew was loving my little nudger inside of me. Outside of me, she seemed like something I must have imagined. A fading dream – a dream that was half nightmare. While I wrestled with my confusion, I saw Edward and Carlisle exchange a guarded glance. â€Å"What?† I demanded. â€Å"Bella,† Edward said soothingly. â€Å"That's not really a good idea. She's half human, love. Her heart beats, and blood runs in her veins. Until your thirst is positively under control†¦ You don't want to put her in danger, do you?† I frowned. Of course I must not want that. Was I out of control? Confused, yes. Easily unfocused, yes. But dangerous? To her? My daughter? I couldn't be positive that the answer was no. So I would have to be patient. That sounded difficult. Because until I saw her again, she wouldn't be real. Just a fading dream†¦ of a stranger†¦ â€Å"Where is she?† I listened hard, and then I could hear the beating heart on the floor below me. I could hear more than one person breathing – quietly, like they were listening, too. There was also a fluttering sound, a thrumming, that I couldn't place___ And the sound of the heartbeat was so moist and appealing, that my mouth started watering. So I would definitely have to learn how to hunt before I saw her. My stranger baby. â€Å"Is Rosalie with her?† â€Å"Yes,† Edward answered in a clipped tone, and I could see that something he'd thought of upset him. I'd thought he and Rose were over their differences. Had the animosity erupted again? Before I could ask, he pulled my hands away from my flat stomach, tugging gently again. â€Å"Wait,† I protested again, trying to focus. â€Å"What about Jacob? And Charlie? Tell me everything that I missed. How long was I†¦ unconscious?† Edward didn't seem to notice my hesitation over the last word. Instead, he was exchanging another wary glance with Carlisle. â€Å"What's wrong?† I whispered. â€Å"Nothing is wrong† Carlisle told me, emphasizing the last word in a strange way. â€Å"Nothing has changed much, actually – you were only unaware for just over two days. It was very fast, as these things go. Edward did an excellent job. Quite innovative – the venom injection straight to your heart was his idea.† He paused to smile proudly at his son and then sighed. â€Å"Jacob is still here, and Charlie still believes that you are sick. He thinks you're in Atlanta right now, undergoing tests at the CDC. We gave him a bad number, and he's frustrated. He's been speaking to Esme.† â€Å"I should call him†¦,† I murmured to myself, but, listening to my own voice, I understood the new difficulties. He wouldn't recognize this voice. It wouldn't reassure him. And then the earlier surprise intruded. â€Å"Hold on – Jacob is still here?† Another glance between them. â€Å"Bella,† Edward said quickly. â€Å"There's much to discuss, but we should take care of you first. You have to be in pain___† When he pointed that out, I remembered the burn in my throat and swallowed convulsively. â€Å"But Jacob – â€Å" â€Å"We have all the time in the world for explanations, love,† he reminded me gently. Of course. I could wait a little longer for the answer; it would be easier to listen when the fierce pain of the fiery thirst was no longer scattering my concentration. â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"Wait, wait, wait,† Alice trilled from the doorway. She danced across the room, dreamily graceful. As with Edward and Carlisle, I felt some shock as I really looked at her face for the first time. So lovely. â€Å"You promised I could be there the first time! What if you two run past something reflective?† â€Å"Alice – ,† Edward protested. â€Å"It will only take a second!† And with that, Alice darted from the room. Edward sighed. â€Å"What is she talking about?† But Alice was already back, carrying the huge, gilt-framed mirror from Rosalie's room, which was nearly twice as tall as she was, and several times as wide. Jasper had been so still and silent that I'd taken no notice of him since he'd followed behind Carlisle. Now he moved again, to hover over Alice, his eyes locked on my expression. Because I was the danger here. I knew he would be tasting the mood around me, too, and so he must have felt my jolt of shock as I studied his face, looking at it closely for the first time. Through my sightless human eyes, the scars left from his former life with the newborn armies in the South had been mostly invisible. Only with a bright light to throw their slightly raised shapes into definition could I even make out their existence. Now that I could see, the scars were Jasper's most dominant feature. It was hard to take my eyes off his ravaged neck and jaw – hard to believe that even a vampire could have survived so many sets of teeth ripping into his throat. Instinctively, I tensed to defend myself. Any vampire who saw Jasper would have had the same reaction. The scars were like a lighted billboard. Dangerous, they screamed. How many vampires had tried to kill Jasper? Hundreds? Thousands? The same number that had died in the attempt Jasper both saw and felt my assessment, my caution, and he smiled wryly. â€Å"Edward gave me grief for not getting you to a mirror before the wedding,† Alice said, pulling my attention away from her frightening lover. Tm not going to be chewed out again.† â€Å"Chewed out?† Edward asked skeptically, one eyebrow curving upward. â€Å"Maybe I'm overstating things,† she murmured absently as she turned the mirror to face me. â€Å"And maybe this has solely to do with your own voyeuristic gratification,† he countered. Alice winked at him. I was only aware of this exchange with the lesser part of my concentration. The greater part was riveted on the person in the mirror. My first reaction was an unthinking pleasure. The alien creature in the glass was indisputably beautiful, every bit as beautiful as Alice or Esme. She was fluid even in stillness, and her flawless face was pale as the moon against the frame of her dark, heavy hair. Her limbs were smooth and strong, skin glistening subtly, luminous as a pearl. My second reaction was horror. Who was she? At first glance, I couldn't find my face anywhere in the smooth, perfect planes of her features. And her eyes! Though I'd known to expect them, her eyes still sent a thrill of terror through me. All the while I studied and reacted, her face was perfectly composed, a carving of a goddess, showing nothing of the turmoil roiling inside me. And then her full lips moved. â€Å"The eyes?† I whispered, unwilling to say my eyes. â€Å"How long? â€Å"They'll darken up in a few months,† Edward said in a soft, comforting voice. â€Å"Animal blood dilutes the color more quickly than a diet of human blood. They'll turn amber first, then gold.† My eyes would blaze like vicious red flames for months? â€Å"Months?† My voice was higher now, stressed. In the mirror, the perfect eyebrows lifted incredulously above her glowing crimson eyes – brighter than any I'd ever seen before. Jasper took a step forward, alarmed by the intensity of my sudden anxiety. He knew young vampires only too well; did this emotion presage some misstep on my part? No one answered my question. I looked away, to Edward and Alice. Both their eyes were slightly unfocused – reacting to Jasper's unease. Listening to its cause, looking ahead to the immediate future. I took another deep, unnecessary breath. â€Å"No, I'm fine,† I promised them. My eyes flickered to the stranger in the mirror and back. â€Å"It's just†¦ a lot to take in.† Jasper's brow furrowed, highlighting the two scars over his left eye. â€Å"I don't know,† Edward murmured. The woman in the mirror frowned. â€Å"What question did I miss?† Edward grinned. â€Å"Jasper wonders how you're doing it.† â€Å"Doing what?† â€Å"Controlling your emotions, Bella,† Jasper answered. â€Å"I've never seen a newborn do that – stop an emotion in its tracks that way. You were upset, but when you saw our concern, you reined it in, regained power over yourself. I was prepared to help, but you didn't need it.† â€Å"Is that wrong?† I asked. My body automatically froze as I waited for his verdict. â€Å"No,† he said, but his voice was unsure. Edward stroked his hand down my arm, as if encouraging me to thaw. â€Å"It's very impressive, Bella, but we don't understand it. We don't know how long it can hold.† I considered that for a portion of a second. At any moment, would I snap? Turn into a monster? I couldn't feel it coming on†¦. Maybe there was no way to anticipate such a thing. â€Å"But what do you think?† Alice asked, a little impatient now, pointing to the mirror. â€Å"I'm not sure,† I hedged, not wanting to admit how frightened I really was. I stared at the beautiful woman with the terrifying eyes, looking for pieces of me. There was something there in the shape of her lips – if you looked past the dizzying beauty, it was true that her upper lip was slightly out of balance, a bit too full to match the lower. Finding this familiar little flaw made me feel a tiny bit better. Maybe the rest of me was in there, too. I raised my hand experimentally, and the woman in the mirror copied the movement, touching her face, too. Her crimson eyes watched me warily. Edward sighed. I turned away from her to look at him, raising one eyebrow. â€Å"Disappointed?† I asked, my ringing voice impassive. He laughed. â€Å"Yes,† he admitted. I felt the shock break through the composed mask on my face, followed instantly by the hurt. Alice snarled. Jasper leaned forward again, waiting for me to snap. But Edward ignored them and wrapped his arms tightly around my newly frozen form, pressing his lips against my cheek. â€Å"I was rather hoping that I'd be able to hear your mind, now that it is more similar to my own,† he murmured. â€Å"And here I am, as frustrated as ever, wondering what could possibly be going on inside your head.† I felt better at once. â€Å"Oh well,† I said lightly, relieved that my thoughts were still my own. â€Å"I guess my brain will never work right. At least I'm pretty.† It was becoming easier to joke with him as I adjusted, to think in straight lines. To be myself. Edward growled in my ear. â€Å"Bella, you have never been merely pretty.† Then his face pulled away from mine, and he sighed. â€Å"All right, all right,† he said to someone. â€Å"What?† I asked. â€Å"You're making Jasper more edgy by the second. He may relax a little when you've hunted.† I looked at Jasper's worried expression and nodded. I didn't want to snap here, if that was coming. Better to be surrounded by trees than family. â€Å"Okay. Let's hunt,† I agreed, a thrill of nerves and anticipation making my stomach quiver. I unwrapped Edward's arms from around me, keeping one of his hands, and turned my back on the strange and beautiful woman in the mirror.