Hong Kong Cultural Conversation

Conservation is now recognized worldwide as an important component of sustainable development, particularly in cities undergoing rapid development. In Hong Kong, however, it was not until the recent years that the city's government, citizens and the media have brought more attention to the development of the city's cultural and arts scene and preservation of the former British colony's unique cultural heritage. In response to the social unrest, the government has begun to develop a specific strategy with regard to the arts and culture.One main focus of their strategies lies in the preservation of Hong Kong cultural heritage. However, despite the government’s effort on heritage preservation, what probably is just as frustrating is the Hong Kong government’s awkward attempts at heritage preservation and privatization of public spaces. Is the government making progress to preserve our cultural heritage? Or is it just making progress to transform our heritage into commoditi es and taking further steps to engage in economic exploitation of public space?What elements should be put into consideration when we talk about cultural preservation and urban planning? Where are the missing parts in the design of existing projects to stand a chance of living the metropolitan spaces in accordance with the real needs and hopes of the people who live in the space? Problem that lies behind the positive metropolitan image of Hong Kong Despite the image of Hong Kong as a metropolitan city successful in international finance, commerce and tourism, a deep-rooted problem that lies in Hong Kong people’s heart is a lack of sense of belonging, a lack of Hong Kong identity.During colonial period, Hong Kong has been referred to as a borrowed space and borrowed time. Meanwhile, the differences in culture and civilization between Hong Kong and China created a barrier to Hong Kong people’s identifying themselves as Chinese. â€Å"Hong Kong’s lack of identity is also due to its status as not so much a place as a space of transit, whose residents think of themselves of transients and migrants on their way between China and other cities. Worse still, after the handover in 1977, we have been experiencing limited democracy in our society, as reflected in limited political rights granted to the public and lack of public election mechanism. â€Å"Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong† therefore remains a political slogan and still a goal. Searching for Hong Kong identity continues, and this psychological barrier partly explains why the Hong Kong brands and products often faced the criticism of lacking a unique identity.Conserving cultural heritage as a way to define self identity The limitations on democracy in post-colonial Hong Kong is causing more public outcry to seek expression or confirmation of their identities through preservation of arts and culture. It has been argued that the role of art and culture in Hong Kong has taken on incr easing significance in the city's search for an identity over the past 13 years since China resumed sovereignty over the territory. More and more people identify themselves as Hongkonger and less as Chinese or British colonist.People are defining themselves as Hongkongers and conserving Hong Kong’s heritage, especially architectures and sites where their collective memories came from is part of that self-defining. Along with these attempts is a change in societal expectations. Hong Kong used to be a developers’ dream as economic prosperity over the past 30 years has been largely due to its immense rate of construction. Now people see the paradox that as they are advancing to become a global city they are also losing parts of their lives, thus there emerged voices on conservation.While the Hong Kong government’s heritage policies—or lack thereof—are threatening to destroy what is left of our past that constitutes our cultural identity in the name of development, people start to speak out on preserving what they grew up with and feel it is important to taking the lead in mentoring the next generation about Hong Kong’s history and cultural heritage. The public space in Hong Kong being a battle field In Hong Kong, every inch of land is labeled with an economic value. The high value of land in Hong Kong heightens the level of control and conflict in land use.In the past few years, we have already seen the tenement houses on Wing Lee Street in Central, the Graham Street Market in Central, Lee Tung Street and Queen’s Pier in Wanchai, all being the landmarks of old Hong Kong, earmarked for destruction. We have also seen the privatization of public space at the expenses of public interests: shopping centers in public housing estates originally managed by the Housing Authority have been privatized by The Link; the development of West Kowloon are tilted towards orporate interests not the livelihood of residents; The harbou r front of Hong Kong Island, cut off from the living space of ordinary people, has turned into the backyard of luxurious private residential complexes or giant shopping mall housing all the big global brands; the Central seafront reclamation area also falls into the same fate -it is designed as an extension of government offices and the huge Mody Mall, instead of being considered for cultural and recreational use as demanded by the Hong Kong public.Urban and social planning on land use and distribution of wealth shows a tendency of being biased towards corporate and capitalists’ interests. Hong Kong people are yet to have a say to the use of their own space and this has given rise to many social problems such as public’s opposition sentiment towards government, self-identity crisis, substitution of local diversity and choices by global demands for homogeneity, widened gap between the rich and the poor, and so on.The turning points that awake the government One of the t urning points in public opinion with respect to heritage preservation was the renewal of Lee Tung Street in Wanchai. This street was well known to all of Hong Kong as â€Å"The Wedding Card Street. † All the little shops provided all the props necessary to have a happy and prosperous Chinese wedding, giving this street an aura of vibrancy and joy. However, the urban renewal authority had targeted the whole street for renewal.Many of the shopkeepers were upset to be pushed out of the area as they felt want to stay here not just for business but also because they had established a community with neighborhoods from a few generations and therefore a strong emotional attachment with the place. There were many protests and banners expressing the dissatisfaction of the shopkeepers. The public outcry did not work to influence the government’s decision and the shops are now all closed awaiting redevelopment.Another turning point is the demolition of the Queen’s Ferry pie r along with its iconic clock tower in Wanchai in December 2006 as part of the traffic development plan for Wanchai. It has led to widely publicized protests and even hunger strikes that the government had not anticipated. Yet the citizens again lost in the battle to fight for public space. The pier was a â€Å"young† 49 years when it was destroyed and was not considered old enough by the authorities and, therefore, it did not have enough heritage value.Yet, to many Hong Kong people, the historic value of the pier is not measured only by its duration or by a number as of years or days, for time is also related to the question of memory, experience, moment. According to Local Action, a local group with hundreds of members that led the protests against the government with the goal of saving Hong Kong’s culture heritage and public space, â€Å"The pier is a symbol of Hong Kong history with strong socio-political significance for many social and political events took plac e at the pier.It had also been used by many royalties and governors as they came to Hong Kong and many demonstrations took place here, signifying its importance as a landmark† People expressed that it is also a place where their memories and experiences came from therefore they have developed a strong attachment to â€Å"their place†. This public reaction echoes John Urry in â€Å"Reinterpreting Local Culture from Consuming Placesâ€Å", in which John remarked that â€Å"the object signifies the place and that if the object were to be demolished or substantially changed then that would signify a threat to the place itself. †

Popular music in America: The beat goes on Essay

The electric atmosphere the first time I attended a live concert show makes for fond memories. The Kongos will remain to be my favorite band as they were the main act. I had never attended a live concert before but with the suggestion from my friends for some not to miss chance, I had to give in. From the beckoning Neon lights at the entrance to the long lines of radiant fans dressed in all manner of the Kongos regalia, I could tell I was in for a show of my life . The show took place in an amphitheatre. Inside, the venue was packed and being my first time, I had some mixed reactions on being in such a crowded place. Beer seemed to be the prescribed fluid as almost everyone had a Can and its effect on the crowd could be felt. The deafening boom from the speakers placed all around the venue made communication hard. One had to lean in to their partner and talk loudly in order to be heard. Never had I encountered such levels of noise. The band playing on stage took their bows marking their climax with a frenzied performance that consisted of heavy instrumentals. My ears were ringing by the time the stage lights went off. For me that signaled the end of the concert but I was wrong. I later came to know its called the opening act. The crowd erupted into deafening screams which left me confused as soon as the lights went off and in a fluid motion, the packed audience welcomed the main act in this case the Kongos with their song â€Å"Hey I know† (Campbell, 2013). The Kongos are a South-African alternative Rock Band consisting of four brothers Jesse (percussion, drums and vocals), Johnny (keyboard, accordion and vocals), Dylan (lap slide guitar, vocals and bass guitar) and Daniel Kongos (guitar and vocals). One could tell the chemistry of the brothers at work. By this time I had gotten used to the loud sound at the venue and was enjoying myself. The drums were almost tribal with heavy animation from Jesse and skilled fusion with the slide guitar. â€Å"Sex On the Radio† came next with the heavy drums and the accordion (Campbell, 2013). The performance of â€Å"Kids These Days† had the audience singing along in a slow drunken way marked with cacophony and ending with a pounding finish. The atmosphere was changed with a slow song this time â€Å"Take Me back† which was characterized by harmonized vocals accompanied by an accordion. The â€Å"Escape had to be the best performance for me where Jesse applied expressive vocal. The beat in this case was still prominent but less thumping. At this time, the crowd was in a frenzy and was clapping along. The rapper energetic song â€Å"I’m Only Joking† had to be the song with the most energy than the rest as every member of the band was jumping with the crowd jumping with them(Campbell, 2013). Two Beatles cover songs were well done and a timely surprise. â€Å"Come Together† was marked by speedy raps from Mo Gordon an addition to the set with a percolating tension. â€Å"Get Back† was played with a lot of excitement and energy where the guitars were scrubbing, organ swirling and the drums wailing with more to come. The closing was â€Å"Come With Me Now† where the crowd sang along all through the song and the band played it for all the song is worth. The bassist and singer Dylan whipped his hair all around during the song. The show was great. The band was high energy, the vocals great, a driving rhythm and high skilled musicianship which made for a great first concert evening. I look forward to attending more shows in the future. References Campbell, M. (2013).  Popular music in America: The beat goes on. Source document

Change Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Change Management - Assignment Example The postal organization specializes in courier and express services (Australian Government, 2011). The organization is trying to expand business in the field of retail merchandise and agency services. Traditional postal service business had become unprofitable in last few years. The concept of traditional postal communication has changed due to evolution of email communication, social networking. People prefer to use internet communication rather than traditional postal services. The postal organization has incurred a loss of $90 million in last 5 years. Australian Post is trying to change business strategy in terms of shifting focus on retail Merchandise and agency Services. They need to manage the change process carefully. Change management will help them to build a strong organizational framework. Change Management Change management tries to integrate different systems and structure with the organizational structure of the company. Change management can be applied in the transitio n phase of the organization. A company can go for whole system change or partial system change. Many organizations use ADKAR change management model to improve productivity. Dupont is a well known chemical company of USA. They used the model to implement change management in the production process. ADKAR model can be explained in the following way. A- Awareness is generated for change. Top management of the company identifies problem areas like staff productivity, poor service delivery, poor annual sales volume and low productivity of existing system. The management then decides to change existing process. D- Existing employees express desire to participate in change process. They can be termed as change agents. K- Knowledge in terms of training and development is given to the change agents. The knowledge process helps them to understand key issues of new system. A- This is the application part of change management. In this phase organization starts to use new implemented system. Or ganization takes external help to implement new system. The external system monitors the application phase. Coaching and mentoring are required to manage change agents. R- Organization tries to reinforce the sustainability factor. Companies try to maintain the new implemented system. They try to analyze the result of change management in this phase. Change management is a dynamic process. Organization can implement change management program in various areas like marketing, production process, financial management system and organizational structure. Change management can be implemented by altering the thinking process of existing employees. It is very difficult to find employees who accept change very successfully. The organization needs to select change agents ready to accept new system. Service based models like changing customer relationship management requires rigorous training and development program. Top level management needs to communicate with change agents regularly. Study shows that at least 15 engagements are required to clarify the objectives of top management (University of Pennsylvania, 2010). Change Management in Australia Post Australia Post has business expertise in the field of postal services (like letter and parcel delivery, courier services). The organization is trying to expand business in the field of third party agency services like banking, bill payment, insurance, passport application and

Playtime- Modern Architecture in the future Paris Research Paper

Playtime- Modern Architecture in the future Paris - Research Paper Example Modern skyscrapers, glass apartment, glass buildings and the visit by the American tourist shows a great step Tati has taken to represent modern architecture in the modern Paris. The accidents that occur in the movie show that the people around are not used to the modern architect. Therefore, it is a new thing introduced. The film revolves about how human beings wander baffled by the cities and the architectures. The centre of intelligence resides behind the camera and not on a particular point of view2. Tati created the movie with the focus of creating a new Paris with repetitive housing projects and modern skyscrapers. By this, he virtually omitted traditional Paris except in one scene where there is a reflection of Arc de Triomphe in a window3. In addition, where a woman is walking in a glass building and the Eiffel tower is seen in the frameless glass door. This is seen in the travel bureau where modernist buildings of the world have posters that are identical. The relationship between the people and the modern architecture is put into question. What is the intermarriage between the two and how have people really appreciated it. Has the film industry really grown to accommodate the modern architect? The people in the movie seem to be fascinated y the modern architecture especially the American tourist who seem to be fascinated by the tall skyscrapers and the glass buildings. Among them is Barbara who at the end is given a square present to fit into her head. It is mostly observed that many of them forget the presence of the glass and end up causing accidents. An example is Hulot himself who bangs himself at the glass door. The film industry appreciates the modern architecture by the quality of the pictures it shows. The director used a 70mm high definition camera to film the movie and also in the evening at Hulots’ old friend house the movie is filmed from outside and from the neighborhood yet we can get clearly pictures4. The movie is one that

Emergency Service Managment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Emergency Service Managment - Research Paper Example The term ‘incident’ denotes certain occurrences such as chemical leakage or fire outbreak which require immediate reaction. The incidents can be dealt with by using limited resources or with the assistance of emergency services. However, when those incidents become serious, it necessitates management direction in order to address the broader effect. This, in turn, creates an emergency situation which typically includes interference with emergency services. Effective emergency management is highly reliant on good emergency readiness. It requires guidelines and planning for every common reasonable event. The guidelines can result in secure practices in the organizations which can ensure health, fitness, and wellness of fire-fighters. In the fire department, there are four principles for managing the emergency. The ‘National Fire Protection Association’ (NFPA) standard had recognized numerous issues with respect to maintaining health, fitness, and wellness of f ire-fighters. One of the most significant issues of health and safety is an infection. The fire-fighters are vulnerable to several kinds of infections due to hazardous materials and body fluids. The NFPA 1582 standard requires fire-fighters to reduce the probability of disease and injury from infections. The standard operating guideline of fire department recommends active attempts for restricting the spread of infection and transmissible diseases by making available different immunizations, vaccinations and other treatments.... The following diagram will depict the four principles that are followed in emergency service management: Source: (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, â€Å"DEECD Emergency Management Guidelines†) Issues in Emergency Service Management of Fire Department The ‘National Fire Protection Association’ (NFPA) standard had recognized numerous issues with respect to maintaining health, fitness and wellness of fire-fighters. One of the most significant issues of health and safety is infection. The fire-fighters are vulnerable to several kinds of infections due to hazardous materials and body fluids. The NFPA 1582 standard requires fire-fighters to reduce the probability of disease and injury from infections. The standard operating guideline of fire department recommends active attempts for restricting the spread of infection and transmissible diseases by making available different immunizations, vaccinations and other treatments (United States Fire Admi nistration, â€Å"Guide To Managing An Emergency Service Infection Control Program†). The other issue for health, fitness and wellness of fire-fighters is record keeping. It is essential for fire department to maintain a record for all employees regarding health so that appropriate measures can be taken in order to ensure fitness. The NFPA 1581 standard requires fire department to drive infection control events and to maintain private health records regarding all work-related injuries, sicknesses and exposures of fire-fighters along with toxic materials and spreadable illnesses (United States Fire Administration, â€Å"Guide To Managing An Emergency Service Infection Control Program†). Every fire-fighter should study how to protect from probable infections and prevent fleeting

How the enviroment plays a role in learning Research Paper

How the enviroment plays a role in learning - Research Paper Example Generally, people learn by reading, listening, watching etc. All these can take place as a part of educational experience or working experience. Learning is also important in the context of an organization. Organizational learning is the process in which collective knowledge and beliefs are developed among the members of the organization. The definition of organizational learning could be â€Å"as change in an organization’s potential behavior as a result of acquiring new shared mental models, change in norms, rules, processes, structure, or coordination of behavior† (Zhong, Collins, Egmon, n.d.). Learning is crucial for any organization because organizational learning process helps its members to manage the organization as well as its environment with more efficiency. The members capacity of understanding of the organization and the work going on in it is improved by the process of learning. Organizational learning is dependent on various factors such as organizational development, its environment, willingness of its employees and top management in the learning process, the organizations capacity to learn etc. Environment is the crucial factor in both individual and organizational learning. There must be suitable internal and external environment in case of individual as well as organizational learning. The learning process of an individual gets hampered if the environment is not suitable for learning, even though there might be innumerable opportunities for learning from its environment. Individual learning is dependent on one’s own personal experience, reading, listening and watching. An individual can learn from any kind of environment. Generally, formal learning starts from school and ends at colleges or universities, where the environment is totally learning friendly, because people go to these places with a mindset of learning. Apart from these academic places individuals also learn from normal daily environment in which they are involved.

Kate Chopin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Kate Chopin - Research Paper Example On the rare occasion when one 'woke up' from her enforced dullness, she was either reduced in social status, ruined forever, or killed by the restrictions keeping her from remaining fully awake. These are the issues Chopin explores in her work, reminding us, even now, of the need to protect women's rights and freedoms. Awakening the Female in Kate Chopin’s Works Perhaps the greatest single characteristic of the Victorian age was its nature as an era full of strong contradictions. These contradictions are often captured in the works of female writers working during this time period. As the greater world of farm and commerce changed around them, women as a gender began to question their expected roles in society and began demanding more opportunities available for personal fulfillment. This wasn't simply a selfish desire to follow their own dreams, although this was a factor. It was also a recognition of the fact that many women found it necessary to have more options open to th em for self-support and for the greater welfare of their families. Although women throughout time had found various ways to make it on their own, it was rarely possible for them to attain both material comfort and personal independence without the interference of a man. These are issues that figure prominently in women's writing of the time, such as in the work of Kate Chopin. Within her short stories and novels, Chopin reveals deep meaning and strong feminism embedded within the text due to her careful use of perspective and imagery. Her talent enables her to ‘paint a picture’ of life as it was experienced in that moment. Her stories gain their strength by focusing on key elements of the environment in which the characters move and through the special attention she gives to just how the story should be told. Her style enables the reader to experience the various constraining forces, both material and psychological, that were experienced by women of her time and illustr ates why they would want to escape from it. These ideas are easily discovered in a comparison among some of Chopin's short stories, such as â€Å"The Story of an Hour† and "The Storm," and her novel Awakening as the women experience an awakening to their own long-hidden inner nature. The possibility that one can actually awake to a hidden inner self is the primary action of many of Chopin's works and can be easily found in her short short story "The Story of an Hour." The story begins with the introduction of a frail woman later discovered to be named Louise. Louise is sitting in her home's living room being told by her sister and a close family friend of the sudden death of her husband during a railroad accident. â€Å"She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms† (Chopin 199). Following her somewhat alarming outburst, Louise closes herself in her upstairs bedroom and sits in another chair looking out the window as she considers her new position as a widow. Her feelings toward her husband are revealed in this scene to have been strangely ambivalent: â€Å"And yet she had loved him – sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter?† (Chopin 201). The horror of her emptiness as a married woman is clearly expressed in her nearly emotionless assessment of what she’s lost in conjunction with her dawning realization that she is finally free to follow her own idea of happiness: â€Å"

International Business - Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

International Business - - Essay Example This paper is a business report that explores the issue of complicating stakeholder responsibility for expanding companies. The paper explores expansion in terms of factors involved and how this exposes companies to increased population and different types of stakeholders. The paper also explores the linkage between stakeholders’ responsibility and the foreign direct investment. Expansion of business has become a normal concept today. The emergence of the multinational corporations and the internationalization of existing companies is viewed as an indication of growth. As businesses expand, the revenue is expected to increase and so is the reputation and the customer coverage (Branco & Rodrigues 2006). Further, such an internationalization also affects the responsibility of the business to the community and the people. This means that the more a company expands internationally, its stakeholder responsibility becomes more complex (Melà © 2008). This can be viewed to happen for two main reasons. First, the stakeholders’ environment, socially and economically drastically change as the company secures a stakeholder base in the new country. Secondly, the number of people that the company or business has a responsibility towards increases and their demographic characteristics change (Hooijberg & Schneider 2001). Corporate social responsibility (CSR) are t he basic strategies that companies conduct their business in a way that is socially friendly, ethical and responsive to the community needs in development and safety. The companies are required to go an extra mile and put up measures to benefit the community that literary accommodate them (Winch 2004). Theories such as utilitarian, managerial and relational theories of CSR supported by works of other scholars in the area could be used to suggest that CSR becomes an international concern due to globalized nature of business that knows no border. CSR

Instructional Approaches Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Instructional Approaches - Essay Example The articles selected for analysis reflect different instructional approaches and illustrate different methods and techniques used in social sciences. The article "Literary Studies and Cognitive Science: Toward a New Interdisciplinary" by M. Th. Crane and A. Richardson discuss a new interdisciplinary approach applied to literary studies and social sciences. In this article, a special attention is given to cognitive learning approach and its application. the authors underline that building on earlier theories of learning, researchers working toward interactive technologies perceived limitations in earlier methods. By developing theories that emphasize synthesis and integration of sets of knowledge and skills, researchers hope to address such limitations as an emphasis on components instead of integrated wholes, a closed system that made incorporation of new knowledge difficult, which resulted in essentially passive instruction and labor intensive practice in design and development of instruction. The authors state that the teacher provides modeling of the metacognitive strategies necessary for beginning the task, and, when problems are encountered, assistance is provided by the teacher or group. One learning procedure reflecting this stance, complex dynamic simulations, structures collaborative group work in sharing a complex problem-solving task. This approach is based on theories about the social genesis of learning in which the learner is characterized as being motivated to seek explanations through exploration. The article "Using Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development to Understand the Construction of Healing Narratives" by C. P. Cook-Cottone analyses instructional approaches and learning theories in terms of the Narrative Process. The Healing Narrative Model is based on the structured approach. It means that one is that learning should be contextual and a process of active application of knowledge toward specific problem-solving goals. Also, the article pays a special attention to experiential (or sensorimotor) level and early relationships (or Preoperational) level. An initial authoring activity in instructional design is a clarification of the learning goal for the instruction and/or curriculum. The specification of the goal(s) will help prescribe the format of the instruction. For example, if the goal is the learning of new information, there are basically possibilities. Second is the general agreement regarding the importance of modeling problem-solving strategies as well as the role of conflict or failure in providing an impetus toward new learning. The research by Harris and Pressley, M. (1991) describes bad illustrates the cognitive strategy instruction:. The authors underline that in contrast to the behaviorist view of the learner as shaped by the environment, cognitivebased researchers are investigating the ways that the learner actively shapes the environment to facilitate learning. His research indicates that the knowledge of novices is organized around the literal aspects of a problem statement, whereas the experts' knowledge is organized around principles and abstractions not apparent in the problem

Classroom Management - Setting Expectations Essay

Classroom Management - Setting Expectations - Essay Example 13). Classroom areas for consideration include 1) entering the classroom. Students should enter the classroom in a quiet and orderly way, look at the board to see what they need, get their materials, and sit down to start the warm-up activity. 2) hallway conduct. Students should be in a straight line when traveling down the hallway as a class. They should travel on the right side of the hallway and stop and start when directed. 3) answering questions in class. Students should raise their hands and wait to be recognized before answering a question from the teacher. 4) homework. Students should have homework ready to turn in at the beginning of class and may not work on it after the bell signals the start of class. 5) lunch. Students will line up at the door before lunch, and travel to the cafeteria together in a straight quiet queue. Students will make sure their eating area is clean before leaving the cafeteria. 6) taking roll. Students should be sitting quietly in their seats when the b ell rings. The teacher will take roll as students complete a warm-up activity to start instruction. 7) cooperative groups. Student groups should be quiet and focused, with significant contributions from each group member. 8) personal conduct. Students should treat each other, themselves, and school property with appropriate respect conveyed through their language and actions. Allowing students to participate in creating rules, procedures and consequences offers several advantages. First, it demonstrates to students that their standards for comfort and order are important to you, and that you desire to make them feel comfortable. It also allows a teacher to consider rules, procedures and consequences that they simply might not have thought of otherwise. Lastly, it demonstrates early in the teacher-student relationship that they will be

Mahatma Gandhi Essay Example for Free

Mahatma Gandhi Essay Mahatma Gandhi Leadership Style The Father of the Nation is now being held up as the master strategist, an exemplary leader, and someone whose ideas and tactics corporate India can emulate. Gandhi reinvented the rules of the game to deal with a situation where all the available existing methods had failed. He broke tradition. He understood that you cannot fight the British with force. So he decided to change the game in a fundamentally different way. He unleashed the power of ordinary people, inspired women and men in the country to fight under a unifying goal. Resource constraint did not bother him. That was the motivation. Gandhis leadership style is being termed as follower-centric and one that took into account existing conditions before determining the strategy. Gandhi advocated having leadership styles that were dependent on the circumstances. When Gandhi was in South Africa, he launched his protests in a suit and a tie. But when he came back to India, he thought of  khadi  (handspun and hand-woven cloth) and launched non-violent protests on a greater scale, It shows that Gandhi’s leadership style was situational leadership style. A Quote from the book: Count your chickens before they hatch by Arindam Chaudhuri Mahatma Gandhis example to me is a perfect case of adopting styles to suit the culture. The country today stands divided on whether what he did was good or bad I just know one thing: there was never a leader before him nor one after him who could unite us all and bring us out in the streets to demand for what was rightfully ours. To me, he is the greatest leader  our land has ever seen. It is Theory I management at its practical best: productively and intelligently utilizing whatever the resource you are endowed with, says Chaudari.

Disadvantages of Organizational Culture: Dell Case Study

Disadvantages of Organizational Culture: Dell Case Study There are many aspects of organizations in todays business world. Each institution in the market over all stock market profits and achieve competitive advantage sought. A variety of organization structure, which is working according to their needs. These structures collectively through effective management and behavior contribute to the success of these organizations. Popular business students study organizational behavior, these days, and managers, and organizational structure related to the behavior of experts and systems practice and practice to achieve progress in the future of any business and organization to find the best strategy is relevant to the study economies. In this test, many in practice, culture and organizational structure see related aspects. Dell in the computer industry that the new company is a successful global networking. In this study, we will find how the Dell company in the development of a competitive environment and treated with a certain kind of structure to a different strategy implementation. Dell technology development is an American multinational company, and sells some of the products and services associated with computers supports. Michael Dell founded Dell in 1984, the company ranks as one of the largest computer related. Majority in the United States between 96 000 employees in all parts of the world. In 2009, a company that personal computers, servers, data storage equipment sells, network, few programs, as well as computer accessories switch. Dell now sells high-definition television, camera, printer, and MP three players and electronic, which are produced by other manufacturers. Companys supply management and is known for innovation in electronic commerce. Fortune magazine in May 2010 and Dell as the largest United States and 38 in Texas, developed by Big 5 corporations. This is the second largest non-oil. Michael Dell started selling directly to customers, and computers, Ltd. is trying to understand customer needs. It was Michael Dell dropped out of school to keep their poultry family, also received $ 300,000 to expand their family. They first designed in 1985 the company successfully Turbo PC, which sold $ 795 in the United States was called to produce its own computer. Computer Computer, the consumers and all of the above allocation of assembly for the direct selling regulations were limited advertising in national magazines. Companies more than $ 73 million for the first year are growing. In 1988, the company changed its name to Dell Computer Corporation also has the world will begin to expand. à  Ã‚ ¤Ã…“à  Ã‚ ¥Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¤Ã‚ ¨ 1988 Dell 30 million to 80 million have been. In 1992, Fortune magazines Worlds largest 500 companies in the Dell Computer Corporation put even Michael Dell, a Fortune 500 company than a smaller companys chief executive announced. Of 1996, Dell started selling computers in 2002 to its website, Dell TVs, printers and digital audio players and portable devices of the computer product line expanded. Lackluster performance, however, in low-end computers has led to Michael Dell as CEO to take over again. Founder and announced a so-called change campaign to reduce the number of employees and the companys products to diversify Dell 2.0. The company argued in January 2008 to achieve equality in the market for iSCSI storage become stronger. Dale effective manufacturing process already because of the companys products under the equity and reason t o the prices of manufacturing industries integration. In 2009 Peru Dell systems technology and outsourcing services company founded by H. Ross Perot. In September 2009, Dell announced its intention to Peru, to $ 3.9 billion in a deal Systems (Plano, Texas-based) get reported. Peru brought the application systems development and systems integration, the United States and 10 other countries through its operations and strategic consulting services. In addition, it offers a variety of services, business process operations including claims processing and call center outsourcing. August 16, 2010 in, Dell to get your data storage company 3PAR announced. On September 2, 2010 Hewlett-Packard Co. launched the $ 33 per share, which Dell refused to match. In this study, we see the behavior of organizational culture and Dell. Server: Our products and services include the following: Storage Printing and Imaging System Workstations Laptops Desktop Computers Networking Products Software and peripheral products Managed Services Professional Services Deployment Services Dell Support Services Training and Certification Services 3. Organizational Structures Organizational structure is defined as institutions that support and contribute to a common goal to serve the concept of hierarchical subordination? I like this definition for several reasons. One is that it is easy to understand and the point where the reading during the transition to the next after the last sentence of the definition of long ago forgotten to the contrary. The other is that it defines the word as the organizational structure spoke to him harshly. Management and organizational structure for Talisman and out of all the requirements because only the truth a hierarchical structure that takes place each employee in the organization. Organizational structure and thus a total of all material and legal aspects concerning the structure and organization of work. Organizational structure while there is still a very old concept, and develop business models for years to keep pace with today have passed on. New models continued to work in crop cultivation, and management processes required to keep pace so that organizations can take the best of its structure. And organizational structure and bureaucratic red tape after the first line can be divided. And organizational structure and leadership and communication on the line in terms of industrial base on the old state, not only in one direction to lower a high level of authority. Lower level is also expected to follow any ordered not to respond. The latest structures that have emerged in the 1970s, and encourage two-way communication and consideration of proposals to allow the lower level. Mid-1800s, which was effective during the 1970 first period of organizational structure. In this era, an organization that was perfect in itself. Organization, the presence of clear boundaries between suppliers and customers. The next input at the gate of the institution, and the final product or any service that the organization was going on. Everything was provided with the internal process. 4. Types of Organizational Structures Type of organizational structure means that the institutions organizational structure is designed business area. Organizational structure based on either work or people can be. Lets look at them one by one. 4.1 Functional structure Functional organization is divided on the basis of acts performed by them, and the division manufacturing, sales and marketing and human resources departments such as accounts management, and so forth in each of the departments of art, and employees alike implement a series of tasks. Within each section there is a new structure. For example, a model for marketing management. 4.2 Structure People There is the structure for the division responsible for different products divide. As the description suggests, the structure of the companies that produce products will be used by more than one. For example, you division for small cars, and SUV category and division, the company car can split Trucks 4.3 Matrix structure It is quite clear that very large enterprises that have only two structures is not possible. Large institutions, which have different structures, all structures and functional division is a combination of people or need to work a large number of people and is based on both a timely manner. This structure is called a matrix. Matrix structure and is divided into sections: The first organization and the departments. As big companies Dell, the matrix or mixed culture and structures. The best organizations in the world today are outside the formal organizational structure and trying to form structures minimums. Although very few of todays enterprises have successfully implemented the idea of implementing agencies and large companies are very simple, it is an organization where none may be inevitable. And lines and other government departments that work across the company encourages everyone Employee destruction. Matrix organizational structure that combines two types of organizational structure and the structure of a unique combination of people or purely service-oriented work environment for people to create a unique combination. The organizational structure and design is useful for most of the appointments that you have projects, the many different professionals working with the troops, and will be contracted to work are working. For example, the matrix organizational structure employed many engineers work in a similar compilation of their experiences. That is where a company of professionals with the same team produces two types of products. Each entity in the company structure should be working correctly. Arrange To get into the world of chaos and structure and organizational culture so that it becomes possible to perform effective returns. Organizational structure means that any kind of hierarchical organization is needed so that there is an appropriate division of duties and responsibilities of various units of work can work in harmony so that the final goal is reached. The need for which the organizational structure of companies is responsible for the formation of many types. In the following article, however, we focus on one type of structure and composition of the matrix should have. If this issue than ever was any confusion, read the following articles to learn more about the organizational structure and whether it involves a matrix. Typically, the structure for each and every one of them a report on the project two or more employers and employees. Hence the matrix organizational structure, and exchange of information for the effective and smooth implementation is essential. Each project and project manager of different teams, and that is expected to provide him with work. Turn report directly to the organization or authority, such as the proposed Vice President to head. There is also a functional management (chaired by the Director of the Department) for a sound technical and leadership skills and organizational excellence through the work to maintain progress by making sure the organization responsible for maintaining the technical operations is. 4.3.1 Benefits Due to the unique combination of the structure, there are advantages to be seen. Here are some of them: Dell has a dedicated team in their work tasks based on the properties and functions are selected. Dell to create a standard for hiring professionals for project needs. Allow more opportunities for success. Part of a team working within the framework of other teams after the appointment of key people is a question of cost-effective because the project cost to Dell corporate culture, its importance is less. Where the structure is not balanced that there is time, and Dell will be a proper balance between the cost performance. And conflict resolution à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Del are the least likely, and even if they do, because they are easy to set up the hierarchy. Project Manager at Dell just to make sure the project is completed on time and within budget is responsible for. Therefore, no obvious problems that arise, and there is less chance of external factors affecting the project other than. There is a greater chance of success of the company because of various forces working on the project has a lot of thinking, and thus pressure on energy and problem solving abilities are strong. 4.3.2 defect Although there are benefits matrix organizational structure, and aware of some disadvantages that should be as well. Here are some of them: There may be a lot of confusion and conflict if there are resources shared by teams or group of factors such as ambiguity, two or more at Dell can work. You increase the cost to Dell for the job if there is a lot of contract project manager could. After the main show goes to the heart that there is power and freedom of decision and development of team members or even the project manager is a lot, there used to delay completion of the project is . 5. Organizational Culture Make good on our understanding of organizational culture, and we need to know to what culture? Culture, values and customs that basically people who live anywhere in the world, followed by a set of. If we apply this definition of culture with the word phenomenal, we have a bias or prejudice, without fundamental principles and organization that is fixed and applies to all staff, prices are a matter of organization. The public and private behavior and organization in all of this work is based on peoples reactions. Organizational culture is not convincing. Its best behavior and attitudes, values and belief system of employees can be understood through the study. The color is what distinguishes our perception of the business unit. Any employee to be effective regardless of how efficient it is unable to adapt themselves to the work culture. Organization with a focus on culture, since the growth and success depends on the prevailing culture types company.Does threatened staff members do not feel or daughter there a way to work, grow desire, and they do not prepare for or as a group to go their separate ways? Companies like Dell, traditional management systems, organizational culture is rich with some of the innovations. 5.1 Understanding Organizational Culture I protect my job related as far as the employees do not feel? Manage a difficult boss? Answering these questions will help the organizations culture can appreciate. Some organizations began working on behalf of employees up to encourage. These organizations have a large number of employees who have been with the company for many years, is characterized by the presence of. Seniority is a very important role in these organizations are to a certain degree of job security guarantees. A culture that promotes work and for a short period of time, some business organizations family.In people get together before leaving for good. And managers to consider and hard taskmasters. It is expected the staff to follow strict deadlines. All work and no play culture of these organizations. Of course the interaction between the staff is limited. Might not work or a place is very friendly and comfortable. There are people of intense competition and strive to provide the best can be. Also, people burn out because of stress to be. Peoples expectations of the organization reflect the organizational culture. Key features and innovative culture within Dell claims the support and ambition. Commitment to the unique solution. It is based on the merits of this culture, All business functions as an essential part of the team here and measurable success by meeting the objective says. Direct connection Empowerment Dell sense Tell Dell 5.2 Type of organization culture In todays business environment consists of the following types of organizational culture. 5.2.1 Standard culture Organization standards, and accurately according to specific standards and regulations focused on implementation of regulatory functions. The film, to a high standard of business ethics culture is like. Dell sets standards, but to make employees afraid to get a job in the nervous system horibl not. 5.2.2 Practical Culture Unlike standard cultures, the focus is on meeting our customers desire. In this type of organizational structure, no rules are set by the company and the customers needs is of utmost importance. Dell is keen to more customers, and practically can be named. 5.2.3 Academy Culture This type of culture, highly skilled workers in the organization to develop and improve skills of staff atmosphere offers. This kind of culture, in contrast to hospitals, universities and big companies always do not follow the example of Dell, but still a good learning environment where employees remain with the organization, and grow within do. 5.2.4 Culture Club Usually a senior staff position or level for a long time for an upgrade to keep up with the organization. In the case of using these workers, it is necessary to have special skills needed and desired by the organization. Regulation and corporate law, are examples of this type of force, and Dell do not follow this type. 5.2.6 Castle culture Staff believe that he not be put off or organizations are not. In many cases, the organization is subject to tremendous change. This type of culture, and loans, savings, and big auto companies, in some instances, Dell does not come in this culture. 5.2.7 work hard / play hard This type of regulation does not involve a lot of risks, and organizations originally well-established customer a strong relationship with the party composed by. And large organizations that have strong customer service culture by most of the type selected. Organization with special jargons been equipped with this type of culture and several group meetings with eligible. This is where Dell is focused and they halthy such a culture where competition for employees to learn and try to get. 5.2.8 The process of culture This kind of culture does not include feedback process. This type of culture, and in the organization for the maintenance of law and commitment that are cautious about the choice. The culture of the organization provides stability and better public services. 5.3 Changing work culture The most difficult tasks in the organization, the work culture is changing. Organizational culture change in the presence of the organization for its policies, business ethics and management system needs to be amended. The basis for operations, which support functions, and production processes and the floor, which ultimately affect the organizations total output included the need to start. Comprehensive reform of the whole system, and preferably not as many organizations require a long and boring, which requires patience and tolerance. 6. Organizational Behavior Organizational behavior and personality, cognition, behavior and job satisfaction, group dynamics, politics, and design and leadership role in the organization of work, and pressure is the sum of the effects work and decision-making process, and a series communications company , culture and weather. They technology and these elements and assess their impact on individuals and groups each have a variety of methods, and organizational efficiency and effectiveness of use. Science and practice, said Gibson and others (Gibson, et al, 1994) We structure and organizational behavior, behavioral science field a bit for each discipline offers a different focus, and analytical framework provides the basic principles , and the subject. to help managers answer questions about themselves, and administrative staff, and environmental forces. With individuals and groups, and researchers in relation to an attempt to determine why people behave the way they do. They explain the behavior of individuals has developed a variety of design models. The factors that genetic factors, and conditions and environmental development, cultural and social influence individual development, including checks. The researchers also different personality types and examine their impact on business organizations and others. The study by researchers at a major organizational behavior used in these and other areas of work satisfaction study tool. And the use of these tools not only in specific areas wages, benefits and promotional opportunities as to measure job satisfaction, and working conditions but also corporate culture, individual and collective measures of influence behavior patterns, both positive and negative. 6.1 Organizational Behavior and Corporate Culture Corporate Culture and organizational behavior is sometimes used interchangeably, but in reality, there are differences between the two countries conditions. Corporate culture, shared values, attitudes, customs and beliefs and other characteristics that determine the companys operating philosophy includes. Organizational behavior at the same time, it may be under way and some academic studies of corporate culture and its various elements, as well as organizational structure and organizational processes as other important elements of behavior stood. Gibson said, organizational behavior, Ivancevich, and Donnelly (Gibson, et al, 1994), studying the methods and theories and theories from different disciplines to find out personal values and ability to learn depends on the ideas of the area and procedures while working in groups and at home overall, and organization and human resources impact analysis of the external environment, mission, objectives, and strategies for effective managers you know what you are looking for in terms the structure, process and culture, and knew how to do it the status of agents, managers must therefore develop clinical skills, and characteristics of the problem should be trained to determine the circumstances require further attention to the problem at Indicators include low quantity or quality of work, and in the absence or delay increases, and negative attitudes of staff members from each of these issues profit organizational issue. Organizational studies and organizational behavior, organizational theory pointed to, and a systematic study of how people work within organizations including the correct application of knowledge. Dell and unique culture in which companies, and the most appropriate strategy to adopt maximum and a high-performance behaviors that contribute to its success and employees with a sense of your estate is responsible, leading to London, get the shipping culture production. Cultural changes over time as yield concrete results, however, some urgent and meaningful for Dell, as specified in the quarterly evaluation studies told Dell was able to keep track of. Management says employees and their work and efforts to achieve a better balance between life support is expected. Employees more clearly the relationship between their actions and see the Dell company objectives. Those who live in other places the percentage of Dell rose than the fact that 57 per cent, it is still as high as the administra tion wants despite the offer, noting. Dell original size in any way change our culture? Probably not. But he clearly culture that allowed him to come quickly now that the positive aspects was used. Relevant company to introduce Dales 20, Dell still feels like. But also admire the strength and achievements of the company would not much flavor. Whats better now 38 years old I . I m 40 years to look back and be proud of? .. 6.2 System Structure System is also important within the framework of organizational theory, organization and complex dynamic goal-oriented processes. Kurt Lewin and special regulatory system and the term ideological systems principle of effective ethical conduct in the context of developing countries, which in psychology has become an obstacle to sustainable work was the disappointment. (Ash, 2008) and complexity theory perspective of systems approach to other organizations and associations. Negative entropy through openness and feedback system depends heavily on organizations to gain perspective. On illegal disciplinary integrated look. In other words, the ideas of individual subjects, and the integration of the code is common, or more precisely on the basis provided by public bodies based on systems theory is behind. System approach to cross, and not the system gives priority to the elements. Some of these relationships, emerge.In recent years a new system, the dynamic characteristics of systems thinking to the reductionist conventional methods widely studied technique to provide fully developed. Frederick Herzberg two factor theory Expectancy theory Organizational culture and behavior 6.5 Organizational culture and practice correlation An organizational culture and practice in the management of these days the most common words. Organizational culture, although the meaning of them there are differences in the importance of managing people is very clear. It is mainly these employees need to understand all the circumstances relating to the organizational psychology, and there are many tools that department efficiency and increase the employment rate for workers in the organizations ability to achieve effective for use can be. Culture and organizational practices associated with each other. The two are interrelated, and all roads other inter-changing influence. Links to organizational behavior to examine how employees act as individuals in their organization. These are important areas of human resource management. Individuals who are viewed by their organizations to study the behavior of organizational behavior. About workers and the response of the public and private conduct that they are used for certain purposes. It is expected that individual group dynamics and team is important in creating an organizational culture. Managers and employees to understand their behavior in a certain way so understanding the reasons behind their actions that they later make it better when the work is needed to reduce errors is needed. Over the years many theories have been proposed for organizational behavior. These principles have different models of organizational systems. Organizational behavior, and says a shared vision and inspire employees to the success of the organizations leadership, and are developing such an organizational culture intact. 6.6 workplace relations Whether personal or business, you should be building relationships in the workplace. However, fishing how to deal with these relationships because the person with the fall of his career can lead to success. Workplace following a link with a partner should not be considered to fall again about some aspects of the relationship. It is true that the workplace where you have all the business acumen and skills gained through training and experience we put to use. However, we all know that work is not just numbers, and conversation. Associates with the president, relationships, and other staff, as well as with business partners so much about relationships. Relations in the workplace that are based purely on a commercial basis, and get emotionally close to colleagues in the workplace also are also common. 6.7 Maintaining relationships in the workplace Dell employees in the workplace to establish good relations between different strategies. However, it still has the skills of workers that determines success, but also how they behave and that behavior is controlled and the organization is to achieve maximum results. Here are some ways to the extent that Dell tags to monitor and maintain a positive image in the workplace to the employees conduct within the control are: However, professional and friendly: Manager staff believe that the employee is at work in their offices to be sure. To work for them before it all comes clear. However, they are not far away in times of need are. This is a good workplace relationships and who stands in a good position to manufacture. Professional boundaries: it first started a friendly but the person may later have problems at work. The professional staff and secure long-term problems as everything is fine for Dell managers. However, they are the kind of careful. They give a clear signal to allies Dodd they are at work. They always maintain professional ethics. They are professional and personal aspects of a mantra for success in the workplace the right balance between form. Avoid gossip: Dell desirable and is encouraged in the workplace communication. However, as very limited office gossip is detrimental to the organization and its employees. Waste of time to indulge in gossip, the main thing. Dell also managers keep order / Confidence parameter: Although called a professional relationship in the workplace, and ideas that may not be professional in all of nature for the exchange to maintain everyones needs. Each one has a friend in the workplace so there is no problem in the workplace a friendly Dells more because it encouraged the Dell is one of the industry-friendly work environment. 6.8 Impact of technology Dell is a global technology leader and has a good reputation for advanced technology. Always according to the needs of new technology adoption. Technology, organizational structures, cultures and practices has brought many changes. I last changed the relationship between man and technology in the workplace because of the associations between rapid progress. Companies now producing a quick decision and impressions, communication and implementation of the resolution. The change management processes and departments has changed now. 7. Conclusion Different organizational structures used by man since the creation of human organizations. People who were hunters and farmers start of military or tribal right to a mans decision to lead the pack in the team delivery of everyones daily operations will be treated as some have. From ancient times, a pyramid scheme that was being followed everywhere. Appointments and tasks and people according to their abilities after learning the definition. Each person has the responsibility to set aside certain actions were required to become a key role in the distribution. Finally there is a strong reporting system structure, where he analyzes and questions have been under the responsibility and accountability, and there was a kind of performance evaluation. Itself a formal community organizational structure that is selected. Business and human rights organizations still change with advances in new forms that all organizational structures, cultures and practices was made. Dell is always taken as ne eded changing. Other innovations such as Dell and its culture, structure, and behavioral adjustments to meet the needs of the market to achieve the maximum.

Companies That Use Flexitime And The Benefits Experience Management Essay

Companies That Use Flexitime And The Benefits Experience Management Essay There are many challenges today within the workplace facing human resources management and how people are managed. The business climate has been turbulent such as the global recession, competition in pricing as well as laws concerning employment strengthening the case for new initiatives to be enforced. As a result, the human resources management team have provided a booklet on issues concerning the benefits and drawbacks of four key subject areas such as the graduate assessment centres, absenteeism through a punitive approach, performance related pay and flexitime as a flexible working option. This will also include facts and figures illustrating the importance of each topic as well as defining key areas in order for MW Associates to make a decision about how to deal with these HR issues when they establish their new leisure operation. What is Flexible Working? Flexible working can be and has been defined in variety of different ways. For example according to CIPD Factsheet (2010) flexible working is described as working arrangements between the employee and their employer in terms of working time and working patterns. Flexible working has also been defined as the ability a company can employ people when and where required in the interest of everyone Pettinger (2002, p5). Flexitime Flexitime working arrangement is an arrangement that allows employees to choose the start and finish times they wish to work, according to the given parameters. The working arrangement of flexitime being offered to employees began in the 1970s and was mostly common in the public sector according to IRS (2007). According the IRS survey of 2007 on flexitime and other working arrangements, organisations where men make up 60% of the workforce are much more likely to offer their employees flexitime arrangements to those with either with other genders. It is suggested that in order for a flexitime arrangement to work it will rely on the goodwill and trust, as well as good monitoring and good management (XpertHR professional, 2005). Companies that use flexitime and the Benefits experience BT British Telecommunications (BT) is one of UK most known and recognised brand, and is also known for providing product and services in over 170countries worldwide (BT, 2010). BT is also one of the UK leading companies in providing employees the options of flexible working arrangements such as flexitime. A report by the Family Friendly Working Hour Taskforce of 2009 found out that BT retention of their employees improved with the percentage(over the last five years)of its UK female employees returning to work after taking maternity leave reached 90.99%, saving the company  £5million a year in recruitments and inductions (Family Friendly Working Hour Taskforce, 2009). City Sightseeing Glasgow City Sightseeing Glasgow is another company that found the benefits of providing their workforce flexitime as a form of working arrangement, twice a year in the summer and winter season. The imitative was originally for older employee who wanted to reduce or change their working pattern, however due to the success of the initiative the company expand it to the entire workforce. The company saw absenteeism levels drop, retention rate increase to 90-95% and expand their recruitment market among students and women want to return to work (Family Friendly Working Hour Taskforce, 2009). LillyUK A Human Resource Management International Digest article (2005) highlighted that LillyUK one of the worlds largest research-based pharmaceutical companies, has been making flexible working arrangements available to their employee since 1996. The article reports that one of the working arrangements that Lilly offers to their employees is flexitime, and since the introduction of the arrangement the company had noticed they were able to attract more high-caliber recruits by 30%. Other forms of Flexible Working Arrangements The graph below illustrates the finding of IRS survey (2010) of the forms of flexible working arrangements, and their popularity with organisations. The Graph above shows the forms of flexible working arrangement that companies offered in 2009 and as shown part time working was the preferred method of arrangement with 93%, and with flexitime with 54%. Pros and Cons of Flexible working Arrangements CONS PRO Social factors are sources of disadvantage, working suffering from isolation and not feeling part of an organisation. Foot (2005.p183). Workers on flexible contracts tend to be more emotionally engaged, more satisfied with their work, more likely to speak positively about their organisation and less likely to quit. (CIPD,2010) A flexible workforce is harder to manage and impose higher administrative costs in areas such as recruitment. Hendry(1995.p401) Provides a pool of staff that can be called upon to work at short notice. (IRS, 2009) The company may have difficulty of maintaining staff development and upgrading skills. (Businesslink, 2010) Enables employees to achieve a better work-life balance.  (CIPD,2010) The Potential Drawbacks and Challenges presented should MW Associates choose to implement Flexible Working Arrangement In order for MW Associates to implement flexible working arrangement such as flexitime within their organisation they would have to overcome the challenges that would be presented to them, this could come in the form of line managers being reluctant to accept flexible working arrangement. Flexible working arrangements may have affect communications between line managers and employees, so it would important for MW Associates ensure that they establish a clear process for how flexible working works in  the organisation. CIPD, 2010 Performance Related Pay- The Benefits and Challenges According to Foot and Hook (2008) performance related pay is a term that is closely linked with relationship between an individuals pay progressions to his or her level of competence. It seeks to be a tool for motivation. This pay scheme is now popular in many organisations since being introduced in the 1980s, according to MW Gilman (1998) the average proportion of employees covered by an organisations IPRP scheme to be in the range of 70%- 80%, suggesting that this is the most beneficial way to get people to work to their best. Though, the CIPD recent reward management report (2009) again records the popularity of individual based bonuses and incentive plans at 61% as the highest way to reward its employees. Companies/ Sectors that use PRP and the Benefits experienced Chelsea Football Club- Supervisors are encouraged to reward staff who work exceptionally well and go the extra mile each game with a star, this is an extra  £15.00 on top of the basic pay. This is very beneficial for the company as some employees will perform better than others in order to get the extra reward, therefore the company will get the best output possible out of their employees. Staffs do what is asked of them when asked to do so. People are only working hard because they know there is a possibility of a reward, not because they want to or is required as part of the job. The Pros The Cons The reward will motivate some staff to work harder. Supervisors can be bias without realising and the reward to friends or the same people. If the same people are getting the reward consistently, the organisation will recognise this and it will give them an idea of who to promote. Although you get an extra  £15.00, for those who get taxed it doesnt make much of a difference as it is taken in tax. (Primary Research, Samantha Koranteng, 2010) NHS Consultants- Clinical Excellence Awards The ACCEA (Advisory Committee on Clinical Excellence Awards) give Clinical Excellence Awards to recognise and reward the exceptional contribution of NHS Consultants who work over and above that normally expected in the job to the values and goals of the NHS and to patients care. The Cons The Pros The committee offers 3 bands, Bronze, Silver and Gold this is good because it makes it more accessible and highlights a good range that consultants can reach, in effect it makes it fairer. The fact that you have to apply for it suggests that its not an automatic recognition, the long process and stages may deter qualified candidates from applying. Consultants can apply for the scheme on their own behalf so the scheme can have a large volume of applicants. (Department of Health, 2010) Local Education Authorities-Teachers In teaching there are pay scales that are dependent on performance, provided performance is satisfactory the teachers pay will go up a grade, once on the highest grade through recommendation they can move up to a higher grade. Teachers may become too target orientated and forget that there job is to educate. This can identify teachers that are unsatisfactory and training can be provided to make them to the standard The Pros The Cons (Christine Blower, acting NUT general secretary. May 2008) The Potential Drawbacks and Challenges presented should MW Associates choose to implement such HR Approaches MW Associates should pose a policy whereby employees know they have security of their earnings and a contract that states there is a minimum level or fall back rate, this will not be difficult to do however MW Associates need to highlight how much employees will gain after they have exceeded the standard or basic level of work asked for. The organisation also needs to clearly devise a method of analysis that can fairly and ethically distinguish between the better performances of one employee to another. Alternatively they could introduce a bonus scheme where the incentives are non monetary, they could offer days off work, paid holidays or organised staff social gatherings. Managing absence through a `punitive approach` is this effective and what are the alternatives? Absence can be seen as a problem to many organisations with short term absence being largely unprepared compared to long term absence. Although, many organisations use appraisals with regards to performance management in helping employees develop and learn more about the business in order to prevent absenteeism. According to NSW Nurses Association (2010), absenteeism can be defined as when an employee is constantly or continuously failing to attend work as scheduled, in particular, when their absence forms a pattern which suggests that the employee is dissatisfied with their work or that their absence could have been avoided. Absenteeism can be also considered grounds for dismissal according to Redgoldfish, (2010). It is important to manage absence because of the loss of money concerning indirect costs such as the replacement of staff, loss of labour and production as well as costs to the business regarding its reputation. These are just some of the factors in why management of absen ce is important. Forms of Short -Term Long term Absence Short- term Absence Long term Absence According to (Travel Trade Recruitment, 2009) being more and more persistent time off work According to (Visual Human Resources 2009) definition long term sickness absence here is any absence lasting more than ten consecutive days. Unauthorised absence for any reason Consultation with the employee Lateness An assessment of alternative employment being offered (e.g. reduction hrs, home based Sickness / injury Medical investigation into sickness Facts Figures / Costs of absence Short term absence is harder to manage because it is largely unplanned. There are many factors involved concerning absence this can be seen as health problems such as smoking, heart disease or a good night out unable to get up to attend work the next day. Factors such as stress or the responsibility of bringing up children as well transportation far away from your place of work can be seen as absence related. The psychological contract (Guest, 2002) is related to absence for example, this can be seen as a psychological contract which may be imprinted inside the employees or employers head rather than an actual contract. For example, the employee could punish the employer by not attending work because they are unhappy with the organisation. In any case managing absence is an important factor now as sickness absence costs UK employers 11.6 billion a year according to People Management (2010). Many organisations lose much capital having to replace staff, loss of labour and production, poor customer service, as well low morale and bad reputation. However, (CIPD, 2009) review short-term absence shows that many companies are implementing return-to-work interviews (83% of organisations), followed by trigger systems to review attendance (74%), and the provision of sickness absence information to line managers (73%) and the use of disciplinary procedures (73%). Another key way to manage absence is through accurate measurement and monitoring so that the organisations can make an assessment to tackle any problems they may have. However, the Bradford factor is like a calculator and has helped reduce absenteeism by 20% such as creating triggers whereby action is taken. The average number of days absent per employee, per year is 6.5 days with average cost of absence each employee per year is  £754.00 (Bradford factor, 2010). Punitive approach The punitive approach in dealing with absence is about teaching employees discipline. This can be seen as lateness, authorized absence and behaviour. It is like having a parent to nurture the employee and to learn respect, compassion as well as taking responsibility. This can be seen as the harsh approach such as reduced pay through absence by using discipline. Other factors such as performance feedback can be used, corrective actions and effective communication. PROS CONS Clear about what is expected Few opportunities for progression Can identify when someone needs help Ineffective management Support employees make the work interesting Monotonous jobs The Council / Local Boroughs Policies are more generous with regards to absence compared to the private sector. Although most absence is short term there is criticism for the high level of sick leave from council staff. The procedure of conducting back to work interviews has now been implemented across the board (Nutt, 2009). DVLA This can be seen again in the public sector with many taking duvet days those feeling hung over or unable to face a days work. However, a punitive approach is taken concerning the official term for this form of leave, then deducted from the employees holiday entitlement (Watts, 2007). Tesco As a private organisation as big as this seen as one of Britains biggest retailer they have introduced no pay for the first three days off sick, not to penalise people being ill but to discourage those taking the odd day (Ryle, 2004). The Potential Drawbacks and Challenges presented should MW Associates choose to implement In order to manage absence it can be suggested that MW associates implement the encouragement of team work which will lead to more commitment within the working environment working as a team. To make the tasks more interesting as well as training and good management control procedures with the odd reward for attendance. What is a Graduate Assessment Centres? According to Colman (2010) Assessment Centers is defined as a variety of testing techniques designed to allow candidates to demonstrate, under standardized conditions, the skills and abilities that are most essential for success in a given job(Coleman, 2010, p.3). The assessment centre approach involves using a battery or range of selection tolls that simulate the relevant attributes, skills and competencies required in the job. (Peter et al, 2004, p.95). Type of Activities used in Assessment centres There are many types of activities are being used in assessment centres depending on the company. But the core ones which are generally used include; In-basket exercises, leaderless group discussion, role-playing, behavioural interview. (George Scott, 2010, p.204). The IRS survey (2009/10) identified assessment centre is the most effective selection method. In the year 2010 almost 75% of graduate recruiters rate assessment centres as their single most effective selection method. The use of assessment centre rises from 52.7% to 95.2%. (IRS survey,2010) How effective are your organizations assessment centres in identifying the best candidate(s) for a position? Very effective 47 Fairly effective 48 Fairly ineffective 4 Very ineffective (source: IRS survey) Reliability Validity The key issues in an assessment centre are the reliability and validity as similar test are administered to the same person on two separate occasions the results could be very similar unless something has changed the individual. The reliability of assessment centre is much greater than single interview. (Peter et al, 2004, p.95). Validity that shows the extent to which the test is providing useful information related to the job. There are five types of validity; face validity predictive validity, concurrent validity, construct validity, content validity. (Peter et al, 2004, p.95).The table bellow suggests that assessment centres are the most effective method of selection, predicting effectively how a candidate is likely to perform in a job approaching 70 per cent of the time.( Derek et al, 2009. P.94) The table of selection method and predictive validity Selection Method Predictive Validity Usage (%)* Assessment centre 0.68 47 Structured interviews 0.62 88 Work samples 0.55 80 Ability test 0.54 72 Personality questionnaires 0.38 56 Unstructured interviews 0.31 92

Weaponizing Space :: Politics, National Space

1. There is an ongoing debate on the issue of weaponizing space in order to protect our national space assets and achieve national strategic objectives. This is an issue because of the increase of more space faring nations trying to exploit the benefits of space and other nations also trying to develop capabilities to disrupt other from using it. This background paper will outline the current international laws and policies, our national policies in regard to space, current issues that catalyzed this debate, the benefits and disadvantage of weaponizing space. 2. Space is also governed by rules and laws much like we do on land and sea. â€Å"Treaty on Principles Governming the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies,† or commonly referred to as the Outer Space Treaty was signed in 1966 by many nations, including the Unites States, and is the basis for most international space laws and policies. Some key points to take away from this treaty in relation to the space weapons debate are the following: â€Å"(1) outer space is open to all nations to explore and use; (2) nations cannot own any portion of outer space; (3) outer space will be used for peaceful purposes; (4) nations cannot place, put in orbit, or station any weapons of mass destruction in any form in outer space.† (UNOOSA) These principles and laws are also mostly reflected in our nation’s space policy, and our national security space strategy. 3. Our National Space Policy (NSP) is derived from the President’s vision and directives. NSP incorporates the terms outlined in the Outer Space Treaty, as well as two caveats: (1) to deter, defend our nation’s space assets, and â€Å"if deterrence fails, defeat efforts to attack them [enemy Capt Cho/SOS/Flight C-33/3-6060/DBC/06 May 2011 threats]† (NSP, 3); (2) â€Å"to work with international partners to continue to promote peaceful use of space.† (NSP,4). Also, NSP shapes the National Security Space Strategy (NSSS), which the Department of Defense uses to direct the way the military develop and utilize space capabilities. 4. NSSS states a few current trends in space as being â€Å"congested and contested† (NSSS, 8), which is shaping our space strategic environment as well as fueling debates for space weapons. â€Å"Congested† trend refers to the current â€Å"60 nations and government consortia that own and operate satellites and the expectation to have 9000 satellite communication transponders in orbit by 2015.

Abraham of Chaldea Essay -- Biographies Religion Essays

Abraham of Chaldea Abraham : From the Bible The following is a narrative description on the life and times of one of the most powerful characters in the Old Testament. Abraham was indeed a man of God in a time where few men believed in the One true God. Through many triumphs and errors, he always returned to God to lead him back to his calling. His dedication resulted in great promises from God that were eventually fulfilled and affect each of our lives today. His story is our story. Abraham was a native of Chaldea, and a ninth generation descendant of Shem, the son of Noah. He was born on the southern tip of the Tigris and Uuphrates rivers in the city of Ur around 2161BC.1 Before his name was changed to Abraham, his name was Abram. When Abram was about seventy years of age he moved with his family to live in Haran. The reason he moved was because "The God of glory appeared to our father Abram when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, and said to him, "Depart from your country and your relatives, and come into the land that I will show you." 2 While in Haran, Abram's father died and God spoke to him again saying, "Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father's house, to the land which I will show you." 3 He obeyed and left Haran with his brother Nahor's family and his Nephew Lot without really knowing where he was going. At this time, God did not reveal to him he was going to Canaan. God only told him "the land which I will show you." 4 When he did arrive in Canaan, he camped in the plains of Moreh, between the mountains of Ebal and Cerizim. It was here he was given the second promise from God that his seed would possess this land. Abram buil... ...d Limited) * The Holy Bible, King James Version (The World Publishing Company) * The New Ungers's Bible Dictionary (Moody Press) 1 Ungers, pg. 12 2 King James, Acts 7:2-3 3 King James, Gen. 12:1 4 King James, Gen. 12:1 5 King James, Gen. 12:6-7 6 Class Lecture, Jon Randles 7 Everyday life in Bible Times, pg. 89 8 Class Lecture, Jon Randles 9 King James, Gen. 20:12 10 King James, Gen. 14:17 11 King James, Gen. 14:19-20 12 Halley, pg. 95 13 Reader's Digest Bible, pg. 35 14 King James, 15:1 15 Reader's Digest Bible, pg. 35 16 Unger's, pg. 13 17 Reader's Digest Bible, pg. 36 18 Unger's, pg. 13 19 Reader's Digest Bible, pg. 37 20 King James, Gen. 19:28 21 Heb. 11:19 22 Reader's Digest Bible, pg. 40 23 Unger's, pg. 14 24 Reader's Digest Bible, pg. 40 25 Reader's Digest Bible, pg. 40-41 26 Ungers's, pg. 14

Divine Love in The Canonization Essay -- Canonization Essays

Divine Love in The Canonization Describing the complexities of love, Pascal states that "the heart has reasons which reason knows nothing of" (qtd. in Bartlett 270). Similarly, in "The Canonization" by John Donne, the speaker argues that his unique love obtains reasons beyond the knowledge of the common man. The speaker relates his love to the canonization of saints. Therefore, he implies that his love is a divine love. In "The Canonization," the speaker conveys a love deserving of admiration and worthy of sainthood. In the poem, the lover describes his love as incomprehensible. In the heat of discussion, the lover insults his companion's intelligence with the statement, "Take you a course, get you a place" (5). The speaker implies that his listener does not possess the adequate amount of intelligence necessary to understand his complex love. Resulting from the listener's critical comments concerning the speaker's love, the speaker implores the listener to chide him for his physical features or past mistakes in life. In other words, he tells the listener to deride him for his tangible and superficial flaws, rather than attempt to disparage the inner depths of a love relationship that the listener cannot comprehend. The speaker expresses the rarity of his love by stating that his love is his occupation and his sole purpose in life. In essence, his love becomes his calling, similar to a saint's calling from God. Stressing his devotion to his lover, the speaker reveals an astute comparison between the professions of mankind to his own occupation of love: "Soldiers finde warres, and Lawyers finde out still / Litigious men, which quarrels move, / Though she and I do love" (16-18). Similar to the profession... ...y embracing their isolation, they discover the world through each other's eyes: "Who did the whole world soule extract, and drove / Into the glasses of your eyes" (40-41). Unlike the rest of the world, the two unique lovers find their true identities and ideal desires through reckless abandonment of worldly views. The comparison between the artificial love of the listener and the divine love of the speaker represents another distinction in the two concepts of love. The divine love of the speaker offers complete devotion, intensity and immortality while artificial love of the listener maintains the placid position of peace. In essence, the love of the speaker creates a model for all other lovers that "Beg from above / A patterne of your love!" (44-45). The love of the speaker in "The Canonization" proves to be a divine love relative to the saints.

Dr. Phil: A Disturbing Episode on Sexual Abuse Essay

Recently, an episode of Dr. Phil aired which addressed the issue of sexual molestation. It was different from other shows about molestation, in that they normally address the sexual abuse being perpetrated by a stranger, parent, or extended family member. In this case the perpetrator was the oldest of five children, Mikai, 19. Brad and Kenda are married and have five children; four boys, Mikai being the oldest, and one girl, the youngest. Both parents work and take care of the children. Brad and Kenda came to Dr. Phil with worries about their son being a sexual predator. There have been many accusations from different aged girls over the past several years that had led them to this conclusion. Most of all, they were worried that Mikai has been molesting their daughter. When they first became suspicious of Mikai’s relationship with his sister, they set up a â€Å"two brother rule† under which no one brother could be alone with the little girl at any time. When they first became aware of the inappropriate sexual behavior between Mikai and these girls, they began monitoring his internet access to prevent him from harassing more potential victims. Later on in the show, with the knowledge that Mikai is a pathological liar, he was given a polygraph test. The results showed that he was engaging in the sexual assault of his sister, as well as other girls. Both of his parents had a look of disgust on their faces upon receiving these results. Mikai still tried to deny these accusations even though the polygraph test was administered by a world renowned expert. Dr. Phil told Mikai that he needed to own what he has done and be accountable for it. Mikai responded by admitting that he had sexually molested his sister once Later, when Dr. Phil asked Mikai a question, Brad said â€Å"You better talk to him because you’re dead to us† which led to Mikai crying. Kenda expressed that although she was both hurt and angry, she didn’t love Mikai any less. The decision was made by the parents and Mikai in agreement with Dr. Phil that Mikai would need a lot of help and rehabilitation. Both of the parents agreed with Dr. Phil that Mikai would not be allowed to live at their house anymore and would have absolutely no access to the li ttle girl. Dr. Phil said that although he was willing to help Mikai, the protection of the little girl was his number one priority. The only activity that the family was shown doing together was going on Dr. Phil, and even then the little girl was not present, in order to conceal her identity. Though this show did not support the authors’ of Millennial Rising idea that child abuse is on the decline, the abuse was not carried out by either parent, but the oldest brother instead. The show definitely disproved the authors’ idea that millennials have more supervision than earlier generations. It seemed that although the parents cared, neither one of them quit their job to ensure the safety of the little girl. Instead, the four boys watched her and had little to no control over situations between the oldest brother and the sister. Because there was hardly any interaction between the parents and the children shown, none of the kids’ attitudes towards the parents could be established. In conclusion, I do not believe that Mikai, nor any sex offender can ever be rehabilitated. I think that he will always be a threat to society and should be kept away from women and children for the rest of his life. He will always have the impulse to sexually assault someone and the chances of him being able to overcome that impulse every time he has it is almost nonexistent. I do not feel any sympathy for Mikai. However, I feel a lot of sadness for the rest of the family, especially the little girl. They have a long road of recovery still left to travel.

Management Model of Port

Model84 MODULE 3 Strengths and Weaknesses of Port Management Models Public Service Port Strength: †¢ Superstructure development and cargo handling operations are the responsibility of the same organization (unity of command). Weaknesses: †¢ There is no role or only a limited role for the private sector in cargo handling operations. †¢ There is less problem solving capability and flexibility in case of labour problems, since the port administration also is the major employer of port labour. †¢ There is lack of internal competition, leading to inefficiency. †¢ Wasteful use of resources and underinvestment s a result of government interference and dependence on government budget. †¢ Operations are not user or market oriented. †¢ Lack of innovation. †¢ No or limited access to public funds for basic infrastructure. Tool Port Strength: †¢ Investments in port infrastructure and equipment (particularly ship/shore equipment) are decided and provide d by the public sector, thus avoiding duplication of facilities. Weaknesses: †¢ The port administration and private enterprise jointly share the cargo handling services (split operation), leading to conflicting situations. Private operators do not own major equipment, therefore they tend to function as labour pools and do not develop into firms with strong balance sheets. This causes instability and limits future expansion of their companies. †¢ Risk of underinvestment. †¢ Lack of innovation. Landlord Port Strengths: †¢ A single entity (the private sector) executes cargo handling operations and owns and operates cargo handling equipment. The terminal operators are more loyal to the port and more likely to make needed investments as a consequence of their long-term contracts. Private terminal handling companies generally are better able to cope with market requirements. Weakness: †¢ Risk of overcapacity as a result of pressure from various private operators. †¢ Risk of misjudging the proper timing of capacity additions. Fully Privatized Port Strengths: †¢ Maximum flexibility with respect to investments and port operations. †¢ No direct government interference. †¢ Ownership of port land enables market-oriented port development and tariff policies. †¢ In case of redevelopment, private operator probably realizes a high price for the sale of port land. The often strategic location of port land may enable the private operator to broaden its scope of activities. Weaknesses: †¢ Government may need to create a port regulator to control monopolistic behavior. †¢ The government (national, regional, or local) loses its ability to execute a long-term economic development policy with respect to the port business. †¢ In case the necessity arises to redevelop the port area, government has to spend considerable amounts of money to buy back the port land. †¢ There is a serious risk of speculation with port la nd by private owners. Source: A. Baird and P. Kent (2001).

Succubus Shadows Chapter 15

It was 1942, and I was in France. I didn't want to be in France. I hadn't wanted to be there for the last fifty years, yet somehow, Bastien kept talking me into staying. There was also the small fact that our supervising archdemon didn't want us to go. He liked the way we worked together. Incubus-succubus teams were hit or miss sometimes, but we were exceptional, and our superiors had taken note. It was good for our hellish careers but not for my morale. Bastien didn't see what my problem was. â€Å"Hell doesn't even need us here,† he told me one day, after I'd complained for like the thousandth time. â€Å"Think of it as a vacation. Hordes of souls are being damned here every day.† I walked over to the window of our shop and peered out onto the busy road, pressing my hands against the glass. Bicyclists and pedestrians moved past, everyone needing to get somewhere and get there fast. It could have been any ordinary weekday in Paris, but this was no ordinary day. Nothing had been ordinary since the Germans had occupied France, and the scattered soldiers in the street stood out to me like candles in the night. Bad simile, I thought. Candles implied some kind of hope or light. And while Paris had fared better than most people realized under Nazi rule, something in the city had changed. The energy, the spirit†¦whatever you wanted to call it, it had a taint to me. Bastien said I was crazy. Most people were still living their daily lives. The food shortages weren't as bad here as in other places. And after shape-shifting into Aryan nation poster children with blond hair and blue eyes, we were more or less left alone. Bastien was still going on about my glum mood while he moved about and straightened hat displays in my periphery. He'd chosen millinery as his profession for this identity, one that worked well for meeting well-to-do Parisian women. I played the role of his sister – as I so often did in other scenarios – helping with the store and keeping house for him. It was better than dance halls or brothels, which had been our previous occupations in France. â€Å"What about your friend?† Bastien asked me slyly. â€Å"Young Monsieur Luc?† At the mention of Luc, I paused in my dejected assessment of the world outside the hat shop. If I was going to talk about candles in the night, then Luc was mine. A real one. He was a human I'd met recently, working with his father – a violin maker. Their trade had suffered even more than ours, as the market for luxury items shriveled in these lean times. But Luc never seemed to let their financial woes affect him. Whenever I saw him, he was always cheerful, always full of hope. The weight of so many centuries of sin and darkness were starting to take their toll on me, and being in Paris only made it worse. Yet, Luc was a wonder to me. Being able to look at the world with such optimism, with such conviction that good would prevail†¦well, it was a foreign concept. One I was intrigued by. I couldn't stay away from it. â€Å"Luc's different,† I admitted, finally turning from the window. â€Å"He's not part of this.† Bastien snorted and leaned against the wall. â€Å"They're all part of this, Fleur.† Fleur was his long-time nickname for me over the years, no matter what identity I assumed. â€Å"I don't suppose you've slept with him yet?† My answer was to turn away again and remain silent. No, I hadn't slept with Luc. I wanted to, though. I wanted to with the instincts of a woman who had fallen for a man, as well as the craving of a succubus to consume the energy and taste the soul of someone so good. I had never hesitated before. This was the kind of thing I'd always sought out. It was even my job. But something inside of me was changing. Maybe it was these bleak times, but whenever I looked at Luc and saw that purity radiating from him – and his growing love and trust in me – I just couldn't do it. â€Å"He's coming by tonight,† I said at last, dodging the question. â€Å"We're going for a walk.† â€Å"Oh,† said Bastien. â€Å"I see. A walk. That's certain to impress Theodosia.† Theodosia was our archdemoness. I turned back around sharply, glaring at Bastien. â€Å"It's none of your business what I do!† I exclaimed. â€Å"Besides, if this is the ‘vacation' you claim it is, I shouldn't need to secure a good soul.† â€Å"Souls are falling left and right around here,† he agreed. â€Å"But you've still got to turn one in every once in a while. You can't spend the rest of your existence only going after bad ones.† I didn't speak to him for the rest of the day, and fortunately, business picked up quite a bit in the afternoon. It kept us both busy, though I counted down the minutes until Luc showed up that evening. He gave polite greetings to my â€Å"brother,† and then I hustled us out of there so that I wouldn't have to see the knowing look in Bastien's eyes. Luc could have passed for my brother too with his sunny golden hair. He always smiled when he looked at me, making small crinkle lines around the blue eyes I fancifully likened to sapphires. He held my arm as we passed through the evening crowd, filled with those going home after work or possibly seeking nighttime entertainment. He told me I looked beautiful, and we talked of other inconsequential things: the weather, neighborhood gossip, day-to-day affairs†¦ We ended up at a small city park that was a popular spot for others seeking evening strolls before curfew. We found a relatively secluded area among some trees and settled onto the grass. Luc had been carrying a small basket the entire time and revealed its contents: pastries and a bottle of wine. He didn't have extra money to throw around for that kind of thing, but I knew better than to protest. It was already done. Whatever else he'd had to sacrifice in return would be well worth it, as far as he was concerned. He had another surprise for me as well: a book. He and I were always trading novels back and forth, and as I lay down against the grass, skimming through the pages, a strange yet warm peace blossomed within me. â€Å"Next time you should bring your violin,† I said, setting the book down. â€Å"I want to hear you play again.† He stretched out beside me, his hand finding mine. We laced our fingers together and watched the sky grow purple. â€Å"Not out here,† he said. â€Å"I don't want a public concert.† â€Å"You'd charm them all,† I said. â€Å"The whole city would line up and dance at your command, just like the pied piper.† He laughed, the sound as golden as his hair or even the sun itself. â€Å"And then what would I do with them?† â€Å"Line them up and send them all away so that we can be alone.† â€Å"We are alone,† he said, laughing again. â€Å"Sort of.† I rolled to my side and leaned over him. Shadows from the surrounding trees enclosed us. â€Å"Alone enough.† I brought my lips down and kissed him, surprising both of us. I hadn't meant to do it. We'd never kissed before. I'd held myself back from him, earning all that chastising from Bastien. I could never bring myself to take Luc's energy and shorten his life. Yet, something came over me just then. It might have been my earlier gray mood or the feelings that were eerily like love within me. Whatever it was, being a succubus didn't matter just then. Well, it didn't until his energy started flowing into me. Our kissing grew more intense, our lips full of demand. His soul shone so brightly that even that one kiss was enough to taste his energy. It was glorious. My whole body thrilled to both it and his touch. He wrapped his arm around my waist, and without conscious thought, I began unbuttoning his shirt. He rolled me over so that I was the one on my back now and moved his mouth down to my neck. The knee-length skirts of this time gave him easy access to run his hand up my leg, and I pressed myself closer to him, pulling at his clothes while his hungry lips moved farther and farther down. All the while, that beautiful life filled me. I was drowning in it. When his lips reached the spot between my breasts, something seemed to jolt him to reality. He pulled up from me, running his hand over my hair as he looked down into my eyes. â€Å"Oh God,† he said. â€Å"We can't do this. Not now.† The mantra of moral men everywhere. â€Å"We can,† I said, surprised at the pleading in my own voice. It was the affection I felt for him speaking, not any agenda of Hell's. I wanted – needed – him to be closer to me. He sighed. â€Å"Suzette, Suzette. I want to. But I want us to get married. I can't do this – can't do this to you – unless I know you'll be my wife. It isn't right otherwise.† I stared up at him, uncertainty interfering with my desire. â€Å"Are you†¦are you proposing to me?† Luc thought about it for a moment and then grinned again, giving me another of those radiant smiles that never failed to make my heart race. â€Å"Yes. I guess I am. We'd have to wait a little bit – wait until I had more money. But when the war's over, things will get better.† This war's never going to be over, some gloomy part of me thought. But just now, that wasn't the real issue. His wanting to marry me was. It was impossible, of course. I could theoretically shape-shift so that I aged with him, all the while getting succubus sex on the side. Some succubi did that, having countless husbands over the centuries. Most didn't even stick around. They just disappeared. Their marital vows meant nothing. Looking at him now, at that burning love in his eyes, I felt my heart torn in two. If I said yes, he would wrap me up again and make love to me. If I said no, he wouldn't – not out of spite, but because of what was honorable. This could be so easy. Say yes. Promise I'd marry him and take him now. I could fulfill my heart's longing, my body's longing, and keep my good standing with Hell. I could leave after we were married. Or, easier still, break off the engagement. All I had to do was give him a dishonest â€Å"yes.† Sex to him wasn't right without that. Really, it was a wonder he didn't insist on waiting until marriage. The commitment was apparently enough. He believed in me. He believed I was a good, honest person. If I said I loved him and would be true to him forever, then he would accept that. Just say yes. But the words stuck in my throat. I couldn't lie to him. I couldn't let him find out how base I really was. And as his lingering life energy burned inside me, I realized I couldn't steal more from him. The guilt of what I'd done already was hitting me hard. It had only been the barest taste, but it had clipped time off of his life. And if I did back out of marriage after we'd had sex, he'd think what we'd done had been wrong. A sin. A black mark on his soul. I slid out from under him and sat up. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"I can't marry you.† His happy face remained unchanged. â€Å"It doesn't have to be now. And it doesn't even have to be†¦about this.† He gestured to where I'd just been lying in the grass. â€Å"Like I said, we couldn't get married for a while anyway.† â€Å"No,† I repeated, my heart sinking. â€Å"I can't†¦I can't marry you. Ever.† I can't hurt you. I care about you too much. I can't take your light from the world. He must have seen something in my face, something that drove home the truth of my words. That smile faded. The sun disappeared behind clouds. My heart broke. I hastily stood up, suddenly unable to look at him. What was wrong with me? I didn't know. All I knew was that I couldn't stay there. I couldn't stay there and see him hurting. If I did, I would start sobbing. As it was, I could feel tears starting to sting my eyes. â€Å"Suzette, wait!† I hurried away but soon heard him coming behind me. Even after my rejection, he didn't sound angry. He was concerned, worried about me. I hated that even more. I wish I'd driven him into a rage. But, no, even something like this†¦it would hurt him, yet he would respect both me and my choice. Which was why I had to stay away from him. Not just now, but always. I knew now that I couldn't be around someone I cared about. I couldn't stand the thought of causing pain to a loved one. I couldn't stand the thought of damning a good soul. Somewhere, somehow, after centuries of blithely harming others, I had gone horribly awry as a succubus. How? When? With Niccol? °? Was it just the gradual sum of all the lives and souls I'd harmed finally taking a toll on me? I was headed back for the hat shop. Bastien and I lived above it. I could still hear Luc following me, calling out to me that everything was okay. I knew if I made it inside, he wouldn't come barging in after me. He'd probably knock politely at the door but would go away if Bastien told him to. I took a shortcut, cutting behind some buildings off the main road. I knew the way well, but it was dark now, limiting my vision enough that I didn't see the soldier until I ran straight into him. He was standing so still and so solidly that it was like I'd accidentally run into one of the building's walls. I bounced back, and he caught me by the shoulder. â€Å"Easy there,† he said. His French had a heavy German accent but was articulated well. â€Å"You'll hurt yourself.† He was a giant of a man, young and not unattractive. I couldn't quite tell in the fading light, but his uniform made me think he was an officer of some sort. He was smiling down at me and hadn't let go of my shoulder. â€Å"Thank you,† I said demurely. I tried to step back gracefully, but his grip was strong. â€Å"You shouldn't be out here at all,† he added. â€Å"It's dangerous. Especially with curfew coming.† Curfew was nowhere near coming, despite the darkening sky. He looked me over as he spoke. My skirt had fallen back into place while running, but several buttons on my blouse had come undone with Luc and hadn't been fixed. It provided a pretty good vantage on my bra and cleavage. â€Å"My house is just over there,† I said. â€Å"I'll just – I'll just go now.† The hand on my shoulder stayed locked where it was, but his other hand had slipped through the opening in my blouse and was tracing the shape of my breast. Great. After all the deep and traumatic revelations I'd had tonight about the cursed life of a succubus, the last thing I needed was a Nazi feeling me up. Scratch that. There was something worse. â€Å"Let her go.† Luc's voice rang out behind me, and I winced. I'd hoped I'd lost him in the chase, but if he had seen me coming in this direction, he could have made a pretty good guess about which path I was taking home. â€Å"Walk away,† said the officer. â€Å"This has nothing to do with you.† Luc's fists were balled up. â€Å"Let her go,† he repeated. â€Å"I won't tell you again.† The officer laughed, but it was a harsh, terrible sound. â€Å"You won't tell me anything.† I tried my best to peer at Luc while still in that hard grip. â€Å"Go,† I told him. â€Å"It'll be all right. I'll be okay.† â€Å"Smart girl,† said the German. Luc lunged at him, and I was shoved out of the way as the two men grappled with each other. I stared in horror. Everything happened so quickly that my brain barely had time to even register what I was seeing. Luc was strong and fast, but the other guy was huge – and had a knife. I saw it flash briefly in what light was left, and then Luc's body went rigid. The officer stepped back, jerking the blade out of Luc's stomach as he did. I shrieked and tried to run toward him, but the Nazi's arm stopped me, grabbing hold of me once more. Luc's hands clutched at his stomach as blood flowed from it. He looked down at it in disbelief, like he was waiting for a punch line to reveal itself, and then he collapsed to the ground. I tried again to break free of my captor but couldn't. Luc's eyes gazed up at me, though his lips couldn't form any words as he lay there in that terrible agony, the life pouring out of his body. â€Å"There,† said the German officer, pulling me so that I was pressed against his chest. His knife had disappeared to wherever it had come from, and the hand that had held it – the hand that had stabbed Luc – was reaching under my shirt again. â€Å"Now there are no more distractions.† I heard Luc make a strangled sound as the officer ripped open the last of my buttons. Enough of my numbed shock wore off that I remembered I could fight back here. I could shape-shift to twice this guy's size and – Thunk. The Nazi's head lurched forward as something struck him from behind. His hold on me released, and he fell to the ground unconscious. Bastien stood behind him holding a hat block: a heavy, rounded wooden object used for constructing hats. â€Å"I'd know your scream anywhere,† he said. I had no time for his joking or to offer thanks. I dropped to my knees beside Luc and pulled off my blazer, frantically trying to use it to stop the bleeding. He was still conscious, and his eyes were on my face, still full of that hope and love that was so characteristic of him. Bastien knelt beside me, face solemn. â€Å"No human medicine can fix this, Fleur,† he said quietly. â€Å"I know.† I'd known as soon as I'd seen Luc fall. It was why I hadn't sent Bastien to get help. â€Å"Oh God. This can't be happening.† â€Å"It's†¦all right.† Luc's words were barely audible, and I had a feeling he was choking on blood. â€Å"You're safe†¦all that matters†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He coughed again, and this time I did see blood near his lips. â€Å"No, no,† I said. â€Å"It wasn't worth it. It wasn't worth it. None of this should have happened!† It was my fault. All my fault. Luc had come to save me from the German. I'd run into the German because I'd fled from Luc. And I'd fled from Luc because I'd suddenly latched on to a moral high ground and refused to have sex with him. If I'd just given in†¦if I'd just said I'd marry him and taken him like a succubus should have, this never would have happened. We would have been lying in the grass right now, naked in each other's arms. Instead, he'd died in this alley because of me, because of my weakness. I was a succubus who'd tried to act human – and I'd done a shitty job at both. Luc was beyond speech now. Everything was said with his eyes as he gazed at me, like I was some angel sent to carry him home. Bastien nudged me. â€Å"Fleur, he's going to stay alive a little while. You know how long stomach wounds take. It's agony.† â€Å"I know,† I growled, choking off a sob. â€Å"You don't need to tell me.† Bastien's voice was grave. â€Å"You can stop it. Ease his suffering.† I stared at Bastien incredulously. â€Å"What do you expect me to do? Go get that knife and finish him?† He shook his head. â€Å"He's only got a little life left, Fleur. Only a little. You won't need to do much.† I didn't get it right away. When I did, I felt my eyes go wide. â€Å"No†¦I can't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"He dies regardless,† said Bastien. â€Å"You can make it faster†¦sweeter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I was still shaking my head, but Bastien's words had penetrated. He was right. He was right, and I hated him because he was right. Turning from Bastien, I looked back at Luc, whose brow I'd been stroking with my hand. His gaze was still turned upward, still at me. A drop of water fell on his cheek, and I realized it was one of my tears. â€Å"Good-bye, Luc,† I said softly. It seemed like I should say a million other things to him, but I couldn't form the words. So, instead, I leaned down and brought my lips to his. I pressed against them, making full contact, though it had none of the animal passion from before. This was gentler. A whisper of a kiss. But as Bastien had said, it didn't take much. The beautiful, silvery sweetness of his life energy flowed into me. It was just as pure and perfect as before – and it was gone quickly. I took it into me and sat up, just as Luc exhaled his last breath. The eyes that had watched me so adoringly saw nothing now. I sat up and leaned against Bastien. â€Å"I killed him,† I said, no longer holding the tears back. â€Å"You brought him peace. You were his angel.† It was an eerie echo of my earlier sentiments. â€Å"No, this†¦I mean, before. He shouldn't have been out here. He's here because†¦because of me. If I'd slept with him, this wouldn't have happened. But I couldn't. I didn't want to hurt him†¦didn't want to taint him†¦and then this happened†¦.† Bastien put his arm around me. â€Å"If it makes you feel better, his soul won't be going to our people.† I buried my face in his shoulder. â€Å"This is my fault. My fault†¦I should have done what I was supposed to do. I was ready to – then he asked me to marry him and – damn it. I should have done it. I should have lied. It would have been better for everyone. I don't know how this happened†¦.† â€Å"It happened because you get too close to them,† said Bastien. He was stern but trying hard to be gentle. â€Å"Men like this†¦anyone like this†¦they enchant you, Fleur. You get attached and then you get hurt.† â€Å"Or I hurt them,† I murmured. â€Å"You need to stay indifferent.† â€Å"It's getting worse,† I said. â€Å"Every time, it's harder on me. I don't understand. What's happening to me? What's wrong with me?† â€Å"Immortality,† he said wisely. â€Å"Too many years.† â€Å"What do you know? You're younger than me.† Bastien helped me stand, though I was reluctant to let Luc go. â€Å"I know that you can't keep doing this. Listen to what I said: don't get attached to these good ones. No matter what you do, it won't end well.† â€Å"I won't go near the good ones at all,† I said in a small voice. â€Å"No more. I'm staying away from them altogether.† Bastien's kindly mien dropped. â€Å"That's ridiculous,† he scoffed. â€Å"Weren't you listening to me earlier? You can't go after immoral men for eternity. You'd get no energy. You'd have to do it every other day.† I looked down at Luc, Luc who had loved me and gotten killed for me. My fault. All my fault. â€Å"Never again,† I said. â€Å"I won't ever hurt anyone like that again.† When I returned to the box in the dark, I didn't need the Oneroi to enlighten me. All of that dream had been true – except for the last part. It had been a lie. I had continued to hurt people, over and over.