Web-Based Courses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Web-Based Courses - Essay Example It asks of the students to remain at the convenience of their homes and attain education which is being imparted on the campuses. This has become such a huge part of our education systems that the world is quickly coming to terms with the very same. More and more research is however needed to ensure that there are fewer flaws in the connectivity systems which guarantee a proper linkage between the university lecturers and the students sitting within their homes or in the form of groups. The people who are most likely to benefit with the coming of age of these web-based university courses include the students who are unable to attain visa and permission for studying abroad in different campuses of the world. Also tuition fees is another significant aspect that comes under the related discussion, which could be marked as one of the reasons as to why students choose to have the web-based university courses in the first place. The disabled fraternity is also likely to achieve high quality education through the adequate use of technology coming under the heading of the web-based university courses and indeed distance learning. Then there are the aged people who are immobile and cannot move as such which form a large percentage of the students who acquire education through the use of the web-based university courses. However the single most significant feature of these people getting connected to the web-based university courses lies in the fact that fees is a major issu e and these people are unable to pay such hefty sums whilst enrolling at the time of admissions to the universities the world over. On the flip side of the coin, the weaknesses, risks, disadvantages and problems concerned with the web-based university courses are also present. These are in the form of absence of providing an interactive discussion with the instructors and fellow students in the real sense of the word. The aspect of asking questions and clarifying points could be marked with

Automobile production chain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Automobile production chain - Essay Example This paper aims to discuss how globalization exactly impacted this process. First, in the automobile production process, the component which has the greatest impact on whether the automobile will became a success in the marketplace is the deign stage of the production chain. In here engineers, suppliers, marketers, distributors, and even customers collaborate to create a new automobile. After the specifications of the new car, a prototype is created to validate the assumptions made by the design team. After the prototype, the parts for the new automobile product will be sourced. In sourcing out the necessary components, close coordination between and among the third-, second-, and first-tier suppliers, company, production staff, and the design team is necessary to pave the way for an efficient assembly line for the product. After the final assembly, the company coordinates with its distribution networks to create an effective and efficient distribution programs for the car to reach the end consumers or the consumers to be able to reach the car. In the above production chain, almost all its stages are affected by globalization; however such impacts were driven by different factors for each of the production chin stages. For example, "major auto assemblers invested heavily in the emerging markets, building new capacity and modernizing existing plants" (Humprey 2003, p. 121) because of cost reduction possibilities (for the final assembly chain), for the long-term growth prospects (for the distribution chain), and many more. On the other hand, the assembly and component manufacturing portion of chain is the most global process. In the assembly and component manufacture, the economic activities of organizations across national boundaries are well coordinated. Never have we seen a single economic activity so global it is now impossible to create an automobile just from the economic resources of a single nation (Liu, Sui & Gu 2008, p. 11). As Sturgeon, van Biesebroeck and Gereffi said, "the world automotive industry, like many others, is in the midst of a profound transition. Since the mid-1980s, it has been shifting from a series of discrete national industries to a more integrated global industry" (2008, p. 302). An impact of the increasing globalization of the automobile industry on the production chain is the creation of affiliated design centers and centralization of the heavy engineering work of vehicle development (Sturgeon, van Biesebroeck & Gereffi 2008, p. 302). In terms of the usual distant relationship of the automobile manufacturer with its suppliers, this is no longer the case now. In Thailand for example, the foreign manufacturers spend constant effort in developing the local suppliers by offering resources, training, feedback and solutions (Petison & Johri 2008, p. 76). Such support had enabled some local automobile parts suppliers to become global as in the case of Brazil (Grisis & Ribeiro 2004, p. 415). In some places, this close coordination had resulted in the creation of supplier parks either as a modular consortium or industrial condominium (Morris, Donnelly & Donnelly 2004, p. 129; Howard & Squire 2007, p. 1192). As the business environment of the automotive industry becomes more and more global, so as does the complexity of this environment (Li & Chandra 2007). Geffen and Rothenberg observed that "[a]utomobile assembly plants worldwide face increasing pressures in the environmental arena"

A Review Of Leadership Management Essay

A Review Of Leadership Management Essay The term leadership means different things to different people. Although no ultimate definition of leadership exists (Yukl, 2002), the majority of definitions of leadership reflect some basic elements, including group influence and goal (Bryman, 1992). Leadership is one of the rare and precious human capitals. Without leaders to guide and shape decisions society would become stagnant. Within the arena of leadership there are good leaders, bad leaders, and effective leaders. All three coexist simultaneously in a world of followers. A good leader is someone who can motivate and excite people about a specific subject. They are the one who possesses many qualities. First and most important a good leader is to possess the ability to recognize whats fair, good, and honest. A good leader always sets a good example of integrity, morals, and will lead his followers in accordance with these qualities. In addition to being just a good leader must be a strong thinker. Good leader inspire workers into higher levels of teamwork, there are certain things a leader must be, know, and, do. These do not come naturally, but are acquired through continual work and study. Good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their leadership skills. Bad leaders have a tendency to turn a good organization around and burn it to the ground. They make rash decisions without discussing it with the team, for one. They dont want to share the glory with anyone at all. They want to do everything and take the credit all by themselves.This is probably one of the biggest reasons that leaders lose the respect of their team. In an organization and in a team, leader has to work or need to communicate with the team. An Effective leader is someone who manages to get people to do what they want.   It could be defined as one who exerts influence to get others to achieve the leaders objectives. An effective leader is a person with a passion for a cause that is larger than they are. The essential needs for the effective leaders are good communication, knowledge and understanding, team work, recognition and encouragement, vision, risk and innovation, ethics, flexibility with leadership styles and commitment. 2. Theories behind leadership Leadership theories in management have evolved over time into various types, with their own lines of thought. Each theory provides a model of effectively steering an organization. Adding to Kurt Lewins (1945) observation that there is nothing so practical as a good theory, Whetten (2002) suggests that only a good theory is practical. Hence, we have two successive goals: (1) we should understand the components that comprise theory; and (2) we should incorporate this knowledge into the theory of leadership. There isnt one right definition of leadership. There are various leadership theories out there, and when you limit leadership to one definition, you also limit the value of true leadership. Leadership can be something very difficult to describe or explain. It is abstract. There isnt a certain shape that it takes, or there isnt one specific direction. Depending on the leadership theory that you are talking about, one person could be considered successful and the other a failure. Leadership theories are founded on a persons opinion. Many theorists have put forward their own views and formulated their own theories regarding leaders and leadership. The author will explore some of the theories on the subject of leadership. 2.1 Great Man Theory The Great Man Theory is associated most often with 19th-century commentator and historian Thomas Carlyle. This theory assumes that leaders are born and not made. Leaders usually were members from the aristocracy since they only got a chance to lead; hence, it was considered that good breeding contributed in making great leaders. The concept of a Great Woman was not explored and andocentric bias was never realized. In addition, the theory also states that when there is a great need, then a great leader arises, like Buddha, Jesus, Churchill and Eisenhower. 2.2 The Trait Theory This theory assumes that human beings are born with inherited traits and the right combination of traits makes them a leader. Hence, leadership was a matter of traits whether inherited or acquired otherwise. Stogdill (1974) identified certain traits like adaptability, socially aware, achievement oriented, decisive, dominant, energetic, cooperative, assertive, self-confident, persistent, responsible, and capacity to tolerate stress. McCall and Lombardo (1983) identified four basic traits, namely, emotional composure and stability, intellectual breadth, highly developed interpersonal skills, and the capacity to admit errors. Although leadership trait theories are popular, it is viewed by many as very simplistic. There are those that argue that trait theories attribute the success of leadership solely to his or her personality and physical traits or characteristics without regard to the situational context. The trait approach is considered too simplistic as an explanation of the complex leadership phenomenon. 2.3 Participative Leadership Theory This theory assumes that the conclusion of many minds makes a better decision than the judgment of a single mind. Hence, the leader invites participation from the persons responsible for carrying out the work, since it makes them less competitive and more collaborative, thereby increasing their level of commitment. Participants may be subordinates, peers, superiors, or stakeholders. The extent of participation may vary. The leader may outline the objectives or goals and allow the team to decide how it can be achieved or the leader may allow a joint decision to be taken with respect to objectives and its method of achievement or the team may propose but the final decision is always of the leader. Many varieties exist, like consultation, democratic leadership, Management By Objectives (MBO), power-sharing, empowerment, and joint decision-making. The negative side of this theory is that when a leader asks for opinions and does not find them suitable, then it leads to cynicism, feelings of betrayal, reduced motivation and decreased level of commitment. 2.4 Lewins Theories Kurt Lewin along with others conducted experiments in 1939 and came up with three styles of participative leaderships, namely autocratic, democratic, and Laissez-faire. In the autocratic style, the leader took the decisions without consulting others. In the democratic style, the leader took the decisions after consulting others or let the majority decide on what is to be done. In the Laissez-faire style, the leader lets others decide on the decisions to be taken. Lewin et al. discovered that the autocratic style led to revolution, the Laissez-faire style lacked enthusiasm and coordination, while the democratic style proved to be the most effective. Since these experiments were done on children, they still required further study and research. 2.5 Likerts Theories Rensis Likert (1967) theorized four styles, namely, exploitive authoritative, benevolent authoritative, consultative, and participative. In the exploitive authoritative style, the leader uses methods as threats, coercion, and other fear-based methods to enforce conformance. It is always a top-down approach and the views, feelings, of others are given no value. In the benevolent authoritative style, the leader becomes a benevolent dictator and uses rewards to motivate performance. The leader listens to rose-tinted views from the subordinates as they tell only what the leader likes to hear in the hope of gaining rewards. Trivial delegation of decision is done, however important decisions are always made centrally. In the consultative style, the leader seeks consultations, however, most upward flow of information is still rose-tinted and the decision is almost taken centrally. In the participative style, the leader invites participation across all levels, including the shop floor worker , and attempts to make the employees psychologically closer are made. Dissensions, arguments, feelings of betrayal all take place in this style. The leader becomes a father figure and a cult head, whose saying ultimately becomes the final decision. 2.6 The Charismatic Leader Theory This theory assumes that leaders gather followers simply by their charm, grace, and personality. If a leader is not a natural charismatic leader then that individual takes a lot of trouble in maintaining the image and developing requisite skills. They are usually very persuasive and use their body language very effectively. In a theatrical sense, charisma is played out as exhibited by politicians, religious and cult leaders. Conger Kanungo (1998) have elucidated five characteristics of charismatic leaders, namely, clear vision and its lucid articulation, sensitivity to the environment, sensitivity to the needs of the members, ability to take personal risks to support their viewpoints, and ability to perform unconventional behavior. Musser (1987) noted that charismatic leaders wanted their followers to commit to absolute devotion to themselves. The charismatic leader may not want to change anything or transform anything unlike the transformational leader. If the charismatic leader is well-intentioned then they can contribute significantly to the growth of the entire group, however, if they are Machiavellian and selfish, then by the creation of cults, they can effectively rape the minds and bodies of their followers. Their own self-belief can lead them into psychotic narcissism and their self-absorption is so high, that their irreplaceability, intentional or otherwise, can guarantee no successors and thus they make a permanent mark in history. 2.7 The Transformational Leader Theory The concept of transformational leadership was initially introduced by leadership expert and presidential biographer James MacGregor Burns.1 According to Burns, transformational leadership can be seen when leaders and followers make each other to advance to a higher level of moral and motivation. Through the strength of their vision and personality, transformational leaders are able to inspire followers to change expectations, perceptions and motivations to work towards common goals. Later, researcher Bernard M. Bass expanded upon Burns original ideas to develop what is today referred to as Bass Transformational Leadership Theory.2 According to Bass, transformational leadership can be defined based on the impact that it has on followers. Transformational leaders, Bass suggested, garner trust, respect and admiration from their followers. This theory assumes that a leader with vision and passion can achieve great things by inspiring, injecting enthusiasm and energy, and thereby transform the individual or the group towards the attainment of individual or group goals. Transformational leadership is concerned with the performance of followers and developing them to their fullest potential. Tesco is considered as the most successful retail company in the United Kingdom. The success of Tesco was heralded by the appointment of Terry Leahy as the Chief Executive Officer. Leahy is considered as a visionary and transformational leader who led the company into a series of organizational changes that aimed for the company to become more customer-focused and to develop the companys workforce. Terry Leahy is revered as an excellent leader. Leahy was reported to say that he believes that the success of a leader depends upon maintaining a happy workforce. According to him, there are four things that a leader must provide to his workers and followers to satisfy and motivate them. These are: A job that is interesting to do A chance to get on in life To be treated with respect A boss who is some help and not their biggest problem 2.8 The Transactional Leadership Theory This theory states that people work for reward and punishment. A clear chain of command with loyalty as the primary focus works best in social systems. The subordinate should only do what the leader tells to do without trying to find out the justification for it. The leader creates clear structures and the subordinates are required to follow. For successful completion of the work, they are rewarded whereas for unsuccessful completion, they are punished. The leader uses management by exception, that is, once the operation has defined performance expectations then it does not need much attention. Exceeding expectations gets praise whereas not fulfilling expectations gets corrective actions. The limitation of this approach is that it is assumed that the individual is a rational man (a person who is largely motivated by money and hence whose behavior is predictable), which he may not be due to emotional and social factors. In such a situation, other approaches may prove to be more effect ive. 2.9 The Situational Leadership Theory This theory assumes that the action of a leader depends on a number of situational factors, like motivation and capability of followers, relationship between the leader and the followers, stress, mood, etc. Yukl (1989) has identified six situational factors namely, subordinate effort, subordinate ability and role clarity, organization of the work, cooperation and cohesiveness, resources and support, and external coordination. 3. Cross Culture Differences in Global Organisation Leadership style is a part of cultural distinctiveness. The international business faces different challenges and obstacles in geographical, financial, legal, political and cultural environments. Culture presents challenges that make human interactions difficult. Cultural differences are found in areas such as language, values, and behaviors. The cultural environment in which an international business operates in has an enormous impact on the organization. Cultural differences according to Graham (2001) are often not obvious and associated problems are neither easily diagnosed nor corrected. Cultural differences have a huge impact on the efficiency of the international enterprise, and particularly on the management of people. Every country has a different culture that sets it apart from the rest. Every country has a different history, government and laws. The more countries with which a firm interacts, the more complex and difficult conducting business becomes. According to Briscoe et al (2004) the primary cause of this complexity and high level of difficulty has to do with the importance and critical nature of the differences between various countries cultures. Dutch business professor Geert Hofstede (2005) has described culture as a pattern of thoughts, feelings and actions that every individual carries within them, a pattern which is developed and learned through out ones lifetime. He also conducted what is considered as the most influential work on business cultures. Hofstede identified five cultural dimensions that affect international businesses. These dimensions are: Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism vs. Collectivism, Masculinity vs. Femininity and Short-term vs. Long-term Orientation. 4. The Impact of Culture on Human Resource Management Perhaps one of the area in the international business that is most affected by culture is Human Resource Management (HRM). According to Sims (2002) culture is essential to International Human Resource Management. The research conducted by Hofstede (1980) revealed that culture has huge implications for Multinational Corporations. According to Hofstede differences in culture may significantly affect HRM practices. Organizations that plan to establish businesses outside their home countries must realize that employing people with different culture and orientations might cause difficulties and collision between the organizations business practices and the culture of the host country. In principle, it is believed that a large contradiction between the multinational companys HRM practices and the host countrys culture is a main ingredient in failure. Wide-ranging cultural differences from country to country require corresponding differences in HRM practices among a companys foreign subsidiaries. The mix of cultures in the subsidiaries of a multinational company and the level of cultural differences among the subsidiaries will restrict the IHRM approach taken by an organization (Sims 2002). International Human Resource Management is the process of procuring, allocating and affectively utilizing human resources in a multinational corporation.   HMM managers in multinational corporations need to achieve two somewhat conflicting goals. First, they must integrate HRM policies and practices across a number of subsidiaries in different countries so that overall corporate objectives can be achieved. At the same time, the approach to HRM must be sufficiently flexible to a llow for significant differences in the types of HRM policies and practices that are most effective in different business and cultural settings (Sims 2002). 5. Nestle UK and Nestle India cross culture case The existence or presence of the Nestle Corporation in different countries around the world provides realization of the incidence of cross-cultures and cultural diversity in a particular business. The prevalence and practice of a specific culture in a specific company provides significant changes and differences in its approach in terms of production, operations, sales and market share. Thus, in this regard, organizational culture serves to be one of the major factors that affect the performance and communication in the entire organization, most especially in terms of operating and maintaining an international organization, such as Nestle. Henri Nestle founded the company in 1867 in Switzerland, as a manufacturer of infant cereals. Nestle corporate culture is extended to all branches and locations of the company around the world.   Ã‚   One of the most successful branches of Nestle Company in Asia is Nestle India Limited. The mother company set up its operations in India in 1912 as a trading company, and began as a manufacturing company in 1961 at the Moga factory. All manufacturing and marketing plants in India are in charge of the different brands produced in India, namely, milk and infant dietetics, culinary products, cereals, beverages and instant drinks, chocolate products and confectioneries, and chilled dairy products (2004). It employs over 3000 employees, and is regarded as one of the Most Respected Companies and amongst the Top Wealth Creators of India (2004). On the other hand is Nestle UK, which started as a sales office in London in 1868. By 1901, Nestle opened its first factory in the United Kingdom, and by 1905 it merged with Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company. Currently, it produces and manufactures brands such as Nescafe, Kit Kat, Polo, Smarties, Aero, and Black Magic (2007). From this information, the different cultures that exist in both organizations and branches of the Nestle Corporation can be assumed. It has been reported that Nestle India has been strictly adhering to the business objectives of its mother company. The business objective of the company is to manufacture and market products that would sustain and create value for the consumers, stockholders, employees, business partners, and the economy of India over a long and significant period of time. In this regard, Nestle India is conscious of the fact that its success is the reflection of the professionalism, conduct and ethical values of the entire management and employees of the company. As such, the company aims to make sure that the companys operations and processes would be characterized with the highest standards of ethical and responsible conduct. In addition, the significant and distinct characteristic of Nestle India can be observed through its Corporate Business Principles and Management and Leadership Principles (2007). Based on Nestle Indias Business Principles, it can be perceived that the business practices of the company, particularly in terms of their respective decisions are characterized by typical Asian traditions, beliefs, and practices. It has been reported that one of the most successful departments or divisions of Nestle India is its chocolate and confectionery division. Being typically Asian, Indian workers in the company work altogether and collectively. Indians, like the rest of the other Asian nations tend to increase their interactions with one another, as with any other Asians, collectivism and group participation is an important aspect of work and interaction. On the other hand, being Western, the culture in the chocolate division of Nestle UK may not be as similar as the culture of Nestle India. This is because British employees, in general, are individualistic, independent, frank, and very open-minded individuals. Unlike the Indian employees, British employees may be somewhat more individual and more independent, thus, require less interaction from co-workers and other colleagues. British employees are performance-driven and goal-oriented, thus, chatting during working hours are not their required form of interaction in the working environment. This is further strengthened by the fact that Nestle UK is one of the dominating chocolate manufacturers in the United Kingdom, being part of the 3.6 billion Euros revenue of the UK chocolate market in 2004 (2005).   Another distinct data or characteristics that can be differentiated between the two branches of Nestle are the differences between their languages, religions, cultural beliefs, economy, politics, and social status. The major language of India is Hindi, while the major language spoken by the British citizens is English. The major religion of India is Hindu, while majority of the British citizens are Christians. In terms of cultural beliefs, Indian beliefs are rooted from their religion, Hindu, thus, their practices and values as well. This is also similar with the British, whos beliefs and cultural practices stem from Celtic and Christian beliefs. In terms of social, economic, and political status, India is considered a developing country, given its population and way of life, while the United Kingdom is regarded as one of the most powerful developed countries in the world. As such, in incidence of cross-cultural communication, discrimination, conflict, misunderstanding, and cultu ral ethnocentrism may exist.   In the event that a British national works in the Nestle India manufacturing plant, and vice versa, it can be assumed that problems and issues can be encountered, due to differences of approaches, culture, and language involved. In this regard, it can be assumed that changes in cross cultures may entirely affect business practices of an organization, even despite the influence and guidance of its mother company. This is because the approach of each Nestle company is customer-oriented, and based on the needs, preferences, and tastes of its consumers. In this regard, the sweetness, packaging, and taste of a particular chocolate confectionery in India, may be significantly different from the products in the United Kingdom. In addition, some products in the United Kingdom may not be present or available in India. 6. International Leadership Leadership style is a part of cultural distinctiveness. Among the western nations, American leadership style has been developed in the United States and the German leadership style embraced in Germany. France has it independent style. Likewise, in Asia a variety is present, and, Japan has promoted its independent distinctive style. Corporate leadership continues to be a quintessence of every nations old cultural legacy. UK follows a practical style of leadership. British leaders customarily stress upon social skills and practicality. Their courtesy, openness, self-discipline, and willpower are cultural assets. This guides them to be involved with interpersonal proficiency and advice. British leaders are more characteristic compared to their Portuguese or Spanish equivalents. Leaders are quite job-oriented and, reticent and courteous, thereby creating impersonal and proper settings for business dealings. In addition, British leaders possess a shorter-term viewpoint for their business development compared to the Swiss, Japanese and Germans. The leadership style of Italy, in contrast, has increased levels of autocracy with stress on the hierarchical pattern. Decision competencies are more focused on the top leadership, who is concerned with every facets of the business. 7. Case study of McDonalds operation in Europe The McDonalds Corporation is the largest food service operation in the world in terms of system-wide sales. At the beginning of 2000, it was operating more than 25,000 restaurants in 116 countries. A modest estimate of its current worldwide workforce would be around 1.5 million people, and 10 million people are estimated to have worked for the corporation since it was formed. More than one in ten Americans are considered to have got their first job at McDonalds, and it has now taken over from the US Army as having Americas largest job-training programme (Vidal, 1997 cited in Royle 2000, p. 16). It is an incredibly successful multinational and is expanding at a breath-taking rate. It plans to open between 2,500 and 3,200. In order to deal with different environmental factors in different countries, McDonalds has established a head office in every country where it operates. The head office in the United States still plays an important part in the decision-making. The U. S. head office regularly monitors the activities of its overseas operations. It has an international division, and its US consultants sometimes take part in European meetings. Meetings frequently take place between various European heads to discuss matters of cross-national importance (Royle, 2000). The structure of restaurant operation and administration in each country tends to follow similar pattern, but in some countries it appears to be more complicated than others. In some countries, some restaurants are operated as joint ventures or through holding companies. In most of the larger countries such as Germany and the UK, operations are usually split into several regions and are administered through regional offices in the major cities Royle, 2000). The heads of departments for each functional area are usually situated in the head offices (for example London and Munich), these functional areas being the executive, marketing, finance, personnel, purchasing, real estate, technical appliances and administration. Although there is a high level of central control, operations are normally administered directly from the regional offices. McDonalds system is very flexible in overcoming cultural, political and economic differences and obstacles in different societies (Royle, 2000). Fr anchise restaurants are local in the sense that they understand local issues, local culture and the kind of obstacles likely to confront the McDonalds system. Industrial relations, and specifically the relationship between the worker, the union, and the employer, vary dramatically from country to country. In Germany, for instance, codetermination is the rule. Here, employees have the legal right to a voice in setting company policies (Sims, 2002). The ability of trade unions to organize and gain recognition for collective bargaining at McDonalds varies considerably in different European countries.   In the case we see that culture has a tremendous impact on the operation of a multinational company McDonalds. The company operates worldwide. Although decision-making is still influenced by the head quarter in the United States, every country has a head office that deals with different issues particularly in the area of culture. We also see that the employees from different countries exhibit different values, attitudes and behaviours. These are derived from their culture. We see that McDonalds has become successful by implementing a localized strategy. The culture of the host country is taken into consideration. 8. Conclusion To conclude this leaders generally do not follow a single approach and they mix and match as per their needs and requirements. In critical situations, they are more dictatorial in nature as they face the prospect of failure. Leaders generally exhibit integrity, dedication (spending whatever time and energy that is required to get the job done, rather than giving it the available time), humility, openness (ability to understand new thoughts and ideas), and creativity . In order for business to be conducted smoothly, leaders need to aware of international cross cultural and need to adapt flexibly. Successful business leaders must shape their organizations to be more nimble and flexible, less hierarchical, and more networked. The fate of future business rests, in part, on how well business leaders can anticipate change, demonstrate authentic leadership, maximize the power of their talent, and embrace social responsibility. Todays leaders are already facing challenges and changes that are rapidly transforming where, how, and with whom they do business. Leaders who are adapting their strategies are merely keeping pace with change. A more strategic view of agility is about leaders anticipating trends and proactively defining innovative strategies.

Sweeney Todd :: essays research papers

Sweeney Todd is by no means a conventional musical; it takes several forms of music and theater and artfully places them together. Sondheim very effectively transports the audience back to Victorian England for a mad waltz with murder, mayhem...and meat pies. He also utilizes his skill as a choral composer to write some truly fascinating ensemble pieces accompanied by a very intricate plot with many elements carefully layered.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are several important thematic elements in this carefully written commentary on our society, and Sondheim makes good use of his music to accent not only the melodramatic plot, but these themes as well. For example, the song â€Å"Kiss Me† becomes an anthem for Anthony and Johanna and a symbol of their true love....they loved when they did not even know each other’s names. Sweeney Todd may be a dark musical, but its construction lends well to light voices and an equally light orchestral style. Plot-wise, this show is rather light, the characters seem cartoonish and one-dimensional, especially Mrs. Lovett, Anthony, and Johanna, who appear to be little more than melodramatic character roles. Ironically, Mrs. Lovett, the absolute capitalist, is one of the show’s most complex characters. Mrs. Lovett is not merely some amoral witch out to make a fast dollar, she is a character driven by greed and love to keep Sweeney however she can.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, the play gives an excellent example of captive innocence, and the loss of innocence that immediately follows. Sweeney is driven to murder, Mrs. Lovett bakes these people into pies, Johanna kills, Lucy is forced to become a Beggar and a whore, and nearly every major character experiences their own fall

Herbal Market

MALAYSIA HERBAL MARKET Currently, the value of global herbal market for nutraceuticals is at USD 70 billion and USD 20 billion for phytomedicines with an average growth rate between 15 to 20 percent annually. While the Malaysia herbal market is valued at RM 4. 55 billion 0f which 90 percent of the raw material used was imported. It is with this potential in mind that Malaysia’s herbal industry can be one of the agriculture Entry Point Projects under the National Key Economic Areas in the Economic Transformation Programme.According to the Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar, Malaysia's fast growing herbal industry is expected to contribute about RM2. 2 billion to Gross National Product (GNP) by 2020. While the world market for herbal products is expected to exceed RM2 trillion by 2020 from RM777 billion in 2009, the local herbal market was likely to grow 15 percent annually from RM7 billion in 2010 to about RM29 billion by 2020. Moreover, Malaysia h as been listed as the 12th most biodiversity nation in the world and ranks fourth in Asia.We have over 15,000 flowering plants and over 3000 species of medicinal plants in our rich biodiversity tropical rainforest. Of these about 200 are being used as herbal remedies and approximately 50 species are commonly used in traditional medicine preparation. Furthermore, Malaysians quite familiar for the uses of herbal products as our multi-ethnic communities have been practicing traditional medicine with herbal plants for centuries. In rural area, some of them still use poultices, myriad brews and pastes derived from herbal plants or used it for the purpose of physical ailments and beauty treatments.Therefore, upon realize the significance of herb, our government had given financial support to research work related to herbs in term of Intensified Research in Priority Areas (IRPA) grants, the focus areas by the National Biotechnology Directorate, as well as other grant schemes. For example, RM25 million had been allocated by the government for a local company to conduct clinical research on Tongkat Ali in order to securing approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA).Our government also support the effort that try to make halal pharmaceutical products being proved by the Halal standard for the pharmaceutical industry in order to protect the interests of Muslim consumers and all consumers in general the world over. Not only these, certain implementations also have been taken in view of turning Malaysia into a global herbal producer. World Health Organization (WHO) consistently reported that 80% of the world’s population depends on herbal medicine. There also a growing trend of people moving from synthetic allopathic drugs to herbal cures.This is because consumers realize the importance of health versus diseases, the changes in lifestyle, the growing of synthetic medical cost, and the growing knowledge of consumers about traditional medicines. Many co nsumers have known that the effective of herbal cures are the results of thousands years of herbal healing framework development through practise and error, observation, analysis and study. Moreover, there have been some high profile natural based cures such as Taxol plant for breast cancer and the Bintangor plant for AIDS.In order to achieve the goal stated in the previous paragraph, the highest standard of manufacturing should be included to be able to compete in terms of quality, safety, efficacy, pricing, and branding of products, as well as efficient distribution network and meeting international health certification standards. We also need to increase the domestic consumption by strengthen the domestic demand for Malaysian health foods and medicine besides reduce reliance on imported medicine, according to the speech by TAN SRI NOR MOHAMED YAKCOP.The ministry of health also has been diligently monitoring the herbal products in the market as well as conducted random sampling of herbal products to ensure that the standards of these products remain the same as the specified standards registered by the manufacturers. Notable markets for Malaysians herbal producer are USA, Europe, China, Japan and the Middle-east countries. This is important to ensure that our herbal product to penetrate the global export market.

Modern Artists and philosophers

Appropriate of all the choices we have at hand. However the instruments we use to define and determine our perception of our world have been leading man on in his quest for knowledge and science has been one of the key elements of this movement. But when looking at the history of the development, one comes to a degree of understanding regarding the evolution of scientific knowledge where one realizes that man has never actually been able to be sure of the legitimacy of his knowledge regarding the world around him (Time Inc. , 1965).Being modified under the most minute of observations and being based upon an infinite process of observations and experimentations has rendered science incapable of bringing man to peace with the world within which he lives. The outward appearance and the elements of the world that constitute it do not blend with each other. But interestingly, subjects of the non-scientific genre such as poetry and philosophy have begun to take the lead in this process of evolution of the perception man hold regarding the world around him (Heelan, 1989). Modern Artists and philosophers have contributed extensively to the cause.So much so that their work has reached well beyond the realm of the mind of the layman and requires delving into in order to be fully understood. The relationship between mind and body has now become even clearer than it was in the past as the scales of reliance of one upon the other have shifted. Modern philosophy has brought the mind of man to be the central element of his existence rather than the body. The body brings man to the elements around him, but it is his mind that allows man to reach a state where he can perceive their existence.The entities that appear to be based on their attributes and properties are in fact, not merely based on their attributes but it is these very attributes that give them existence, and for the same reason, it can be concluded that these attributes indeed, are the very entity itself. Similarl y, the perception of the space around man and all the elements present in space is also a subject matter that has undergone much debate and continues to be analyzed. In, the constituents of the universe each object has its own individual characteristics and attributes that make it an entity.However, the issues of whether the entity is based upon its unique attributes or the attributes together have a relationship amongst each other and come together to form the entity has been a much contested question. Over time philosophers have come to a point where it has been determined that the relationship between man and the entities in his universe amongst which he lives is not a matter so straightforward to comprehend. It is indeed nothing less than a breath taking sense of revelation that elates a person when one looks at the extent to which the perception of man about his world has evolved.From considering the entities around him to be mere instruments that are part of the universe and s erve only a secondary role to that of man, philosophers have come to a point where the entities that surround man are regarded to hold just as much significance as man himself holds. Works Cited Heelan, P. (1989). Space-Perception and the Philosophy of Science. University of California Press. Time Inc. (1965, May 7). The Limitations of Science. Retrieved January 28, 2009, from TIME: http://www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,898761,00. html

Case Study SG Cowen

Case Study SG Cowen SG Cowen: Recruitment process The hiring process in any company should be marched with the objectives to be attained by the new employees (Taylor 6). In fact, the set goals should inform the required skills and competencies during the hiring process (Turban and Daniel 733). In essence, for the firm to attain its goals and remain competitive, it must maintain a stream of skilled and competent employees (Barber 136).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Case Study: SG Cowen specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The key decision factors Cowen considers in making hiring decisions The hiring process in the company is based on the strategy of choosing the best candidate in the MBA class from the top business colleges. The candidates chosen are incorporated into the company’s associate programs. Even though the company is looking for the best talent, the criteria used in selecting the recruits do not secure talented candi date. The recruitment and the hiring process are even challenging. The considerations to the key positions include the high academic performances and considerable job accomplishments. Besides, the candidates must have attributes that are oriented towards the organization goals. An important area the company was considering includes exceptional academic achievement particularly in business. In addition, the candidate must show the right attitude and enthusiasm on the job to be provided. Other attributes the company was considering includes the interpersonal skills, social development skills, culture and communication skills. About the criteria The criteria used by the company to hire the best candidate are challenging and do not secure the talented candidates required. The hiring process begins by visiting business schools providing the information regarding the company intentions and the hiring process to the potential candidates. The visiting and the information provision process i s followed by the interview session, which is long and involve complex processes. As the case indicates, the hiring criteria in the company have many problems. First, the banking professionals undertake the hiring processes instead of the human resources managers. Human resources professionals are presumed to be having hiring skills and competency in the hiring process (Avery 672). Therefore, employing the banking professionals was a great mistake. Due to lack of formal training in the recruitment process, the SG Cowen employees ended up with recruitment criteria that stereotyped their candidates. The recruitment team considered factors such as the marital status, the type of English the candidate use, physical appearance as well as other personal attributes that does not add value to the firm (Agnvall 3).Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In fact, the candidate s are chosen according to the interviewer individual belief. The process leads to biases through which the candidates are chosen. As indicated in the case, the prejudice of individual towards a particular candidate can sway the whole team not to select the best candidate. The hiring criteria based on subjective measures compromises the attainment of the company objectives (Allen 77). The hiring process should not be based on long procedures. The hiring procedure should be specific to the competencies the company needs (Kiger 39). Since the hiring process in SG Cowen is long and based on subjectivity, the process can be described as being unfair. The two Candidates to Choose Selecting the best two candidates among the remaining pool of four candidates proved to be challenging task. In fact, this was the most important decision to be made by the recruiting bankers. Serious considerations have to be made regarding the candidates as all have the required qualifications. For the right ca ndidate to be selected, the bankers should look for the distinct attributes that differentiate the applicants (Billsberry 23). The attributes should add value to the firm (Ployhart et al 47). The bankers are to make decisions that have two important consequences to the organization. The decision on the type of recruit will affect the success of the company. In other words, the recruits the bankers are going to select will either make the company succeed or fail. Therefore, the candidates must have the right attitude towards the success of the organization goals (Overman 3). Generally, the success of the firm depends on the quality of its workforce. The quality of new hires must also imitate the quality needed in the workforce (Breaugh 103). The decision also influences the quality of the workforce. The bankers must identify the person having the cultural fit for the organization. Therefore, giving an approval for the right candidate who fit culturally within the organization is crit ical for the maintenance of the company reputation and credibility (Jattuso and Evans 139). In addition, making the right hiring decisions will increase the personal credentials as well as benefits that come with it.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Case Study: SG Cowen specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Based on the above criteria, the first candidate that could have been chosen among the four is Natalya Godlewska. The candidate possesses strong academic credentials compared to other candidates. The candidate holds good grades in both her MBA and undergraduate studies. In addition, the candidate has perfect referrals from her former employees. Among the distinct attributes the candidate possess include hardwork, determination, ambitious, and the right attitude towards work (Hansen 59). In addition, leaving its former jobs to join the firm indicates the enthusiasm and the right energy the candidate has towards the job. Even though some of the members expressed reservations on her cultural fit in terms of language barriers, the candidate still outfit the others based on her competence and experience. The candidate’s background explains her poor English but that will not have greater impact of her job delivery. Moreover, the candidate has successfully worked in other firms, which is a proof of success in her social skills. Further, the candidate has mastered her graduate courses in US graduate schools where English is used. Language does not determine the candidate social and cultural adaptability within the workplace (Backhaus 117) The second candidate that could have been chosen is Ken Goldstein. According to the criteria set by the company, all members of the team commended the candidate. In addition, the former employer has put the candidate in high evaluation points. Moreover, the former employer has recommended the candidate for high performance that the firm requires. Besides aca demic credentials and the company criteria, the candidate is a team player an attribute that is highly regarded by the firm. The reservations being expressed by some members that the candidate cannot fit among the recruits due to family commitments are based on subjective recruitment critter. In essence, such an attribute is not important as being competent and able to deliver the results.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The most important attribute the new hire should express is the commitment towards the organization success (Pulley 89). The success of the candidate in Price Waterhouse Coopers expresses his commitment despite additional domestic responsibilities. Such commitment will be simulated in the firm. Agnvall, Elizabeth. â€Å"Hiring at-home workers.† Staffing Management, 4.4 (2008): 2-5. Print. Allen, David.Retaining talent: A guide to analyzing and managing employee turnover. Alexandria: VA SHRM Foundation, 2008. Print. Avery, Dereck. â€Å"Reactions to diversity in recruitment advertising: Are differences black and white?† Journal of Applied Psychology, 88.4 (2003): 672-679. Backhaus, Kristine. â€Å"An exploration of corporate recruitment descriptions on Monster.com.† Journal of Business Communication, 41.2 (2004): 115-136. Print. Barber, Alison. The hiring challenge: Recruitment in small firms. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing, 2005. Print. Billsberry, J ames. Experiencing recruitment and selection. Chichester, UK: John Wiley Sons, 2007. Print. Breaugh, James. â€Å"Employee recruitment: Current knowledge and important areas for future research.† Human Resource Management Review, 18.3 (2008): 103-118. Print. Hansen, Frank. â€Å"Employee referral programs, selective campus recruitment could touch off bias charges.† Workforce Management, 18.6 (2006): 58-59. Print. Jattuso, Mia and Evans Sinar. â€Å"Source effects in Internet-based screening procedures.† International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 11.7 (2003): 137-140. Print. Kiger, Patrick. â€Å"Burnishing your employment brand.† Workforce Management, 86.18 (2007): 39-45. Print. Overman, Stephenie. â€Å"Show off your brand.† Staffing Management 2.1 (2006): 2-6. Print. Ployhart, Robert, Benjamin Schneider and Neal Schmitt. Staffing organizations: Contemporary practice and theory. New York: Routledge, 2006. Print. Pulley, John. â€Å"When the grass wasn’t greener.† Staffing Management, 32.3. (2006): 89-91. Print. Taylor, William. â€Å"To hire sharp employees, recruit in sharp ways.† Staffing Management, 3.2 (2006): 6-7. Print. Turban, Daniel and Daniel Cable. â€Å"Firm reputation and applicant pool characteristics.† Journal of Organizational Behavior, 24.6 (2003): 733-751. Print.

human Rights essays

human Rights essays Human , the most superior and the highest value of the world. Its a creature who has already known its value and also its a creature which is trying to increase that value. So , What are the social necessity to help us to define it and necessity to make human be a human. That is of course RIGHTS. Rights , give the talent of be an individual to people . After that , when a person be an individual , it is the time of improving she or her self and thinking about the future. We can collect the rights in three frame. These are Political , Economic and Social Rights. Naturally, To make these rights a legal institution and prevent to be a desire only . We need a human rights protection system. If so , What are the right and rights entirely and How is a protection system will be We define the right as an entitlement to act or be treated in a particular way (1). In todays world , rights are belong to two legal system. The first one is in The USAs Bill Of Rights system (2). According to that system , The rights decelerated by a written text or constitution. Because of that , citizens are sure about what can they do. That method is called The pozitive rights system. However the other system was built up on prohibitions not the rights. We will give the UK for an example to that system. In that legal system , there are no written constitution or bill of rights but also there are prohibitions . That means , Citizens of the State can understand what they can do from the what can they do not . Also this system is called Negative Rights Method. Now , I can named the rights one by one and can define them by help of these previous basic knowledge. Politic rights are not stated by the government and people had died for these rights in many times. When we are going to define the politic rights , we depend on the Bill of Rights System (written and constitutional ) . In any case , that system is the most popular one in the world . Beside...

The Story of Semele as Told by Nemesis

The Story of Semele as Told by Nemesis Semele was a daughter of Poseidons grandson, Cadmus, the King of Thebes, and Harmonia. Through Harmonia, Semele was a granddaughter of Ares and the cousin of Aphrodite, and therefore, great-granddaughter of Zeus. Do you remember the genealogy of Achilles? Zeus was his great-great-great-grandfather once and great-great-great-great-grandfather twice on Achilles fathers mothers side. Lusty Zeus even wanted to mate with Thetis, Achilles mother but was scared off when he heard that her son would eclipse his father in fame. Considering the number of times Zeus insinuated himself into the genealogies of the heroes, and the founders of the great cities, youd think he was trying single-handedly to populate Greece. Despite the fact that Zeus was (old enough to be) Semeles great-granddad, Semele, and Zeus became lovers. Hera, jealous as usual - and, as usual, with a cause - disguised herself as a mortal nurse. Working in this capacity at the Theban court of King Cadmus, Hera as nurse Beroe gained the confidence of Princess Semele. When Semele became pregnant, Hera-Beroe put an idea into her mind. You might be more familiar with another variation on the same theme: The most beautiful woman in the world, Psyche, was given as a bride to a mysterious creature (whom she did not know was the son of Aphrodite Cupid) as a punishment for detracting from the worship of the goddess Aphrodite. Life was grand even though Psyche was only allowed to visit with her husband in the cover of darkness. Psyches two jealous sisters did what they could to spoil Psyches nighttime fun. They told Psyche her husband was probably a hideous monster and that was why he didnt want her to see him. Persuaded that they might be right, Psyche disobeyed the rule set down by her divine husband. To get a clear look at him, she shone a lamp on his face, saw the most beautiful being she could have imagined, and dropped a bit of lamp oil upon him. Burned, he instantly awoke. Seeing that Psyche had distrusted and therefore disobeyed him (actually, his mother Aphrodite), he flew away. For Psyche to regain her gorgeous husband Cupid, she had to placate Aphrodite. This included making a return trip to the Underworld. Like Psyches jealous sister, the goddess who is a past-mistress of jealousy, Hera, sowed seeds of doubt and jealousy in Semele. Hera persuaded Semele that she wouldnt know if the man who was presenting himself to her as Zeus was a god unless he revealed himself to Semele in godlike form. Furthermore, Semele wouldnt know if Zeus loved her unless he made love to her in the same way he made love to his wife, Hera. Semele was young, and pregnancy can do odd things, so Semele, who probably should have known better, prevailed upon Zeus to grant her (or rather Hera-Beroes) request. Why did Zeus oblige? Was he vain enough to want to impress the young woman? Was he foolish enough to think it wouldnt hurt? Did he know he could convince anyone that he was under an obligation of honor to do as Semele requested? Did he want to be both mother and father to the unborn child? Ill let you decide. Zeus, revealing himself in his full thunder-bolting glory, killed the frail human Semele. Before her body was cold, Zeus had snatched from it the six-month unborn child and sewed it into his thigh. When the thigh-sewn child was born, he was named Dionysus. Among the Thebans, rumors - planted by Hera - persisted that Zeus had not been his father. Instead, Dionysus was the entirely mortal son of Semele and a mortal man. Dionysus dispensed with any mortal who cast aspersions on his mothers reputation by doubting that her sexual liaison had been divine - although why mating with the philandering Zeus confers honor in mortal circles is beyond me. Whats more, with the permission of Zeus, the dutiful Dionysus went to the Underworld and raised his mother Semele from the dead so that, like Psyche, she could live along with her child, among the gods.

The Watergate Scandal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Watergate Scandal - Essay Example Soon things got worse forcing President Nixon to step down from office as President of the United States. Apart from resignation of President Nixon on August 1972, the scandal also led to the indictment, trial and imprisonment of 43 accomplices most of whom were administration official of President Nixon2. This paper will explore the Watergate Scandal from the buildup, the scandal, the end, and the aftermath. The Watergate scandal is said to have originated from the hostile political environment of the 1960s general elections3. This is attributed to the fact that by 1972 when President Richard Nixon was seeking for his reelection as president of the United States as republican candidate, the country was already deeply divided internally as a result of the Vietnam War of 1955to 1975. Because of the harsh political environment, Nixon and his henchmen found it prudent to employ forceful campaign tactics in order to be able to sabotage his opponent, particularly his challenger Gerald For d, the then democratic candidate4. The aggressive campaign strategies used by Nixon and his advisers included what later emerged as an illegal spying. This is after the evidence gathered at the scene revealed that some member of Nixon’s re-election committee (CREEP) broke into Watergate building, the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee on May 1972 stealing copies of confidential documents and then bugged the phones in the office. Mark Feldstein reveals that despite having stolen the DNC’s top-secret document, the wiretaps stolen could not work properly forcing the burglars to return to Watergate headquarters on 17 June of the same year.5 However, this time round the burglars came with new microphone, but before they could break in, one of the security guard called Frank Willis saw a piece of tape wrapped on the locker of the door leading into the stairwell. Willis quickly removed the tape oblivious of water was happening. However, since he suspected that something was a mess, he rushed to the telephone and called the Metropolitan Police who came to Watergate few minutes later and began conducting a thorough search in the building6. It is then that the police realized that all the doors leading to stairwell of the sixth floor had been taped in a similar manner7. Investigation also revealed that the Democratic National Committee had rented the entire sixth floor. The police officers then began moving from one office to the next in the entire sixth floor with arsenals drawn8. No soon had they entered the offices Stanley Grieg, of Deputy Party Chairman than a man came out from his hiding place and surrendered to the officers pleading not to be shot. Subsequent searches led to the arrest of five men in the offices all wearing surgical gloves and business suits. A team of investigators learnt that the main purpose for the break-in by the burglars was to bug Lawrence O’Brien, the DNC chairman’s offices and get files related t o their campaign strategy that might help republicans in the forthcoming presidential elections9. Investigators also found out that the burglars had all booked suits fictitiously at the Watergate Hotel. The police officers also conducted a search in their rooms and in DNC offices in which $5,000 numbered as $100 bills was found plus

Change Management process Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Change Management process - Coursework Example In addition accept changes in the current business environment and embracing the desired change. Organizational change is a planned approach for ensuring smooth transition and successfully implementation of change (Hayes 150). The business needs to keep changing to remain relevant in the industry. Changes in the organization are brought about by internal and external factors of the business. According to Jabri (20) internal drivers to change in any business include: To compete effectively, it is mandatory at times for businesses to change their strategies. Adjustment in business strategies is in response to external environments. These adjustments may involve changing some fundamental approaches by the business like the target market. Structural changes in the business may involve changing the hierarchy of authority. These changes are influence by internal and external factors. All changes in the management of the business are structural. Structural changes may involve change in management or change in simple polices in the organization. The business may be forced to reengineer its processes to optimize on productivity. The introduction of the machine in the business is one way of changing the process. This internal driver influences only organization’s with production processes. SolarTech Ltd. is influenced by this type of driver. Restructuring of the organization is crucial to benefit from new technologies. The main goal for any organization is minimizing costs and maximizing revenue. According to Treat (160), technology helps maximizing output while minimizing inputs. With that in mind the organization changes its structure for the new technologies to save labour costs. The introduction of the new machine is due to this driver to change. This is a modern internal driver to change. The tradition notion of ‘going to work’ has changed drastically in many organizations. A recent survey has shown

Analysis of a drama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of a drama - Essay Example The play effectively demonstrates these conditions by providing realistic situations and scenarios to the readers. Through the play, Ibsen sheds the light on and examines the lives of the three women from different socioeconomic classes: Nora, an affluent wife of an attorney; Mrs. Linde, a middle class woman who surrenders love to acquire riches for her family; and the nanny, a struggling lower- class citizen who gives up her integrity for the sake of her children. Although Ibsen dose not clearly state these sacrifices in words, he paints vivid images of the bitterness these women endure emotionally through their actions and reactions to the things that happen around them. In the first part, we are introduced to a character named Nora, an economically advantaged housewife to an oppressive husband, Torvald Helmer. Although it may appear that Nora has all that she wants in life, she nonetheless is forced to endure a difficult and emotionally unhappy life. Trapped in a society that predetermines the men to be the dominant partner in a marriage, Nora is forced to concede to Torvald’s condescending actions and words towards her. He not only governs her personal life, he also questions her management of money and constantly finds new excuses to insult her family. Torvald screams at Nora during Act I: You are an odd little soul. Very much like your father. You†¨always find some new way of wheedling money out of me, and, as†¨soon as you have got it, it seems to melt in your hands. You†¨never know where it has gone. Still, one must take you as you†¨are. It is in the blood; for indeed it is true that you can†¨inherit these things, Nora. (Ibsen,442) Torvald’s tyrannical dictatorship over Nora in this relationship epitomizes a marriage in society during Ibsen’s time. The actually location of this relationship in the play coupled with Nora’s stubbornness and unwillingness to submit

Integrated STEM Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Integrated STEM Education - Essay Example For the K-12 learners, it is evident that they require approaches that will increase their interest in the subjects. Through the integrated approach, the National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council (2014) point out that the learners will be more motivated and encouraged to design their own knowledge of the environment around them. It is, therefore, arguable to conclude that integrated approaches learners are more motivated to learn the STEM subjects. Successful integration of STEM has also seen the teachers be conversant with their roles in the classroom setting. The educators, as seen in the research conducted by National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council (2014), have played the role of encouraging the learners to continually solve problems that emanate from the STEM fields. It is expected that these approaches, will undoubtedly see an integrated STEM

Haven't choose a topic. Please help make one Essay

Haven't choose a topic. Please help make one - Essay Example Iago believes that he has the potential, desired characteristics and qualifications necessary for the position in question. He says, â€Å"And I know my worth well enough to know I deserve that position.† He is against Othello’s choice for the position that spikes his hatred for him. Othello on his part prefers Cassio a guy from Florence to be his assistant rather than Iago. Iago confines in Roderigo about his anger and eventual plan. Iago, on the other hand, sees Cassio as unsuitable for that position accorded to him. Iago says, â€Å"He has never commanded men in any battle. He’s got no more hands to the knowledge of warfare than an old woman.† His loyalty to Othello is also in the balance due him being left out, and this comes out when he asks Roderigo if he should fell loyal to Othello after e betrayed him. Iago hates his master Othello, and this illustration is evident when he tells Roderigers that his main reason for serving Othello is to get what he wants. And he is only hiding his real feelings about the job in order to get enough time to execute his plans, Iago states, â€Å" I’m not whom I appear to be.† His friend Roderigo who also has a grudge with Othello for taking away the woman he had always dreamed of marrying, Brabantio’s daughter and the love of his life from him. Ths situation is decribed by statements like â€Å"The native act and figure of my heart. In compliment extern, ’tis not long after. But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve. For daws to peck at. I am not what I am† (I.i.57–65).He found an excellent chance to get back at Othello for this reason and therefore supporting Iago as he was to achieve too. When Othello secretly gets married to Desdemona, Iago, and his ally raises an alarm at Brabantio’s house informing h im of what had happened behind his back. Iago then quickly leaves the place to join his master so that he is not suspected to have been part of the betrayal. He saysof him, â€Å"IAGO Even now, now, very now, an

- Art and Music Appreciation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

- Art and Music Appreciation - Essay Example Perhaps she is Lady Macbeth. The style is neo-classical but later than Goya. If I cover the dagger with my finger, the painting suddenly changes and could be a placid, ordinary portrait of a beautiful young girl with no malevolence evident on her face. C. I know that this is by controversial sculptor Daniel Edwards, who makes statements about social polemics such as alcoholism and public nursing of babies. Because of the black background this is probably installed in an exhibition. It looks as if the clay is fresh and wet: so the idea has ‘just occurred’ to the artist - but the tiaras on both the dog and the woman, and her careful hairstyle suggest a long consideration of the subject, which at first looks beautiful, but is then confronting because of her position. D. This is a chocolate box top. It is a pretty scene: very bland and without statement. It is photographically correct, and although there is contrast between the church steeple in the background that is bathed in light and the dark shack in the foreground, there is lack of meaning. Paintings without people such as this landscape can be hung quite high on a wall because they are not intimate. E. This immediately says ‘Dali’ - the recognizable moustache makes it a portrait of that famous surrealist. But it is signed Merello, so it is by Jose Merello, the modern Spanish expressionist. But even if I did not know this, I would expect the painting to be hung in a colorful room full of other modern paintings. The various shapes, objects and words around the figure make it interesting, making the viewer want to approach and inspect every detail. Mozart alternates very fast stretches with slow ones in this symphony. It makes you feel that the composer was in a furious hurry to put down the notes before someone interrupted his muse. His character is fully in the music, like the speech of a very precocious child: fast and

Haven't choose a topic. Please help make one Essay

Haven't choose a topic. Please help make one - Essay Example Iago believes that he has the potential, desired characteristics and qualifications necessary for the position in question. He says, â€Å"And I know my worth well enough to know I deserve that position.† He is against Othello’s choice for the position that spikes his hatred for him. Othello on his part prefers Cassio a guy from Florence to be his assistant rather than Iago. Iago confines in Roderigo about his anger and eventual plan. Iago, on the other hand, sees Cassio as unsuitable for that position accorded to him. Iago says, â€Å"He has never commanded men in any battle. He’s got no more hands to the knowledge of warfare than an old woman.† His loyalty to Othello is also in the balance due him being left out, and this comes out when he asks Roderigo if he should fell loyal to Othello after e betrayed him. Iago hates his master Othello, and this illustration is evident when he tells Roderigers that his main reason for serving Othello is to get what he wants. And he is only hiding his real feelings about the job in order to get enough time to execute his plans, Iago states, â€Å" I’m not whom I appear to be.† His friend Roderigo who also has a grudge with Othello for taking away the woman he had always dreamed of marrying, Brabantio’s daughter and the love of his life from him. Ths situation is decribed by statements like â€Å"The native act and figure of my heart. In compliment extern, ’tis not long after. But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve. For daws to peck at. I am not what I am† (I.i.57–65).He found an excellent chance to get back at Othello for this reason and therefore supporting Iago as he was to achieve too. When Othello secretly gets married to Desdemona, Iago, and his ally raises an alarm at Brabantio’s house informing h im of what had happened behind his back. Iago then quickly leaves the place to join his master so that he is not suspected to have been part of the betrayal. He saysof him, â€Å"IAGO Even now, now, very now, an

Effects on Divorce on Children Essay Example for Free

Effects on Divorce on Children Essay However some people think that its an easy process to get a divorce two separate roperties and signing papers may seem like an easy task some however there are major problems can arise from the divorce like who is going to keep the timeshare in Aspen. But one vital issue arises with the presence of children and how it will affect them in the long run studies suggest that children that go through divorce express signs of distress for example acting out in school. Divorce is Just as hard on the children as it is the adults and if they overlook this their children might be affected for even years to come showing concern for this might prevent this. More than half of all divorces involve children under the age of 18. Divorce does not only affect the husband and wife, but now more than ever their children get mixed up in the, sometimes ugly, process of divorce. A vital question every parent should consider is will divorce have effects on children and is staying together for the sake of their well-being the best resolution, if not what are the ideal approaches to minimize the childs distress? The overall reason I picked this topic is because after a divorce many young children are confused. They are confused because they are sometimes too young to nderstand what is going on so they tend to scream for help but their parents ignore them. Then they can sometimes start to act out in school and their parents know why they are doing it but cannot help them express their feelings. This topic is sociologically important because young children need help understanding what divorce is and how to cope with it. All of these reason Ill be sure to make a point of explaining them further and using reliable statistics taken from studies of children of divorce. This question should interest almost everyone that plans of getting married in the future. Divorce clearly isnt something that couples want or even expect in a marriage but unfortunately such events occur that lead to divorce and it is crucial to know how it may affect children in the long run. David Masci the author of the article Does divorce turn children into troubled adults? argues that divorce might turn children into troubled adults, and I agree because he provides viable evidence to support his theory. His argument that is supported by new research showing that almost half of all children in the United States have to deal with their parents dissolution of marriage nd these some of these children show signs of distress in the later year. Mainly likelihood of health, emotional, and behavioral problems, lower academic achievement and an increased risk of divorce when they marry. In addition, early sex, out-of-wedlock pregnancy, alcohol and drug abuse, delinquency and suicide are more prevalent among adolescents from divorced families than among those from intact families (Masci) I wholeheartedly endorse what David Masci argues. While many children grow up leading healthy and productive lives after a divorce occurs, they are at greater risk for emotional and physical problems. Some children are more emotionally affected by divorce than others. But some do not experience serious, long-term emotional problems A childs emotional security also becomes more fragile during this difficult time of divorce. Fears that both parents will abandon the child are common. Depending on the age of the child, some of the ways a child might express this emotional insecurity may be large amounts of anger, directed both toward others and themselves frequent breaking of rules, sleep problems, defying parents or teachers, frequent guilt, increasing isolation or withdrawal from friends and family, drug and/or alcohol buse, early sexual activity, thoughts of suicide or violence. Many children of divorce believe that they caused the divorce or that they did something wrong that made one or both parents not want to be with them. These feelings can cause a child to feel sad, depressed, and angry. These negative emotions can contribute to other problems, such as poor health, difficulty in school, and problems with friends, to name a few. Parents can help their children avoid some of the negative consequences of these emotions by using emotion coaching, a process of helping children be aware of and talk about their emotions. Children who experience the divorce of their parents generally are more likely to struggle socially compared to children from intact families. They are more likely to be aggressive, have poorer relationships with same-age children, and have fewer close friends. Also, these children and teenagers appear to be less involved in extracurricular activities, such as sports or music, and other enrichment programs, such as after-school classes or summer programs. This is likely due to less money to pay for such activities, less availability of parents to drive the child and attend lessons and events, ore frequent moves, and visiting and custody schedules that interrupt participation in team sports and other activities. Children and teenagers who experience the divorce of their parents may end up getting less parental supervision. As a result, some scholars believe that these children may be more susceptible to the influence of their peers and this increases the chances of them getting involved in deviant behavior, including drug and alcohol use and smoking. Generally, research has not found large differences in how boys and girls tend to adjust to divorce. However, it seems that boys, more than girls, tend to be more aggressive toward others and this can lead to their friends and peers rejecting them. Boys may be somewhat more likely to act in defiant ways at home and in school; girls may be somewhat more likely to experience anxiety and depression. A childs age when his or her parents divorce is another factor that parents worry about. But divorce on children has not shown a consistent pattern. Some studies suggest that romantic relationships in the future of children of divorce can be affected because of their experiences as a young child. In addition, ome scholars believe that children of divorce are less likely to learn crucial social skills in the home, such as cooperation, negotiation, and compromise that are necessary for success in life. Children exposed to high levels of conflict between their parents, both before and after a divorce, may learn to model the poor communication of their parents.

Society and Physical Appearance

Society and Physical Appearance Nowadays people feel a responsibility to fit into todays society. People want to look as better as possible due to the outside influences one has. In the online article written by Jane Shure readers are able to realize how the surroundings have a great effect on choices that we make. This article points out three major categories on which tries to explain in more detail the troubles with body images. Readers are able to see how cultural background plays an important role on peoples body image. Couple of factors that influences notoriously on todays society is the media and advertising companies. These two change peoples perspectives in having an idea on what we should look like, being that just of myth that is not a reality. Many people tend to follow this ideal look due to the reason that media is exposing visual and audio messages every day, which is unrealistic. Some may even get to the point of having health issues becoming bulimic or anorexic due to the reason that they want to fit into those role models that the media exposes. Readers are also able to see that peers and family could affect positively or negatively in the way one feels. Most of the time peoples body image is negatively affected due to the fact the parents neglect to provide confidence for child wasnt sufficient enough for them to feel positive themselves and create that confidence on how they look and how they think people look at them. Peers also play an important role on peoples body imagines. As a one is growing up, peers tend to criticize by the outside appearance because of you physical appearance. For example, kids tend to be shorter, fatter, and skinnier than others are. Due to the many studies that have been done from a psychological perspective, body image could be explained through the social cultural perspective. Sociocultural perspective refers to behavior one follows due to the surroundings the individual has from how they act and how they look at things from their point view. This varies because we all come from different background and we each have different beliefs that make us act different from one another depending the situation we are in. One can clearly see how this sociocultural perspective strongly relates to the article written by Jane Shure in that it explains the influences that affects ones behavior. An example would be that body image is greatly influenced by family and peers (Shure, 2009). This is important because through this readers can realize that growing up as a child family and peers have a great influence in the way we act and behave to others. This is an example of sociocultual perspective because family and peers are an outside influencers that due to the interaction that people have day by day, they influence greatly in the choices and ideas one has (Wade, 2008). Another example of the article that relates the sociocultural perspective is the way media influences society in what they should look like. An example would be how the fashion industry does a great job in influencing what we should buy in order to fit in (Sadaba, 1997). This is important because through this one can see how the media manipulates ones actions and preferences as to what we should and should not like. According to the sociocultural perspective this example relates strongly to this perspective in that people dont chose what they really want, they rather follow the crowd by listening to what society is advising them to acquire (Wade 2008). Lastly, another example that could help us understand better, how the sociocultural perspective relates to the article would be the challenge individuals could face in changing the idea of what our body should look like. Because our surroundings have great influences in how we see and look at ourselves, it is very difficult in changing the idea that media, family, and peers have influence us in believing what the ideal image should be (Sadaba, 1997). This is essential in that because one has been influenced since childhood; it would be difficult to change the way you see yourself and others. Through this one can see the sociocultural perspective in that the cause of how we fell physically living in our body is due to the fact that the body image that has been established through our surroundings (Wade, 2008). In conclusion, studying the issue on physical appearance from a sociocultural perspective would help in solving this problem in helping individuals look at themselves more positively. On example in how studying this issue from this perspective would help others would be in that they can realize that they do not have to follow the unrealistic model ideal look that they media portraits that we should look like. This would help in changing the individuals body image that one should look like in loving themselves and loving other how they are and not judge them by their physical appearance. Another example that studying this issue from this perspective can help in solving this problem would be that one should surround ourselves with family and peers that can positively can help us in increasing our confidence. This would be very important because individuals would surround themselves by people who would love and not judge them by their physical appearance. References Sadaba, Stanley W. Applied Social Psychology. (1997). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Shure, Jane, PHD (2009). How Body Image Impacts Self-Esteem. Submitted on Feb. 19, 2009 from http://www.selfgrowth.com Wade, C. Tavris, C. (2008). Invitation to Psychology (4th ed.). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.

An Investigation into Freshmen Student Perceptions of the Effectiveness

All the students taking part in this project were freshmen students in their first semester at State University, and almost all came straight from high school. All but one of them had experience of studying overseas for periods ranging from one year to, in one case, their whole life. Only one student had their whole educational experience in Japan, but even this student attended internationals school in Japan for the most part. So they were a very, very diverse group in terms of their international experience as the graphic above shows, as there is a map icon for each country a student spent at least one year in as a student. This information came from an in class survey as I was giving a presentation on this class and these students to the wider ELA community as part of the summer teacher retreat program. The students themselves were at the very top of the English language ability range at Sate University and almost native speaker level, indeed some of them spoke better English than Japanese and many had a third or fourth language ability. In terms of their English they all scored 650 or higher on their TOEFL entrance test, and they also all did very well in their personal interviews with ELA teachers before being selected for stream 1. AS they all spent time in either English speaking countries or schools this was not surprising, indeed 9 of the students came from the same class at ICU High School next door to my university and just across the road from the ELA building. In common with the undergraduate student body at ICU in general, the gender make up of the class was roughly 65% female and 35 % male as there were 8 males and 14 females. In addition like most universities the vast majority of the freshmen intake at ICU ... ...2014, from http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/about-dyslexia/further-information/dyslexia-style-guide.html Urata, N. (1996). â€Å"Evaluation Issues in Contemporary Japanese Universities.† Vaus, D. de. (2002). Surveys In Social Research (5th ed.). Routledge. Wagner, M. (n.d.). Personal Learning Networks for Educators: 10 Tips - Getting Smart by Guest Author - edchat, EdTech, PLN. Getting Smart. Retrieved from http://gettingsmart.com/2012/01/personal-learning-networks-for-educators-10-tips/ World University Rankings 2013-2014 - Times Higher Education. (2013). Retrieved January 4, 2014, from http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2013-14/world-ranking Yano, M. (2013). Japan’s New Recruits: Victims of the Japanese-Style Family and Japanese-Style Employment. Has the Japanese Employment System Changed?, 10(1), 62.

jermey mcgrath Essays -- essays research papers

Wide Open Jeremy McGrath   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A man named Jeremy McGrath a Supercross legend finds himself to be the best of the best. He has won Seven 250 Supercross championships, two 125’s, one outdoor, and two FIM World Supercross championships. He is now dominating all of Motorcross and is becoming a legend. â€Å"Jeremy McGrath is an unlikely champion who became a legend in Supercross, and helped bring the sport out of the backyard and into your living room†. Wining 12 major championships is not the easiest thing ever. Having almost 3 perfect seasons is even harder. But Jeremy McGrath has accomplished almost all of these. He wants us to understand that the life of a professional rider is not all it is worked up to be, but there are good days then there are bad days and it takes a lot to get to the top. He was a young kid who didn’t have a factory ride was from California and had trouble buying a bike. But he rode like a champion, practiced like a champion, and soon found himself rising to the top where he would become a legend in Motorcross. He is the one that brought Motorcross to the level that we see it at today. Jeremy McGrath was born in 1971 and had grown up in California most for of his life, living a normal wild childhood. He had one sister a mother and a dad named Jack. As he was young he had gotten into BMX racing. He would come home from school everyday and just ride his bicycle around the yard. His dad noticed one day that he was riding his bike prett...

The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Nine

Jack staggered out of bed at precisely fourteen minutes before seven. Waking had been an elaborate undertaking. He had, after Miss Eversleigh had departed the night before, rung for a maid and given her strict orders to rap on his door at fifteen minutes past six. Then, as she was leaving, he thought the better of it and revised his directive to six sharp raps at the appointed time, followed by another twelve fifteen minutes later. It wasn't as if he was going to make it out of bed on the first attempt, anyway. The maid had also been informed that if she did not see him at the door within ten seconds of the second set of raps, she was to enter the room and not depart until she was certain he was awake. And finally, she was promised a shilling if she did not breathe a word of this to anyone. â€Å"And I'll know if you do,† he warned her, with his most disarming smile. â€Å"Gossip always makes its way back to me.† It was true. No matter the house, no matter the establishment, the maids always told him everything. It was amazing how far one could travel on nothing but a smile and a puppy-dog expression. Unfortunately for Jack, however, what his plan boasted in strategy, it lacked in eventual execution. Not that the maid could be blamed. She carried out her part to the letter. Six sharp raps at fifteen minutes past six. Precisely. Jack managed to pry one eye about two-thirds of the way open, which proved to be just enough to focus upon the clock on his bedside table. At half six he was snoring anew, and if he only counted seven of the twelve raps, he was fairly certain the fault was his, not hers. And really, one had to admire the poor girl's adherence to plan when faced with his somewhat surly No, followed by: Go away; Ten more minutes; I said, ten more minutes; and Don't you have a bloody pot to scrub? At fifteen minutes before seven, as he teetered on his belly at the edge of his bed, one arm hanging limply over the side, he finally managed to get both eyes open, and he saw her, sitting primly in a chair across the room. â€Å"Er, is Miss Eversleigh awake?† he mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his left eye. His right eye seemed to have shut again, trying to pull the rest of him along with it, back into sleep. â€Å"Since twenty minutes before six, sir.† â€Å"Chipper as a bloody mockingbird, too, I'm sure.† The maid held her tongue. He cocked his head, suddenly a bit more awake. â€Å"Not so chipper, eh?† So Miss Eversleigh was not a morning person. The day was growing brighter by the second. â€Å"She's not so bad as you,† the maid finally admitted. Jack pushed his legs over the side and yawned. â€Å"She'd have to be dead to achieve that.† The maid giggled. It was a good, welcome sound. As long as he had the maids giggling, the house was his. He who had the servants had the world. He'd learned that at the age of six. Drove his family crazy, it did, but that just made it all the sweeter. â€Å"How late do you imagine she would sleep if you didn't wake her?† he asked. â€Å"Oh, I couldn't tell you that,† the maid said, blushing madly. Jack did not see how Miss Eversleigh's sleep habits might constitute a confidence, but nonetheless he had to applaud the maid for her loyalty. This did not mean, however, that he would not make every attempt to win her over. â€Å"What about when the dowager gives her the day off?† he asked, rather offhandedly. The maid shook her head sadly. â€Å"The dowager never gives her the day off.† â€Å"Never?† Jack was surprised. His newfound grandmother was exacting and self-important and a host of other annoying faults, but she'd struck him as, at the heart, somewhat fair-minded. â€Å"Just afternoons,† the maid said. And she leaned forward, looking first to her left and then her right, as if there might actually be someone else in the room who could hear her. â€Å"I think she does it just because she knows that Miss Eversleigh is not partial to mornings.† Ah, now that did sound like the dowager. â€Å"She gets twice as many afternoons,† the maid went on to explain, â€Å"so it does even out in the end.† Jack nodded sympathetically. â€Å"It's a shame.† â€Å"Unfair.† â€Å"So unfair.† â€Å"And poor Miss Eversleigh,† the maid went on, her voice growing in animation. â€Å"She's ever so kind. Lovely to all the maids. Never forgets our birthdays and gives us gifts that she says are from the dowager, but we all know it's her.† She looked up at him then, so Jack rewarded her with an earnest nod. â€Å"And all she wants, poor dear, is one morning every other week to sleep until noon.† â€Å"Is that what she said?† Jack murmured. â€Å"Only once,† the maid admitted. â€Å"I don't think she would recall. She was very tired. I think the dowager had her up quite late the night before. Took me twice as long as usual to rouse her.† Jack nodded sympathetically. â€Å"The dowager never sleeps,† the maid went on. â€Å"Never?† â€Å"Well, I'm sure she must. But she doesn't seem to need very much of it.† â€Å"I knew a vampire bat once,† Jack murmured. â€Å"Poor Miss Eversleigh must adhere to the dowager's schedule,† the maid explained. Jack continued on with the nodding. It seemed to be working. â€Å"But she does not complain,† the maid said, clearly eager to defend her. â€Å"She would never complain about her grace.† â€Å"Never?† If he had lived at Belgrave as long as Grace, he'd have been complaining forty-eight hours a day. The maid shook her head with a piety that would have been quite at home on a vicar's wife. â€Å"Miss Eversleigh is not one for gossip.† Jack was about to point out that everyone gossiped, and despite what they might say, everyone enjoyed it. But he did not want the maid to interpret this as a critique of her current behavior, so he nodded yet again, prodding her on with: â€Å"Very admirable.† â€Å"Not with the help, at least,† the maid clarified. â€Å"Maybe with her friends.† â€Å"Her friends?† Jack echoed, padding across the room in his nightshirt. Clothing had been laid out for him, freshly washed and pressed, and it did not take more than a glance to see that they were of the finest quality. Wyndham's, most probably. They were of a similar size. He wondered if the duke knew that his closet had been raided. Probably not. â€Å"The Ladies Elizabeth and Amelia,† the maid said. â€Å"They live on the other side of the village. In the other big house. Not as big as this, mind you.† â€Å"No, of course not,† Jack murmured. He decided that this maid, whose name he really ought to learn, would be his favorite. A wealth of knowledge, she was, and all one had to do was let her get off her feet for a moment and into a comfortable chair. â€Å"Their father's the Earl of Crowland,† the maid went on, nattering away even as Jack stepped into his dressing room to don his clothing. He supposed some men would refuse to wear the duke's attire after their altercation the day before, but it seemed to him an impractical battle to pick. Assuming he was not going to succeed in luring Miss Eversleigh into a wild orgy of abandon (at least not today), he would have to dress. And his own clothes were rather worn and dusty. Besides, maybe it would irk his dukeliness. And Jack had judged that to be a noble pursuit, indeed. â€Å"Does Miss Eversleigh get to spend time with the Ladies Elizabeth and Amelia very often?† he called out, pulling on his breeches. Perfect fit. How fortunate. â€Å"No. Although they were here yesterday.† The two girls he'd seen her with in the front drive. The blond ones. Of course. He should have realized they were sisters. He would have realized it, he supposed, if he'd been able to tear his eyes away from Miss Eversleigh long enough to see beyond the color of their hair. â€Å"Lady Amelia is to be our next duchess,† the maid continued. Jack's hands, which were doing up the buttons on Wyndham's extraordinarily well-cut linen shirt, stilled. â€Å"Really,† he said. â€Å"I did not realize the duke was betrothed.† â€Å"Since Lady Amelia was a baby,† the maid supplied. â€Å"We'll be having a wedding soon, I think. We've got to, really. She's getting long in the tooth. I don't think her parents'll stand for much more delay.† Jack had thought both girls had looked youthful, but he had been some distance away. â€Å"Twenty-one, I think she is.† â€Å"That old?† he murmured dryly. â€Å"I'm seventeen,† the maid said with a sigh. Jack decided not to comment, as he could not be sure whether she wished to be seen as older or younger than her actual years. He stepped out of the dressing room, putting the finishing touches on his cravat. The maid jumped to her feet. â€Å"Oh, but I should not gossip.† Jack gave her a reassuring nod. â€Å"I won't say a word. I give you my vow.† She dashed toward the door, then turned around and said, â€Å"My name is Bess.† She bobbed a curtsy. â€Å"If you need anything.† Jack smiled then, because he was quite certain her offer was completely innocent. There was something rather refreshing in that. A minute after Bess left, a footman arrived, as promised by Miss Eversleigh, to escort him down to the breakfast room. He proved not nearly as informative as Bess (the footmen never were, at least not to him), and the five-minute walk was made in silence. The fact that the trip required five minutes was not lost on Jack. If Belgrave had seemed unconscionably huge from afar, then the inside was a positive labyrinth. He was fairly certain he'd seen less than a tenth of it, and already he'd located three staircases. There were turrets, too; he'd seen them from the outside, and almost certainly dungeons as well. There had to be dungeons, he decided, taking what had to be the sixth turn since descending the staircase. No self-respecting castle would be without them. He decided he'd ask Grace to take him down for a peek, if only because the subterranean rooms were probably the only ones that could be counted upon not to have priceless old masters hanging on the walls. A lover of art he might be, but this – he nearly flinched when he brushed past an El Greco – was simply too much. Even his dressing room had been hung wainscot to ceiling with priceless oils. Whoever had decorated there had an appalling fondness for cupids. Blue silk bedroom, his foot. The place ought to be renamed Corpulent Babies, Armed with Quivers and Bows Room. Subtitled: Visitors Beware. Because, really, there ought to be a limit on how many cupids one could put in one small dressing room. They turned a final corner, and Jack nearly sighed in delight as the familiar smells of an English breakfast wafted past his nose. The footman motioned to an open doorway, and Jack walked through it, his body tingling with an unfamiliar anticipation, only to find that Miss Eversleigh had not yet arrived. He looked at the clock. One minute before seven. Surely that was a new, postmilitary record. The sideboard had already been laid, so he took a plate, filled it to heaping, and chose a seat at the table. It had been some time since he'd breakfasted in a proper house. His meals of late had been taken at inns and in rented rooms, and before that on the battlefield. It felt luxurious to sit with his meal, almost decadent. â€Å"Coffee, tea, or chocolate, sir?† Jack had not had chocolate for more time than he could remember, and his body nearly shuddered with delight. The footman took note of his preference and moved to another table, where three elegant pots sat in a row, their arched spouts sticking up like a line of swans. In a moment Jack was rewarded with a steaming cup, into which he promptly dumped three spoonfuls of sugar and a splash of milk. There were, he decided, taking one heavenly sip, some advantages to a life of luxury. He was nearly through with his food when he heard footsteps approaching. Within moments Miss Eversleigh appeared. She was dressed in a demure white frock – no, not white, he decided, more of a cream color, rather like the top of a milk bucket before it was skimmed. Whatever the hue was, it matched the swirling plaster that adorned the door frame perfectly. She needed only a yellow ribbon (for the walls, which were surprisingly cheerful for such an imposing home) and he would have sworn the room had been decorated just for that moment. He stood, offering her a polite bow. â€Å"Miss Eversleigh,† he murmured. He liked that she was blushing. Just a little, which was ideal. Too much, and that would mean she was embarrassed. A bare hint of pale pink, however, meant that she was looking forward to the encounter. And perhaps thought she ought not to be. Which was even better. â€Å"Chocolate, Miss Eversleigh?† the footman asked. â€Å"Oh, yes, please, Graham.† She sounded most relieved to get her beverage in hand. And indeed, when she finally sat across from him, her plate nearly as full as his, she sighed with delight. â€Å"You don't take sugar?† he asked, surprised. He'd never met a woman – and very few men, for that matter – with a taste for unsweetened chocolate. He couldn't abide it himself. She shook her head. â€Å"Not in the morning. I need it undiluted.† He watched with interest – and, to be honest, a fair bit of amusement – as she alternately sipped the brew and breathed in the scent of it. Her hands did not leave her cup until she'd drained the last drop, and then Graham, who obviously knew her preferences well, was at her side in an instant, refilling without even a hint of a request. Miss Eversleigh, Jack decided, was definitely not a morning person. â€Å"Have you been down long?† she asked, now that she had imbibed a full cup. â€Å"Not long.† He gave a rueful glance to his plate, which was almost clean. â€Å"I learned to eat quickly in the army.† â€Å"By necessity, I imagine,† she said, taking a bite of her coddled eggs. He let his chin dip very slightly to acknowledge her statement. â€Å"The dowager will be down shortly,† she said. â€Å"Ah. So you mean that we must learn to converse quickly as well, if we wish to have any enjoyable discourse before the descent of the duchess.† Her lips twitched. â€Å"That wasn't exactly what I meant, but – † She took a sip of her chocolate, not that that hid her smile. † – it's close.† â€Å"The things we must learn to do quickly,† he said with a sigh. She looked up, fork frozen halfway to her mouth. A small blob of egg fell to her plate with a slap. Her cheeks were positively flaming with color. â€Å"I didn't mean that,† he said, most pleased with the direction of her thoughts. â€Å"Good heavens, I would never do that quickly.† Her lips parted. Not quite an O, but a rather attractive little oval nonetheless. â€Å"Unless, of course I had to,† he added, letting his eyes grow heavy-lidded and warm. â€Å"When faced with the choice of speed versus abstinence – â€Å" â€Å"Mr. Audley!† He sat back with a satisfied smile. â€Å"I was wondering when you'd scold me.† â€Å"Not soon enough,† she muttered. He picked up his knife and fork and cut off a piece of bacon. It was thick and pink and perfectly cooked. â€Å"And once again, there it is,† he said, popping the meat into his mouth. He chewed, swallowed, then added, â€Å"My inability to be serious.† â€Å"But you claimed that wasn't true.† She leaned in – just an inch or so, but the motion seemed to say – I'm watching you. He almost shivered. He liked being watched by her. â€Å"You said,† she continued, â€Å"that you were frequently serious, and that it is up to me to figure out when.† â€Å"Is that what I said?† he murmured. â€Å"Something rather close to it.† â€Å"Well, then.† He leaned in closer, too, and his eyes captured hers, green on blue, across the breakfast table. â€Å"What do you think? Am I being serious right now?† For a moment he thought she might answer him, but no, she just sat back with an innocent little smile and said, â€Å"I really couldn't say.† â€Å"You disappoint me, Miss Eversleigh.† Her smile turned positively serene as she returned her attention to the food on her plate. â€Å"I couldn't possibly render judgment on a subject so unfit for my ears,† she murmured. He laughed aloud at that. â€Å"You have a very devious sense of humor, Miss Eversleigh.† She appeared to be pleased by the compliment, almost as if she'd been waiting for years for someone to acknowledge it. But before she could say anything (if indeed she'd intended to say something), the moment was positively assaulted by the dowager, who marched into the breakfast room trailed by two rather harried and unhappy looking maids. â€Å"What are you laughing about?† she demanded. â€Å"Nothing in particular,† Jack replied, deciding to spare Miss Eversleigh the task of making conversation. After five years in the dowager's service, the poor girl deserved a respite. â€Å"Just enjoying Miss Eversleigh's enchanting company.† The dowager shot them both a sharp look. â€Å"My plate,† she snapped. One of the maids rushed to the sideboard, but she was halted when the dowager said, â€Å"Miss Eversleigh will see to it.† Grace stood without a word, and the dowager turned to Jack and said, â€Å"She is the only one who does it properly.† She shook her head and let out a short-tempered little puff of air, clearly lamenting the levels of intelligence commonly found in the servants. Jack said nothing, deciding this would be as good a time as any to invoke his aunt's favorite axiom: If you can't say something nice, say nothing at all. Although it was tempting to say something extraordinarily nice about the servants. Grace returned, plate in hand, set it down in front of the dowager, and then gave it a little twist, turning the disk until the eggs were at nine o'clock, closest to the forks. Jack watched the entire affair, first curious, then impressed. The plate had been divided into six equal, wedge-shaped sections, each with its own food selection. Nothing touched, not even the hollandaise sauce, which had been dribbled over the eggs with careful precision. â€Å"It's a masterpiece,† he declared, arching forward. He was trying to see if she'd signed her name with the hollandaise. Grace gave him a look. One that was not difficult to interpret. â€Å"Is it a sundial?† he asked, all innocence. â€Å"What are you talking about?† the dowager grumbled, picking up a fork. â€Å"No! Don't ruin it!† he cried out – as best he could without exploding with laughter. But she jabbed a slice of stewed apple all the same. â€Å"How could you?† Jack accused. Grace actually turned in her chair, unable to watch. â€Å"What the devil are you talking about?† the dowager demanded. â€Å"Miss Eversleigh, why are you facing the window? What is he about?† Grace twisted back around, hand over her mouth. â€Å"I'm sure I do not know.† The dowager's eyes narrowed. â€Å"I think you do know.† â€Å"I assure you,† Grace said, â€Å"I never know what he is about.† â€Å"Never?† Jack queried. â€Å"What a sweeping comment. We've only just met.† â€Å"It feels like so much longer,† Grace said. â€Å"Why,† he mused, â€Å"do I wonder if I have just been insulted?† â€Å"If you've been insulted, you shouldn't have to wonder at it,† the dowager said sharply. Grace turned to her with some surprise. â€Å"That's not what you said yesterday.† â€Å"What did she say yesterday?† Mr. Audley asked. â€Å"He is a Cavendish,† the dowager said simply. Which, to her, explained everything. But she apparently held little faith in Grace's deductive abilities, and so she said, as one might speak to a child, â€Å"We are different.† â€Å"The rules don't apply,† Mr. Audley said with a shrug. And then, as soon as the dowager was looking away, he winked at Grace. â€Å"What did she say yesterday?† he asked again. Grace was not sure she could adequately paraphrase, given that she was so at odds with the overall sentiment, but she couldn't very well ignore his direct question twice, so she said, â€Å"That there is an art to insult, and if one can do it without the subject realizing, it's even more impressive.† She looked over to the dowager, waiting to see if she would be corrected. â€Å"It does not apply,† the dowager said archly, â€Å"when one is the subject of the insult.† â€Å"Wouldn't it still be art for the other person?† Grace asked. â€Å"Of course not. And why should I care if it were?† The dowager sniffed disdainfully and turned back to her breakfast. â€Å"I don't like this bacon,† she announced. â€Å"Are your conversations always this oblique?† Mr. Audley asked. â€Å"No,† Grace answered, quite honestly. â€Å"It has been a most exceptional two days.† No one had anything to add to that, probably because they were all in such agreement. But Mr. Audley did fill the silence by turning to the dowager and saying, â€Å"I found the bacon to be superb.† To that, the dowager replied, â€Å"Is Wyndham returned?† â€Å"I don't believe so,† Grace answered. She looked up to the footman. â€Å"Graham?† â€Å"No, miss, he is not at home.† The dowager pursed her lips into an expression of irritated discontent. â€Å"Very inconsiderate of him.† â€Å"It is early yet,† Grace said. â€Å"He did not indicate that he would be gone all night.† â€Å"Is the duke normally required to register his schedule with his grandmother?† Mr. Audley murmured, clearly out to make trouble. Grace gave him a peeved look. Surely this did not require a reply. He smiled in return. He enjoyed vexing her. This much was becoming abundantly clear. She did not read too much into it, however. The man enjoyed vexing everyone. Grace turned back to the dowager. â€Å"I am certain he will return soon.† The dowager's expression did not budge in its irritation. â€Å"I had hoped that he would be here so that we might talk frankly, but I suppose we may proceed without him.† â€Å"Do you think that's wise?† Grace asked before she could stop herself. And indeed, the dowager responded to her impertinence with a withering stare. But Grace refused to regret speaking out. It was not right to make determinations about the future in Thomas's absence. â€Å"Footman!† the dowager barked. â€Å"Leave us and close the doors behind you.† Once the room was secure, the dowager turned to Mr. Audley and announced, â€Å"I have given the matter great thought.† â€Å"I really think we should wait for the duke,† Grace cut in. Her voice sounded a little panicked, and she wasn't sure why she was quite so distressed. Perhaps it was because Thomas was the one person who had made her life bearable in the past five years. If it hadn't been for him, she'd have forgotten the sound of her own laughter. She liked Mr. Audley. She liked him rather too much, in all honesty, but she would not allow the dowager to hand him Thomas's birthright over breakfast. â€Å"Miss Eversleigh – † the dowager bit off, clearly beginning a blistering set-down. â€Å"I agree with Miss Eversleigh,† Mr. Audley put in smoothly. â€Å"We should wait for the duke.† But the dowager waited for no one. And her expression was one part formidable and two parts defiant when she said, â€Å"We must travel to Ireland. Tomorrow if we can manage it.†