Argument of After Shock Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Argument of After Shock - Essay Example The book Aftershock is a manual that illustrates the declining state of US economy, its consequences and after effects although the authors justly verify the purpose pf the book as stated in the text, â€Å"It ’s only bad news for your personal economy if you don ’ t do anything about it† Hence this book suggests methods and remedies through which personal economic damage can be minimized even when the economy on the whole is falling apart. As the authors say in the book, â€Å"All we can offer is realism, based on facts and logical analysis† (10) and the rest depends on the reader and his interest in benefiting from the writers’ perspective Every fact that is stated in the book is based on, â€Å"a reliable theory of economic evolution, backed up by cold, hard facts, and not random guesses† (11). So such an analysis helps in providing the readers an in depth and logical account of the current situation. The writers use the concept of a †˜Bubble’ as a metaphor to illustrate the unpredictability and the temporariness of the economic conditions of the United States. As stated in the text, â€Å"†¦economic bubbles, by nature, do not stay afloat forever. Sooner or later, economic reality, like gravity, eventually kicks in, and bubbles do fall. After they burst, they never are able to re - inflate and lift off again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (4). In their point of view the US economy comprises of six bubbles, â€Å"These bubbles included: the real estate bubble, stock market bubble, discretionary spending bubble, dollar bubble, and government debt bubble† (5).... The fundamental advantage of this bubble economic system was that, â€Å"†¦these six linked economic bubbles helped co – create America ’ s booming bubble economy†¦ these bubbles helped us ignore slowing productivity growth, boost our prosperity, disregard some fundamental problems, and keep the party going† (31). However once the decline started there was no possible solution to stop the decline and this decline is explained in the following words in the text, â€Å"First, we had the fall of the U.S. housing bubble and its downward impact on the stock market bubble, the private debt bubble, and the discretionary spending bubble†¦ Next, in the Aftershock, the dollar bubble and the U.S. government debt bubbles will begin their unavoidable descents†¦ And as the final bubbles in America’s bubble economy begin to burst, so will the world’s bubble economy† (33). The real estate or the housing bubble was the first pillar of the economic system that collapsed because the price and expenditures of making a new house increased greatly and outpaced the increase in an individual’s salary and eventually its decline started in 2006 and hence resulted in the rest of the downfall of the economic system. The private debt bubble involves the bank loans and the mortgage payments. When the stock market and the housing economic system crumpled the private debt sector also suffered a severe shock that ultimately led to its decline. The discretionary spending bubble is concerned with the total sum of money spent by the consumer. However due to recession when people started losing their jobs and the rate of unemployment increased consequently people started cutting their

Walmart and Government in China Essay Example for Free

Walmart and Government in China Essay When Walmart decided to expand into China, a countless number of hurdles stood in its place. They knew that the store model that has made them the number one retailer in the world was not going to work within Chinese culture, but just how much different would they have to be from the cookie-cutter stores that are found all across the United States? In order to dominate the retail market in China as successfully as they have in other markets across the world, dynamic change and the ability and willingness to work with the Chinese government would be crucial to their success in China. Faced with the strict rules and regulations that would hamper their growth and general operations, Walmart had to find a way to make and keep China and her people happy. Along with all the excitement, pomp, and circumstance that Walmart would bring into China, certain blemishes would follow as well. Low wages, discrimination, and utter dominance over an area it occupies left many questions as to whether Walmart would be accepted or rejected. But the first stumbling block that Walmart would have to face upon entering China would be one of its most challenging: The Government of the People’s Republic of China (Naughton). Upon entering any foreign market, one of the biggest problems facing Walmart and its expansion is government regulation and government worry over the massive company’s monopolization and impact on local markets. Moving into China, Walmart was going to have to assure the Chinese government that they were there to give the Chinese people a better retail alternative, provide abundant employment, and help China’s economy by establishing healthy competition, all while providing the Chinese people with an increased range of products and increased product quality available at the lowest possible prices (Huffman). Walmart in the United States is a very powerful company. In other countries, however, they are not viewed the same. This became very clear when they entered into China. Walmart faced problems that couldn’t be fixed with quick solutions. Finding suppliers, dealing with unions, rigid local competition, and cooperating with a communist government are examples of such problems. Once it found solutions to the above problems, Walmart opened a Supercenter  and Sam’s Club in Shenzhen in 1996 (Foreman). Walmart China, as it is known today, actively participates in communities by providing funding for charities, education and medical care. In fact, in April of this year, Wal-Mart launched its third annual nationwide community service week: â€Å"Keeping the Traditional Virtues – Walmart Filial Piety Activity†. For a period of one week, community service for the elders of each specific community holding the event was performed. This government and community involvement is necessary for Walmart and the trust it needs to gain from the Chinese people (Walmart). When Walmart first opened its doors back in 1996, they first felt the restraints from the government while trying to put products on their shelves. As an result of Mao and the period when every village and community was designed to be self sufficient, Walmart could not set up conventional distribution centers such as are found here in the United States. Products that would move from one city to another would require the approval of local officials, a task of staggering proportions. Instead, Walmart has had to set up buyers in each community and city that it operates in to purchase items that have to be bought locally through government and state approved vendors. Because of this, there are not very many national brands that can be found inside of Walmart China. This is gradually changing as China evolves and her people become more influenced by western culture and style. An example would be with cosmetics. When Walmart China first opened, the cosmetics available would not sell. It wasn’t until demonstrations were given and the local Chinese ladies were given makeovers that the make-up started to sell. As a result, not only did the cosmetics started selling fast, Walmart was able to bring in more expensive, higher-end brands (Trunick). When Walmart China bought initial products from suppliers back in the first few years in operation, for every purchase order issued, there were twenty-one documents that went along with it, simply to comply with central and local government regulations. Each individual store had to write the purchase orders by hand and issue their own checks. There could be no  central ordering or payment systems. Hard paperwork was required, and still is today although not as much, which resulted in having to pay additional employees to process the paperwork, subjects documents to human error, and is simply inefficient. Today, although the rules are definitely felt and abided by, regulations are slowly easing up. Walmart is slowly becoming able to centralize more and more of its processes (Trunick). Walmart is a well-admired company today in China. Just as employee songs and Walmart chants can be found in sites in the United States, they can be found in the Chinese locations as well. Adjusting to operating under the People’s Republic of China wasn’t the only thing Walmart had to get used to. They also had to get used to local customs and preferences. When Sam’s club first opened, it didn’t do as well as the Sam’s clubs here. The simple fact was that the Chinese didn’t have storage available to them such as we take for granted here in the States. The Sam’s Club in Shenzhen had to evolve to fit the needs of its customers and not vice-versa if it was to succeed. It did and it has, respectfully (Huffman). In every country, city, and community around the world that Walmart operates in, they constantly strive to be an asset to the area they are in. Not only do they provide numerous jobs to the areas, including employment to disable persons, they enable families to be able to afford things that they may not otherwise be able to afford. The contributions that Walmart makes to every community its in are numerous, and Walmart China is no exception. A few examples of the awards Walmart has won in China, according to the Walmart China website, are as follows: †¢Supplier Satisfaction by Business Information of Shanghai for five consecutive years. †¢Best Employer for University Student. †¢Leading Multi-National Enterprise in Asia by Asian Wall Street Journal. †¢Best Employer in China Retail Industry by CCFA. †¢China Most Valuable Brand by Fortune Chinese Version. †¢2008 Top 10 Best investing Fortune 500 Companies in China by Southern Weekend Magazine. †¢Excellent Employer by Fortune Chinese Version. †¢Multi-Nation Company Charitable Donations by Forbes Chinese Version. †¢Most  Admired Company by Fortune Chinese Version. †¢Best Community by Guangming Daily. Today, Walmart serves more than 28 million customers each month in 89 cities throughout China. It employs over fifty thousand people in China alone. Along with improving the way of life for the people and towns it serves, Walmart China is also helping the environment in the areas it operates in. In the mountainous regions of China, it is building water reservoirs in order to help solve water shortage problems facing the farmers and residents residing there. To help villagers reduce their carbon footprint and provide hot water to their village, Walmart is supporting the installation of solar panels. They also have implemented a direct farm program that works to eliminate the amount of time fruits and vegetables take to get to the store. Not only does this help to ensure the best possible quality of produce, it helps sustain the local farms and villages who produce the goods. It ends up being a win for the consumer as well as the grower (Walmart). Despite the governmental control that China has on Walmart versus other countries that Walmart operates in, China as proven to be a goldmine for Walmart’s growth, especially since their expansion has slowed in markets such as the United States due to such factors as saturation and slowed economy. Emerging economies, such as what China is experiencing, is extremely promising for Walmart’s continued growth and development. Walmart China has taken problems and turned them into opportunities. By working heavily with the local and national government, they have been able to overcome barriers to ensure their continued success. The biggest challenge that Walmart has faced in China is the acceptance of organized labor. In every market but China, Walmart has aggressively worked to keep unions out of their store. But unlike labor unions such as we have here, the unions in China are different. Chinese unions don’t negotiate labor contracts as they do here. In China, they are considered an arm of the government, they help secure social order, and they provide funding to the Communist Party. After several years of unrelenting persistence by the government, Walmart China finally buckled and unions were established across the nation (Naughton). Works Cited Foreman, William. â€Å"Wal-Mart’s New Market: Small Town China†. Huffington Post. 18 Oct. 2008. 1 Dec. 2009 . Huffman, Ted. â€Å"Wal-Mart in China: Challenges Facing a Foreign Retailers Supply Chain†. China Business Review. 1 Dec. 2009 http://www.chinabusinessreview.com/public/0309/wal-mart.html. Naughton, Keith. â€Å"The Great Wal-Mart of China†. Newsweek. 30 Oct. 2006. 5 Dec. 2009 . Trunick, Perry. â€Å"Wal-Mart Reinvents Itself in China†. Logistics Today. 6 Jan. 2006. 5 Dec. 2009 . Walmart. â€Å"A Brief Introduction to Wal-Mart in China†. Wal-Mart China. 7 May 2009. 5 Dec. 2009 .

Leadership Skills Essay -- Management

When an organization, business, or agency fails to achieve their set objectives poor leadership is regularly scrutinized as the leading cause of inefficiency. In many respects this holds true because of the countless skills need to successfully lead in both public and private enterprise. Although there are similarities between both public and private management, public servants are held directly accountable to their customers/citizens. In light of this, leadership skills within the public sector are essentials in providing its customers with public goods. These public goods include welfare programs, education, police protection and environmental standards (Starling, 2011 p. 28). If public entities contained leaders that possess interpersonal, informational, and communicational skills governmental programs and services would be more efficient. Throughout this analysis we will address the case study of Dr. Helene Gayle and apply the skills of effective leadership to its events. Interpersonal skills One of the many challenges facing public administrators today is the need to build relationships that foster a work environment that is conducive to collaboration. With numerous social issues transcending borders, the need to cooperate is high. It is stated in Norma Riccucci text that one of the reasons why Gayle is a successful public servants is her interpersonal skills in building strong relationships which created an organizational atmosphere that encouraged teamwork across agencies and borders. According to Riccucci text â€Å"one of the reasons why Dr. Gayle has been so successful at collaboration-building bridges and fostering communication between the federal government, various communities, and global partners-is her skillful i... ...c administrators must process certain leadership skills to effectively manage public policy. In analyses of Norma Riccuccis case study it was found that Gayle success within public health was due to her leadership skills. Gayle’s ability to balance political influence with her own vision of public health created an agency of cooperation. References Riccucci, Norma, M. (2002). Managing Across Boundaries: A case study of Dr. Helene Gayle and the AIDS epidemic. Transforming Organizations Series, Retrieved from: https://bblearn.nau.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-866618-dt-content-rid-10067936_1/courses/1121-NAU00-PAS-421C-SEC806-7479.NAU-PSSIS/AIDSEpidemic.pdf Lussier, R. N., & Achua, C. F. (2010). Leadership, theory, application, & skill development. (4 ed.). South-Western Pub. Starling, G. (2011). Managing the public sector. (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth Pub Co.

Night World : The Chosen Chapter 8

Well?† Daphne said. â€Å"I think it's the slave trade.† And, Rashel thought, I think I was right-this is something big. The Night World slave trade had been banned a long time ago-back in medieval days, if she remembered the stories correctly. The Council apparently had decided that kidnapping humans and selling them to Night People for food or amusement was just too dangerous. But it sounded as if Quinn might be reviving it, probably without the Council's permission. How very enterprising of him. I was right about killing him, too, Rashel thought. There's no choice now. He's as bad as I imagined- and worse. Daphne was goggling. â€Å"They were going to make me a slave?† she almost yelled. â€Å"Sh.† Rashel glanced at the man behind the doughnut counter. â€Å"I think so. Well-a slave and a sort of perpetual food supply if you were sold to vampires. Probably just dinner if you were going to werewolves.† Daphne's lips repeated werewolves silently. But Rashel was speaking again before she could ask about it. â€Å"Look, Daphne-did you get any idea about where you might be going? You said they mentioned a boat. But a boat to where? What city?† â€Å"I don't know. They never talked about any city. They just said the boat was ready†¦ and something about an aunt-clave.† She pronounced it ont-clave. â€Å"The girl said, ‘When we get to the aunt-clave†¦'† Daphne broke off as Rashel grabbed her wrist. â€Å"An enclave,† Rashel whispered. Thin chills of excitement were running through her. â€Å"They were talking about an enclave.† Daphne nodded, looking alarmed. â€Å"I guess.† This was big. This was†¦ bigger than big. It was incredible. A vampire enclave. The kidnapped girls were being taken to one of the hidden enclaves, one of the secret strongholds no vampire hunter had ever managed to penetrate. No human had even discovered the location of one. If I could get there†¦ if I could get in†¦ She could learn enough to destroy a whole town of vampires. Wipe an enclave off the face of the earth. She knew she could. â€Å"Uh, Rashel? You're hurting me.† â€Å"Sorry.† Rashel let go of Daphne's arm. â€Å"Now, listen,† she said fiercely. â€Å"I saved your life, right? I mean, they were going to do terrible things to you. So you owe me, right?† â€Å"Yeah, sure; sure, I owe you.† Daphne made pacifying motions with her hands. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"Yes. I'm fine. But I need your help. I want you to tell me everything about that club. Everything I need to get in-and get chosen.† Daphne stared at her. â€Å"I'm sorry; you're crazy.† â€Å"No, no. I know what I'm doing. As long as they don't know I'm a vampire hunter, it'll be okay. I have to get to that enclave.† Daphne slowly shook her blond head. â€Å"What, you're going to, like, slay them all? By yourself? Can't we just tell the police?† â€Å"Not all by myself. I could take a couple of other vampire hunters to help me. And as for the police†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Rashel stopped and sighed. â€Å"Okay. I guess there are some things I should explain. Then maybe you'll understand better.† She raised her eyes and looked at Daphne steadily. â€Å"First, I should tell you about the Night World. Look, even before you met those vampires, didn't you ever have the feeling that there was something eerie going on, right alongside our world and all mixed up in it?† She made it as simple as she could, and tried to answer Daphne's questions patiently. And at last, Daphne sat back, looking sick and more frightened than Rashel had seen her yet. â€Å"They're all over,† Daphne said, as if she still didn't believe it. â€Å"In the police departments. In the government. And nobody's ever been able to do anything about them.† â€Å"The only people who've had any success are the ones who work secretly, in small groups or alone. We stay hidden. We're very careful. And we weed them out, one by one. That's what it means to be a vampire hunter.† She leaned forward. â€Å"Now do you see why it's so important for me to get to that enclave? It's a chance to get at a whole bunch of them all at once, to wipe out one of their hiding places. Not to mention stopping the slave trade. Don't you think it should be stopped?† Daphne opened her mouth, shut it again. â€Å"Okay,† she said finally, and sighed. â€Å"I'll help. I can tell you what to talk about, how to act. At least what worked for me.† She cocked her head. â€Å"You're going to have to dress differently†¦.† â€Å"I'll get a couple of other vampire hunters and we'll meet tomorrow after school. Let's say six-thirty. Right now, I'm taking you home. You need to sleep.† She waited to see if Daphne would object, but the other girl just nodded and sighed again. â€Å"Yeah. You know, after some of the things I've learned, home's starting to look good.† â€Å"Just one more thing,† Rashel said. â€Å"You can't tell anybody about what happened to you. Tell them anything-that you ran away, whatever-but not the truth. Okay?† â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"And especially don't tell anyone about me. Got it? My life may depend on it.† â€Å"Elliot's not here.† The voice on the telephone was cold and as hostile as Rashel had ever heard it. â€Å"Vicky, I need to talk to him. Or somebody. I'm telling you, this is our chance to get to an enclave. The girl from the warehouse heard them talking about it.† It was Friday afternoon and Rashel was phoning from a booth near her school. Vicky was speaking heavily. â€Å"We staked out that street for days and didn't see anything, but you just happened to be in the right place at the right time to help a girl escape.† â€Å"Yes. I already told you.† â€Å"Well, that was convenient, wasn't it?† Rashel gripped the handset more tightly. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Just that it would be a very dangerous thing, going to a vampire enclave. And that a person would have to really trust whoever was giving them the information about it. You'd have to be sure it wasn't a trap.† Rashel stared at the phone buttons, controlling her breathing. â€Å"I see.† â€Å"Yes, well, you don't have much credibility around here anymore. Not since letting that vampire get away. And this sounds like just the sort of thing you'd do if you were in on it with them.† Great, Rashel thought. I've managed to convince her that I really am a vampire sympathizer. Aloud she said, â€Å"Is that what Nyala is telling everybody? That I'm working with the Night World?† â€Å"I don't know what Nyala is doing.† Vicky sounded waspish and a little uneasy. â€Å"I haven't seen her since Tuesday and nobody answers at her house.† Rashel tried to make her voice calm and reasonable. â€Å"Will you at least tell Elliot what I'm doing? Then he can call me if he wants to.† â€Å"Don't hold your breath,† Vicky said, and hung up. Great. Terrific. Rashel replaced the handset wondering if she wasn't supposed to hold her breath until Elliot called, or until Vicky passed on the message. One thing was clear: she couldn't count on any help from the Lancers. Or any other vampire hunters. Nyala could be spreading any kind of rumors, and Rashel didn't dare even call another group. There was no choice. She'd have to do it alone. That night she went to Daphne's house. â€Å"Well, she's grounded,† Mrs. Childs said at the door. She was a small woman with a baby in one hand, a Pampers in the other, and a toddler clutching her leg. â€Å"But I guess you can go upstairs.† Upstairs, Daphne had to chase a younger sister out of the bedroom before Rashel could sit down. â€Å"You see, I don't even have a room of my own,† she said. â€Å"And you're grounded. But you're alive,† Rashel said, and raised her eyebrows. â€Å"Hi.† â€Å"Oh. Hi.† Daphne looked embarrassed. Then she smiled, sitting cross-legged on her bed. â€Å"You're wearing normal clothes.† Rashel glanced down at her sweater and jeans. â€Å"Yeah, the ninja outfit's just my career uniform.† Daphne grinned. â€Å"Well, you're still going to have to look different if you're going to get into the club. Should we start now, or do you want to wait for the others?† Rashel stared at a row of perfume bottles on the dresser across the room. â€Å"There aren't going to be any others.† â€Å"But I thought you said†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Look. It's hard to explain, but I've had a little problem with the vampire hunters around here. So I'm doing it without them. It's no problem. We can start now.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Daphne pursed her lips. She looked different from the disheveled wild creature Rashel had rescued from the street last night. Her blond hair was soft and fluffy, her cornflower blue eyes were large and innocent, her face was round and sweet. She was fashionably dressed and she seemed relaxed, in her own element in this normal teenager's room. It was Rashel who felt out of place. â€Å"Well†¦ do you want to just take along a friend or something?† Daphne asked. â€Å"I don't have a friend,† Rashel said flatly. â€Å"And I don't want one. Friends are people to worry about, they're baggage. I don't like baggage.† Daphne blinked slowly. â€Å"But at school†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I don't stay at schools more than one year at a time. I live with foster families, and I usually get myself sent to a new city every year. That way I stay ahead of the vampires. Look, this isn't about me, okay? What I want to know-â€Å" â€Å"But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Daphne was staring at the mirror. Rashel followed her gaze to see that the reflecting surface was almost completely covered by pictures. Pictures of Daphne with guys, Daphne with other girls. Daphne counted her friends in droves, apparently. â€Å"But doesn't that get lonely?† â€Å"No, it doesn't get lonely,† Rashel said through her teeth. She found herself getting rough with the lacy little throw pillow on her lap. â€Å"I like being on my own. Now are we done with the press conference?† Looking hurt, Daphne nodded. â€Å"Okay. I talked with some people at school and everything at the dub is going on the same as usual-except that Quinn hasn't been there since Sunday. Ivan and the girl were there Tuesday and Wednesday, but not Quinn.† â€Å"Oh, really?† That was interesting. Rashel had known from the beginning that her greatest problem was going to be Quinn. The other two vampires hadn't seen her-she didn't think they even realized that Daphne had run off with a vampire hunter last night. But Quinn had spoken to her. Had been†¦ very close to her. Still, what could he have seen in that cellar, even with his vampire vision? Not her face. Not even her hair. Her ninja outfit covered her from neck to wrist to ankle. All he could possibly know was that she was tall. If she changed her voice and kept her eyes down, he shouldn't be able to recognize her. But it would be easier still if he weren't there in the first place, and Rashel could try her act on Ivan. â€Å"That reminds me,† she said. â€Å"Ivan and the girl- are their little groups into death, too?† Daphne nodded. â€Å"Everybody in the whole place is, basically. It's that kind of place.† A perfect place for vampires, in other words. Rashel wondered briefly if the Night People owned the dub or if some obliging humans had just constructed the ideal habitat for them. She'd have to check into that. â€Å"Actually,† Daphne was saying, a little shyly, â€Å"I've got a poem here for you. I thought you could say you wrote it. It would sort of prove you were into the same thing as the other girls.† Rashel took the piece of notebook paper and read: There's warmth in ice; there's cooling peace in fire, And midnight light to show us all the way. The dancing flame becomes a funeral pyre; The Dark was more enticing than the Day. She looked up at Daphne sharply. â€Å"You wrote this before you knew about the Night World?† Daphne nodded. â€Å"It's the kind of thing Quinn liked. He used to say he was the darkness and the silence and things like that.† Rashel wished she had Quinn right there in the room, along with a large stake. These young girls were like moths to his flame, and he was taking advantage of their innocence. He wasn't even pretending to be harmless; instead he was encouraging them to love their own destruction. Making them think it was their idea. â€Å"About your clothes,† Daphne was going on. â€Å"My friend Mamie is about your size and she lent me this stuff. Try it on and we'll see if it looks right.† She tossed Rashel a bundle. Rashel unfolded it, examined it doubtfully. A few minutes later she was examining herself even more doubtfully in the mirror. She was wearing a velvety black jumpsuit which clung to her like a second skin. It was cut in a very low V in front, but the sleeves reached down in Gothic points on the backs of her hands almost to the middle finger. Around her neck was a black leather choker that looked to her like a dog collar. She said, â€Å"I don't know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No, no, you look great. Sort of like a Betsey Johnson ultra model. Walk a little†¦ turn around†¦ okay, yeah. Now all we have to do is paint your fingernails black, add a little makeup, and-â€Å" Daphne stopped and frowned. â€Å"What's wrong?† â€Å"It's the way you walk. You walk like-well, like them, actually. Like the vampires. As if you're stalking something. And you don't ever make a noise. They're going to know you're a vampire hunter from the way you move.† It was a good point, but Rashel didn't know what to do about it. â€Å"Um†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I've got it,† Daphne said brightly. â€Å"We'll put you in heels.† â€Å"Oh, no,† Rashel said. â€Å"There is absolutely no way I'm going to wear those things.† â€Å"But it'll be perfect, see? You won't be able to walk normally.† â€Å"No, and I won't be able to run, either.† â€Å"But you aren't going there to run. You're going to talk and dance and stuff.† Hands on her hips, she shook her head. â€Å"I don't know, Rashel, you really need somebody to go there with you, to help you with this stuff†¦.† Daphne stopped and her eyes narrowed. She stared at the mirror for a moment, then she nodded. â€Å"Yeah. That's it. There's no other choice,† she said, expelling her breath. She turned to face Rashel squarely. â€Å"I'll just have to go with you myself.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"You need somebody with you; you can't do this all alone. And there's nobody better than me. I'll go with you and this time we'll both get chosen.† Rashel sat on the bed. â€Å"I'm sorry; this time you ‘re crazy. You're the last person the vampires would ever choose. You know all about them.† â€Å"But they don't know that,† Daphne said serenely. â€Å"I told everybody at school today that I didn't remember anything that happened from Sunday on. I had to tell them something, you know. So I said that I never got to meet Quinn; that I didn't know what happened to me, but I woke up last night alone on this street in Mission Hill.† Rashel tried to think. Would any of the vampires believe this story? The answer surprised her. They just might. If Daphne had begun to come out of the mind control while she was in the truck†¦ if she had jumped out and started running, only to become fully conscious a little while later.. .. Yes. It could work. The vampires would assume that she'd have amnesia for the whole period she was in a trance, and maybe for a little before. It could work†¦. â€Å"But it's too dangerous,† she said. â€Å"Even if I let you go to the club with me, I could never let you get chosen.† â€Å"Why not? You already said I must be resistant to their mind-control thingy, right?† Daphne's blue eyes were sparking with energy and her cheeks were flushed. â€Å"So that makes me perfect for the job. I can do it. I know I can help you.† Rashel stood helplessly. Take this fluffy bunny of a girl to a vampire enclave? Let her get sold as a slave to bloodsucking monsters? Ask her to fight ruthless snakes like Quinn? â€Å"I like to work alone,† she said in a hard voice. Daphne folded her arms over her chest, refusing to be intimidated. â€Å"Well, maybe it's time you tried something different. Look, I've never met anyone like you. You're so independent, so adventurous, so–amazing. But even you can't do everything by yourself. I know I'm not a vampire hunter, but I'd like to be your friend. Maybe you should try trusting a friend this time.† Her eyes met Rashel's, and at that moment she didn't look like a fluffy bunny, but like a small, confident, and intelligent young woman. â€Å"Besides, it was me who got kidnapped,† Daphne said, shrugging. â€Å"Don't you think I should get to pay them back a little?† Rashel caught herself almost grinning. She couldn't help liking this girl, or feeling a glow of warmth at her praise. But still†¦ She drew in a careful breath and watched Daphne closely. â€Å"And you're not scared?† â€Å"Of course I'm scared. I'd be stupid not to be. But I'm not so scared I can't go.† It was the right answer. Rashel looked around the cluttered lacy room and nodded slowly. At last she said, â€Å"Okay, you're in. Tomorrow's Saturday. We'll do it tomorrow night.†

A Thousand Splendid Suns Reivew Essay

Macbeth is a Shakespearean Tragedy Macbeth is considered to be one of the greatest Shakespearean tragedies written by William Shakespeare. According to A.C. Bradley, it is the â€Å"most vehement, the most concentrated, perhaps we may say the most tremendous, of the tragedies† (Bradley 333). Macbeth, written by Shakespeare is a Shakespearean tragedy because it has a tragic hero, mathemata, and a hamartia. These three characteristics are crucial to have in a Shakespearean tragedy and prove that Macbeth is indeed one. More specifically, the tragic hero is one of the most important of the three because without the hero, sympathy cannot be evoked. Macbeth is a tragedy because it contains a tragic hero. In a Shakespearean tragedy, it is imperative that the tragic hero is of high estate, affects the whole nation and evokes pity and fear from the audience. The tragic hero in Macbeth is Macbeth himself. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is introduced as the Thane of Glamis and â€Å"a general of extraordinary prowess† (Bradley 44) in Duncan’s army. When a battle takes place, Macbeth bravely defends Scotland in the battle and is victorious. When he returns home, King Duncan praises him: O worthiest cousin! †¦.Thou art so far before†¦. Only I have left to say, More is thy due than more than all can pay. (Shakespeare 1.4.17-24) Duncan states that Macbeth is his worthiest kinsmen and has done so much for him that he owes Macbeth more than he can ever repay. The audience can identify that Macbeth is a significant character of high estate because he is already Thane of Glamis, and is well respected by the king of Scotland. Macbeth’s high social standing evokes pity and fear from the audience because his sins and downfall are emphasized. The audience suspects him to be virtuous, therefore arousing fear when he commits sins. Also, he has a lot more to lose than a regular citizen; Macbeth eventually loses his mind, wife, house, reputation, and kingship. Since Macbeth is a character of high estate and evokes pity and fear for the audience, he is the tragic hero in Macbeth. Macbeth is also a tragic hero because he is a character of high estate in two additional ways. After the victorious battle, Macbeth is greeted by two noblemen of Scotland sent by the king: â€Å"He bade me, from him, call thee Thane of Cawdor. /In which addition, hail, most worthy Thane, /for it is thine† (Shakespeare 1.3.111-113).When the Macdonwald, the Thane of Cawdor, commits treason, he is executed and a new Thane is chosen. After hearing about Macbeth’s success in the battle, King Duncan appoints Macbeth as the new Thane of Cawdor. As a result of Macbeth’s nobility, loyalty and bravery, he earns his title as Thane of Cawdor thus proving he is of high estate. When King Duncan dies, Macbeth is chosen to be King of Scotland. Usually, when a king dies, their heir becomes king. However, since both of Duncan’s sons fled the country for their own safety, Macbeth is chosen to be King. This shows the audience that Macbeth is well respected by the citizens of Scotland because he appears to be the best king, second to Duncan’s sons. As the new King of Scotland, Macbeth’s fate evidently has an affect on the welfare of the whole nation. In conclusion, Macbeth is a tragic hero because he is of high estate in several ways, evokes pity and fear from the audience and affects the welfare of the whole nation. When the nation is negatively affected, order must be restored. This is done through the resolution of the plot, also known as mathemata. Mathemata is an extremely important characteristic of a Shakespearean tragedy because it re-establishes the moral order of the world in the play. In Shakespeare’s play, order is restored when Macbeth is killed: â€Å"Behold where stands/The usurper’s [Macbeth’s] cursed head. The time is free† (Shakespeare 5.8.55-56).Macbeth is considered as the evil defilement and ‘sickness’ of Scotland because he perpetrates a series of murders, and more significantly violates the natural order of the universe at the highest level by killing Duncan. Since Macbeth causes the entire situation â€Å"he must end in destruction and despair† (Ribner 57). At the end of the play when Macbeth ends in ‘destruction and despair’, Scotland is finally â€Å"cured† and order is restored. The natural order of the universe is also re-established because Malcolm replaces Macbeth’s position as King. Scotland is no longer ruled by  Macbeth’s tyranny; instead it is ruled by Malcolm, an extremely honourable man: Nay, had I power, I should Pour the sweet milk of concord into hell, Uproar the universal peace, confound All unity on earth. (Shakespeare 4.3.109-112) Although Malcolm may not appear to be virtuous in this scene, he is very much so. At the beginning of the play, Duncan does not test the loyalty of Macdonwald and Macbeth. As a result, Duncan is betrayed by these two men who appeared to be honourable. Malcolm learns from his father’s mistakes and tests MacDuff’s patriotism. Malcolm states he does not contain any qualities of a virtuous king and that he would destroy all peace on earth. When MacDuff has a passionate outburst, Malcolm reveals the truth that he is in fact an honourable man because he is able to identify that MacDuff is a â€Å"child of integrity† (Shakespeare 4.3.129). This proves that Malcolm is in fact a virtuous king because he is not easily fooled like Duncan. Instead, Malcolm is a cautious and knowledgeable man who is likely to be a successful king. With a new honourable and sincerely virtuous king, and the death of Macbeth, the order of the universe is finally restored and the play is resolved. Not only is the death of Macbeth recognized as the resolution of the plot, however, it is also recognized as his tragic end which is caused by a hamartia. For a play to be a Shakespearean tragedy, it must have a hamartia. A hamartia, also known as a tragic flaw, is a good quality in the protagonist which eventually goes somewhat awry and causes their disastrous demise. Macbeth’s tragic flaw is his ambition. Macbeth’s ambition can be recognized as a desirable quality because it causes him to be a great warrior. However, when Macbeth is told by the witches that he will become future king, he has thoughts of killing Duncan. Already, Macbeth’s ambition goes somewhat awry. At first, Macbeth states that he does not want to kill Duncan because â€Å"this Duncan/Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been/So clear in his great office, that his virtues/Will plead like angels†¦.† (Shakespeare 1.7.16-18) and admits that I [Macbeth] have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which overleaps itself And falls on the other. (Shakespeare 1.7.25-28) Macbeth realizes the only reason he has for murdering Duncan is his ‘vaulting ambition’ which does not rationalize the act of killing a virtuous king. Although Macbeth is aware that his vaulting ambition will only lead him to disaster, he still commits the crime. At this point, the audience is fully aware that Macbeth’s ambition is no longer a desirable trait because his ambition, â€Å"which is also his greatness, is fatal to him† (Bradley 9). His ambition allows him to â€Å"hide what the false heart doth know† (Shakespeare 1.7.92) and overcome the thought of killing a virtuous king. Although some scholars may say the witches and Lady Macbeth cause Macbeth’s downfall, he commits and instigates all of the murders himself; it is his own actions that lead him to his tragic end. If Macbeth was not so ambitious for status and did not allow his flawed trait to overpower his morality, he would realize it is irrational to kill the king. Without doubt Macbeth’s ambition acquires him kingship, however, it leads him to death of several innocent people and is the major cause of his downfall. Macbeth’s hamartia is also evident later on the play when he kills Banquo and attempts to kill Banquo’s son. After the witches predict that Banquo’s sons will become kings, Macbeth feels threatened as the new king of Scotland: â€Å"To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus† (Shakespeare 3.1.54). Macbeth determines that the only way to be ‘safely thus’ is to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. Macbeth’s great ambition for power causes him to have a greed for power and stop at nothing to secure his position as king; even if it means he must kill his best friend and challenge fate: â€Å"Rather than so, come, Fate, into the list,/And champion me to the utterance!† (Shakespeare 3.1.77-78). Macbeth’s ambition causes him to believe he can defeat the prophecy of the witches. Macbeth believes that if he kills Banquo and Banquo’s sons, his position as king will be protected. However, by murdering more people, Macbeth’s life, conscience, and kingship is jeopardized instead. Eventually, Macbeth faces the consequences of his own  actions as a result of his ‘great’ ambition and is killed. If Macbeth was not so ambitious, he would realize it is impossible to defeat fate, ultimately preventing his tragic end. Although Macbeth’s ambition begins as a virtue, it goes wrong and eventually leads to his tragic end. All of Macbeth’s actions have led himself to his death and aroused several emotions within the audience; thus proving Macbeth has a hamartia and ultimately is a Shakespearean tragedy. Macbeth is said to be one of the last tragedies Shakespeare ever wrote. None the less, it â€Å"has increasingly impressed twentieth century critics† (Hawkes 50). Macbeth has a tragic hero of high estate and a hamartia that leads to the hero’s tragic end. Last but not least, when order is restored, there is mathemata. With the three most imperative characteristics of a tragedy, Macbeth fulfills the title as the â€Å"most vehement, the most concentrated, perhaps we may say the most tremendous, of the tragedies† (Bradley 333) and proves it is indeed a true Shakespearean tragedy. Works Cited Arif, G. M. Javed. â€Å"Macbeth’s Identity Crisis: Shakespeare as the Saviour.† Academia.edu. N.p., Dec. 2000. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. Bloom, Harold, ed. Major Literary Characters: Macbeth. New York: Chelsea House, 1991. Print. Bradley, A. C. Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth. 2nd ed. London: Macmillan, 1905. Johnson, Vernon E., ed. Power in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Print. Shakespeare, William. The Global Shakespeare Series: The Tragedy of Macbeth with Related Readings. Eds. Dom Saliani, Chris Ferguson, and Dr. Tim Scott. Albany, N.Y.: International Thomson Pub Nelson Canada, 1997. Print.

Foundation Of Nation Essays - Political Geography, Nation State

Foundation Of Nation Essays - Political Geography, Nation State Foundation Of Nation Formation of Nation A formation of nation occurs when a state has a unified administrative reach over the territory over which its sovereignty is claimed. The development of a plurality of nations is basic to the centralization and administrative expansion of state domination internally. Therefore the nation-state, which exists in a complex of other nation-states, is a set of institutional forms of governance maintaining an administrative monopoly over an economic, political, social and cultural territory with demarcated borders, its rule being sanctioned by law and direct control of the means of internal and external violence exists when a state has a unified administrative reach over the territory over. Many states were formed at a point in time when people sharing a common history, culture, and language discovered a sense of identity. This was true in the cases of England and France, for example, which were the first nation-states to emerge in the modern period, and of Italy and Germany, which were e stablished as nation-states in the 19th century. In contrast, however, other states, such as India, the Soviet Union, and Switzerland, came into existence without a common basis in race, culture, or language. It must also be emphasized that contemporary nation-states were creations of different historical periods and of varied circumstances. Before the close of the 19th century, the effective mobilization of governmental powers on a national basis had occurred only in Europe, the United States, and Japan. The truest symbol of its importance is the printing press. For one thing, this invention enormously increased the

What We Take for Granted essays

What We Take for Granted essays People always say its the little things that we take for granted. Whether it be being able to talk with someone, or hold someone, or even just being able to tell what time of day it is. In Dalton Trumbos novel, Johnny Got His Gun, one really begins to understands what it would be like to have very simple things taken away from them. Joe Bonhame, finds himself tragically injured from the war. Over time he slowly begins to realize all of the things that he has lost. The first thing that he loses is his hearing. He was awake even though he couldnt hear a thing except a telephone that wasnt ringing. He was mighty scared(p9). At first Joe doesnt realize that he has lost his hearing and he is under the impression that there is actually a phone ringing somewhere, but, its really only in his mind. But once he realizes that he actually cant hear anything at all, he goes into a state of shock almost. The shock caused his heart to smash against his ribs. He grew prickly all over. His heart was pounding away in his chest but he couldnt hear the pulsing in his ear(p10). He then begins to think about all the things that he will never again get to experience. At first he thinks about all the bad things that he wont have to ever have to deal with hearing again. He never wanted to hear the biting little castanent sound of a machine gun or the high whistle of a .75 coming down fast or the slow thunder as it hit or the whine of an airplane overhead...(p10-11). But as he stops and really starts to think about what this all means, he then realizes all the little things that he has taken for granted; the things that he wants to hear again. His mother was singing the kitchen. He could hear her singing there and the sound of her voice was the sound of home(p15). Sadly though, Joe ...

How to be a Welcome Guest Poster

How to be a Welcome Guest Poster Posting on guest sites is a great way to increase your profile, develop your personal brand – and subtly plug a product or service. Heres how to increase your chances of getting your posts accepted Writing guest posts is a great way to promote your work and build your personal writers brand. Ive done a lot of this recently, to promote my book, Kitten on a Fatberg. Ive spent quite a lot of time sending off ideas, reading submissions guidelines, and liaising with editors. Here are some of the things Ive learned along the way Have something to say   Start Look for topics that are editorial in nature but aligned with your product. My book is a comic novel written with two co-authors, for example, so Ive pitched various ideas to do with writing humour, crowdfunding a novel, collaborating on a book and so on. Research your markets   Its important to make sure theres a good fit between what you want to say and where you might be able to post it. A sci-fi forum may publish lots of guest posters, for example, but if youre a chick-lit author youre probably unlikely to become one of them. You may have a great piece about a popular topic such as productivity or writers block to offer, but if the site has already covered this area extensively, youll probably be unlucky there too. Turn topics into ideas   When presenting ideas, try to entice your editor with a real attention-grabbing headline and a standfirst – that catchy intro para that magazines and newspapers use to lure people into reading the full article. Then, even if you are addressing a popular topic, you can show you have a unique angle on the topic, and you may be in luck. So rather than offering the dull and generic-sounding Top productivity tips, try 7 ways to slay your inner procrastinator, followed Keep it personal Dont blast out the same email to a big list of blogs and websites. Send out a few at a time, personalizing each one, with a brief intro about who you are (which you might also want to tweak each time). Focus on why your ideas might be of interest to readers, get recipients names right, and always Follow the guidelines The biggest bugbear of writing blogs is, quite understandably, submissions from people who havent followed their guidelines. These are always supplied clearly and in lots of detail, so it will seem quite discourteous to an editor if you ignore their requests about formatting, imagery, subject matter, word count, use of links, etc. Some popular blogs will simply reject your ideas or submission out of hand if the guidelines havent been followed. Do as youre told! Editors will almost always want to make a few tweaks to your words. They may want some additional copy from you or ask for words to be cut. They will very often tweak the intro and opening section to make it sit better with their style and approach. Remember editors know their markets and their titles inside out, and if they want some tweaks, it means they want to publish you very soon. So, this is no time to be precious about your writing – go with their editorial decisions and turn any requested amends round asap. Final thought: Keep the promo stuff to a minimum   Theres a quid pro quo in guest posting – you give the editor some content of value, and theyll let you plug your book. But dont overdo the promotional element – if your piece is crammed full of references to your book, it will just come across as one big advert, and it wont be accepted. Writing something thats useful or entertaining for people is the best advertisement for your work, after all.

The role of employee engagement in an organization, using M & S food Essay

The role of employee engagement in an organization, using M & S food store as an organization - Essay Example Only a third of employees have motivation in their work places in the United Kingdom (BergHind, 2005). Some organizations have embraced a strong sense of developing employee willingness to have a positive mental attitude towards work (Accor Services, 2009). Only twenty nine percent in the United States are enthusiastic about their work and employment. The business landscape is more unpredictable and more dynamic than ever before. However, despite challenges, most organizations have continuously supported employees to create a positive mental attitude towards work. Human resource remains a fundamental resource in any business. Companies that pride themselves in continued improvement of the intangible resources of the business entity. The intangible resources encompass the psychological factors that influence the mental preparedness and willingness of workers in an important pillar of progress in any company. The company has established itself as a true benchmark of success in the reta il industry through creating a sense of belonging among employees ( Bradley, 2007). The human resource personnel and other officials in the company engage the workforce in various developmental steps of the company. In the current dynamic and ever evolving business landscape, companies have stepped up efforts to engage employees. In the past, organizations were concentrating on staff retention plans which were ineffective in guaranteeing high performance. This is because companies were keeping millions of unwilling workers who simply turned for duty but were never interested in building the organization (Clarke & MacLeod 2009, p 168). Organizations today are engaging employees through informing employees about the organizations, creating strong communication channels where there is feedback from employees and committing the top management to proper service delivery. At the moment, several organizations have improved the extent employee engagement effort. What are the benefits of eng aged employees and how they are been rewarded in regards to their engagement to the organization. The psychological factors are key to the success of any company. Any employee who is engaged to a company will produce better results than an employee who is not motivated at work (Baldwin & Davis, 2006). This makes rewards and benefits to an employee who is engaged very necessary if any organization has to continue performing well (Clarke & MacLeod, 2009). Employees who are engaged will be handled well by the organization. Employees who have a positive attitude towards their work have less stress and are less likely to fall sick compared to those who are not engaged. Employees who are engaged derive joy and attach meaning to their work. This makes employee engagement the heart of high performance in an organization (Accor Services 2009, p 162). A strong correlation was established between employee engagement and the level of performance. The stores that were in the top quartile of enga gement achieved eight percent higher mystery shop scores than those in the bottom quartile (Marks and Spencer Group Inc, 2012, p. 56). This underscores the importance of employee engagement in the success of the company. The biggest job related concern among workers in the United Kingdom is the amount of salary employees earn. More than forty six percent of the workers consider the salary they earn as their main concern (Merrit J. E., 2012, p. 29). Engaged employees get offers from the company.

Fantasy Genre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fantasy Genre - Essay Example But in the process, Ulrich loses his life and the responsibility of freeing the village from clutches of the dragon falls on the shoulders of the inexperienced Galen. But the determined Galen, helped by a brave princess, Valerian, eventually succeeds in terminating existence of the dragon. But that is not before the story takes some twists and turns, before the evil force (dragon) is vanquished. The film, which went on to be just an average success, included some extremely violent sequences scaring the young viewers. (1) There is no hesitation whatsoever in emphatically stating that this movie belongs to the genre of fantasy, and there indeed are highly valid reasons for stating so. The most striking of all reasons is attributable to the fact that the entire story of the movie revolves around the rampaging dragon. And dragons are nothing but figments of human imagination and fantasy. Next, the movie also encompasses things such as sorcerers and the manner in which youngsters aspiring to become like them (sorcerers) undergo training. Obviously, all these elements are also included only in tales resulting from fantasy. In addition, aspects such as appeasing evil entities by means of human sacrifice, talismans offering protection, among others, are typical of movies pertaining to this genre. (1) At this point, it would be very much appropriate in briefly focusing on some quotes from this movie. For, the same would help not just in having a further understanding of the central characters, but also add weight to the fact that â€Å"Dragon Slayer† is an out-and-out fantasy film. At one point in the movie, Valerian asks Ulrich â€Å"Are you afraid of dragons?† In reply, he says â€Å"No. In fact, if it weren't for sorcerers, there wouldn't be any dragons. Once, the skies were dotted with them. Magnificent horned backs, leathern wings... soaring... and their hot-breathed wind. Oh, I know this creature of yours... Vermithrax Pejorative. Look at these scal es, these ridges. When a dragon gets this old, it knows nothing but pain, constant pain. It grows decrepit... crippled... pitiful. Spiteful!† This conversation between the two characters subtly stresses on a point: during the imaginary times to which some of the fantasy films refer to, sighting dragons was not uncommon and people were highly scared of these creatures. Here, it can again be understood that this movie has elements that resulted from just the imagination of people, a fantasy. (2) In the story, when Galen stops a princess from being offered in sacrifice to the dragon, the wizard, Tyrian, says â€Å"I knew I'd find you here. Well, I'm not as sentimental as his majesty. The kingdom, everyone of us, needs this sacrifice. If you intend to interfere, you'll have to kill me.† Galen responds to that with the words â€Å"I've plenty of reasons to kill you that have nothing to do with this sacrifice.† This particular exchange of words emphasizes on the extent to which superstitions such as human sacrifices were followed by some primitive cults. It is not just that. The reply of Galen is a reflection of his commitment to eliminating the evil forces and saving the good people. (2) As the movie is slowly drawing to an end, Valerian expresses her worry to Galen in this way: â€Å"It's a shield. I made it. Might keep the fire off of you, might not. You know, you're an idiot. You're going to die tonight. You'll be ripped, limb from limb. This is the last time I'll ever speak to you!†

Research in public policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Research in public policy - Essay Example The first can be an assessment of the situation based on scientific method of investigation. The second method can be based on observation wherein the person does not make use of systematic process to make a generalization. In real life, there are other ways to find solutions to problems. Sometimes, even gut feel or intuition is used as a method in finding answers to queries. In some areas in the east, people rely on the wisdom of old people to answer most of the complex problems in life. To summarize the above definitions, research then is a method of inquiry for the purpose of obtaining facts in response to questions raised (Bautista, 1998). Bautista further added that research differs from other modes of knowing in the sensed that it is a systematic process of gaining information or knowledge. It is more that intuition, gut feel or tradition. 3) It is precise. Research usually aims at estimating the exact count of the event that has occurred or may yet occur. Statistics are helpful since the thrust is to quantify the incidence of the event being observed. However, there are instances when accuracy is not possible, especially if the objective of the research is mainly to characterize what is happening and not really to determine the frequency of the event. 6) Observations are usually undertaken under controlled conditions. ... 3) It is precise. Research usually aims at estimating the exact count of the event that has occurred or may yet occur. Statistics are helpful since the thrust is to quantify the incidence of the event being observed. However, there are instances when accuracy is not possible, especially if the objective of the research is mainly to characterize what is happening and not really to determine the frequency of the event. 4) Observations are recorded. Research necessitates the documentation of observations with the aid of instruments such as questionnaires, tape recorders for interviews, and many more. 5) Observation follows the rule of objectivity. Observations must not be influenced by personal preferences, prejudices, biases, attitudes, and feelings. 6) Observations are usually undertaken under controlled conditions. Researchers aspire to eliminate other factors or variables that might intrude into the observation of the major factors of variables that are being investigated. PURPOSES AND USES OF RESEARCH Any research, if correctly designed and undertaken, will build knowledge because it represents an objective investigation of facts about a certain subject (http://www.ryerson.ca/mjoppe/ResearchProcess/WhyConductResearch.htm). Research gathers facts that help people such as policy makers make decisions. A research becomes significant when it is used to show the interrelatedness of a variety of concepts and not simply describes how events take place. Research then is both fact-finding and theory building. According to Cresswell (994), "a theory is an interrelated set of constructs (or variables) formed into propositions or hypotheses that specify the relationship among variables (typically in terms of magnitude or direction). The

CRITIQUE OF QUANTITATIVE ARTICLE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Mental Process Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mental Process Paper - Essay Example In this paper, we shall discuss the influence of five forces on the basic development of mental models and mindsets, and a comparative analysis will be conducted to highlight the four styles of creative intelligence. Mental Process: In an organization concern authoritative bodies are responsible to carry out decision making process effectively, for which it is vital that ones thoughts must go through the process of verbalizing and then implementation of designed plan. Such a process is known as a mental process, which does also include five forces such as environmental, hereditary, education, genetic and past experiences (Young, 2011). These are important elements reflect upon the actions, reactions and thinking patterns of an individual. These five elements considerably influence the basic development of mental models and mindsets. Influences of Five Forces: We shall now briefly discuss each element to highlight their effects on the cognitive patterns of individuals working in an or ganization and responsible to contribute in the decision making processes of the company. Environment: Environment plays a key role in altering cognition and perceptions of employees towards particular format or decision. Scholars have noticed that environment has much intense impact on mindsets than any other force of mental process. It is mainly because the environment in which a child is brought greatly reflects his/her personality. Similarly the work environment highly contributes to encourage or de-motivate employees for their dedication towards the assigned task in the office (Wadsworth Media, 2009). Hereditary: Heredity is considered to set limitations for enhancement of characteristics. It is believed that individuals get personality traits from their parents, which influence each aspect of their life. Sometimes, intelligence and other extraordinary qualities are inherited to the individuals that help them in understanding situations and requirements in more efficient manner and as a result, such workers contribute proficiently at the work place and help generate innovative thoughts for work processes (Wadsworth Media, 2009). Education: Education is another very important element of model process as some researchers believe that education dominates all other factors. Education provides a sense of development and understanding things from wider-spectrum (Wadsworth Media, 2009). It strengthens and widens the vision of individuals, and helps them make decisions efficiently with a complete understanding of the complex situation and proficient plan required for company's sustainability. Genetics: Personalities of the individuals are genetically determined, which include mental and physical characteristics that make mindset of people different from each other. The genetic uniqueness of different employees in an organization sometime creates perplexing conditions to cooperate with each other during chaotic time (Wadsworth Media, 2009). Past Experience: As eve ry individual is brought up in different environment with diverse experiences and events so, when these individuals work for an organization. They tend to understand the situation and solve issues with their own experiences, which are definitely different from others'. Past experiences also reshape personalities of individuals and their cognitive development that directly reflect upon their organizational

MHE503 Survey of Emergency and Disaster Mgt Module 2 SLP Essay

MHE503 Survey of Emergency and Disaster Mgt Module 2 SLP - Essay Example 1. STORM: 36095.9 Number of Deaths 2. FLOOD: 3068.3 Number of Deaths 3. MASS MOVEMENT WET: 2710.4 Number of Deaths 4. EPIDEMIC: 571.1 Number of Deaths Columns 4: Rank the disasters in terms of average number affected per disaster during the past 30 years. Use a scale between 1 and 4, with '1' referring to the highest number affected per disaster and '4' referring to the lowest number affected per disaster. 1. STORM: 95717646 Total Affected 2. FLOOD: 14312765 Total Affected 3. MASS MOVEMENT WET: 333895 Total Affected 4. EPIDEMIC: 17803.1 Total affected Columns 5: Rank the disasters in terms of average cost per disaster during the past 30 years. Use a scale between 1 and 4, with '1' referring to the highest cost per disaster and '4' referring to the lowest cost per disaster. AVERAGE COST RANKING 1. STORM: $5502262.3 2. FLOOD: $1256048.9 3. MASS MOVEMENT WET: $34712.2 4. EPIDEMIC: $0 Columns 6: Rank the disasters in terms of expected warning time as follows: 1) no warning, 2) 1-24 hours warning, 3) >24 hours warning. Mass Movement Wet: [possible no warning] Flood: [1-24 hours warning] Epidemic: [1-24 hours warning] Storm: [warning] Columns 7: As a disaster manager for this country, how would you rank these disasters in terms of priority Using the information in the table, rank the disasters in terms of priority, with '1' being the highest priority. Provide a brief justification for your priority rating. 1. STORM 2. FLOOD 3. MASS MOVEMENT WET 4. EPIDEMIC Reasoning: Storm is noted as the most common disaster in the Philippines. Putting it in a high risk note could be hoped to eliminate the possible dangers that flood and mass movement wet... Columns 4: Rank the disasters in terms of average number affected per disaster during the past 30 years. Use a scale between 1 and 4, with '1' referring to the highest number affected per disaster and '4' referring to the lowest number affected per disaster. Columns 5: Rank the disasters in terms of average cost per disaster during the past 30 years. Use a scale between 1 and 4, with '1' referring to the highest cost per disaster and '4' referring to the lowest cost per disaster. Columns 7: As a disaster manager for this country, how would you rank these disasters in terms of priority Using the information in the table, rank the disasters in terms of priority, with '1' being the highest priority. Provide a brief justification for your priority rating. Reasoning: Storm is noted as the most common disaster in the Philippines. Putting it in a high risk note could be hoped to eliminate the possible dangers that flood and mass movement wet could cause the country. Apparently, as reports note it, storm is the basic source of the other particular disastrous events which could or could not include epidemic in the list. 2. Select a high priority disaster for the remainder of your session-long project. Describe the sectors within your country that would be most vulnerable to your selected disaster. Explain why these sectors would be most vulnerable. Storms are likely to occur within the boundaries of the country that faces the ocean where the wind hits

Mental Process Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mental Process Paper - Essay Example In this paper, we shall discuss the influence of five forces on the basic development of mental models and mindsets, and a comparative analysis will be conducted to highlight the four styles of creative intelligence. Mental Process: In an organization concern authoritative bodies are responsible to carry out decision making process effectively, for which it is vital that ones thoughts must go through the process of verbalizing and then implementation of designed plan. Such a process is known as a mental process, which does also include five forces such as environmental, hereditary, education, genetic and past experiences (Young, 2011). These are important elements reflect upon the actions, reactions and thinking patterns of an individual. These five elements considerably influence the basic development of mental models and mindsets. Influences of Five Forces: We shall now briefly discuss each element to highlight their effects on the cognitive patterns of individuals working in an or ganization and responsible to contribute in the decision making processes of the company. Environment: Environment plays a key role in altering cognition and perceptions of employees towards particular format or decision. Scholars have noticed that environment has much intense impact on mindsets than any other force of mental process. It is mainly because the environment in which a child is brought greatly reflects his/her personality. Similarly the work environment highly contributes to encourage or de-motivate employees for their dedication towards the assigned task in the office (Wadsworth Media, 2009). Hereditary: Heredity is considered to set limitations for enhancement of characteristics. It is believed that individuals get personality traits from their parents, which influence each aspect of their life. Sometimes, intelligence and other extraordinary qualities are inherited to the individuals that help them in understanding situations and requirements in more efficient manner and as a result, such workers contribute proficiently at the work place and help generate innovative thoughts for work processes (Wadsworth Media, 2009). Education: Education is another very important element of model process as some researchers believe that education dominates all other factors. Education provides a sense of development and understanding things from wider-spectrum (Wadsworth Media, 2009). It strengthens and widens the vision of individuals, and helps them make decisions efficiently with a complete understanding of the complex situation and proficient plan required for company's sustainability. Genetics: Personalities of the individuals are genetically determined, which include mental and physical characteristics that make mindset of people different from each other. The genetic uniqueness of different employees in an organization sometime creates perplexing conditions to cooperate with each other during chaotic time (Wadsworth Media, 2009). Past Experience: As eve ry individual is brought up in different environment with diverse experiences and events so, when these individuals work for an organization. They tend to understand the situation and solve issues with their own experiences, which are definitely different from others'. Past experiences also reshape personalities of individuals and their cognitive development that directly reflect upon their organizational

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

Assignment - Essay Example The only goals they need are how to conform to the traditional, typical place of females within that society. You are a girl so you can only become and wife and mother, any other aspirations are unrealistic, foolish, and in some cultures, blasphemous in the eyes of some faiths and philosophies. Women have been discriminated against throughout history for a number of societal, philosophical, traditional, and religious reasons; they are at the mercy of highly patriarchal environments. In some locations of the world the key element that deprives most women of realizing their greatest potential is the lack of education. Women, it is believed, do not need to be educated and are often legally not allowed to be educated in many cultures in the world even today. The human rights violation represented by denying education to female citizens literally cripples and impedes their quality life from the day they are born to their day their life ends. This essay will prove the potential human rights violations with a long list of negative side-effects related to denial of female education throughout the world Lack education maintains female disadvantage in the labor force, disadvantage economically, confines them to their society’s defined gender roles, and is a distinct violation of the individual human rights of women. Education is the most valuable tool and greatest means to positive opportunities in the future, hence its denial to women have led to serious quality of life concerns. Firstly, understanding some of the history of gender inequality reveals just how common discriminations against girls and women truly are. It some ways the denial of female education may be the oldest of all human rights violations. Then by delving further in to how the lack of female education contributes directly to the inequality in the labor force, as foundational and higher education dictate the quality of employment and incomes they are able to earn.

A modest Proposal Essay Example for Free

A modest Proposal Essay In the text ‘A modest Proposal† Jonathan Swift is proposing a ludicrous idea that the Irish should result to cannibalism and eat their own children to solve the problem of famine and overpopulation in their country. The purpose of this text is to attack the ignorance of the desperately poor people’s situation of that time, as well as making fun of other ideas that people have proposed to solve the big problems in society, and people are proposing ludicrous ideas and thinking they are practical. The whole text is written satirically, and this begins with a paradox in the title. The title suggests that is proposal is modest, and after reading the fist several lines, we see that this is undoubtedly not modest. While reading the start of â€Å"A Modest Proposal’ the audience thinks that Swift is going to suggest that they kill the children, but however reverses it to cannibalism, this can be classified as an anti-climax. Swift also lists the advantages and perks that this strategy will have and presents it in a very logic way The origin of the technique understatement is the witty language that is used is so subtly in this text that the awful and horrible aspects of the proposal are masked and therefore, are almost overlooked by the reader. This is seen in the line; â€Å"a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicate, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled. And I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout† the tone of this is so casual, causing confusion to the reader. There is use of Black humor throughout this text, although it does not put an overly ‘gore’ image into the readers head, the thought of cannibalism is disturbing. There is many examples of black humor, one instance; â€Å"That the remaining hundred thousand may, at a year old, be offered in the sale to the persons of quality and fortune through the kingdom; always advising the mother to let them suck plentifully in the last month, so as to render them plump and fat for a good table† There is a serious statement that contradicts all that Swift has said, Therefore I repeat, let no man talk to me of these and the like expedients, till he hath at least some glimpse of hope that there will ever be some hearty and sincere attempt to put them into practice†. This is to add emphasis on the fact that there are many other proposals that people have written that haven’t been taken seriously. This leads to the reader to conclude that the whole text has been ironic as Swift has suggested something he means the opposite of, thus that he hopes that the situation in Ireland doesn’t lead to this. This is the techniques of Burlesque being used throughout the text, as the preposterous ideas that some people have put forward are being mocked and vulgarized. After analyzing ‘A Modest Proposal’ it is evident that writing language is the main use of satire in this text, this along with ironic exaggerations, sarcastic comparisons and stinging overtone, creates the effect that this text leaves on the reader.

Pollution and Environment Essay - Man Has No Responsibility to the Envi

Man Has No Responsibility to the Environment Since the 1960s, questions concerning environmental ethics have loomed large in the public awareness. At the heart of all of these questions is one single issue that has caused confusion among many people involved in this controversy. There has been much debate on this issue, but little has been fruitful, and this can in part be blamed on the fact that the debate is of a particularly low quality. Much of it has been of the name-calling, conclusion-with-no-justification-spewing variety. The central problem with the environmental debate is that the debaters engaged in attempting to provide solutions to these issues do not agree on the humanity's place in the natural order. Rather than dealing with this core issue, however, the debaters debate only on incidental issues which proceed directly from the central problem. This central question is "How shall we relate to, or deal with, the environment?" Environmentalists frequently answer that we should, in some sense, live in harmony with nature, or respect the rights of natural beings, such as trees, birds, mountains, and rivers. In this essay, I present an opposing viewpoint: I propose that there are no moral obligations which direct how "humans" should deal with the environment, because the concept "human" is an arbitrary class with no real meaning. The problem with this environmentalist viewpoint is that the presupposition that there is some radical difference between humans and other animals is inherent in the position. Environmentalists suppose that there is something that puts us in a privileged position compared to the rest of nature. In fact, there is not. Humans have the same drives as other animals. In this respect, a... ...definition of "humanity" have to do with how "humanity" should relate to the environment? The answer is that there is no particular set of rules that "humanity" should follow in relating to the environment. Certainly, there are some things that would be "good" for "humanity," and other things that would be "bad," depending upon how you define these concepts of "good," "bad," and "humanity." And certainly, some things would be better for the ecosystem than others, depending upon how you define the "good of the ecosystem." But it is impossible to argue that "humanity" should be responsible for shepherding the ecosystem, or for staying in a certain place in the ecosystem, because there is no natural and proper place for "humanity" -- "humanity" is an illusion, an arbitrary group of "animals." There are no moral considerations that apply to "humanity" as a whole.

Gender and Equality in the Workforce in the USSR Essay -- Equality Emp

Gender and Equality in the Workforce in the USSR For every person, different reasons exist to go out and seek employment. These reasons, however, stem from the type of government that people are ruled by. In Russia, during the period that will be discussed, a Socialist government ruled the USSR. It was under this government, that everyone was to have a job and unemployment was to be kept at a minimum. During this socialist regime, the attitudes to working will be taken from the perspectives of three related women. The first woman, Mela Krul, was born in 1932 and is the mother of Alla Veitsman and Helen Krul Zlatkin. Alla Veitsman is the oldest sister and was born in 1954. Although her work experience under the socialist government is brief, it shows signs of the progress that women made during the middle to late 1900s. Helen Zlatkin, born in 1962, had no work experience in the former USSR, but her personal account demonstrates the types of choices that women made in order to have both family and work. Mela Krul was the only one who had extensive work experience in the USSR, but she was able to see the changes and progress that women underwent through the daily activities and choices that both of her daughters made. As these three women came to the United States of America, along with their families, they faced a democratic government where employment was not guaranteed and women did have to face the hardships of unemployment, and more importantly, inequality. It would be the values and traditions that both Alla and Helen believed in that allowed them to be successful and relatively unaffected by inequality. In the time period that the three women lived in the USSR, society was ruled by socialism (communists did exist, but were not the majority). Under this theory of government, everyone worked; it was believed to be a disgrace if a person simply sat at home and did not participate in the labor force. The goal was to have every citizen in the USSR working; there was little focus on quality or productivity, "Early Soviet policies rested on the assumption that genuine equality and independence for women depended on full economics participation." (Lapidus 168) People were encouraged to work, not to meet their potential in the workplace. In order to receive their monthly pay in rubles, the workers had a quota to meet. The workers rarely met this quota --... ...to a certain age group desire these things -- but she did not take into account immigrants. No matter when a certain immigrant woman is born, once she has arrived into the United States she wants a job and a family -- a career comes later. For an immigrant woman, it is never a question between a family or a job, you have both -- you must have a job to keep the family healthy and in need of nothing. For an immigrant woman coming from a socialist government where benefits were nonexistent, jobs in America that do offer benefits do not advocate inequality, but advocate progress and an opportunity to support one's family by fully participating in the labor market. Immigrant families never lose sight of the importance of family and the support that they can offer you. Society is constantly changing and new and better things are always improving, but the help of one's family members can never be overlooked -- some traditions promote modernization and progress. The authors of the econom ic models discussed try to fit people into categories without taking into account very important exceptions -- personal values will never fit into categories and will always promote equality and progress.

Organizational Structure Presentation Essay

As a manager of Van Rensselaer Manor Nursing Home Rehabilitation Center, we now are going to propose a new addition of long-term care services along with still having services for short-term on an inpatient and outpatient basis. The future of our organization’s growth internally and externally will demand how well we communication our abilities not only to our staff but to our surrounding community. We will be in need of new experience workers for physical therapy, counselors to work with patients and families, along with specialized doctors and nurses. Communication will be the number one factor in finding the right professionals for our organizations growth within the community. Our communication tactics need to be easily understood by all parties, and we need not use overpowering management terms so that employees think we are talking down to them. Effective communication means having everyone on the same page learning from one another while growing inside and outside the o rganization. Leadership involves good communication among all ranks of the management team and staff. Coaching, mentoring and walking around the office each day getting to know your people personally and their working skills will improve the growth internally and externally of the organization. Effective internal communication starts with our organization having sufficient skills in listening, speaking, questioning and sharing feedback. As a manager, it is my job and my management team to ensure that the most important outcome from the above skills is conveying that we value hearing from others and them hearing from us. Sharing information on a regular basis with the staff is effective communication and will keep the organization’s mission number one in everyone’s goals. â€Å"The main differences between internal and external company communications are the content and the audience. Internal communications include employees and shareholders, such as the company’s board of directors or stockholders. External communications include clients, prospective customers and the public.

The Consumer Guarantees

The Consumer Guarantees Act is a cornerstone piece of legislation. Its role is to protect consumers. Under the Act, your consumer rights are expressed as a series of â€Å"guarantees† that a seller automatically makes to you when you buy any goods or services ordinarily purchased for personal use.In this guide, we explain what those rights are, and what to do if you think your rights have been breached. The Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 A Summary Introduction: The Act came into force on 1 April 1994 and does not apply to any contract for the supply of goods or services made before this date (Section 56). It is a significant piece of legislation and is aimed at imposing guarantees in contracts for the supply of goods and the performance of services for the consumers benefit. It provides a right of redress against suppliers and manufacturers in respect of any failure of the goods or services to comply with the guarantees. Definitions: Certain terms are defined in the Act itself (Section 2). These definitions are important in determining in what circumstances the Act will or will not apply. The Act defines â€Å"Goods†, â€Å"Service†, â€Å"Supplier†, â€Å"Manufacturer†, â€Å"trade†, and other terms. The key definition in the Act is â€Å"Consumer†. This is defined to mean a person who:- (a) Acquires from a supplier goods or services of a kind ordinarily acquired for personal, domestic, or household use or consumption; and (b) Does not acquire the goods or services, or hold himself or herself out as acquiring the goods or services, for the purpose of: (i) Re-supplying them in trade; or  (ii) Consuming them in the course of a process of production or manufacture; or (iii) In the case of goods, repairing or treating in trade other goods or fixtures on land.† The definition of â€Å"Consumer† is unusual and difficult. The focus is the ordinary use for which goods or services are acquired rather than the use intended by the acquiring purchaser. By way of example a contract for the supply of crockery to a company that owns a restaurant will be a contract of supply of goods subject to the Act because although intended for commercial use, crockery is ordinarily acquired for personal, domestic or household use and consumption. As far as the services supplied by travel agents are concerned it would be best to proceed on the basis that virtually all of the services will be viewed as a kind ordinarily acquired for personal or domestic use or consumption with the consequence that the Act will apply to those services. Guarantees: The Act establishes one set of guarantees which apply in relation to the supply of goods and a different set of guarantees which apply in relation to the supply of services. This summary deals only with the guarantees which the Act imposes in relation to the supply of services. TAANZ also has a summary of the guarantees which are imposed by the Act in relation to the supply of goods and if a member has a problem involving the guarantees applicable to supply of goods the member can obtain a copy of that summary by contacting the TAANZ office. Guarantees in Respect of the Supply of Services Where services are supplied to a consumer there are four guarantees provided by Part IV of the Act. These are:- (i) Guarantee as to Reasonable Care and Skill (Section 28). A guarantee that services will be carried out with reasonable skill and care. This guarantee restates in statutory form the existing common law obligations on Travel Agents to exercise the skill and care of a reasonable competent professional travel agent in performing their services. The guarantee does not extend the existing legal obligations of a travel agent to act with reasonable skill and care in the performance of their function on behalf of their customers. Travel Agents had these obligations before the Act was passed. (ii) Guarantee as to Fitness for Particular Purpose (Section 29) A guarantee that the service, and any product resulting from the service, will be reasonably fit for any particular purpose, and of such a nature and quality that it can reasonably be expected to achieve any particular result that the consumer made known to the supplier. This, the second guarantee, is significant and establishes a new liability on travel agents in relation to the performance of services for customers. The Section (Section 29) requires the consumer to have made known his or her purpose to the travel agent at or before the time of making the contract for supply of services for the customer. The difficulty with this particular guarantee is that it is possible that travel agents may be liable for the actions or defaults of other suppliers of product where the other suppliers fail to perform at the levels expected of them. By way of example, if a customer makes known particular needs in terms of a holiday, for example, a resort which contains a golf course and tennis courts, and the travel agent recommends a particular resort as being able to provide those services and facilities, if the resort (for whatever reason) fails to provide those facilities then the travel agent may be liable. Accordingly, this particular guarantee has the capacity to extend the liability of the travel agent to include failures on the part of the suppliers of the actual facilities of travel accommodation. This particular guarantee is modified in part by Section 33 of the Act which states that there shall be no right of redress against a supplier under the Act in respect of a service or any product resulting from a service which fails to comply with that guarantee only as to fitness for particular purpose if it fails to comply with that guarantee only because of any act, or default, or omission of, or any representation made by any person other than the supplier or an agent or servant of the supplier. TAANZ members should nevertheless take special care when they are dealing with a customer who has specified a particular purpose or that the arrangements which are made for him are to have a particular nature or quality or to achieve a particular result. In such cases the travel agent should be aware that if the customer complains that the programme or plan prepared by the travel agent did not satisfy the particular purpose or provide the facilities of the nature and quality specified by the customer then there is considerable potential for the customer to take action against the travel agent pursuant to this particular guarantee. This guarantee will not apply where the circumstances show that the consumer does not rely on the suppliers’ skill or judgment, or, it is unreasonable for the consumer to rely on the suppliers’ skill or judgment. TAANZ members should also ensure that their professional indemnity policy will cover them for breaches of this guarantee in circumstances when they have not been negligent. A more detailed analysis of this section is contained in the case studies which appear at the end of this summary. (iii) Guarantee as to Time of Completion (Section 30) A guarantee that the service will be completed within a reasonable time in any case where the time is not fixed by the contract nor a method for calculating the time provided in the contract. This guarantee is not likely at a practical level to create problems for travel agents. Travel agents do not have problems completing their tasks with a reasonable time frame. Modern technology enables travel agents to carry out reservation and booking work virtually instantaneously and the consumer is frequently advised at the time of enquiry as to whether seats or accommodation are available at the relevant time. (iii) Guarantee as to Price (Section 31) A guarantee that the consumer is not liable to pay to the supplier more than a reasonable price for the service in any case where the price is not fixed in the contract nor a method for calculating the price provided in the contract. When there is failure to comply with this guarantee the consumers right of redress is to refuse to pay more than a reasonable price. Here again the nature of the services provided by travel agents and the basis on which they are remunerated mean that from a practical point of view this guarantee is not likely to be one which affects travel agents in any significant way. Rights of Redress Against Suppliers In Respect of Supply of Services Where the supplier of a service fails to comply with the guarantees a consumer may exercise certain remedies depending on whether the failure can be remedied or not (Section 32). Where a failure can be remedied the consumer may require the supplier to remedy it within a reasonable time. If the supplier neglects or refuses to do so within a reasonable time a consumer may have the failure remedied elsewhere at the suppliers’ cost, or, cancel the contract for the supply of service in accordance with the requirements of the Act. Where a failure cannot be remedied or is of a substantial character the consumer may cancel the contract in accordance with the requirements of the Act or obtain damages in compensation of any reduction in value of the product of a service below the charge paid or payable by the consumer. â€Å"substantial character† is defined in the Act (Section 36). In either situation (can be remedied; cannot be remedied) the consumer can claim damages for any loss reasonably foreseeable as liable to result from the failure. The exception is that no right of redress is available against a supplier in respect of a service or any product resulting from a service which fails to comply with the guarantee as to fitness for a particular purpose (Section 29) or the guarantee as to time for completion (Section 30) if the cause is independent of human control or caused by an act or default or representation made by any person other than the supplier or servant or agent of the supplier (Section 33). Right to Cancellation: Once the right of cancellation has arisen Section 37 of the Act sets out the rules applying to cancellation. Cancellation does not take effect until made known to the supplier, or where it is not reasonably practicable to communicate with the supplier, by means which are reasonable in the circumstances. Cancellation may be made known by words or conduct (Section 37). However, where there is a provision in the contract of supply requiring notice of cancellation in writing this provision will apply (Section 37(3)). Where a consumer cancels a contract for the supply of services the consumer is entitled to a refund of money or other consideration paid less any amount the Court or a Disputes Tribunal orders that the supplier may retain (Section 38). Contracting Out: Section 43 deals expressly with contracting out of the Act. The Act is to have effect notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any agreement (Section 43). To purport to contract out of the Act is deemed to be an offence under the Fair Trading Act 1986 (a false representation) and fines of up to $200,000 for corporations and $60,000 for individuals may be imposed. The principal exception to the prohibition against contracting out is where the supply of goods or services is to a consumer who acquires the goods or services for business purposes. Where this criteria is satisfied an agreement to contract out of the provisions of the Act must be in writing and record that the supply is for â€Å"business purposes’