Twilight 17. THE GAME

17. THE GAME It was just beginning to drizzle when Edward turned onto my street. Up until that moment, I'd had no doubt that he'd be staying with me while I spent a few interim hours in the real world. And then I saw the black car, a weathered Ford, parked in Charlie's driveway – and heard Edward mutter something unintelligible in a low, harsh voice. Leaning away from the rain under the shallow front porch, Jacob Black stood behind his father's wheelchair. Billy's face was impassive as stone as Edward parked my truck against the curb. Jacob stared down, his expression mortified. Edward's low voice was furious. â€Å"This is crossing the line.† â€Å"He came to warn Charlie?† I guessed, more horrified than angry. Edward just nodded, answering Billy's gaze through the rain with narrowed eyes. I felt weak with relief that Charlie wasn't home yet. â€Å"Let me deal with this,† I suggested. Edward's black glare made me anxious. To my surprise, he agreed. â€Å"That's probably best. Be careful, though. The child has no idea.† I bridled a little at the word child. â€Å"Jacob is not that much younger than I am,† I reminded him. He looked at me then, his anger abruptly fading. â€Å"Oh, I know,† he assured me with a grin. I sighed and put my hand on the door handle. â€Å"Get them inside,† he instructed, â€Å"so I can leave. I'll be back around dusk.† â€Å"Do you want my truck?† I offered, meanwhile wondering how I would explain its absence to Charlie. He rolled his eyes. â€Å"I could walk home faster than this truck moves.† â€Å"You don't have to leave,† I said wistfully. He smiled at my glum expression. â€Å"Actually, I do. After you get rid of them† – he threw a dark glance in the Blacks' direction – â€Å"you still have to prepare Charlie to meet your new boyfriend.† He grinned widely, showing all of his teeth. I groaned. â€Å"Thanks a lot.† He smiled the crooked smile that I loved. â€Å"I'll be back soon,† he promised. His eyes flickered back to the porch, and then he leaned in to swiftly kiss me just under the edge of my jaw. My heart lurched frantically, and I, too, glanced toward the porch. Billy's face was no longer impassive, and his hands clutched at the armrests of his chair. â€Å"Soon,† I stressed as I opened the door and stepped out into the rain. I could feel his eyes on my back as I half-ran through the light sprinkle toward the porch. â€Å"Hey, Billy. Hi, Jacob.† I greeted them as cheerfully as I could manage. â€Å"Charlie's gone for the day – I hope you haven't been waiting long.† â€Å"Not long,† Billy said in a subdued tone. His black eyes were piercing. â€Å"I just wanted to bring this up.† He indicated a brown paper sack resting in his lap. â€Å"Thanks,† I said, though I had no idea what it could be. â€Å"Why don't you come in for a minute and dry off?† I pretended to be oblivious to his intense scrutiny as I unlocked the door, and waved them in ahead of me. â€Å"Here, let me take that,† I offered, turning to shut the door. I allowed myself one last glance at Edward. He was waiting, perfectly still, his eyes solemn. â€Å"You'll want to put it in the fridge,† Billy noted as he handed me the package. â€Å"It's some of Harry Clearwater's homemade fish fry – Charlie's favorite. The fridge keeps it drier.† He shrugged. â€Å"Thanks,† I repeated, but with feeling this time. â€Å"I was running out of new ways to fix fish, and he's bound to bring home more tonight.† â€Å"Fishing again?† Billy asked with a subtle gleam in his eye. â€Å"Down at the usual spot? Maybe I'll run by and see him.† â€Å"No,† I quickly lied, my face going hard. â€Å"He was headed someplace new†¦ but I have no idea where.† He took in my changed expression, and it made him thoughtful. â€Å"Jake,† he said, still appraising me. â€Å"Why don't you go get that new picture of Rebecca out of the car? I'll leave that for Charlie, too.† â€Å"Where is it?† Jacob asked, his voice morose. I glanced at him, but he was staring at the floor, his eyebrows pulling together. â€Å"I think I saw it in the trunk,† Billy said. â€Å"You may have to dig for it.† Jacob slouched back out into the rain. Billy and I faced each other in silence. After a few seconds, the quiet started to feel awkward, so I turned and headed to the kitchen. I could hear his wet wheels squeak against the linoleum as he followed. I shoved the bag onto the crowded top shelf of the fridge, and spun around to confront him. His deeply lined face was unreadable. â€Å"Charlie won't be back for a long time.† My voice was almost rude. He nodded in agreement, but said nothing. â€Å"Thanks again for the fish fry,† I hinted. He continued nodding. I sighed and folded my arms across my chest. He seemed to sense that I had given up on small talk. â€Å"Bella,† he said, and then he hesitated. I waited. â€Å"Bella,† he said again, â€Å"Charlie is one of my best friends.† â€Å"Yes.† He spoke each word carefully in his rumbling voice. â€Å"I noticed you've been spending time with one of the Cullens.† â€Å"Yes,† I repeated curtly. His eyes narrowed. â€Å"Maybe it's none of my business, but I don't think that is such a good idea.† â€Å"You're right,† I agreed. â€Å"It is none of your business.† He raised his graying eyebrows at my tone. â€Å"You probably don't know this, but the Cullen family has an unpleasant reputation on the reservation.† â€Å"Actually, I did know that,† I informed him in a hard voice. This surprised him. â€Å"But that reputation couldn't be deserved, could it? Because the Cullens never set foot on the reservation, do they?† I could see that my less than subtle reminder of the agreement that both bound and protected his tribe pulled him up short. â€Å"That's true,† he acceded, his eyes guarded. â€Å"You seem†¦ well informed about the Cullens. More informed than I expected.† I stared him down. â€Å"Maybe even better informed than you are.† He pursed his thick lips as he considered that. â€Å"Maybe.† he allowed, but his eyes were shrewd. â€Å"Is Charlie as well informed?† He had found the weak chink in my armor. â€Å"Charlie likes the Cullens a lot,† I hedged. He clearly understood my evasion. His expression was unhappy, but unsurprised. â€Å"It's not my business,† he said. â€Å"But it may be Charlie's.† â€Å"Though it would be my business, again, whether or not I think that it's Charlie's business, right?† I wondered if he even understood my confused question as I struggled not to say anything compromising. But he seemed to. He thought about it while the rain picked up against the roof, the only sound breaking the silence. â€Å"Yes,† he finally surrendered. â€Å"I guess that's your business, too.† I sighed with relief. â€Å"Thanks, Billy.† â€Å"Just think about what you're doing, Bella,† he urged. â€Å"Okay,† I agreed quickly. He frowned. â€Å"What I meant to say was, don't do what you're doing.† I looked into his eyes, filled with nothing but concern for me, and there was nothing I could say. Just then the front door banged loudly, and I jumped at the sound. â€Å"There's no picture anywhere in that car.† Jacob's complaining voice reached us before he did. The shoulders of his shirt were stained with the rain, his hair dripping, when he rounded the corner. â€Å"Hmm,† Billy grunted, suddenly detached, spinning his chair around to face his son. â€Å"I guess I left it at home.† Jacob rolled his eyes dramatically. â€Å"Great.† â€Å"Well, Bella, tell Charlie† – Billy paused before continuing – â€Å"that we stopped by, I mean.† â€Å"I will,† I muttered. Jacob was surprised. â€Å"Are we leaving already?† â€Å"Charlie's gonna be out late,† Billy explained as he rolled himself past Jacob. â€Å"Oh.† Jacob looked disappointed. â€Å"Well, I guess I'll see you later, then, Bella.† â€Å"Sure,† I agreed. â€Å"Take care,† Billy warned me. I didn't answer. Jacob helped his father out the door. I waved briefly, glancing swiftly toward my now-empty truck, and then shut the door before they were gone. I stood in the hallway for a minute, listening to the sound of their car as it backed out and drove away. I stayed where I was, waiting for the irritation and anxiety to subside. When the tension eventually faded a bit, I headed upstairs to change out of my dressy clothes. I tried on a couple of different tops, not sure what to expect tonight. As I concentrated on what was coming, what had just passed became insignificant. Now that I was removed from Jasper's and Edward's influence, I began to make up for not being terrified before. I gave up quickly on choosing an outfit – throwing on an old flannel shirt and jeans – knowing I would be in my raincoat all night anyway. The phone rang and I sprinted downstairs to get it. There was only one voice I wanted to hear; anything else would be a disappointment. But I knew that if he wanted to talk to me, he'd probably just materialize in my room. â€Å"Hello?† I asked, breathless. â€Å"Bella? It's me,† Jessica said. â€Å"Oh, hey, Jess.† I scrambled for a moment to come back down to reality. It felt like months rather than days since I'd spoken to Jess. â€Å"How was the dance?† â€Å"It was so much fun!† Jessica gushed. Needing no more invitation than that, she launched into a minute-by-minute account of the previous night. I mmm'd and ahh'd at the right places, but it wasn't easy to concentrate. Jessica, Mike, the dance, the school – they all seemed strangely irrelevant at the moment. My eyes kept flashing to the window, trying to judge the degree of light behind the heavy clouds. â€Å"Did you hear what I said, Bella?† Jess asked, irritated. â€Å"I'm sorry, what?† â€Å"I said, Mike kissed me! Can you believe it?† â€Å"That's wonderful, Jess,† I said. â€Å"So what did you do yesterday?† Jessica challenged, still sounding bothered by my lack of attention. Or maybe she was upset because I hadn't asked for details. â€Å"Nothing, really. I just hung around outside to enjoy the sun.† I heard Charlie's car in the garage. â€Å"Did you ever hear anything more from Edward Cullen?† The front door slammed and I could hear Charlie banging around under the stairs, putting his tackle away. â€Å"Um.† I hesitated, not sure what my story was anymore. â€Å"Hi there, kiddo!† Charlie called as he walked into the kitchen. I waved at him. Jess heard his voice. â€Å"Oh, your dad's there. Never mind – we'll talk tomorrow. See you in Trig.† â€Å"See ya, Jess.† I hung up the phone. â€Å"Hey, Dad,† I said. He was scrubbing his hands in the sink. â€Å"Where's the fish?† â€Å"I put it out in the freezer.† â€Å"I'll go grab a few pieces before they freeze – Billy dropped off some of Harry Clearwater's fish fry this afternoon.† I worked to sound enthusiastic. â€Å"He did?† Charlie's eyes lit up. â€Å"That's my favorite.† Charlie cleaned up while I got dinner ready. It didn't take long till we were sitting at the table, eating in silence. Charlie was enjoying his food. I was wondering desperately how to fulfill my assignment, struggling to think of a way to broach the subject. â€Å"What did you do with yourself today?† he asked, snapping me out of my reverie. â€Å"Well, this afternoon I just hung out around the house†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Only the very recent part of this afternoon, actually. I tried to keep my voice upbeat, but my stomach was hollow. â€Å"And this morning I was over at the Cullens'.† Charlie dropped his fork. â€Å"Dr. Cullen's place?† he asked in astonishment. I pretended not to notice his reaction. â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"What were you doing there?† He hadn't picked his fork back up. â€Å"Well, I sort of have a date with Edward Cullen tonight, and he wanted to introduce me to his parents†¦ Dad?† It appeared that Charlie was having an aneurysm. â€Å"Dad, are you all right?† â€Å"You are going out with Edward Cullen?† he thundered. Uh-oh. â€Å"I thought you liked the Cullens.† â€Å"He's too old for you,† he ranted. â€Å"We're both juniors,† I corrected, though he was more right than he dreamed. â€Å"Wait†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused. â€Å"Which one is Edwin?† â€Å"Edward is the youngest, the one with the reddish brown hair.† The beautiful one, the godlike one†¦ â€Å"Oh, well, that's† – he struggled – â€Å"better, I guess. I don't like the look of that big one. I'm sure he's a nice boy and all, but he looks too†¦ mature for you. Is this Edwin your boyfriend?† â€Å"It's Edward, Dad.† â€Å"Is he?† â€Å"Sort of, I guess.† â€Å"You said last night that you weren't interested in any of the boys in town.† But he picked up his fork again, so I could see the worst was over. â€Å"Well, Edward doesn't live in town, Dad.† He gave me a disparaging look as he chewed. â€Å"And, anyways,† I continued, â€Å"it's kind of at an early stage, you know. Don't embarrass me with all the boyfriend talk, okay?† â€Å"When is he coming over?† â€Å"He'll be here in a few minutes.† â€Å"Where is he taking you?† I groaned loudly. â€Å"I hope you're getting the Spanish Inquisition out of your system now. We're going to play baseball with his family.† His face puckered, and then he finally chuckled. â€Å"You're playing baseball?† â€Å"Well, I'll probably watch most of the time.† â€Å"You must really like this guy,† he observed suspiciously. I sighed and rolled my eyes for his benefit. I heard the roar of an engine pull up in front of the house. I jumped up and started cleaning my dishes. â€Å"Leave the dishes, I can do them tonight. You baby me too much.† The doorbell rang, and Charlie stalked off to answer it. I was half a step behind him. I hadn't realized how hard it was pouring outside. Edward stood in the halo of the porch light, looking like a male model in an advertisement for raincoats. â€Å"Come on in, Edward.† I breathed a sigh of relief when Charlie got his name right. â€Å"Thanks, Chief Swan,† Edward said in a respectful voice. â€Å"Go ahead and call me Charlie. Here, I'll take your jacket.† â€Å"Thanks, sir.† â€Å"Have a seat there, Edward.† I grimaced. Edward sat down fluidly in the only chair, forcing me to sit next to Chief Swan on the sofa. I quickly shot him a dirty look. He winked behind Charlie's back. â€Å"So I hear you're getting my girl to watch baseball.† Only in Washington would the fact that it was raining buckets have no bearing at all on the playing of outdoor sports. â€Å"Yes, sir, that's the plan.† He didn't look surprised that I'd told my father the truth. He might have been listening, though. â€Å"Well, more power to you, I guess.† Charlie laughed, and Edward joined in. â€Å"Okay.† I stood up. â€Å"Enough humor at my expense. Let's go.† I walked back to the hall and pulled on my jacket. They followed. â€Å"Not too late, Bell.† â€Å"Don't worry, Charlie, I'll have her home early,† Edward promised. â€Å"You take care of my girl, all right?† I groaned, but they ignored me. â€Å"She'll be safe with me, I promise, sir.† Charlie couldn't doubt Edward's sincerity, it rang in every word. I stalked out. They both laughed, and Edward followed me. I stopped dead on the porch. There, behind my truck, was a monster Jeep. Its tires were higher than my waist. There were metal guards over the headlights and tail-lights, and four large spotlights attached to the crash bar. The hardtop was shiny red. Charlie let out a low whistle. â€Å"Wear your seat belts,† he choked out. Edward followed me around to my side and opened the door. I gauged the distance to the seat and prepared to jump for it. He sighed, and then lifted me in with one hand. I hoped Charlie didn't notice. As he went around to the driver's side, at a normal, human pace, I tried to put on my seat belt. But there were too many buckles. â€Å"What's all this?† I asked when he opened the door. â€Å"It's an off-roading harness.† â€Å"Uh-oh.† I tried to find the right places for all the buckles to fit, but it wasn't going too quickly. He sighed again and reached over to help me. I was glad that the rain was too heavy to see Charlie clearly on the porch. That meant he couldn't see how Edward's hands lingered at my neck, brushed along my collarbones. I gave up trying to help him and focused on not hyperventilating. Edward turned the key and the engine roared to life. We pulled away from the house. â€Å"This is a†¦ um†¦ big Jeep you have.† â€Å"It's Emmett's. I didn't think you'd want to run the whole way.† â€Å"Where do you keep this thing?† â€Å"We remodeled one of the outbuildings into a garage.† â€Å"Aren't you going to put on your seat belt?† He threw me a disbelieving look. Then something sunk in. â€Å"Run the whole way? As in, we're still going to run part of the way?† My voice edged up a few octaves. He grinned tightly. â€Å"You're not going to run.† â€Å"I'm going to be sick.† â€Å"Keep your eyes closed, you'll be fine.† I bit my lip, fighting the panic. He leaned over to kiss the top of my head, and then groaned. I looked at him, puzzled. â€Å"You smell so good in the rain,† he explained. â€Å"In a good way, or in a bad way?† I asked cautiously. He sighed. â€Å"Both, always both.† I don't know how he found his way in the gloom and downpour, but he somehow found a side road that was less of a road and more of a mountain path. For a long while conversation was impossible, because I was bouncing up and down on the seat like a jackhammer. He seemed to enjoy the ride, though, smiling hugely the whole way. And then we came to the end of the road; the trees formed green walls on three sides of the Jeep. The rain was a mere drizzle, slowing every second, the sky brighter through the clouds. â€Å"Sorry, Bella, we have to go on foot from here.† â€Å"You know what? I'll just wait here.† â€Å"What happened to all your courage? You were extraordinary this morning.† â€Å"I haven't forgotten the last time yet.† Could it have been only yesterday? He was around to my side of the car in a blur. He started unbuckling me. â€Å"I'll get those, you go on ahead,† I protested. â€Å"Hmmm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he mused as he quickly finished. â€Å"It seems I'm going to have to tamper with your memory.† Before I could react, he pulled me from the Jeep and set my feet on the ground. It was barely misting now; Alice was going to be right. â€Å"Tamper with my memory?† I asked nervously. â€Å"Something like that.† He was watching me intently, carefully, but there was humor deep in his eyes. He placed his hands against the Jeep on either side of my head and leaned forward, forcing me to press back against the door. He leaned in even closer, his face inches from mine. I had no room to escape. â€Å"Now,† he breathed, and just his smell disturbed my thought processes, â€Å"what exactly are you worrying about?† â€Å"Well, um, hitting a tree -† I gulped â€Å"- and dying. And then getting sick.† He fought back a smile. Then he bent his head down and touched his cold lips softly to the hollow at the base of my throat. â€Å"Are you still worried now?† he murmured against my skin. â€Å"Yes.† I struggled to concentrate. â€Å"About hitting trees and getting sick.† His nose drew a line up the skin of my throat to the point of my chin. His cold breath tickled my skin. â€Å"And now?† His lips whispered against my jaw. â€Å"Trees,† I gasped. â€Å"Motion sickness.† He lifted his face to kiss my eyelids. â€Å"Bella, you don't really think I would hit a tree, do you?† â€Å"No, but I might.† There was no confidence in my voice. He smelled an easy victory. He kissed slowly down my cheek, stopping just at the corner of my mouth. â€Å"Would I let a tree hurt you?† His lips barely brushed against my trembling lower lip. â€Å"No,† I breathed. I knew there was a second part to my brilliant defense, but I couldn't quite call it back. â€Å"You see,† he said, his lips moving against mine. â€Å"There's nothing to be afraid of, is there?† â€Å"No,† I sighed, giving up. Then he took my face in his hands almost roughly, and kissed me in earnest, his unyielding lips moving against mine. There really was no excuse for my behavior. Obviously I knew better by now. And yet I couldn't seem to stop from reacting exactly as I had the first time. Instead of keeping safely motionless, my arms reached up to twine tightly around his neck, and I was suddenly welded to his stone figure. I sighed, and my lips parted. He staggered back, breaking my grip effortlessly. â€Å"Damn it, Bella!† he broke off, gasping. â€Å"You'll be the death of me, I swear you will.† I leaned over, bracing my hands against my knees for support. â€Å"You're indestructible,† I mumbled, trying to catch my breath. â€Å"I might have believed that before I met you. Now let's get out of here before I do something really stupid,† he growled. He threw me across his back as he had before, and I could see the extra effort it took for him to be as gentle as he was. I locked my legs around his waist and secured my arms in a choke hold around his neck. â€Å"Don't forget to close your eyes,† he warned severely. I quickly tucked my face into his shoulder blade, under my own arm, and squeezed my eyes shut. And I could hardly tell we were moving. I could feel him gliding along beneath me, but he could have been strolling down the sidewalk, the movement was so smooth. I was tempted to peek, just to see if he was really flying through the forest like before, but I resisted. It wasn't worth that awful dizziness. I contented myself with listening to his breath come and go evenly. I wasn't quite sure we had stopped until he reached back and touched my hair. â€Å"It's over, Bella.† I dared to open my eyes, and, sure enough, we were at a standstill. I stiffly unlocked my stranglehold on his body and slipped to the ground, landing on my backside. â€Å"Oh!† I huffed as I hit the wet ground. He stared at me incredulously, evidently not sure whether he was still too mad to find me funny. But my bewildered expression pushed him over the edge, and he broke into a roar of laughter. I picked myself up, ignoring him as I brushed the mud and bracken off the back of my jacket. That only made him laugh harder. Annoyed, I began to stride off into the forest. I felt his arm around my waist. â€Å"Where are you going, Bella?† â€Å"To watch a baseball game. You don't seem to be interested in playing anymore, but I'm sure the others will have fun without you.† â€Å"You're going the wrong way.† I turned around without looking at him, and stalked off in the opposite direction. He caught me again. â€Å"Don't be mad, I couldn't help myself. You should have seen your face.† He chuckled before he could stop himself. â€Å"Oh, you're the only one who's allowed to get mad?† I asked, raising my eyebrows. â€Å"I wasn't mad at you.† â€Å"‘Bella, you'll be the death of me'?† I quoted sourly. â€Å"That was simply a statement of fact.† I tried to turn away from him again, but he held me fast. â€Å"You were mad,† I insisted. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"But you just said -â€Å" â€Å"That I wasn't mad at you. Can't you see that, Bella?† He was suddenly intense, all trace of teasing gone. â€Å"Don't you understand?† â€Å"See what?† I demanded, confused by his sudden mood swing as much as his words. â€Å"I'm never angry with you – how could I be? Brave, trusting†¦ warm as you are.† â€Å"Then why?† I whispered, remembering the black moods that pulled him away from me, that I'd always interpreted as well-justified frustration – frustration at my weakness, my slowness, my unruly human reactions†¦ He put his hands carefully on both sides of my face. â€Å"I infuriate myself,† he said gently. â€Å"The way I can't seem to keep from putting you in danger. My very existence puts you at risk. Sometimes I truly hate myself. I should be stronger, I should be able to -â€Å" I placed my hand over his mouth. â€Å"Don't.† He took my hand, moving it from his lips, but holding it to his face. â€Å"I love you,† he said. â€Å"It's a poor excuse for what I'm doing, but it's still true.† It was the first time he'd said he loved me – in so many words. He might not realize it, but I certainly did. â€Å"Now, please try to behave yourself,† he continued, and he bent to softly brush his lips against mine. I held properly still. Then I sighed. â€Å"You promised Chief Swan that you would have me home early, remember? We'd better get going.† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† He smiled wistfully and released all of me but one hand. He led me a few feet through the tall, wet ferns and draping moss, around a massive hemlock tree, and we were there, on the edge of an enormous open field in the lap of the Olympic peaks. It was twice the size of any baseball stadium. I could see the others all there; Esme, Emmett, and Rosalie, sitting on a bare outcropping of rock, were the closest to us, maybe a hundred yards away. Much farther out I could see Jasper and Alice, at least a quarter of a mile apart, appearing to throw something back and forth, but I never saw any ball. It looked like Carlisle was marking bases, but could they really be that far apart? When we came into view, the three on the rocks rose. Esme started toward us. Emmett followed after a long look at Rosalie's back; Rosalie had risen gracefully and strode off toward the field without a glance in our direction. My stomach quivered uneasily in response. â€Å"Was that you we heard, Edward?† Esme asked as she approached. â€Å"It sounded like a bear choking,† Emmett clarified. I smiled hesitantly at Esme. â€Å"That was him.† â€Å"Bella was being unintentionally funny,† Edward explained, quickly settling the score. Alice had left her position and was running, or dancing, toward us. She hurtled to a fluid stop at our feet. â€Å"It's time,† she announced. As soon as she spoke, a deep rumble of thunder shook the forest beyond us, and then crashed westward toward town. â€Å"Eerie, isn't it?† Emmett said with easy familiarity, winking at me. â€Å"Let's go.† Alice reached for Emmett's hand and they darted toward the oversized field; she ran like a gazelle. He was nearly as graceful and just as fast – yet Emmett could never be compared to a gazelle. â€Å"Are you ready for some ball?† Edward asked, his eyes eager, bright. I tried to sound appropriately enthusiastic. â€Å"Go team!† He snickered and, after mussing my hair, bounded off after the other two. His run was more aggressive, a cheetah rather than a gazelle, and he quickly overtook them. The grace and power took my breath away. â€Å"Shall we go down?† Esme asked in her soft, melodic voice, and I realized I was staring openmouthed after him. I quickly reassembled my expression and nodded. Esme kept a few feet between us, and I wondered if she was still being careful not to frighten me. She matched her stride to mine without seeming impatient at the pace. â€Å"You don't play with them?† I asked shyly. â€Å"No, I prefer to referee – I like keeping them honest,† she explained. â€Å"Do they like to cheat, then?† â€Å"Oh yes – you should hear the arguments they get into! Actually, I hope you don't, you would think they were raised by a pack of wolves.† â€Å"You sound like my mom,† I laughed, surprised. She laughed, too. â€Å"Well, I do think of them as my children in most ways. I never could get over my mothering instincts – did Edward tell you I had lost a child?† â€Å"No,† I murmured, stunned, scrambling to understand what lifetime she was remembering. â€Å"Yes, my first and only baby. He died just a few days after he was born, the poor tiny thing,† she sighed. â€Å"It broke my heart – that's why I jumped off the cliff, you know,† she added matter-of-factly. â€Å"Edward just said you f-fell,† I stammered. â€Å"Always the gentleman.† She smiled. â€Å"Edward was the first of my new sons. I've always thought of him that way, even though he's older than I, in one way at least.† She smiled at me warmly. â€Å"That's why I'm so happy that he's found you, dear.† The endearment sounded very natural on her lips. â€Å"He's been the odd man out for far too long; it's hurt me to see him alone.† â€Å"You don't mind, then?† I asked, hesitant again. â€Å"That I'm†¦ all wrong for him?† â€Å"No.† She was thoughtful. â€Å"You're what he wants. It will work out, somehow,† she said, though her forehead creased with worry. Another peal of thunder began. Esme stopped then; apparently, we'd reached the edge of the field. It looked as if they had formed teams. Edward was far out in left field, Carlisle stood between the first and second bases, and Alice held the ball, positioned on the spot that must be the pitcher's mound. Emmett was swinging an aluminum bat; it whistled almost untraceably through the air. I waited for him to approach home plate, but then I realized, as he took his stance, that he was already there – farther from the pitcher's mound than I would have thought possible. Jasper stood several feet behind him, catching for the other team. Of course, none of them had gloves. â€Å"All right,† Esme called in a clear voice, which I knew even Edward would hear, as far out as he was. â€Å"Batter up.† Alice stood straight, deceptively motionless. Her style seemed to be stealth rather than an intimidating windup. She held the ball in both hands at her waist, and then, like the strike of a cobra, her right hand flicked out and the ball smacked into Jasper's hand. â€Å"Was that a strike?† I whispered to Esme. â€Å"If they don't hit it, it's a strike,† she told me. Jasper hurled the ball back to Alice's waiting hand. She permitted herself a brief grin. And then her hand spun out again. This time the bat somehow made it around in time to smash into the invisible ball. The crack of impact was shattering, thunderous; it echoed off the mountains – I immediately understood the necessity of the thunderstorm. The ball shot like a meteor above the field, flying deep into the surrounding forest. â€Å"Home run,† I murmured. â€Å"Wait,† Esme cautioned, listening intently, one hand raised. Emmett was a blur around the bases, Carlisle shadowing him. I realized Edward was missing. â€Å"Out!† Esme cried in a clear voice. I stared in disbelief as Edward sprang from the fringe of the trees, ball in his upraised hand, his wide grin visible even to me. â€Å"Emmett hits the hardest,† Esme explained, â€Å"but Edward runs the fastest.† The inning continued before my incredulous eyes. It was impossible to keep up with the speed at which the ball flew, the rate at which their bodies raced around the field. I learned the other reason they waited for a thunderstorm to play when Jasper, trying to avoid Edward's infallible fielding, hit a ground ball toward Carlisle. Carlisle ran into the ball, and then raced Jasper to first base. When they collided, the sound was like the crash of two massive falling boulders. I jumped up in concern, but they were somehow unscathed. â€Å"Safe,† Esme called in a calm voice. Emmett's team was up by one – Rosalie managed to flit around the bases after tagging up on one of Emmett's long flies – when Edward caught the third out. He sprinted to my side, sparkling with excitement. â€Å"What do you think?† he asked. â€Å"One thing's for sure, I'll never be able to sit through dull old Major League Baseball again.† â€Å"And it sounds like you did so much of that before,† he laughed. â€Å"I am a little disappointed,† I teased. â€Å"Why?† he asked, puzzled. â€Å"Well, it would be nice if I could find just one thing you didn't do better than everyone else on the planet.† He flashed his special crooked smile, leaving me breathless. â€Å"I'm up,† he said, heading for the plate. He played intelligently, keeping the ball low, out of the reach of Rosalie's always-ready hand in the outfield, gaining two bases like lightning before Emmett could get the ball back in play. Carlisle knocked one so far out of the field – with a boom that hurt my ears – that he and Edward both made it in. Alice slapped them dainty high fives. The score constantly changed as the game continued, and they razzed each other like any street ballplayers as they took turns with the lead. Occasionally Esme would call them to order. The thunder rumbled on, but we stayed dry, as Alice had predicted. Carlisle was up to bat, Edward catching, when Alice suddenly gasped. My eyes were on Edward, as usual, and I saw his head snap up to look at her. Their eyes met and something flowed between them in an instant. He was at my side before the others could ask Alice what was wrong. â€Å"Alice?† Esme's voice was tense. â€Å"I didn't see – I couldn't tell,† she whispered. All the others were gathered by this time. â€Å"What is it, Alice?† Carlisle asked with the calm voice of authority. â€Å"They were traveling much quicker than I thought. I can see I had the perspective wrong before,† she murmured. Jasper leaned over her, his posture protective. â€Å"What changed?† he asked. â€Å"They heard us playing, and it changed their path,† she said, contrite, as if she felt responsible for whatever had frightened her. Seven pairs of quick eyes flashed to my face and away. â€Å"How soon?† Carlisle said, turning toward Edward. A look of intense concentration crossed his face. â€Å"Less than five minutes. They're running – they want to play.† He scowled. â€Å"Can you make it?† Carlisle asked him, his eyes flicking toward me again. â€Å"No, not carrying -† He cut short. â€Å"Besides, the last thing we need is for them to catch the scent and start hunting.† â€Å"How many?† Emmett asked Alice. â€Å"Three,† she answered tersely. â€Å"Three!† he scoffed. â€Å"Let them come.† The steel bands of muscle flexed along his massive arms. For a split second that seemed much longer than it really was, Carlisle deliberated. Only Emmett seemed unperturbed; the rest stared at Carlisle's face with anxious eyes. â€Å"Let's just continue the game,† Carlisle finally decided. His voice was cool and level. â€Å"Alice said they were simply curious.† All this was said in a flurry of words that lasted only a few seconds. I had listened carefully and caught most of it, though I couldn't hear what Esme now asked Edward with a silent vibration of her lips. I only saw the slight shake of his head and the look of relief on her face. â€Å"You catch, Esme,† he said. â€Å"I'll call it now.† And he planted himself in front of me. The others returned to the field, warily sweeping the dark forest with their sharp eyes. Alice and Esme seemed to orient themselves around where I stood. â€Å"Take your hair down,† Edward said in a low, even voice. I obediently slid the rubber band out of my hair and shook it out around me. I stated the obvious. â€Å"The others are coming now.† â€Å"Yes, stay very still, keep quiet, and don't move from my side, please.† He hid the stress in his voice well, but I could hear it. He pulled my long hair forward, around my face. â€Å"That won't help,† Alice said softly. â€Å"I could smell her across the field.† â€Å"I know.† A hint of frustration colored his tone. Carlisle stood at the plate, and the others joined the game halfheartedly. â€Å"What did Esme ask you?† I whispered. He hesitated for a second before he answered. â€Å"Whether they were thirsty,† he muttered unwillingly. The seconds ticked by; the game progressed with apathy now. No one dared to hit harder than a bunt, and Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper hovered in the infield. Now and again, despite the fear that numbed my brain, I was aware of Rosalie's eyes on me. They were expressionless, but something about the way she held her mouth made me think she was angry. Edward paid no attention to the game at all, eyes and mind ranging the forest. â€Å"I'm sorry, Bella,† he muttered fiercely. â€Å"It was stupid, irresponsible, to expose you like this. I'm so sorry.† I heard his breath stop, and his eyes zeroed in on right field. He took a half step, angling himself between me and what was coming. Carlisle, Emmett, and the others turned in the same direction, hearing sounds of passage much too faint for my ears.

Essay On Problem Solving Techniques Used By Few Organisations

AcknowledgementAn old Chinese proverb says; When eating your bamboo sprouts, remember the man who planted them. Now that our sprouts are ready to eat, it is time for us to express our deepest gratitude to all those to have made this possible. We wish to express our sincere gratitude to our professor who guided and helped us from time to time to successfully conduct this research. We think her directions were the best thing that could happen to us and our project. We also would like to thank each other of our group members and hope you enjoy reading the report as much as we enjoyed making it.Contents Problem Solving Process & Steps Techniques used by various companies to solve their problems. 1) Nokia 2) Cadbury Dairy Milk 3) Tata Nano 4) Bisleri 5) Coca Cola 6) Allwyn photo copiersProblem Solving Process & StepsAs the owner of your own business you deal with problems on an almost daily basis. Being familiar with effective Problem Solving Techniques can dramatically affect the growth of your business. Although you find solutions to your problems, many businessmen and women are not really skilled in the methods of problem solving, and when solutions fail, they fault themselves for misjudgment. 1. Define the problemDiagnose the situation so that your focus is on the problem, not just its symptoms. Helpful techniques at this stage include using flowcharts to identify the expected steps of a process and cause-and-effect diagrams to define and analyze root causes. 2. Generate alternative solutionsPostpone the selection of one solution until several alternatives have been proposed. Having a standard with which to compare the characteristics of the final solution is not the same as defining the desired result. A standard allows us to evaluate the different intended results offered by alternatives. When you try to build toward desired results, it’s very difficult to collect good information about the process. Considering multiple alternatives can significantly en hance the value of your final solution.Once the team or individual has decided the â€Å"what should be† model, this target standard becomes the basis for developing a road map for investigating alternatives. Brainstorming and team problem-solving techniques are both useful tools in this stage of problem solving. Many alternative solutions should be generated before evaluating any of them. A common mistake in problem solving is that alternatives are evaluated as they are proposed, so the first acceptable solution is chosen, even if it’s not the best fit. If we focus on trying to get the results we want, we miss the potential for learning something new that will allow for real improvement. 3. Evaluate and select an alternativeSkilled problem solvers use a series of considerations when selecting the best alternative. They consider the extent to which: A particular alternative will solve the problem without causing other unanticipated problems. All the individuals involve d will accept the alternative.Implementation of the alternative is likely. The alternative fits within the organizational constraints. 4. Implement and follow up on the solutionLeaders may be called upon to order the solution to be implemented by others, â€Å"sell† the solution to others or facilitate the implementation by involving the efforts of others. The most effective approach, by far, has been to involve others in the implementation as a way of minimizing resistance to subsequent changes. Feedback channels must be built into the implementation of the solution, to produce continuous monitoring and testing of actual events against expectations. Problem solving, and the techniques used to derive elucidation, can only be effective in an organization if the solution remains in place and is updated to respond to future changes.Techniques used by various companies to solve their problems.1) NokiaAs we all know, Nokia had for so many years used the symbian operating system in their phones. It was working fine and Nokia had captured the Indian phone market very well. There was no competition to it from left right or centre. But in 2008 came a breathtaking technology by Google. They invented the Android OS. It became a benchmark for the mobile phone companies. Each and every phone started making their phones with the latest android technology, as android was fast, modern and the most important, user friendly. While Nokia still stuck to its old symbian os, and did not use the android technology. Slowly and gradually, Samsung took over the Indian market by storm.They had captured the Indian market which for long belonged to just Nokia. Nokia had a problem here. They did not use the android os because of some internal matters of their organization. So after a good amount of research and development later, nokia came out with a solution that would bring the brand nokia back in the market and try to regain its lost glory. They upgraded their technology and sta rted making phones with the Windows phone 8 OS. These phones gradually caught the eye of the Indian customers,  as it was something different than android. People started purchasing the Nokia Lumia series of phones and the sales of Nokia phones again where on a rise.2) Cadbury Dairy MilkIn eight outlets across Maharashtra, worms were found in some bars of Cadbury Dairy Milk, Cadbury's bread-and-butter brand selling 1 million bars a day and an icon of ‘chocolate' in India. Inquiry was instituted by the Food and Drug Administration and negative media publicity spread like wildfire. The extensively graphic media coverage led people to believe that every bar could be contaminated. Consequently, sales volume plummeted, retailer cooperation lessened and employee morale dwindled. All in all, the company's credibility suffered extensive damage. Reason behind this crisis..After a thorough investigation of the entire supply chain, it was found that the problem originated at the distri bution end.Apparently, at the retail outlets the infested bars were placed next to open unpacked items susceptible to worms. However, although the problem was not of its own making, Cadbury did take responsibility for the lack in educating retailers on storage and hygiene. The company launched a new double packaging that wrapped even the smallest 13 gm chocolate in an aluminium foil, heat-sealed for complete protection from all sides and further encased in a polyflow pack. The over-engineered pack, the first of its kind in India, cost the company a fortune, but fulfilled the company's promise to media and consumers. The new packaging was launched amidst much fanfare in a media conference.Amongst the material distributed in the conference were a comparison kit allowing evaluation of old and new packs and a video new release with packaging and factory shots for television coverage. To reinstate confidence among sales people and to motivate them, another audio-visual with a message fro m the ambassador Amitabh Bachchan was shown in a string of sales conferences.3) Tata NanoUntil the afternoon of 21 March when he took delivery of his Lunar Silver coloured Nano, 36-year-old Satish Sawant was your average citizen leading a normal life. On the Sunday of 21 March, accompanying him to collect the car  was his wife, five-year-old son and a temporary driver. It was close to 3 pm that day and they were nearing his residence. His wife pointed out that something was burning. Sawant looked out. Nothing was burning. She insisted and forced him to park. He got out—there was smoke coming out of the car’s rear. He hurriedly got his wife and son out. The smoke turned billowing black. He took the car’s papers out.The little vehicle now began to burn like you see in the movies. Tata Motors attributed the first couple of cases to the melting of localised parts caused by faulty combination switches. That is somewhat similar to sparks and smoke in your house†™s wiring caused by an electric short-circuit. There was no quality control deployed at the Tata motors production facility. So in order to bring the situation under control and solve this problem, Tata motors changed the vendors who supplied the combination switches and employed a proper quality control in their plant, by which each and every car would go through proper checks before being granted the ok status.4) BisleriIn the early 1990s, Parle Bisleri Ltd's (Parle Bisleri's) Bisleri1 had become synonymous with branded water and had a market share of 70%. In the late 1990s, Bisleri's market share began to erode with new players entering the market. The Cola majors, Pepsi and Coca-Cola and the confectionery giant, Nestle, also entered the branded water market in India. Pepsi and Coca-Cola had an established distribution network. Bisleri realized that with the new players also clambering on to the purity plank, it had to reposition itself to arrest its declining market share. In September 2000, Parle Bisleri launched its Play Safe ad campaign.The company tried to add a fun element to Bisleri to rejuvenate the brand. The ultimate aim was to increase Bisleri's turnover from Rs 4 billion2 in 2000 to Rs 10 billion by 2003. In 2001, both Kinley and Aquafina were making huge investments in bottling plants and distribution. By 2002, Coca-Cola India planned to double the number of water bottling plants to 16 and Pepsi announced that it would add seven more plants to the existing five. In contrast, Bisleri had only 15 bottling plants and three franchisees. Kinley had 500,000 outlets compared to Bisleri's 350,000.Analysts felt that Kinley and Aquafina had an edge over Bisleri because of their strong distribution network. In 2000, in the  face of competition from the new entrants, Bisleri decided to penetrate every possible segment of the market by introducing more pack sizes and to establish the brand strongly with trendy packaging. In 2000, Bisleri launched the 1. 2 litre pack. This added to the five pack sizes that Bisleri had (500 ml, one, two, five and 20 litres). The new pack was priced at Rs 12. In 2000, Bisleri also launched smaller packs like the 300 ml cup. This 300 ml cup was targeted at large gatherings like marriages and conventions. A study conducted by Bisleri showed that its one litre pack was not considered trendy enough.5) Coca ColaIn 2003, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a non-governmental organisation in New Delhi, said aerated waters produced by soft drinks manufacturers in India, including multinational giants PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, contained toxins including lindane, DDT, malathion and chlorpyrifos — pesticides that can contribute to cancer and a breakdown of the immune system. Tested products included Coke, Pepsi, and several other soft drinks (7Up, Mirinda, Fanta, Thums Up, Limca, Sprite), many produced by The Coca-Cola Company.This affected the sales of cocacola to a great extent, they went crashin g down. Later on after a detailed study, the company found out that the water they used for the manufacturing was safe and free from pesticides, but the problem was in the packaging department. The bottles in which the coke is to be filled is processed and cleaned with certain chemicals so that it becomes safe and all the impurities are removed, and later on the bottle is washed with water. It was seen that after cleaning the bottles with the chemicals, they were not being washed properly, which resulted in the chemicals staying in the bottle before the coke was filled in it. The company identified this problem and resolved this by keeping a proper quality control on the bottling plant and make sure that the bottles are washed properly after being treated with chemicals.6) Allwyn photo copiersThis is a shop which is situated in Mumbai. It undertakes the work of photo copying, printing, etc. For years they have been using the old Xerox machines. The name Xerox is synonym with photo c opy in India. But as the  time changes, there is a need to adopt new technologies to keep up with the competition in the market. So the company purchased new equipments and new printers which had the latest technologies like laser beam printing, etc. But after purchasing and using the new equipments, instead of their sales going up, they started declining. This was a matter of concern for the management as the sales were declining even after they were using the new technologies.They did a proper research on this and found out that the problem was not in the machinery, but the people handling the machines were not aware of the new machines properly and thus they were not able to use it efficiently. To overcome this problem, the management decided to train the employees who handle the machines. They were trained on various aspects as to how to make full use of machiniery with minimum efforts. Training the workmen is an important part of the production process. Thus when the handlers were trained properly, they knew how to use the machines properly and this in turn increased their efficieny. This resulted in more sales and more productivity.ConclusionThus we saw the case studies of various organizations and companies and how they overcome their problems. We can take a few inputs from these cases and implement it whenever we are stuck in any problem similar to these. Quality control and problem solving techniques are extremely important for an organization , as each and every organization faces some kind of the problem. What is important is that how they overcome it.

Tecumseh Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Tecumseh - Essay Example g communities, such as the Mingo and the Huron (Wyandot) cooperated with the Shawnee people, due to the threat of territorial loss they experienced from the Iroquois Confederacy (Klinck 45). However, the relationship between the Shawnee and the Iroquois Confederacy was that of enmity, since the Iroquois Confederacy embarked on invading the hunting grounds previously owned by the Shawnee, eventually evicting the Shawnee from their native lands of Ohio. The Iroquois made the Shawnee their dependents (Edmunds 40). During the American war of independence the Shawnee, Native American tribe, opted to join the British in the fight against rebel colonists. The Shawnee planned to become British allies, since they hoped that joining hands with the British would help them evict the colonists from their territory and draw them back across the mountains (Klinck 49). Considering that the invasion of the British and the consequent treaty signed with the Iroquois Confederacy had allowed many Colonists to settle in the native Shawnee lands, they needed some support to evict the colonists, which they hoped the British would grant them, since the colonists had rebelled against the British colony (Edmunds 54). This saw the Shawnee ally with the British during that war. The concepts of land use advocated for by the British caused friction between the Indians and the whites. Notably, the signing of the Royal Proclamation of 1763 which sought to draw a line of territory between the Whites and the Indians sparked a great conflict (Klinck 62). This treaty sought to establish a reserve for the Indians, but eventually ended up causing the encroachment by the whites into the areas where the Indians had previously occupied. Additionally, the treaty signed between the British and the Iroquois Confederacy over land use angered the Shawnee who were the native occupants of these lands before they were evicted by the Iroquois Confederacy (Edmunds 22). Thus, these concepts of land ownership and

Law & Criminology Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Law & Criminology - Case Study Example While the employers' range of freedom has been curtailed to some degree, they can benefit from proper documentation, following procedures which have now become quite strictly defined, and ensuring that they enforce the terms of the Employment Contracts in an evenhanded way. In either a criminal or a civil case, an employee has certain rights which are assured by law under ACAS or under the PACE laws of 1984, and as amended and clarified by subsequent court cases. A disciplinary process allows similar rules of interview, recording and evidence as required under PACE. Few employer actions against employees result in criminal proceedings; of those that do, the due processes outlined in the following pages are relatively the same. A potential criminal prosecution can be followed by an interview, but rules of evidence are required. As outlined in PACE (1984) 67(9), an individual representing a company or a government body can have the same rights and obligations as a police inspector. The obligations include informing the interviewee that his/her declarations can be used in a subsequent prosecution, that the interview minutes be noted in writing and shared with the interviewee, and that certain rules pertaining to recording (if present) are applicable. In the case of an interview for disciplinary purposes, there is also a procedure outlined by the Department of Labor that requires a set series of written documentation. This process refers to the Employment Contract, and to the Employment Policies of the employer, which must be given to the employee within 60 days of the commencement of his or her employment. The elements that must be put in the Employment Contract have grown over the past twenty years, as has the unenforceability of some of the clauses which had existed in Employment Contracts written at an earlier period. Employers should be particularly chary about imposing changes (real or implied) in the work contract without the explicit, and usually written, consent of those employed. Failure to garner the employees' agreement can result in a rupture of contract and a cause for action against the employer in the future. This paper will outline the procedures in both cases, and the differences. It will also present a way to decide which process should be pursued, i.e. whether an employee should be treated as a potential defendant in a criminal case, or whether the employer intends to keep the person in his/her employ, but would like to address certain deficiencies through a disciplinary process. The Disciplinary Process Employees who are not meeting the terms of their Employment Contract can be subject to disciplinary hearings. It should be noted that, by the time the formal procedure is followed, there may have been some previous conversations between the employee and his/her supervisor. The substance of these conversations should be noted by the supervisor, as these notes may become part of a subsequent disciplinary process. Although a conversation between the employ

On the basis of the facts as contained in this summary, in your view Essay

On the basis of the facts as contained in this summary, in your view does Palestine meet the criteria for statehood at public in - Essay Example The case of Palestine’s inability to attain statehood in the eye of international law so far is touted to be due to political reasons rather than legally justified reasons. In the light of this scenario and the BBC News report iii, this paper examines whether Palestine meets the criteria for statehood at public international law. The Montevideo Convention’s article of statehood is a restatement or codification of ideas prevalent at the time of its inception iv. Emergence of a State Vattel defines state as a â€Å"political body, or society of men, united together†v for â€Å"promotion of their mutual safety and advantage† viwith the use of â€Å"their common force† viiwhich Wheaton adds to his definition saying that members of any political society subjecting themselves by voluntary obedience to a leadership gave rise to emergence of a sovereign state in the past. Power to control was key to emergence of a state. According to Lorimerviii, a putative state that deserves statehood should be recognized as such by other states and in turn it should have the power and the will to recognize others. Lorimer’s idea of mutual recognition proposed in 1883 has been followed by many states. The modern thinking therefore suggests that legal existence of a state depends upon its ability to control a land and its population. This view came to be well know by the early 20th century which Hall, a publicist described as â€Å"the marks of an independent State are , that the community constituting it is permanently established for a political end, that it possesses a defined territory, and that it is independent of external control†ix. The publicist emphasized on territory and permanent control over the territory. Thus, he dismissed â€Å"a fugacious†x people as not qualified to be a state. Thus Montevideo’s ideas of a state draw heavily from the Hall’s ideas of a state. These aspects of declaratory model of a state held recognition merely as an acknowledgement of an existing state opposed to a constitutive model which held recognition as an essential requirement to make a state.xi Recognition As stated elsewhere, recognition is central to statehood. Thus, an entity aspiring to become a state must be recognized as such by those who are already regarded as states. If an entity must function as a state, it must enjoy acceptance of other states. Yet, some entities manage to function as states with skeleton contacts with other states. Rhodesia functioned as a state on its own from 1965 to 1980 which major states did not approve of holding that it was in violation of international standards. It has been argued that if an entity is endowed with all the attributes of a state, it is still a state even if the rest of the world or other states refuse to accept the entity as a state.xii Treatment of recognition as a precondition for statehood has been still evolving as James Crawford has observed th at recognition is not strictly a

Review Of The Movie The Descendants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Review Of The Movie The Descendants - Essay Example The present research has identified that the film concept or industry is such a wide one, encompassing the motion picture industry, individual motion pictures, and film as an art. Generally, films are created by the recording or capturing of real-life images or creation of images by animation technologies or special film effects. Through being created by and on the basis of specific cultures, films are cultural artifacts, which reflect these world cultures but also affect the said cultures. Besides being a source of entertainment for families and individuals, film is an art-form that has really shot to prominence in recent times due to its influence on society. Moreover, films are educational tools not only in learning institutions but also in health facilities, correctional institutions, and domestic settings. In debates on the interrelationship between movies and society, it is important to realize that such discussions cover the genre of movies and its sub-genres such as Black and White film and speechless movies among others. The interrelationship between movies and the society is so interwoven that each certainly has a great degree of influence on the other. For instance, when people watch movies, they place or picture themselves in the situations or predicaments displayed in the movies, making them to involved, engaged in, and feel what the characters in the movies feel. As a result of the impacts movies have on peoples’ lives, a lot of focus has lately been directed at movie reviews and criticism. In fact, researches and talks have since been conducted to ascertain peoples’ views about movies, revealing quite distinct and contrasting movies. According to most responses, violence, pornography and other negative effects of movies on people minds and society outstand (Ross, 2002). However, given the expansive nature of the topic of the interrelationship between movies and society, the responses given in these researches are by far wide. Althou gh there is consensus among stakeholders that films express peoples’ feelings and experiences, some authors have adopted the stance that the film industry has quite outdone itself. That is, while some of the films and their images are real and bearable, others are fake and intolerable. For example, a such for the term ‘violent films’ using Google reveals a bout 224,000,000 results, an obviously worrying matter that should attract great public concern (Ross, 2002). The other searches with similarly many results are films about indecent acts, murder, sex, rape, and verbal offences. These critiques thus propose that as a society, people should clearly distinguish film as an art form and as a reality instead of allowing motion pictures to dictate or damage the course and progress of their lives. This paper explores the interrelationship between films and the society in addition to carrying out a film critique on the movie Descendants. The

Nuclear Plants and Their Impact on the Environment Essay

Nuclear Plants and Their Impact on the Environment - Essay Example Accidents from nuclear reactors in the late 1970s and early 1980s led to end to the initial rapid growth in nuclear power capacity. These comprised the 1979 Three Mile Island accident (USA) and the 1986 Chernobyl disaster (Ukraine) (Cracolice & Peters, 1997). In 2011, a hard-hitting tsunami led the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant to leak, resulting in hydrogen gas explosions and partial meltdowns. In order to caution the immediate populations from the adverse effects of the disasters, the Ukraine government enacted a 30 kilometers no-settlement policy around the Chernobyl power plant while the Japanese government implemented a 20 kilometers cautionary zone around the Fukushima I plant (Hoeve & Jacobson, 2012; Bennett, Bouville, Hall, Savkin & Storm, 2000).Radioactive DecayUsed up nuclear fuel from uranium-235 and plutonium-239 nuclear fission contains more than 100 carcinogenic radionuclide isotopes such as strontium-90, iodine-131 and caesium-137, and includes some of the most long- lived transuranic elements such as americium-241 and isotopes of plutonium. Disposal of these wastes in engineered facilities, or repositories, located deep underground in suitable geologic formations is currently the best disposal solution fronted (Cracolice & Peters, 1997).Nuclear Accidents and ConcernsDebate over the reliability, durability and quality maintenance of old nuclear installations has emerged following leakage of radioactive water in over twenty US nuclear power plants. Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that emits a low-energy beta particle. It may be present in water emanating from a nuclear plant (Casas et al, 2004; Cracolice & Peters, 1997). The main concern over tritium is the high possibility of its entry into drinking water, in addition to the subsequent presence in crops that depend on tritium-contaminated waters. Uranium is mainly mined for use in nuclear power plants. The 1979 Church Rock uranium mill spill in New Mexico led to the flow of over 1,0 00 tons.

The Management of Organizational Diversity Essay

The Management of Organizational Diversity - Essay Example Diversity encompasses everyone. Diversity can be identified on various parameters like race, ethnicity, age, gender, physical ability, physical characteristics, income, education, parental status, marital status, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, personality types and geographic location. In the growing global scenario the diversity factor is on the increasing trend. This calls for more attention toward diversity management. There are laws like EEO, Equal Employment Opportunities that guarantee the right to everyone for employment regardless of their diversity. Diversity management improves on EEO but is not a replacement of EEO. There are certain constrains due to diversity like- the area of consideration gets limited, there could be lack of diversity in STEM position applicants. There could be negligible diversity at the top ranks. It may categorize people into certain positions. Recruiting tends to be normally done from the same source. Similarly, only one person or a group of persons coming from a set of backgrounds gets the opportunity to be groomed. It has been found that all individuals experience difficulty in interacting with colleagues, customers and others due to diversity in backgrounds like racial, gender or socio-economic. This often throws up cases of miscommunication but if they are not checked in time they could flare up into bigger problems. And there could be feelings like exclusion, mistreatment, no support or left-alone etc. that are not desirable for a healthy organization. One challenge is development of "like-me" syndrome. People coming from similar backgrounds tend to flock together. This created certain bias in the workplace and should be checked as early as possible. "[T]he "like me" syndrome can lead to a tendency to employee and work with people like oneself in terms of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, and disability." (EEOC, 1998: 27). This is a barrier for judging performances without any bias and also to get honest feedbacks. Similarly, when some groups are formed based on similarity, others are looked upon as outsiders. It has come up in researches that the outsiders do not get the same level of information, they are not included in decision making, they are given lesser opportunities to learn and perform. This gives rise to stereotyping where people intentionally or unintentionally form opinions about other groups. They also develop certain ideas regarding certain people. For example, women are too soft to become successful in administration or black people are not good employees Asian Americans are not to be accepted. The biggest challenge diversity poses is misunderstanding diverse non-verbal communications. For example a thumbs-up can be a positive sign in one culture but not so in another one and may become the cause of a rift. Sometimes the measures taken to encourage diversity by recruitment from all groups etc. can have a negative effect on the majority group as they

Transnational IT Operations Essay Example for Free

Transnational IT Operations Essay What can best describe transnationalism is it’s a form of societal progress grown out of the maximized interconnectivity between people in different parts of the world and the relaxation of boundaries between regions or countries. To identify well the meaning of transnatiolism in our modern world the effect can best be seen with regards with the use of information technology in criss-crossing borders to other countries which in turn have an effect in cultures, economies and social status of the host and the recipient country. It transcend into transnational entrepreneurship using the internet to go global business. With the advancement of the information technology, businesses using the net have launched another milestone in electronic entrepreneurships and the industry has never been easier and faster. Transnationalism does not necessarily recognize boundaries in terms of nationalities, race, mores and cultures and every aspect is in collaboration. Doing global business through the web lets every entrepreneur to economize resources and still can manage schedules notwithstanding time zones. Strategic unification of the providers, their clients and other business associates can easily lead to a strong and permanent partnerships which will bring a more concentrated and sturdy competition with other products and services in the world of e-commerce. This system will result in a favorable climate all participated in secular group that will bring product and services at its best (Raisinghani, 2006). Transnationalism has also its advantages such as it has unified government’s movements to those that have the same motive in the protection of environment as the Greenpeace, studies of the global warming and other environmental concerns. It has made global companies to access cheaper labor and their product and services is in constant participation in the global market as well as a continuous tapping of the foreign markets and resources which is very essential for the company’s survival (World, 2001). Promoters of transnationalism have an objective of connecting people and their ideas as well as exchanging trades between regions and countries. The rapid growth of globalization has been linking nations and enabling multinational companies successful in recruiting migrant staff capable of improving their global business system. This has contributed to the increased productivity of each entrepreneur with the continuous flow of information and world wide scientific coordination. Thanks to the internet. It is considered the primary means by which organizations may expand rapidly into high and expansive emerging markets of the world. As transnational companies become expert in their use of the Internet, they will be able to pursue global electronic trade more efficiently, saving significant advertising, communication and organizational costs. As a budding businessman who wants to take your business to the world, you have to take considerations of the present economic trends in the global market. You need to identify the different technological advancements being used today, the ups and downs of the trade and policies or restrictions. You have to deepen your research in knowing which country have the capability of fastracking their information technology setting and are capable to be one of the leading personalities in the global business. Important considerations must also be considered. To attract traders and consumers your website must have an international appeal. And being involved in the global business you have to have an international/global IT professional working group located from different regions and countries. Their unique and diverse environment will be able to keep up your company with the trends on the international market. They would be your primary agents for your outsourcing projects. Global employment is not simply sourcing out staff overseas. It has been noted that IT workers who have experienced and trained with international projects has made them more independent and reliable in their tasks. They learned to appreciate the diverse cultures and customs of different nationalities which make them potential managers for international projects. Such personalities are best in handling out investments in infrastructures, communication and training or education. Competition plays a vital role in running an information technology program especially when it is global. By globalization, it means that employees and business partners always require doing their business geographically and sequentially distant from one another. The movement and provision of information technologies within the web is the only favored choice for surmounting the restriction of protected boundaries. Managing a global business on the Web is much more different from running a business on the ground. The only crucial step in joining this business is there should be no room for mistakes especially when it comes to managing an information technology base.   Excellent management is the most important concept in running up an international business which is why your IT professionals must have the most capability in doing their job competently. Your manpower should always be first class. Maintaining a pool of experts demands competitive benefits and packages for them. The company must have a solid international reputation and active corporate environment. The company should also adhere to be culturally sensitive at all cost and there should always be a continuous training program for its staff to be able for them to grow and blend with the challenging world of information technology. Furthermore, to provide descriptions in the operation of an information technology be it on local or transnational level relies on the operations staff themselves. Every second monitoring of the internet, cables, telephone access, administrative computer applications and research academic systems is a must. The workforce must have the expertise in utilizing various tools and resources for the monitoring and troubleshooting of the network’s system and applications. Even a glitch should be escalated immediately to avoid catastrophe into the system as well as the whole external network. In most applications, the internal and international IT organization is responsible for the selection, management and support of technology in the business environment.   As an internal support function, the IT operation must be organized, and run with optimum efficiency, aligned with business needs, vision, and objectives.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There should be a designing of an efficient deployment of proceedings of advance information technologies and that relies solely upon the organization. And it does not end there.   There are still a number of crucial responsibilities in maneuvering a transnational IT system. To name some of the most important ones are monitoring all operations systems, ensure that all services are available to the user all around the globe, have local and international staff to troubleshoot problems anytime problems arises, ensuring that proper hardware and software maintenance is done on a regular basis as well as the timely distribution of all production and user output. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, manpower, significant communication and the latest technological advances to be able to meet the demand in running an IT   industry   .(Editorial, 2007) Every advancement in our society has great advantages. But there are also disadvantages as well. Worst, this is always direct to mankind. Issues regarding management of Information technology in a transnational environment are always identified. While major advancements in technology are bringing and making people worldwide to work together it also brings together those seeking to engage in illicit activity and thus assists in the construction of criminal enterprises. One place where this is most clear is in the production of child pornography where â€Å"support networks† of pedophiles have emerged in the use of the Internet and other communication technologies. Another example was the ability to create a more consolidated global market for pirated intellectual property, such as software, using the Internet as a backbone. There is always an easy access to any information needed on the web that even illegal transactions and terrorists are able to exploit. Such operations happen at the same time as we do decent business on the net. Unfortunately, this is also how they ran their own business. Transnational criminals and corrupt individuals do function more effectively with the use of technology. It is much like promoting the formation of an illicit network and is a revenue source for committing a fraud. Government technology contracts are often the objects of corruption and sadly, IT professionals in the software and computer engineering fields unwittingly and secretly work for the criminals in different regions of the world. There are also drawbacks. The internet is created to bond every citizen of the world in the world of web. But information technology itself has been able to changed societies, political systems and economies. Virtual protective boundaries for any given country which are formed as barriers from external sabotage are usually violated. Obviously, the Internet has disrupted military movements, and has the potential to do so again. More well known are the effects that criminal use of the Internet to hack business accounts using web-based institutions has already produce such setbacks (Trade, 2004) A study which was founded on a comprehensive literature review stated that the detailed quality of information technology in a transnational environment has its own reactions on various communal units. In order to recognize IT-related issues and their declaration through the means of policies, there should be the recognition and respect to the national or international policy of every country. There are three dimensions with regard to this. First is the characteristics dimension that refers to the relevant characteristics of IT. Second is the effects dimension which considers the effect of IT on a certain individual, the transnational organization and the country. And lastly is the policy dimension. Balancing the distinction in national policies can be accomplished through bilateral, regional, or multilateral negotiations. And now from crime to nuisance. The never-ending creation of computer viruses that aim to destroy any file or program on its path. The advancement of the computer technology brings about the advancement of its own destruction. Getting more sophisticated and secretive each of these small but destructive programs are out there trying to invade and destroy your files and your world. In conclusion, transnational IT operation was the â€Å"in† thing in the world of computer technology today. This is the continuing saga of advancement through a miscellaneous network and you have to be vigilant. If you want to survive in this mesh you have to have the perseverance to handle and manage such a giant responsibility. You must always be in constant watch protecting the most important data in your system. Reference Editorial, B. C. (2007). Computer Operations: Information Technology Services [Electronic Version]. Retrieved July 22, 2007 from http://www.bc.edu/offices/its/appssystems/operations.html. Raisinghani, M. (2006). Transnational Organization [Electronic Version]. Retrieved July 22, 2003 from http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Tr-Z/Transnational-Organization.html. Trade, A. F. A. a. (2004). Transnational Terrorism: The Threat to Australia [Electronic Version]. Retrieved July 22, 2007 from http://www.dfat.gov.au/publications/terrorism/introduction.html. World, I. (2001). Special Report On IT Globalization [Electronic Version]. Retrieved July 22, 2007 from http://www.itworld.com/Tech/2418/ITW010322globalization/.

Classes, control and saving Essay Example for Free

Classes, control and saving Essay This section is a grouping of elements influencing various forms of power control. The specification highlights three device power classes possible for Bluetooth radios that are related to the power range of the transmitter: †¢ Class 1 is 100mW and up to about 100m range †¢ Class 2 is 2. 5mW and up to about 20m range †¢ Class 3 is 1mW and up to about 10m range Radios are subject to environmental influences and the Class 3 range of up to 10 meters is more likely to be 5 meters when furniture or people are in proximity of the radio. This form of power control is provided to cut down on interference with other devices in the ISM band and obviously help prolong battery life (see â€Å"Bluetooth: Goodbye Infrared†). The second form of power control is on the receiver side of a Bluetooth device. To enable all classes to communicate in a Piconet without damage to the RF front ends of the lower power classes, a method for controlling Class 1 device transmitter power is required. Transmit power control is mandatory above 4 dBm, below this level i. e. all Class 2 and 3 modules it is optional. To implement a power control link the remote device must implement a Receive Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI). For a transceiver wishing to take part in a power controlled link it must be able to measure its own receiver signal strength and determine if the transmitter on the other side of the link should increase or decrease its output power level. The RSSI makes this possible. Power control is specified is as a golden receive power, defined as a range with a low limit and a high limit. The RSSI must have a minimum dynamic range equal to this range. The RSSI must have an absolute accuracy of  ±4dB or better when the receiver signal power is –60 dBm. In addition, a minimum range of 20. 6 dB must be covered, starting from –60 dB and up. The instructions to alter the transmitter power are carried in the Link Manager Protocol (LMP) link (see â€Å"Bluetooth: Goodbye Infrared†). The last form of power control relates to the power consumption. The Hold, Sniff and Park modes are power saving modes set out in the specification aiming to preserve battery consumption. The Hold mode is typically used when a master is establishing a link with a new device and requires the other slaves to temporarily halt their transmissions. The Sniff mode puts slaves into a low duty cycle mode of operation but is still an active member of the Piconet and the master can only transmit after a ‘sniff’ interval. In Park mode slaves enters a low duty cycle mode of operation and are no longer active members of the Piconet (see â€Å"Bluetooth: Goodbye Infrared†). B. Applications and Profiles. Undeniably the ideal candidate for the first wave of applications will inevitably be based on mobile cellular technology, but what other applications can be realised using Bluetooth technology? The specifications outline a wireless technology that is as cost effective as the cable it replaces and aim to balance reliability, resilience, convenience and low power. The short-range connections of data and voice could mean the emergence of applications suitable for: ? Access points allowing mobile devices connection to services e.g. telephone network (PSTN) or LAN services. ? Mobile phone link to Laptop PCs ? Mobile phone connections to wireless headsets ? PDA, palmtop and desktop PC inter accessibility for file and data synchronisation. The Bluetooth core specification describes the protocol, but the Profiles document enhances this by setting out a number of profiles for applications and defining the way a number of services operate e. g. a file transfer profile defines how devices exchange data files. The profile document aids applications development, describing implementation schemes and highlights parts of the core Bluetooth protocol supporting the profile. Profiles supported are outlined in Figure 6; they are depicted grouped together. Each profile is built upon the one underneath, attaining their features from the lower profiles. The result of this approach gives the profiles a similar look and feel for user recognition. Plus developers can recycle modules for speeding up development time and reducing costs (see â€Å"Bluetooth Technology: What are the Applications? †). A wireless headset for a mobile phone is an application example using the profiles. It uses the Headset profile as its core specification. In Figure 6 the Headset profile is built from the Serial Port Profile (SPP) and the Generic Access Profile (GAP). The GAP being the base of all profiles, it defines the generic procedures related to device discovery and link management (see â€Å"Bluetooth Technology: What are the Applications? †). Figure 6: Bluetooth Profiles.

Change during the introduction of new system to control attendance

Change during the introduction of new system to control attendance The control of staff attendance has been a problem for Co-operative Food, a UK retail organisation, and it has been looking to improve its systems to monitor attendance of its employees. Co-operative Food wants to bring effectiveness in their work, e.g. through procedures and systems, for actively delivering their services to the consumers. That is why it is ensuring that they are efficient enough to do that. In order to pursue this, Co-operative emphasises on time management of its staff by bringing in a new system for the control of staff attendance. In the UK retail sector, Co-operative is one of the pioneers to introduce such a new generation system for control of staff attendance as compared to other big supermarkets like Asda, Tesco, Sainsburys and Morrisons. More specifically, Co-operative has introduced a biometric system which became operative in 2010, and requiring Co-operative staff to touch their finger at identification points to get verified. The new attendance recording system is a technological change to monitor employees attendance, when they start and finish their shift, by giving their finger print. If an employee leaves the premises of the company he signs out and then sign in again when he returns to the premises. This system has benefited the company to control its wastage of time and labour cost. Originally, an older system was being operated at Co-operative Food till two years ago by signing manually the attendance register. This register was usually placed near the managers office and the employees had to sign in and out before and at the end of their shift. This system was seen as a failure as employees gave little importance to this system. For example, they got paid even if they missed to sign in by requesting the manager at the next day that they forgot to sign in. This manual system was replaced in 2008 by a swipe card system to monitor staff attendance, which also had some drawbacks. In the swipe card system someone else, other than the employee, could also swipe it for him/her, without the knowledge of the supervisor. This is an important issue because such a change affects employees to a great extent if it is not planned and implemented properly. For example, due to the frustration employees could abuse the system by taking long tea or lunch breaks. Or they might waste companys time to do unnecessary activities e.g. they could go up in the canteen and sit there hiding without the knowledge of the managers or supervisors. Or if they havent accepted the change their way of work could be slackened, which will affect the performance of the organisation. It will be studied in the dissertation how this change has affected employees attitude towards their organisation. The research will look into employees perceptions of this change. Do they feel a sense of distrust from the organisation being monitored in a way that they have to give the finger prints to get recognized by the system or are they happier than before due to this innovation? 1.2 Research aim This study will focus on the effectiveness of change management practices and procedures in the organisation and will find out how these have helped in smooth implementation of this system. This research will help to understand how new staff management system was implemented in the Co-operative organisation, and if any issues like dissatisfaction or behavioural problems among employees have occurred and how these issues were dealt with. 1.3 Objectives 1: To find out at what extent has Co-operative achieved the objectives planned with the introduction of a biometric staff attendance system. 2: To analyse what issues evolved among employees. 3: To study the effectiveness of the implemented change. 1.4 Research Questions What are the issues that a new staff attendance system brings in the organisation? How can change management procedures deal with those issues? To what extent has Co-operative achieved the objectives planned with the introduction of a biometric staff attendance Chapter 2. Literature Review This chapter will review literature about change management procedures and implementation issues. 2.1 New technology and the related issues There is a major issue of human resistance attached to the introduction of new system. Gregson(1994, p. 23) gives an example of the introduction of new technologies and the human resource issues related to the implementation process. He depicts that when automatic teller machines (ATM) were launched in banks, it gave huge benefits to customers but at the same time the bank employees were discouraged by this new technology and its usage by the staff posed a threat to their job by this new technology. 2.2 Resistance to Change Skarlicki (1999, p. 36) has defined resistance to change as, employee behaviour that seeks to challenge, disrupt, or invert prevailing assumptions, discourses, and power relations. Deloitte and Touche has carried out a study of 400 companies about the resistance to change which is cited by Prochaska (2001). They found out that resistance to change causes the change process to fail or not completing. Hauschildt (1999) carried out a study of 151 companies in Germany which concludes that the resistance or opposition to innovation in these companies benefitted the organisations. This benefit includes the criticism of the new system by pointing out the defects of the system which is a way forward for organisations to improve it. Employees by pointing out defects in the new system get more involved in the organisations. Proctor and Doukakis (2002, p. 268) point out that resistance to a change could be because employees fear the new change will put their job safety at risk, or they fear of unknown, or it might be the lack of information and knowledge about the advantages attached to this change. Another example of innovation in organisations and its effects is the Bemmels and Reshef study in 1991 which is cited by Zwick (2002). Bemels and Reshef studied 206 Canadian companies which introduced innovation over a specific period, and found out that the employees generally accepted and supported the innovations, but it was resisted from personnel just because of the presence of Union and the technological advancement clauses in the employees contract. Another main concern of employees regarding innovations in organisation is that it could lead to the reduction in staff. Effective innovations could cut down the staff in the organisations. 2.3 Biometric System A biometric system is an automatic system which requires the physical characteristics of a user to recognise him/her. These physical characteristics could be finger prints, hand prints, facial expressions or iris pattern of eyes. According to Braghin (1998), the biometric system performs authentication process in two different stages. 1: Enrolling stage In this stage a specific biometrics characteristics is given to the system data base which could be located centrally or distributed. The scanning of the biometrics is performed, and then the system creates a digital representation called template, which is then recorded into the data base. This process is performed only once. 2: Identification stage In this stage the system scans the biometric characteristics and then creates an optimized digital representation, which it then matches to the template to identify the person. Biometric system is a new technology which also brings issues that are linked to this system. Braghin (1998) depicts that a biometric system is not good at handling problems. If someones template is stolen, the system cant provide any help for that. These are the characteristics of a person which is not easy to get back if lost and biometric system is not helpful in order to deal with the problem. It is not like a password which you can change. So it means if you lose it, you lose it forever. Advantages of biometrics OGorman (2003, p. 2037) highlights the advantage of the biometric as, the details are hard to get stolen of a user using the system as compared to other authentication system, like ATM. The token system which stores the identity of a user should also be a used by a user as a second option to make it more secure against stealing and thefts of the details. 2.4 Change Management Kotter and Schlesinger (2008, p. 4) have explained how to diagnose resistance (2008, p. 4) caused by the change. They point out that every change brings some human resistance to the change process. In order to deal with the resistance it is important to find out about the causes of potential resistance. By analysing the situation managers can come across the factors of resistance when the change is being introduced. 1: Parochial self interest People can be resistant to change because they feel less concerned about the organisation and see their interests coming first before the interest of the organisation. 2: Misunderstanding and lack of trust Misunderstanding can develop among employees if they dont understand the implications of the change. Or if they perceive it wrongly. It is essential for change to be effective that all employees understand the change process and its implications, and for managers or change agents to interact with employees to clear potential misunderstandings. 3: Different assessment Employees could assess the change differently than the change agent or managers due to lack of information. Because both the employees and the change agent think that the information that they have is right and they assume about each other of having the same information. So it is very important that both the change agent and employees have up to date information because otherwise this could lead to resistance. 4: Low Tolerance Sometimes it is very hard for people to give up their old habits or working style which they are used to. For example, if the implemented change requires some new skill and behaviours and employees are not catching up with those behaviours or skills it would be problematic. 5: Old beliefs People are reluctant to change because they dont want to be disturbed in their daily routine. For example an employee working 9 am to 5 pm shift, who is required to change shift from 3 pm to 11 pm two days a week will be resisting because it will disturb his/her daily routine. Kotter and Schlesinger (2008, p. 6) have suggested several ways of how to deal with resistance when it emerges as a reaction to change. 1: Communication Communicating about the desired change could really be helpful as it will make employees to embrace the change. Communication both with individuals and to a group is very essential as employees want to know about activities in the organisation. If the employees are put in dark about their organisation they feel a sense of ignorance. All sources like audio or video can be used to communicate. 2: Support Organisations can offer training about new skills or support to the employees where the managers find the employees are struggling to overcome resistance. This training can be in the organisation or out of the organisation as well. 3: Involvement Employees involvement in designing and implementation of the change process is another way to stop resisting powers being emerged. Involvement of employees will make employees feel that they are a value to the organisation. 4: Negotiation Negotiation is a way to offer benefits to resistors to accept the change. Its a process of luring the employees who are resisting. For example negotiations could involve dealing with unions as offering them pay rise in the lieu of acceptance of change. Negotiations are an expensive way of dealing with resistance as the change initiator has to give something to resistors for the acceptance of the change. The disadvantage of the negotiations is that people who take part in the negotiation process could use it as blackmailing. 5: Manipulation or Co-optation This process is also called Co-optation, when employees who are potential resistors are given an attractive role of their choice to involve them in the change process. This is not considered as participation of employees because the employee who is co-opted, his/her advice doesnt mean much to the change initiators. 6: Coercion Here the employees dont have many choices as if they dont accept the change they are threatened or warned of taking disciplinary action against them or being fired or by stopping their promotion. In this way they would worry about their job security and would show the acceptance of the new changed system. Caluwe and Vermaak (1994, p. 49) explain that the change process is a step by step process of learning. It cant be enforced on someone as it takes time and learning cant be enforced. According to Bovey and Hede (2001) change in an organisation is often implemented in a way that the whole process of planning and implementation takes all the time and the human factor who will be dealing with this change after implementation is ignored. They argued that the consideration of a new system and its rationalization for the company gets importance leaving behind the people who will be affected by this new system. Aladwani (2001, p. 268) gives a comparison of marketing and implementing an information system based change. He holds the view that both marketing and implementing change in the organization are change processes and reflect the exchange process between two parties. Therefore, as the marketing policies and procedures are developed and communicated, organizations should communicate with their employees for the required results and to overcome the resistance to change. In marketing these communications are between seller and buyer, while in an organisation it should be between employer (the person who is brining the change) and the employees who are getting affected by this change. The above literature has discussed about introduction of staff attendance measurement in organisations and related issues, biometric system and related human-resource issues, and finally change management. Kotters(1996)Change management model Create sense of urgency Create a guiding coalition Develop a vision and strategy Communicate the vision for change Empower broad-based action Generate short-term wins Consolidate gains and produce change Anchor new approaches Source: Kotter 1996 Kotters model (1996) is the 8 phase change management model which deals with the change through a systematic way. It takes the top down approach from creating a sense of urgency to anchoring change in the culture. It produces good results by dealing with the resistance issues caused by the change. Kotters model deals with the resistance in the best way for smooth implementation of change. Although this model has met with a lot of criticism as in its step 5 encourages risk taking and not traditional ideas and activities, and change in the structure of organization but Kotter explains that it is the essential part of the organizational change. As he explains that the structure which undermines the change vision by becoming a hurdle needs to be rid off. Kotters model is focused on communicating the vision to employees and provides good guidance. I like to use Kotters model for my research because it is a systematic method, a top down approach and is more effective than other models. It deals with the issues of resistance properly. Chapter 3. Conceptual Framework The literature review in Chapter 2 is a critical activity resulting in a conceptual framework. This research will use the change model of Kotter (1996) as a conceptual model. It is assumed that the eight phases proposed by Kotter are a useful model to compare the change at the case company. The following table shows in an exemplary way how the phases of change at the Co-Operative can be mapped on Kotters eight phases. Phases of Change at the Co-Operative 1 2 3 4 5 6 1. Create sense of urgency 2. Create a guiding coalition 3. Develop a vision and strategy 4. Communicate the vision for change 5. Empower broad-based action 6. Generate short-term wins 7. Consolidate gains and produce change 8. Anchor new approaches Table 1: Mapping Change at the Co-Operative on Kotters Leadership Steps Source: Kotter 1996 Each of the eight phases has its own dynamics and challenges. For example, in the first phase, organisations need to look at the competitive market, trends are traditions which need to be updated, profit margins to start the change process, if enough urgency is not established there is a risk of process to fail. The 2nd phase is appointing a team to carry out the change process together energetically. Then comes the 3rd phase which is about the development of proper vision and strategy to implement the change. It is about, where would the change lead to and how. The 4th phase is about communication of the vision to all employees by interaction. The 5th phase is to remove barriers which are obstructing the process of change. The 6th phase is about bringing more improvement in the performance, and rewarding the employees who maintain the required standards. The 7th phase is about producing more change by promoting the employees or hiring new one to carry out the change process with more determination and persistence and the final one is about to make the change permanently stick to the organisation. These phases will be tested to analyse the change process which Co-operative food has carried out by comparing the eight phases of Kotters model. Kotter (2007, p, 99). All the phases of the model from establishing a sense of urgency, Kotter 2007, p,97) to anchoring change in the culture (2007, p,103) will be compared to find out, have they been taken into the account for successful change at the case study company. Chapter 4. Research Design A deductive case study approach will be applied for this research. This case study is deductive because it uses existing concepts in the field of change management and theory about resistance caused by the introduction of new staff attendance control system. Furthermore a qualitative case study will help to attain insights and detailed viewpoints of the employees and managers. Yin (2003) suggests using a case study approach when How and why questions are being addressed and it tells about what could be extracted from a single situation. According to Bryman (2001) case study approach is used for in depth findings and to associate it with the theory. A case study approach is suitable for the interpretation of this subject because it will investigate the change management processes in the organisation by the help of existing theory of Kotters model in the case study organisation. Qualitative approach I intend to use a deductive qualitative approach for this case study. Bryman (2001) highlights the characteristics of the qualitative approach as dealing with issues by exploring them, e.g. through counter questions to understand the phenomenon. Kaplan and Maxwell (1994) give a briefing of qualitative approach that it is the study of a particular situation by exploring peoples attitude in which they react by means of interviewing, observing or documenting rather than by a data of numbers. As this research is about the perception of employees about this change, the philosophy that will be used in this research will be constructivist. This philosophy has been selected because I intend to test the Kotters model of change management in Co-operative case study. Chapter 5. Methodology For this research, the following case study organisation was chosen: the Hackney Branch, London, of the Co-Operative Food unit of Co-operative Group Limited, Manchester/UK. Furthermore employees and managers are accessible for interviews that are essential for accomplishment of the study. Data will be collected with the help of semi structured interviews by mono method. Semi structured interviews are flexible in approach, and are good in finding the insights of peoples. An understanding will be developed in the perspective of employees natural settings, about perceiving change in the organization by employees, their behaviour towards this change, and their thinking about change management practices in the organisation to minimize the effect of this change. I have talked already with the local branch managers, and they have told about their interest to take part in this research. An official letter will be written to the case company when the research starts, e.g. in September 2010. The interviews will be conducted after the work is assigned or the proposal for the research is accepted in the Hackney branch of Co-operative food. Interviews will be conducted by asking all type of questions like open question, Probing or specific questions, closed questions to cover all the aspects of the aim and objectives of the research. Employees will be asked about their point of view about change, their participation, experience and effects of the change on them. Moreover a comparison to Kotters change model will be developed by looking into eight phases of the model. Pattern matching technique will be used to analyse the data. Because I am using Kotters conceptual framework for this research, I will test the adequacy of the Kotters framework to reveal the findings. Pattern matching is the method which involves two variations, depending on the dependent and independent variables. In the first variation we relate the proposition from the relative literature to the results of data collection and analysis. If it matches to the predictions then we confirm the theory. At this moment the researcher has no pre defined variables, but when the work is assigned. If one or more outcomes that have not been predicted by the explanation, there is a need to seek an alternative one. (Yin, 2003) In the second variation the variables are independent of each other. Here we put forward a number of alternative explanations to explain the pattern of outcomes that we expect to find. When the predicted explanation matches with the pattern of outcomes it provides evidence that it is indeed an explanation of the findings. The method will be chosen when the work is assigned after the acceptance of proposal. 5.1 Limitations This research will set its limits by contacting Co-operative Food employees in the case study organisation, Co-operative Food which is a supermarket or a retail industry in the Hackney branch London. The employees contacted will belong to the Co-operative. Therefore the findings of this research can not be generalised outside the case study organisation. 5.2 Ethics The ethical issues involved in this research could be the fear of employees about their names being used in this research. If the employees dont understand the purpose and aim of the research, it is also an ethical issue. Employees could also have discomfort or stress in answering the questions. Employees will be provided the information about the purpose of this research, and its aims, and the issue of anonymity that that their names will be kept anonymous if they wish. The data collected will be used by the consent of the employees. I will inform the employees by speaking to them about their right to withdraw from the interviews and also about withdrawing their permission to use this data before I finish the interview. The collected data will be analysed by the researcher and the dissertation will be submitted by honest means. 5.3 Resources The resources that will be used to conduct semi structured interviews are audio and video equipment. Before conducting the interviews I will get the consent of employees. Should there be any rejections about being recorded, then I will make notes of the interviews. 5.4 Transcription I will document the interviews in text processing files with interview numbers, like 01ME, and 02FE, and so on, where 01 represents 1st interview and M is for male, F is for female and E is for employee. RQ1, and RQ2 will be used for myself representing the first and second of the researchers questions and MEA1 or FEA 2 would be used for male employee answer 1 and female employee answer 2 respectively. 6 Appendix 6.1 Time Table Gantt chart for a research project Activity September October November December January week number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Review Literature Meeting with supervisor Read Methodology Literature Data Collection Analysing data Enter data in computer Update literature reading Complete the remaining part Submit to supervisor Revise the work Holidays Print, bind Submit