Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discussion - Assignment Example Our leader initially indicated that he was not in support of the use of Chinese parts. The advocates of Chinese parts also had their own motives and ambitions in the mix. The use of Chinese parts would have meant a higher profit margin which would have resulted in their promotions and higher salaries. However, the profits would have proven to be temporary as the consumer satisfaction would have gone down with the passage of time hence resulting in lower sales. Our leader would also have benefited in the form of a promotion if he would have returned good profits to the shareholders. Many group members knew that very well and they attempted to capitalize on the situation by using flattery. There were also some members with good conscience that looked for the benefit of the company in the long run. They insisted that we should not use Chinese parts as they were subpar and the number of customer complaints against the product would go up. However, the other group kept on bringing up the question that Japanese parts would cost us much more so we could have purchased more C hinese spare parts and stored them for later use. They showed a bright picture of praise and accolades to our leader. They emphasized that the change was necessary, and a timely action was of paramount importance. The discussion almost heated up between the opposing points of view. Our leader decided to take a break, and make a decision at a later time. The decision was made in the favor of Japanese parts as they were of high quality. He also suggested the purchase of a few amount of Chinese parts in order to find out how they work. It turned out later that using Chinese parts was a very bad

Matrix analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Matrix analysis - Essay Example This will simply enhance the level of competition (Dcstrategy.com). For the 5 years period, ranging from 2012- 2017, it can be said that the forecasted annual growth rate is around 3 – 5% per annum. This growth will be the upshot of the fact that the health benefit industry will be increasingly moving towards the point of maturity over the period of 5 years, thereby providing more opportunities and avenues for growth for businesses related to the health benefits sector (Dcstrategy.com) The health and fitness club, CBD Health Spa is highly focused on providing high level, customized service for the customers, while increasingly taking into account the diversified and personalized needs of each customer (cbdhealthspa.com) The health and fitness club provides highly dedicated customer services to its customers, who focus on giving the customers, with the required level of motivation that is needed for maintaining continuity of the exercise and thereby helping them to gain benefits out of the program. SO: In order to take maximum advantage of the high growth possibilities in the future, the CBD Health Spa can focus on launching new clubs in new regions while offering the diversified gamut of services to the new customers. ST: In an attempt to prohibit the threat of low barriers to entry and emergence of new competitors, the brand can opt for forming a joint venture with some of the major players, thereby safeguarding themselves from being eradicated due to competition from strong market players. WO: The club can focus on opening new centers in new areas and taking advantage of the prospective growth opportunities that are being promoted by the government. This will eradicate the weakness of the club’s limited existence in only a particular location. WT: The WT is focused on reducing the weakness and threats (Koontz & Weihrich, 2006, p. 108). The club can increasingly build up on the brand

Features of Different Types of Early Childhood Program Models

Features of Different Types of Early Childhood Program Models Choosing a programming model, organizing the environment, and developing a program plan that is responsive to the needs of children, Early Childhood Educators, and families is a complicated and difficult process. ECEs must consider many elements of childrens development and combine their knowledge of child development with the preferred program model philosophy when planning an environment for children. It is important to know that many different program models exist and that each program model offers different features. Class Field trip We are going on a field trip! Tonight we are going to visit 3 different Early Childhood Programs. Each program is based on a different model or philosophy on how children learn and succeed. Waldorf Program Mode Montessori Program Model First Nations Head Start Program Model First Stop: Waldorf Program Model Founder Rudolf Steiner Waldorf Program Approach Curriculum and experiences come from the children and that knowing children well is essential to planning a learning environment that supports childrens whole development. Suggests that an arts-based curriculum supports childrens whole development, and so image, rhythm, movement, drawing, painting, poetry, and drama are core components. Because of the arts-based experiences, attention to the environmental aesthetics is necessary. Contrary to the thinking of many educators, Steiner pointed out that teachers do not provide experiences for students. Adults provide the conditions, such as the materials, space, schedule, and options, but the children lead the program design and implementation. Frequently asked Questions about the Waldorf Model: http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/02_W_Education/faq_about.asp What is Waldorf Education? Answer: Based on the work of Rudolf Steiner, the curriculum draws on the natural nature of children, with emphasis on childrens learning through imagination and fantasy. Academic content is held to a minimum while art and movement are the core elements of the curriculum What is the Preschool Kindergarten Waldorf Program Like? Answer: The goal of preschool and kindergarten is to develop a sense of wonder in the young child and reverence for all living things. This creates an eagerness for the academics that follow in the grades. The Waldorf Preschool; a time for imitation and play young children live in a rich world of play and discovery. They are completely open and deeply influenced by all that surrounds them. What they see and hear they imitate; unconscious imitation is the natural mode of learning for the preschool child. Everything around the child is absorbed. Accordingly, the preschool is a world of harmony, beauty and warmth. Toys in the preschool are made from natures gifts: wood, sea shells, stones, pine cones, lambs wool. The simpler the toys the more active the childrens imagination can be. Formal intellectual or academic schooling is excluded from the Waldorf Preschool. With an active imagination, energetic physical development, and a true curiosity for the world, children are best prepared for the challenges of formal schooling and later life. (Paraphrased from the South African Federation of Waldorf Schools) Preschool and Kindergarten activities include: storytelling, puppetry, creative play singing, dancing, movement games and finger plays painting, drawing and beeswax modeling baking and cooking, nature walks foreign language and circle time for festival and seasonal celebrations What about the Waldorf Program for Elementary and School-Aged Children? Answer: Elementary and middle-school children learn through the guidance of a class teacher who stays with the class ideally for eight years. The curriculum includes: english based on world literature, myths, and legends history that is chronological and inclusive of the worlds great civilizations science that surveys geography, astronomy, meteorology, physical and life sciences mathematics that develops competence in arithmetic, algebra, and geometry foreign languages; physical education; gardening arts including music, painting, sculpture, drama, eurhythmics, sketching handwork such as knitting, weaving, and woodworking What is unique about Steiner Waldorf education? How is it different from other alternatives? (Public Schooling, Montessori, Head Start, etc.) http://www.steinerireland.org/faq/#2 Answer: The aim of Waldorf schooling is to educate the whole child, head, heart and hands. The curriculum is as broad as time will allow, and balances academics subjects with artistic and practical activities. Steiner Waldorf teachers are dedicated to creating a genuine love of learning within each child. By freely using arts and activities in the service of teaching academics, an internal motivation to learn is developed in the students, doing away with the need for competitive testing and grading. Some distinctive features of Steiner Waldorf education include the following: Academics are de-emphasized in the early years of schooling. There is no academic content in the Steiner Waldorf kindergarten experience (although there is a good deal of cultivation of pre-academic skills), and minimal academics in first grade. Reading is not taught until second or third grade, though the letters are introduced carefully in first and second. During the elementary school years (grades 1-8) the students have a class (or main lesson) teacher who stays with the same class for (ideally) the entire eight years of elementary school. Certain activities which are often considered frills at mainstream schools are central at Steiner Waldorf schools: art, music, gardening, and foreign languages (usually two in elementary grades), to name a few. In the younger grades, all subjects are introduced through artistic mediums, because the children respond better to this medium than to dry lecturing and rote learning. All children learn to play recorder and to knit. There are no textbooks as such in the first through fifth grades. All children have main lesson books, which are their own workbooks which they fill in during the course of the year. They essentially produce their own textbooks which record their experiences and what theyve learned. Upper grades use textbooks to supplement their main lesson work. Learning in a Steiner Waldorf school is a noncompetitive activity. There are no grades given at the elementary level; the teacher writes a detailed evaluation of the child at the end of each school year. The use of electronic media, particularly television, by young children is strongly discouraged in Steiner Waldorf schools Tour: Waldorf Preschool: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/a_rcQD5Yh7nfhAYpfBKHuQ In Class Discussion What did you like about the Waldorf Program? Is there anything you didnt like about the Waldorf Program Model? Second Stop: Montessori Program Model Founder-Maria Montessori Montessori Program Approach Montessoris method requires teachers to conduct naturalistic observations and carefully prepare environments with experiences that become more complex and that are self correcting. Children will interact with materials described as work tasks. Children are given the choice of material that they wish to explore, and the adult demonstrate the steps to be carried out when using the new material. Then the children may use the materials, which focus on daily living, sensory, academic, or cultural and artistic experiences. An example of a work task in a Montessori classroom is polishing shoes. On a child-sized tray, the adult organizes the buffing cloth, the polish, and the shoes. The adult demonstrated to the children what each cloth is for, how to open the polish, how to dip the cloth into the polish, how to apply the polish, how to buff the shoe and to reapply polish. Once the demonstration is complete, children my pursue the work task independently. Frequently asked Questions about the Montessori Model What is Montessori Education? http://www.a-childs-place.com/faqs.html Answer: Montessori is a philosophy of education popular throughout the world that encourages and supports the unfolding of a childs maximum potential by assisting the child to educate herself at her own pace.   Its main beliefs are: each child is a unique individual and has the ability to explore her own capabilities given the right environment; children have sensitive periods for learning (i.e., for language, order, movement); very young children learn through their unconscious absorbent minds; observation is crucial; appropriate developmental environments and expectations are essential.   The philosophy respects the individuality of the child, her freedom and choice within limits.   The role of the adult in the environment is to assist the child to meet her needs thus leading her to explore her identity, independence and realize her full potential.   An environment is prepared to guide the child in self directed activities with hands-on sensory activities.   The concrete materials require movement and the use of his hands to develop his mind.   The philosophy respects the natural abilities and progression of each individual childs development. How does Montessori differ from traditional education? http://www.a-childs-place.com/faqs.html Answer: Montessori education differs from traditional education in many ways but probably the most fundamental difference is that Montessori is child-centered whereas traditional education is teacher-centered.   Please see the list of comparison below that has been adapted from the American Montessori Society: Montessori Education Traditional Education early start in school (2-3) late start in school (5-6) 3-year age range per class one age per class freedom to move about choose work seated at desks community atmosphere little socialization individual lessons large group lessons self-correcting materials teacher as source of answers natural, logical consequences rewards and punishments longer free work periods frequent interruptions enhanced curriculum limited curriculum progress of student as test peer comparison as test emphasis on learning emphasis on grades emphasis on individuality emphasis on conformity progress at individual rate annual promotion emphasis on selfcontrol teacher as disciplinarian PEACE in education corporal punishment strong school/home ties little parent involvement observation based progress reports graded report cards child centered schedule adult centered education Why does Montessori have mixed age groups? http://www.apsva.us/155020101915521140/lib/155020101915521140/Frequently_Asked_Questions_about_Montessori_Education.pdf Answer: Mixed age groups free children to enjoy their own accomplishments rather than comparing themselves to others. Older children provide leadership and guidance, and benefit from the satisfaction of helping others. Younger children are encouraged by attention and help from older children. They learn through observation of older children. At the same time, older children reinforce and clarify their knowledge by sharing it with younger ones. Children easily learn to respect others, and at the same time develop respect for their own individuality. This interaction of different age children offers many occasions for building community, as well as nurturing the development of self-esteem. This encourages positive social interaction and cooperative learning. With mixed age groups and individualized teaching how do Montessori teachers keep track of all the children?http://www.apsva.us/155020101915521140/lib/155020101915521140/Frequently_Asked_Questions_about_Montessori_Education.pdf Answer: The Montessori method is based on scientific observation. A key aspect of a Montessori teachers training is learning how to systematically observe when a child reveals an especially strong interest towards a piece of knowledge or skill. Teachers observe for childrens independence, self-reliance, self-discipline, love of work, concentration and focus. They also observe for the mood of the class an overview of the mood of the whole class as well as the mood of individual children. In addition to keeping observation notes, teachers keep records of lessons presented to individual children and record childrens progress in working toward mastery of skills. Is there too much individual work in Montessori? Do children learn how to get along with others?http://www.apsva.us/155020101915521140/lib/155020101915521140/Frequently_Asked_Questions_about_Montessori_Education.pdf Answer: Montessori children are free to work alone or in a group. Although younger children do often choose to work alone as they master challenges, there are many aspects of Montessori schools that help children learn to get along well with others. They learn to share. They learn to respect each others work space. They learn to take care of materials so other children can learn from them. They learn to work quietly so others can concentrate. And they learn to work together with others to take care of the classroom. As they get older, most children choose to work in small groups. Tour: Montessori Preschool How are Waldorf and Montessori Models Different? Please take some time to read the following article titled Waldorf vs Montessori. How are the programs the same? How are the two different? http://www.jnorth.net/mindmaps/personal/parenting/parenting%20research/Waldorfvs.Montesorri.html Dear Class: If you are interested in learning more about the Montessori Method please take sometime and enjoy the information provided below: The Video is a youtube video so some of your computers may not open it up. Montessori Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM1Gu9KXVkk The Montessori Method-The Classroom: http://www.circleofinclusion.org/english/approaches/montessori.html Head Start Approach: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fniah-spnia/famil/develop/ahsor-papa_intro-eng.php The Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve initiative is designed to prepare young First Nations children for their school years, by meeting their emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs. This initiative encourages the development of projects that are comprised of the following program components: culture and language, education, health promotion, nutrition, social support and parental involvement. The program encourages the development of locally controlled projects in First Nation communities that strive to instill a sense of pride and a desire to learn; provide parenting skills and improve family relationships; foster emotional and social development and increase confidence. It is also designed to assist parents enhance their skills which contribute to their childs healthy development. Frequently Asked Questions about the Aboriginal Head Start Model First Nations Head Start Standard Guide What is the objective of Aboriginal Head Start? Answer: To provide First Nation children with the opportunity to develop their physical, emotional and social needs in a culturally relevant environment. The goal of Head Start is to provide all children with a safe, nurturing and enjoyable learning environment that supports their development with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in their present environment, in school and in life. Does the Head Start model see Parent(s)/Guardian(s) as important to a childs learning? Answer: Head Start will provide First Nations parent(s)/legal guardians/extended family with assistance and support in acquiring good parenting and life skills through activities such as workshops and information sessions. Parent(s)/legal guardian(s)/extended family are important partners in the process of planning and implementing a curriculum, and are crucial in reviewing the effectiveness of it. What does a Head Start Curriculum Include? Answer: It is recommended that First Nations Head Start projects establish a curriculum that reflects the developmental needs of the children of the program as well as the six program components: nutrition, education, family involvement, social supports, health promotion and culture and language. Development of a curriculum may also include input from an early childhood education specialist, parent(s), Elders, cultural advisor and/or other appropriate resource person(s). A curriculum may include, but not limited to the following components: provide opportunity to learn through play provide a balance of structured learning environments and natural environments provide opportunity to enhance school readiness skills and cognitive development supports fine and gross motor development uses lots of teaching materials including, but not limited to age and culturally appropriate books, videos, computer programs, toys, guest speakers provides learning experiences through food preparation and through sampling a variety of nutritious foods including traditional foods encourages role playing and dramatic play encourages conversation and language skill development provides the opportunity for the children to express their feelings, concerns, ideas and fears provides learning experiences that are age and developmentally appropriate and respective of the individual child provide learning experiences that are culturally appropriate provides opportunity to further develop socialization skills provides learning opportunities to develop child awareness of safety in the home, at school and in the community allows for creative expression through art, music, dancing, singing and storytelling provides opportunity for sensory learning including touch, taste, smell. sight and hearing provide both indoor and outdoor activities and learning experiences Components of Quality Programs In Class Activity Your friend is returning to work after having been a stay-at-home parent. You have been asked to visit a child care center for this friend to determine if it is a quality center, one that you would recommend for her child. What indicators or aspects of quality will you be looking for? Quality Indicators Quality Indicators are predetermined outcome measures used to determine the level of quality to be achieved or that has been achieved. Indicators of Quality Personal suitability and educational preparation of early childhood educators The Canadian Child Care Federation indicates the need for early childhood educators to have experience and formal post-secondary studies in early childhood education. ECE participate in continuous learning that supports their ares of interest, specialization, or identified needs. They mentor new ECE entering the field Early learning and child care environments Early learning and child care programs respond to childrens needs by offering continuous opportunities for learning and nurturance. The goals of the service or determined by the needs of the children and the shared philosophies of parents and care providers. All practices that take place are based on sound child development theories and practices. Group size and ratios Small group sizes support the quality of interaction among children, peers and adults, and they provide more opportunities for each child to have a one-on-one conversations with ECEs. Adult interactions The early childhood educator develops and nurtures an open, friendly and informative relationship with each childs family and encourages their involvement. ECEs believe in mutual respect, trust, and co-operation among colleagues, peers, families, and community partners. Health and nutrition Effective health and nutrition principles and practices are role modeled on a daily basis Safety ECEs examine indoor and outdoor play space and programming strategies to ensure that safety practices are being followed, while allowing and encouraging children to take safe risks. Partnership Early learning an child care staff form partnerships among parents, colleagues, all levels of government, training institutions, and provincial, territorial, and national organizations related to early learning and child care. Respect for cultural values and diversity Early learning and child care settings incorporate family and community cultural attributes into the program. Assessment and evaluation Early learning and child care programs establish a process for evaluating and assessing all aspects of their program delivery. Action plans are developed, implemented, and evaluated at frequent intervals as a way to monitor the intended change in practice. Family support Early childhood educators respect and support the needs and attributes of families Elements of Quality Environments Traditionally three critical elements were used to identify quality Early Childhood Programs: the adult/child ratio the number of children in a group the staffs professional education Types of Quality Structural Quality adult/child ratios maximum group size educational training of the staff Process Quality relationships developmentally appropriate activities caregiver consistency parent involvement warm, sensitive nurturing care giving Caregiver Characteristics Education Experience includes ongoing professional development ECEs who have post-secondary education in ELCC tend to be more responsive to the children, provide children with stimulating activities that are developmentally appropriate support the parents Stability Job Satisfaction caregiver continuity is important for infants toddlers because they are in the process of forming attachment relationships ECEs that are satisfied with their new jobs are more likely to provide encouragement and guidance. Contextual Factors infrastructure directors/coordinators administrative style and the organizational climate wages working conditions such as paid preparation time, opportunities for professional development and appropriate adult child ratios government regulations and funding community relationships family involvement Engagement | Exploration | Application | Connection | Top created 12-Oct-2009 modified 04-Nov-2010 glossary copyright

Measurement, Irony and the Grotesque in Gullivers Travels :: Gullivers Travels Essays

Measurement, Irony and the Grotesque in Gulliver's Travels  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Postmodernity is obsessed with the Eighteenth Century. As an example of how our nostalgia for that period manifests itself, Hans Kellner has pointed out that a genre of novels and films set in Eighteenth century has exploded in popularity: Lempriere's Dictionary, Perfume, "The Madness of King George III." We could also point to the ongoing revision of scholarship on the period, of which GEMCS itself is an example. In considering what generates this contemporary fascination I have given some thought to the aesthetic and political issues surrounding the beginnings, and perhaps also the end, of the bourgeois social sphere. A conviction, argued most aggressively by Jean Baudrillard, is beginning to take hold, in and out of the academy, that this sphere, after an almost totalizing expansion, is now in decline. The panic over the loss of the social, whether supportable or not, offers a possible explanation for the contemporary nostalgia for the period in which Swift wrote Gulliver's Travels. In this age of dissolution, what do we see when we look back at the age of our creation? One thing we observe is the development of a peculiar kind of irony which we can't help but distinguish from our experience of this trope in the age of its dominance. The satirical effect of the irony in Gulliver's Travels read by the Postmodern will be precisely what it was not at the time of its production. The historical distance between Eighteenth Century and Contemporary readers can be understood by way of Hayden White's use of the master tropes in "Foucault Decoded." White assigns one of the master tropes to each of the four archeological periods described by Foucault in The Order of Things. In White's system, Foucault's Renaissance was metaphorical, locating truth in similarity. Swift wrote in what Foucault considered the Classical Period, which, for White, had metonymy as its overriding mode of reason, because a new transparency of representation made it possible to organize knowledge by a standard and represent it symbolically on a table. The Modern period was characterized by synecdoche, in that the subject of knowledge, Man, was now included in the study of the world, in a part-whole relationship. Finally, the Contemporary or Postmodern mode is ironic, characterized by a questioning of the foundations of knowledge and a Dionysian disappearance of the subject of that knowledge.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 24. Surprise

â€Å"No. No way!† I shook my head fiercely and then shot a glance at the smug smile on my seventeen-year-old husband's face. â€Å"No, this doesn't count. I stopped aging three days ago. I am eighteen forever.† â€Å"Whatever,† Alice said, dismissing my protest with a quick shrug. â€Å"We're celebrating anyway, so suck it up.† I sighed. There was rarely a point to arguing with Alice. Her grin got impossibly wider as she read the acquiescence in my eyes. â€Å"Are you ready to open your present?† Alice sang. â€Å"Presents,† Edward corrected, and he pulled another key – this one longer and silver with a less gaudy blue bow – from his pocket. I struggled to keep from rolling my eyes. I knew immediately what this key was to – the â€Å"after car.† I wondered if I should feel excited. It seemed the vampire conversion hadn't given me any sudden interest in sports cars. â€Å"Mine first,† Alice said, and then stuck her tongue out, foreseeing his answer. â€Å"Mine is closer.† â€Å"But look at how she's dressed† Alice's words were almost a moan. â€Å"It's been killing me all day. That is clearly the priority.† My eyebrows pulled together as I wondered how a key could get me into new clothes. Had she gotten me a whole trunkful? â€Å"I know – I'll play you for it,† Alice suggested. â€Å"Rock, paper, scissors.† Jasper chuckled and Edward sighed. â€Å"Why you don't you just tell me who wins?† Edward said wryly. Alice beamed. â€Å"I do. Excellent.† â€Å"It's probably better that I wait for morning, anyway.† Edward smiled crookedly at me and then nodded toward Jacob and Seth, who looked like they were crashed for the night; I wonder how long they'd stayed up this time. â€Å"I think it might be more fun if Jacob was awake for the big reveal, don't you agree? So that someone there is able to express the right level of enthusiasm?† I grinned back. He knew me well. â€Å"Yay,† Alice sang. â€Å"Bella, give Ness – Renesmee to Rosalie.† â€Å"Where does she usually sleep?† Alice shrugged. â€Å"In Rose's arms. Or Jacob's. Or Esme's. You get the picture. She has never been set down in her entire life. She's going to be the most spoiled half-vampire in existence.† Edward laughed while Rosalie took Renesmee expertly in her arms. â€Å"She is also the most unspoiled half-vampire in existence,† Rosalie said. â€Å"The beauty of being one of a kind.† Rosalie grinned at me, and I was glad to see that the new comradeship between us was still there in her smile. I hadn't been entirely sure it would last after Renesmee's life was no longer tied to mine. But maybe we had fought together on the same side long enough that we would always be friends now. I'd finally made the same choice she would have if she'd been in my shoes. That seemed to have washed away her resentment for all my other choices. Alice shoved the beribboned key in my hand, then grabbed my elbow and steered me toward the back door. â€Å"Let's go, let's go,† she trilled. â€Å"Is it outside?† â€Å"Sort of,† Alice said, pushing me forward. â€Å"Enjoy your gift,† Rosalie said. â€Å"It's from all of us. Esme especially.† â€Å"Aren't you coming, too?† I realized that no one had moved. â€Å"We'll give you a chance to appreciate it alone,† Rosalie said. â€Å"You can tell us about it†¦ later.† Emmett guffawed. Something about his laugh made me feel like blushing, though I wasn't sure why. I realized that lots of things about me – like truly hating surprises, and not liking gifts in general much more – had not changed one bit. It was a relief and revelation to discover how much of my essential core traits had come with me into this new body. I hadn't expected to be myself. I smiled widely. Alice tugged my elbow, and I couldn't stop smiling as I followed her into the purple night. Only Edward came with us. â€Å"There's the enthusiasm I'm looking for,† Alice murmured approvingly. Then she dropped my arm, made two lithe bounds, and leaped over the river. â€Å"C'mon, Bella,† she called from the other side. Edward jumped at the same time I did; it was every bit as fun as it had been this afternoon. Maybe a little bit more fun because the night changed everything into new, rich colors. Alice took off with us on her heels, heading due north. It was easier to follow the sound of her feet whispering against the ground and the fresh path of her scent than it was to keep my eyes on her through the thick vegetation. At no sign I could see, she whirled and dashed back to where I paused. â€Å"Don't attack me,† she warned, and sprang at me. â€Å"What are you doing?† I demanded, squirming as she scrambled onto my back and wrapped her hands around my face. I felt the urge to throw her off, but I controlled it. â€Å"Making sure you can't see.† â€Å"I could take care of that without the theatrics,† Edward offered. â€Å"You might let her cheat. Take her hand and lead her forward.† â€Å"Alice, I – â€Å" â€Å"Don't bother, Bella. We're doing this my way.† I felt Edward's fingers weave through mine. â€Å"Just a few seconds more, Bella. Then she'll go annoy someone else.† He pulled me forward. I kept up easily. I wasn't afraid of hitting a tree; the tree would be the only one getting hurt in that scenario. â€Å"You might be a little more appreciative,† Alice chided him. â€Å"This is as much for you as it is for her.† â€Å"True. Thank you again, Alice.† â€Å"Yeah, yeah. Okay.† Alice's voice suddenly shot up with excitement. â€Å"Stop there. Turn her just a little to the right. Yes, like that. Okay. Are you ready?† she squeaked. â€Å"I'm ready.† There were new scents here, piquing my interest, increasing my curiosity. Scents that didn't belong in the deep woods. Honeysuckle. Smoke. Roses. Sawdust? Something metallic, too. The richness of deep earth, dug up and exposed. I leaned toward the mystery. Alice hopped down from my back, releasing her grip on my eyes. I stared into the violet dark. There, nestled into a small clearing in the forest, was a tiny stone cottage, lavender gray in the light of the stars. It belonged here so absolutely that it seemed as if it must have grown from the rock, a natural formation. Honeysuckle climbed up one wall like a lattice, winding all the way up and over the thick wooden shingles. Late summer roses bloomed in a handkerchief-sized garden under the dark, deep-set windows. There was a little path of flat stones, amethyst in the night, that led up to the quaint arched wooden door. I curled my hand around the key I held, shocked. â€Å"What do you think?† Alice's voice was soft now; it fit with the perfect quiet of the storybook scene. I opened my mouth but said nothing. â€Å"Esme thought we might like a place of our own for a while, but she didn't want us too far away,† Edward murmured. â€Å"And she loves any excuse to renovate. This little place has been crumbling away out here for at least a hundred years.† I continued staring, mouth gaping like a fish. â€Å"Don't you like it?† Alice's face fell. â€Å"I mean, I'm sure we could fix it up differently, if you want. Emmett was all for adding a few thousand square feet, a second story, columns, and a tower, but Esme thought you would like it best the way it was meant to look.† Her voice started to climb, to go faster. â€Å"If she was wrong, we can get back to work. It won't take long to – â€Å" â€Å"Shh!† I managed. She pressed her lips together and waited. It took me a few seconds to recover. â€Å"You're giving me a house for my birthday?† I whispered. â€Å"Us,† Edward corrected. â€Å"And it's no more than a cottage. I think the word house implies more legroom.† â€Å"No knocking my house,† I whispered to him. Alice beamed. â€Å"You like it.† I shook my head. â€Å"Love it?† I nodded. â€Å"I can't wait totell Esme!† â€Å"Why didn't she come?† Alice's smile faded a little, twisted just off what it hadbeen, like my question was hard to answer. â€Å"Oh, you know†¦ they all remember how you are about presents. They didn't want to put you under too much pressure to like it.† â€Å"But of course I love it. How could I not?† â€Å"They'll like that.† She patted my arm. â€Å"Anyhoo, your closet is stocked.Use it wisely. And†¦ I guess that's everything.† â€Å"Aren't you going to come inside?† She strolled casually a few feet back. â€Å"Edward knows his way around. I'll stop by†¦ later. Call me if you can't match your clothes right.† She threw me a doubtful look and then smiled. â€Å"Jazz wants to hunt. See you.† She shot off into the trees like the most graceful bullet. â€Å"That was weird,† I said when the sound of her flight had vanished completely. â€Å"Am I really that bad? They didn't have to stay away. Now I feel guilty. I didn't even thank her right. We should go back,tell Esme – â€Å" â€Å"Bella,don't besilly. No one thinks you're that unreasonable.† â€Å"Then what – â€Å" â€Å"Alone time is their other gift. Alice was trying to be subtle about it.† â€Å"Oh.† That was all it took to make the house disappear. We could have been anywhere. I didn't see the trees or the stones or the stars. It was just Edward. â€Å"Let me show you what they've done,† he said, pulling my hand. Was he oblivious to the fact that an electric current was pulsing through my body like adrenaline-spiked blood? Once again I felt oddly off balance, waiting for reactions my body wasn't capable of anymore. My heart should have been thundering like a steam engine about to hit us. Deafening. My cheeks should have been brilliant red. For that matter, I ought to have been exhausted. This had been the longest day of my life. I laughed out loud – just one quiet little laugh of shock – when I realized that this day would never end. â€Å"Do I get to hear the joke?† â€Å"It's not a very good one,† I told him as he led the way to the little rounded door. â€Å"I was just thinking – today is the first and last day of forever. It's kind of hard to wrap my head around it. Even with all this extra room for wrapping.† I laughed again. He chuckled with me. He held his hand out toward the doorknob, waiting for me to do the honors. I stuck the key in the lock and turned it. â€Å"You're such a natural at this, Bella; I forget how very strange this all must be for you. I wish I could hear it.† He ducked down and yanked me up into his arms so fast that I didn't see it coming – and that was really something. â€Å"Hey!† â€Å"Thresholds are part of my job description,† he reminded me. â€Å"But I'm curious. Tell me what you're thinking about right now.† He opened the door – it fell back with a barely audible creak – and stepped through into the little stone living room. â€Å"Everything,† I told him. â€Å"All at the same time, you know. Good things and things to worry about and things that are new. How I keep using too many superlatives in my head. Right now, I'm thinking that Esme is an artist. It's so perfect!† The cottage room was something from a fairy tale. The floor was a crazy quilt of smooth, flat stones. The low ceiling had long exposed beams that someone as tall as Jacob would surely knock his head on. The walls were warm wood in some places, stone mosaics in others. The beehive fireplace in the corner held the remains of a slow flickering fire. It was driftwood burning there – the low flames were blue and green from the salt. It was furnished in eclectic pieces, not one of them matching another, but harmonious just the same. One chair seemed vaguely medieval, while a low ottoman by the fire was more contemporary and the stocked bookshelf against the far window reminded me of movies set in Italy. Somehow each piece fit together with the others like a big three-dimensional puzzle. There were a few paintings on the walls that I recognized – some of my very favorites from the big house. Priceless originals, no doubt, but they seemed to belong here, too, like all the rest. It was a place where anyone could believe magic existed. A place where you just expected Snow White to walk right in with her apple in hand, or a unicorn to stop and nibble at the rosebushes. Edward had always thought that he belonged to the world of horror stories. Of course, I'd known he was dead wrong. It was obvious that he belonged here. In a fairy tale. And now I was in the story with him. I was about to take advantage of the fact that he hadn't gotten around to setting me back on my feet and that his wits-scramblingly beautiful face was only inches away when he said, â€Å"We're lucky Esme thought to add an extra room. No one was planning for Ness – Renesmee.† I frowned at him, my thoughts channeled down a less pleasant path. â€Å"Not you, too,† I complained. â€Å"Sorry, love. I hear it in their thoughts all the time, you know. It's rubbing off on me.† I sighed. My baby, the sea serpent. Maybe there was no help for it. Well, /wasn't giving in. Tm sure you're dying to see the closet. Or, at least I'll tell Alice that you were, to make her feel good.† â€Å"Should I be afraid?† â€Å"Terrified.† He carried me down a narrow stone hallway with tiny arches in the ceiling, like it was our own miniature castle. â€Å"That will be Renesmee's room,† he said, nodding to an empty room with a pale wooden floor. â€Å"They didn't have time to do much with it, what with the angry werewolves___† I laughed quietly, amazed at how quickly everything had turned right when it had all had looked so nightmarish just a week ago. Drat Jacob for making everything perfect this way. â€Å"Here's our room. Esme tried to bring some of her island back here for us. She guessed that we would get attached.† The bed was huge and white, with clouds of gossamer floating down from the canopy to the floor. The pale wood floor matched the other room, and now I grasped that it was precisely the color of a pristine beach. The walls were that almost-white-blue of a brilliant sunny day, and the back wall had big glass doors that opened into a little hidden garden. Climbing roses and a small round pond, smooth as a mirror and edged with shiny stones. A tiny, calm ocean for us. â€Å"Oh† was all I could say. â€Å"I know,† he whispered. We stood there for a minute, remembering. Though the memories were human and clouded, they took over my mind completely. He smiled a wide, gleaming smile and then laughed. â€Å"The closet is through those double doors. I should warn you – it's bigger than this room.† I didn't even glance at the doors. There was nothing else in the world but him again – his arms curled under me, his sweet breath on my face, his lips just inches from mine – and there was nothing that could distract me now, newborn vampire or not. â€Å"We're going to tell Alice that I ran right to the clothes,† I whispered, twisting my fingers into his hair and pulling my face closer to his. â€Å"We're going to tell her I spent hours in there playing dress-up. We're going to lie† He caught up to my mood in an instant, or maybe he'd already been there, and he was just trying to let me fully appreciate my birthday present, like a gentleman. He pulled my face to his with a sudden fierceness, a low moan in his throat. The sound sent the electric current running through my body into a near-frenzy, like I couldn't get close enough to him fast enough. I heard the fabric tearing under our hands, and I was glad my clothes, at least, were already destroyed. It was too late for his. It felt almost rude to ignore the pretty white bed, but we just weren't going to make it that far. This second honeymoon wasn't like our first. Our time on the island had been the epitome of my human life. The very best of it. I'd been so ready to string along my human time, just to hold on to what I had with him for a little while longer. Because the physical part wasn't going to be the same ever again. I should have guessed, after a day like today, that it would be better. I could really appreciate him now – could properly see every beautiful line of his perfect face, of his long, flawless body with my strong new eyes, every angle and every plane of him. I could taste his pure, vivid scent on my tongue and feel the unbelievable silkiness of his marble skin under my sensitive fingertips. My skin was so sensitive under his hands, too. He was all new, a different person as our bodies tangled gracefully into one on the sand-pale floor. No caution, no restraint. No fear – especially not that. We could love together – both active participants now. Finally equals. Like our kisses before, every touch was more than I was used to. So much of himself he'd been holding back. Necessary at the time, but I couldn't believe how much I'd been missing. I tried to keep in mind that I was stronger than he was, but it was hard to focus on anything with sensations so intense, pulling my attention to a million different places in my body every second; if I hurt him, he didn't complain. A very, very small part of my head considered the interesting conundrum presented in this situation. I was never going to get tired, and neither was he. We didn't have to catch our breath or rest or eat or even use the bathroom; we had no more mundane human needs. He had the most beautiful, perfect body in the world and I had him all to myself, and it didn't feel like I was ever going to find a point where I would think, Now I've had enough for one day. I was always going to want more. And the day was never going to end. So, in such a situation, how did we ever stop? It didn't bother me at all that I had no answer. I sort of noticed when the sky began to lighten. The tiny ocean outside turned from black to gray, and a lark started to sing somewhere very close by – maybe she had a nest in the roses. â€Å"Do you miss it?† I asked him when her song was done. It wasn't the first time we'd spoken, but we weren't exactly keeping up a conversation, either. â€Å"Miss what?† he murmured. â€Å"All of it – the warmth, the soft skin, the tasty smell†¦ I'm not losing anything at all, and I just wondered if it was a little bit sad for you that you were.† He laughed, low and gentle. â€Å"It would be hard to find someone less sad than I am now. Impossible, I'd venture. Not many people get every single thing they want, plus all the things they didn't think to ask for, in the same day.† â€Å"Are you avoiding the question?† He pressed his hand against my face. â€Å"You are warm,† he told me. It was true, in a sense. To me, his hand was warm. It wasn't the same as touching Jacob's flame-hot skin, but it was more comfortable. More natural. Then he pulled his fingers very slowly down my face, lightly tracing from my jaw to my throat and then all the way down to my waist. My eyes rolled back into my head a little. â€Å"You are soft.† His fingers were like satin against my skin, so I could see what he meant. â€Å"And as for the scent, well, I couldn't say I missed that. Do you remember the scent of those hikers on our hunt?† â€Å"I've been trying very hard not to.† â€Å"Imagine kissing that.† My throat ripped into flames like pulling the cord on a hot-air balloon. â€Å"0/7.† â€Å"Precisely. So the answer is no. I am purely full of joy, because I am missing nothing. No one has more than I do now.† I was about to inform him of the one exception to his statement, but my lips were suddenly very busy. When the little pool turned pearl-colored with the sunrise, I thought of another question for him. â€Å"How long does this go on? I mean, Carlisle and Esme, Em and Rose, Alice and Jasper – they don't spend all day locked in their rooms. They're out in public, fully clothed, all the time. Does this†¦ craving ever let up?† I twisted myself closer into him – quite an accomplishment, actually – to make it clear what I was talking about. â€Å"That's difficult to say. Everyone is different and, well, so far you're the very most different of all. The average young vampire is too obsessed with thirst to notice much else for a while. That doesn't seem to apply to you. With the average vampire, though, after that first year, other needs make themselves known. Neither thirst nor any other desire really ever fades. It's simply a matter of learning to balance them, learning to prioritize and manage___† â€Å"How long?† He smiled, wrinkling his nose a little. â€Å"Rosalie and Emmett were the worst. It took a solid decade before I could stand to be within a five-mile radius of them. Even Carlisle and Esme had a difficult time stomaching it. They kicked the happy couple out eventually. Esme built them a house, too. It was grander than this one, but then, Esme knows what Rose likes, and she knows what you like.† â€Å"So, after ten years, then?† I was pretty sure that Rosalie and Emmett had nothing on us, but it might sound cocky if I went higher than a decade. â€Å"Everybody is normal again? Like they are now?† Edward smiled again. â€Å"Well, I'm not sure what you mean by normal. You've seen my family going about life in a fairly human way, but you've been sleeping nights.† He winked at me. â€Å"There's a tremendous amount of time left over when you don't have to sleep. It makes balancing your†¦ interests quite easy. There's a reason why I'm the best musician in the family, why – besides Carlisle – I've read the most books, studied the most sciences, become fluent in the most languages†¦. Emmett would have you believe that I'm such a know-it-all because of the mind reading, but the truth is that I've just had a lot of free time.† We laughed together, and the motion of our laughter did interesting things to the way our bodies were connected, effectively ending that conversation.

Niche Company/Urban Outfitters

The purpose of this report is to investigate the challenges of setting up a business and the difference between the major forms of business; particularly, niche markets as compared to the larger mainstream markets. Define three (3) challenges when setting up a business. Explain why they are challenges. The three main challenges when setting up a business are: cash flow, product supply and demand, and human resources. Depending on the type of business, you will have the initial cost of beginning the business prior to any income derived from that business. What type of product are you selling and is there a consumer demand for the product. Finally, staffing the business is also a major concern. Depending on the type of business, there will often be an initial cash investment. Property will have to be acquired from which you will operate the business. The cost will depend on the location, where you product will be in demand, whether you are purchasing the property or renting; and the amount of square footage needed. The property needs to be decorated in order to display the product and there is also the expense of the inventory; labor is also involved with decorating and stocking the inventory. Are you able to do this yourself or will individuals need to be hired? Also, do you as the business proprietor have enough cash flow to sustain your living expenses during this time, when there is no or little income available? Urban Outfitters Continuing Case Study: Creating a business. 2 The business began with an idea or product and the question must be answered as to whether or not it is in demand. Consumers must want the product in order for the business to succeed; if the consumer does not want the product, the business will fail. Therefore, one must ask if the product ill be in demand in the area where the business will be located; for example, snow sleds would not be in demand on a tropical island. Beginning a business requires an enormous amount of time and help is often needed. Unless you limit your hours of operation, it would be impossible for a single proprietor to fulfill all the hours needed. At first, one may have family and/or friends willing to invest their time, bu t this will only last for so long. Hiring employees is a difficult task; one must make sure the person is well suited for the position. The individuals you hire will be representing your business. Define what a niche product is. Give at least three examples of niche products. A niche product is designed to appeal to individuals with specific interests, needs, and price range. A few examples of a niche product would include: plus size woman’s clothing, import automobile repair service, and ethnic foods. Explain why a niche product might have an advantage in a market. Would price necessarily be an advantage? Explain why or why not. Urban Outfitters Continuing Case Study: Creating a business. 3 Niche products or services are specialized and serve a smaller segment of the market. A niche market masters a product specifically, designed to serve only one type of individual in the market. The advantage is the niche company can focus on one group of consumers. Price may possibly be lower; marketing to a smaller group of individuals is often more efficient and cost effective. However, producing a lesser quantity with a high demand would have the potential of raising the price. For example, an imported car owner desires a mechanic specializing in imported car repair. There is not a high demand for this type of repair service; therefore, the price for this service would be higher. The higher price would not be concern for the imported car owner because his main concern is having his car repaired correctly. Identify and explain three reasons why customers would pay more for exclusivity. 1) An exclusive product gives the impression that it is special; therefore, individuals are willing to pay more for something that is unique or special. 2) An exclusive product could be considered hard to find or purchase because of availability making it more special. Individuals want what someone else may not be able to obtain. 3) Individuals are willing to pay more for an exclusive product in order to impress others. The person that is impressed would find value in that item. Urban Outfitters Continuing Case Study: Creating a business. 4 Explain how a niche player chips away at a larger competitor’s base. Give three examples of retailers who have done this. There are three areas in which a niche player can chip away at a larger competitor’s base: go after a different way of delivering a product; provide a premium product or service; and specialize in a one product line. Barnes and Noble Bookstores deliver their product in a specialized way. This bookstore offers a wide variety of books for the reader; it would be very rare for a customer to be unable to find a particular book. One can sit in a living room type atmosphere read their purchase while having a cup of cappuccino or espresso. Second Hand Books is a chain offering pre-owned books at a greatly reduced price. This is a very generic way of shopping for books since there is no reasoning to where the books are shelved and coffee is unavailable. Coach stores offer very expensive limited design handbags priced in the hundreds of dollars. A customer walking into the store is made to feel as if they are the only person there. Individual attention is there for the asking making each customer feel that her business is truly appreciated. Macy’s, a large department store, also offers Coach handbags; however, selection is limited since the store also offers other designer handbags. Starbuck’s provides gourmet coffee; their mission statement is to provide the best cup of espresso. They do not offer a food menu; their only product is the gourmet coffee. McDonald’s now offers cappuccino and other coffee drinks along with their burgers and other menu items. Although their coffee drinks are less expensive, it is well worth the price of a Starbucks to have a good cup of Java. Urban Outfitters Continuing Case Study: Creating a business. 5 Summary: Giant businesses consider niche marketing to be less profitable. However, for small scale businesses, which have just started off with their business ventures, it can be very profitable. By targeting a group of people with a specialized demand your income can soar. You are not competing with the larger mainstream provider. Therefore, you will obtain more profit with a lesser effort by limiting yourself to that specialized niche market.

Free Essays on The Medicaid Program

Introduction: The severe Depression of the 1930’s made Federal action a necessity, as neither the States and the local communities, nor private charities had the financial resources to cope with the growing need among the American people. Beginning in 1932, the Federal Government first made loans, then grants, to States, to pay for direct relief and work relief. After that, special Federal emergency relief and public works programs were started. In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed to Congress economic security legislation embodying the recommendations of a specially created Committee on Economic Security. There followed the passage of the Social Security Act, signed into law August 14, 1935. History and Background: The Social Security Act established two social insurance programs on a national scale to help meet the risks of old age and unemployment: a Federal system of old-age benefits for retired workers who had been employed in industry and commerce, and a Federal- State system of unemployment insurance. The choice of old age and unemployment as the risks to be covered by social insurance was a natural development, since the Depression had wiped out much of the lifetime savings of the aged and reduced opportunities for gainful employment. The Act also provided Federal grants-in-aid to the States for the means-tested programs of Old-Age Assistance, and Aid to the Blind. These programs supplemented the incomes of persons who were either ineligible for Social Security (Old-Age and Survivors Insurance) or whose benefits could not provide a basic living. The intent of Federal participation was to encourage States to adopt such programs. The law established other Federal grants to enable States to extend and strengthen maternal and child health and welfare services, and these grants became the Aid to Families with Dependent Chi... Free Essays on The Medicaid Program Free Essays on The Medicaid Program Introduction: The severe Depression of the 1930’s made Federal action a necessity, as neither the States and the local communities, nor private charities had the financial resources to cope with the growing need among the American people. Beginning in 1932, the Federal Government first made loans, then grants, to States, to pay for direct relief and work relief. After that, special Federal emergency relief and public works programs were started. In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed to Congress economic security legislation embodying the recommendations of a specially created Committee on Economic Security. There followed the passage of the Social Security Act, signed into law August 14, 1935. History and Background: The Social Security Act established two social insurance programs on a national scale to help meet the risks of old age and unemployment: a Federal system of old-age benefits for retired workers who had been employed in industry and commerce, and a Federal- State system of unemployment insurance. The choice of old age and unemployment as the risks to be covered by social insurance was a natural development, since the Depression had wiped out much of the lifetime savings of the aged and reduced opportunities for gainful employment. The Act also provided Federal grants-in-aid to the States for the means-tested programs of Old-Age Assistance, and Aid to the Blind. These programs supplemented the incomes of persons who were either ineligible for Social Security (Old-Age and Survivors Insurance) or whose benefits could not provide a basic living. The intent of Federal participation was to encourage States to adopt such programs. The law established other Federal grants to enable States to extend and strengthen maternal and child health and welfare services, and these grants became the Aid to Families with Dependent Chi...

The Rat

The Rat THE RATMammalia (Mammals) - RatExternal charateristicsThe body is divided into a head, neck, trunk and tail and is covered by hair. The rat has two pairs of limbs. Each of the front legs has four toes, each with a claw. Each of the hind legs has five toes, each with a claw. On the head are two ears with pinnae directed to the front. At the front of the head below the ears are two eyes, each with a movable upper and lower eyelid and a nictitating membrane. At the tip of the pointed snout are two extenal nostrils just above the split upper lip of the mouth. On each side of the split upper lip are long sensitive whiskers. The long tongue acts as an organ of taste and helps with eating. Both the upper and lower jaws have teeth situated in sockets. The neck is short and thick.This is a chicken blinking. You can see her inner ...On the ventral surface of the female's trunk there are six pairs of teats. The genital opening (vagina), anus and and urinary opening are separate in the female an d are found between the hind legs. In the male the urinary and sexual opening open jointly at the tip of the penis. The scrotum holds the testes outside the body between the hind legs. The tail is long and ends in a thin point.ReproductionDuring copulation the penis of the male is inserted into the vagina of the female. The sperms are discharged and and fertilisation occurs internally in the oviducts. The zygote develops into the embryo in the uterus of the female. The placenta, an intimate physiological connection between the embryo and the mother, supplies food and respiratory gases and removes wastes and carbon dioxide from the embryo. After a gestation period the young are...

Research Paper Format

Research Paper Format Research Paper Format Research Paper Format While writing research paper, you should keep in mind three essential parts of the research paper format: introduction, body, and conclusion. Research paper outline is your guide for organizing parts of your research paper writing into a coherent project.   You need to consult your tutor to get detailed instruction on research paper format. Body is the largest part of research paper writing.   While writing a research paper main body, you need to choose a strategy and keep it through the writing.   If you are able to link description with argument, it functions in a similar way to a quotation.   Research paper reader expects you to discuss it in relation to the content and purpose of writing. You may describe two laws or two kings of England.   Research paper topic determines the research paper format you need to use.   Sometimes, chronological order cannot be applied to theoretical analysis, while the historical research should be presented in chronological order. You may describe a social problem or a scientific discovery prior to going further into discussion of its implications. Research paper is about critical analysis and interpretation. Sure, interpretation should be based on reliable sources.   As essence of research paper writing holds, you have to research something (an issue, an event, etc.).   You should be very careful with the choice of materials and devote a lot of time and efforts to description, analysis, and planning of the research paper format.   You should make points, construct arguments, and remain critical of your own writing. You may analyze pros and cons of what has already been noted on the issue.   For example, you may note that some of the studies have lost their actuality and can no longer be used as a foundation for current research.   Any tutor will advise you to focus your writing on recent publications and be attentive to the personal biases.   Do not let your personal opinion distort the facts! .com Our research paper writers are available 24/7 to assist you with any assignment. Custom written research papers will definitely meet academic requirements and be up to the academic level.   Every writer we employ is capable of following the instruction.   We ensure proper research paper format and logical organization of ideas.   You may have good understanding of the topic, while we know how to put your knowledge and research findings on the paper. Custom written research paper of high quality is your chance to get an A+ on your assignment.

Characteristics of Business Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Characteristics of Business Leadership - Essay Example In this context, the present study focuses on a highly popular business leader, Steven Jobs, the founder of Apple Computer Company and shall learn about his role and practices that he used in his leadership attributes in his company. Steven Jobs: The Initiation of His Leadership Skills in Business: Steven Paul Jobs, as now remembered as Steve Jobs, was a highly popular tycoon in the world of business proving to be a highly successful entrepreneur in the electronics and information technology industry. He has been part of several patents related to the invention and development of computer related products. Initially discussing about his business life, it was in 1977 that Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak together presented their first microcomputer in the White House. It was named as Apple II and the entire marketing plan and decisions were undertaken by Jobs. By 1993, the sale of the product made the two inventors millionaires. Thereafter, Jobs continued with his newer inventions, as wel l as managing his Apple Company with due sincerity and leadership. When he realized that the company needed experienced administration, he involved John Sculley in the team of management (Biography of Steve Jobs and Timeline of Apple, 2011). In this context it can be understood that the business leader survived several challenges while he could reach to the level of success. Firstly, he was new in the market that represented the fear of not being recognized by consumers. Secondly, his product was associated with the IT thus there could only be certain sections of people who would be interested. Thirdly, the first microcomputer that they invented was meant for commercial purposes and for the mass. Thus lack of acceptance could pose severe threats to their career. However, although the above mentioned challenges existed, Jobs became successful and his Apple Company gradually proved to be a huge success. This in other words reflects on the efficient leadership and management style that Jobs presented in his work. Business Leadership of Steve Jobs: Steve Jobs was known for his autocratic style of leadership values. He used to remain personally involved in all the steps and measures undertaken for the objectives of his company. For his working team, he used to involve people who matched with his mindset and he was highly demanding. He did not love delegating authority to people and would rather get involved in person in every aspect of operation. Jobs was extremely serious with his work and loved his Company too much to even lessen his involvement while he was ill (Branson, 2011). Steve’s inventions were meant for the global markets and thus he had to encounter cultural differences as well. However, the success of the company represents that Steve had been capable of adjusting to the differences and marketing his products successful across the world. The primary reason behind his adjustment and success was his love and involvement for the technology that he worked on. Steve believed in thinking differently and had faith in the values and principles of the company that he never left behind. Compassion for his company allowed the business leader to stick to his views and policies and continue with delivering his products successfully in the global market as well as adjusting with different cultures across the world. He delivered his products not depending on the choices

Korean and Japanese Americans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Korean and Japanese Americans - Essay Example History, Generations, Immigration and Length of U.S. Residency Koreans are one of the largest, fastest growing Asian groups in the United States (Jackson, 2006; library.ca.gov, N.D.a). During 1903-1905 came the first wave of Korean immigrants to the United States. Around 7,000 Korean came to Hawaii as farm laborers in sugar plantation. Within a few years 1,000 of them returned to Korea. About 2,000 of the early immigrants left Hawaii and came to the continental United States. In less than one century the number has grown to an estimated one million (Lee, 1995). Many more began to immigrate after the passage of the Immigration Act of 1965. As of 2000, ethnic Koreans living in the United States are largely concentrated in California, New York, Texas, Washington, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia. Los Angeles, with its Korea town district, is home to the largest concentration of Koreans outside of Asia (Wikipedia, 2007a). The Census 2000 recorded an additional 151,555 Americans of part-Korean ancestry. There are 56,825 adopted children of Korean nativity and place of birth. (2000 US Census) 99,061 Koreans were adopted into the U.S. during 1953-2001. (Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare, 2002) According to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2,157,498 ethnic Koreans live in the United States in 2003. However a large number of these are students or temporary workers and hence do not have permanent residence status. A number of US states have declared January 13 as Korean-American Day due to their impact and contributions to the American society (Wikipedia, 2007a). ... The population of Korean Americans is high when compared to the Japanese Americans. Japanese Americans have historically been among the three largest Asian American communities, but in recent decades have become the sixth largest (at roughly 1,148,000, including those of mixed-race or mixed-ethnicity). Japanese Americans are a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans. The largest Japanese American communities are in California with roughly 395,000, Hawaii with roughly 297,000, Washington with 56,000, and New York with 45,000 according to the 2000 Census. In addition there are large numbers in Texas, Illinois, Oregon, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Florida. Each year, about 7,000 new Japanese immigrants enter United States ports, comprising about 4% of immigration from Asia; however, net immigration is closer to zero as some older Japanese Americans emigrate back to their homeland. Hence, there is a constant outflow and inflow of this population (Wikipedia, 2007b). On of the uniqueness of Japanese Americans community is that they have special names for each of its generations in the United States. The first generation born in Japan or Okinawa, is called Issei. The second generation is Nisei, third is called Sansei, fourth is Yonsei and fifth is Gosei. The term Nikkei was coined by Japanese American sociologists and encompasses the entire population across generations. Issei and many Nisei speak Japanese or Okinawan in addition to English as a second language (Wikipedia, 2007b). This shows the community is open towards learning and adapting to their new environment. Religion and Spiritually For Koreans, religion traditionally has been important. In fact their religiosity has become all the more evident

Court Justices Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Court Justices - Research Paper Example Answer: The courtroom funds refer to the funds that raised through the money shared by the law firms and litigants having an interest in the state court. The Democratic challengers and Republican incumbents in order to defeat the opposite candidate raise courtroom funds. In this regard, the Democratic challengers raised 69% courtroom funds whereas its incumbent raised 65%; therefore, the former surpassed the latter. Answer: Yes, I agree that distinguishing line between the role of a judge and that of a politician has become blurred for many citizens. The reason for such occurrence is that the judges are elected through campaigning and raising funds, which is also the way politicians are elected. A judge is a person who has to give an impartial and fair judgement to curb menace and encourage fairness in the world. Politicians, on the contrary, are the people who convince the public that they are the true leaders for their nation/state. However, the judges are chosen through the biased fund raising practices. The law firms (corporate defense and plaintiffs) form the largest fund raisers having their cases on the judge’s table. As a result, the judges are not selected through an impartial and fair process that thickly shadows their original role in providing justice to the victim. Answer: I would choose judge for the Supreme Court of Texas through the process of screening test, interview and demonstration test. In this case, each candidate will have to pass a screening test related to written examination. Once cleared, the short listed candidates will have to appear for an interview. Only five candidates will be short listed from the interviews who will later appear for a demonstration test where the individuals and the institutions will all be present to ask complex questions from the screened candidates. Finally, a voting process will take place to select the final candidate. This process is fair and impartial

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

Business Communication - Essay Example Hideaway Pizza was established in 1957 in Stillwaters, Oklahoma near the State University. Dermer Richard and his wife Marti bought the business in order to expand it exploiting the fact that there was so much obsession of pizza. Richards’s idea was that a relaxed and friendly environment provided a great ambience for pizza service and he thought that would definitely excite the employees and consumers. By 1960’s to 1970’s, the restaurant was getting so many clients flocking at the restaurant and a fleet of delivery vans. The restaurant was decorated by colourful and miscellaneous designs of black and white stripes, and flowers (The Staff 2008). Waste management would include steps like composting, hygienic landfill, waste to energy and source recycle and reduction for a cleaner environment. (Brennan 2003). Waste management involves all the activities that take care of ravage i.e. garbage collection, waste recycling, transportation and processing of refuse. Waste management in pizzeria is very important in reducing health hazards, providing clean environment and maintaining the beauty of the place. Waste products of pizza industry include food remains and packaging materials, successful venture like Hilton Hotels have done it. Many different industries have different ways of managing their waste products, the difference ranges from recycling to composting. In most occasions, the management of waste in resident and institution environment is the local government’s duty. On the other hand management of waste in industrial and commercial (e.g. Hilton Hotels) setting is the accountability of the producer. In pizza industry the management of wastes has become the responsibility of pizzeria owners. There are several ways which hideaway can employ to make sure it manages its waste effectively. The most commonly used is the

All Museums Should Be Free of Charge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

All Museums Should Be Free of Charge - Essay Example Free access to the museum is essential to provide us with the opportunity to learn about our heritage more closely. Museums have an important role in preserving and bringing a country’s historical inheritance to the view of the new generations. Museums are repositories of knowledge and through them; we discover and find out important aspects of our civilization. Free access to museums would help a greater number of people to learn and discover additional things about their country and the world as a whole. The history of the country helps to increase their knowledge about their country and a sense of pride among them. At the same time, it helps in promoting greater comprehension and acceptance of foreign cultures. Museums are like libraries and schools, which offer knowledge. Knowledge should be available to all irrespective of the economic conditions. Therefore, following the trend of education for all museums should be made free to the public. Many people do not have access to the museums because of the high charges. People should have free access to the knowledge of art and history. The Indianapolis Museum of Art has made its admission free of charge. The Museum boasts of a huge collection of art and making the entry free has attracted a large number of visitors to it. (The Indianapolis Museum of Art). Therefore, free access to the museum is essential to provide us with the opportunity to learn about our heritage more closely. Most of the museums use the city and the county tax collections for its maintenance. Therefore, making the entry fee nil will not be detrimental to their income. A number of museums in the United States have made an entry for the public free of charge.  

INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION Essay

INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION - Essay Example However, each unit works towards a single mission or vision of the organization in general. In this regard, the system approach to organization structure and management is superior to the general system theory. This is explained by the fact that synergy of the production of the different subsystems of the larger system enable an organization to effectively and efficiently achieve its objectives. Caro, Guevara and Aguayo (2003, p. 298) point out that the application of information system within an organization is congruent with the system approach of organization management and design. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) allows organizations to integrate the subsystems or units of an organization so that they work towards a common goal regardless of the uniqueness of their individual functionalities. Human resource is the most significant entity of a system or organization. As a result, the development of an information system by the IT professionals must involve human capital. This es say is a critical analysis, evaluation and discussion of the need for collaboration of HR with IT professionals in the adoption and implementation of an information system. The essay covers issues related to organizational preparedness in the implementation of an information system, the significance of all the stakeholders of the system, system approach and management approaches of the systems. It is through Enterprise Resource (ERP) planning that the achievement of an information system which integrates all units of an organization as a system is made possible. Bocij, et al., (2003) say that Porter’s Model which describes the implications of external forces on a system clearly demonstrates the significance of suppliers, buyers, new entrants, competition and substitution in an information system. Therefore it is argued that during the process of ERP, the design of an information system must give due consideration of the impact that the external factors and stakeholders have o n the success of an information system implementation. According to Elliot (2004), design of an information system must take into consideration of its suitability in meeting the objectives of the organization and the needs of the human resource, and the stakeholders of the organization such as suppliers and distributors. Moreover, the design of an information system must also be considerate of the competition so that its implementation gives the organization a competitive edge against the competition. Caro, Guevara and Aguayo (2003, p. 298) point out that the components of an information system illustrate the importance of integration of the designers or the system and the users. Information systems are composed of hardware, software, people, policies, procedures and data. Hardware and software represent the computing systems within the information system including business application software. The people within the information system are the individuals who use the information sys tem or users, the IT personnel and the administrators or managers of the system. Barros (2005) adds that the users of an information system include the human resource, suppliers, distributors and even agents of an organization. Procedures and policies are the guidelines and standards of the system which provide the appropriate approaches of implementing the information system. The data within any information system is composed of the statistics or quantitative data within the databases of the system which is usually synthesized into usable information. Dalcher and Brodie (2007) argue that for the implementation of an information system to be successful, all of its components must work in unison. This means that the componen

All Museums Should Be Free of Charge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

All Museums Should Be Free of Charge - Essay Example Free access to the museum is essential to provide us with the opportunity to learn about our heritage more closely. Museums have an important role in preserving and bringing a country’s historical inheritance to the view of the new generations. Museums are repositories of knowledge and through them; we discover and find out important aspects of our civilization. Free access to museums would help a greater number of people to learn and discover additional things about their country and the world as a whole. The history of the country helps to increase their knowledge about their country and a sense of pride among them. At the same time, it helps in promoting greater comprehension and acceptance of foreign cultures. Museums are like libraries and schools, which offer knowledge. Knowledge should be available to all irrespective of the economic conditions. Therefore, following the trend of education for all museums should be made free to the public. Many people do not have access to the museums because of the high charges. People should have free access to the knowledge of art and history. The Indianapolis Museum of Art has made its admission free of charge. The Museum boasts of a huge collection of art and making the entry free has attracted a large number of visitors to it. (The Indianapolis Museum of Art). Therefore, free access to the museum is essential to provide us with the opportunity to learn about our heritage more closely. Most of the museums use the city and the county tax collections for its maintenance. Therefore, making the entry fee nil will not be detrimental to their income. A number of museums in the United States have made an entry for the public free of charge.  

Industrial and Personnel Psychology Essay Example for Free

Industrial and Personnel Psychology Essay 1. Personal biographical characteristics of note are factors that describe an individual. Factors such as age, gender, marital status and tenure. These characteristics have an impact on the attitudes that an individual may have towards work and dependent variable such as productivity, absenteeism, and turnover and job satisfaction. The relationship between age and job performance is of great importance because it is believed that job performance decreases as age increases. Though not all employers have perceptions of older employees. From a positive perspective it is noted that older employees have more experience, judgment, ethics and commitment. In addition, with older employees, labour turnover is reduced. Because of their longer tenure within the organization they tend to enjoy increased wages, pension and many other benefits and are therefore less likely to leave. With regards to absenteeism and older employees, the evidence is however mixed. Although there are decreases in avoidable absenteeism rates compared to younger employees, there is an increase in unavoidable rates due to poor health due to age, and longer recovery periods. However from a negative point it is noted that older employees lack flexibility, there is a decrease in their productivity due to decreased speed, agility, strength and co-ordination and resistance to change in a changing environment. Consequently, organizations are reluctant to hire older employees. In addition, they tend to retrench them first when it comes to downsizing. Gender in job performance has no evidence that it affects job satisfaction. However there is a difference in work schedules because women mostly prefer part time work or work flexibility due to family responsibilities. With regards to absenteeism women usually have a higher rate of absenteeism than men as women traditionally care for the family. For example when children are sick, it is the mothers who tend to take off work in order to take care of such sick children. Married employees generally have a decrease in absenteeism, turnover and an increase in job satisfaction. This may be due to increased responsibilities. With regards to tenure, there is a positive relationship between seniority and job performance and a negative relationship between tenure and absenteeism. That is an increase in tenure and seniority tends to lead to better performance and an increase in tenure to lead to decrease in turnover. People are organization’s most valuable and expensive resource, but they are the most difficult element of an organization to manage. Individuals are almost infinitely different, they act differently in different circumstances and are, in many ways, entirely unpredictable. This means that, unlike machines, they are not interchangeable or able to be easily designed to do the jobs required of them. In terms of the organization, what we are interested in is the way in which people behave at work-that they perform effectively in pursuit of the organisation’s goals. The starting point for this is an understanding of what makes people behave in the way they do. Although psychologists do not agree on a single definition of personality, there is some consensus that it is concerned with characteristics patterns of behavior and modes of thinking that determine a person’s adjustment to the environment (Hilgard et al 1979:108). Two features of the above definition are noteworthy. In the first place, the word â€Å"characteristic† suggests a degree of performance in personality. In the second place, â€Å"environment† suggests that personality is displayed in a social and physical context. Beyond this consensus, there is a great deal disagreement over the development, structure and dynamics of personality. The correct interpretation and use of the results of personality measures and tests depends a great deal on the theory or approach on which the instruments are based. Without this knowledge, the description of personality may well be miused. Personality can therefore be referred to a dynamic concept describing the growth and development of a person’s whole psychological system. It looks at the whole person rather than at the sum of the individual parts. It is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his or her unique adjustments to his or her environment. An altogether different approach to personality concentrates on identifying and classifying those features that individuals may share. The different categories or types serve to emphasise the similarities within each group and the differences between the groups. These attempts to classify personality features are often referred to as the type or trait approach. There are a number of personality determinants, namely, Heredity, the Environment, or the Situation. Heredity is the process of transmitting biological traits from parent to offspring through genes, the basic units of heredity. Heredity also refers to the inherited characteristics of an individual, including traits such as height, eye color, and blood type. Heredity accounts for why offspring look like their parents: when two dogs mate, for example, they have puppies, not kittens. If the parents are both Chihuahuas, the puppies will also be Chihuahuas, not great Danes or Labrador retrievers. The puppies may be a little taller or shorter, a little lighter or a lot heavier than their parents are. Their faces may look a little different, or they may have different talents and temperaments. In all the important characteristics, however—the number of limbs, arrangement of organs, general size, fur type—they will share the traits of their parents. The principles of heredity hold true not only for a puppy but also for a virus, a roundworm, a pansy, or a human. Genetics is the study of how heredity works and, in particular, of genes. A gene is a section of a long deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecule, and it carries information for the construction of a protein or part of a protein. Through the diversity of proteins they code for, genes influence or determine such traits as eye color, the ability of a bacterium to eat a certain sugar, or the number of peas in a pod. A virus has as few as a dozen genes. A simple roundworm has 5000 to 8000 genes, while a corn plant has 60,000. The construction of a human requires an estimated 50,000 genes. Personality characteristics are not completely dictated by heredity however, as otherwise they would remain the same throughout life despite the experiences we have. Environment is referred to all of the external factors affecting an organism. These factors may be other living organisms (biotic factors) or nonliving variables (abiotic factors), such as temperature, rainfall, day length, wind, and ocean currents. The interactions of organisms with biotic and abiotic factors form an ecosystem. Even minute changes in any one factor in an ecosystem can influence whether or not a particular plant or animal species will be successful in its environment. Organisms and their environment constantly interact, and both are changed by this interaction. Like all other living creatures, humans have clearly changed their environment, but they have done so generally on a grander scale than have all other species. Some of these human-induced changes—such as the destruction of the world’s tropical rain forests to create farms or grazing land for cattle—have led to altered climate patterns. In turn, altered climate patterns have changed the way animals and plants are distributed in different ecosystems. Scientists study the long-term consequences of human actions on the environment, while environmentalists—professionals in various fields, as well as concerned citizens—advocate ways to lessen the impact of human activity on the natural world. Situation is one of the determinants of personality which influences the effect of heredity and environment on personality. Personality, which is generally stable, often changes in different situations.  For example, we may behave very differently at a party with our friends as opposed to how we would do at a social gathering of work colleagues and our managers. 2. Attitude refers to an opinion or general feeling about something. Attitudes are, essentially feelings towards people or things. How people feel, what they believe, what they intend to do, and whether and how they do it may all be connected, and may all be related to the process of perception. To try to reduce the confusion in this area over the use of words and concepts such as â€Å"feelings† and â€Å"beliefs†, Fishbein (19670 put forward the following hierarchical model. Beliefs What we think about people, things, relationships etc â€Å"My work provides no challenge† Attitudes Affective responses to those people, things, relationships etc. â€Å"I see work only as a means to getting money† Intentions Congnitive states â€Å"I will look for my challenge in my leisure time† Behavior or Action Observable events â€Å"I take up mountaineering† Attitudes are learned. They derive from our personal reaction to information and events, which manifest themselves as beliefs and feelings about a particular subject. We learn many of our attitudes when we are very young. They are conditioned by those around us and the conditions or situations in which we find ourselves. Some-particularly feelings-are so strong that they stay with stay with us and affect us for the rest of our lives. The range of influences is complex, but it includes the following: * The groups to which we belong-most notably, in early life, the family, but also friendship groups, work groups * Education * Life experiences- particularly the most profound personal ones such as bereavement, etc. but also those experiences which we observe e. g on Tv, or read about. We are aware, too, that our attitudes change over time as a result of the influence of the above factors. For example, it is very often the case that young people have more liberal attitudes than older people, but as they enter work and acquire family and financial commitments and responsibilities they tend to become more â€Å"conservative†. One of the key elemen ts of management in organizations is how to modify or change people’s behaviour. This is central to such features as motivation, securing effective performance, introducing change, etc. whilst as noted above, attitudes do not necessarily condition behaviour, and they are a significant determinant. In organizations, managers use attitude survey to measure and thereby predict behaviour. Managers use information gathered in attitude surveys to guide them in decisions relative to employees. Attitude surveys elicit responses from employees through questionnaires about how they feel about their jobs, work- groups, supervisors and or the organization. Attitude surveys provide managers with valuable feedback on how workers perceive working conditions, and alert them to problems or employee intentions early so that action can be taken in time. Increasingly, attitudinal surveys are being used within organizations to find out about the potential reactions of staff to particular courses of action (for example, organizational change) or to form judgments about their suitability for particular posts (in a similar way to how personality tests are used). Operational methods for attitude surveys generally seek to measure fire components for each belief. Thus, attitudes to work could be measured as follows: * Strength of feeling about the job itself. The strength with which various attitudes are held about different aspects of the job which are listed, measured on perhaps a seven point scale, from â€Å"agree totally† through neutral to â€Å"disagree totally†. * Value of job to self. Evaluating various aspects of the job, again, but in relation to its meaning to the individual. * Social factors. Attitudes and behaviour do not depend on inner perceptions alone, but also upon surrounding social pressures-the person’s perceptions of what others think he/she should do. The social factors must be investigated in order to understand all the factors determining behaviour. * Overall attitude An overall assessment of the respondent’s attitudes to the contex of the job and to work itself, for example, the value and meaning it has in his/ her life. This is a useful measure as it allows more generalized attitudes to the job to be explored. * Intended behaviour Potential reactions to different scenarios about the job or its context. Although hypothetical, this prediction makes an interesting correlation with actual behaviour. Surveys must have a very clear specification of what they are seeking to measure. Just as with personality tests, there is the ever present danger that the way in which questions are phrased, or the underlying assumptions made, will influence the outcome. Job satisfaction and its opposite, job dissatisfaction, refer to the attitudes and feelings job holders have towards their work. Morale can be viewed as a state of mind dependent on the dependent on the degree of job satisfaction experienced by an individual or group. There is general agreement that job dissatisfaction can have harmful effects on both job holders and the organization. Research has associated job dissatisfaction with all the indicators of low morale-high labour turnover, skills wastage, absenteeism, high accident rates, poor timekeeping and a lack of commitment to quality. An individual with low job satisfaction may suffer frustration and stress. Although stress may arise from many quarters, it is the inability to deal with and manage stress that afflicts the individual who suffers job dissatisfaction. Job satisfaction is determined by a number of factors namely, mentally challenging work, equitable rewards, supportive working conditions, and supportive colleagues. Research has shown that employees prefer jobs that give them opportunities to use their abilities and skills. Characteristics such as freedom, feedback and a variety of tasks make work mentally challenging and allow employees to feel pleasure and satisfaction. On other hand, jobs that are not mentally challenging create boredom, frustration and feelings of failure. Employees want rewards (e. g. pay, promotions) that they perceive as just and in line with their expectations. Satisfaction will occur if pay is seen as based on job demands, skill and community standards. It is not the actual amount of pay that counts, but rather the perception of fairness. Individuals that also perceive promotional decisions as fair will be job satisfied. Employees are concerned with working conditions that are comfortable and that enable one to do an optimal job. Environmental factors such as temperature, light, noise should not be too extreme. Factors such as proximity to home, cleanliness, technology and adequate tools, help increase job satisfaction. As well as tangible achievements, employees also work for social interaction. Therefore having friendly and supportive co-workers and superiors also lead to increased job satisfaction. On many occasions managers’ interest in job satisfaction centers on its effect on employee performance. Therefore studies have been made to identify the relationships between satisfaction and performance. Organized studies in particular have focused on the effect of satisfaction on the dependent variables such as Productivity, Absenteeism and Turnover. There is no real proof that satisfaction leads to productivity. The saying â€Å"a happy worker is a productive worker† is wishful thinking. Often productivity leads to satisfaction and not the other way around. Productivity leads to increase in rewards, recognition, which in turn increases satisfaction. Satisfaction may lead to productivity on an organization level rather than on an individual level. Dissatisfied workers are more likely to be absent. This relationship can be affected however by sick leave benefits which might encourage workers to be absent. While satisfied employees are less likely to leave work. This can however be affected by, labour market conditions, expectations about alternative job offers and length of tenure. Level of satisfaction is less important in predicting turnover for superior employees as more effort is made to keep these individuals. Satisfaction-turnover relationship is also affected by the individuals disposition towards life. If two people are dissatisfied the positive one is more likely to leave.