graduation speech - 1882 Words

A good speech for an elementary graduation would depend on who is going to be doing the speaking. For a teacher, youll want to make sure you thank the students for all of their hard work and wish them the best in the next grade they move up to. For kids, they can thank their teacher for a good year and thank their parents for their support.This page contains a funny sample speech for Middle School or Elementary School graduations for principles, teachers or other key note speakers. The speech template can be customized for graduations from preschool, 8th Grade, Junior High School, clubs, high school or other graduation events as well. This speech is humorous but also talks about dedication and personal commitment. We hope this graduation†¦show more content†¦Remember that you don’t have to follow the crowd. Do the right thing, even if no one is looking. Study hard and remember that youre investing in yourself with every test you take and every book you read. And final ly, dont be in too big of a hurry to grow up. These are some great times in your life. Dont rush past them. There are great things coming, and just as your parents are proud, each one of you should feel proud of yourself. So congratulations to all of the graduates, congratulations to the parents, and finally, congrats to the teachers and everyone else who helped our graduates reach here today. Ill leave you with this final quote, from a great author with whom I imagine you are all familar, by the name of Dr. Seuss. You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. Youre on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy wholl decide where to go. Congratulations again, and thank you for your attention. Did you like this sample speech for Middle School and Elementary School Graduation? We hope you can use it for your speech, whether you are a principle, a teacher or a guest speaker. Since you were interested in this sample speech about graduations, chances are you will like the following topics as well: High School Graduation speech and Easy Letter of Recommendation template More information: We hope this page wasShow MoreRelatedGraduation Speech : My Graduation Essay1022 Words   |  5 Pages My Graduation A Graduation ceremony is one of the major steps in life, it marks the start of new changes in our lives. It ushers us into growing up and be responsible for our actions. It marks a new dawn of embracing life experiences, cultivation of good work ethics and eventually culminates in chasing our dreams. On my graduation day, I woke up to the sweet aroma of the breakfast my sister was making. I sat down to eat when the food was ready. It took me about 2 hours to finishRead MoreGraduation Speech1128 Words   |  5 PagesSasenarine Tomby Graduation Speech 2011 Good afternoon [name of members of the head table], teachers, parents, students, fellow graduates and distinguished guests. I must first and foremost thank God for this blessing and honor to stand before you today as Valedictorian of the Class of 2011. Yet, today is not only my day to shine. Every graduate present here is deserving of high praise and recognition and I would like to congratulate each of you on reaching this milestone in life. IRead MoreGraduation Speech650 Words   |  3 PagesCongratulations everyone, congratulations. If youre participating in this graduation ceremony, youve taken the next step toward your future goals and dreams. For those of you that just finished your transfer degrees, congratulations. To those of you that came back to school after a few years off to get a better education, congratulations. To those of you that came to get a certificate or learn IT or computer programming so you can get a better job, congratulations. Now that youre moving onRead More Graduation Speech Essay1010 Words   |  5 PagesLadies, gentlemen, parents, friends, family, staff, fellow students: Instead of taking up more time and reading my speech, it is available to you at http://www.olen’s_speech.com. Thank you. No, just kidding. But seriously folks... Today we are gathered here to celebrate our graduation from 12 long years of schooling. The education granted to us has been a privilege. One so graciously given to us by the citizens of our state, by our community, and by our parents. Today would not beRead More Graduation Speech Essay1009 Words   |  5 Pagesyou might ever sit through. Most of us, though, and I regret that I am in this group, will sit through many more ceremonies -- ceremonies longer and more tedious that this or anything else you can imagine. If you think this is bad, try a college graduation. Think, that is, attend a wedding. And, if just for a moment you think that that is bad, just be thankful you have never attended or will attend a Bar Mitzvah. The only ceremony I think anybody would truly enjoy attending is a funeral. But, onlyRead MoreEssay on Graduation Speech830 Words   |  4 Pagesthe senior class president. A few weeks ago, I was told that I would be speaking at graduation. I was asked to put together a speech for tonight -- Ive become experienced at speech writing over the past couple of weeks. The speech that you are hearing is the fourth one Ive written, the recycle bin needs to be emptied at home and I need a new highlighter. Thank you, Mr. Mier, you get an A+ for your help as my speech teacher but an F for saving trees. Tonight Id like to talk to three groupsRead MoreAn Example of a Graduation Speech653 Words   |  3 Pageswriting papers, doing homework, taking an occasional pop quiz, and of course taking countless exams, it is that time that we all anticipate†¦Graduation! Purpose Statement: Since the majority of us are seniors, and graduation is a little less than a month away, I am going to provide you with some historical background information and some fun facts about graduation in order to make the occasion even more meaningful than it already is. Road Map: Most of you could probably agree that high school wasRead More Graduation Speech Essay1516 Words   |  7 Pagesstudy abroad, and with the great help of the Turner family, Ms. Joy Fitzpatrick who is the international student program coordinator, and my parents, I entered America as an international student on March 11, 2001, only one week after my high school graduation in Japan. It seems as though yesterday when I saw my host mom crying at the airport to see me landed to America safely, as if she were welcoming back her own daughter. I still recall the very first class I took. I was so scared and nervous thatRead More Graduation Speech Essay1115 Words   |  5 Pagesthis graduation speech, several people suggested including a profound quote offering â€Å"encouraging advice to the young graduates†, and then there were others who said, â€Å"eh don’t worry about it, no one listens to those anyway.† Fortunately, I was actually able to take from both suggestions and found a happy balance. You see, I won’t tell you today to: â€Å"Dare to dream† or â€Å"Find your own vision† or even to â€Å"Strive for excellence,† or any trite clichà © that’s ever been said in a graduation speech. SoRead More Graduation Speech Essay560 Words   |  3 PagesWhen they were trying to find someone to give this speech they first asked the most intelligent, smart person they could find. But she turned them down. So then they asked the most beautiful, lovely, attractive person they could find. She also turned them down. Next they asked the nicest, sweetest, kindest, most sincere person they could find. Then I decided it would be rude to turn them down three times in a row, so here I am. How many people here like tomato soup? Come on, raise your hand if

Sources and Implications of Different Perspectives of...

Biological perspective assumes that behavior is cause by that of the nervous system. So everything we say, do and think are due to brain activity between neutrons. Since our brain is determine somewhat by our genes we get from our parents, our behavior may be predetermined by these genetic factors. Since our genes are part of the evolutionary theory, psychologists think that behavior may have evolutionary explanations as to why we act the way we do. Genetic influences, in some behaviors like hallucinations and other disorders are the effect of faulty inherited genes. These genes are said to be the cause of malfunctioning within the nervous system thus explaining our behaviors. This perspective supports that nurture has more to do with†¦show more content†¦After the consuming of the drugs, the brain and body feels dependent of this substance. This dependency could be due to many factors like the way one feels when its one drugs. The happiness the brain is tricked into think ing it likes and therefore needs more of. Since the first time the drug is introduce into the body, neurotransmitters will have different effects of the body. Therefore if the effect is positive, one will continue to use drugs and if its negative then the opposite will occur because of the feelings and reactions that were caused within the body. So if no pleasure is gain from consumption then its likely that the person will not continue to consume drugs. In addition, drug addiction may actually be the basis of genetics. Although no research proves this, drug addiction may be actually an inherited gene from the parent. Behavioral perspective, focuses on the fact that we are controlled by our environment and from what we learn from it. Environmental factors affect how we respond to different situations. This could be due to a bad experience or maybe something they were told would happen if they were involved in certain situations. The approach takes two main paths one from their environment through classical conditioning and the other through operant conditioning. Classical conditioning involves learning through association as for operant involves learning through consequences of our actions. Behaviorism takes in accountShow MoreRelatedGenome Decoding: A Review of Three Articles1724 Words   |  7 PagesThe paper is about choosing one of the latest news and compares the representation of it in different news publications. We have to prefer one of the chosen news sources and then states the reason why this newspaper gave a better version of the covered story among others based on the tendency (conte xt), the information giving, and the supported arguments that this newspaper have. Genome Decoding: A review of three articles on the subject Introduction Genome Decoding is one of the most recent tantalizingRead MoreAnalysis Of Tyler Perry s Movies And The Aspect Of Advertising And Kid902 Words   |  4 PagesThis portfolio represents my interest in social issues. I am a believer in the notion that behavior change can make difference. Our emotions, decisions and norms influence human behaviors. An initial step need to be taken to change people’s attitude about a problem. If we highlight the negative behaviors and begin to seek solutions for the problem, then eventually we will see results. It is important to resolve issues before they lead us down the slippery slope, where they are has normal. I believeRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemma Of Using Facebook As A Means For Hiring Decisions1612 Words   |  7 Pagesturn to the Internet for additional information on prospective employees, the ethical implications behind such practice become more relevant and far reaching. Yet in ethically examining the advantages and disadvantages of u sing social media information to make decisions for Shaw, the result could be different based on different ethical approaches. This paper will address the issue from different ethical perspectives. While it is crucial for employers to know who they are hiring, it is unethical to relyRead MoreThe On Smokeless Tobacco Products1317 Words   |  6 Pagesthe research topic. Primary sources are original documents which come directly from the source of an individual perspective or observation (Research Guides). These sources are usually interviews, photos, diaries, and research studies conducted directly by the researcher. Secondary sources on the other hand are more of an interpretation of the original research by someone who did not have a direct involvement in the original research (Research Guides). Secondary sources are journal articles, booksRead MoreTheories Of Human Development1401 Words   |  6 Pagesinteractions. Thus, my professional perspective can best be explained by a syn thesis of theoretical foundations based on biological contributors to human development and behavior, Sameroff’s transactional ecological model, Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, Bowlby’s theory of early relationships, and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. Using these theories as a foundation for my professional viewpoint of development, I will discuss the implications of these theories and my foundationalRead MoreEssay on Conflict and Communication 1267 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to Yi-Feng 2007, she mentions that conflict is â€Å"incompatible activities, where one person’s actions are interfering, obstructing, or in other ways making the behavior of another less effective†. In term of nature of conflict, conflict is a cause which happens by threatened human needs problem (Kelman, 2002). The sources of conflict can divide into three things, there are misinterpret, disagree and perceptions of incompatibilities (Roloff , 1987). In addition, in term of nature of natureRead MoreNetwork And Relational Perspectives For Community Psychology1244 Words   |  5 PagesAnnotated Bibliography Source 1: Watling Neal, J. D. Christens, B. (2014). Linking the Levels: Network and Relational Perspectives for Community Psychology. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Brian_Christens/publication/261771586_Linking_the_Levels_Network_and_Relational_Perspectives_for_Community_Psychology/links/557b03bc08aec87640d9b364.pdf Summary In the article â€Å"Linking the Levels: Network and Relational Perspectives for Community Psychology†, networks and relationships haveRead Morepsych 660 Individual on Personal Ethics Essays1269 Words   |  6 PagesEthics Awareness Inventory Brenda Brandmeir PSYCH/660 January 20, 2015 Instructor: Jordan Pennefather Ethics Awareness Inventory The Ethics Awareness Inventory (EAI) is an instrument used to establish ones different attitudes to different portions of ethical thought and behavior. According to The Williams Institute (2011), Ethics Awareness Inventory is a powerful tool for developing ethical competency. Besides being an instructive personal ethics assessment instrument, the EAI is a practicalRead MoreWhy Are Lgbt Students Committing Suicide More Than Non Transgender Students?1559 Words   |  7 Pagestaking drugs and sleeping around with all kinds of women that infect them with HIV-AIDS and other deadly diseases. Gay, lesbians, bisexual and transgender students suffer violence from heterosexual students .According to research ‘‘...Youth Risk Behavior Surveys conducted during 2001 to 2009 in seven states and six large urban school districts, the percentage of LGBT students who were threatened or injured with a weapon on school property in the prior year ranged from 12% to 28%. In addition, 19Read MoreEvaluation Methodology For Employee Performance Appraisal Systems870 Words   |  4 PagesEvaluate Employee Performance Appraisal Systems (n.d.) this is not a good source†¦ try to find a published, peer review source that can provide you with authors and publication dates reports that work performance appraisal systems assess the employee s effectiveness, work habits and also the quality of the work produced. The research methodology used to evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of the appraisal instrument takes different forms and depends on the type of career professional under the microscope

America in Black and White Free Essays

Langston Hughes was an important and defining figure of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920’s up to the 1930’s, a decade of great activity in the African-American arts scene. Hughes was known for the rhythm, jazz and blues, of his poetry. We will write a custom essay sample on America in Black and White or any similar topic only for you Order Now The theme of his poetry is mostly on the life experiences of the African-American. In his Theme for English B, Hughes expresses the reality in the disparity – of being Black among Whites. In the first stanza, the professor’s assignment was specific and defined which was to write a page about oneself. It was a deviation from the usual rigid English lessons, like classical poems. Writing about oneself was more loose and relaxed. Hughes used iambic quatrain to taunt the rigidity of the instruction. Hughes made it known from the beginning that student and professor were different. The student thought the assignment over, and wondered if it was easy writing about oneself. Hughes used the free-verse style on rest of the poem to contrast the earlier quatrain. Alliteration and Assonance in Line 7, â€Å"I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem† had the jazz sounds of Harlem. Here, Hughes bared that the student was Black and therefore the professor was White. When he combined two vowel sounds in Line 10, â€Å"I am the only colored student in my class† Hughes indicated how strongly the student felt about being Black. Hughes used metaphors to denote Black with Harlem, 8th Avenue, 7th Street and Harlem Branch Y, places where there was heavy African-American population. There was a noticeable change in the order of the [I] from Lines 6, 7, 8 and 10, such as, â€Å"I wonder†¦ / I am twenty-two †¦ / I went to school there †¦ / I am the only †¦Ã¢â‚¬  to Lines 12-14 â€Å"†¦ then I cross †¦/ †¦ and I come †¦ / †¦ where I come †¦ /. † The [I] used to start off the lines, they now end off the lines. Such reversal was a symbolical of the place the Black took in society. The symbolism of coming from African-American places going upwards to the school on the hill and taking the elevator to his room at the Y told of the student’s efforts to reach the level of the Whites. It must be recalled in Line 6 that the student had doubts â€Å"I wonder if it’s that simple? † referring to the assignment. Now at Line 16, he was sure that â€Å"It is not easy to know what is true for you or me. † Hughes at this point now came with the â€Å"you† together with the â€Å"me. † With â€Å"I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you:† â€Å"hear you, hear me – we two – you me, talk on this page† (Lines18-19) the student was not just writing about himself but of the whole African-American people. The sound of the assonance was strong like the clamor for equality. In Lines 21-26, the student cried out that he, in many ways, was like a white man with the same wants and aspirations in life. Hughes’ metaphors for gifts like â€Å"pipe† to mean growing old, â€Å"Bessie† for Blues, â€Å"Bop† for Jazz, and â€Å"Bach† for the classical and Baroque music. The student wrote that the African-American also wanted the things the White man enjoyed. Hughes subtly presented the issue of racism by completely leaving out the assonance, instead, the student was introspective when he asked â€Å"So will my page be colored that I write? † (Line 27). Despite the absence of the assonance, Hughes was still able to convey what the student wanted – to experience life, like the Whites do, until he is old when he smokes his pipe and listen to good music. The professor and the student were a contrast from the start, with conflicts in between. Hughes found a common ground in Lines 31-33 â€Å"You are white — / yet part of me, as I am part of you. / That’s American. † He followed it up with Lines 37-38 â€Å"As I learn from you, I guess you learn from me –† Hughes tried to make his readers see that the equalizer comes in both their being Americans. Theme for English B gives a very light treatment, being a free verse, of a compelling issue such as racism. The readers are able to internalize the poem through its rhythm. The tone of the poem is reflective as it is assertive with the use of the poetic voice of â€Å"I† coming as it is from someone who has a personal stake on the issue. Hughes was excellent in the use of a page for a composition in an English B class, where the student would use black ink to write on a white sheet of writing paper. The symbolisms accurately portrayed the issue in the poem – that Blacks and Whites despite their difference should not be opposing colors of America. They will both write history and define their future as Americans. References Hughes, L. (1951). Theme for English B. Retrieved April 25, 2009 from http://www. eecs. harvard. edu/~keith/poems/English_B. html How to cite America in Black and White, Papers

Labor Management Relations for Trade Unions - MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discusss about theLabor Management Relationsfor Trade Unions. Answer: In the contemporary organizations where employees have involved actively, Labor-Management Relations is very complicated tasks and responsibility to be handled by the HR department. Efficient maintenance of the issues emerging in labor relations management by HR is paramount for the development and sustenance of harmonious environment in the company which helps it attain the set goals and objectives. Further, when the issues are well managed the organization stands to gain a competitive advantage due to labour management related conflicts. Labor management relations also referred to as the industrial relation focuses on the management and the worker's relationship in the workplace(Knights Willmott, 2016). The industrial relations landscape in the country is defined by the tripartite associations between the various players namely the employees, government, trade unions, and employers. The players have shown a lot of collaboration in their approach industrial relations. The outcomes of this relationship have been accredited to a range of economic success and significant social progress (Fossum, 2014; Tremewan, 2016). In the wake of the financial crisis in the last decade, Singapore made necessary steps toward the growth of employment level between 2009 and 2011. Therefore, the country ranks as one of the best and most competitive due to the nature of cooperation between the key players. Industrial relations deals with all the aspects that touch on the industrial life(Fraile, 2016). According to Kaufman Routledge, labour management issues are related to trade unions, collective bargaining, grievance and discipline handling, employee roles in the management, industrial disputes and the interpretation of labor laws to the workers and other related parties. The collective bargaining forms a central part of industrial relations. Besides it aims at reaching an agreement between the management and employees in a particular company. The primary focus is the wages and remuneration issues, promotions, working hours, benefits and the terms of employment(Kaufman, Beaumont, Helfgott, Routledge.). Key Players Labor-Management Relations There are various players in the labor management system, and these includes the employers, employees, and government and trade unions. The parties are actively involved in the process, and their scope is very broad as it touches on various issues such as collective bargaining, dealing with industrial disputes, standing orders, and unfair labor practices and workers participation in the process of management. The section explores the key roles played by these actors in the process of labour relations management(Ackers, 2014). Roles of Employees in Labour Relations Management An employee in the organization has various responsibilities in labor relations management. The employer pay payment and the trade unions and government protect them. Therefore, the role of employees includes acting ethically in exchange for the remuneration and protections. Their key roles include safety, punctuality, integrity confidentiality, and objectivity. Employees should show predictable attendance, behave ethically by dealing properly with the customers and clients, observe the required practices and provide good quality works and support to colleagues. In some cases, they are supposed to engage the management in collective bargaining(Kaufman, Beaumont, Helfgott, Routledge.). Roles of Trade Unions The role played by trade unionism is vital for the interaction in the company between workers and the management. Both adheres to the system, practices, and principles as set by the trades unions, and this may be different between countries although there are some similarities. These trade unions membership consists of different people whose common agenda and the objectives is to promote and protect the interests of employers and the employees(Brown, 2015). Cases of the industrial dispute are brought by the emerging or unresolved difference between the government and employment or with the management over appropriate employment terms and conditions. These includes the remuneration benefits, working condition and hiring, and retention of employees in the workplace(Hyman Price, 2016). In the organizations where the trades union are well recognized in the workplace, they engage in officials roles where they conduct negotiations with HRM on behalf of employees. They involve in issues of collective bargaining, employee welfare, legislation and any unfair practices that may exist in the organization(Hyman Price, 2016). In these areas, the scope of engagement with the employers includes representation of workers in the industries through negotiations with the team because of their strength because they comprise the group of employees who has a greater voice than individual employees. In advocating for employees welfare, the unions have been successful regarding asserting for better terms and conditions for the workers, and this helps in securing different benefits. These includes higher wages, protection from arbitrary action, reasonable work schedules, work-life balance and job security for all the affiliated employers(Cheng, 2016). Role of Employers in Labour Relations Management Concerning labour management issues, the employers have certain inalienable rights. For instance, they have the recruit and layoff the employees(Brown, 2015). Besides, the management also has the rights to exercise their rights such as transfers, merge or close the company and to make changes to the technology used and other innovations. The exercise of managements rights certainly interferes with the rights of employees and this may lead to complaints and eventually this degenerate to conflict. On the contrary, the employers also has an interest in how the employees work and try to enhance the working conditions and review the terms and condition of employment based on environmental changes which were not factored in the time of hiring. Further, the management tries to engage the workers and enhance their participation in the decision-making process which largely rests in the hands of the senior employees in the firm(Carluccio, Fougre, Gautier, 2015). Role of Governments in Labour Relations Management The Governments of different countries plays a significant role in labour relations management in the enterprise. The officials try to regulate and influence industrial relations through enacted legislations and various policies and agreements. Labor-management relations is traced from the 19th century, and their emergence is linked to the rise of industrialization in North America and Europe. By the time, the employee was harshly treated and had no rights, and therefore the trade unions brought large workforces. Since then, many conditions has led to its evolution in the century. The changes are due to the significant shift in social, economic and the major political changes in different countries and therefore their operation and other activities have changed(Flavin Hartney, 2015). Initially, labor-management relations featured all interactions between employers and employees. For example, in their early years, their roles were confined to human resource, union, and employees relations management and this represented a broad scope as compared to today. However, nowadays, the range and the meaning has evolved and assumed a narrow focus and the area of restriction is the employee-employer relations(Brown, 2015). Singapore Competitiveness in LRM Singapore competitiveness in LRM can be measured regarding wages, protection, and workplace benefits. The issues will be looked in reflection to the harmonious relationship between employees, trade unions, government and employers and how it has helped improve productivity. Tripartism is defined as the collaboration among employers, unions, employees and government in Singapore. In the paper, it is considered as a key competitive advantage for the Singapore on matters related to labor relations management. Tripartism in Singapore has been the principal source of economic and productivity in the workplace competitiveness(Fossum, 2014). Besides, it has been at the center of promoting and enhancing the level of harmony between the labor-management relations, and this has made a significant to the overall progress of the country. In the country, the key tripartite issues includes job re-creation, retirement age, training and development and upgrading of the workforce. Others are fair and flexible wages for employees. The tripartite partners include the Ministry of human resources, trade unions bodies, and the employers federation(Sheldon, Gan, Morgan, 2015). The association between these bodies play a huge role in the reducing the number of strikes and increasing the level of productivity. The Ministry of Manpower, for example, formulate and implement the national labour policies with the aim of making Singapore a globally competitive through the creation of harmonious workplace and brighter economic future for the citizens (Fashoyin, 2010; Tremewan, 2016). The National Trades Union Congress roles are to help the country stay competitive. As such, the tripartite between the bodies is important because it has increased the country competitiveness by making the individuals and groups remain employable, reduce the number of strikes and industrial actions and to build a caring labour movement. Further all the employees irrespective of the age and other affiliations remain in the workforce, and this increases the competitiveness of Singapore(Brown, 2015). Also essential to the understanding of the competitive analysis of Singapore is the Singapore National Employers Federation. The body was formed in 1980, and its role is to increase the industrial harmony and to enhance the excellence of the employees and the practices in the workplace. These actions have made the country competitive because of high productivity of employees and the quality of their output. Regarding national wages, the Government of Singapore has accepted the proposals made by the National Wages Council for the year 2016/2017(Yah, 2011). The issues highlighted includes remuneration restructuring and an increase in productivity due to expected local employment growth. To make the organization competitive, the government is in support of productivity to ensure sustainable wage growth and further boost Singapores competitiveness. This also includes the increase of payments for all the low-wage workers, funding for skills and improving their Workfare through training(Yah, 2011). In the end, the trade unions in the country have managed to push for the increase of productivity, skills, and wages with 4%. The tripartite relationship has led the resolution of the industrial dispute in the workforce, a guarantee of sick, death, family care and sick leaves. The issues make the country reasonably competitive in the international arena (Tremewan, 2016; Yah, 2011). Conclusion In conclusion, labour relations management in Singapore is characterized by a tripartite relationship between government, trade unions, and management which help come up with a harmonious relationship in the workplace. Each of the parties plays a beneficial and significant role such as collective bargaining, wages, leaves, solving disputes and formulation of diverse legislations and policies. The level of association has been instrumental in the increase of wage, the growth of productivity and development of skills that to boost organization sustenance. For instance, in the country, the wages rose by 4 %, and the trade unions have managed to resolve many industrial disputes and to realize the increase in overall productivity in the workplace. These aspects in make Singapore competitive and experience reduced industrial actions as compared to the recent decades. References Ackers, P. (2014). Rethinking the employment relationship: a neo-pluralist critique of British industrial relations orthodoxy. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(18), 2608-2625. Brown, W. (2015). Trade unions at the workplace. Industrial Relations Journal, 46(1), 7-11. Carluccio, J., Fougre, D., Gautier, E. (2015). Trade, Wages and Collective Bargaining: Evidence from France. The Economic Journal, 125(584), 803-837. Cheng, L. (2016). Organized Labor and Debt Contracting: Firm-Level Evidence from Collective Bargaining. The Accounting Review. Fashoyin, T. ( 2010). Tripartite cooperation, labour market reform and economic upturn in Singapore. Geneva: International Labour Organization. Flavin, P., Hartney, M. (2015). When government subsidizes its own: Collective bargaining laws as agents of political mobilization. American Journal of Political Science, 59(4), 896-911. Fossum, J. (2014). Labor relations. New York City: Mcgraw Hill Higher Education. Fraile, L. ( 2016). Blunting neoliberalism: tripartism and economic reforms in the developing world. New York City, NY: Springer. Hyman, R., Price, R. (2016). The New Working Class?: White-Collar Workers and their Organizations-A Reader. New York City, NY: Springer. Kaufman, B., Beaumont, R., Helfgott, R. (Routledge.). Industrial Relations to Human Resources and Beyond: The Evolving Process of Employee Relations Management: The Evolving Process of Employee Relations Management. London : Routledge. Knights, D., Willmott, H. (2016). Labour process theory (eds ed.). New York City, NY: Springer. Sheldon, P., Gan, B., Morgan, D. (2015). Making Singapore's tripartism work (faster): the formation of the Singapore National Employers' Federation in 1980. Business History, 57(3), 438-460. Tremewan, C. (2016). The political economy of social control in Singapore. New York City, NY: Springer. Yah, L. (2011). The National Wages Council (NWC) and macroeconomic management in Singapore. Crisis Management and Public Policy: Singapore's Approach to Economic Resilience.

A Decade of Uneasy Peace essays

A Decade of Uneasy Peace essays World War II was the worst war that was fought in the 20th Century, and perhaps the worst war in the history of man. The loss of lives in World War II was a staggering 50-60 million dead (Mitchner, Tuffs Global Forces of the 20th Century 130). World War II also ushered in the era of nuclear weapons. How did this war come about, and could it have been prevented? War was inevitable in 1939 due to the resentment of the German people towards the Versailles Treaty, poverty resulting from the great depression, the policy of appeasement, and Axis aggression in the 1930s. The Treaty of Versailles was the major treaty ending military actions against Germany in World War I. The treaty was signed at the Palace of Versailles, near Paris, on June 28, 1919, and went into effect on January 10, 1920, following ratification by Germany and four of the Principal Allied and Associated Powers, Great Britain, France, Italy, and Japan (Mitchner, Tuffs Global Forces of the 20th Century 22). It was not ratified by the United States, which made a separate treaty of peace with Germany in 1921 incorporating much of the Treaty of Versailles by reference (Mitchner, Tuffs Global Forces of the 20th Century 42). The lesser Allied powers, except China, were also parties. Separate treaties of peace were made with Germanys allied, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey (Mitchner, Tuffs Global Forces of the 20th Century 30). Instead of creating peace however, the Treaty of Versailles caused frustration and hatred (Elson 29). France felt that victory was not achieved, and deci ded to create more military alliances to seal off Germany. Italy felt cheated, because the spoils of war promised to her when Italy left the Triple Alliance to joined the Triple Entente in 1915 was not received. Germany felt the most betrayed, as all the wrongs in the war was pinned on her. This frustration would eventually lead to the popular support of Hitler (Elson 31). One of the poin...

Enterpreneurship Essays

Enterpreneurship Essays Enterpreneurship Essay Enterpreneurship Essay Essay Topic: The Godfather Entrepreneurship has many definitions: one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods, one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise but the godfather of entrepreneurship studies at HBS Professor Howard H. Stevenson coined: Entrepreneurship is the pursuit of opportunity beyond resources controlled. This definition brings the true experiences of any entrepreneur. It’s a pursuit of opportunity which needs to be perceived in the short window of existence of opportunity.In this period, considerable amount of time and energy needs to be devoted such that there is quantitative result in order to attract necessary resources. Delayed results from the actions performed may seize the opportunity and also the consumption of cash balances available for the opportunity allocated. The opportunity that may be available can be either of the following: 1. Creating a new product or business model 2. Creating a better or cheaper version of the existing product or business modelThough, many profit improvement opportunities are not noveland thus are not entrepreneurialfor example, raising a products price or, once a firm has a scalable sales strategy, hiring more reps, etc. But given an opportunity is available, it can be classified as two types: 1. Entry Opportunity 2. Entrepreneurial Opportunity Entry Opportunity implies the existence of a market. But some entrepreneurial opportunity and thus initiatives create fundamentally new markets. For these, theres no market to enter until the entrepreneur acts.Also, the Entry Opportunity is more applicable for large organizations with ample resources rather as compared to Entrepreneurship Opportunities. Thus, the more that the firm/individual entering a new market lacks relevant resources, the more entrepreneurial the entry would be. Thus a real entrepreneur may encash mostly the entrepreneur opportunity rather than entry opportunity. At a new ventures start, the entrepreneur control their own human, social, and financial capital. Many entrepreneurs bootstrap they keep expenditures to a bare minimum while investing only their own time and as necessary, their personal funds.In some cases, this is adequate to bring a new venture to the point where it becomes self-sustaining from internally generated cash fl ow. But, with most high-potential ventures founders must generate more resources than they control personally. The venture eventually will require production facilities, distribution channels, working capital, and so forth. Because they are pursuing an entrepreneur opportunity while lacking access to required resources, entrepreneurs face considerable risk, which comes in four main types: 1.Demand risk – It relates to prospective customers willingness to adopt the solution envisioned by the entrepreneur. 2. Technology risk – This relates when engineering or scientific breakthroughs are required to bring to the solution. 3. Execution risk – This relates to the entrepreneurs ability to attract future stakeholders who can implement the ventures plans. 4. Financing risk – It relates to whether external capital will be available on reasonable terms. The entrepreneurs task is to manage this uncertainty. 5. Self-belief risk – It relates to the risk of los ing self-determination, will and confidence with self.Thus, there can be a challenging situation for the entrepreneur to minimize risk without the necessary resources. This is also called Catch-22 position. For example, outside capital may be required to develop and market a product and thereby demonstrate that technical and market risks are limited. On the other hand, it can be difficult to persuade resource owners to commit to a venture when risk is still high. It is important to point out that many ideas fail in this vicious circle as the risk is high with lack or unavailability of counter measures to minimize/eliminate them.Not all entrepreneurship initiatives end up in a smile with desired results. Many a times, these initiative gets fail due to various factors. As it is said, the success is combination of various positives but just one negative can result in a failure. The learnings from the failure may be grouped as following: Quality time with family and friends may get redu ced to minimal with absolutely no focus The desire and dreams for the material world may not come true as the personal cash flow may be tight. Sometimes it’s not desired to have all the good to have’ features in the service/product.The focus must be on must have. Always be ready to start from zero with the same humbleness and dignity. Business related decisions may be taken quickly with belief and logic with whatever information available at that point of time. As with any task, there wouldn’t be all smooth ride. There can be difficulties and hurdles that may get faced during the start-ups. Some of them are listed below: 1. Market Problems – A major reason why companies fail, is that they run into the problem of their being little or no market for the product that they have built.Here are some common symptoms: a. There is not a compelling enough value proposition, or compelling event, to cause the buyer to actually commit to purchasing. b. The market timi ng is wrong. You could be ahead of your market by a few years, and they are not ready for your particular solution at this stage. c. The market size of people that have pain, and have funds is simply not large enough. 2. Business Model failure – the most common causes of failure in the startup world is that entrepreneurs are too optimistic about how easy it will be to acquire customers.They assume that because they will build an interesting web site, product, or service, that customers will beat a path to their door. That may happen with the first few customers, but after that, it rapidly becomes an expensive task to attract and win customers, and in many cases the cost of acquiring the customer is actually higher than the lifetime value of that customer 3. Poor Management Team An incredibly common problem that causes startups to fail is a weak management team. Weak management teams make mistakes in multiple areas: a.They are often weak on strategy, building a product that n o-one wants to buy as they failed to do enough work to validate the ideas before and during development. This can carry through to poorly think through go-to-market strategies. b. They are usually poor at execution, which leads to issues with the product not getting built correctly or on time, and the go-to market execution will be poorly implemented. c. They will build weak teams below them. So the rest of the company will end up as weak, and poor execution will be rampant. 4.Running Out of Cash A second major reason that startups fail is because they ran out of cash. A key job of the CEO is to understand how much cash is left and whether that will carry the company to a milestone that can lead to a successful financing, or to cash flow positive. What frequently goes wrong, and leads to a company running out of cash, and unable to raise more, is that management failed to achieve the next milestone before cash ran out. Many times it is still possible to raise cash, but the valuatio n will be significantly lower. . Product Problems – Another reason that companies fail is because they fail to develop a product that meets the market need. This can either be due to simple execution. Or it can be a far more strategic problem, which is a failure to achieve Product/Market fit. The typical personality traits of an entrepreneur may be the following (not limited to): Passion Self-Belief and Determination on the vision defined Persistence – Focused and keeping patience and ability to keep working towards the goal and be optimistic. The ability to work with a team yet follow their own instincts The creation of a success culture Have business sense and knowledge Take pride in doing any task that would make the vision converted to reality Adopting correct approach / strategy in evaluating, defining and implementing business approach including resources needed. Able to manage and handle finances Customer centric approach Art of negotiations

Human nutrition and biology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human nutrition and biology - Essay Example The process of epidemiological studies of the bacteria helps to identify the relationships between the occurrence of disease and the factors that influence it. Moreover, it also provides an insight into the transmission and prevention of the disease. The role of epidemiology is crucial in increasing the knowledge available regarding the pathological manifestations of the disease-causing organism and in recognizing which groups of people are at a risk of acquiring that disease. The intent of this paper is to develop a pathway that identifies the causative agent involved in epidemiological study using the outbreak of E. coli O157 as an example. The O157:H7 variety has been identified as one such strain that causes severe food poisoning. In order to analyze the various factors that cause the clinical manifestation of the infectious diseases caused by E. coli, one needs to appreciate that the health of the person is impacted by not only internal factors but also by external influences. The external influences encompass the risk factors such as environmental factors including climate, topography of the area, sanitary and hygienic conditions as well as the age and gender of the person (Rangel et al. 2005). There are also particular factors that can affect the health of the person. These include the substances that are produced by the pathogen itself. Infection by E. coli results due to the interaction between the causative bacteria, the environmental conditions and the host factors (Straw & Taylor 2006). Rangel, JM, Sparling, PH, Crowe, C, Griffin, PM, Swerdlow, DL 2005, Epidemiology of Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreaks, United States, 1982–2002, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, viewed on 1 January, 2010, Slutsker, L, Ries, AA, Greene KD, Wells, JG, Hutwagner, L & Griffin, PM 1992, ‘Escheichia coli O157:H7 Diarrhea in the United States: Clinical and Epidemiologic Features’, Annals of Internal

Boston Beer Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Boston Beer Company - Case Study Example The management of at the company has market the innovations made by the company as the major drivers of success in the marketing of the beer. The ability of the company to produce different beers under the same brand has enabled the majority of the operations owned by the company to flourish. The company has been able to progress based on its ability to sell beers that are crafted for the individual market tastes. It is able to point out the unique market tastes by conducting extensive market research on the beers and the flavor preferences of the market. This way, the company is able to produce the beers that cover all the needs of the people leading to an inclusive variety. Therefore, the company is able to run on its innovative approaches when addressing the market needs. Creation of 18 varieties of the brands and the increasing growth in the crafts and imports beer markets is an indicator of the market success(Lane and Import 7). Lane, Samuel, and Lane Import. Jonathan Delgado, Marvins Air Conditioning Corp Janine De Veer, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceutical, Inc. Carol Gutierrez, The Boston Beer Company Gladys Giselle Rodriguez, Trans Americanc. HB Inc.. Academy of Health Care Management 6.2 (2009): 7.

Contraceptive Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Contraceptive - Article Example Condoms were the contraceptive method preferred by adolescents in Benin. However, the study also reported low uptake of contraception methods among most adolescents (Osaikhuwuomwan & Abieyuwa, 2013). Emergency contraceptives are the other commonly used contraceptive measures. According to Hickey & White (2014), most college students are aware of the emergency contraception and its availability over the counter. However, the researchers also cited that there is low confidentiality in the use of emergency contraception as a method to prevent unplanned pregnancies among the students (p. 30). The level of awareness of emergency contraception and access to the pills over the counter was high among adolescents in San Francisco Bay (Yen et al., 2014). In both studies recognize that the teenagers and youths choose to use emergency contraceptives because they are aware of the pregnancy risk and desire to prevent any form of unintended pregnancy. However, Yen et al., (2014) argue that adolescents lack enough knowledge on emergency contraceptive pills and recommend more education on the ECP among these young people to alleviate the misconception. Contrary to these three studies, other scholars attempted to investigate the relationship between contraceptive use, childbearing and future success in life. Richards & Sheeder (2014) conducted the study and found that most women felt that childbearing would not affect their educational achievement (p. 303). The perception poses a challenge to conventional pregnancy prevention counselling approaches that use contraceptive use as a motivator for women to avoid pregnancy. Most conventional counselling methods urge women to use contraceptives as the primary means to prevent pregnancy. The idea is to motivate women not to bear children at early stages in their lives to secure a bright future. However, as Richards & Sheeder (2014) found out, not all

Key Critical Success Factors Of Ryanair Management Essay

Key Critical Success Factors Of Ryanair Management Essay RYANAIR- The Irish low cost airline was founded in 1985 by the Ryan family as a small competitor to Irish national airline Aer Lingus. As Ryanair walked on the same business model as that of its competitors. But this strategy adopted by Ryanair never turned out as a profitable one and took it nowhere. In 1990s, Ryanair transformed its strategy and under the leadership of Michael OLeary it decided to restructure and model itself after Southwest Airlines, the successful US Carrier and then enter into British Isles, and then in to whole of Europe. (Johnson, et al, 2008). The move of effective resource planning and redesigning Ryanair under the leadership of Michael OLeary was the turning point for the airlines. The Mantra of maintaining Low costs and No Frills worked wonders for Ryanair. Its effective resource planning and core competency helped Ryanair to develop and grow throughout years. Using regional and secondary airports, not to charge customers for fuel surcharge, reducing operational and handling charges were on the main agenda on Ryanair. Due to combination of all these activities Ryanair was able to maintain low costs and thus earn profits out of it. Ryanair faced many hurdles to reach where it is today .Sudden rise in fuel cost, compensations to passengers, aftermaths terrorist attacks, environmental taxation schemes, fraught relationship with pilots and staff, sundry legal action and many more acted as potholes to Ryanairs smooth ride. But Michael OLeary who was called everything from arrogant pig to messiah (Johnson, et al, 2008), balanced every sector of the organisation and scripted the success diary of Ryanairs. As per ELFAA (European Low Fares Airline Association)2010 statistics, in the year 2009, Ryanair topped the list with maximum number of passengers among its European low cost competitors. It covered 28.67% (i.e. 65.3m) passengers share among its ELFAA counterparts and travels over 150 destinations throughout Europe, and operates 1070 daily flights over 1000 routes(Anon, 2010) KEY CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS LOW PRICES As Ryanair operated in short-haul trips, it helped Ryanair to maintain low fares. Low fares helped to motivate demand, particularly from fare conscious travellers who would have rather opted for either means of transportation. The European Low Fares Airline Association (ELFAA) announced that last year its members carried 162.5 million passengers, representing an 8.7% increase on the previous year(Anon, 2010).This showed that, let it be for leisure or business, European consumers are chosing low fare airlines as it provides them Best Value for Money air services. POINT-TO-POINT MODEL Point to Point Model Figure 1: point to point model (Source: http://ostpxweb.dot.gov/aviation/airlinebusinessmodel.htm ) Ryanair operates in short-haul routes, which connects secondary and regional airports of the travelling destination. Ryanair carries out its point-to-point operations on a regular and frequent basis which has helped airlines to eliminate the necessity of frills services to its customers, which becomes quite necessary in long-haul routes. This point-to-point service helped Ryanair to serve non-stop and direct routes to its customers, and thus eliminate extra costs which are involved in long-haul routes. It also helped airlines to thus reduce its unit costs as aircrafts are utilised more. It helps in reducing operating costs, as flights are direct and does not involve any connecting flights and further expenses involved in it. NO FRILLS Ancillary revenues are regarded by analysts as a lucrative source of revenue growth for Ryanair at high margins(Milmo and Griffiths, 2006) Ryanair believed in No Frills policy .There is also no complimentary food and drink;instead this is sold on board(Anon, 2004).It earned revenue by imposing charges on hotels, travel, excess baggage,flight change fees, in flight retail and other such facilities. This helped Ryanair to maximise its Ancillary revenue. Keeping focus on this No Frills policy, Airline chief Michael OLeary suggested that installing pay toilets would lower ticket costs and make flying, somehow, easier for all (POGATCHNIK, 2009). He believed this will further help in generating ancillary revenue and thus will further support in reduction on fares. CHOICES OF ROUTES According to Pitt and Brown(2001) at present, there is a clear gain in terms of the time in which the air carriers can physically move customers from one point to the other, basically speaking there is very little disparity in terms of the total journey duration when we allow for airport processes and procedures and thus comparing it with the time taken to reach to the departure airport and to transfer from the arrival airport to the final destination. It was for the same motive that regional and secondary airports were majoritily connected by Ryanair as this helped in keeping the airport and handling cost low as compared to the main congested airports. Thus choices of routes was made by keeping Ryanairs Budget airline model in mind as it strengthens the competitiveness of the airline.It also enabled to make quicker departures, and quicker flight turnovers. LOW OPERATING COSTS Ryanair strategies and action plans had made it Europes biggest low fare carrier. As Ryanair operates in short-haul routes; it aims at reducing ; aircraft equipment costs by using single type of aircrafts which later on upgraded to new generation aircrafts due to stiff competiton and environmental needs and regulations; personnel expenses by improving productivity of its present staff by providing productivity- based incentives, on-board sales incentives for flight attendants, number of hours flown by pilot and the cabin crew within the set time limits, this motivated the staff to work for more hours. customer service costs by attaining competitive rates by signing multi-year contracts with third party contractors for aircraft and passenger handling, ticketing and other services:.As Ryanair was the largest travel website in Europe and fifth most recognised website in Europe,thus internet booking has immensely helped to reduce the customer service cost and also remove commission charges of the agents; and airport access and handling costs which is the also the key competency of Ryanair.Intorduction of web-based check-in and priority boarding helped Ryanair to enhance cost cutting in airport access charges. Also introduction of charges on check-in bags helped in reduction of baggages and saved costs and enhanced the performance and the speed of the aircraft. Ryanair kept its fleets cost under control by solely operating Boeings-737 jets and thus kept training, maintenance and operating costs under check(Anon, 2004). BRAND Ryanair is a very well-positioned brand, You know exactly what it stands for not something you can say too often in the travel business( McGuinness, 2010). Imposing toilet fee, excess baggage restriction, charges on credit cards, allegations of overstressing of staffs,environmental issues, sundry legal actions and many other such issues provided Brand Ryanair free of cost publicity and thus promoted itself as lowest fare airlines in Europe.Ryanair fifth most searched website worldwide, this show the potency of the its low cost carrier brand. (OConnell and Williams, 2005). TECHNOLOGY Web based check-in helped in reduction of airport costs for the Ryanair. Officials at the no-frills Irish airline said by lowering its airport costs they can pass th savings to passengers by lowering the fares further(Pugh, 2009). It saved check-in time and also reduce check-in staff costs and thus helps in maximising profits. Ryanair fleet of 130 Boeing 737-800s, is the youngest fleet and emits fewer gases than its older aircrafts( Chesshyre, 2007).This made Ryanair environment friendly and thus follow all environmental norms. STRATEGIC CAPABILITY RESOURCES Ryanair is a non-union operation having its headquarter in Dublin, Ireland(Box, 2007). Ryanair mainly carries out its operations from secondary and regional airports. In the year 2006 Ryanairs saw growth in its traffic by 26% to 34.8 million passengers and even ancillary revenues grew by 36%, which was higher than passengers revenues. Ryanair had a fleet of around 100 new Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which was the youngest fleet having an average age of 2.4 years. These new aircrafts were environmental friendly and also consumed lesser fuel. Ryanairs stock was up by 12% in a year to 9.28euros per share.Ryanair manpower grew to 3500 employees. Ryanair being a brand in airline sector, made profits due to its adequate fund and resources. CORE COMPETENCES A core competence is a set of skills and technologies, which enables a company to achieve a particular benefit to customers(Hamel and Prahalad,1994). It would not compulsorily be product-specific,but represent a very unique and difficult-to -imitate practices, which certainly stands as a pillar for the firms competitiveness. It would not be generally an asset or a value that can be seen in a firms balance sheet, it is a skill for doing things. Initially Ryanair focused on customer service and also wanted to provide lower fares than its fellow airlines-British Airways and Aer Lingus(Gillen and Lall, 2004). In the 1990s Ryanair copied Southwest Ailrlines,US business model and chose a new way to establish itself as Low Fare Carrier Airline in Europe. Ryanair took the Southwest operational efficiency to the next step by providing no service-no food; no jet ways; no frequent flyer programme; no refunds; no travel agents; no tickets; no connects (Gillen and Lall, 2004). Ryanair mainly focussed on providing low cost, competent, regular connections and subsequently offering no other frills or supporting services(Kangis and OReilly, 2003). This policy helped Ryanair to generate revenue. Numerous possibilities for non-price differentiation exist focusing on features such as punctuality, high frequencies and timing of flights (Klophaus, 2005). Ryanair adopted point-to-point routes as the it is not delayed by interlining passengers. Check-in is more faster because the point-to-point journey is simple than an interline one as choice is of regional and secondary airports. Boarding is rapid as seat choice is better for passengers who arrive early at the departure gate( Barrett, 2004). This also helped in maintaining high punctuality for Ryanair. Lower costs also stem from reduced complexity in activities (Gillen and Lall, 2004). Further Ryanair outsourced its activities as Outsourcing brings a flexibility to an airline in choosing between different suppliers of services such as aircraft maintenance, handling at airports, catering, and inflight magazines. Outsourcing brings flexibility to the company in choosing whether or not to renew contracts as they expire. In inflexible labour markets securing efficiency gains from an inhouse labour force is likely to be more difficult and involve compensation for change( Barrett, 2004). By adopting outsourcing Ryanair has made its development much easier and has expanded quite uncompromisingly which has given it a initial mover benefit in negotiating with airports and allowed it to sign long-term contracts( Gillen and Lall, 2004) PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS BCG MATRIX Boston Matrix diagram (Source:http://www.oup.com/elt/catalogue/teachersites/oald7/wotm/wotm_archive/boston_matrix?cc=global) The market share and the growth of market are the two contingent variables which determine the position of the firm. According to Seeger(1984) it is one of the simplest and most vivid concepts which consists of two impotant variables of the market i.e. market growth and market share. Ryanair falls under Cash Cows as it growing slowly even though its market share is high. It heavily targeted at maximising its market share and cash flow.As ryanair adopted no frills policy and outsourcing, the investments needed by it has to be low.Even though having high revenue Ryanair cannot expand its activities into other product lines, as its competitive advantage of low fare can be disturbed by certain small change in charges or taxes. VALUE CHAIN The purpose of the value-chain model is to assist companies to evaluate and select the optimum set of activities and methods of performing them to create the most value for the firm (McPhee, 2004). It incorporates both traditional business activities that provides continuous value to the organization and wide range of activities from modern strategic theory. Very Impotantly , expanded activites i.e Supply chain management, Product use,End of primary use,External networks, ensures that no potential strategic activity is elapsed and no opportunity for enhancing value is ignored. INFRASTRUCTURE Minimum Corporate HQ HRM Low Cost Training Limited staff Management control In-house Performance contracts TECHNOLGY DEVELOPMENT Internet Web information Integrated Internet sales PROCUREMENT Discount on aircrafts Alliances Outsourced Private Low cost Low cost suppliers Airport agreements Low cost No frills Fast turnaround Reliable service Low cost promotions Free publicity due to controversies Internet sales Limited resources High productivity Inbound logistics Operations Outbound logistics Marketing and sales High productivity RYANAIR VALU CHAIN Ryanair has least infrastructure required for corporate HQ. HRM involves Low cost training, limited crew, control of management, in-house and performance contracts that is done by developing technologically such as internet and low tech marketing on internet sales(McPhee, 2004). The procurement of low cost training is done with discount from Boeing, limited crew procurement involved alliances which result in No frills and low cost operations, management control is outsourced for quicker turnaround and reliable services. Marketing and sales incurs very less expenses as there is more internet sales involvement with little promotion costs, free publicity through controversies and yield management. Performance contracts are low cost productivity based which utilizes the less available productive resources STRENGTHS The Mantra Ever decreasing costs .Point to point flights, No frill policy ,and innovative ancillary schemes led to growth in revenues and thus made Ryanair financially strong and successful Ryanair has a very strong Brand and reputation in the European market, which enables them to adopt aggressive pricing stratergy. Ryanair can credit much of its success to its wily chief executive, Michael OLeary, who has used a combination of Irish blarney and sheer bloody-minded effrontery to achieve growth for his airline(Anon, 2010). He readily faced all the hurdles that came in Ryanairs way and thus with his innovative style converted these controversies it into publicity for Ryanair. Ryanair has the youngest single aircraft Boeing 737-800 fleet which has high seat density and also helped in reduction of maintanace and training costs Secondary and regional airport approach helped Ryanair in maintaining operations in busiest aviation traffic areas and thus reduce airport handling and flight turnover times. Web-based ticketing and check-in have been attracting people as it is time saving and also feasible for them. Ryanair has a huge future because of the untapped market. Lower fares help Ryanair to attract customers who use non-aircraft modes for travelling longer distances. WEAKNESS Customer relationship is very poor. Ryanairs operates from secondary and regional airports, which sometimes are very far away from the actual destination. Ryanair had weak employee relations. As Ryanair is a low cost fare carrier any new tax or charges effects its profits greatly. Ryanair is prone to bad controversial issue in the press, which gives a negative picture about the Brand Ryanair LEADERSHIP Developing Ryanair from the point of closure to the top profit making low fare airline, handling all controversial issues and media, motivating and energising people, facing legal actions and competitors. There is little doubt that OLearys confrontational personality has ruffled more than a few feathers amongst his rivals (Anon, 2004). But for Michael OLeary, any criticisms of him or his airline were looked up as giddy and completely pointless methods to divert Ryanair from its mission. All this is enough to prove that Michael was an efficient and innovative leader with every quality which a modern leader must pursue in order to achieve goals. Conclusion Ryanair by choosing a Low Cost Carrier Approach, have achieved it through simplicity of product design, simplicity of processes and simplicity of organization (Gillen And Lall, 2004). Thus we can see Ryanair have restructured the European markets competitive environment and made an impact on the worlds domestic airlines market, which was monoploised by huge airlines(OConnell and Williams, 2005).

Willy Russells Educating Rita :: Educating Rita Autobiography Social Class Essays

Willy Russell's Educating Rita Educating Rita was a play, which was written by Willy Russell. The book is a semi autobiographical story about a woman who has achieved nothing in her life and wants to get an education before it is too late. She is being forced to have a baby by her husband Denny and regrets not getting any qualifications. With a lack of learning she had only hairdressing to turn to. She started to feel like she was just another person in a crowd, nobody special at home so she starts a literature course at the Open University. Where she is given Frank as a tutor. Frank teaches her literature. She is an outcast to begin but it doesn’t take long before she becomes a stereotypical student sitting on the lawn. Frank is a middle-aged man, divorced but not single. His girlfriend Julia who we find cheating on him. As an English Lecturer and former poet, he understands the deeper meaning behind literature, but he can’t remember it half the time because of his little drinking problem. The character of Rita was based on the writer’s own life and experiences. They both grew up outside Liverpool with a poor education and a lack of qualifications. They both set off to change their lives. Rita became a student while Willy Russell lived his dream of being a writer. In act 1 Rita is introduced. She is shown to be loud and outwardly confident. An example is her use of inappropriate, crude language. When she sees a piece of artwork hanging on Frank’s office wall she says â€Å"look at those tits†. This quote expresses her attitude and gives you the impression she is loud and always speaks her mind. Her approach to Frank’s sophisticated reality is crude and shocking. â€Å"That’s ‘S’ for Susan. Its not me real name. I’ve changed it to Rita though† This is the funny side of Rita. She is made out to be entertaining and funny to make the audience laugh. When misunderstanding Frank’s comments her words are twisted into an inappropriate language. This shows her lack of education and her completely different approach to literature, her experiences are only reading pulp fiction books.. This lack in education causes her social status around school to be very low. She wants to be like the other students and knows it will take a lot of work to get there. The audience sees that she is aware of her academic limitations and knows the change will have to come from within â€Å"†¦ they come to the hairdressers cos they wanna be changed, but if you want to change y’

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 19. SELFISH

EDWARD CARRIED ME HOME IN HIS ARMS, EXPECTING that I wouldn't be able to hang on. I must have fallen asleep on the way. When I woke up, I was in my bed and the dull light coming through my windows slanted in from a strange angle. Almost like it was afternoon. I yawned and stretched, my fingers searching for him and coming up empty. â€Å"Edward?† I mumbled. My seeking fingers encountered something cool and smooth. His hand. â€Å"Are you really awake this time?† he murmured. â€Å"Mmm,† I sighed in assent. â€Å"Have there been a lot of false alarms?† â€Å"You've been very restless – talking all day.† â€Å"Allday?† I blinked and looked at the windows again. â€Å"You had a long night,† he said reassuringly. â€Å"You'd earned a day in bed.† I sat up, and my head spun. The light was coming in my window from the west. â€Å"Wow.† â€Å"Hungry?† he guessed. â€Å"Do you want breakfast in bed?† â€Å"I'll get it,† I groaned, stretching again. â€Å"I need to get up and move around.† He held my hand on the way to the kitchen, eyeing me carefully, like I might fall over. Or maybe he thought I was sleepwalking. I kept it simple, throwing a couple of Pop-Tarts in the toaster. I caught a glimpse of myself in the reflective chrome. â€Å"Ugh, I'm a mess.† â€Å"It was a long night,† he said again. â€Å"You should have stayed here and slept.† â€Å"Right! And missed everything. You know, you need to start accepting the fact that I'm part of the family now.† He smiled. â€Å"I could probably get used to that idea.† I sat down with my breakfast, and he sat next to me. When I lifted the Pop-Tart to take the first bite, I noticed him staring at my hand. I looked down, and saw that I was still wearing the gift that Jacob had given me at the party. â€Å"May I?† he asked, reaching for the tiny wooden wolf. I swallowed noisily. â€Å"Um, sure.† He moved his hand under the charm bracelet and balanced the little figurine in his snowy palm. For a fleeting moment, I was afraid. Just the slightest twist of his fingers could crush it into splinters. But of course Edward wouldn't do that. I was embarrassed I'd even had the thought. He only weighed the wolf in his palm for a moment, and then let it fall. It swung lightly from my wrist. I tried to read the expression in his eyes. All I could see was thoughtfulness; he kept everything else hidden, if there was anything else. â€Å"Jacob Black can give you presents.† It wasn't a question, or an accusation. Just a statement of fact. But I knew he was referring to my last birthday and the fit I'd thrown over gifts; I hadn't wanted any. Especially not from Edward. It wasn't entirely logical, and, of course, everyone had ignored me anyway. . . . â€Å"You've given me presents,† I reminded him. â€Å"You know I like the homemade kind.† He pursed his lips for a second. â€Å"How about hand-me-downs? Are those acceptable?† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"This bracelet.† His finger traced a circle around my wrist. â€Å"You'll be wearing this a lot?† I shrugged. â€Å"Because you wouldn't want to hurt his feelings,† he suggested shrewdly. â€Å"Sure, I guess so.† â€Å"Don't you think it's fair, then,† he asked, looking down at my hand as he spoke. He turned it palm up, and ran his finger along the veins in my wrist. â€Å"If I have a little representation?† â€Å"Representation?† â€Å"A charm – something to keep me on your mind.† â€Å"You're in every thought I have. I don't need reminders.† â€Å"If I gave you something, would you wear it?† he pressed. â€Å"A hand-me-down?† I checked. â€Å"Yes, something I've had for a while.† He smiled his angel's smile. If this was the only reaction to Jacob's gift, I would take it gladly. â€Å"Whatever makes you happy.† â€Å"Have you noticed the inequality?† he asked, and his voice turned accusing. â€Å"Because I certainly have.† â€Å"What inequality?† His eyes narrowed. â€Å"Everyone else is able to get away with giving you things. Everyone but me. I would have loved to get you a graduation present, but I didn't. I knew it would have upset you more than if anyone else did. That's utterly unfair. How do you explain yourself?† â€Å"Easy.† I shrugged. â€Å"You're more important than everyone else. And you've given me you. That's already more than I deserve, and anything else you give me just throws us more out of balance.† He processed that for a moment, and then rolled his eyes. â€Å"The way you regard me is ludicrous.† I chewed my breakfast calmly. I knew he wouldn't listen if I told him that he had that backward. Edward's phone buzzed. He looked at the number before he opened it. â€Å"What is it, Alice?† He listened, and I waited for his reaction, suddenly nervous. But whatever she said didn't surprise him. He sighed a few times. â€Å"I sort of guessed as much,† he told her, staring into my eyes, a disapproving arch to his brow. â€Å"She was talking in her sleep.† I flushed. What had I said now? â€Å"I'll take care of it,† he promised. He glared at me as he shut his phone. â€Å"Is there something you'd like to talk to me about?† I deliberated for a moment. Given Alice's warning last night, I could guess why she'd called. And then remembering the troubled dreams I'd had as I'd slept through the day – dreams where I chased after Jasper, trying to followhim and find the clearing in the maze-like woods, knowing I would find Edward there . . . Edward, and the monsters who wanted to kill me, but not caring about them because I'd already made my decision – I could also guess what Edward had overheard while I'd slept. I pursed my lips for a moment, not quite able to meet his gaze. He waited. â€Å"I like Jasper's idea,† I finally said. He groaned. â€Å"I want to help. I have to do something,† I insisted. â€Å"It wouldn't help to have you in danger.† â€Å"Jasper thinks it would. This is his area of expertise.† Edward glowered at me. â€Å"You can't keep me away,† I threatened. â€Å"I'm not going to hide out in the forest while you all take risks for me.† Suddenly, he was fighting a smile. â€Å"Alice doesn't see you in the clearing, Bella. She sees you stumbling around lost in the woods. You won't be able to find us; you'll just make it more time consuming for me to find you afterward.† I tried to keep as cool as he was. â€Å"That's because Alice didn't factor in Seth Clearwater,† I said politely. â€Å"If she had, of course, she wouldn't have been able to see anything at all. But it sounds like Seth wants to be there as much as I do. It shouldn't be too hard to persuade him to show me the way.† Anger flickered across his face, and then he took a deep breath and composed himself. â€Å"That might have worked . . . if you hadn't told me. Now I'll just ask Sam to give Seth certain orders. Much as he might want to, Seth won't be able to ignore that kind of injunction.† I kept my smile pleasant. â€Å"But why would Sam give those orders? If I tell him how it would help for me to be there? I'll bet Sam would rather do me a favor than you.† He had to compose himself again. â€Å"Maybe you're right. But I'm sure Jacob would be only too eager to give those same orders.† I frowned. â€Å"Jacob?† â€Å"Jacob is second in command. Did he never tell you that? His orders have to be followed, too.† He had me, and by his smile, he knew it. My forehead crumpled. Jacob would be on his side – in this one instance – I was sure. And Jacob never had told me that. Edward took advantage of the fact that I was momentarily stumped, continuing in a suspiciously smooth and soothing voice. â€Å"I got a fascinating look into the pack's mind last night. It was better than a soap opera. I had no idea how complex the dynamic is with such a large pack. The pull of the individual against the plural psyche . . . Absolutely fascinating.† He was obviously trying to distract me. I glared at him. â€Å"Jacob's been keeping a lot of secrets,† he said with a grin. I didn't answer, I just kept glaring, holding on to my argument and waiting for an opening. â€Å"For instance, did you note the smaller gray wolf there last night?† I nodded one stiff nod. He chuckled. â€Å"They take all of their legends so seriously. It turns out there are things that none of their stories prepared them for.† I sighed. â€Å"Okay, I'll bite. What are you talking about?† â€Å"They always accepted without question that it was only the direct grandsons of the original wolf who had the power to transform.† â€Å"So someone changed who wasn't a direct descendant?† â€Å"No. She's a direct descendant, all right.† I blinked, and my eyes widened. â€Å"She?† He nodded. â€Å"She knows you. Her name is Leah Clearwater.† â€Å"Leah's a werewolf!† I shrieked. â€Å"What? For how long? Why didn't Jacob tell me?† â€Å"There are things he wasn't allowed to share – their numbers, for instance. Like I said before, when Sam gives an order, the pack simply isn't able to ignore it. Jacob was very careful to think of other things when he was near me. Of course, after last night that's all out the window.† â€Å"I can't believe it. Leah Clearwater!† Suddenly, I remembered Jacob speaking of Leah and Sam, and the way he acted as if he'd said too much – after he'd said something about Sam having to look in Leah's eyes every day and know that he'd broken all his promises. . . . Leah on the cliff, a tear glistening on her cheek when Old Quil had spoken of the burden and sacrifice the Quileute sons shared. . . . And Billy, spending time with Sue because she was having trouble with her kids . . . and here the trouble actually was that both of them were werewolves now! I hadn't given much thought to Leah Clearwater, just to grieve for her loss when Harry had passed away, and then to pity her again when Jacob had told her story, about how the strange imprinting between Sam and her cousin Emily had broken Leah's heart. And now she was part of Sam's pack, hearing his thoughts . . . and unable to hide her own. I really hate that part, Jacob had said. Everything you're ashamed of, laid out for everyone to see. â€Å"Poor Leah,† I whispered. Edward snorted. â€Å"She's making life exceedingly unpleasant for the rest of them. I'm not sure she deserves your sympathy.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"It's hard enough for them, having to share all their thoughts. Most of them try to cooperate, make it easier. When even one member is deliberately malicious, it's painful for everyone.† â€Å"She has reason enough,† I mumbled, still on her side. â€Å"Oh, I know,† he said. â€Å"The imprinting compulsion is one of the strangest things I've ever witnessed in my life, and I've seen some strange things.† He shook his head wonderingly. â€Å"The way Sam is tied to his Emily is impossible to describe – or I should say her Sam. Sam really had no choice. It reminds me of A Midsummer Night's Dream with all the chaos caused by the fairies' love spells . . . like magic.† He smiled. â€Å"It's very nearly as strong as the way I feel about you.† â€Å"Poor Leah,† I said again. â€Å"But what do you mean, malicious?† â€Å"She's constantly bringing up things they'd rather not think of,† he explained. â€Å"For example, Embry.† â€Å"What's with Embry?† I asked, surprised. â€Å"His mother moved down from the Makah reservation seventeen years ago, when she was pregnant with him. She's not Quileute. Everyone assumed she'd left his father behind with the Makahs. But then he joined the pack.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"So the prime candidates for his father are Quil Ateara Sr., Joshua Uley, or Billy Black, all of them married at that point, of course.† â€Å"No!† I gasped. Edward was right – this was exactly like a soap opera. â€Å"Now Sam, Jacob, and Quil all wonder which of them has a half-brother. They'd all like to think it's Sam, since his father was never much of a father. But the doubt is always there. Jacob's never been able to ask Billy about that.† â€Å"Wow. How did you get so much in one night?† â€Å"The pack mind is mesmerizing. All thinking together and then separately at the same time. There's so much to read!† He sounded faintly regretful, like someone who'd had to put down a good book just before the climax. I laughed. â€Å"The pack is fascinating,† I agreed. â€Å"Almost as fascinating as you are when you're trying to distract me.† His expression became polite again – a perfect poker face. â€Å"I have to be in that clearing, Edward.† â€Å"No,† he said in a very final tone. A certain path occurred to me at that moment. It wasn't so much that I had to be in the clearing. I just had to be where Edward was. Cruel, I accused myself. Selfish, selfish, selfish! Don't do it! I ignored my better instincts. I couldn't look at him while I spoke, though. The guilt had my eyes glued to the table. â€Å"Okay, look, Edward,† I whispered. â€Å"Here's the thing . . . I've already gone crazy once. I know what my limits are. And I can't stand it if you leave me again.† I didn't look up to see his reaction, afraid to know how much pain I was inflicting. I did hear his sudden intake of breath and the silence that followed. I stared at the dark wooden tabletop, wishing I could take the words back. But knowing I probably wouldn't. Not if it worked. Suddenly, his arms were around me, his hands stroking my face, my arms. He was comforting me. The guilt went into spiral mode. But the survival instinct was stronger. There was no question that he was fundamental to my survival. â€Å"You know it's not like that, Bella,† he murmured. â€Å"I won't be far, and it will be over quickly.† â€Å"I can't stand it,† I insisted, still staring down. â€Å"Not knowing whether or not you'll come back. How do I live through that, no matter how quickly it's over?† He sighed. â€Å"It's going to be easy, Bella. There's no reason for your fears.† â€Å"None at all?† â€Å"None.† â€Å"And everybody will be fine?† â€Å"Everyone,† he promised. â€Å"So there's no way at all that I need to be in the clearing?† â€Å"Of course not. Alice just told me that they're down to nineteen. We'll be able to handle it easily.† â€Å"That's right – you said it was so easy that someone could sit out,† I repeated his words from last night. â€Å"Did you really mean that?† â€Å"Yes.† It felt too simple – he had to see it coming. â€Å"So easy that you could sit out?† After a long moment of silence, I finally looked up at his expression. The poker face was back. I took a deep breath. â€Å"So it's one way or the other. Either there is more danger than you want me to know about, in which case it would be right for me to be there, to do what I can to help. Or . . . it's going to be so easy that they'll get by without you. Which way is it?† He didn't speak. I knew what he was thinking of – the same thing I was thinking of. Carlisle. Esme. Emmett. Rosalie. Jasper. And . . . I forced myself to think the last name. And Alice. I wondered if I was a monster. Not the kind that he thought he was, but the real kind. The kind that hurt people. The kind that had no limits when it came to what they wanted. What I wanted was to keep him safe, safe with me. Did I have a limit to what I would do, what I would sacrifice for that? I wasn't sure. â€Å"You ask me to let them fight without my help?† he said in a quiet voice. â€Å"Yes.† I was surprised I could keep my voice even, I felt so wretched inside. â€Å"Or to let me be there. Either way, so long as we're together.† He took a deep breath, and then exhaled slowly. He moved his hands to place them on either side of my face, forcing me to meet his gaze. He looked into my eyes for a long time. I wondered what he was looking for, and what it was that he found. Was the guilt as thick on my face as it was in my stomach – sickening me? His eyes tightened against some emotion I couldn't read, and he dropped one hand to pull out his phone again. â€Å"Alice,† he sighed. â€Å"Could you come babysit Bella for a bit?† He raised one eyebrow, daring me to object to the word. â€Å"I need to speak with Jasper.† She evidently agreed. He put the phone away and went back to staring at my face. â€Å"What are you going to say to Jasper?† I whispered. â€Å"I'm going to discuss . . . me sitting out.† It was easy to read in his face how difficult the words were for him. â€Å"I'm sorry.† I was sorry. I hated to make him do this. Not enough that I could fake a smile and tell him to go on ahead without me. Definitely not that much. â€Å"Don't apologize,† he said, smiling just a little. â€Å"Never be afraid to tell me how you feel, Bella. If this is what you need . . .† He shrugged. â€Å"You are my first priority.† â€Å"I didn't mean it that way – like you have to choose me over your family.† â€Å"I know that. Besides, that's not what you asked. You gave me two alternatives that you could live with, and I chose the one that I could live with. That's how compromise is supposed to work.† I leaned forward and rested my forehead against his chest. â€Å"Thank you,† I whispered. â€Å"Anytime,† he answered, kissing my hair. â€Å"Anything.† We didn't move for a long moment. I kept my face hidden, pressed against his shirt. Two voices struggled inside me. One that wanted to be good and brave, and one that told the good one to keep her mouth shut. â€Å"Who's the third wife?† he asked me suddenly. â€Å"Huh?† I said, stalling. I didn't remember having had that dream again. â€Å"You were mumbling something about ‘the third wife' last night. The rest made a little sense, but you lost me there.† â€Å"Oh. Um, yeah. That was just one of the stories that I heard at the bonfire the other night.† I shrugged. â€Å"I guess it stuck with me.† Edward leaned away from me and cocked his head to the side, probably confused by the uncomfortable edge to my voice. Before he could ask, Alice appeared in the kitchen doorway with a sour expression. â€Å"You're going to miss all the fun,† she grumbled. â€Å"Hello, Alice,† he greeted her. He put one finger under my chin and tilted my face up to kiss me goodbye. â€Å"I'll be back later tonight,† he promised me. â€Å"I'll go work this out with the others, rearrange things.† â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"There's not much to arrange,† Alice said. â€Å"I already told them. Emmett is pleased.† Edward sighed. â€Å"Of course he is.† He walked out the door, leaving me to face Alice. She glared at me. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I apologized again. â€Å"Do you think this will make it more dangerous for you?† She snorted. â€Å"You worry too much, Bella. You're going to go prematurely gray.† â€Å"Why are you upset, then?† â€Å"Edward is such a grouch when he doesn't get his way. I'm just anticipating living with him for the next few months.† She made a face. â€Å"I suppose, if it keeps you sane, it's worth it. But I wish you could control the pessimism, Bella. It's so unnecessary.† â€Å"Would you let Jasper go without you?† I demanded. Alice grimaced. â€Å"That's different.† â€Å"Sure it is.† â€Å"Go clean yourself up,† she ordered me. â€Å"Charlie will be home in fifteen minutes, and if you look this ragged he's not going to want to let you out again.† Wow, I'd really lost the whole day. It felt like such a waste. I was glad I wouldn't always have to squander my time with sleeping. I was entirely presentable when Charlie got home – fully dressed, hair decent, and in the kitchen putting his dinner on the table. Alice sat in Edward's usual place, and this seemed to make Charlie's day. â€Å"Howdy, Alice! How are you, hon?† â€Å"I'm fine, Charlie, thanks.† â€Å"I see you finally made it out of bed, sleepyhead,† he said to me as I sat beside him, before turning back to Alice. â€Å"Everyone's talking about that party your parents threw last night. I'll bet you've got one heck of a clean-up job ahead of you.† Alice shrugged. Knowing her, it was already done. â€Å"It was worth it,† she said. â€Å"It was a great party.† â€Å"Where's Edward?† Charlie asked, a little grudgingly. â€Å"Is he helping clean up?† Alice sighed and her face turned tragic. It was probably an act, but it was too perfect for me to be positive. â€Å"No. He's off planning the weekend with Emmett and Carlisle.† â€Å"Hikingagain?† Alice nodded, her face suddenly forlorn. â€Å"Yes. They're all going, except me. We always go backpacking at the end of the school year, sort of a celebration, but this year I decided I'd rather shop than hike, and not one of them will stay behind with me. I'm abandoned.† Her face puckered, the expression so devastated that Charlie leaned toward her automatically, one hand reaching out, looking for some way to help. I glared at her suspiciously. What was she doing? â€Å"Alice, honey, why don't you come stay with us,† Charlie offered. â€Å"I hate to think of you all alone in that big house.† She sighed. Something squashed my foot under the table. â€Å"Ow!† I protested. Charlie turned to me. â€Å"What?† Alice shot me a frustrated look. I could tell she thought that I was very slow tonight. â€Å"Stubbed my toe,† I muttered. â€Å"Oh.† He looked back at Alice. â€Å"So, how 'bout it?† She stepped on my foot again, not quite so hard this time. â€Å"Er, Dad, you know, we don't really have the best accommodations here. I bet Alice doesn't want to sleep on my floor. . . .† Charlie pursed his lips. Alice pulled out the devastated expression again. â€Å"Maybe Bella should stay up there with you,† he suggested. â€Å"Just until your folks get back.† â€Å"Oh, would you, Bella?† Alice smiled at me radiantly. â€Å"You don't mind shopping with me, right?† â€Å"Sure,† I agreed. â€Å"Shopping. Okay.† â€Å"When are they leaving?† Charlie asked. Alice made another face. â€Å"Tomorrow.† â€Å"When do you want me?† I asked. â€Å"After dinner, I guess,† she said, and then put one finger to her chin, thoughtful. â€Å"You don't have anything going on Saturday, do you? I want to get out of town to shop, and it will be an all-day thing.† â€Å"Not Seattle,† Charlie interjected, his eyebrows pulling together. â€Å"Of course not,† Alice agreed at once, though we both knew Seattle would be plenty safe on Saturday. â€Å"I was thinking Olympia, maybe. . . .† â€Å"You'll like that, Bella.† Charlie was cheerful with relief. â€Å"Go get your fill of the city.† â€Å"Yeah, Dad. It'll be great.† With one easy conversation, Alice had cleared my schedule for the battle. Edward returned not much later. He accepted Charlie's wishes for a nice trip without surprise. He claimed they were leaving early in the morning, and said goodnight before the usual time. Alice left with him. I excused myself soon after they left. â€Å"You can't be tired,† Charlie protested. â€Å"A little,† I lied. â€Å"No wonder you like to skip the parties,† he muttered. â€Å"It takes you so long to recover.† Upstairs, Edward was lying across my bed. â€Å"What time are we meeting with the wolves?† I murmured as I went to join him. â€Å"In an hour.† â€Å"That's good. Jake and his friends need to get some sleep.† â€Å"They don't need as much as you do,† he pointed out. I moved to another topic, assuming he was about to try to talk me into staying home. â€Å"Did Alice tell you that she's kidnapping me again?† He grinned. â€Å"Actually, she's not.† I stared at him, confused, and he laughed quietly at my expression. â€Å"I'm the only one who has permission to hold you hostage, remember?† he said. â€Å"Alice is going hunting with the rest of them.† He sighed. â€Å"I guess I don't need to do that now.† â€Å"You're kidnapping me?† He nodded. I thought about that briefly. No Charlie listening downstairs, checking on me every so often. And no houseful of wide-awake vampires with their intrusively sensitive hearing. . . . Just him and me – really alone. â€Å"Is that all right?† he asked, concerned by my silence. â€Å"Well . . . sure, except for one thing.† â€Å"What thing?† His eyes were anxious. It was mind-boggling, but, somehow, he still seemed unsure of his hold on me. Maybe I needed to make myself more clear. â€Å"Why didn't Alice tell Charlie you were leaving tonight?† I asked. He laughed, relieved. I enjoyed the trip to the clearing more than I had last night. I still felt guilty, still afraid, but I wasn't terrified anymore. I could function. I could see past what was coming, and almost believe that maybe it would be okay. Edward was apparently fine with the idea of missing the fight . . . and that made it very hard not to believe him when he said this would be easy. He wouldn't leave his family if he didn't believe it himself. Maybe Alice was right, and I did worry too much. We got to the clearing last. Jasper and Emmett were already wrestling – just warming up from the sounds of their laughter. Alice and Rosalie lounged on the hard ground, watching. Esme and Carlisle were talking a few yards away, heads close together, fingers linked, not paying attention. It was much brighter tonight, the moon shining through the thin clouds, and I could easily see the three wolves that sat around the edge of the practice ring, spaced far apart to watch from different angles. It was also easy to recognize Jacob; I would have known him at once, even if he hadn't looked up and stared at the sound of our approach. â€Å"Where are the rest of the wolves?† I wondered. â€Å"They don't all need to be here. One would do the job, but Sam didn't trust us enough to just send Jacob, though Jacob was willing. Quil and Embry are his usual . . . I guess you could call them his wingmen.† â€Å"Jacob trusts you.† Edward nodded. â€Å"He trusts us not to try to kill him. That's about it, though.† â€Å"Are you participating tonight?† I asked, hesitant. I knew this was going to be almost as hard for him as being left behind would have been for me. Maybe harder. â€Å"I'll help Jasper when he needs it. He wants to try some unequal groupings, teach them how to deal with multiple attackers.† He shrugged. And a fresh wave of panic shattered my brief sense of confidence. They were still outnumbered. I was making that worse. I stared at the field, trying to hide my reaction. It was the wrong place to look, struggling as I was to lie to myself, to convince myself that everything would work out as I needed it to. Because when I forced my eyes away from the Cullens – away from the image of their playfighting that would be real and deadly in just a few days – Jacob caught my eyes and smiled. It was the same wolfy grin as before, his eyes scrunching the way they did when he was human. It was hard to believe that, not so long ago, I'd found the werewolves frightening – lost sleep to nightmares about them. I knew, without asking, which of the others was Embry and which was Quil. Because Embry was clearly the thinner gray wolf with the dark spots on his back, who sat so patiently watching, while Quil – deep chocolate brown, lighter over his face – twitched constantly, looking like he was dying to join in the mock fight. They weren't monsters, even like this. They were friends. Friends who didn't look nearly as indestructible as Emmett and Jasper did, moving faster than cobra strikes while the moonlight glinted off their granite-hard skin. Friends who didn't seem to understand the danger involved here. Friends who were still somewhat mortal, friends who could bleed, friends who could die. . . . Edward's confidence was reassuring, because it was plain that he wasn't truly worried about his family. But would it hurt him if something happened to the wolves? Was there any reason for him to be anxious, if that possibility didn't bother him? Edward's confidence only applied to one set of my fears. I tried to smile back at Jacob, swallowing against the lump in my throat. I didn't seem to get it right. Jacob sprang lightly to his feet, his agility at odds with his sheer mass, and trotted over to where Edward and I stood on the fringe of things. â€Å"Jacob,† Edward greeted him politely. Jacob ignored him, his dark eyes on me. He put his head down to my level, as he had yesterday, cocking it to one side. A low whimper escaped his muzzle. â€Å"I'm fine,† I answered, not needing the translation that Edward was about to give. â€Å"Just worried, you know.† Jacob continued to stare at me. â€Å"He wants to know why,† Edward murmured. Jacob growled – not a threatening sound, an annoyed sound – and Edward's lips twitched. â€Å"What?† I asked. â€Å"He thinks my translations leave something to be desired. What he actually thought was, ‘That's really stupid. What is there to be worried about?' I edited, because I thought it was rude.† I halfway smiled, too anxious to really feel amused. â€Å"There's plenty to be worried about,† I told Jacob. â€Å"Like a bunch of really stupid wolves getting themselves hurt.† Jacob laughed his coughing bark. Edward sighed. â€Å"Jasper wants help. You'll be okay without a translator?† â€Å"I'll manage.† Edward looked at me wistfully for one minute, his expression hard to understand, then turned his back and strode over to where Jasper waited. I sat down where I was. The ground was cold and uncomfortable. Jacob took a step forward, then looked back at me, and a low whine rose in his throat. He took another half-step. â€Å"Go on without me,† I told him. â€Å"I don't want to watch.† Jacob leaned his head to the side again for a moment, and then folded himself on to the ground beside me with a rumbling sigh. â€Å"Really, you can go ahead,† I assured him. He didn't respond, he just put his head down on his paws. I stared up at the bright silver clouds, not wanting to see the fight. My imagination had more than enough fuel. A breeze blew through the clearing, and I shivered. Jacob scooted himself closer to me, pressing his warm fur against my left side. â€Å"Er, thanks,† I muttered. After a few minutes, I leaned against his wide shoulder. It was much more comfortable that way. The clouds moved slowly across the sky, dimming and brightening as thick patches crossed the moon and passed on. Absently, I began pulling my fingers through the fur on his neck. That same strange humming sound that he'd made yesterday rumbled in his throat. It was a homey kind of sound. Rougher, wilder than a cat's purr, but conveying the same sense of contentment. â€Å"You know, I never had a dog,† I mused. â€Å"I always wanted one, but Rene's allergic.† Jacob laughed; his body shook under me. â€Å"Aren't you worried about Saturday at all?† I asked. He turned his enormous head toward me, so that I could see one of his eyes roll. â€Å"I wish I could feel that positive.† He leaned his head against my leg and started humming again. And it did make me feel just a little bit better. â€Å"So we've got some hiking to do tomorrow, I guess.† He rumbled; the sound was enthusiastic. â€Å"It might be a long hike,† I warned him. â€Å"Edward doesn't judge distances the way a normal person does.† Jacob barked another laugh. I settled deeper into his warm fur, resting my head against his neck. It was strange. Even though he was in this bizarre form, this felt more like the way Jake and I used to be – the easy, effortless friendship that was as natural as breathing in and out – than the last few times I'd been with Jacob while he was human. Odd that I should find that again here, when I'd thought this wolf thing was the cause of its loss. The killing games continued in the clearing, and I stared at the hazy moon.