A discourse community and cosmetology Essay

To some people a cosmetologist may not have the perfect job. However they have been around for centuries. Cosmetologists didn’t have the name they have today, but they date back to Ancient Egypt, China, Rome, and Greece. Every culture has incorporated beauty into their everyday lifestyle. The field of cosmetology is somewhat of a more broader field than others. Cosmetologists can decide to style hair or he/she can chose to incorporate hair, skin, and nails all together. Whatever he/she decides they could most likely get a job anywhere in the world whether it be a celebrity stylist or a small town hairdresser. While a student in a Comp 1 class we had an assignment to read John Swales’ Six Characteristics of a Discourse Community, and after reading it, I realized that in the field of cosmetology we have a few of the main characteristics of a discourse community. We have clear goals, a particular lexis, intercommunication, and certain genres that are used daily in the hair industry. Methodology As a cosmetologist at Supercuts # 80201 I needed to find out if we were in fact a discourse community. So in between our busy hours I was able to get a copy of the textual ways of communication. A few of the things I got were color cards, waxing cards, price list, permission slip, schedule, and a business card. I was able to get an interview with Michele Yancey the manager of Supercuts # 80201. I asked her a series of about fifteen questions. I concluded that she was a more experienced cosmetologist and she would be able to take on any challenging task that occurred in the salon. I was also able to observe a fellow co-worker Brandie Fenelon to be a witness of someone practicing great customer service. Results After observing the salon atmosphere I saw that Supercuts # 80201 has all six characteristics of a discourse community. However my research will only cover four of the six characteristics. First, Supercuts # 80201 has a broadly agreed upon set of goals that are also the goals of Peak Management, the franchise owner of Supercuts # 80201. Some of the goals that I found are keeping the clients happy at all time with a minimal wait time. Meaning that the manager is to schedule enough stylist for every shift. Another shared goal is to make sure every client gets to experience the 360* cut. Which includes offering a shampoo after the cut and recommend products to take home and â€Å"Rock the Cut†. Another shared goal would be great customer service. Upon observing Brandie Fenelon, my co-worker at Supercuts # 80201, she demonstrated the way one should show great customer service. As the client walked thru the door she greeted him with a smile, asked for his name, added him into the computer, introduced herself, showed him to his seat, and discussed what service she was going to perform that day. When the client left he was pleased with the 360* service he received. Another shared goal is a fulfilling clientele. Without a large clientele we wouldn’t have the funds to run an efficient salon/business, and pay for the supplies that are needed to color someone’s hair or wax someone’s lip or brows. Second, Supercuts # 80201 has certain textual genres. Besides verbally communicating with each other the cosmetologists at Supercuts # 80201 have a few things that have to be done before a color or a waxing service. Before either service the client has to fill out a questionnaire, then the cosmetologist reads over the information to make sure that it is safe to perform the service requested. These cards are kept in case the client doesn’t sue for malpractice. They are also kept as a record of their history, what the exact color was/is or what they got waxed, and the outcome of the service. Instead of the client getting frustrated we can pull the card and they can initial every time they get a service that requires a signature. The cards also act as a quote for the client making sure the service fits their budget. A second way of textual communication is the price list. It is set to make sure the clients are treated fairly and the cosmetologist can make a living. If we didn’t have a price list the customer would get confused and wonder why they pay a different price every time they came to the salon. A third way of textual communication is through e-mail. When corporate decides to have a special they send a detailed e-mail as well as a facsimile of everything that is on sale. They also send mass e-mails to every salon to warn them about theft and manipulation of sales tickets and the consequences of the crime. They also send e-mails of encouragement with contests to reward every stylist that gives a 360* experience to every client that walks thru the door. Third, Supercuts # 80201 has a certain intercommunication. When a stylist calls Peak Management for help he or she has to decide what person is going to be able to best address their needs. After calling the corporate location the person needing help is to record their name, as well as the store name, number, and location. As a larger company we send out invitations to come into out salon and get a percentage or certain dollar amount off of a product, a haircut, or sometimes a color. We also have a schedule that is posted two weeks in advance. If there is a day that we need off there is a calendar close by so that we can jot down when and why we can not work that day. Finally, the cosmetologists at Supercuts # 80201 have a specific lexis that we use in our discourse community. There are two different types of lexis used in our discourse community. The first one is a spoken lexis that most people wouldn’t understand. For example we say things like 1. 5 ounces of 6rv with 10 volume or he wants a fade with finger length on top. Then there is a written lexis, for example, 1/3 7nb, 1/3 7nn, & 1/3 6rb w/ 20 vol. or h/c w/Chelsey. All of the examples are those used everyday in our community. Analysis After analyzing everything that I had collected, I saw that I have everything that makes the field of cosmetology a discourse community. After reading Ann M. Johns article I answered one of her questions. Are there layers of community? (500) As a member of a discourse community I had an assignment to collect certain things for this paper and I did find that there are layers to the community. In our discourse community we have three layer the first being Regis Corporation, the second being Peak Management, and the third being the individual salons where the stylists work. The Regis Corporation is there for the merchandise we receive and sell. They are also the ones that send the supplies that we order when we are out. Peak Management is the owner of the individual salons. They are the ones who pay for the supplies that are used on a daily basis. Then there are the stylists that work in the salon and keep it going. The goals, textual genres, intercommunication are the same through out the layers of the community, however the lexis is different. A cosmetologist has to go to school to learn hair, but to own a salon you don’t have to have the education. Therefore the people of the corporate office are not able to understand the lexis used in the salon. Regis Corporation is there to provide the supplies that are needed for everyday use. They only own the name Supercuts. Peak Management is who is responsible for marketing and the advertisements that are out there. They offer the highest hourly rate as oppose to booth rent or commission. They also set the pay rate and sign the stylists pay check. As well as providing a safe and comfortable atmosphere for their stylists to work in. They also provide the funds for the contests and bonuses that are available to us. The stylists that work for Supercuts also have to supply their own equipment such as clippers, razors, and shears for their clients. We have to provide a little more than Regis Corporation and Peak Management because we are on a level of contact with each person that walk thru the salon door. So if I am not up to my highest potential to perform my job as a stylist I may loose a client. Therefore I have to make sure I give a 360* experience to each client I have in order to insure the security of my job. In my opinion people that join certain communities are joining because they are around people with the same likes and dislikes. The reason I joined the Supercuts # 80201 is because I get to have the interaction with people that I enjoy. It gives me the satisfaction of seeing clients walking out with a smile. Conclusion Within this paper you will find four of the six characteristics of a discourse community as defined by John Swales. They consist of clear goals, a particular lexis, intercommunication, and certain genres that make the community I am in a discourse community. I hope I have helped you to understand how a cosmetologist could be classified as a discourse community. As a cosmetologist I have set goals that I have to go by in order to have my clientele leave happy and come back. Works Cited Swales, John. â€Å"The Concept of Discourse Community. † Writing about Writing: A College Reader. By Elizabeth Wardle and Doug Downs. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. 468-79. Print. Johns, Ann M. â€Å"Discourse Communities and Communities of Practice: Membership, Conflict, and Diversity. † Text, Role, and Context: Developing Academic Literacies. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1997. 500-01. Print.

Succubus on Top CHAPTER 17

â€Å"Should I put up Lorelei Biljan's posters now? Or wait until after E. J. Putnam's gone?† I looked up from the invoices on my desk. I'd just reread the same line of numbers about five times without comprehending any of it, and I was having only a little better luck parsing Tammi's question. I rubbed my eyes. â€Å"Why†¦would we wait?† She shrugged. â€Å"Dunno. Just seems kind of rude to be advertising one author during another one's signing.† My mind moved slowly, probably because only 5 percent of it was actually here at the bookstore. The rest of my brainpower attempted to muddle through the disaster that was my life. â€Å"Um†¦no, it doesn't matter. Put them both up. They're only a week apart, and we want Biljan to get a fair shot at publicity too. Besides, I don't think authors really get worked up over competition like that. They're pretty low-key.† Tammi ran a hand through her short red hair. â€Å"I don't know. They're famous and artistic. Seems like that's a bad combination. Temperamental and stuff. Not all writers can be like Seth. In fact, I bet when he gets angry enough about something, he could really let someone have it.† â€Å"Anything else?† I asked, a sharp note of dismissal in my voice. â€Å"Otherwise, just put up all the posters, okay?† She gave me a startled look and left the office. When the door closed, I put my head down on the desk and groaned. Tammi, in her blissful adolescent na §?te, had no idea how close to home she had hit. Like her, I too believed Seth could display a lot of anger if given enough cause. Like, say, his girlfriend cheating on him. True, Bastien had been right in saying Seth and I had loose definitions of â€Å"cheating,† but even I knew what did and did not qualify. There was no gray area here. No mutability. I had fucked up hard-core. I'd known it too, lying there in that unholy union with Bastien. After my sleepless night, I'd left him around dawn and took a cab back to Queen Anne, my body still aching. I hadn't wanted to talk to him. He'd slept so heavily, he hadn't heard me leave. No guilt weighed him down. But me? My cup of guilt was runnething over. Not only that, I still had to make the next decision in this mess: to tell or not to tell? That was what had really bothered me all day at work. The past was over; I could only worry about it for so long. My attention now focused on how to proceed with the future. Fortunately, Seth had worked from home today, which helped a little. He and I eventually had plans to meet up in the evening, but until that happened, I still had time to come up with something. Anything. Yet when I walked home at the end of my shift, I was no closer to an answer than I had been at the beginning of the day. Miserable, I pulled up a chair at my kitchen table and sat down with pen and paper. Aubrey jumped up on the table's flat surface and lay down to watch me, half of her sprawling on the page. I slid her off and made the following list: DONT TELL SETH Pros: status quo resumes, he won't be upset Cons: my own gnawing guilt, totally blowing the honesty thing I considered the list for a moment, surprised that neither the pro nor con side had more items. It was just that simple. Moving farther down the paper, I wrote up the reciprocal list. TELL SETH Pros: right thing to do Cons: admitting I'm an idiot, painfully emotional blowout, inevitable breakup, a literal eternity of heart-wrenching sorrow and regret I held the pen and looked back and forth between both lists. â€Å"This isn't really clearing things up, Aubrey.† In an effort to relieve my frustration, I hurled the pen somewhere into my living room. She watched it sail off with interest and then darted off to confirm the kill. â€Å"What do you need to tell Seth?† â€Å"Jesus!† I yelled, practically jumping ten feet in the air. Carter had appeared out of nowhere and now stood beside the table, looking casual and laconic. He wore a black T-shirt over a gray thermal shirt and the same jeans I swear he'd had on for the last couple decades. â€Å"Don't do that, okay? Knocking isn't a lost art.† â€Å"Sorry.† He pulled a chair out and straddled it, so his long arms draped lazily over the back. Flipping his stringy blond hair out of the way, he gestured toward my list. â€Å"Didn't mean to interrupt.† â€Å"You're not,† I muttered, crumpling up the paper. I tossed that into the living room too, so Aubrey could have more to hunt. â€Å"Anything you want to talk about?† he offered. I hesitated. Of all the people I knew, only Carter had been a steadfast believer in Seth and me having a serious relationship. He was the only one who hadn't treated it as a joke. In some ways, that might have made him a good confidante, yet it also disqualified him. I could not confess to the one person who had believed in me just how seriously I had messed things up in a weak moment. â€Å"No,† I said brusquely. â€Å"But I assume you have something to talk about.† He eyed me a moment, like he might push me on what I clearly held back, but then he let the matter go. â€Å"I have something for you.† He extended a balled fist. When he opened it, I found a small pouch lying on his palm. I picked it up and stroked the material. I had no idea what it was, but the cloth's smooth texture felt like a flower petal. I started to open it. â€Å"Don't,† he warned. His commanding tone instantly made me stop. â€Å"You'll break the spell.† â€Å"What spell?† â€Å"The one that masks what's inside the pouch. And the one that masks your immortal signature. â€Å" I nodded with understanding. I might not know what to do with my own love life, but immortal conspiracies I could follow. â€Å"To hide me and this from Alec's supplier.† The angel nodded in return. I held up the pouch and waggled it at him. â€Å"So do I get to know what's in there?† â€Å"It's a†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused, not from a reluctance to tell me but to search for the right word. â€Å"It's a dart, I guess. Or maybe†¦like, an arrowhead. But that sounds weird. Nah, let's call it a dart. It's only about an inch long. A dart that looks like a small wooden arrowhead.† â€Å"Um. Okay. Got it. And what do I do with this darting arrowhead thing?† â€Å"You pierce the other immortal's heart with it.† â€Å"Whoa. Like†¦staking a vampire?† â€Å"Uh, not entirely. You'll sort of have to see when the time comes. The key is to move fast. As soon as you open the pouch, he'll know what you are and what's in there. You don't want to give him time to react because it won't be pretty if he does. Act fast, and don't second-guess yourself.† â€Å"How is a small piece of wood going to solve all our problems?† â€Å"It's special wood,† he replied with a grin. â€Å"Oh, yeah, that explains everything.† â€Å"Are you close to meeting him?† â€Å"Terribly close, actually. I probably could have met him yesterday if I'd wanted. Alec was very keen on introducing us.† Carter frowned, turning this over in his mind. â€Å"Hmm. Odd.† â€Å"Should I be worried?† â€Å"No more worried than you already should be at the thought of attacking an immortal.† â€Å"But I'll be fine if I just act fast and don't overthink it, huh?† â€Å"Right. I imagine that's pretty common for you anyway.† â€Å"Anything else I should know?† â€Å"Well†¦let's see. Yeah. One thing. Don't actually do it until there's provocation.† â€Å"What?† I stared. â€Å"Being a bastard who pushes addictive substances that destroy mortals isn't provocation enough?† â€Å"Oddly, no. You have to be threatened in some way.† Annoyed, I tossed the pouch onto the table. This was so typical of Carter and Jerome. A bizarrely complex scheme with ridiculous nuances and loopholes. â€Å"Threatened? How can he threaten me? He can't unless†¦wait, he's not an immortal who could kill me, is he?† â€Å"No, of course not. But he could make things very†¦uncomfortable for you. Anyway, there's a lot of ways to threaten a person. If he hurts you†¦or you feel vulnerable†¦like he could abuse his power over you, then that'll work. He's a stronger immortal than you. Preying on you – especially when you belong to Jerome, so to speak – is a big no-no. You would be justified in protecting yourself. But, if you attack wantonly, you'll get in trouble from the powers that be for targeting other immortals. You'll also get us in trouble for arming you.† â€Å"This sounds kind of like entrapment.† â€Å"That's an ugly word. Let's just keep it in terms of self-defense.† â€Å"So, you think things are going to get rough enough that I'll actually need self-defense?† He hesitated. â€Å"I don't know. I just don't know.† â€Å"Yeah, but then, if this guy's perfectly nice and just sells me a stash of ambrosia, I can't do anything? We've wasted the trip?† â€Å"Like I said, I don't know. Really. But honestly†¦if they're making it this easy to find him, I have to think something weird is going on. Just be careful, okay?† His face was all seriousness now. â€Å"You're smart. You can pull this off.† â€Å"And I don't suppose, at any point in this, you're going to tell me who this guy actually is?† â€Å"I believe ignorance is bliss.† I threw my hands up, not knowing what else to say. Carter traded a few more jokes with me and then rose to go. Hesitating, he gave me a curious look. â€Å"You sure you don't want to talk? You've obviously got something bugging you. â€Å" â€Å"I do. But I've got to deal with it on my own.† â€Å"Fair enough. See ya.† An eyeblink later, the angel disappeared. Seth showed up about an hour later, a little blue paint smudged on his face. â€Å"Terry and Andrea are painting the kitchen now.† I smiled at him, swallowing all the churning emotions within me. â€Å"How can you get so messy when you don't even do the painting?† I found a washcloth and dabbed at his face in a fruitless effort to clean him up. Standing so close, I suddenly had a flashback to last night. His hands stroking my breasts. Feeling him inside of me, filling me up. Our bodies moving together. His lips parting slightly when he came. â€Å"It won't come off,† I said abruptly, jerking away. â€Å"Oh. Okay.† I stayed moody and silent for the rest of the night, stiff and distant at any sort of touching. Seth picked up on the vibe right away and let me have my space. We walked a few blocks down the street to a theater that only showed Oscar nominees and artsy, independent films. We saw one of the latter, and I have to admit, it did take my mind off my love life, if only for two hours. Sitting at an Italian restaurant afterward, I let him draw me into a discussion of the film's merits. It amazed me that my mouth could keep up with the conversation while the rest of me was in an entirely different world. Over and over, I replayed what had happened last night – and not just the sex part. I analyzed everything, the events that had led up to it. Why had I done it? What had made me give in? Had it really been an altruistic attempt to fix Seth and me by removing the temptation? Had it been an aching desire to take comfort in Bastien? Or, most likely, had it been something selfish on my part? A burning desire to touch what I wasn't supposed to have – not because it might help our relationship, but because I just wanted to do it. I had wanted that pleasure. I had craved his body and simply gave in to the hedonism I longed for. I was a creature of hell, after all. I had observed before that we weren't exactly known for our self-control. Yet none of that changed the fact that it had happened. It had happened, and I had to do something about it. Or†¦did I? Seth sat across from me, looking happy and content as we talked. Ignorance really is bliss sometimes. I thought back to the lists. If he never found out, the truth couldn't hurt him. We could go on as we had. The only problem would be that I knew the truth. I had to live with this betrayal, not only of our physical relationship but also of our attempts at honesty and openness. One more entry on the list of dark and nasty secrets I already kept. â€Å"You with me, Thetis?† he asked suddenly. â€Å"Huh?† He gave me a small, sweet smile and moved his hand over to hold mine. I squeezed it back. â€Å"You look like you're miles away. â€Å" I gave him a half-smile in return. Apparently I wasn't as subtle as I thought. I looked at him, studying those beloved features, and shook my head. I couldn't do it. I couldn't tell him. Not yet. â€Å"Just tired,† I lied. We shared a dish of gelato and then returned to my apartment. We had just set up the Scrabble board when I felt immortal signatures approaching. I groaned, not wanting to deal with this. â€Å"Hail, hail, the gang's all here.† Seth looked puzzled until we heard the knock at the door. I opened it, letting in Hugh, Peter, Cody, and Bastien. â€Å"You are alive,† said Peter cheerfully, smothering me in a hug. â€Å"We tried calling you tonight.† â€Å"And I've been trying to get a hold of you all day,† added Bastien pointedly. I was perfectly aware that he had called me many times. I had purposely not answered my phone. â€Å"Sorry,† I said to all of them. â€Å"Hey, Seth,† said Cody, clapping the writer on the back. The vampire and the rest of the immortals spread themselves out around my living room like they lived there. I gave their giggling and careless behavior a withering glance. â€Å"You guys been barhopping?† â€Å"Yup,† said Hugh with pride. â€Å"You – both of you – could have joined us.† â€Å"Fortunately, the night is still young,† declared Bastien. He strolled around the living room, arching an appalled eyebrow at the Scrabble board. â€Å"When you didn't answer, we decided to come issue an invitation in person.† â€Å"We're going to go shoot pool,† explained Cody happily. â€Å"Over at that place in Belltown. You guys should come along.† He gave Seth a conspiratorial grin. â€Å"Georgina's a wicked pool player.† â€Å"Thetis is good at everything,† Seth murmured automatically. I could tell by his body language he wasn't comfortable with a bunch of drunken immortals in the room. I also knew he didn't want to go out. â€Å"Sorry, guys,† I told them. â€Å"We've already been out. We're staying in.† This earned snide remarks and groans of disapproval. â€Å"Oh come on,† begged Hugh, trying to get Aubrey's attention with a cat toy on a string. She didn't fall for it and hissed at him instead. â€Å"We always get better service when you go with us.† â€Å"Besides,† said Bastien nastily. â€Å"It doesn't look you're doing anything else exciting. You should be grateful we came along. We're giving you something. Something you couldn't otherwise get.† I remained calm, but I think the others picked up on the sudden tension in the air. â€Å"Sorry,† I repeated. â€Å"We're staying in. You guys can hang out for a little bit, but then I've got to kick you out. We're doing our own thing. â€Å" â€Å"I wasn't aware you guys did anything at all,† muttered Bastien in a voice only I heard. Maybe the vampires too, with their superhuman hearing. â€Å"You got anything to drink?† asked Peter, gently nudging me toward being a good hostess. I was still locked in a battle of wills and eye contact with the incubus. â€Å"Yeah, I just bought a six-pack of Smirnoff Ice.† â€Å"Oh,† said Cody. â€Å"Score.† He and Hugh raided my refrigerator, passing out bottles of prissy malted beverage to everyone except Seth and me. We abstained. Lounging around, conversation on silly topics soon ensued, although Bastien, Seth, and I did not participate. Seth stayed quiet because he always stayed quiet in such settings. Bastien and I stayed quiet because we were pissed off at each other. I excused myself for the restroom and found Bastien waiting outside the door for me when I finished. â€Å"Alcohol runs right through you, huh?† I asked, pushing past him. He blocked my way, backing me up against the wall. â€Å"What the hell's wrong with you?† he demanded in a low voice. â€Å"Nothing. Let me go.† â€Å"Bullshit. I left you like a hundred messages. You're avoiding me.† â€Å"So? It's my prerogative. Just like that song.† He snorted. â€Å"Let me guess. You're having some sort of melodramatic moral crisis over what happened last night. That's so typical of you lately.† â€Å"Don't talk to me about last night. You shouldn't have done what you did.† â€Å"Is houldn't have? My God, Fleur ,don't act like you're the victim here. Nobody forced you. You more than consented. In fact, I daresay you enjoyed it.† â€Å"It was a mistake.† â€Å"And so avoiding me is going to fix it? Don't delude yourself. It wasn't a mistake. It was good for you. I helped you. I gave you something you would have never gotten otherwise. You'll remember it for the rest of your life.† â€Å"Gee,† I said, dripping sarcasm. â€Å"How kind of you. Because that's really all there was to it, wasn't there? You only did it to help me. Nothing more. You certainly didn't do it just because you could. Because I was ‘beautiful and I was wonderful and you wanted me.' â€Å" â€Å"Listen to me – â€Å" â€Å"No. You listen to me. If I want to avoid you, let me avoid you. Don't show up at my house drunk and try to force your way into a dialogue. It makes you more of an asshole than you'd be otherwise. I don't want to talk to you. Not anytime soon. Maybe not ever.† â€Å"Forever's a long time.† He leaned closer, one hand on my arm. â€Å"Don't you think you're overreacting to one fuck? Besides, you can't cut me off. You've got to help me with Dana.† â€Å"No,† I declared icily. â€Å"I do not. You're on your own with that. And if you get sent to Guam, then it's your own fucking fault. Maybe it'll give you some time to think about your relations with women outside of business.† â€Å"Damn it – â€Å" â€Å"Georgina?† We both turned and saw Seth standing in the hallway. Bastien and I were close – too close – but not romantically close. Anyone with half a brain could tell we were locked in a dispute. Our postures radiated it, as did our expressions. The grip Bastien held on my arm was not friendly. â€Å"Are you okay?† Seth asked carefully. His words came out low and measured, but I saw something unfamiliar in his expression. Not anger, but something else kindling in his eyes. He had told me once he chose his battles carefully, and I wondered then what he would do if he thought the incubus was a real threat to me. â€Å"We're fine,† I said. I broke from Bastien's grasp, and he didn't fight it. â€Å"Yes,† he agreed with a cold smile. â€Å"We're fine.† He walked past me but stopped when he was even with Seth. â€Å"You should be flattered,† Bastien told him. â€Å"Most women invoke God during sex, but Fleur yells your name. One would have thought you were a deity, considering how many times she paid homage to you last night.† He continued on to the living room, and I didn't even stick around to see Seth's reaction. I stormed after Bastien. â€Å"Get out,† I told him. I looked over at the other immortals. â€Å"All of you, get out now.† Peter, Cody, and Hugh stared at me in astonishment. I'd kicked them out a number of times, but none of them had ever heard me use this voice on them. Consequently, they heeded it. They scrambled out the door in under a minute, Bastien shooting me a dark glance as he left. When they were gone, I took a deep breath and turned to Seth. Anger and despair boiled inside of me. â€Å"Let me guess. You want to know what he meant.† His face was unreadable. â€Å"Honestly, I don't know.† He suddenly sounded tired. â€Å"I don't know if I want to.† â€Å"Yeah, well, I'll tell you anyway.† The words tore at me while coming out, but I really didn't want to hold onto the secret anymore. Not only because Bastien had given it away but also because I knew I wasn't going to be able to stand having it fester inside of me. It hurt too much. Talking to the incubus had made me realize that. So while I didn't mention the pictures, I told Seth everything else. Everything. When I finished, he didn't say anything. He stared at some nonexistent spot in the air, face blank once more. After a couple of minutes of aching silence, he finally turned back to me. â€Å"So. How was I?†

Who do you Think is to Blame for the Death of Eva Smith

Eva died two hours before the inspector came. She died because she drank a lot of â€Å"strong disinfectant† which burnt her â€Å"inside out†. Inspector Goole goes to the Birling’s house to confront each one of them and place responsibility on them. Though the inspector does not tell us it, it is quite obvious that he is there not to find the â€Å"main culprit† but instead he is there to make the Birling’s see through somebodies eyes of the Lower â€Å"class† and feel some â€Å"responsibility†.Each and every one of them, Mr Birling, Sheila, Gerald, Mrs Birling and Eric, all played a part in Eva’s death and the inspector wants them to realise this and accept responsibility. Mr Birling holds the big responsibility of starting the whole thing, and he was the first to turn Eva away. Eva Smith was working at â€Å"the Works† which Mr Birling owned. She had been working in one of the â€Å"machine shops† for over year and she was a â€Å"good worker†. She was about to be promoted to a â€Å"leading operator† which was a person who was the â€Å"head† of a small group of girls.When Eva and everyone else came back from the August holidays they were all â€Å"restless† and asked for a pay rise. However Mr Birling refused their offer saying he couldn’t even â€Å"consider† it. Eva and all of the other girls decided to go on strike which didn’t â€Å"last long†. The â€Å"pitiful affair† was over after a week or two. Mr Birling let everyone back apart from the ring-leaders, who â€Å"started all of the â€Å"trouble†. Unfortunately Eva was one of the ring-leaders and like the rest, she was fired. This was the start of the snow ball effect of events that drove Eva towards killing herself and her unborn child.However Mr Birling refused to accept responsibility for his actions. Sheila was next to turn Eva down, all because of her bad temper. After â€Å"two months† of barely surviving, after Mr Birling fired her, Eva found a job at a dress shop. This dress store was Millwards, which happened to be one of Sheila’s favourite dress shops and Eva was â€Å"very lucky† to get a job there. Sheila went into Millwards to try on a dress which both the shop assistant and Mrs Birling were â€Å"against†. When Sheila tried on the dress she knew they were right because it â€Å"didn’t suit† her and this put her in a bad mood.Eva and the assistant, â€Å"Miss Francis†, brought the dress up from the work room. Miss Francis asked something about the dress and to show them Eva held up the dress as if she was â€Å"wearing† it and Sheila thought it â€Å"suited† her. When Sheila tried the dress on and saw it didn’t suit her, she â€Å"caught sight† of Eva smiling to Miss Francis and Sheila interpreted Eva’s smile wrongly. Sheila became infuriated and was â€Å"very rude† to them. She stormed off to the manager and told him that Eva had been â€Å"very impertinent†.She told the manager that if he didn’t fire Eva she would never â€Å"go near† Millwards again and would â€Å"persuade† Mrs Birling to â€Å"close† the family account. This was the next event that let suicide persuade Eva. However Sheila accepted responsibility for her actions and even grieved for Eva. After Sheila â€Å"compelled† Millwards to discharge Eva, Eva changed her name to Daisy Renton to start again. This is when Gerald stepped into her life and became one of the main people in her roller-coaster life. Gerald went to the Palace Hotel Bar in Brumley because the show in the Music Hall wasn’t â€Å"very bright†.He first saw Daisy when she was â€Å"wedged† into a corner by Old Joe Meggarty, who was known as a â€Å"notorious womaniser†. Daisy saw Gerald looking at her and gave hi m a look which was â€Å"nothing less than a cry for help†. Gerald told Mr Meggarty that â€Å"the manager had a message for him†. This freed Daisy from Mr Meggarty and his â€Å"half-drunk and goggle-eyed† stare. Gerald took Daisy out of the Palace Bar at once. He took her to the County Hotel and they talked. They met again two nights later, â€Å"not accidently this time†, and he let her move into his friends â€Å"set of rooms† while he was in Canada.He also gave her money to keep her going and visited her â€Å"regularly†. She soon became his â€Å"mistress† after he became the â€Å"most important person† in her life. However in the â€Å"first week of September† Gerald had to go away on a business trip and he broke it off with Daisy before he left. Daisy was very â€Å"gallant† about it because she knew he didn’t love her and would never marry her. However this did affect her a lot because once again her hopes had been risen, only to be put back down again. Quite rightly Gerald accepted responsibility and felt bad for his actions toward Daisy.The next person to meet and turn down Eva was Eris. Eris meet Eva in the same place Herald met her, the Palace Hotel Bar one night in November. He was there with a few friends and he had been there for a few hours so he was a bit â€Å"squiffy†. He went over to Eva and began talking to her. He â€Å"stood† her a few drinks and by the time they left he was rather â€Å"far gone†. He insisted on going to her lodgings. However Eva refused to let him in which made Eric angry just as Sheila had been. He began to threaten her saying he would â€Å"make a row† which would get her kicked out of where she was staying.She reluctantly let him inside. He met her again about a fortnight later, but not by â€Å"appointment† and the events of before was very â€Å"vague† in Eric’s mind. Eric went home with her again but they talked for â€Å"a bit† this time. They met twice again and Eva told Eric that she was going to â€Å"have a baby† and Eric was in a â€Å"hell of a state† about it and so was Eva. Eva didn’t want to marry Eric so instead Eric gave her some money to keep her going for a while, until she â€Å"refused† to take anymore because she knew it was stolen.This put Eva into a very sticky situation because the money she had was not going to last her long and she was now going to have a baby to support as well. Eric wished that he could have done more and he accepted responsibility. However this did push Eva even further towards her end. Mrs Birling was the final person to turn Eva down and the one who finally pushed her over the edge. After running out of money, Eva decided to go to the Brumley Woman’s Charity for help. Eva was on her final straw and changed her name to â€Å"Mrs Birling† after Eric.Unfortunately for Eva the real Mrs Birling was the one who took her appeal. When Mrs Birling meet Eva and found out what she was calling herself, she thought it was a piece of â€Å"gross impertinence† and she soon became â€Å"prejudice† against Eva. Eva created a fake story so she didn’t look as bad and was sure to get a â€Å"claim†. She told Mrs Birling that she had been married but her husband had â€Å"deserted† her, leaving her with no money. However Mrs Birling began â€Å"questioning† her and Mrs Birling soon â€Å"broke† her. Eva told Mrs Birling about Eric, however she never revealed his name to Mrs Birling.Mr Birling didn’t believe her, due to the fact that Eva used Mrs Birling’s name which made Mrs Birling â€Å"prejudice† against her. Mrs Birling used her â€Å"influence† to get the committee to â€Å"refuse† Eva’s claim. Eva was refused help and was turned down once again apart from this was the last tim e. Mrs Birling refused to accept responsibility because she feel she’s did nothing wrong and only Eva had â€Å"herself to blame†. In conclusion I feel everyone is equally responsible for the death of Eva Smith. Even if alone each thing each person did to Eva didn’t affect her too greatly, together they caused the death of two people, Eva and her unborn child.The Birling family must have driven Eva so far into depression that Eva believed that there was no point of her child being born and have to live the life she did. However it may seem obvious that it was the Birling family that was mainly to blame for the death of Eva Smith, but if you look into the background of the novella it is actually the Birling’s social â€Å"class you need to blame. This is because people of the Middle Class in 1912 looked down on the Lower Class and treated them harshly just as they did with Eva. Moreover I believe this is who J B Priestly is trying to blame but he has port rayed it through the Birling family.

P Technology Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

P Technology Management - Essay Example The paper recommended that capacity building, change management, injection of more funds and resources into the MIS department will resolve the highlighted issues. Introduction Information technology and systems have transformed the economic climate through empowering the organizations to compete globally. It has become backbone of the organizations success. However, this success has been achieved by the organizations that have successfully implemented the various information technology solutions developed to resolve the prevailing and traditional issues. The organizations that have not been able to overcome the factors leading to lack of implementation of the solutions have lost the competitive edge and ultimately withdraw from the market. Nguyen and Papadopoulos (2011) postulated that customer relations management solutions have substantially benefited the Vietnamese Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). As a result, they are able to compete in 2012 with the global competition comin g in their markets after Vietnam has ratified WTO treaty. This paper aims to identify problems and to recommend solutions to overcome it. It has objective to highlight the leading factors that have lead to the unsuccessful and poor implementation of information technology management solutions in the organization. ... It has a wide spectrum of areas to consider including all Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) issues. In a customer service organization, customer is the king and all the information related to the customers are of prime importance. To ensure efficiency and effective services, the customer relation management software plays a strong role in storing, categorizing, prioritizing and keeping the customer relations in desired frequency. Other modules include financial modules, accounting software, Internet, knowledge management and database management. These software help the organization in managing its tasks with ease and efficiency. The instant results derived from the reports generated through these software help the organization to take efficient decisions. The Internet helps the organization to develop an internal communication network for effective communication among the employees as well as to undertake all external communication with customers, affiliates and foreign partners onl ine. Thus, reducing time and costs of traditional communication methods. Information Technology and Competitive Advantage The information technology has twofold benefits. It automates the processes and decision making of the organization. Furthermore, it empowers the employees through giving them the steering of controlling the large amount of data available and to direct it in numerous ways to achieve astounding results. This aspect becomes the competitive advantage for the organization through which it competes globally. As globalization has opened the access of knowledge to all and the human resources have become the competitive advantage of organizations. Factors Responsible for Poor IT Management There are numerous factors that are responsible for the

Analysis of Canoe Restaurant in Pasadena Assignment

Analysis of Canoe Restaurant in Pasadena - Assignment Example As a prerequisite for sale contacts, completion of the Canoe restaurant was necessitated and  paramount. The Los Angeles restaurant grading ordinance got formulated to monitor, evaluate and recommend restaurants  particularly  on their food handling methods,  preparation  and storage regulations (Hutter 15). The grading ordinances  have  enabled customers, and authorities to achieve peace of mind in terms of food quality and health (Hutter 20). After inspection of the  Caneo  restaurant, I  wish  to  give  the  inspection  report as follows: First, the restaurant assistants were reluctant to  observe  some basic food handling  procedure; Failure to clean and  sanitize  the  instruments  used for chopping foodstuff. The kitchens chopping instrument gets used on different kinds of food, for example, beef and chicken. This increases the risks of food contamination for both customers and the workers. Secondly, the  chef, his  assistant and the entire kitchen staff  had  a set  of  complete  protective wear although none of them had  hair  nets. This increases the  possibility  of foreign material such as hair strands to  drop  in the food and  thus contaminate  it. The refrigerator  content  is not labeled clearly. This makes it confusing for the chefs to  pick  the  right  ingredients for the preparation of menus. Some of the kitchen units do not contain thermometers for measuring the  exact  temperature of food to prevent them from contamination. There is also laxity in food handling; foods  do not get wrapped  but instead get left to open air. This too increases the  possibility  of contamination. Finally, lack of maintaining the required kitchen temperature from the required optimum temperature hinders proper food storage. However, Canoe restaurant demonstrated positive results in kitchen practising habits. First, there is a high  level  of cleanliness maintained in terms of personal hygiene, equipment, clothing and the kitchen surroundings. An excellent grading result depends on  the perfection  of the restaurants’ staffs’. The  chef gets tasked with the ability  and skills to ensure  per fect  food handling, storage and preparation (Hutter 26).

In future most of us will increasingly live in the virtual world of Essay

In future most of us will increasingly live in the virtual world of the computer , using it as a source of instruction , entertainment and friendship. Will this be a good or bad thing - Essay Example In the United Kingdom alone, statistics show that 98 percent of those who belong in the age group of five to 18 use computers for different purposes in the year 2002 only (â€Å"Activities undertaken,† n.d.). It was also found in another broader-coverage survey that 57% of British households have Internet access in the year 2006, an 11-point percentage increase after a four-year period (National Statistics, 2006, p. 1). As shown in these numbers, there is no denial that many are now spending more time in the virtual world of the computers. Whether these trends are good or not, this paper will attempt to answer. On top of its basic computing purposes, personal computers are now equipped with different features that allow people to do countless activities that aid them in office or school-related works, gaming, managing one’s finances, communicating with other people, and connecting to the Internet (Miller, 2007, pp. 10-11). With computers, people can make reports, essays, compute complicated accounting problems, and many others anytime they want. In addition to the basic programs made especially for these PCs, virtual libraries and sites can provide people with much needed information and services without even stepping out of the house or offices. Individuals, organizations -- government, non-government, private and alike -- are now continually improving websites for the consumption of the public; while others are free, many companies are now also using the computers and the Internet to provide information and services for a fee. Youngsters and even adults can also use computers for playing or any other sources of entertainment. There are already a lot of available computer games that anyone can download or play with other friends through networks of computers or via online. Moreover, computers -- especially the Internet-based ones -- can also be utilized in searching for the age-old to the latest releases of

The topic can be proposed by the writer Assignment - 17

The topic can be proposed by the writer - Assignment Example The delegation of the duties tasked at the heart of the corporation’s management does not essential lie at the discretion of the Board of Directors. The court gives no legal sanction to such agreements which impact on the hindrance of the directors in any substantial way within their duty to exercise their best judgment over the corporation’s management issues (Clarkson, Miller, Cross & Clarkson, 2012). Furthermore, the agreement of contract that James Donald entered into with the DSC Corporation does not in any official manner preclude the board of DSC from fulfilling the corporation’s fiduciary duty and exercise of its statutory powers. The board of directors for the DSC Corporation have the full exercise of their statutory powers within the context of the agreement Donald signed for his contract terms. Therefore, a raise of the point that the contract limits their powers is baseless and only eyes at the financial damage of the corporation may result into in the event of $20 million in the case of termination without cause. On the other hand the due to the court’s limited jurisdiction over the granting a legal sanction on agreements which would hinder in a significant way the director’s authority to best use their rational judgment over the corporation’s management (Mann & Roberts, 2013). The verdict of the case of the plaintiff, C. L. Grimes, and the defendant James Donald is therefore concluded that, the contract signed between James Donald and the DSC Corporation hold and unless there is an occurrence of the stated termination conditions in the agreement, the defendant holds office to the period of the

Organization Analysis, Part 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organization Analysis, Part 1 - Essay Example High staff turnover costs the company in terms of tangible and intangible resources. On the one hand, the company loses on the knowledge of the departing staff whereas on the other hand, it is forced to use more resources, which could have been put to better use elsewhere, on constant recruitment and job training for new staff. Another major HR challenge that the company faces is the effect of different cultures arising out of its global expansion. Wal-Mart cannot impose a standard HR practice in all countries because of their different cultural dimensions (Hofstede, 2001). Nevertheless, Michael Duke, the President and CEO of Wal-Mart identifies developing staff as one of the five key strategies central to the company’s future (Wal-Mart, 2012). After all in retail it is the store and club associates that take care of customers and members which determines whether customer become loyal or not. On the legal front, Wal-Mart’s HR management has two chief areas of concer n, ensuring equal employment opportunities and improving their labor relations. Under the equal employment opportunity challenge, the important activity is to prevent the likely occurrence of discrimination practices among its staff. This aspiration should ideally reflect the spirit of the law as envisioned by the Civil Rights Act of 1991 by reinforcing illegality of making hiring, firing or promotion decisions on the basis of sex, ethnicity, race or religion (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2005). This act also includes the Glass Ceiling Act. Wal-Mart has been addressing the equal employment opportunity concern by embedding diversity and inclusion into its culture. This has been done partly through its Diversity Goals Program where managers are held accountable for elevating the standards of diversity and inclusion throughout the company, with up to 15 percent of management bonuses and ten percent of performance evaluation scores tied to their diversity goals achievement (Wal-Mart, 2011). T his program has seen the numbers of minorities’ rise from 21.3% in 2005 to 36% in 2011 and that for females rise from 38.8% in 2005 to 57% in 2011. Of the two HR challenges, Wal-Mart’s greater challenge has been its labor relations. Wal-Mart is America’s largest private employer and it has used its muscle to quash all attempts by its workers to form or be part of labor unions. The company’s low cost strategy relies on minimizing production costs and labor costs are often the major expense in production for low-end retail (Woodman, 2012). Without a union, Wal-Mart employees have had less bargaining power and this could be one of the reasons why the company has a rapid turnover. Nevertheless, the continued growth of the group Organization United for Respect at Wal-Mart (OUR Walmart) demonstrates less likelihood of the company’s staff relenting on this issue. For this reason we envisage this power struggle on whether to unionize or not continuing in to the future unless either party relents. We however believe that it would be more productive for Wal-Mart to address the concerns of its workers if it seeks to remain competitive in the coming years. A possible solution is to meet workers’ demands half-way by giving them some of the demands they are requesting such as respect, affordable health care, stable and fair scheduling, and improved wages. Wal-Mart’

Human Cognition and the Role of the Internet Essay

Human Cognition and the Role of the Internet - Essay Example These cognition deficiencies are considered attributable to Internet use because the way information presented in the Internet influences human cognition. For instance, in Is Google Making Us Stupid?, Nicholas Carr argues that Internet use affects reading habits, as well as comprehension and retention of information (57). The way Google presents the information affects the way people understand the information, as well. The design of the web pages, which are oftentimes collage-like, divides the attention of readers. Web pages are often full of advertisements with flashing colors that distract the concentration of readers. Additionally, there are also hyperlinks that merely draw the attention of readers, rather than point to sites containing significant information. In addition, advertisements that are put together with information may divert the attention of Internet users. Thus, as the human mind reprograms itself to adapt with the technologies, the human mind also adapts the collag e-like structure of information as projected in the Internet. Relatively, human cognition becomes inclined to prefer shortened information over the detailed, lengthy ones. Considering the effects of the Internet on human cognition, it can be said that Internet users need to be evaluative when gathering information from the Internet. As mentioned by McLuhan, the media, which include the Internet, are not just ways in which information are generated and transferred (qtd. in Carr 57). The media also direct and influence the way people understand the information that is being transferred through them. The complexity and amount of information produced by the media often confuses people hindering them to think and evaluate information critically and contemplatively. Aside from this, the Internet also influences the way people see and use information. In its capacity to transfer and generate information faster, the internet leaves people behind should they fail to cope with the fast inform ation transfer. In addition, the bulk of the information contained in the Internet overwhelms readers in such a way that readers will be trapped in the wide variety of topics in the Internet. The problem of information segregation comes as people get confronted with various hyperlinks that may not point to appropriate and relevant information. As internet users toggle from link to link, internet users may lose their focus and get trapped in another information that are not related to the topic at hand. In this context, it can be said that the fast, complex, and vast information contained in the Internet may decrease concentration that may, in turn, decrease retention of information. Thus, problems related to cognitive deficiencies come when the human mind cannot cope with the complexity and speed of information transfer in the Internet. So, the question as to whether Google (or the internet, in general) had made people stupid is thought-provoking and worthy of critical investigation . While there are evidences that prove the inhibiting effects of internet use, the Internet also provides information that could raise the awareness of people on certain subjects. Accordingly, to resolve the issue, researchers need to investigate whether it is really the internet that causes retention and comprehension gap, or it is merely the changing perspectives of users when it

The Advantages of Steel in Building Construction Assignment

The Advantages of Steel in Building Construction - Assignment Example Another aspect that can no longer be neglected is the environment, both inside as well as outside the building is to be considered and given the high level of consideration in design and construction of the building. Latest advances in technology and high appraisal in energy has influenced the mindset of the client to select and use energy efficient products and design, even if they cost a bit more in the start but they eventually pay back their expenses. It is no longer a choice but a compulsion for designers and constructors to save energy as well as environment and at the same time it’s the client’s and his real estates adviser’s social responsibility to dictate these terms in the facility’s construction and have knowledge as well as encourage these technologies as much as possible. There are mainly two types of spaces that are to be constructed as the part of the establishment. The first part is the 12 storey Headquarter block whose height would be around 40m, this would be just a typical office building and the spaces would be designed in a similar manner. The second requirement of the client in the facility is of a showroom/ retail facility which is going to be constructed just in front of the main office block, this separate facility would be used for the display of different products and so the space requirement of this would be entirely different from that of the office block. The basic requirements of this space are that it should be a single storey and 35 m wide span, these attributes make this part of establishment unique and this structure has to be designed accordingly. The third and the most governing requirement of the client in the construction is that the time for construction should be as short as possible and the facility should be brought into service in minimum time period and the last requirement which would dictate the construction and its techniques as a whole is that the facility should eco friendly at all its levels both during the construction phase and during the service life as well.  

Leadership Versus Management Essay Example for Free

Leadership Versus Management Essay Introduction: Management versus Leadership Leadership can take on many meanings, be viewed in many different ways and is often misconstrued with management. To understand leadership and management a clear definition has to exist and the person(s) involved in leading or managing must have clear insight of what expectations are required to reach a specific goal. Therefore, this research paper as identified by this author will define leadership and management as they are defined in the Websters Dictionary and other scholarly approved references. In addition, this paper will state a personal philosophy of eadership and management and will unpack and explain the language used in each definition. Second, this paper will identify success in leadership for becoming a great leader, and then compare and contrast leadership and management. Finally, the conclusion will summarize the entire paper by stating what is essentially more important, leadership or management. A Personal Philosophy of Leadership In order to understand leadership, the definition ofa leader must be stated. As indicated in the dictionary, a leader is someone who leads, is in front or who takes charge. The word lead means to guide (The Merriam Webster Dictionary, 2004). As stated by an author, Leaders take the lead. That is, they initiate ideas and plans. Leaders move people to follow them by showing them consideration! (Ford 1991 , 25) This author understands a leader to be one who influences and encourages another to follow in doing something great. This author defines leadership as the process of, through the power and direction of God, learning how to build relationships with others, allowing them an opportunity to expound on different ideas and thoughts, growing together in knowledge and working together in harmony to accomplish a mutual goal (Sharp 2007). Leadership is the ability to be responsible, ethical, and have impeccable moral qualities. It is not Just being responsible, ethical, and moral while working within or on a Job, but it is maintaining that standard and continuing to live that lifestyle at all times. It is not the leader saying do what I say, but not as I do. Rather, it is dedicating life to God allowing Him to enhance the character required for being that great leader. An extremely profound definition of Christian Leadership was stated this way: Christian leadership is a relationship based on Gods Love which is imitated by the participants, the leader(s) and follower(s). They both work together in a mutual, accountable, dynamic relationship of duel influence with one another and the whole of the organization, for the purpose of accomplishing shared, God given, visions, purposes and goals (Sharp 2007). This definitions center is the love of God. As understood by this author, the love flows through both the leader(s) and follower(s). This love will allow both the ability to work together creating a powerful relationship whereby both will not only be able to influence each other, but will be able to influence others as well, until ultimately they ave completed and accomplish that mutual goal. Another author defined leadership this way: Christian leadership is a dynamic relational process in which people, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, partner to achieve a common goal it is serving others by leading and leading others by serving

Marketing Of Landscape Gardening Essay Example for Free

Marketing Of Landscape Gardening Essay Landscapers use their aptitude for art combined with their knowledge of plants to create breathtaking landscapes. But a landscape artist cannot share his knowledge unless he promotes his business. Business promotion is a combination of activities that create and maintain a positive image in a customers mind. Customer service, broad knowledge of the business and fair pricing strategies support promotional activities and contribute to the success of any business. Word of Mouth (Recommendations) This is the cheapest and best method of advertising your Landscape Gardening business, but it requires that you already have done some work. Your existing clients can be your biggest help in spreading the word about your business. This business thrives on referrals, so make sure that you talk to your existing customers and ask them if theres anyone that may benefit your service. Advertisements Advertise on newspapers, tv ads, local ad magazines, billboards, your vehicle etc, however, the ads should be short and easy to read. Plant Exhibitions Contact convention organizers and event planning agencies in your area and learn about business exhibition opportunities. Many events are geared toward the small business owner and are reasonably priced. Attend plant exhibitions to promote your business. Plant exhibitions allow you to promote your products or services at a venue related to landscaping. Such exhibitions provide a venue to network and reach out to customers. Trade shows are also a good place to distribute promotional items. Create Business Cards Create business cards that match your brochures and website design. Creating matching promotional collateral creates a cohesive feel and helps establish your brand. Make Brochures Create visually pleasing brochures. Make sure the brochure lists your services, pricing, contact information and a bit about the business. You can also hire a designer to prepare brochures for you. Create a Website Contact a Web developer or create a website on your own. Your websites content should appeal to people in your area. Include helpful information, such as guides to weeding, planting and winterizing gardens. Several services offer website packages that make creating a site simple. Link your site to Twitter and possibly a dedicated business page on Facebook

The Basis Of Management Function

The Basis Of Management Function INTRODUCTION This project provides an introduction to the basis of management function which is Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling (POLC). In this very project, we have the opportunity to interview any company to understand more about the company. For instance, how the company works, how it implements the four management function and how they manage the whole company so that everything will go smoothly. In conjunction with this project, we took up the opportunity and interviewed The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf Company which is a worldwide recognized company. The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf was established in 1963 by Herbert B. Hyman in Southern California. The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf is the oldest and largest privately-held specialty coffee and tea retailer in the United States. The first cafe of The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf was located in Brentwood, California. There are roughly about 30 varieties of coffee and 20 varieties of tea introduced up to date. The Coffee Bean Tea Leaves company vision is to be Simply the Best roaster and global retailer of specialty coffee and tea. Their mission is to create a spirit within the company that inspires their team members to provide customers with a Total Quality Experience: Quality of Product, Service and Environment. This company has developed throughout the years and it has grown so rapidly that from one branch, it has developed to more than 800 stores in over 20 countries currently. In short, for nearly 50 years of serving, The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf Company has demonstrated a great passion for product innovation epitomized by The Original Ice Blended beverage. The patience and efforts made by the organization is very much worth to be learned and practiced by our us in order to be success. PLANNING Planning is the fundamental for attaining success. Everything else starts from planning. Planning can be defined as identifying goals for future organizational performance and deciding on the task and use of resources needed to attain them. The mission of The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf is to develop a spirit within our company that inspires our Team Members to provide our customers with a Total Quality Experience, Quality of Product, Services and Environment. The goal of The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf is to be Simply The Best roaster and global retailer of specialty coffee and tea. The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf put people first to achieve their stated goal. From their coffee and tea origin suppliers to their retail store team Members and loyal customers, they consider everyone as their extended family. They will offer specialized training to each Team members so that they are able to build bond of trust with the customers. They have Core Value which is known as FROTH or Friendly, Request, Ownership, Teamwork and Honesty. Find Your Flavor is their slogan that is very important in continuing their good relationship with their customers. From our interview, we know that The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf have outstanding quality of input and output by maintaining the quality of their coffee bean and beverages in order to achieve their goal. The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf only produces and serves only the finest coffees and teas from around the world. Each year The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf searches out the best harvest from Sumatera to Coata Rica to bring to their tasting room for inspection and sampling and accept only the highest grades of green coffee and full leaf tea. All the beans they import are grown at altitudes of up to 6000 feet as the cooler temperatures at the higher altitudes cause the bean to be more concerned flavor. Once the green coffee reaches the stores, it goes through several quality checks to maintain the quality of coffee bean. After passing the quality check, the green coffee bean are roasted fresh daily. Once the optimal flavor is reaches, the coffee is then packaged using state-of-the-art equipment. The companys marketing strategy is managing their foreign franchisees when expanding into Asia includes master franchising and company owned-stores. The marketing approach is vital to gain a competitive advantage for The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf in the foreign market. The construct included market entry, site location and master positioning. The reason for the company to choose master franchising as its form of franchising is because of that the master franchising was the most popular mode of entry into distant and cultural dissimilar market such as Asia. The master franchisees prefer to own and run the entire unit instead of sub-franchising the units. It entered Singapore, Malaysia, and Taiwan by master franchising while preferring to use company-owned stored in Hong Kong, Australia and United States. Whereas for complex markets such as Japan, Philippines and the Middle East, franchise are more favored. For the companys business strategy, branding and images are consistent in host markets with that of home market. Standardization is enforced by The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf on branding to ensure that the brand image and value is consistent. Adaptation is also applied to their product. The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf has a limited range of food and beverage item in their outlets. However, The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf had included a wider range of hot food items in Asia. In facing competitors such as Starbucks, Dome and Old Town Cafà ©, The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf has develop several plans. They will create new recipes for the coffee, teas, cakes and cookies in order to attract new customers. They will have promotion or happy hours during weekdays. The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf also releases a special coffee bean card for their customers. The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf must be aware of competition on all levels and maintains its operational performance if it is to retain its status as the worlds leading specialty coffee retailer. The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf maintains a strong commitment with numerous programs contributing to local and charitable causes. Their Caring Cup initiatives support charities, foundations and schools around the world. Domestic Programs such as The Help Group, Support from Home and Orange Country Adopt-A-School Program. Global Programs include Kidane Mehret Students, Aid Lanka Kids Foundation, CCC Foundation, Shree Dwarika Tea Estate, The Mukengeria Tea Estate and others. The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf has earned its good reputation by sustaining a strong commitment to the community with numerous programs contributing to local and charitable causes. ORGANIZING Organizing is the function of management which follows planning. It is a function in which the synchronization and combination of human, physical and financial resources takes place. All the three resources are important to get results. Therefore, organizational function helps in achievement of results which in fact is important for the functioning of a concern. According to Chester Barnard, Organizing is a function by which the concern is able to define the role positions, the jobs related and the co- ordination between authority and responsibility. Hence, a manager always has to organize in order to get results. The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf is s an American coffee chain, owned and operated by International Coffee Tea, LLC, which has its corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, California. The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf is managed by the highest level of organizational management which is Senior Management who has the day-to-day responsibilities of managing The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf, they hold specific executive powers conferred onto them with and by authority of the board of directors and/or the shareholders. The following are the structural of Senior Management: Executive Chairman of the Management Board. Focus on the development of the companys strategic business plan. Chief Executive Officer President. Responsible for setting strategy and directing the day-to-day operations of the Companys global brand and business. Chief Financial Officer Responsible for all Accounting, Finance, Treasury, IT and Loss Prevention functions. Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Legal Officer and Senior Vice President. Responsible for the Companys legal, human resource, real estate and global supply chain initiatives and maintains an active role in the Companys overall leadership. Vice President of Operations. Focused on the profitable growth of the Companys Domestic Operations Division through the development of our people at all levels, while creating a spirit that inspires our Team Members to deliver a Total Quality Experience for every customer in every store. Vice President of Business Development. Responsible for domestic and international franchises, in both traditional and non-traditional locations. Vice President of Supply Chain. Responsible for all supply chain and manufacturing operations worldwide and the Companys product development and quality assurance functions. Vice President of Marketing. Responsible for brand stewardship, overall marketing strategy as well as specific programs, promotions and category plans that support segment sales (retail operations, business development, specialty sales and ecommerce). Director of Product Innovation. Oversaw the development of all new coffees and teas, beverages, and other related products, including food and equipment Senior Director of Coffee, Roasting and Manufacturing. Responsible for selecting the best green coffee beans available from the worlds finest growing regions, as well as for all coffee and tea manufacturing, for warehousing and distribution worldwide. Director of Tea. Responsible for sourcing, development and internal education on tea. Other than that, to boost the abilities of the employees, The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf has designed exceptional recruitment, training and recognition programs that greatly contribute to their valuable investment, Team Member satisfaction. Starting with recruitment, they hold in-store job fairs during normal business hours so applicants have the experience. They have a Team Member Referral Program to reward our Team Members for serving as ambassadors as they actively recruit prospective employees to our brand. We provide a detailed Manager in Training (MIT) program for all new Field Operation Managers. As our Team Members advance, The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf contributes to the professional development of its Team Members through the performance management process with Stretch Assignments and Individual Development Programs (IDPs) for high potentials, where they have the opportunity to be mentored and become a mentor. Not only are the Stretch Assignments and IDP Program a benefit to Team Me mbers, it allows Team Members to interact across various departments between the Home Office, Roasting Distribution Facility (RAD), Bakery and Field Operations. To properly recognize the hard work of its Team Members, The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf annually rewards selected Team Members with a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the coffee farms of Costa Rica, where the company gets a portion of its coffee beans. The trip is the most coveted of the Team Member incentive programs. Team members participate in a harvest, visit the processing mill and host an appreciation dinner for the farmers and growers. A good organizing structural can be very effective in building up awareness of your business and lending it credibility, but it does involve a lot of effort on the part of the organizer. Besides, it may also boost the satisfaction of the customers. Organizational structure help determine how well its employees make decisions, but it also reflects how well they respond to problems. These responses, over time, can make or break an organization. In addition, the organizational structure influences employees attitudes toward their work. A suitable organizational structure can minimize a businesss costs, as well as maximize its efficiency. This shows that organizing is important in increases its ability to compete in a global economy. LEADING Leading is the management function that use of influence to motivate employees to achieve organization goals. Leading means that creating a shared culture and value, communicating goals to employees throughout the organization. Managers are always motivating the employees with the desire to reach the best performance for organization. Managers are the inspiration and as a leader to all employees, employees will follow all the instruction that given by the manager. Employees follow the managers because they believe in what the manager is doing and they are trying to help the company achieve its goals. To successfully perform the leading process, The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf has find finding ways to inspire the employees, means coaching them and motivating them to succeed as integral parts of the company. Managers always create a climate in order to encourage and motivate their employees to come out with new ideas and inputs. The managers also create a good environment for the employees and let all the employees to voice out their opinion towards their work. The more the employees feel that they have a say in the company, the more they will be willing to share ideas and attempt to find better ways to improve processes. From the interview with The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf, we know that there are the target sales for weekdays and weekends, which is 40 cups of drinks on weekdays and 200 cups of drink at weekends. The managers have set the target sales for all shop and this also purposely to motivate the employees to work their best to sell their drinks and beverages to hit the sales target. In addition, managers will reward employees by giving monetary or incentives when they can increase the sales and hit the target. According to the store manager, she stated that this kind of rewards is useful and efficient to motivate the employees for their work. Sales are increasing since the rewards are given out to the employees which had had hit the sales target. The manager of The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf also stated that, the leading is the key to effective communication. The managers and employees are always communicate well to avoid any conflict happen to affect the organization. For a manager to be an effective leader, he or she must also be an effective communicator. The manager had always shares the information and the latest news for all the employees in the company. This has shown that the manager is deemed trustworthy by the employees. The good and well communication has built up a loyalty between the managers and employees. As a opposite side, the employees will feel that a little loyalty or trust towards a manager who does not readily give out information. Besides that, from the interview we know that sometimes there are the conflicts between the employees and this will affect the workforce. According the manager of The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf, she says that the manager will handle this kind of problems by consult the employees and listen to their think and opinion. The managers also share the experience to the employees in order to consult them and solve the conflict and crisis between the employees. Managers have always lead the employees to positive think and maintain a happy and harmony workplace because this is significantly will affect the performance of the employees during their works. The employees of The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf are emphasizing the cooperation between each other. So, the relationship between the employees is good and close. We have learned that, an effective leader inspires employees, which allows those employees to feel like they are making a meaningful contribution to the company. So the role of managers is very important in leading process. The manager of The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf has perform well as a leader in the leading process, this is the reason that the employees have satisfied and generally work harder and take more ownership in their job positions. This will also motivate the employees perform high level of job and the customers will receive the high level of customer service. As a conclusion, leading process is very important and significant stage for organisation. We can say that great leaders in an organization affect the employees they supervise, but they also inspire those in other parts of the company. Effective leadership is infectious and should be spread to as many areas of the organization as possible; doing this will result in a highly-coordinated effort to please both customers and employees. CONTROLLING Controlling is the fourth function in the management process. Controlling means monitoring employees activities, determining whether the organization is on target towards its goal, and making correction as necessary. In year 2006, when the president of The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf found the company was facing its worst fiscal performance. He quickly identified one major, underlying issue that The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf various managers needed to boost their commitment and involvement with their stores and be accountable for performance. After attending the MAP workshop, The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf decided to bring in the expert consultant to introduce MAP to the entire management team. MAP coached The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf in setting up its Vital Factor Dashboard, which gave the managers a way to establish, monitor and measure individual and group goals. This created the foundation for a collaborative approach that instilled fresh ownership and accountability among the managers and crucial team-building skills. As a group, the managers celebrated achievements and identified opportunities to reach healthier levels of success. This newfound energy motivated and inspired the managers, who started taking greater ownership in store and company performance. Instead of taking a top-down management approach, they addressed responsibilities from the bottom-up which including customer interactions and communications, employee insights and feedback, and a hands-on. With the MAP system in place, The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf experienced a complete turnaround in its productivity and profitability. In terms of the workplace culture, the managers renewed ownership in their stores, plus their dedication to the welfare of their employees, customers and the company at large. Employees caught the spirit, which has since translated into better service and product. In three years time, sales have increased 30 percent, the cost of goods has dropped 3 percent, labor costs have shrunk 5 percent, and personnel turnover has decreased from 236 to 52 percent annually. As to bottom-line profits, The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf has experienced a 200 percent turnaround from 2006, positioning the company in a positive cash-flow situation, despite a weakened national economy. The improvements from MAPs structured system, as well as the coachs ability to create for the managers that important buy-in to the program, which impacted their ability to set and achieve key goals. From the interview with The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf, we found that they monitor their employees activities by their performance. The manager will try to solve their problem whenever she found that their performances have dropped. She will try to help them in order to raise their performance up. The manager also prepared duty schedule for the employees so that all employees have equality working hour. Manager stated that for the new employees, she will assigned them with the cleaning job first before they can proceed to become barista. Their working duty will change every week and depends on the situation and how fast the employees could master the task. For the cashier task, it is reserve for the staff that worked long period and has more experience. The companies differentiate the new staff and old staffs in order to prevent the problem happen. It is very easy for the new staff to make some mistake. This differentiation could be easier for the manager to monitor them. The main product of The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf is tea leaves. The company needs to make sure that those products are on target toward its goal. When the company found that those products do not on target, they need to make corrections in this area. The manager said, this could happen probably that they did not take out the dry bean that in the process when the time is ready for the dry bean to take out. When there is short of employees this could happen but they are tried to avoid this from happen. Quality of the bean is very important to them and they would take this seriously because this would affect their company sales target. The other problem could be the clean environment of the place. The manager will make sure that the surrounding area must be clean because clean environment could easily attract customer to dine in. A clean environment is also an effect that cause a company sales targets to drop. The manager make correction of this problem by assign that cleaning job must be done twice time in a day that is once in morning and once in night when the shop close. The day that we went for interview, we found that the shop air condition is not in well-being. The manager told us somehow this air conditioning would also affect the customer to dine in. The manager had called for the technician to fix the air conditioning as well. For the conclusion, there are many problems that could affect the target of the company and monitoring employees activities is not an easy job for the manager too. CONCLUSION As the summary of what we discussed, The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf can be conclude as a worldwide cafà © all over the world. Not only is it paramount that they can provide with the highest quality products, but its equally important that the ingredients for these products come from growers who pay fair wages and treat workers respectfully. The mission of The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf is to create a spirit within company that inspires team members to provide the customers with the total Quality Experience which are Quality of Product, Service and Environment. Moreover, The Coffee Bean Tea Leafs vision is to serve its community and provide the destination and lifestyle quality experience. Every corporation needs the management functions which are Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling to manage their business. Same goes to The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf, they need those function in order to continue their business. Planning means defining the goals of an organization for future organizational performance and deciding on the task and the use of resources to attain them. The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf usually gives priority to their customers. The marketing approach is essential to gain a competitive advantage for The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf in the foreign market. The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf maintains the quality of their coffee bean and beverages in order to achieve their goal. The second management function is organizing. Organizing involves assigning task, group task to departments, delegating authority and allocating the resources across the organization. This organizational function helps in achievement of results which in fact is important for the functioning of a concern. As what we have been discuss in Organizing part, The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf is managed by the highest level of organizational management which is Senior Management who has the day-to-day responsibilities of managing the corporation. A company can be very effective in building up awareness and lending it credibility if there is a good organizing structural. It also can maximize a companys profit and minimize the cost. Leading is the third management function right after organization. Leading can be derive as the use of influence to motivate the employees to attain the organizational goals. According to The Coffee Bean Tea Leafs manager, they will reward employees by giving monetary or incentives to motivate employees where they can increase the sales and hit the target that they had set. As we know that, The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf has the target sales for weekdays and weekends, which is 40 cups of drinks on weekdays and 200 cups of drink at weekends. Besides, employees are given opportunity to voice out their problem as well as opinion in order to have a harmony environment. The one who is working in harmony environment will be more There are always a good communication occur between employers and employees to avoid any conflict among them. Lastly, controlling is the final process of management function. Controlling means monitoring the employees performance and always made sure the organization is on track towards goal and making correction as necessary. The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf has decided to bring in the expert consultant to introduce MAP to the entire management team so that the manager can monitor and measure individual and group goals. This MAP Management System TM is a cornerstone of the program. It can increase effectiveness of the management team. In terms of the workplace culture, the managers renewed ownership in their stores, plus their dedication to the welfare of their employees, customers and the company at large. In conclusion, in order to be a successful organization, it must have good management functions which are planning, organizing, leading and controlling. Since The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf has all this management function, it can be say that is a success organization.

Essay --

Introduction My approach of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of using Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act to ascertain how the Act response to capital market of regulating SEC corporate and external audit firms for preventing and deterring fraud. Examining SOX, we identify any deficiencies and betterment for its effective implementation with reference to academic research. With literature review on ethic, education, and culture for further fraud preventive measurement. Purpose to enact the Sarbanes-Oxley Act The Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act of 2002 was enacted as a reaction to a number of major corporate and accounting scandals including Enron, Tyco, Peregrine Systems, and WorldCom. These scandals, which cost investors billions of dollars when the share prices of affected companies collapsed, shook public confidence in the US securities markets. It is the most far-reaching and significant new federal regulatory statute affecting accountants and corporate governance since the Securities Acts of 1933 and 1934. SOX act impact on accountant liabilities, particularly the new regulatory agency and also accounting independence. The focus of SOX 302 is on disclosure of controls and procedures, while SOX 404 focuses on internal control over financial reporting. Under SOX Section 906, criminal penalties can be imposed on managers who knowingly certify a period report that does not comfort with the requirements. It is clearly comprehend the regulatory SEC corporate in their annual financial report: o ne on the financial statements, one on management’s assessment of internal control effectiveness, and a third on the effectiveness of internal control over financing reporting. Effectiveness of SOX Act of 2002 Prior of the SOX Act, liability wou... ...It not only requires management to provide an assessment of internal controls, but also requires auditors to provide an opinion on management assessment. It is therefore inflated the auditors’ fee and account conservatism, and increased management focus over financial reporting and internal control distracting managerial strategic actions. It is important for both management and auditors familiar with the process of implementing, evaluating, and reporting on internal control. It is also important to understand the impact of corporate governance isomorphic mechanisms such as audit committees and direct result of increased pressures from governmental and professional bodies to adopt certain professional code of ethic and organizational support as a moderator for deterring financial scandal arising from internal control weakness and misstatement of financial reporting.

Use of Alliteration, Assonance, and Cacophony :: Use of Alliteration, Assonance, and Cacophony

Use of the Rhetorical Strategies of Alliteration, Assonance, and Cacophony Candice Scheffing, a student a New Mexico Tech, not to long ago sent an email to the Clark112-list on the subject of gender. She had analyzed an essay by James Q. Wilson called "Gender" for his use of rhetorical strategies. Many rhetorical strategies can be seen in the email. The rhetorical strategies that can be found are alliteration, assonance, and cacophony. The major rhetorical strategy that Scheffing used was alliteration. The use of alliteration by Scheffing serves to be quite effective in email because it allows her to point out the use of rhetorical strategies by Wilson in his essay. An example of alliteration used by Scheffing is, "A number of examples are obvious through the first few paragraphs of the essay" (1). The alliteration can be seen in the words "first" and "few." Another sample of alliteration in Scheffing’s work can be seen in this sentence, "This reference to nature as having human characteristics is a personification" (1). The use of alliteration in this sentence can be seen in the beginning sounds of "having" and "human" that are in a series. A final example of alliteration in Scheffing’s email is, "This statement seems most disturbing to anyone who would read it because it either doesn’t make sense, or is believed to be completely wrong" (1). The alliteration can be noticed in the series of wor ds; "statement," "seems," "who," and "would." The use of alliteration by Scheffing serves as probably her most useful use of rhetorical strategies. Another rhetorical strategy used by Candice is assonance. Assonance does not serve as a major source of rhetorical strategies, but it still is present in her email. The use of assonance keeps the readers attention somewhat because the email begins to sound like a rhyme as it is read. The first example of assonance in Scheffing’s email is, "It becomes interesting that ‘nature’ can ‘play tricks’ on humankind" (1). The use of assonance can be seen in the same sounds of "nature," "play," "can," and "humankind." A second example of assonance in the email is, "Two contrasting words, ‘essential’ and ‘useless’ are in the same sentence referring to the same group of people: males" (Scheffing, 1). The assonance is evident in these sounds of "same" and "males." The third example of assonance I have seen in Scheffing’s email is, "These three forms of rhetoric, personification, antithesis and logos are each very important keys to the effectiveness of Wilson’s essay" (1).

Pearl Jam, Everclear, And No Doubt Essay -- essays research papers

Pearl Jam, Everclear, and No Doubt   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Almost everyone has a favorite band. People buy CD's and tapes to not only listen to the music that they like, but to support that band. There are many, many different types of music, and usually a certain band will fit into a specific type of music. I listen mostly to alternative/grunge music. And by coincidence the three bands I'm going to talk about are all from the west coast. I am going to talk a little bit about three of my favorite bands in that category: Pearl Jam, Everclear, and No Doubt.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pearl Jam is a band from Seattle. They were one of the first alternative bands to ever become popular from this area. The lead singer of Pearl Jam is Eddie Vedder, he does the lead vocals and plays t...

Inspirational Essay

We walk around in the world and we as human beings look to find fulfillment and happiness in many things such as sports, friends, and boy/girlfriends and as young people when we get rejected by these things we act like we can’t go on with life. . But i challenge you to think about the meaning of â€Å"LIFE†. Well Life is a Gift of God, Abundance of receiving things. . In John 4 its speaks on living water and how Jesus uses both the physical and spiritual meaning of water when he speaks to the Samaritan Woman, He refers to the spiritual side as living water. People in the world tend to you suicide or hurting themselves as a way out of situations but God gave us eternal life so that we may be humble servants unto him. . God never puts more on us than we can bear. . Life is important so we really need to know the meaning of it because it seems to be lost in today’s society. .I used to be bitter and sad before i had gotten saved. . I had a huge void that needed to be filled and nothing truly could fill it. . Except GOD.

Learning Portfolio Essay

During the semester, I have had to develop a unique study structure that was going to maximize the efficiency with which I utilized my study time. Before starting the course, I read the study handbook so that I could get a rough idea of what the course entailed and the nature of information I would be required to familiarize myself with. This enabled me to identify other relevant sources of information besides the books suggested in the recommended reading list. In the process of reading these materials, I took brief notes of the ideas and points that appeared noteworthy. Being in a non-English speaking country, obtaining relevant books and other resource materials was somehow challenging. I learned to utilize the internet to get books and journal articles from electronic libraries and databases. I also had to subscribe to various journals so that I could get updated news about the course since I realized that criminology is a dynamic topic and it requires one to get case studies and briefs. After the onset of the course, I had to develop effective study habits so that I could organize my time while staying on top of my work. I realized that in order to succeed, I had to make the right decisions about managing my time and resources. I had to give my studies the priority they deserve and I did not let friends or family dictate to me on what aspects of my life were more important than others. My concentration and grasping ability is at its peak during the morning hours, at quiet and cool surroundings which do not offer any distraction. I engaged in discussions and debates surrounding the course material since I know getting the perspective of my fellow students and their contributions on the points I might have missed is very important. Concerning my assignments, I always make sure I have completed them on time and I review them before every class. I also co-relate assignment content and what is in my notes to ensure that I have completed them satisfactorily. I rely on my notes for this because they are very comprehensive since I review and update them after every class; usually including paraphrasing content in my own words and including examples. These study strategies I adopted during the semester are very effective, and after cross-checking with my fellow students and a collection of study guides available in the internet, I found out that they are still very relevant. Of course, I know there will always be ways of improving them as challenges mount. For example, I found out that I had actually misunderstood some concepts and ideas I had assumed I fully understood, so I need to liaise with my professor and study group more. When I started this course, I did not have a clear understanding of what was really expected of me. I did not know if what I was doing was right or wrong, so I had to get the help of my fellow students, friends who had already graduated from the course and my professor to help me learn how to express my points and ideas. I always want to feel that I am living up to expectation, so I always seek feedback to help me identify areas I can improve on. I have formed a consistent effort to request my colleagues and supervisors so that I can refine my perspective regarding key concepts and ideas. In my attempt to be an all-rounder, I specify the kind of feedback I need from my colleagues, professors and supervisors at work. I do not just ask for a critique of the quality and quantity of effort I put in my studies or my work, but I also seek to find out other people’s perception of how effective or ineffective my interaction with other people and the system is. I also gave some of my essays to friends and colleagues to read; and used their criticism and opinions to improve on my essay writing skills. I feel that I can use the feedback I obtain regarding my study and work strategies and quality to improve by developing plans of action based on it on a regular basis. Feedback is effective only if it is involved in the review of strengths and weaknesses so that the actions taken can be specifically tailored to build on my strengths and work on my weaknesses. It is however important to note that feedback can only be genuine if the seeker also reciprocates by giving feedback to the people he or she seeks opinion from. Even though some people may not like getting feedback on their performance especially if it is negative, I try as much as possible to reciprocate by giving genuine feedback to those willing to acknowledge it so that I can receive an equal measure in return. I would be honest if I say that this course has been an eye opener for me. Through planning my time to fulfill course requirements like attending to classes and completing my assignments in time, I have learnt to be more organized not only in class but in other spheres of my life. The need for efficiency made me engage in research in an attempt to identify better, faster and more effective reading styles, and I perfected these on this course. I have attained a better reading speed and I have become better in both written and spoken English. Through research and preparation for writing my essays, I have improved on my writing skills a great deal. I have learnt several referencing styles and I could even take a chance at professional writing as of now. Criminology requires articulate presentation of ideas, facts and arguments; and this course has increased my analytical skills and the depth of my thinking. In the past, I have sort of been what social scientists would call a right brain thinker. To me, an occurrence or a phenomenon was true or false, black or white. But the course has taught me to think from different perspectives. This has been a big change for me bearing in mind that I have been quite opinioned about criminology issues; but I have learned to pay attention and get many sides to any event. Starting university has had an enormous impact on my academic, personal and work life as well. Being a student and working at the same time is a challenge for many people. I work and study; and since I realize that both are important to my life, I don’t let one take the time of the other. I do not take time off to study or skip classes to work or because I worked late; but I do take some hours off to catch up on my assignments and to engage in extracurricular activities to refresh my faculties and also to write my essay. As far as my private life is concerned, my academic engagements have made it necessary to study on most nights and weekends; but the experience has been good since I have gained the ability to see things from an academic and professional angle and reason likewise. This course has definitely induced a lot of changes in me. For starters, I have learned to be flexible to divergent thoughts and ideas, and since I have learned so much in the process, I have found out that some of the opinions I hold regarding other people and occurrences are not necessarily justified. With an increase in knowledge comes a change in heart, and the new ideas, concepts and facts I have learned have changed my opinion and attitude a great deal. Since the beginning of this course, I have continually learned that there is so much information out there for me to absorb and apply in my essays, arguments and in my professional life. Information for real has the capacity to change someone’s beliefs. The more I am challenged, the more I have become aware of the need and the virtue of being able to tolerate the values, beliefs and attitudes of other people. By virtue of the amount of literature I have had to cover, my attitude towards work has changed. Work, be it academic or professional, is no longer an obligation to me, but an opportunity to improve my vistas of knowledge and my capacity to interact with people, information and real life circumstances. In other words, the course has given me an opportunity to grow in character as a person. Through the study of moral values as they apply in criminology and psychology, I have learned that morality is a very personal issue; and that not a single person can rationally claim to have more superior values as compared to others. In as such, my attitude to people has changed a lot, and I am no longer quick to judge the actions of others without first establishing the motives behind their actions. Creative and research and essay writing has taught me the importance of respecting intellectual property. I have come across so much written material in this course; materials which have increased my knowledge base in ways I could not have imagined. It is a matter of fact that people somewhere took their time to do research, derive facts and write them down plus their relationship to and application in real life situations. It is not only responsible but also ethical therefore to respect their rights to their work by responsibly using these works. Responsible use of literary material is achieved by avoiding plagiarism. This entails proper use of resources and the application of correct referencing techniques to cite the contribution of existing literature in any produced essays or research papers. I had never done any referencing before, but the resources providing guidelines for referencing available at the university website helped me a lot in learning how to responsibly utilize literary materials without abusing intellectual property. As I pointed out earlier, I did not know what was expected of me before actually joining this course. As the course progressed, I came to realize that it is actually a very interesting course. Even though it is quite challenging in terms of difficulty in comprehending some of the concepts taught, I do not regret taking it. The course has made me understand people better and have valuable insight on the motivations people have while committing some of the activities they commit. As I said earlier, I had to work as I undertook this course. The responsibilities could have been overwhelming for most people and their families, but the experience brought me closer to my wife who supported me throughout the duration of the course and has still continued to support me. In terms of my professional experience, the course has opened up my mind and conscience. I have met a lot of interesting people and the experience has made me a better communicator, improving the relationship between me and my work colleagues. I am a very ambitious person and I want to continue growing professionally, that is why I decided to further my education in the first place. My ambition sometimes brings me at odds with my colleagues, but I have known how to effectively handle their aggressions. I hope that these skills are going to push me up the professional ladder, even though this is going to take some time considering the system of my place of work.