Plan For Transform Cigna Customer Service Rating - 1720 Words

Plan to Transform Cigna Customer Service Rating Introduction For the purpose of this paper I have chosen a company that I am familiar with and one that my husband is subcontracted for now going on 16 years. The company is one that could use the improvement in customer service, and they are currently working on. By implementing Kotter’s 8-step Approach to what Cigna wants to accomplish they will defiantly accomplish their goal of increasing their customer ratings to 95%. As we will see, Cigna is an established leader in the healthcare industry that must start listening to the customers and acting upon their concerns. While implementing the transform of Cigna’s customer service rating, the communication must come from the top and flow†¦show more content†¦The merging companies are even richer in their history, â€Å"In 1792, a group of prominent citizens in Philadelphia formed the Insurance Company of North America (INA), the first marine insurance company in the United States† (Cigna.com, 2014) and Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CG) in 1865 when the Governor of Connecticut signed a special act of incorporation (Cigna.com, 2014). Cigna Corporation has been around since the early 1990s, as a startup company in the healthcare industry there were many challenges. There was stiff competition with other, more established companies in what is a very competitive market. Cigna focused on customer service, providing the best customer in the industry. Currently Cigna Corporation has approximately 50,000 employees and operates in nearly 70 countries. By the end of 1993 all of CIGNA s nine business divisions had completed business reengineering projects, some with mixed results (Raymond, Jarvenpaa, Stoddard, 1994). Most recently Cigna can boast, â€Å"$32.4 billion in annual revenues, approximately 35,000 employees worldwide, approximately 80 million global customer relationships, sales in more than 30 countries and jurisdictions, and $11.1 million in financial impact from charitable contribution† (Cigna.Com, 2014). Cigna is an established leader in the healthcare industry and will continue to prosper into the future, with innovated products, services, customer service improvements, and aggressive

Anne Moody s Coming Of Age During Mississippi And Non...

Samuel Conner Professor M. Du Bois HIST1025-002 October 30, 2015 Dreamers Instead of Leaders: Anne Moody’s Coming of Age in Mississippi and Non-Violent vs. Violent Protest for Civil Rights The American Civil Rights Movement in the late 1950s and 1960s generated massive international following and controversy, which made the movement one of the most important in U.S. history. The movement’s legacy can still be felt today, with the positive aspects, such as voting rights to African Americans and wide spread desegregation of public facilities, still being felt in the United States, and in many similar models across the globe. Although there were many â€Å"battlegrounds† where civil issues were debated, many people who know of the movement today would argue that the movement’s heart was rooted in the Deep South, ironically where it could be argued that the mentality of people living in the area at the time were the most violently opposed to such civil rights. In contrast, those who championed the Civil Rights Movement chos e the tactic of nonviolence, at least at first, as a tool to dismantle racial segregation, discrimination, and inequality. They followed models that Martin Luther King Jr. and other activists had commissioned, using principles of nonviolence and passive resistance. Civil rights leaders had understood that segregationists would do anything to maintain their power over blacks. So, in consequence, they believed some changes might be made if enough people outside theShow MoreRelatedStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pages2007, 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America. This publication is protected by Copyright, and permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photoc opying, recording, or likewise. To obtain permission(s) to use material from this work, please submit a written request to Pearson

Social Security Essay Example For Students

Social Security Essay Since the Second New Deal and the Social Security Act of 1935 the elderly and disabled of the United States have relied upon their monthly checks from the government to survive. However, from its inception the Social Security system has been plagued with numerous problems. Out of all the problems that have enveloped the system. There are only two that have seriously threaten the existence of the entire Social Security system. The first problem that jeopardized the existence of the system was in 1937 when there was a movement in the courts to declare the actions and creation of the system as being unconstitutional. This movement to prevent the establishment of the Social Security system never reached the Supreme Court. The second and most recent problem to face the system is by far the greatest threat ever to the existence of the system. This new threat is one that has been perpetuated by the inability of the system to solve the problem. The problem that is at hand today is that the Social Security system will not be able to pay its recipients their deserved funds. This problem was created by the fact that longevity has increased and that in the next 5 to 10 years the baby boomers will become eligible for Social Security. What is unique about the problem is that the systems funds will not be completely depleted until the year 2029 . The problem of depleted funds in the system is created because the system is unable to adjust to the change in life style and cost of living. Thus the system over time will not take in enough money or give out enough to support the recipient with the proper funds to survive. However as a result of a period of healthy economic growth, reduced unemployment and low inflation, the long-range solvency predictions about the Social Security system have improved over the past year, according to the Social Security Board of Trustees . The robust economy we are currently enjoying and the enactment of the Balanced Budget Act support this statement. With the past year of economic success the board predicts that the system will remain solvent until 2032 . Kenneth S. Apfel, commissioner of the Social Security Administration, calls the systems long-term financial problems manageable, but warns against relying on the often unpredictable economy to aid in the future of the ailing system . It is clear that action must be taken to stave off a serious Social Security crisis. As a Senator from Pennsylvania I am in a difficult and unique position. Pennsylvania is a state with two vastly different spectrums of the Social Security system. The first is the urban spectrum where most of the recipients are barley living above the poverty line.There are two causes for this problem. First, the cost of living in the city is exorbitantly expensive. Second, many of the urban recipients had jobs that were low paying; thus the amount of return on their Social Security checks was low. The second is th e rural spectrum where most of the people are having few problems with the system. This is because the cost of living in the countryside is low. The returns that the recipients get from the system enable them to live a comfortable life. Because of the vastly different spectrums within my state I must be careful when supporting reforms for the Social Security system. I can not support a reform that will hurt one spectrum and benefit the other. Also being a Senator I must keep in mind how the reforms will effect the rest of the nation. I must keep the mentality of a statesman at all times. Being aware of the crisis and the circumstances in my state and the nation there are several reforms that I feel should never be implemented into the system. One such reform is the proposal to privatize the system. Supporters of privatizing the Social Security system argue that privatization provides the individual with control of the Social Security portion of their retirement plan. Thus allowing i nvestors to achieve higher rates of return and higher benefits than Social Security provides. I feel this reform is not acceptable. In order to change the system to a private one it would cost a significant amount of money. This change could undermine the stable benefits that the people receive from the Social Security system. This would especially hurt the low-income recipients. It is my belief that individual accounts to invest funds can be supplemental but not replace the system. Currently many Americans invest their money for retirement. This is great but an across the board move should not be done. Another reform for the system, which I feel, should not be implement is the raise of the payroll tax. Workers and individuals pay the payroll tax from their pay checks to the system. In 1999, workers and their employers each paid 6.2 percent payroll tax on wages, up to a maximum of $72,600. It is believed that by raising the payroll tax the revenue would rise, which could mean less s evere benefit cuts to save the system. I am against this because raising the payroll tax could have a negative effect on the economy and will reduce the take-home pay of most workers, especially low-income workers. And, employers would have to pay more payroll tax. .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44 , .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44 .postImageUrl , .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44 , .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44:hover , .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44:visited , .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44:active { border:0!important; } .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44:active , .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44 .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7caa68234fdcfa02ddccdf8fb49a9f44:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Coloseum EssayThese are just two examples of proposed reforms with which I disagree with. There are however several reforms that I am a strong support of. Currently the age at which one is to begin receiving Social Security benefits is planed to be 67. Seeing that the longevity of people in America has increased it is only a plausible reform to increase the retirement age. I feel that the retirement age should be change to 70 years of age. This change can also be supported by the fact that if the retirement age in 1935 was set at 65; today the it would be above age 70. Opponents to the increase say that the older works that are forced to continue working due to the increas e in the retirement age may become unemployed and fall below the poverty line. They also say that elder people are often phased out of work because of their age. My response to this is that there are numerous laws against age discrimination. Any company that discriminates against elders will feel the wrath of justice. And the final reform is a modification of currently proposed reform. Being from a state were there are both significant urban and rural populations I know the significant difference in the cost of living. Understanding this difference I propose that the Social security system take into account the location of living for the recipient. If a recipient lives in a significantly urban area they would receive more funds to maintain a similar life style to those who receive funds in the rural areas. The benefits of the rural recipients would not be affect they would receive the same amounts as they currently do. Just the benefits of the urban recipients would be increased to insure a comfortable style of living. The problems facing the nation with the Social Security system are such that it will take a fully bipartisan action to solve them. While creating reforms for the system we must keep in mind why the system was created, how the reforms will effect each individual in the nation, and to maintain a nonbiased system. We must a nation solve these issue before they reach a point in which we can no longer salvage the system.

Sq3R Worksheet Essay Example

Sq3R Worksheet Paper Appendix H SQ3R Worksheet Selected Reading: Chapter 1 p 8-18 SurveyHow did you survey? I surveyed my reading by the chapter title and paragraph titles to get a quick overview of the reading. Then I looked through the chapter and read thru and looked at all tables and figures. QuestionWhat questions did you ask? Mostly I asked questions about how I can personally apply these techniques. A lot of my questions were related to adapting my reading style, such as â€Å"how do I† and â€Å"how will this work with†, which I use some of the techniques mentioned in the reading. ReadHow did you read? First I scanned thru the entire chapter, second I read it thoroughly and marked, highlighted, and wrote down questions. Third and lastly I re-read through the tables and figures. ReciteWhat did you recite? The second time I read the chapter I read most of it out loud quietly to myself, parts that I thought would be particularly helpful I read out loud several times breaking what it said down. ReviewHow did you review? To review I re-read my footnotes, highlighted texts, and the questions I had wrote. I skimmed each page looking for other pop out information and highlighted it. Last I went through my questions broke them down into more specific questions and tried to answer them. Wrap-up Question: How successful was the SQ3R process in helping you grasp the concepts in the section you selected? Will you use SQ3R in the future as a way to master the content in academic readings? I liked the SQ3R setup. We will write a custom essay sample on Sq3R Worksheet specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sq3R Worksheet specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sq3R Worksheet specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer I feel that I already use a lot of the techniques it uses, but the SQ3R helped me to organize and orchestrate my reading procedure and technique. I think that the process was very successful and helpful in my absorption of the reading. I feel I will use the SQ3R process in the future and apply it to my future reading whether it is academic or personal. The SQ3R process just basically gave me a visual outline and more in-depth order to the way I read already. Plus it gave me a lot of new tips and techniques to utilize.

Ishmael Reeds America The Multinational Society Essays

Ishmael Reeds America The Multinational Society Essays Ishmael Reeds America The Multinational Society Paper Ishmael Reeds America The Multinational Society Paper Shame Reed, discusses how many people In modern American society believe that America Is a monoculture, despite Its long history as a melting pot of diverse cultures. He successfully uses varying appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos to convince the audience of his Ideas and to persuade them that, indeed, America is more than just a descendent of European, or Western ideals and warns of the dangers of believing otherwise. He does this by providing specific anecdotes, like the story about diversity at a fair in Detroit, and by quoting owned scholars like Robert Thompson, a Yale professor, and even quoting racially charged bathroom graffiti. Reed establishes his credibility and builds his ethos in a few ways. Before the essay even begins, there is a half-page artist biography that includes many of Reeds previous works and background information about the author. This helps establish his credibility especially on cultural phenomena, based on his previous works. The fact that this essay Is published In a college textbook as material to be studied also helps validate his credibility as an author. Throughout the essay, Reed continues to build his ethos by speaking about a Yale professor Glenn a speech at The university of Wisconsin. Yale Is a prestigious university, so having a professor from there who agrees with his viewpoint helps build even more credibility in his argument. The Yale professor refers to America as a cultural bouillabaisse which supports Reeds view that America is a melting pot of cultures (64). Reed appeals to pathos, or emotion, throughout the essay. One example of this is when Reed quotes a famous novelist saying Western civilization was the greatest achievement of mankind, and then directly compares that to the bathroom graffiti including White Power, Naggers and Spics Suck, and even Hitler was a prophet. The author uses emotionally charged terms and events to equate the idea of Western civilization to some of the worst events In human history (65). By directly comparing the opposing viewpoint to Hitters views or the murder and lynching of thousands of Afro-Americans, he forms a strong negative emotional connection with is oppositions views. In the essay, Reed also uses logic, or logos, to persuade the viewer of his argument by using well known examples in history and today of cross-cultural influence. For example, Beethoven, a famous German composer, used entire sections of Turkish marches. He mentions both French painters and cubists and how theft been influenced by foreign cultures. He even mentions a common phenomenon that many people have experienced in recent years: the bilingual recorded instructions at an airport in Texas. These examples all show how foreign cultures influence all aspects of Western civilization from music to art to travel. Reed successfully uses the three appeals of ethos, pathos, and logos to convince the audience that the US Is more than Just a single culture, but Is a diverse group of cultures living together. He encourages the audience to embrace cultural differences and use them to make our country a cultural leader and to move away from the type of thinking that led to genocide and racial lunette so Tanat we can Decode a cultural nave Tort people AT all Docudramas.

Differences Between Centipedes and Millipedes

Differences Between Centipedes and Millipedes Centipedes and millipedes  seem to get lumped together in a miscellaneous group, simply, the critters that are not  insects or arachnids. Most people have difficulties telling the two apart. Both centipedes and millipedes belong to the subgroup of multilegged creatures called myriapods. Centipedes Within the myriapods, the centipedes belong to their own class, called chilopods. There are 8,000 species.  The class name originates from the Greek cheilos, meaning lip, and poda, meaning foot. The word centipede comes from the  Latin  prefix  centi-, meaning hundred, and  pedis, meaning foot. Despite the name, centipedes can have a varying number of legs, ranging from 30 to 354. Centipedes always have an odd number of pairs of legs, which means no species has only 100 legs as the name suggests.   Millipedes Millipedes belong to a separate class of diplopods. There are about 12,000 species of millipedes.  The class name is also from the Greek, diplopoda which means double foot.  Although the word millipede derives from the  Latin  for thousand feet, no known species has 1,000 feet, the record holds at 750 legs.   Differences Between Centipedes and Millipedes Besides the number of legs, there are a number of characteristics that set centipedes and millipedes apart.   Characteristic Centipede Millipede Antennae Long Short Number of legs One pair per body segment Two pairs per body segment, except for the first three segments, which have one pair each Appearance of legs Visibly extend from sides of body; trail backward behind body Do not visibly extend from body; rear leg pairs in line with body Movement Fast runners Slow walkers Bite Can bite Do not bite Feeding habits Mostly predatory Mostly scavengers Defensive mechanism Use their fast moves to escape predators, injects venom to paralyze prey and can squeeze prey with back legs. Curls body into tight spirals to protect their soft undersides, head, and legs. They can burrow easily. Many species discharge a smelly and disgusting-tasting liquid that drives off many predators. Ways That Centipedes and Millipedes Are Alike Although they vary in a lot of ways, there are some similarities between centipedes and millipedes like belonging to the largest phylum in the animal kingdom, Arthropoda. Body Similarities Besides both having antennae and many legs, they also breathe through little holes or spiracles on the sides of their bodies. They both have poor vision. They both grow by shedding their external skeletons, and when they are young, grow new segments to their bodies and new legs each time they molt. Habitat Preferences Both centipedes and millipedes are found throughout the world but are most abundant in the tropics. They require a moist environment and are most active at night. Meet the Species The giant Sonoran centipede,  Scolopendra heros, which is native to Texas in the U.S., can reach 6 inches in length and has sizeable jaws that pack quite a punch. The venom can cause enough pain and swelling to land you in the hospital and can be very dangerous to small children or  individuals that are sensitive to insect toxins. The giant African millipede,  Archispirostreptus  gigas, is one of the largest millipedes, growing up to 15 inches in length. It has approximately 256 legs. It is native to Africa but rarely lives in high altitudes. It prefers forest. It is black in color, is harmless and is often kept as a pet. Generally, giant millipedes have a life expectancy of up to seven years.

The Rise and Fall of Solyndra Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Rise and Fall of Solyndra - Research Paper Example A firm uses its particular strengths to compete in the marketplace while seeking to minimize the effect of its weaknesses. The case of Solyndra, the solar panel manufacturer, is unique because it was the only company in the solar panel manufacturing industry of the USA that relied on silicon based technology. The Formation of Solyndra Solyndra was founded in 2005 by Dr. Christian Gronet and had its headquarters in Fremont, California. The company manufactured cylindrical panels of CIGS (copper-indium-gallium-diselenide) based thin film solar cells which, as it was believed, represented a superior technology having certain advantages over conventionally produced solar cells. Thus, the company hoped to have created its own niche within the industry. The sales revenues for 2009 and 2010 were $100 million and $140 million respectively, before a peculiar set of circumstances forced the company to file for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 in 2011. The company claimed to have set up 1000 systems all around the world (The Solyndra Website, 2011). The Emergence of Legal and Other Issues Solyndra has been a company that was touted to be a success story exemplifying the usefulness of the Obama Administration’s green energy plan for the nation. The founder of the company was replaced by Bernie Harrison, an Intel veteran as CEO in September 2009. The company resorted to lobbying and had contributed a sizeable sum to the Obama campaign. Small wonder then- that out of 143 companies applying for a Federal loan, Solyndra was the first to receive a sum of $527 million from the Federal Financing Bank, under conditional guarantee from the US Department of Energy. By that time, it had already spent about $1.8 million lobbying for this cause. Further investigations have revealed that due to Chinese solar panels flooding the US markets, the company had been unable to compete effectively and had been forced to sell many of its products at below the cost of production. Moreover, as t he cost of silicon plummeted in the world market, it became more and more difficult to make a profit. It appeared that the company had chosen the wrong silicon based technology to make its products and was now bearing the brunt of this mistake. Controversies Surrounding the Company Ethical considerations notwithstanding, one might have expected that the loan from the Obama Administration would be used to correct an already worsening situation and that the company would try to claw its way of the abyss it had fallen into. Sadly, this was never the case. Investigations by the FBI and newspaper reports by the Washington Post and others have revealed that company executives and top management went on a spending spree following the approval of the loan. However, weakening demand in the light of competition from Chinese firms such as Yingli and Suntech was cited as a worry. Solyndra’s new plant was built from the proceeds of the loan and another $198 million from private investors. At the time of taking the loan, the company had promised to create at least 3000 jobs in the construction and solar manufacturing industries, of which 1000 would be US based. But it all came to nothing and Solyndra was forced to file for bankruptcy

The Professional Accountant Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Professional Accountant Assignment - Essay Example In this case, the definition of the independent directors may vary. An independent member of the board should be in depend in terms of not just the definition but also in terms of the structure of his or her work and how he relates to the firm. They have to be independent from the executives of the firm with regard to the financial gains. The new governance is very difference from the UK cooperate governance standards. For instance, it will have to include a council o a maximum of 100 members who will be in control of the firm with regard to overseeing the decisions of the firm through voting. This is very different from the corporate governance for UK cooperates because they do not usually have these (Solomon, 2011). This is however necessary for the cooperative because as Lord Myner said in his report, the cooperative should always be in the control of its owners. In this regard, he proposed that there must be as many members of the council in order to make sure that they oversee the decisions and actions for the executives. Corporations do not have this kind of government and only depend on bound members and the CEO as well as the chainman to the board. However, for a cooperative, this may be necessary on order to guarantee that the vested interests of the cooperative members have been achieved (Mallin, 2013). The other difference between the new structure in the cooperative and the UK cooperate structure is the senate which will be elected by the council members. This senate will help co-ordinate the activities of the council. It will also help in coordinating the relationships and operation of the council, the board and the executives of the cooperative. This is different from the standard UK corporate governance as these corporations do not have a senate or even a council (Thompson & Wright, 2013). The non-executive directors are involved in the strategy development by contributing to the processes they help in this by challenging

How Muslim practises reflect Islamic teaching on the role and status of women Essay Example for Free

How Muslim practises reflect Islamic teaching on the role and status of women Essay Explain how Muslim practises reflect Islamic teaching on the role and status of women Islamic teaching and theories are such so that they can be applied to modern life. Islam recognizes the fact that men are generally physically stronger than women, but does not place men above women. They are given different skills to do so women are given the duty of providing food for the hungry, refuge for the weary, hospitality for the guest, comfort for the distressed, peace for the troubled, hope for the insecure and encouragement for the weak. They are expected to cook for the family, clean and give love to her husband. This sounds all very one sided, however marriage in Islam is a team effort- the husband has his expectations and requirements to. Islam treats women as equals to men and that their role is as important as men. The rights of a woman are sacred; ensure that women are maintained in the rights assigned to them [Hadith] A Muslim woman has the right to stay a virgin, unmolested by anyone. She has the right to be looked after when in pain. She does not have to fast during Ramadan, because she is going through so much pain, therefore she must be treated with respect. It is a privilege given to women because Islam recognizes the crucial role they play in life. Since they are burdened with the responsibility of upholding the home and bringing up the children, she is not expected to work or earn money. Allah says in Quran, surah 2, verse 228, and women shall have the rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable A man came to Prophet Muhammad asking, O Messenger of Allah, who among the people is the most worthy of my good companionship? The Prophet said, Your mother. The man said, Then, who is next? The Prophet said, Your mother. The man said, Then, who is next? The Prophet said, Your mother. The man further asked, Then who is next? Only then did the Prophet say, Your father. This shows the importance that Islam gives to women. Islamic teaching about modesty states that men and women, but especially women, should cover themselves up and present themselves modestly so that men do not stare at them. This is not compulsory however, but most women choose to do it anyway. This shows that women do not feel that they are treated inferior to men and being forced to wear it. Instead of totally covering themselves up completely in some countries, they just dress modestly by covering their heads or wearing a scarf. They never wear anything tight. Modesty and faith are joined closely together; if either of them is lost, the other goes also. Every religion has a special character; the characteristic of Islam is modesty [Hadith] This is an example of how Islamic teaching about women is applied in every day life. Men also have to dress modestly. Women do not have to go to the mosque, but instead pray at home. This reflects the teaching about women having to bring up the household. Since this is their duty, they are allowed to pray at home. Because women are not seen as objects, but as equals to men they are given a dowry from the husband when they get married. This is to show that the woman is not just an object to fulfil any sexual desires, or work for him, but that she is a human being. A man being allowed to have more than one wife is not just a benefit to the man. The woman chooses whether or not she wants to marry a man with a wife already, or if the man she is marrying is allowed to have more than one wife after her. It is entirely her choice. By allowing her husband to have more than one wife she will benefit by the fact that there will be someone else to help her bring up the children and to bring up the household. The man is allowed to have more than one wife, but the woman decides it in the end. In Islam, the woman can have any job she pleases, since they are equals. If a woman chooses to work, it is entirely her choice but she does not have to. The husband should treat the wife with respect and not take her for granted. He should not think of her a servant and that she must make his dinner. She doesnt but she probably does because marriage in Islam is give and take. He should consult her when making decisions, because women are just as important and clever as men. So Muslim couples discuss things and work things out together and do not take each other for granted. Women have as much of a right to pray in a mosque as a man, since everyone is equal. All people are equalas the teeth of a comb. No Arab can claim merit over a non-Arab, nor a white over a black person, nor a male over a female [Hadith] What happens is that the men pray at the front, while the women pray at the back behind a sheet or curtain. The reason for the men being at the front is not that men are superior, but to prevent any flirtatious thoughts by the men and help them focus on Allah rather than the opposite sex. There are many rules concerning women, and these have been incorporated into modern life so that they still hold true to the rule.

College Admissions Essay: Art Therapy and Animal Therapy :: College Admissions Essays

Art Therapy and Animal Therapy    As another wave of excited, hopeful seniors pack their cars for college, the community that nurtured them watches them go with nostalgia and anticipation at what these bright new adults will make with the talents bestowed on them and with the mountains of opportunity available to them. The students are brimming with anticipation also - what possibilities await them! As I take my place with my fellow classmates, I watch my old community fade into the distance and wonder how I will contribute to my community in the future.    My career choices have varied throughout the years with a colorful strand threading my love for animals, art and people. I intend to major in psychology with a minor in art. My dream is to help people through my compassion and creativity. Art therapy and animal therapy are exciting fields of work hungry for new talent and well-educated, dedicated professionals. My love of these lines of work stems from having witnessed the wrinkled hand of an infirm, elderly woman stroke the soft fur of a dog, immediately brightening and starting to communicate her first words in years. I have also understood the intense relief of parents of a sick, depressed child whose interest in her artwork sparks renewed interest in the world around her. My artistic ability, strength in science, love of animals and passion for bettering the lives around me give me daily reasons why I know I am committed to this field.    However, the reasons do not stop there. I want to extend my vision into the community, perhaps starting a program in my church community that involves participants taking small pets on their visits to nursing home residents. I could even involve surrounding youth groups in work on art projects with the youth at our local children's home. Getting the community involved in such projects opens new outlets of creativity to flow into a cause I am so passionate about. Plus, the participation can be a healing, nurturing experience on both sides. With my sometimes-stubborn determination and enthusiasm for this endeavor, I will be able to involve my community in worthwhile efforts to improve the conditions of many of those who need most need assistance.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Ten

WHEN YOUR BOYFRIEND IS A dream-walker, you pick up a few lessons. One of the most important is that doing physical things in dreams feels exactly like doing them in the real world. Say, like kissing someone. Adrian and I had shared a number of dream- kisses intense enough to spark my body wanting to try a whole lot more. Although I'd never actually attacked someone in a dream, I was willing to bet a punch here would feel just as painful as a real one. Without hesitation, I lunged toward Victor, uncertain as to whether I should sock him or choke him. Both seemed like good ideas. Turned out, I did neither. Before I could reach him, I slammed into an invisible wall–hard. It both blocked me from him and bounced me back at the impact. I stumbled, tried to regain my footing, but instead landed painfully on the ground. Yup–dreams felt just like real life. I glared at Robert, feeling a mix of both anger and uneasiness. I tried to hide that last emotion. â€Å"You're a spirit user with telekinesis?' We'd known that was possible, but it was a skill neither Lissa nor Adrian had mastered yet. I really didn't like the idea that Robert might have the power to throw objects around and create invisible barriers. It was a disadvantage we didn't need. Robert remained enigmatic. â€Å"I control the dream.' Victor was looking down at me with that smug, calculating expression he excelled at. Realizing what an undignified position I was in, I leapt to my feet. I kept a hard stance, my body tense and ready as I wondered if Robert would keep the wall up continuously. â€Å"Are you done with your tantrum?' asked Victor. â€Å"Behaving like a civilized person will make our talk so much more pleasant.' â€Å"I have no interest in talking to you,' I snapped. â€Å"The only thing I'm going to do is hunt you down in the real world and drag you back to the authorities.' â€Å"Charming,' said Victor. â€Å"We can share a cell.' I winced. â€Å"Yes,' he continued. â€Å"I know all about what happened. Poor Tatiana. Such a tragedy. Such a loss.' His mocking, melodramatic tone sparked an alarming idea. â€Å"You †¦ you didn't have anything to do with it, did you?' Victor's escape from prison had triggered a lot of fear and paranoia amongst the Moroi. They'd been convinced he was coming for them all. Knowing the truth about the escape, I'd dismissed such talk and figured he'd simply lie low. Now, remembering how he'd once wanted to start a revolution among the Moroi, I wondered if the queen's murderer actually was the most evil villain we knew. Victor snorted. â€Å"Hardly.' He put his hands behind his back as he paced the room and pretended to study the art. I again wondered how far Robert's shield extended. â€Å"I have much more sophisticated methods to accomplish my goals. I wouldn't stoop to something like that–and neither would you.' I was about to point out that messing with Lissa's mind was hardly sophisticated, but his last words caught my attention. â€Å"You don't think I did it?' He glanced back from where he'd been studying a man with a top hat and cane. â€Å"Of course not. You'd never do anything that required that much foresight. And, if what I've heard about the crime scene is true, you'd never leave that much evidence behind.' There was both an insult and a compliment there. â€Å"Well, thanks for the vote of confidence. I've been worrying about what you'd think.' This earned me a smile, and I crossed my arms over my chest. â€Å"How do you guys even know what's happening at Court? Do you have spies?' â€Å"This sort of thing spreads throughout the Moroi world quickly,' said Victor. â€Å"I'm not that out of touch. I knew about her murder almost as soon as it happened. And about your most impressive escape.' My attention mostly stayed on Victor, but I did cast a quick glance at Robert. He remained silent, and from the blank, distracted look in his eyes, I wondered if he was even aware of what was being said around him. Seeing him always sent a chill down my spine. He was a prominent example of spirit at its worst. â€Å"Why do you care?' I demanded. â€Å"And why the hell are you bothering me in my dreams?' Victor continued his pacing, pausing to run his fingertips along the harp's smooth, wooden surface. â€Å"Because I have a great interest in Moroi politics. And I'd like to know who's responsible for the murder and what their game is.' I smirked. â€Å"Sounds like you're just jealous someone else is pulling the strings besides you for a change. No pun intended.' His hand dropped from the harp, back to his side, and he fixed his sharp eyes on me, eyes the same pale green as Lissa's. â€Å"Your witty commentary isn't going to get you anywhere. You can either let us help you or not.' â€Å"You are the last person I want help from. I don't need it.' â€Å"Yes. Things seem to be going quite well for you, now that you're a hunted fugitive and on the run with a man that many still believe is Strigoi.' Victor gave a calculated pause. â€Å"Of course, I'm sure you don't mind that last part so much. You know, if I found you two, I could probably shoot you and be welcomed back as a hero.' â€Å"Don't bet on it.' Rage burned through me, both at his insinuation and because he'd caused so much trouble for Dimitri and me in the past. With great force of will, I replied in a low, deadly voice: â€Å"I am going to find you. And you probably won't live to see the authorities.' â€Å"We already established murder isn't in your skill set.' Victor sat down in one of the cushioned chairs, making himself comfortable. Robert continued standing, that out-of-it expression still on his face. â€Å"Now, the first thing we need to do is determine why someone would want to kill our late queen. Her abrasive personality is hardly motivation, though I'm sure it didn't hurt. People do things like this for power and advantage, to push their agendas through. From what I hear, Tatiana's most controversial action recently was that age law–yes, that's the one. The one making you scowl at me like that. It stands to reason that her murderer opposed that.' I didn't want to comply with Victor at all. I didn't want a reasonable discussion with him. What I wanted was some indication of where he was in real life, and then, I wanted to take a chance on slamming into that invisible wall again. It'd be worth the risk if I could do some damage. So, I was a bit surprised when I found myself saying, â€Å"Or, whoever did it wanted to push something worse through–something harsher on dhampirs. They thought her decree was too soft.' I admit, catching Victor Dashkov off guard was one of the greatest joys of my life. I had that satisfaction now, seeing his eyebrows rise in astonishment. It wasn't easy proposing something a master schemer like him hadn't already considered. â€Å"Interesting,' he said at last. â€Å"I may have underestimated you, Rose. That's a brilliant deduction on your part.' â€Å"Well, um †¦ it wasn't exactly my deduction.' Victor waited expectantly. Even Robert snapped out of his daze and focused on me. It was creepy. â€Å"It was Tatiana's. I mean, not her deduction. She said it directly–well, that is, the note she left for me did.' Why was I rambling in front of these guys? At least I surprised Victor again. â€Å"Tatiana Ivashkov left you a note with clandestine information? Whatever for?' I bit my lip and turned my attention over to one of the paintings. It showed an elegant Moroi woman with those same jade green eyes most Dashkovs and Dragomirs shared. I suddenly wondered if perhaps Robert had formed this dream in some Dashkov mansion from their childhood. Movement in my periphery made me instantly turn back to the brothers. Victor rose and took a few steps toward me, curiosity and cunning all over him. â€Å"There's more. What else did she tell you? She knew she was in danger. She knew this law was part of it †¦ but it wasn't the only thing, was it?' I remained silent, but a crazy idea began forming in my mind. I was actually considering seeing if Victor could help me. Of course, in retrospect, that wasn't such a crazy notion, considering I'd already busted him out of prison to get his help. â€Å"Tatiana said †¦' Should I say it? Should I give up the secret even Lissa didn't know? If Victor knew there was another Dragomir, he might use that knowledge for one of his schemes. How? I wasn't sure but had long learned to expect the unexpected from him. Yet †¦ Victor knew a lot of Moroi secrets. I would have enjoyed watching him and Abe match wits. And I didn't doubt that a lot of Victor's inside knowledge involved the Dragomirs and Dashkovs. I swallowed. â€Å"Tatiana said that there was another Dragomir. That Lissa's dad had an affair and that if I could find whoever this is, it'll give Lissa her power back on the Council.' When Victor and Robert exchanged shocked looks, I knew my plan had backfired. Victor wasn't going to give me insight. Instead, I'd been the one to just yield valuable information. Damn, damn, damn. He turned his attention back to me, his expression speculative. â€Å"So. Eric Dragomir wasn't the saint he so often played.' I balled my fists. â€Å"Don't slam her dad.' â€Å"Wouldn't dream of it. I liked Eric immensely. But yes †¦ if this is true, then Tatiana is right. Vasilisa technically has family backing, and her liberal views would certainly cause friction on a Council that never seems to change their ways.' He chuckled. â€Å"Yes, I can definitely see that upsetting many people–including a murderer who wants to oppress dhampirs. I imagine he or she wouldn't want this knowledge to get out.' â€Å"Someone already tried to get rid of records linking Lissa's dad to a mistress.' I again spoke without thinking and hated myself for it. I didn't want to give the brothers any more info. I didn't want to play like we were all working together here. â€Å"And let me guess,' said Victor. â€Å"That's what you're trying to do, isn't it? Find this Dragomir bastard.' â€Å"Hey, don't–‘ â€Å"It's just an expression,' he interrupted. â€Å"If I know you two–and I feel confident I do– Vasilisa is desperately trying to clear your name back at Court while you and Belikov are off on a sexually charged adventure to find her brother or sister.' â€Å"You don't know anything about us,' I growled. Sexually charged indeed. He shrugged. â€Å"Your face says it all. And really, it's not a bad idea. Not a great one either, but not bad. Give the Dragomir family a quorum, and you'll have a voice speaking on your behalf on the Council. I don't suppose you have any leads?' â€Å"We're working on it,' I replied evasively. Victor looked at Robert. I knew the two didn't have any psychic communication, but as they exchanged glances, I had a feeling they were both thinking the same thing and confirming with each other. At last, Victor nodded and turned back to me. â€Å"Very well then. We'll help you.' He made it sound like he was reluctantly agreeing to do me a big favor. â€Å"We don't need your help!' â€Å"Of course you do. You're out of your league, Rose. You're wandering into a nest of ugly, complex politics–something you have no experience with. There's no shame in acknowledging that, just as I'm not ashamed to admit that in an irrational, ill-planned fist fight, you would certainly prove superior.' Another backhanded compliment. â€Å"We're doing just fine. We have an Alchemist helping us.' There. That would show him who was out of whose league. And, to my credit, he did look slightly impressed. Slightly. â€Å"Better than I expected. Has your Alchemist come up with a location or any lead yet?' â€Å"She's working on it,' I repeated. He sighed in frustration. â€Å"We're going to need time then, aren't we? Both for Vasilisa to investigate Court and you to start tracking this child.' â€Å"You're the one who acts like you know everything,' I pointed out. â€Å"I figured you'd know something about this.' â€Å"To my chagrin, no.' Victor didn't really sound all that put out. â€Å"But as soon as we get a thread, I assure you, I'll be essential in unraveling it.' He walked over to his brother and patted Robert's arm comfortingly. Robert stared back adoringly. â€Å"We'll visit you again. Let us know when you have something useful, and then we'll meet up with you.' My eyes widened. â€Å"You'll do no such–‘ I hesitated. I'd let Victor escape in Las Vegas. Now he was offering to come to me. Maybe I could repair that mistake and make good on my earlier threat to him. Quickly, I tried to cover my lapse of speech. â€Å"How do I know I can trust you?' â€Å"You can't,' he said bluntly. â€Å"You've got to take it on faith that the enemy of your enemy is your friend.' â€Å"I've always hated that saying. You'll always be my enemy.' I was a bit surprised when Robert suddenly came to life. He glared and stepped forward. â€Å"My brother is a good man, shadow-girl! If you hurt him †¦ if you hurt him, you'll pay. And next time you won't come back. The world of the dead won't give you up a second time.' I knew better than to take the threats of a crazy man seriously, but his last words sent a chill through me. â€Å"Your brother is a psycho–‘ â€Å"Enough, enough.' Victor again gave Robert a reassuring pat on the arm. Still scowling at me, the younger Dashkov brother backed off, but I was willing to bet that invisible wall was back in place. â€Å"This does us no good. We're wasting time–which is something we don't have enough of. We need more. The monarch elections will start any day now, and Tatiana's murderer could have a hand in those if there really was some agenda going on. We need to slow down the elections–not just to thwart the assassin, but also to give all of us time to accomplish our tasks.' I was getting tired of all this. â€Å"Yeah? And how do you propose we do that?' Victor smiled. â€Å"By running Vasilisa as a candidate for queen.' Seeing as this was Victor Dashkov we were dealing with, I really shouldn't have been surprised by anything he said. It was a testament to his level of craziness that he continually caught me unprepared. â€Å"That,' I declared, â€Å"is impossible.' â€Å"Not really,' he replied. I threw my hands up in exasperation. â€Å"Haven't you been paying attention to what we've been talking about? The whole point is to get Lissa full family rights with the Moroi. She can't even vote! How could she run for queen?' â€Å"Actually, the law says she can. According to the way the nomination policy is written, one person from each royal line may run for the monarch position. That's all it says. One person from each line may run. There is no mention of how many people need to be in her family, as there is for her to vote on the Council. She simply needs three nominations–and the law doesn't specify which family they come from.' Victor spoke in such a precise, crisp way that he might as well have been reciting from a legal book. I wondered if he had all the laws memorized. I supposed if you were going to make a career of breaking laws, you might as well know them. â€Å"Whoever wrote that law probably assumed the candidates would have family members. They just didn't bother spelling it out. That's what people will say if Lissa runs. They'll fight it.' â€Å"They can fight it all they want. Those who are denying her a Council spot base it on one line in the law books that mentions another family member. If that's their argument, that every detail must count, then they'll have to do the same for the election laws– which, as I have said, do not mention family backing. That's the beauty of this loophole. Her opponents can't have it both ways.' A smile twisted at Victor's lips, supremely confident. â€Å"I assure you, there is absolutely nothing in the wording that prevents her from doing this.' â€Å"How about her age?' I pointed out. â€Å"The princes and princesses who run are always old.' The title of prince or princess went to a family's oldest member, and traditionally, that was the person who ran for king or queen. The family could decide to nominate someone else more fitting, but even then–to my knowledge–it was always someone older and experienced. â€Å"The only age restriction is full adulthood,' said Victor. â€Å"She's eighteen. She qualifies. The other families have much larger pools to draw from, so naturally, they'd select someone who seemed more experienced. In the Dragomir case? Well, that's not an option, now is it? Besides, young monarchs aren't without precedence. There was a very famous queen–Alexandra–who wasn't much older than Vasilisa. Very well loved, very extraordinary. Her statue is by the Court's church.' I shifted uncomfortably. â€Å"Actually †¦ it's, um, not there anymore. It kind of blew up.' Victor just stared. He'd apparently heard about my escape but not all of the details. â€Å"It's not important,' I said hastily, feeling guilty that I'd been indirectly responsible for blowing up a renowned queen. â€Å"This whole idea about using Lissa is ridiculous.' â€Å"You won't be the only one who thinks so,' Victor said. â€Å"They'll argue. They'll fight. In the end, the law will prevail. They'll have to let her run. She'll go through the tests and probably pass. Then, when voting comes, the laws that govern those procedures reference a family member assisting with the vote.' My head was spinning by now. I felt mentally exhausted listening to all these legal loopholes and technicalities. â€Å"Just come right out and put it in simple language,' I ordered. â€Å"When voting comes, she won't be eligible. She has no family to fulfill the role required at the actual election. In other words, the law says she can run and take the tests. Yet, people can't actually vote for her because she has no family.' â€Å"That's †¦ idiotic.' â€Å"Agreed.' He paused. I don't think either of us ever expected to concur on something. â€Å"Lissa would hate this. She would never, ever want to be queen.' â€Å"Are you not following this?' exclaimed Victor. â€Å"She won't be queen. She can't. It's a badly written law for a situation no one foresaw. It's a mess. And it will bog down the elections so badly that we'll have extra time to find Vasilisa's sibling and find out who really killed Tatiana.' â€Å"Hey! I told you: There's no â€Å"we' here. I'm not going to–‘ Victor and Robert exchanged looks. â€Å"Get Vasilisa nominated,' said Victor abruptly. â€Å"We'll be in touch soon on where to meet you for the Dragomir search.' IT â€Å"Thats not–‘ I woke up. My immediate reaction was to swear, but then, remembering where I was, I kept my expletives inside my own head. I could make out Dimitri's silhouette in the corner, alert and watchful, and didn't want him to know I was awake. Closing my eyes, I shifted into a more comfortable position, hoping for true sleep that would block out the Dashkov brothers and their ridiculous schemes. Lissa running for queen? It was crazy. And yet †¦ it really wasn't much crazier than most of the things I did. Putting that aside, I let my body relax and felt the tug of true sleep start to take me down. Emphasis on start. Because suddenly, I felt another spirit dream materializing around me. Apparently, this was going to be a busy night.

Toothpaste critique

What's in This Toothpaste? By David Botanist. The audience/reader Is informed about how toothpaste In made, the Ingredients which are used to make Just a bottle of tube and other alternatives that can be used if you opinion about toothpaste changes. The author talks about if toothpaste is something you should consider or keep using. There are a few examples of diction which are present in the essay, the first one would be, â€Å"It's there because people like to have a big gob of toothpaste to spread on the brush.This creates a mental picture/image in the readers mind because, this effect relates to Imagery while the reader Is reading that passage they can relate to It because they have seen It in first person. Another example of imagery is present as the author states, â€Å"The tube of toothpaste is squeezed, it's pinched metal seams are splayed. † This creates the same visual effect in the readers mind, when they are doing that and it is impossible to make the toothpaste t o come out, so this relates to the readers past experience.Another example where David Botanist shows imagery is, â€Å"This is the flavoring, and it has to be strong. Double rectified peppermint OLL Is used. † This creates an Imagery of smell which the reader often smells after brushing his/her teeth. In the essay syntax Is present, the first example is where and how the author places his paragraphs, the author in depth states his first topic and first ingredient and then backs up his argument, he then explains what the ingredient is used for and also gives a description.This show that the paragraphs are well placed and explained, this creates an effect of keeping the essay neat and well organized. Another example where the author shows sentence structure Is how the author keeps the paragraphs hurt, which tends to trick the reader that he Is reading less but really he Is reading the same but faster. This creates an effect of speeding up the tempo of the essay. Usually if the paragraphs are too long the reader tends to get bored or distracted.Another example is the author makes a statement, â€Å"Water mostly, 30 to 45 percent in most brands: ordinary, everyday simple tap water. † In the essay this is an incomplete sentence where the author makes a statement and carries on, this creates an effect of a pause so the reader can think about that basically people pay three dollars or more for water. A powerful rhetorical device which is used is juxtaposition, where the author compares two things, toothpaste and water, â€Å"studies show that brushing with just plain water will often do as a good Job. This give an alternative for the reader if their opinion on toothpaste changes. A second rhetorical device is hypoxia, where the author raises a question but ends up answering it himself to add effect, â€Å"Is that it? Chalk, water, paint, seaweed, antifreeze, paraffin 011, detergent, and peppermint? Prove his point, also it allows the author to write more, the effect of this is that this is play on word.The third rhetorical device which is present is colloquialism, word like â€Å"bobbing,† â€Å"gob,† â€Å"goodies,† and other slang words that the author uses to get his point across for everyone, interpreting the author you can tell that the author uses informal words to connect with the younger audience. The tone that the author sets is for a younger audience, the author uses in formal word, to target teenagers, another target is the people who don't know much about toothpaste. The title of the essay grabs the attention of the reader and forces them to read. Toothpaste is meeting people use daily but they have no clue what it is made up of.The mood which is created is the audience feeling disgusted because toothpaste manufactures use; pesticide, detergent and chalk: the kind that teachers use to write on the black board, and that is the same toothpaste we put in our mouth. Another mood is the audience is i nformed about how bad toothpaste could be if swallowed. Overall the writing choices made by the author were remarkable, really loved the message the author way trying to get across. In the end David Botanist serves his purpose of writing the essay of educating people about toothpaste.

En Fait French Expression Explained

En Fait French Expression Explained The French expression en fait (pronounced [a(n) feht]) is a statement of contradiction, used when you want to set the record straight. Its the equivalent of saying something like in fact, as a matter of fact or actually in English. Its  register  is normal. Examples   Ã‚  -As-tu faim ? -Non, en fait, jai dà ©j mangà ©.-Are you hungry? -No, actually, Ive already eaten.   Ã‚  -Javais pensà © que nous allions le faire ensemble, mais en fait jà ©tais tout seul.-Id thought we were going to do it together, but, in fact, I was by myself. Confusions There are two potential confusions with the expression en fait: Its really only used to contradict something. In English, theres another meaning of in fact, where you agree with what was just said and want to add some more information, as in Yes, in fact, thats a good idea. In this case, a better translation of in fact is en effet, effectivement, or possibly justement.Though it may sound similar, the expression au fait means something very different.

5 Widespread Myths About Interracial Relationships

5 Widespread Myths About Interracial Relationships Interracial couples, marriages, and relationships are more common today than ever before in the United States. Marriages between people of different races reached a record high of 8.4 percent in 2010, according to the New York Times. Despite the rising rate of interracial marriage, mixed-race couples not only continue to face scrutiny and disapproval but sweeping generalizations from outsiders. Individuals in interracial relationships often are accused of entering such unions for less than honorable reasons. This review of the myths that shroud interracial couples indicate that romance across the color line remains a source of stigma. Interracial Means Black And White Arguably the biggest myth about interracial couples is that such pairings always involve a white person and a person of color. Interracial couples consisting of two people who belong to racial minority groups are largely overlooked in the mainstream culture. This is likely because discussions of race in general still are based on a black-white paradigm. Nonetheless, interracial couples of color have been the inspiration for films such as â€Å"Mississippi Masala,† in which Denzel Washington plays a character who falls in love with a South Asian woman. Moreover, the comedy â€Å"Harold Kumar Go to White Castle† paired the Korean-American protagonist up with a Latina love interest. Of course, a number of such couples exist in real life as well. Famous examples of interracial couples of color include musician Carlos Santana and his wife, Cindy Blackman, an African American; and Wesley Snipes and his wife, Nakyung Park, a Korean American. As the United States grows more diverse, interracial couples of color will only grow more common. Accordingly, discussion of interracial relationships should include pairings of Asian Americans and African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Arab Americans, and so forth. People in Interracial Relationships Never Date Their Own Race Strangers often assume that people in interracial relationships have long dated exclusively outside of their race. It’s undeniable that some people display strong preferences for a particular race. Indian-American actress Mindy Kaling, for example, essentially told Us Magazine that she favors white men.   â€Å"I embarrassingly love blond men - hot pinups like Chris Evans and Chris Pine,† she said. â€Å"I feel like people expect me to have an edgy choice, like Justin Theroux, and I’m just like, ‘Nope! I want Captain America!’† In addition, Kaling has been called out for casting solely white men as her love interests on her show â€Å"The Mindy Project.† Unlike Mindy Kaling, however, many people in interracial relationships don’t have a type. They have dated both intra-racially and interracially and just happened to end up with partners who don’t share their ethnic background. They don’t have a pattern of choosing solely white mates or solely Asian mates or Hispanic ones. Singer Rihanna,  journalist Lisa Ling and actor Eddie Murphy are all examples of people whove dated both within and outside of their racial group.  Ã‚   If you don’t know the dating history of a person in an interracial relationship, don’t assume that they have no interest in dating members of their own race. Unless you’re interested in dating the person in question, however, ask yourself why you care whom this person dates. If the person has bought into the idea that some racial groups are more desirable than others and date such people because they consider them to be â€Å"catches† or â€Å"trophies,† there’s little you can do to change their mindset anyway. They’ll likely excuse their dating patterns as being simple â€Å"preferences† rather than examine how our racially stratified society has influenced them to find some racial groups more appealing than others. Minorities in Interracial Romances Hate Themselves People of color who date interracially are often accused of suffering from self-hatred. While some minorities date whites in particular for social status, many minorities who date across the color line are proud of their heritage. They’re not dating interracially to dilute their bloodlines. They simply felt a spark with someone who doesn’t share their racial background. This doesn’t mean that they don’t identify with their minority group and are ashamed to be part of that group. A number of African Americans who married interracially have fiercely fought for civil rights and the uplift of their racial group, including the abolitionist Frederick Douglass, playwright Lorraine Hansberry, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and actor-singer Harry Belafonte. Whites in Interracial Marriages Are Rebelling While minorities in interracial relationships are often accused of hating themselves, whites in such relationships are often accused of rebelling. They didn’t marry interracially because they truly loved their spouse, outsiders say, but because they wanted to get back at their parents. Are there white people who bring home a person of another race because they know it will drive their parents crazy? Probably. But it’s unlikely that these people would have a sustained relationship with someone of a different race just to spite their parents, let alone marry interracially to do so.  Ã‚   Minorities in Interracial Relationships Date Down It’s a common belief that people of color in interracial relationships, especially with whites, date down rather than up. In other words, their partners aren’t particularly attractive, moneyed or educated. They are not dating â€Å"catches.† The rationale here is that whites enjoy so much privilege in society that minorities who pursue romances with them aren’t exactly picky. Any white person will do. This, of course, is a sweeping generalization. Unless the only criterion a person has in a mate is that she be white, it’s doubtful that this generalization applies. Rosie Cuison Villazor, a law professor and editor of Loving v. Virginia in a Post-Racial World, has found that the income of interracial couples tends to vary by the racial makeup of the couple. â€Å"Forty-two percent of white men/Asian women married couples both went to college, compared with 20 percent of white/Hispanic married couples and 17 percent of white/black married couples,† she found. â€Å"A look at earnings also reveals racial and gender differences: the median combined income of white/Asian couples is $70,952, compared with $53,187 for white/black married couples.† The fact that black-white couples earn less than white-Asian couples reflects the fact that blacks generally earn less than whites in the United States, while Asians tend to earn as much or more money than whites. Given this and the fact people of all races are more likely to romance those who share their economic and education background, it’s inaccurate to suggest that minorities in interracial relationships marry or date down. Sources Maillard, Kevin Noble. Loving vs. Virginia in a Post-Racial World. Rose Cuison Villazor (Editor), Cambridge University Press, May 16, 2012. Villazor, Rose Cuison. Marrying Across Racial Lines, but Still Seeing Lines. The New York Times, November 17, 2014.

New Zealand Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

New Zealand Tourism - Essay Example This is because people falling in the above age limit are known to make frequent visit to places and destinations. Some of the social marketing elements which could be sued for the purpose are promotional campaigns like public announcements, billboards, media events and community outreaches. The importance of video marketing and blog marketing and social networking sites could also be used for the purpose. This would allow a two way communication process between the authorities and the general public. The advantage of social marketing is that the viewers would be able to provide their views and suggestions regarding their needs and requirements based on which the authorities would be able to provide the facilities. Target market segments and stakeholders Natural disaster has great impact on the tourism and also on the economic condition of the country. Thus effective marketing strategy is very essential to communicate with people over the globe that the country is ready for business. For successfully implementing the strategies proper evaluation of the target market and the stakeholders analysis is very important for NZ Tourism. ... Figure 1: Visitor arrival trend rise with income (Source: Local Government New Zealand, 2011, p. 9) The top two markets which has great trend of tourism attraction for New Zealand are China and Australia which are needed to be focused for marketing of the Tourism activity. Figure 2: China and Australia are the Key market (Source: Local Government New Zealand, 2011, p. 10) The interactive segments who are involved in the process of engagement and interaction with respect towards the social, cultural, environmental of these potential markets are the main target segment for the tourism industry. The primary stakeholders for the tourism of New Zealand may be divided into three major categories- 1. Industry groups like Hotel Council of the country, TIANZ and Inbound Tour Operators Council of the country. 2. Tourism businesses like Air New Zealand and Tourism Holdings Limited and 3. Public organizations like Department of Conservation and Tourism Research Councils. International stakeholde rs of the country include industries like hotel, transport and travel companies who are supplying tourists for New Zealand (Inter brand, 2005, p. 57-58). With time better relationship of the country with the global market and effective communication system will increase the number of stakeholders if the marketing communication strategy can be effectively developed and marketed. Role played by social marketing elements The field of tourism has been changing rapidly over the years. This holds true for the country of New Zealand which has been struck by natural disasters like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides etc. On account of the above aspects the tourism sector of the nation has suffered a setback and has been demonstrating

Foundations of Risk Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Foundations of Risk Management - Research Paper Example The challenge in cyber security is that it affects different losses from loss of privacy to loss of even finances and it goes to the extent where crucial data can be lost. Hackers can be in the country or outside the country. The challenge is that this war is beyond borders and with the world changing fast it will be a huge challenge in America in the next decade. There are many factors that are contributing to this vice one of it is that it is a channel that terrorist can use so as to further their agenda. By accessing the security intelligence system terrorists may be able to gain some ground they can also steal crucial data that they may use to their advantage such as weapons manufacturing and analyzing the best time to attack (Huffman). The second most crucial factor is greed. There are many way people can access financial transactions using the internet. Banking industry is the most affected whereby hackers try to steal money electronically even though they have really tri ed to do their part the financial losses have been going on for a while. This is what makes America have enemies from within their country. Criminals who want to get easy money. The third challenge that is proving difficult is the lack of trust among countries. American government was recently accused by Germany of hacking their Prime minister cell phone. Such acts have brought about mistrust among trusted allies in the fight against cybercrime. Apart from America Sony entertainment a company subsidiary to Sony limited wanted to release a movie that brought out diplomatic battles where North Korea allegedly hacked into the system and stole all data from Sony then released confidential emails among the Staff to the public. This cannot be ignored as petty as it brought a lot of losses to the company. From a business angle Sony Investors must have been shocked by the turn of events that

An Industrial relations issue, its source and how to deal with this Essay

An Industrial relations issue, its source and how to deal with this - Essay Example When employees continue to press for their demands, they are sometimes considered greedy by the management who expect more work from them with little complaints. The employees are thus sometimes considered acquisitive, selfish and a union that has a tendency to consider itself as a political watchdog of the management and abandoning their primary goal of work. This paper reports about origins, development, primary causes and the effects of industrial disputes between the employees and the employers in state corporations. The wider aspects of these industrial disputes go to wage disputes, which most managers cannot justify especially after the global economic crisis. The consumers of goods and services, which results from these state corporations, have suffered a great deal. The quality of goods and services that results from these state corporations have also been greatly compromised since the employees have not devoted a good quality of their time to service. Industrial disputes in Australia Strikes are shaped on many levels that range from the macro to the mundane, as such, attempts to understand strikes must include broadest implications of industrial relations landscape. ... In the university level, students repeatedly mobilize and demonstrate against government measures and core of the union activists agitating from within the political system, causing a lot of disruptions in the learning system. Neoliberalism and labour Neoliberalism reforms, macro stabilization and structural adjustments programs promoted by international financial institutions, state reform, trade and investment liberalization seen in most parts of the world has enlightened the work operations. These reforms have led to creation of free market economies of all types followed by liberalization regimes resulting into protective labour standards. The reduction of employer’s contribution to social security and the dismal of workers with good jobs increased subcontracting of production resulting into increased employment based on low wages and low job security (Price, 2007). These developments weakened the capacity of labour relations to represent the workers hence leading to sever al disputes arising from workers. The establishment of entrepreneurial society dominates moat organizations leading to unexpected labour relations (Alexander and Lewer, 2004). Key developments in Australian employment relations The political and employment relations process at the national level led to the creation of new rules to take care of employment interest and to increase the cooperation between the employer and the employee. The swearing in of Rudd Labour Government and the appointment of Julia Gillard as deputy prime minister saw a number of changes in employment relations but the path to change seemed slower and complicated than anticipated (Burgess and McDonald, 2003). The government has been subjected to a lot of pressure on employment and increase in wage demands from the workers in

Models Of Strategic Change

Models Of Strategic Change Strategic Change Management This unit is written with reference to strategic change management. It gives an understanding of the models of strategic change making the concept clear. It gives an insight into the theories to make the idea a positive concept and not a negative one. Change is not always negative. It paves way for a development too but it is often taken as something that disturbs routine. It is difficult to do something other than the normal way but we do fail to accept the fact that a change can make things work better and whatever changes are made should have been decided after quite consideration. Change has become the normal way of life but success requires an organization to optimize and coordinate across the whole business. Understanding the different types of change that are required and the options available for management is a critical step in building the capacity to manage change within your organization. Acknowledgements I dedicate this assignment to my mother who worked hard all lifelong only for the upbringing of her daughters. She stood for us like the Rock Gibraltar in times of trouble. Being a single mother, she struggled hard sometimes even to feed us. Life has been too unkind to her but she never complained rather tried her best to give us a positive image of the world and the power to struggle and a never say die attitude. I am indebted to her giving me life and the power to live it in a decent way. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE NO. Acknowledgements Introduction Task 1 Task 1.1 Discuss the models of strategic change Task 1.2 Relevance of models of strategic change to organizations in the current economy Task 1.3 Assess the value of using strategic intervention techniques Task 2 Task 2.1 Examine the need for change in an organization Task 2.2 Assess the factors that are driving the need for strategic change in an organization Task 2.3 Assess the resource implications of the organization not responding to strategic change Task 3 Task 3.1 Develop systems to involve stakeholders in the planning of change Task 3.2 Develop a change management strategy with stakeholders Task 3.3 Evaluate the systems used to involve stakeholders in the planning of change Task 3.4 Create a strategy for managing resistance to change Task 4 Task 4.1 Develop appropriate models for change Task 4.2 Plan to implement a model for change Task 4.3 Develop appropriate measures to monitor progress Introduction This unit helps would-be-managers to understand the nature of change and to cope with it. It gives an understanding about change and the ways to manage with it without disturbing the working of the organization. In this unit we have discussed the different definitions and models of change which have been given by thinkers in the past which helps in evaluating the relevance of models of strategic change to organizations in the current economy. As we proceed, we examine the need for change and assess the factors that are driving the need for it. Also, the resource implications are discussed which do not respond to strategic change. The theories given by Kotter, Prosci, Lewis and others are milestones of the research on change management. Their theories have helped in thorough understanding of change management. As the topic develops, it gives vital information on the reasons of change in markets, budget pressures, new technologies and other new programs such as TQM and re-engineering. All in all, the topic is an important resource on the factors and implications that bring change. Another unavoidable and inseparable resource of the organization is stakeholders of the company. The topic discusses about systems modelling, divergence and convergence and methods of involving them into organization. It is also quite obvious that change brings resistance; therefore this unit enables us to manage resistance giving a way to strategies such as communications, education, forums, etc. The entire work gives a clear picture of change management. All a manager needs is to understand the criteria and manage with a difference on the guidelines of the researchers. Task 1: Discuss the Models of Strategic Change There are many theories about how to manage change. Most of the theories originate with leadership and change management guru, John Kotter who is a professor at Harvard Business School and world renowned change expert. The following eight steps in the change process are his contribution. JOHN KOTTER: Eight steps to transforming an organization (Kotter.J, 1995) Establishing a sense of urgency Forming a powerful guiding coalition Creating a vision Communicating the vision Empowering others to act on the vision Planning and creating short term wins Consolidating improvements and producing still more change Institutionalising new approaches Kotters research gave a whole new way to managing change. A programme of planned change and improved performance developed by Lewin involves the management of a three-phase process of behaviour modification. H:collegeimagesCAW3ZYXL.jpg Lewins Change Management Model Source: http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-lewin.htm Unfreeze- Reducing those forces which behaviour in its present form, recognition of the need for change and improvement to occur. Movement Development of new attitudes or behaviour and the implementation of change. Refreezing Stabilising change at the new level and reinforcement (Hardy 1996) A new culture should be created within the organization such that managers look to change as an opportunity and adapt their business system to continuously emerging conditions. (Hussey 2000) Proscis ADKAR Effective change management demands five key goals to form the basic ADKAR model: Awareness of the need to change Desire to participate and support the change Knowledge of how to change (and what change looks like) Ability to implement the change on a day-to-day basis Reinforcement to keep the change in place (Hiatt 2003) http://www.change-management.com/tutorials/baseballhands.jpg Proscis ADKAR Source: http://techotoys.com/qwxDnJu0J/ Action Research Action research refers to a way to look at ones own work practically and check as he would like it to be. Because research is done by the person himself or the practitioner, it is called practitioner based research. It is also referred to as a form of self reflective practice because it involves the person himself and his own work. (Hardy 1999) http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQcsVE4Cf5vBAswROm2rCiHEY7RlOeA6qasGK7xErfJZgmC-mlT5whttp://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQcsVE4Cf5vBAswROm2rCiHEY7RlOeA6qasGK7xErfJZgmC-mlT5w http://www.llas.ac.uk/images/projects/action_research.gif Action research Source: http://www.llas.ac.uk/projects/2837 Task 1.2 Evaluate the relevance of models of strategic change to organizations in the current economy Teambuilding Consensus Strategic change models, as discussed above are the keys to success of any organization provided they are implemented in a sophisticated way. To achieve effective team decision making leadership, (Franzen 1994) describes Consensus Team Decision Making CTDM model which has three key pillars. Maintain high conceptual level Strive towards consensus Manage the decision making process Strategic interventions Types of interventions selected for a project although depend on variety; they are highly concentrated in a project. Strategic interventions are useful in situations like Rapid changes in the external environment Rapid or stagnant sales Increased competition Rapid expansion of markets Mergers and acquisitions (Lewin 2005) Decision Making Contingency Theory of Decision Making Decision participative contingency theory or the Normative Decision Theory is a model which says that the efficiency of a decision procedure depends on a number of aspects of the situation: the importance of decision quality and acceptance; the quantity of relevant information possessed by the leader and subordinates. (Fiedler 1999) In the autocratic style, the leader takes decisions without consulting others. (Lewin 2005) The participative style leadership, also known as participative democratic leadership style does the job of creating and maintaining healthy relationships between the employees and their leaders.(Kotter 2007) Proactive and Reactive (Whitehead 2006) PROACTIVE REACTIVE Needs to have and use own answers Understands the power of and uses team in solving problems Makes decisions by self Requests that team members make decisions Pushes for results Shares a vision so compelling the team wants to move towards it Reacts to change Foresees and influences change Teaches team to expect direction Teaches team to be self reliant Focuses on finding and fixing problems Focuses on achieving performance outcomes Quick to punish on mistakes Lets the team learn by errors Task 1.3 Assess the value of using strategic intervention techniques in the organization The most important asset of any organization is human resource and strategic intervention helps them to adjust with the changing strategies of the organization and understand it.(George 1999). At Sapphire Beauty Box, it is vital to have a peaceful mind and sound behaviour as this profession deals with direct clientele. The method of strategic intervention assists the employees of Sapphire to find meanings to their life, discover what, and why they do and how to meet their needs in positive and negative ways which helps to promote sustainable change. (Hiatt 2006) Human Process Interventions: These are helpful in particular during change project in organizations where there are some combinations of many new employees, different cultures, working together, many conflicts, etc. Activities: Coaching, counseling, delegating, group learning, virtual teams, etc. ( Hiatt and Creasey 2003) Techno-structural Interventions: These interventions are helpful in particular for rapid growth but few internal systems to sustain growth, many complaints from customers, etc. Activities: Balanced scorecard, downsizing and out placing, ISO 9000, Six sigma, etc.(Kurt 2005) Human Resource Management interventions: These interventions are helpful in situations like establishment of new organizational goals, implementation of technology for a short time, low productivity, etc. Activities: Staffing, evaluating performance, career development, employee wellness programme (George 1999) Task 2.1 Examine the need for strategic change in the chosen organization Reasons for change Change in market: The United Kingdom is going through recession and there has been recession and the CPI annual inflation has rose to 3.3%. (London Business Times 2009). There has been increase in prices, job loss, bankruptcy and what not. Every business has gone through losses and needs to cover up their expenses. (Fiedler 1999). At this point of time, Sapphire needs to change accordingly to ease customers at their purse and still keep them coming. Economic downturns: Due to price rise, the raw material needed at the store is also become expensive. It is important to cover the costs by bringing about change in the organization. (Paul 1996) Customer Expectations: There is a very hard competition in the market especially in the beauty field. Customers get attracted to offers and it is not easy to get their confidence. To invest into customers, It is important to change the strategies accordingly. (Kotter and Cohen 2002) Competitive Edge: Competition is healthy but can be fatal if the strategies become too monotonous and outdated. There is need for change to face competition. (Kotter 1995) Sapphire needs to be updated with products and material being used by competitors and try to do better than other turning the tables towards them. (Kotter 2007) Mergers: The merger of the organization with another can lead to change in strategy as the new staff can have better ideas and plans to make the company a success. (Paul 1996). If Sapphire merges with another company to make it a success, it may have to revise the ways to do things. Change in mission: If the mission of the company changes, obviously there has to be a different strategy to deal with it. The mission of Sapphire is to fight ageing and make people look beautiful but now the market demands more of stress releasing treatments. So Sapphire needs to rethink about its strategy. (Franzen and Hardaker 1999) Task 2.2 Assess the factors that are driving the need for strategic change in an organization The Shifting Economy The economy is so very changing and dynamic. Due to the unpredictability of it, the organization is in constant need of change in the strategy and economic plan. This is more prevalent since recession Environmental factors There are certain environmental changes that have an effect on the production and sales. These changes are to be monitored and the demand of change arises. Financial pressure There occur financial pressures on the organizations, in order to meet deadlines and targets. In order to handle finances, there has to be a change in finance plans. This is where the need for change management occurs. Technological advances There has been drastic change in production, marketing, outsourcing and other fields due to technology. The organization needs upgrading and has to keep in pace with the technological advances to succeed in its mission and make way for growth. Keeping in mind the factors discussed above, there is a need for change. Funding cuts With the recession in the economy, the company has cut down on costs and funds. There is need for change in financial strategy to keep the balance. Competition Competition is a healthy asset for any business. To keep up to the standards and do better than others is very important, hence it is vital to keep a watch at what others are doing and bring change in the company accordingly. Task 2.3 Assess the resource implications of the organization not responding to strategic change Restructuring of HR- If the company does not respond to the changes as discussed above, it may have to face severe consequences and lose in the process. The organization will have to restructure the HR making way for a new beginning. There have to be leaders chosen again and staff employed for the smooth working of the company. Interview and hire of new employees Interviewing and hiring of new staff will have to be done which is a time consuming and costly process for any business. Redundancies The organization will have redundancies if proper steps for the change are not taken in time. This will affect the working and time management of the strategy of work. Training Training is another costly and time taking process. It takes a lot to train the employees and bear the costs. If the need for strategic change is understood, there is no need for the organization to bear costs or losses. ire Task 3.1 Develop systems to involve stakeholders in the planning of change in the chosen organization A stakeholder is one who has something to gain or lose through the outcomes of a planning process or project. These are also called interest groups and can have a strong bearing on the outcomes of political processes. It is useful for research projects to identify and analyse the needs and concerns of different stakeholders, particularly when these projects have an effect on policy Input-output transformation model Operations management transforms inputs (labour, capital, equipment, land, buildings, materials and information) into outputs (goods and services) that provide added value to customers. Transformation System is the critical element in the model that determines how well the company produces goods and services that meet consumer needs. It does not matter whether the organization is a for-profit company, a non-profit organization (religious organizations, hospitals, etc.), or a government agency; all organizations must strive to maximize the quality of their transformation processes to meet customer needs. Steps Involved Step 1: Clarify the research or policy change objective (Problem Tree Analysis or objectives analysis might help with this.) Stap 2: Identify all the stakeholders or interest groups associated with this objective, problem or issue. Stakeholders can be organizations, groups, departments, structures, networks or individuals. Stakeholder table http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5257title=stakeholder-analysis Step 3: Using the grid organise the stakeholders in different matrices according to their interest and power. Interest measures to what degree they may to be affected by the research project. Power measures the influence they have over the project or policy, and to what degree they can help achieve, or block, the desired change. The Cultural Web CulturalWeb The Cultural Web http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newSTR_90.htm The Cultural Web identifies six interrelated elements Johnson and Scholes (2002) call it the paradigm the pattern or model of the work environment. By analyzing the factors in each, you can begin to see what is working, what isnt working, and what needs to be changed. The six elements are: The past events and people talked about inside and outside the company. Who and what the company chooses to celebrate say a great deal about what it values, and perceives as great behaviour. The daily behaviour and actions of people that indicate acceptable behaviour. This determines what is expected to happen in given situations, and what is valued by management. The visual representations of the company including logos, how exquisite the offices are, and the dress codes. Multiple Cause Diagrams http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSdVRFuXnr_B3dlTLYyaZepQmDbF-NMDoz5q0TClaUYPXfxVGPVt=1 Multiple cause diagrams http://ilearn.cto.int/login/index.php Multiple cause diagrams are a way of using interconnectedness to shape up a complex situation. They represent both adequate and casual cause without making a distinction between them. This system is pictured as an interconnected group of events or effects to cause an effect as a purpose. Sometimes, if the input cause is removed, the output cause continues to happen, may be because feedback loops are present or other causes drive the effect. Influencing skills The careless reception of authority is becoming increasingly less common in the world. To get things done, it is better to rely on commitment rather than authority. For example, gaining co-operation from other departments. Task 3.2 Develop a change management strategy with stakeholders in the chosen organization Developing a winning strategy is messier than textbooks suggest. Most insights that are important for formulating strategies rest in the heads of operating managers. (Kotter 2007) The Stakeholder Circle This is designed to put stakeholders on the project management radar. It is a proven method supported by a tough, easy to use tool that guides us through five easy steps namely: Identify your projects stakeholders and understand their needs Prioritize the stakeholders on the basis of power, proximity and urgency. Visualize the key stakeholders using the Stakeholder Circle. Engage with the stakeholders by building and implementing an effective communication plan. Monitor changes as you update and review your stakeholders at key points in the project. Public Hearings: There can be events where stakeholders are allowed to give evidence or question general public authorities about decisions. Public hearings: Regulated, formal arrangements for times and places at which members of the general public and other types of stakeholders can give evidence or question public authorities about decisions. Deliberative Polling: This collects views when people are introduced to the issue and think about it. It also includes a feedback session. Task 3.3 Evaluate the systems used to involve stakeholders in the planning of change in the chosen organization The stakeholder model is helpful in explaining the rules of the economic game and the link between stakeholder value and competitive advantage. The stakeholder strategy plan guides us on how to interact and communicate with each stakeholder during different stages of a project. It also helps to define who should participate, in what ways and on what level of the project. It gives thorough knowledge of the matter and suits best to most organizations. Other ways such as polling, seminars and workshops are also perfect ways to handle change in a proper manner. Task 3.4 Create a strategy for managing resistance to change in the chosen organization Selective Perception: Peoples self interpretation of stimuli presents a unique image of the real world and results in selective perception. This leads to biased view of the situation that fits into the perception of reality. Habit: People are used to the same way of doing things which makes a habit. It becomes serves as a source of comfort. Bringing about change brings resistance. Loss of Freedom: If the change is seen as an inconvenience, it reduces freedom of action or results in increased control, there will be resistance. Direct vs Indirect There is staff that may resist directly and others that may be indirect in resistance. Direct resistance is to oppose in a direct manner and fighting straight but indirect resistance is to show resistance by making excuses such as resigning. Task 4.1 Develop appropriate models for change in the chosen organization that will reflect their circumstances The best model for change that applies to Sapphire Beauty Box is Proscis Five Building Blocks change management model which includes the ADKAR The first thing Sapphire needs is the Awareness of the need for change. If the need for change is understood, half the job is done. Planned communication is essential for understanding. Sapphire needs change as there is a need for it. Next is the Desire to participate and help the change. The employees of Sapphire need to make a personal decision to support the change and sustain it too. The CEO announced incentives for individuals creating a desire to be a part of the change. The third building block is providing Knowledge. Sapphire held a seminar for imparting awareness for change, how to undergo change and how to implement it. Prosci (2003) suggested forums and mentoring for knowledge of change. Ability to implement required skills and behavior is another building block of the ADKAR model. It is the difference between theory and practice. Once knowledge is imparted on change, the performance of the individual needs to be supported. Sapphire can do this by practice, coaching and feedback. Lat, but not the least comes Reinforcement. It is the final and essential stage of the model where efforts to sustain the change is accentuated. It is to be ensured that changes stay in place and individuals do not revert to old ways. The ways to do it are positive feedback, recognition, rewarding, etc. Sapphire makes it a point to take feedback of the customers as well as the employees to keep both sides balanced. There is a Best Employee of the Month award scheme at Sapphire Beauty Box which inspires employees to do their best. http://www.change-management.com/tutorials/ADKAR-clip_image002.gif Proscis Change Management Model http://www.change-management.com/tutorial-adkar-overview.htm Task 4.2 Plan to implement a model for change considering the internal and external circumstances impacting on the organization Kaizen Method This is a Japanese method for continuous incremental improvement. It is a concept for gradual, continuous improvement. It assumes that every aspect of life has to be constantly improved. The main elements of Kaizen are effort, quality, and willingness to change, communication and involvement of employees. Its five founding elements are Teamwork Personal Discipline Improved Morale Quality Circles and Suggestions for Improvement. The Kaizen method is best for Sapphire Beauty Box as it is people oriented, requires long term discipline and easy to implement. Matrix Organizations This kind of organization offers the advantages of flexibility, greater security and control of project information. It establishes a grid with a two way flow of authority and responsibility. Task 4.3 Develop appropriate measures to monitor progress of the developed model Goal Based Evaluation To start with goal based evaluation, there can be two main questions we can ask for How has the programme made a difference Are the participants of the programme feeling better as a result of the programme? Outcome based evaluation is a way that determines if the project at Sapphire Beauty Box have achieved its goals. The organized process using OBE helps to establish clear outcomes, to measure benefits, clarify groups for which benefits are targeted. Other ways to monitor progress in Sapphire Beauty Box are regular reports of the activities being practiced in there. Meetings are also undertaken by higher authorities to administer the changes and keep a watch on them. Quality Circles appear simple and straightforward but have to be viewed in regard to Japanese culture and management systems. Quality circles are do work and are used successfully by British organizations. . CONCLUSION It can be concluded that strategic change is the key factor in any organization. Change is a pervasive influence. We are all subject to change in one form or the other which is continuous. The steps to change from Kotter give vital knowledge about making change Kotter is called the GURU in terms of change management. Proscis ADKAR building blocks give deep understanding and guidance for applying change and monitoring it to sustain change. Kurt Lewins change model is also an important one. The freeze, refreeze and transition stages develop new attitudes and behaviour.