CRM lessons from Ikea

We restricted ourselves to two potential furniture suppliers: a UK-based company,Habitat, with what appears to be a fairly conventional business model, which provides fairly stylish, relatively expensive furniture, and ‘kea, a Swedish furniture retailer with a less conventional business model, with much less expensive furniture, perhaps less stylish. I thought that we would probably end up buying nearly all our furniture from Habitat, whereas actually Kea was our main supplier.Whilst buying this furniture, a number of interesting points about Kike's business model became apparent: o Most of Kike's products are delivered as â€Å"flat-pack† self-assembly kits. Habitat also supply goods in that format, primarily it seems, to ease shipment (and reduce associated costs). However, Kike's products had been designed not only to reduce shipment costs, but also to minimize production assembly costs. Clever design had been used to produce goods which can be assembled by the purcha ser with minimal skill (use of a screwdriver and spanner only), from parts manufactured by machine with little human effort in the production plant.The design also ensured a robust, stylish piece of furniture despite the limited skills of the assembler. Much of the work involved in manufacturing the piece of furniture had been moved from the factory, to the customer. The reduction in cost had also been passed onto the customer. For at least this customer, there was also a significant feeling of achievement in assembling the table or chair. The result – a high quality piece of furniture at low-cost, but with a lot more work for the customer, but tit a resulting sense of achievement. There are differences in the retail outlet model as well. Habitat provides a conventional Main Street retail outlet, with room to display the goods, and attentive sales staff to discuss the furniture. Kike's out-of- town, large-scale outlet had the space to attempt something different. The products were displayed in a number of room mock-ups so that pieces could be seen in relation to other products, with ‘design stations' to help the customer to build their own design. Kea staff were on hand, but not as sales assistants, more to advise on sign, check whether stock was available, etc.This approach helps with the interior design aspects of selecting furniture, again for this customer at least, a difficult aspect of buying furniture. O Distribution: It is here that the most obvious differences with a conventional retail store occur: – You have to pick the goods from the warehouse yourself deliver (though there is a 3rd-party delivery service at a cost). All this may appear to be poor customer service, but again, it takes out a lot of cost from the distribution process, and this is passed on to the customer. Customer Direct Transactions: If you think about it for a minute, because Kea wont take orders, it is key that customers can find out if Kea has a particular it em in stock. (You don't want to go to an out-of-town store, to be told that what you've come for isn't in stock and the store doesn't take orders. ) Kea have recognized this and so provide an automated phone service to allow you to check whether the item you want is in stock. That item is number 1 in the automated service menu – first plus mark.There are a large number of stores I use which I wish provided a similar service. Next, I'd like you to think what ATA you'd ask a customer for if you were designing a ‘check-in-stock' transaction. Well, it's obvious isn't it – you ask for the stock code. Well Kea don't think it's obvious to a customer and when you use their service you recognize that they're right. Instead, they ask you for a catalogue page number, and then the price of the item you're interested in. They then tell you the items on that page at that price and you confirm which one you want.A pretty weird transaction by IT standards, but customer-friendly. If you're a customer interested in stock levels, you're very likely to have the catalogue open. The page number is meaningful to you, is short and easy to enter on a phone keypad (all digits). The price is also meaningful, again short and easy to enter (all numeric). No company I've ever worked for has simple stock-codes. Someone has designed this transaction with the end-user (the customer) in mind. What, if anything has this to do with CRMIn my view, a lot: o Kea have chosen to change from a conventional business model to reduce prices significantly, by placing a lot of burden onto the customer. CRM is not necessarily about better customer service, but about giving the customer a better value reposition, or ‘increased value for money'. O Their change in business model leads to a need for a new transaction for the customer. That transaction is designed to be simple and fast for the customer to use. In Ken's words (nearly) in this week' newsletter – they've listened to their customers.

Becoming a Captain

The Cheerleading Captain plays a very important role on the team. The captain’s experience, attitude, and ability to effectively communicate information effects the team’s success. I believe that I would make a great captain because I possess all of these skills. I am an experienced cheerleader. I have been on the Varsity team for two years. You have taught me what it takes to be on a winning team. It takes hard work, perseverance, never quitting, and a lot of practice. This is invaluable experience for a captain. Also, I have had the privilege of serving as co-captain this past season.This has given me confidence in calling cheers and taught me how to get the whole team’s attention. I have represented Cheer in multiple news interviews. I did not feel very comfortable doing the interviews at first, but this experience has thought me how to represent our squad to the community. Lastly, my two years of cheer combined with four years of all-star competitive cheer ha s allowed me to acquire a solid stunting skill set. I am an excellent second base, and I know how to help other bases in a stunt group so that the flyer can have a stable transition.This knowledge and experience will allow me to teach others if needed. Should you select me as captain I will continue to work on my skills because a captain leads by example. A positive attitude is absolutely required from a captain. And, I have a positive attitude. I will confess there are mornings when I am tired or my body is sore but I show up at the gym on time and begin rolling out the mats, and never complain. This is important because if one person has a negative attitude about something it seems to spread like a virus.A positive leadership attitude is essential to correcting others and motiving those who are slacking. I feel comfortable calling a team member out and telling them what they do not want to hear (but need to hear) if that is what it takes to make our squad better. And, I am quick t o compliment and encourage teammates when I see them doing something good. I have a positive leadership attitude and others respect me because not only do I lead, but I also work just as hard to correct myself when needed. Effective communication skills are essential for a captain.I am organized and detailed which are two necessary characteristics for a good communicator. These are natural characteristics for me that would make it easy as a captain to communicate information to all my team members. Timely and correct information is vital when there are scheduling, uniform, and/or time changes, etc. You and I have a good relationship and communicate well with each other, this will allow us to easily work together. I am good at both text messaging and emailing. No team member would have the excuse of having the wrong information if I was captain.If you select me your Varsity Cheer Captain, I will never think or act like I am above your rules or any of the policies or procedures of â⠂¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ High School. I will be a positive role model for the team. I will continue to work on my skills because a captain is not exempt from needing to improve as a competitor. I will demonstrate my experience, positive attitude and effective communication skills if chosen as caption. I am confident, loud, full of energy, and I will make you proud if you chose me.

Business Culture Of Russia English Language Essay

Business Culture Of Russia English Language Essay Imagine that you work for a multinational IT company and have been transferred to Japan for five years on a project. You want to adjust yourself culturally to the new environment so that you do not have cross-cultural problems. Which aspects of the local culture would you wish to observe and understand in order to avoid problems of cross-cultural communication? Hello!! My name is Agnes. I am from Russia. I work in a multi-national company there as Sr. Manager in Marketing Department. For the completion of a project, I have been transferred to Japan for five years. Being two different countries, there are a lot of differences between the business cultures of them. Business Culture of Russia Russia, being one of the fastest growing economies of the world, is an inspiration for international business relations. People who are looking forward to break into a new business or attempting to grow their European presence enjoy their success by the development of new Russian clients and partn ers. Meeting Etiquettes Russians value patience and appreciate time for discussion, consideration and digesting negotiations. Never try to impose a decision through high-pressure talk. It will only make you look impatient, rude and incapable of professional business communications. Although it is acceptable for your Russian colleagues to be late to the business meetings, but, as a foreigner, you are expected to be punctual. Also, do not let your late Russian colleagues to apologize, as their behavior is considered to be a test of your patience level. If your business meeting is based on a technical topic, be sure that you bring technical experts and a Russian interpreter along with you. Your Russian colleagues will expect a thorough presentation associated with your topic. Bringing experts establishes your credibility, foresight and general expertise. Although most Russians speak English, be sure that you have a Russian translation of your business card on the other side, as this in dicates your enthusiasm for doing business with your Russian colleagues. Greeting Etiquettes Initial greetings may come across coolly. Do not expect friendly smiles. A handshake is always required when greeting or leaving, regardless of the relationship. Remove your gloves before shaking hands. Dress Codes Business dress is formal and conservative. Wearing very light or very bright colors may make you appear lazy or unreliable to a Russian person. MEN: They should wear business suits. WOMEN: They should wear subdued colored business suits with skirts that cover the knees. Body Language Russians are very demonstrative people, and public physical contact is common. Hugs, backslapping, kisses on the cheeks and other expansive gestures are common among friends or acquaintances. Russians stand close while they are talking. Making an â€Å"OK† sign in Russia is considered to be very rude gesture. Corporate Culture Russians appreciate punctuality. Business meetings generally begin o n time in Russia. Business cards, in Russia, are always exchanged at business meetings. The ceremony of presenting and receiving business cards is very important. Do not treat it lightly. Hand your business card in a way that the Russian side is readable to the recipient.

Progress Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Progress Report - Essay Example In 2008 December, the technology was finalized and made available to the public in 2009. The Samsung SCH-r900 was the first phone to utilize the LTE technology. The information in the sources is very important because it shows how LTE technology has evolved. This is because the LTE technology proved successful in that it offers an uplink of about mbit/s and downlink peak rate of about 300 Mbit/s. The transmission latency is as less as 5ms in the radio access network. Additionally, the engineers of LTE technology looked towards creation of a technology that would provide much faster speeds based on simple network architecture. The engineers also wanted a technology with much lower transfer latency as compared to 3G architecture. This in turn would reduce packet latency, more responsive user experience The IP based system was not effective since it was not compatible with 2G and 3G networks but the LTE technology aimed to address such problems. The LTE technology would introduce flexible radio planning and high spectral efficiency. Verizon wireless firm was the first U.S firm to deploy the LTE technology. The LTE and 4G technologies offer speeds faster than 3G technology; they have ability to share more network resources. However, LTE technology is faster than 4G, which uses Wimax and HSPA+ technologies in data transfer. LTE technology work in an evolved mode in that a device such as Smartphone connects to a 3G station with increased or higher processing power which enables it to transmit and receive data to and from the device over different channels within a spectral band. It is clear that the innovators of the technology found it vital for a connection to be created between the evolved node and evolved packet core (EPC). The EPC processes and sends and receives the data to and from the devices Most people and businesses prefer using LTE technology because it offers a high speed browsing, cloud computing, and fast download of photos,

Compare and contrast two Management Theories Term Paper

Compare and contrast two Management Theories - Term Paper Example Theory X This theory is based on traditional conception of control and direction. The theory makes assumptions that average human beings do not like working. Because of this dislike, most people must be punished in order to put forth adequate effort towards the realization of the organization’s goals. Furthermore, theory X assumes that average people prefer to be directed, wish to avoid responsibility, have relatively little ambitions and want securities (Sapru, 2006). Traditionally, this theory was referred to as the carrot and the stick theory and was practically based on mechanistic approach to human relations. Rewards and punishments may be used to induce desired behavior, and this came from the donkey story whereby the best way to make a donkey move was to "put a carrot in front of the donkey or jab him with a stick from behind" (Sapru, 2006). Rewards and punishments are still strong motivators in many organizations. The use of theory X works well under certain circumstances; however, this does not work at all once an employee has attained the highest level and is motivated by higher needs. In other words, this theory does not explain human nature. McGregor states that as long as theory X continues to influence managerial strategy, human potentialities cannot be discovered. Theory Y The inadequacies in theory X led to development of theory Y as integration to replace traditional concepts of direction and control. The human motivations in theory Y may be characterized by the expenditure of physical and mental effort in work. Here, an ordinary person does not dislike work (Miner, 2007).

Discuss the way in which organisational structures impacts on the flow Essay

Discuss the way in which organisational structures impacts on the flow of work and overall purposes of the service are achieved - Essay Example that an organization can either be formally aligned in its ways and means of doing things and different processes or the same might just be in a way informal in quite a few of its activities and tasks. The manner in which it runs across this paradigm is something that needs to be studied in depth before we reach further consensus on their purposes and the kind of achievements that they have had. As we talk about an organization, we see that within it the communication can flow in one of three ways or in all the three directions. This means that these three directions pave the way for the ease of communication and there are as such no barriers to arise from the whole equation. The first communication flow is from top to bottom, which means that the communication starts from the top management and goes down towards the middle and lower management. It ensures that the instructions are easily made comprehensible for all and sundry who are within the middle and lower cadres and there are as such no discrepancies arising from this form of communication flow. The second form could be the one that starts from the lower or middle management and goes up towards the top management. A common example of this kind of communication flow is in the type of protests and rallies that arise at the lower level and the lower management wants to make sure that their voice gets heard courtesy the top cadre of the organization. The third communication flow could be in the kind of peer to peer communication and interaction. This means that the employees and the workers at the same level communicate within their own capacities and as such there are no hindrances arising from the whole communication matrix. Apart from this, within an organization the communication also flows in a formal as well as an informal manner. Where the communication is more formal and sophisticated, the interaction is usually done through paper and written requests whereas the informal talk is also called

Research Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research Reflection - Essay Example I will be passing out a survey to my father’s employees. This survey will contain questionnaire about few motivational behaviors which we can implement in our business. Through this survey, we are hopeful of finding out the perception of our employees and also their present motivation and interest level. It is important that we find out which motivational scheme is most important, in order to keep our employees happy. Since it is a small business, the greatest fear is high attrition rate and skilled employees leaving the business. To get into the appliance repair business one does not need much capital therefore it is important that we keep our employees happy with the right motivational scheme. That way they will not leave us to start their own business. Experience A cohort can be termed as a group of people sharing similar characteristics. These characteristics can be age, date of birth, place of origin, place of study. A cohort group can also be formed by people, who are su bjected to similar kind of situations such as undergoing a particular medical procedure etc (Fein, Tziner & Vasiliu, 2010). A cohort study is also known as longitudinal study in which the cohort group is studied with respect to a general population (Catlin and Maupin, 2004). I was exposed to a similar situation when I attended Christian university, for a period of 22 months and went through 11 classes each seven weeks long. I was studying with a cohort group with similar people. This group was similar in terms of age group, knowledge level, education inheriting from the same university. It was natural that the way of understanding the knowledge and interpreting them, was very much similar, as taught by our lecturers. I have had varying experiences during my study tenure in the cohort group. Few days after the classes started in full swing, we started losing our students. Few students dropped out and few were called off by their parents because of personal reasons. Even though most o f the participants were of similar age, we had an old lady. The study materials we had been very helpful and lecturers helped us during the research. There were few misunderstandings and quarrels too. Few of the participants of the cohort were not in line with the techniques used by the rest of the cohort during the tenure. But these issues were resolved at the end with proper understanding and some compromises from both the groups. Being in a cohort with the same group of students is quite an experience. The norming and forming is constant. It is also good to know that every time we have to present it is in front of people you know and acquainted with. It helps to boost experience and better results are generated. Reflection The basic concept which I understood is that group or team dynamics is a system of psychological and behavioral process which occurs within a social group. It can also be termed as intra group dynamics which means actions and their subsequent reactions and cons equences occurring within a group. From the classes which I attended on this particular topic, I was able to understand that group dynamics is done with the objective of understanding behaviors such as decision making, creating and implementing new techniques and ideas, making new ideas viable in the society and making them useful for the current as well as future generation. Since there were only two classes on the topic of group and team dynamics, the classes were not

A REVIEW OF PROVIDING EMPLOYEES BENEFITS IN SAMSUNG IN SOUTH KOREA Essay

A REVIEW OF PROVIDING EMPLOYEES BENEFITS IN SAMSUNG IN SOUTH KOREA - Essay Example Korean based firm that is headquartered in Suwon. Having been established in 1969 when it was referred to as Samsung Electric Industries, the company has embarked on product diversification an aspect that has made it to enjoy a competitive position in the electronic industry. Soon after it was established, the company embarked on acquiring other firms within the same industry with an objective of expanding its capital bases as well as putting in place effective marketing strategies. Some of the notable firms that Samsung acquired were Korea Semiconductor and Korea Telecommunication in 1974 and 1980 respectively. Investing in technology especially between 1995 and 2008 made the company to acquire a significant market share an aspect that made the company to effectively face off its key competitor Sony. In order to effectively meet the needs of its global market, the company diverted from consumer brands to enter in the filed of memory. This made it to be a key supplier of the NAND mem ory and A7 processors to the Apple Company. Recently, Samsung has indicated an expansive growth that has made it not only to incur high profits but also it has created a strong positive consumer product relationship. From the introduction and adoption of 5G technology to the launching of Galaxy S series, Samsung registered a profit of US $9.4 billion in the third quarter of 3013. In order to ensure that its operations are effectively varied out in the local and global market, Samsung maintains a workforce of 470,000 employees. Thus the need to keep them motivated as a way of enlacing the company profitability. 1.2 Research title, research question and research objectives A review of providing employees benefits in Samsung in South Korea Research question What is the impact of providing employees benefits in Samsung? Research objectives Analyzing the impact of employees benefit program on Samsung performance Outline the employees, benefits program Reviewing the implementation of prov iding employees benefits in Samsung Company What are the benefits of providing employees for the company? 1.3 Research rationale This research will use the studies done by various individuals who have done extensive coverage of the benefits offered by the Samsung Company in its effort to improve the productivity of its employees. 2 Literature review 2.1 Introduction Being an international company with an objective of expanding its customer bases and acquiring a wide market segment, Samsung has a strong linkage with its employees. Ranging from technical managers to the sales representative, the company has established a number of employee’s benefits that are aimed at motivating them thus improving their productivity. Through the establishment of Samsung’s welfare system, the company provides not only financial support to the employees, but also it provides health, leisure and education facilities to the employees. The establishment of an integrated benefit scheme, Samsu ng has maintained a strong workforce that has made it to put at bay it key competitors including Nokia and Apple. The part below reviews studies done by various people on the impact of providing employees benefits in Samsung. 2.2 High compensation In his studies on compensation and negotiation, Chingos (1985) support an increment of salaries not only as a way of compensating them but also as

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of being a youth Essay

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of being a youth mentor in a formal setting Evaluate with reference to two examples - Essay Example A mentor concentrates on creating a positive relationship with the youths under mentorship, as well as following the goals identified for the mentoring program towards the success of the mentee. The creation of a quality program for youth mentoring is majorly based on effective practice elements. According to the findings by Young and Wright (2001) on the positive effects of youth mentorship, quality practice standards are instrumental in fostering the desired outcomes for the participating youths. In essence, the formal youth mentoring practice is important in enhancing the emotional well-being and social skills of the youths. The youths also benefit from the improved cognitive skills through listening and dialogue, as well as serving as advocates and role models (Whitmore, 2002). The increased number of the mentoring programs has equally compromised the quality of the programs over the long time. According to Trzesniewski (2008), not all mentoring programs and relationships are beneficial to the mentees. In these findings, the mentoring programs that have stronger infrastructure can potentially produce greater positive impacts, since the infrastructure directly relates to the impact of the mentor on the mentees. The solidity of the relationship between the mentor and the mentee is essential towards the improvement of the attitudes of the mentees, together with their performances and behaviors (Tsangaridou, 2008). The formal mentorship programs, for instance, are important in providing the settings for maintaining and developing a solid relationship between mentees and the mentors. Literature highlights particular elements that are considered critical for the effectiveness of a mentorship program. Among the important elements exhibited in the formal mentorship program is the screening process, which facilitates the identification of the most effective personnel to act in the

Effect of Acute Stress and Chronis Stress on the Extent to Which Research Paper

Effect of Acute Stress and Chronis Stress on the Extent to Which College Freshment Exhibit Depressive Symptoms - Research Paper Example To this end, data will be collected from freshmen studying different courses in different universities in the state using the BDI-II, PSS and the Stress Scale for the Youth, and the data collected was analyzed using factorial ANOVA and Chi-Square. Title The effect of Acute Stress and Chronic Stress on the extent to which College Freshmen exhibit Depressive Symptoms Introduction Depression is a disorder that impacts affective, behavioral and cognitive aspects of an individual’s functioning, and affects anywhere between 8 – 12 % of individuals in the population (Kessler, Berglund, Demler, Jin, Merikangas, & Walters, 2005). Women are more susceptible to depression as compared to men, and nearly twice the number of women are diagnosed with depression as compared to men (Kessler et al, 2005). Individuals in their early adulthood are somewhat more likely to show signs of depression, and there seems to be a strong relationship between stressful events and the onset of depressi on (Kessler et al, 2005). ... Depression is associated with lowered achievement as well as an increased risk for suicidal ideation and attempts (Robbins, 2008). It is thus important to identify and provide support to at risk individuals. Towards this end, this study attempts to explore whether existing life stress and moving away from home to attend college can increase the risk faced by college freshmen for depressive symptoms. Review of Literature Depression is a mood disorder that finds its causes in a number of factors that include biological, sociological, genetic and psychological influences. There have been many theories that have attempted to explain the nature and incidence of depressive symptoms (Monroe, Slavich & Georgiades, 2008) ranging from theories that postulate the role of chemical changes in brain functioning (Tanti & Belzung, 2010) to evolutionary theories that attempt to explain the value of depression in survival (Sloman, Gilbert and Hasey, 2003). Tanti and Belzung (2010) have attempted to ex plain depression using a connectivist approach that uses information about different possible causes for a depressive episode as input nodes to an explanation of the individual’s symptoms and intensity of the condition. According to them, each possible cause affects the individual in a different way; and thus may produce different experiences and emotions. Using this information, it becomes possible to understand the particular manifestation of the illness in an individual on the basis of the reasons that brought about the episode. The theory also uses this model to suggest the utility of different treatment options, so that it may become possible to choose the most appropriate

Race and Color Discrimination Essay Example for Free

Race and Color Discrimination Essay Who are the major people that had made a different in the race and color movement? What as society done to improve the way to perceive other people that do not have the same color or race as us? This are all major questions people have in mind when trying to solve Racism affects people lives in many ways depending on race, gender, amp; class though gender usually goes with sexism. Though there have been many efforts to reduce its power it is still in life. Today there are still efforts being made and some have been successful such the racial boundaries Barack Obama has crossed despite being biracial and how many people are taking a stand. Racism today seems to affect mainly African Americans as some people are very prejudiced against them such as the Ku Klux Klan whose power may not be as strong as it once was still exists. The other ways that African Americans are affected are stereotypes. There countless even for other races for example me. I have mistaken to be Indian a lot of times and sometimes still am even though I am Bangladeshi. Some stereotypes for other races would be the Chinese and Japanese they are sometimes expected to be smart, have squinty eyes, and be a workaholic while they may be not. I know someone who is partly Japanese she does not seem to have squinty eyes nor is she a workaholic. Racism also comes to everyone’s lives through the way we exposed to it. For example go to some place and then be shut out because of the color of your skin or be cast out because youre Asian, African-American, or even middle eastern. For now that is all I can say but if youre not satisfied please leave a message on my bio page and/or improve it yourself in anyways you can.

Belonging Essay Example for Free

Belonging Essay An individuals perception of belonging is created with the passing of time and ones mixing within the world. This view is Represented in St Patricks College written by Peter Skrzynecki and Neighbours written by Tim Winton. Belonging is how one feels connected to people, places, communities within the world . St Patricks College looks at the unhappiness of a boy in high school, feeling out of place. Neighbours shows a young man’s emerging understanding of the culture diversity and generosity of the neighbours he once looked at with suspicion. The couple feels alienated and foreign in their own home and country. Ones culture influences the connection you have and feel to a place, such as the suburb and school in St Patricks College. St Patricks College is set in a Catholic school. â€Å"Our Lady† – reference to our lady lets the reader know it is a highly religious catholic school. â€Å"Over shadowed by the clouds† this suggests the statue face is not clear. Indirectly life for the boy is uncertain at school. The use of the word shadow symbolises a casting doubt in the boys school life. The narrator explains the boy doesn’t fit in, depicted in the simile â€Å"Feels like a foreign tourist† the boy feels excluded because of his Polish background both at school and around the town he lives in. The passing of 8 full years at this place and he still does not feel a serious connection to the suburb or the school. In Neighbours the couple feels disconnected to the town in which they move to. At first alienated,suspicious and foreign in their own home. They don’t feel that they belong in the neighbourhood even though it is a part of their country. The couple’s sense of belonging begins to grow as time passes through acceptance. The couple begin to fit in with the outsiders traditions and decide they love it. As time continues to pass the two cultures may have different opinions on the lifestyle of one another although they decide to accept this and gain a sense of generosity through the pregnancy of the Wife. The people a person grows up with (usually family) vastly influence how you connect to people within the world. In St Patricks College the son is expected to be a part of the Australian school and fit in with other children, just as he belongs with his family in his Polish home. There is a barrier to communication with the people at St Patricks College compared to he’s Polish influenced home as the boy is not familur with this culture and finds it difficult to connect and gain a sense of belonging within this social group. Since there is no connection to Poland in the school teaching, this then leaves the boy feeling isolated from everyone else as he doesn’t connect. This is represented in the quote â€Å"Mother enrolled me at St Pat’s with never a thought†. The boy and Mother have individual ideas about what it means to belong. Since the mother did not understand his lack of belonging, the boy felt forced to complete the â€Å"8 years† for the moth ers sake â€Å"Prayed that someday mother would be pleased†. This shows the change over time when the boy now relates to prayers. In neighbours, the couple are new to this town and feel that the migrants around them all connect yet even though this is their country they feel disconnected within their community due to the cultural diversity. The use of alliteration in spitting, shouted and screamed add to sense of â€Å"difference† and strangeness further alienates the young couple. The young couple establish smiling relationships ad exchange food and gifts and feel proud of their relationship they have built with the migrant neighbours. This depicts the way that with the passing of time, the couple learn and grow to belong to this community. As time passes the young mans final realisation shifts by finishing the short story with the perception of the goodness the migrant neighbours were trying to put upon the new couple within this new community. A persons community influences the connection they have with the world and in the passing of time. In St Patricks College, the boy does not find a connection to the school or the children in that community. The boys feelings over time do not change. An example is shown at the end of the poem â€Å"The darkness around me wasn’t for the best before i let my light shine†. The darkness refers to him not feeling a part of the school community and that this school was not the best choice for him. The use of irony in â€Å"Let my light shine† (the school motto) is shown to depict the fact that Peter can only achieve it when he has left the school community- when the boy leaves the school, he then can enjoy life. â€Å"I stuck pine needles into the motto† this act of rebellion and lack of regard gives us a sense of empathy as he does not belong nor accept this community. The young couple have cultural differences within the community. They find it difficult to connect to the migrant neighbours. This is shown throughout the short story as an unbroken and uncomfortable relationship exists for a while between the 2 parties. We realise the immigrants think the couple are odd, changing the perception of the reader slightly. Winton shows that there is a ‘difference’ on both sides which causes the alienation and isolation. In the quote â€Å"He watched in disgust as the little boy urinated in the street†. This refers to the diversity in the cultures which is carried throughout the neighbourhood. From this the couple do not gain an understanding nor a sense of belonging until they discover that they are warm and friendly yet live a lifestyle differently. Over time the couple begin to no longer feel foreign in their own home and gain a connection to their community. In conclusion, the close study St Patricks College and Neighbours show different perceptions of belonging and not belonging. Although through the passing of time and interaction within the world, both texts gain the concept of whether they belong to a certain place, persons or community.

Design Of Perfomance Linked Reward System Business Essay

Design Of Perfomance Linked Reward System Business Essay Performance-related reward system involves rewarding employees according to their performance, or results achieved or contribution to organisations performance as individuals or as a part of a group. It involves a shift of focus from remuneration models based on the worth of jobs and employee skills to their performance. Designing a performance-linked reward system is conditioned by a variety of factors such as the nature of business, type of technology, the attitude of unions and human resource management strategies of the organisation. Therefore, no particular model can be recommended; it has to be custom-tailored. Performance-linked reward systems reduce labour cost, result in increases in real wages and motivate performance. They provide a method of absorbing cost escalation on account of pay increases and thus help in sustaining competitiveness of the organisation. It has been increasingly realised that performance-related pay, if used in isolation, may have little impact on motivation for performance. Appropriate conditions in the organisation have to be created for performance-linked reward systems to be motivationally effective. These conditions, for instance, will involve proper information, consultation, communication mechanisms, training and development of employees, developing proactive attitude and performance-oriented culture, providing non- monetary incentives and evolving an efficient performance management system and so on. Reward system cannot be seen in isolation from compensation management. Compensation management is getting increasingly integrated with business and human resource management strategy. Reward system should, therefore, be considered as an aid to better performance in a performance management system which may be integrated with the overall business plan and strategy. FORMS AND CHOICE OF PERFORMANCE LINKED REWARD SYSTEM There are several types of performance-linked reward schemes. Generally, these are designed to-share with or distribute to employees as individuals, groups or a collectivity productivity gains, profit improvement or financial results of enterprise performance. Such schemes fall into the following broad categories: Schemes based on individual or small group performance including piece rates, traditional merit pay, and sales commission. Incentive schemes which may relate pay to profits on the basis of a pre- determined formula. Bonus schemes based on contribution to productivity and profitability according to a pre-determined formula with gains sometimes distributed among the individual employees on the basis of merit rating. Productivity Bargaining. Employee Stock Options Plan (ESOP). Competency-based pay. 1. Merit Incentive Pay A common method which has long been in existence is pay increase or bonus payment on the basis of performance rating. The merit incentive pay scheme provides another method of recognising and rewarding differential performance. This method could particularly be suitable for office staff. The scheme essentially involves the following steps: a) The determination of result-oriented merit rating procedures, b) The identification of job factors and their relative importance, c) The formulation of a scale of reward, and d) The communication of the basis of monetary reward. Illustratively, job factors of salesman can be identified as (a) sales promotion, (b) realisation of outstandings, and (c) good-will calls, (d) after-sales service and, (e) investigation of complaints. These tasks will differ in their degree of importance. This difference can be recognised by imputing numerical values to different job factors. Hypothetically, let us assign weight values of 5, 3 and 2 respectively to the above tasks. In practice, weight values can be ascertained through job analysis. The actual merit rating score will give the percentage of basic wage or basic wage plus D.A. as incentive bonus. Given a result-oriented merit rating procedure and its objective operation in an organization, it should not be difficult to install a merit incentive pay system. This is not to minimise the difficulties that are usually encountered in operating a -merit rating system. The effectiveness of the performance appraisal system will depend on the soundness of the performance appraisal system. Sometimes merit increments and merit awards are also given in recognition of superior performance on the part of individuals. These are poor substitutes for a system of merit incentive pay because of several shortcomings. Under a system of merit increments, there is no prompt relationship between reward and effort. The quantum of reward at a point of time will be considered inadequate. Additional cost in the form of enhanced allowances is built for the company on permanent basis. Employees continue to benefit from their best performance even if it remains below standard in the future. Employees getting merit awards cannot visualise a proportionate relationship between their performance and reward. The basis of determining the quantum can not be explained to employees who are not given such awards. This may evoke jealously and friction and may thus jeopardise cooperation and goodwill. Incentive Payments Lumpsum payments such as sales commission is another traditional method. Generally, the performance and the payment of lumpsum are linked by a formula. Sales commission, however, does not generally consider other parameters of performance such as realisation of outstandings and selling high profit margin products. Another traditional method of rewarding performance is piece rates. There are several weaknesses in this system. It is not easy to agree with workers on the standard output required. Frequent changes may be needed in the standard output due to technology changes and this may lead to conflict between unions and management. Also factors other than individual performance such as change in work method affect output. Conflicts may also arise between different work groups when one group is dependent on another. There is a potential for conflict when norms have to be revised because of such factors as technology changes. Also, modernisation of technology and automation has rendered piece rates somewhat obsolete. 2. Incentive Schemes Output-based incentive scheme are appropriate where tasks are repetitive and measurable. These involve the following steps: Selecting the objectives Determining the parameters of performance in accordance with the objectives Determining the norms or base values or benchmark values for each parameter Determining performance-reward relationship Fixing the relative importance of the selected parameters, that is, their weightages Designing information and procedure formats Determining the maximum payable incentive amount (incentive opportunity) and , payment period Formulating a communication and review scheme These are, however, not suitable for high technology and service activities, which require information sharing, problem solving and team work. Productivity gain or profit sharing or employee stock options plan (ESOP) may be suitable types for such activities. 3. Group Incentive and Productivity Gain Sharing Under the productivity gain sharing schemes, productivity gains are shared in accordance to an agreed pre-determined formula. Profit sharing gives a share of profit. Sometimes, the quantum of bonus is determined on the basis of profit as well as productivity improvements according to a pre-determined benchmark value for each of them. 4. Productivity Bargaining Productivity bargaining can provide yet another method of improving productivity and linking wage increases- to such improvements. Productivity bargaining, however, does not mean an incentive scheme or wage increases in return for assurances and promises from unions for achieving production targets. This method implies (a) a detailed analysis of the firms operations, (b) the identification of cost reduction possibilities, (c) estimation of savings in cost, and (d) the development of a system o indexing wage increases with cost reductions actually realised over time. The climate for productivity bargaining has never been more favourable than now. It is for managements to take initiative and build this approach in their collective bargaining relationship with Unions. 5. Long-Term Incentive (ESOP) Long-term incentive in the form of employee stock options schemes are operated both to improve long-term incentive and to reduce fixed cost. ESOP envisages employee participation in and ownership of a companys equity. This plan is intended to provide an incentive to the employees to improve the all- round performance and growth of the company and share its prosperity. The plan usually involves allotment of equity shares according to a laid down procedure and subject to governmental regulations, laws and rules. The employees benefit in the form of enhanced market value of his shares and capital gains, which in turn depend on companys and employee performance. Several software and high-tech organisations such as Infosys have conceived and designed such plans. 6. Competency-based Pay The competency is a critical determinant of performance. Therefore, there is an increasing interest in offering monetary incentive for acquiring competencies required for higher performance on the present job or for the next job. Such competency may for instance include values, attitude and behavioural characteristics which influence performance. In designing a performance linked reward scheme, choice of an appropriate scheme should be considered as critical. The choice will be determined by a variety of factors such as the nature of the organisation, the nature of technology, the nature of profits, the nature of markets, the human resource strategy and business objectives. STEPS IN DESIGNING There is a variety of forms of performance-linked schemes. These must be closely adapted to the particular conditions of individual enterprises and the concerned groups of companies. In designing a custom-tailored performance-linked reward scheme, the following steps are important: 1. Custom-Tailored There is little scope for relying on model or standardized schemes. Attempts to impose specific performance-linked reward systems through central regulations generally appear to fail. Frequently the appropriateness of what is being required may appear questionable from the perspective of individual enterprises. Therefore, care must be taken in adapting such schemes to the particularities of individual enterprises. 2. Objectives The objectives of the schemes need to be carefully formulated. Such objectives are needed to guide the selection of performance measures, the specification of bonus calculation formulae and the reaching of common understanding on the size of bonuses that may be expected through the schemes. The potential for performance improvement may vary greatly from one enterprise to another, as well as with the passage of time. Both the short and long run objectives for the scheme should be identified. 3. Selection of Performance Measures The selection of performance measures must be consistent with the scheme objectives; these must encourage those types of behaviour considered important for organizational performance such as increasing output, reducing labour and other costs, improving quality or timeliness of delivery, encouraging co-operation amongst work groups, enhancing adaptability and innovations, etc. In addition, they must not be pursued at the expense of other performance parameters. At the same time, the measures of performance selected should, to a large extent, be under employee control, and not influenced by external influences. Employees will be demotivated if their best efforts are offset by factors they cannot control. The unit, the performance of which is measured, should be small enough to ensure that workers can see some relation between their efforts and rewards. To ensure motivational effectiveness, the measures of performance should also be easily understood by the workers concerned, subject to ready verification if suspicions arise, and be calculable at frequent intervals. 4. Basis Depending on circumstances, performance awards may be determined on the basis of improvements over the previous year, improvements over a base period performance, or the maintenance of a high level of performance. Bonuses which become exceptionally large should be integrated into basic wages in order to avoid distortions in pay structures. Where necessary, it may be advisable to resort to procedures for stabilising bonuses of lengthening the period over which performance is calculated. 5. External Influences To the extent possible, the initial agreement establishing the scheme should specify how target performance levels are to be dealt with when their achievement is affected by external influences such as changes in. production methods, product mix and prices of inputs and outputs. 6. Distribution The rule for the distribution of bonuses amongst workers should be simple and widely supported. It may be based on wage rates or average earnings. Also, to discourage excessive absenteeism, bonus is sometimes varied with the number of hours or days worked. However, distributions in accordance with assessments of individual worker performance by supervisors may be problematic, especially if such assessments lead to significant variation in pay. 7. Equity There should be equal opportunities to earn bonuses, even though the performance measures may vary. In addition, performance targets should be set after a careful scrutiny of the historical behaviour of the measures selected. The quantum of bonus should be significant enough to evoke extra efforts. At the same time performance awards should not be so large as to put at risk a significant part of employee earnings for reasons beyond their control. 8. Safeguards Such schemes should not be substituted for wage increases that otherwise would have been granted or replace fixed wages with variable wages. Performance pay should supplement rather than replace existing wage bargaining arrangements and should not question the need to maintain basic wages at adequate levels. Perhaps of even greater importance in some contexts may be the need to give assurances to existing employees that productivity improvements would not place jobs in jeopardy. 9. Involvement and Communication Such schemes must be perceived as acting in the interest of employees as well as employers. Accordingly such schemes must be implemented in ways that convince employees that they will receive a fair share of the benefits derived from their extra efforts and their jobs will not be threatened. Schemes based on collective performance work more effectively when the scheme objectives and operation are explained in detail to all the employees concerned. The success of schemes depends to a large extent on the amount of effort given by management to consultation at various stages in the planning and design of the scheme, in the process of implementation and monitoring of results. In addition, the schemes have a better chance of success if employees are provided with full opportunities to present their ideas for bringing about improvement. Performance- linked schemes function most effectively when they are accompanied by a formal participative system that facilitates: (a) the transformation of agreed practical suggestions into actual changes in operating methods and procedures; (b) two-way communications at all levels on operating difficulties and general business trends. 10. Union Participation in the Design Performance reward schemes may work most effectively when worker representatives are given full opportunity to participate in their design and administration. Such involvement may facilitate comprehension and acceptance of scheme objectives. Moreover, workers may only fully trust the scheme if it has been elaborated in consultation and agreement with worker representatives and they are subsequently given opportunities to verify that awards is being calculated fairly. Also, the commonality of interests of workers and employers in improved productivity, performance, earnings and equity is likely to be much more apparent where pay systems are developed and elaborated in accordance with rules established through collective bargaining. 11. Review There should be a clear provision for modifications owing to changes in production methods or in prices or inputs or outputs. The effectiveness of all pay systems decays with time and the duration of schemes based on collective measures of performance are particularly short. Accordingly it should be foreseen that the basic parameters of such schemes would undergo regular periodic revisions. Indeed it should be expected from the outset that the collective performance measures and targets would undergo continuing change every few years in the light of the experience. ISSUES AND TRENDS There are many issues and trends occur in linking performance with reward system which are as follows:- 1. Level of Education The level of education of the employees, among other factors, will determine what type of scheme is likely to be easily understood by them and will motivate them. The nature of the business and the operations will also influence. Organisations in low cost manufacturing or which promote innovation, skills and higher performance or which are in service industries may need to consider different forms of performance pay. Their business and human resource management strategy will differ; the form and content as well as objectives of performance pay should be consistent with them. 2. Trade Union The chance of success of performance-linked pay will depend on the tradition of collective bargaining and attitudes of unions. While the negative attitudes hinder its introduction, the positive attitude considerably facilitates it 3. Organisational Culture Performance pay gives better results in organisations characterised by employee involvement and team spirit. A pro-active culture in the organisation is found to be valuable to performance and productivity. 4. Package of Monetary and Non-Monetary Incentives Performance pay is at best an element in the reward management and motivational system. Besides performance pay, it is essential to pay attention simultaneously to such aspects as re-organisation of work process, training, employee involvement and participative decision-making, opportunities to contribute ideas and knowledge, non- monetary recognition, career development and goal setting. 5. Rewarding Good Performance Rewarding good performance may include, among others, such mechanisms as cash awards, appreciation letter and certificates, training in reputed institutions, foreign travel, job enlargement and enriched roles, publicity in newsletters and membership of professional societies, etc. For higher effectiveness of performance-linked pays system, such reward mechanisms should also be used. 6. Performance Pay and Performance Management It is increasingly realised that performance is affected by a variety of factors. These factors, for instance, will include knowledge and skills which are developed through training, work attitudes and intrinsic rewards. These and other factors which affect performance are considered in the wider context of performance management and human resource management with performance pay constituting an element of it. 7. Caveats It is being increasingly realised that The performance pay systems should be designed to promote the kind of performance an organisation needs. It should, therefore, be integrated with human resource management strategy for better performance and growth of the organisation. The performance pay should underpin the organisations main values such as team work, creativity, flexibility and quality. The system should provide an impetus to and support the behaviour expected of the employees. Therefore, it must communicate to employees the type of behaviour to be rewarded and the way in which it will be rewarded. The reward system should be strengthened through re-organisation of work process and enlarged job responsibilities, training, consultation, communication and participatory system. Employees should also be consulted in the formulation of the plan. The criteria for determining performance should be objective, measurable, easily understood and related to what employees can control. The quantum of performance pay should be significant enough to be motivationally effective and its distribution should be equitable. The payment of performance pay should follow the performance as soon as possible and as frequently as possible. The performance level should be achievable; otherwise it will have a demoralising effect. The quantum of pay should be sufficiently flexible to absorb downturn and adequately reward when performance is good; it should also safeguard the minimum remuneration for the value of the job. QUESTIONS Q1. Explain what is performance-linked reward system? Q2. What are the various ways in which performance can be linked to reward system? Q3. In designing a performance-linked reward system, what considerations will you take into account? Q4.List out the various steps involved in designing a performance-linked reward system. Give an example. Q5. Examine the current issues and trends in linking performance with reward system.

Producerscareer Paper -- essays papers

Producerscareer Paper Introduction I believe by researching this career, I will learn more about what it’s like to be a producer. I also believe that my research will help me choose what occupation I’d like to have when I finish school. I chose this profession as the topic of my career paper because I want to learn more about it because I may be interested in going into this career. Job Description Producers have financial and administrative control over the making of movies, plays, and TV shows. Producers hire directors, principal members of the cast, and negotiate contracts with artistic personnel, often in accordance with collective bargaining agreement (â€Å"Actors, Directors, and Producers† 180). Together with the director, the producer also hires other members of the staff. A large staff includes several production assistants, associate producers, or assistant producers who are in charge of various parts of the production. These assistants help producers perform their task. During production, the producer is in charge of all the people involved in the movie, television, or theater project, including actors, directors, and production workers (CIC 154). Kaci Wall Anyone with enough money can produce a play or movie. A person successful in business who has contacts in the theater may raise the money to produce a play. Someone experienced in films, such as a director, may raise enough money to produce a film. Producers are entrepreneurs. The...

lighthod Light and Dark in Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay -- Heart

Light and Dark in Conrad's Heart of Darkness In Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, the author adverts to the idea that the "entrapment of light by darkness [that] is continually suggested" (Bloom 46) is comparative to Marlow's personality and perspective of his expedition down the Congo River. Light symbolizes any object or concept that is positive while darkness represents anything that elicits malice. The way in which Conrad approaches the novel by using darkness constantly prevail over light shows a continual theme of foreboding and gloom. Everything that shows vibrancy is illuminated through Conrad's words. These symbolisms and representations have a undeviating effect on the personality and perspective of the protagonist, Marlow. Conrad's use of a frame tale is exceedingly important when the character that is sharing his recollections has an altered perception. One may scrutinize the perspective of the African landscape as a natural wonder and not a foreboding nightmare as Marlow illustrates. The altered percep tion of Marlow, as using darkness as a victor of light, exhibits that Conrad utilizes the frame tale as a scapegoat for his personal perspective. The accounts of the narrative are the actual happenings of Conrad's individual journey up the Congo River. The reader, through Marlow's speech, can visualize any given atmosphere described in the book. Unfortunately, there are not any existing neutral settings throughout the book. The landscapes are either overcome by darkness or light. The effect of this darkness or light has a direct corollary to the reader. Immediately the reader recognizes a contrast between the peaceful European setting and the disarray of t... ...a dream"(24.). Marlow suddenly becomes aware of his immediate listeners and speaks directly to them as individuals. These listeners are, in essence, the reader. Conrad realizes that at certain junctures in his story the reader may lose interest. As a repercussion, Conrad institutes particular statements that maintain the intellectual involvement of the reader. Once again when Marlow detects disinterest and fiercely responds to someone sighing he questions the integrity of the listener. He automatically assumes that the listener sighs because of the absurdity of what is being stated: "Why do you sigh in this beastly way, somebody?"(43.). As Marlow continues, the intermittent utterances regarding the reader's involvement play a pivotal role in developing the contrast between darkness and light as Marlow nears the actual "heart of darkness." lighthod Light and Dark in Conrad's Heart of Darkness Essay -- Heart Light and Dark in Conrad's Heart of Darkness In Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, the author adverts to the idea that the "entrapment of light by darkness [that] is continually suggested" (Bloom 46) is comparative to Marlow's personality and perspective of his expedition down the Congo River. Light symbolizes any object or concept that is positive while darkness represents anything that elicits malice. The way in which Conrad approaches the novel by using darkness constantly prevail over light shows a continual theme of foreboding and gloom. Everything that shows vibrancy is illuminated through Conrad's words. These symbolisms and representations have a undeviating effect on the personality and perspective of the protagonist, Marlow. Conrad's use of a frame tale is exceedingly important when the character that is sharing his recollections has an altered perception. One may scrutinize the perspective of the African landscape as a natural wonder and not a foreboding nightmare as Marlow illustrates. The altered percep tion of Marlow, as using darkness as a victor of light, exhibits that Conrad utilizes the frame tale as a scapegoat for his personal perspective. The accounts of the narrative are the actual happenings of Conrad's individual journey up the Congo River. The reader, through Marlow's speech, can visualize any given atmosphere described in the book. Unfortunately, there are not any existing neutral settings throughout the book. The landscapes are either overcome by darkness or light. The effect of this darkness or light has a direct corollary to the reader. Immediately the reader recognizes a contrast between the peaceful European setting and the disarray of t... ...a dream"(24.). Marlow suddenly becomes aware of his immediate listeners and speaks directly to them as individuals. These listeners are, in essence, the reader. Conrad realizes that at certain junctures in his story the reader may lose interest. As a repercussion, Conrad institutes particular statements that maintain the intellectual involvement of the reader. Once again when Marlow detects disinterest and fiercely responds to someone sighing he questions the integrity of the listener. He automatically assumes that the listener sighs because of the absurdity of what is being stated: "Why do you sigh in this beastly way, somebody?"(43.). As Marlow continues, the intermittent utterances regarding the reader's involvement play a pivotal role in developing the contrast between darkness and light as Marlow nears the actual "heart of darkness."

The Kingdom Of God Essay -- Religion Theology Christian Christianity e

Pearl gates, marble stairs and a throne of gold, or an inner area in the hidden depths of our own soul? Which can describe the true kingdom of God, a real physical world or a place that is only seen in ones hearts. Some would say it to be a place above man, built by God to be a home for peoples' souls after death. Others might say that it is no more than a place inside us that can only be reached through the right decisions and acts of kindness. A place that is not seen or discussed but only felt in a way that is incomparable to any feeling ever felt by the living. Yet while people retain their own images of the Kingdom of God the Bible itself gives a subtle definition through a series of parables or short stories, told by Jesus in order to pass along the message of who is God and what is the kingdom of heaven. Jesus, through his sayings and parables showed that the kingdom was being revealed in his own life and work. He preached his message of the coming of the kingdom through memorable stories, which in his day could and did relate to things of everyday life. Though most of Jesus' followers didn't recognize the kingdom till after his death it was still brought to them by the Holy Spirit with a full understanding of his word and actions. Yet it was evidently difficult for them to understand before his death due to the previous ideas of the kingdom as a whole. Like many people of today those in Jesus' time viewed Gods' kingdom as a place above them yet unlike people today thought more literal terms actually believing that God was above them and was looking down on them. Even now, when in prayer, one may have a tendency to look up at the heaven in reverence since next to God it is the most endless, unexplainable thing in the world. Yet people are still able to know that as they look up they see God just the same as if they shut their eyes in prayer were to the people of Jesus' time God was seen as truly sitting above them in his kingdom in which only those who follow the laws exactly would ever see.To truly understand the kingdom of God people have to have ways to describe it. One type of description used is the Kingdom as the redemptive or saving presents of God. By this one would say that the kingdom is seen through the natural love, kindness, and common curtsy people show each other ever day. Through these acts Gods redemptive prussic an d the grow... ...temptations arise, so many chance to fall into greed and hatred yet to resist everyday, to say no to the things we want so bad but will only mean trouble for us is and always has been the real challenge. So maybe I don't do great deeds or save the world from evil but I can save myself from it, I can chose not to do wrong and I can certainly take those small steps closer to the kingdom god has waiting for me to find. I feel that right now in my life I am a "Kingdom person." God and I have our disagreements at times but all-in-all I do all I know how to do to be the best person I can be. I don't always go out of my way to help those who may like it but I will give my life to help any one who needs it. So as a person of God I feel that right now I am a "Kingdom person."The Kingdom of God is a place yet not a place. It is here but not yet. It is to be found and looks to find us. And no matter who you are or what you believe the kingdom is, if one lives right, follows their heart and does as all men were given the right to do, which is chose God, what ever they feel is the utmost beauty of Gods creations. For it is one's faith that will lead him and what he has faith in he'll find.

Allergies: Immune System and Genetically Modified Organism

Adrian V. Perse Human Biology Dr. Lawrence C. Cwik * 19 November 2012 Allergies * We live in a world were technology is growing every day. We have new medical technology and are able to save more lives. With benefits come risks we have all this technology and we cant seem to stop genetically engineered foods from causing allergies. Ever wonder why people have allergic reactions to specific things? A lot of people don’t think about the foods they consume could cause them to have an allergic reaction.In this essay I will be talking about how genetically engineered foods can cause allergies or other adverse health effects. * Allergies are very common in the United States. Allergies affect over fifty million Americans and is the fifth leading disease in America. Different people also have different kinds of allergic reactions they could be more severe while some are mild. There are also different reaction times to allergies some take longer to develop while some only take a few se conds.If you have an allergic reaction that means you have something inside your body that could be harmful to you, this cause your immune system to have an over reaction to that hurtful/harmless substances. When this happens your body produces white blood cells to produce antibodies to eliminate the source of that threat. But what dose that have to do with GMOs? GMOs enter our body system directly through the foods that we eat. GMOs have a bigger effect on children then they do on adults because they are younger and their immune system isn’t as strong/resistant as an adults so they are more venerable.So what are GMOs you ask? GMOs stands for Genetically Modified Organism, which means a single celled organism that have been modified and put into foods to prevent pesticides. These are some of the GMOs that resulted from agricultural. One kind of GMO that has been approved out there is called Herbicide Tolerance, which is found in soybeans it builds tolerance to glyphosate allo wing crops that would normally have been destroyed to live. GMOs have a big impact not just on us but the environment to. Over eighty percent of GMOs grown are used to herbicide tolerance.GMOs pigs also affect animals; cows and chickens are some of the main few. GMOs remain in our system long after we stop eating GMOs. GM crops also produce toxins through milk or animals that were feed GMOs. Kids are also at risk by drinking a lot of milk. GMO’s can affects kids even before birth. Yea GMOs even affect pregnant mothers it harms the fetal development and future genes passed on. That’s a brief description of what GMOs are and what they do. * Now lets talk about plant breeding and how it affects us. Let me tell you what plant breeding is first.Scientists have a method to removing and adding new DNA to organisms. They remove a part of DNA from an organisms then they find the specific gene they want and remove that from the DNA. After that they bind they bind the DNA and ins erter it into a new organism. Scientists have been altering the genetics of plants trying to increase their value, they genetic alter crops by using unnatural breeding and use ultraviolet or gamma rays on these crops that we later consume. Genetically cross breeding decreases nutrition value then it normally would have been.Another disadvantages to plant breeding is antibiotic resistance. Plants are being inserted with antibiotics genes. When the plants receive the antibiotic and survives the antibiotic still remains inside the plant. When animals or humans consume this we could become immune to that antibiotic that we could of used later on being immune to a lot of antibiotic could prove harmful later in our generation. Increased toxicity is another disadvantage of plant breeding. Normally plants produce toxins but they are so mild that they do not have an affect on our health.By cross breeding plants this increases the toxicity level of plants and could prove to be harmful to our health that normally would have had been; before cross breeding. Those are some of the different affects of plant breeding. * After all you heard about your probably wondering why we still use GMOs. One thing scientists have been testing is to manipulate tree genes into absorbing CO2 to help reduce global warming. GMOs are needed to feed the growing population of the earth. We need more food cause were growing so fast we need to keep how much we produce higher then how much we consume.But who really needs the GMOs? Animals consume more GMOs then human do. More corn, soybeans, and other crops are feed to animals then humans. GMs are resistant to bacterial and viruses. GMs grow much faster then normal crops. GMs are resistant to harsh weather conditions such as colds making them able to grow in different environments. They can also add vitamins to the modified food, which could prove a good thing for third world countries that suffer from malnutrition. Another benefit to GMOs is that they last longer. They have a longer life expanse then they would of normally had. Now that you heard some of the advantages of GMOs let me tell you some of the disadvantages. Allergies are a big impact. In the past few years allergies has increased. This is cause by GMOs and cross breeding plants. Cross breeding plants mixes up the different genes in organisms combining different proteins that should have not been combined with that organism normally. These new proteins are produced from genetic engineering and our immune system hasn’t experienced this from of protein. This alerts the immune system to have an allergic reaction, which causes inflammation.This of course has a much more severe impact on children then it dose on adults and also has some long-term effects if you consume a lot of GMOs. GMOs don’t just affect humans they also hurt the environment. This could even affect babies before they are even born. We all know pregnant moms shouldn’t be eating sp ecific kinds of foods. If a protein from something she’s allergic to be mixed with another species and she consumes it could be harmful to herself but the baby as well. Changing different spices of plant could hurt the natural cycle of life.If they don’t think GMOs are such a bad thing why don’t they label it? The FDA refuses to put labels on food stating weather they have been genetically mortified or not. Americans have the right to know weather they are consuming genetically mortified food or not. People shouldn’t be eating foods that could prove harmful to them their children. Other countries around the world have labels on their food stating if they are GM or not. When they are cross-breading plants/fruit they could be transferring different viruses from one organism to another with out even realizing it.GMOs also decrease the genetic diversity. Another big problem with GMOs are toxic fiction of neighboring crops. Nature is a very complex being and e verything is linked together so altering the balance messes up nature’s cycle of life. There are a lot of advantages to using GMOs I’m not saying there aren’t. But that doesn’t change the fact that allergic reactions have increased substantially since the use of GMOs. A lot of countries already realized this and labeled their foods stating wither or not they contain GMOs. I think the United States should start labeling their foods.This isn’t going to stop the use of GMOs but it will reduce the allergic reaction rate in America. It’s a little scary to know that over seventy percent of the world’s population has been genetically modified. And how we don’t know what we’re consuming that we just consume. We don’t think about our health till the day we actually get sick and by then it’s to late. Around eighty six percent of the words GMOs are grown right here in the U. S. those are some of the ways I think genet ically engineered foods can cause allergies or other adverse health effects. *

Evaluation of a multiprofessional community stroke team Essay

The study aims to conclusively evaluate how effective it is to employ a specialist community stroke team for the rehabilitation of stroke victims in a community based setting. This is clearly established at within the opening lines of the article. In the summary at the beginning of the article the author claims that the available evidence is inconclusive and his aim is to provide conclusive proof with regards to evidence based practise for the patient. A research article should state its’ aims clearly and should assume the audience has no previous background knowledge (Greenhalg, 2006). The literature reviewed in this article was from a variety of sources such as the Cochrane database and a selection of journal articles. On this basis the authors were able to deduce that previous research carried out provided contradicting reports. For example Roderick et al (2001) as cited by Lincoln et al (2004) found no significant difference in the effectiveness of rehabilitation which had taken place in the home to that which had occurred in a hospital setting. On the contrary Gladman et al (1993) as cited by Lincoln et al (2004) found a significant difference in a small group of younger patients. It was also suggested that there was a shift of focus from mainly hospital based rehabilitation to community based rehabilitation of stroke patients. According to Polger and Thomas (2008) a literature review should provide appropriate background information. That is, it should show the current knowledge level in that area of study. The author appears to have utilised much of his own previous work in the study and some are more than ten years old. This could possibly be an indication that indeed, there is a large gap in knowledge of this subject area. On the other hand it may indicate that the author has done a selective search of the literature. A quantitative approach was utilised in this study and the method used was a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT). The articles’ methodology was well documented. According to Sim and Wright (2000) an analytic study attempts to quantify the relationship between two factors, that is, the effect of an intervention or exposure on an outcome. A term used to describe the design randomized controlled trial according to Greenhalgh (2006) is Parallel group comparison. This is when each group receives a different treatment and both are entered into the experiment at the same time. By comparing the groups an analysis is provided. In the Lincoln et al (2004) study Participants were divided into two groups, A and B with the former receiving routine care while the latter received the intervention – rehabilitation with the multi-professional community stroke team. The question posed by the authors could have been answered using a qualitative approach. The question could possible state; Evaluation of a multiprofessional community stroke team: a phenomenological study. SAMPLE Altman (1991) states that a study should have enough participants recruited in order to detect a significant effect if one exists. The sample group consisted of patients referred to the Nottingham Community Stroke Team who had suffered a stroke within the last two years, who were over sixteen years old and needed intervention from more than one multidisciplinary team member. Patients who lived outside the geographical area and/or had been treated by the community stroke team in the preceding two years were excluded. Four hundred and twenty eight patients were randomly selected at the start of the trial and randomly allocated to either Group A or Group B. An error resulted in seven people being recruited twice. This error was corrected by including only the outcome of their initial recruitment when the results were being analyzed. The target population of this study is relatively clearly defined (patients who have had a stroke within last two years, over the age of sixteen, etc†¦ ) and lends credence to the external validity of the study (Payton, 1994). According to Sim and Wright (2000) the accessible population is the portion of the target population that is available to the researcher and the sample is then taken from this accessible population. The groups are similar to each other with regards to gender and age distribution; this also increases the validity of the study as this similarity reduces the variables of the study. The overall population was a convenience sample which was then randomized to two groups. Six months after randomization all the patients were sent a letter asking them to consent to being in a study to evaluate the input of a community stroke team. According to Lincoln et al (2004) the consent forms and outcome questionnaires were sent this late so as to reduce bias. It was thought that group A which was receiving routine care would have lower expectations if confronted with the realization that the alternate group may receive superior care. Some would possibly insist on being referred to the specialist community stroke team The Local Research Ethics Committee granted ethical approval for this study to go ahead. This indicates that the value of the research undertaken outweighed any harm that this consenting method may have caused as patients in Group A were still receiving routine care. However, the department of health has issued guidelines which state that participants must be consented and all pertinent information given prior to the start of any study. Data was collected via a questionnaire comprising of the Barthel Index, Extended ADL, General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12) and Euroquol. The participants were also asked to rate their knowledge of the expected extent of recovery from their stroke, and their overall satisfaction with the services they received from the community stroke team. The use of a questionnaire for data collection has both negative and positive aspects. Greenhalgh (2006) states that a questionnaire is an instrument used to measure human psychology, so whilst sending the questionnaire via post proves to be cost effective as the alternative would be to hold face to face interviews with the participants as focus groups or individually, it raises concerns about the reliability of the study. This is because the researcher is not present to interpret facial expressions and body language when the participants answer the questions. The alternative of conducting face to face interviews with such a large number of participants would prove to be costly and time consuming. However, according to Oppenheim (2003) long questionnaires are sometimes off putting and may generate low response rates, conducting these questionnaires via the postal service could possibly increase the likelihood of a low response rate. The results were shown as a table and diagram, the Mann-Whitney U-test which was used to compare the groups showed no significant differences on independence in personal or instrumental activities of daily living or on the patients’ mood. There was also no significant difference between the groups in their knowledge with regards to the resources available to assist them in adjusting to life after a stroke. There was also no difference between the two groups with overall satisfaction or in satisfaction with the practical helped received. However, patients in the Community Stroke Team were significantly more satisfied with the emotional care they received. (Lincoln et al, 2004) According to Wright et al (2009) the Mann-Whitney U-test is used when one group from the sample is larger than the other and when both samples are from the same population, as is the case with this study. There was no significant difference in carers’ mood between the two groups. However, the strain on carers of patients seen by the community stroke team was significantly less than that of carers of patients randomized to the routine care group. The carers of patients in the community stroke team group were significantly more satisfied with their knowledge of stroke and had higher overall satisfaction than the carers of those in the routine group. By utilizing the randomized controlled trial design the author lends credence to its validity as this design allows for the eradication of systematic bias. (Sim et al, 2000) This was done through the sampling process of selecting the participants from the target population and randomly allocating them to Group A which received routine care or Group B those in the care of the community stroke team. The collection of data by using a postal questionnaire helps to â€Å"blind† the researcher as he cannot influence the participants’ response. Although some participants did not respond to the questionnaire, others responded with incomplete forms, some died and a few were recruited twice, the author is cognizant of this and incorporates it into his findings. Crombie (2000) states that if the withdrawals and failures to respond can be seen as being consistent between both comparison groups then the results of the research will not be negatively impacted upon. This is because the results show that these failures are random among both groups and not specific to one. However one major fault is the fact that the services received by Group A were not collected due to impracticalities and unreliable recollections of the patients. Critical appraisal is not just an exercise in fault finding, it is the analysis of these faults and the assessment of their potential impact on the research which allows the reader to come to a decision regarding the strength or usefulness of the article being critiqued. In order for the research results to be utilized in clinical practice its’ reliability and validity are essential aspects which need to be covered. (Polger and Thomas, 2008) This article shows a research that was methodically sound and well designed. The sample was representative of the population being examined and attempts were made to minimize bias. The author was aware of the shortfalls of this research and attempted to incorporate this in his findings however, most of the issues identified did not affect the results of the study. The study if repeated would provide comparable results. However, the author states that the study provides evidence supporting the use of a community based stroke team to assist in the rehabilitation of stroke patients because of the increased emotional support for patients and greater satisfaction and reduced strain on carers. This statement would have been better justified on results from a qualitative study as this type of study aims to interpret people’s emotional and psychological response to the intervention or interventions being employed. The results from such a study would be closer to the patients’ and carers true feelings as the methodology behind that study would be different.

The Host Chapter 7: Confronted

Yes, Faces Sunward?† I asked, grateful to the raised hand for interrupting my lecture. I did not feel as comfortable behind the lectern as I usually did. My biggest strength, my only real credential-for my host body had had little in the way of a formal education, on the run since her early adolescence-was the personal experience I usually taught from. This was the first world's history I'd presented this semester for which I had no memories to draw upon. I was sure my students were suffering the difference. â€Å"I'm sorry to interrupt, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The white-haired man paused, struggling to word his question. â€Å"I'm not sure I understand. The Fire-Tasters actually†¦ ingest the smoke from burning the Walking Flowers? Like food?† He tried to suppress the horror in his tone. It was not a soul's place to judge another soul. But I was not surprised, given his background on the Planet of the Flowers, at his strong reaction to the fate of a similar life-form on another world. It was always amazing to me how some souls buried themselves in the affairs of whichever world they inhabited and ignored the rest of the universe. But, to be fair, perhaps Faces Sunward had been in hibernation when Fire World became notorious. â€Å"Yes, they receive essential nutrients from this smoke. And therein lies the fundamental dilemma and the controversy of Fire World-and the reason the planet has not been closed, though there has certainly been adequate time to populate it fully. There is also a high relocation percentage. â€Å"When Fire World was discovered, it was at first thought that the dominant species, the Fire-Tasters, were the only intelligent life-forms present. The Fire-Tasters did not consider the Walking Flowers to be their equals-a cultural prejudice-so it was a while, even after the first wave of settling, before the souls realized they were murdering intelligent creatures. Since then, Fire World scientists have focused their efforts on finding a replacement for the dietary needs of the Fire-Tasters. Spiders are being transported there to help, but the planets are hundreds of light-years apart. When this obstacle is overcome, as it will be soon, I'm sure, there is hope that the Walking Flowers might also be assimilated. In the meantime, much of the brutality has been removed from the equation. The, ah, burning-alive portion, of course, and other aspects as well.† â€Å"How can they†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Faces Sunward trailed off, unable to finish. Another voice completed Faces Sunward's thought. â€Å"It seems like a very cruel ecosystem. Why was the planet not abandoned?† â€Å"That has been debated, naturally, Robert. But we do not abandon planets lightly. There are many souls for whom Fire World is home. They will not be uprooted against their will.† I looked away, back at my notes, in an attempt to end the side discussion. â€Å"But it's barbaric!† Robert was physically younger than most of the other students-closer to my age, in fact, than any other. And truly a child in a more important way. Earth was his first world-the Mother in this case had actually been an Earth-dweller, too, before she'd given herself-and he didn't seem to have as much perspective as older, better-traveled souls. I wondered what it would be like to be born into the overwhelming sensation and emotion of these hosts with no prior experience for balance. It would be difficult to find objectivity. I tried to remember that and be especially patient as I answered him. â€Å"Every world is a unique experience. Unless one has lived on that world, it's impossible to truly understand the -â€Å" â€Å"But you never lived on Fire World,† he interrupted me. â€Å"You must have felt the same way†¦ Unless you had some other reason for skipping that planet? You've been almost everywhere else.† â€Å"Choosing a planet is a very personal and private decision, Robert, as you may someday experience.† My tone closed the subject absolutely. Why not tell them? You do think it's barbaric-and cruel and wrong. Which is pretty ironic if you ask me-not that you ever do. What's the problem? Are you ashamed that you agree with Robert? Because he's more human than the others? Melanie, having found her voice, was becoming downright unbearable. How was I supposed to concentrate on my work with her opinions sounding off in my head all the time? In the seat behind Robert, a dark shadow moved. The Seeker, clad in her usual black, leaned forward, intent for the first time on the subject of discussion. I resisted the urge to scowl at her. I didn't want Robert, already looking embarrassed, to mistake the expression as meant for him. Melanie grumbled. She wished I wouldn't resist. Having the Seeker stalk our every footstep had been educational for Melanie; she used to think she couldn't hate anything or anyone more than she hated me. â€Å"Our time is almost up,† I announced with relief. â€Å"I'm pleased to inform you that we will have a guest speaker next Tuesday who will be able to make up for my ignorance on this topic. Flame Tender, a recent addition to our planet, will be here to give us a more personal account of the settling of Fire World. I know that you will give him all the courtesy you accord me, and be respectful of the very young age of his host. Thank you for your time.† The class filed out slowly, many of the students taking a minute to chat with one another as they gathered their things. What Kathy had said about friendships ran through my head, but I felt no desire to join any of them. They were strangers. Was that the way I felt? Or the way Melanie felt? It was hard to tell. Maybe I was naturally antisocial. My personal history supported that theory, I supposed. I'd never formed an attachment strong enough to keep me on any planet for more than one life. I noticed Robert and Faces Sunward lingering at the classroom door, locked in a discussion that seemed intense. I could guess the subject. â€Å"Fire World stories ruffle feathers.† I started slightly. The Seeker was standing at my elbow. The woman usually announced her approach with the quick tap of her hard shoes. I looked down now to see that she was wearing sneakers for once-black, of course. She was even tinier without the extra inches. â€Å"It's not my favorite subject,† I said in a bland voice. â€Å"I prefer to have firsthand experience to share.† â€Å"Strong reactions from the class.† â€Å"Yes.† She looked at me expectantly, as if waiting for more. I gathered my notes and turned to put them in my bag. â€Å"You seemed to react as well.† I placed my papers in the bag carefully, not turning. â€Å"I wondered why you didn't answer the question.† There was a pause while she waited for me to respond. I didn't. â€Å"So†¦ why didn't you answer the question?† I turned around, not concealing the impatience on my face. â€Å"Because it wasn't pertinent to the lesson, because Robert needs to learn some manners, and because it's no one else's business.† I swung my bag to my shoulder and headed for the door. She stayed right beside me, rushing to keep up with my longer legs. We walked down the hallway in silence. It wasn't until we were outside, where the afternoon sun lit the dust motes in the salty air, that she spoke again. â€Å"Do you think you'll ever settle, Wanderer? On this planet, maybe? You seem to have an affinity for their†¦ feelings.† I bridled at the implied insult in her tone. I wasn't even sure how she meant to insult me, but it was clear that she did. Melanie stirred resentfully. â€Å"I'm not sure what you mean.† â€Å"Tell me something, Wanderer. Do you pity them?† â€Å"Who?† I asked blankly. â€Å"The Walking Flowers?† â€Å"No, the humans.† I stopped walking, and she skidded to a halt beside me. We were only a few blocks from my apartment, and I'd been hurrying in hopes of getting away from her, though likely as not, she'd invite herself in. But her question caught me off guard. â€Å"The humans?† â€Å"Yes. Do you pity them?† â€Å"Don't you?† â€Å"No. They were quite the brutal race. They were lucky to survive each other as long as they did.† â€Å"Not every one of them was bad.† â€Å"It was a predilection of their genetics. Brutality was part of their species. But you pity them, it seems.† â€Å"It's a lot to lose, don't you think?† I gestured around us. We stood in a parklike space between two ivy-covered dormitories. The deep green of the ivy was pleasing to the eye, especially in contrast to the faded red of the old bricks. The air was golden and soft, and the smell of the ocean gave a briny edge to the honey sweet fragrance of the flowers in the bushes. The breeze caressed the bare skin of my arms. â€Å"In your other lives, you can't have felt anything so vivid. Wouldn't you pity anyone who had this taken from them?† Her expression stayed flat, unmoved. I made an attempt to draw her in, to make her consider another viewpoint. â€Å"Which other worlds have you lived on?† She hesitated, then squared her shoulders. â€Å"None. I've only lived on Earth.† That surprised me. She was as much a child as Robert. â€Å"Only one planet? And you chose to be a Seeker in your first life?† She nodded once, her chin set. â€Å"Well. Well, that's your business.† I started walking again. Maybe if I respected her privacy, she would return the favor. â€Å"I spoke to your Comforter.† And maybe not, Melanie thought sourly. â€Å"What?† I gasped. â€Å"I gather you've been having more trouble than just accessing the information I need. Have you considered trying another, more pliable host? She suggested that, did she not?† â€Å"Kathy wouldn't tell you anything!† The Seeker's face was smug. â€Å"She didn't have to answer. I'm very good at reading human expressions. I could tell when my questions struck a nerve.† â€Å"How dare you? The relationship between a soul and her Comforter -â€Å" â€Å"Is sacrosanct, yes; I know the theory. But the acceptable means of investigation don't seem to be working with your case. I have to get creative.† â€Å"You think I'm keeping something from you?† I demanded, too angry to control the disgust in my voice. â€Å"You think I confided that to my Comforter?† My anger didn't faze her. Perhaps, given her strange personality, she was used to such reactions. â€Å"No. I think you're telling me what you know†¦ But I don't think you're looking as hard as you could. I've seen it before. You're growing sympathetic to your host. You're letting her memories unconsciously direct your own desires. It's probably too late at this point. I think you'd be more comfortable moving on, and maybe someone else will have better luck with her.† â€Å"Hah!† I shouted. â€Å"Melanie would eat them alive!† Her expression froze in place. She'd had no idea, no matter what she thought she'd discerned from Kathy. She'd thought Melanie's influence was from memories, that it was unconscious. â€Å"I find it very interesting that you speak of her in the present tense.† I ignored that, trying to pretend I hadn't made a slip. â€Å"If you think someone else would have better luck breaking into her secrets, you're wrong.† â€Å"Only one way to find out.† â€Å"Did you have someone in mind?† I asked, my voice frigid with aversion. She grinned. â€Å"I've gotten permission to give it a try. Shouldn't take long. They're going to hold my host for me.† I had to breathe deeply. I was shaking, and Melanie was so full of hate that she was past words. The idea of having the Seeker inside me, even though I knew that I would not be here, was so repugnant that I felt a return of last week's nausea. â€Å"It's too bad for your investigation that I'm not a skipper.† The Seeker's eyes narrowed. â€Å"Well, it does certainly make this assignment drag on. History was never of much interest to me, but it looks like I'm in for a full course now.† â€Å"You just said that it was probably too late to get any more from her memories,† I reminded her, struggling to make my voice calm. â€Å"Why don't you go back to wherever you belong?† She shrugged and smiled a tight smile. â€Å"I'm sure it is too late†¦ for voluntary information. But if you don't cooperate, she might just lead me to them yet.† â€Å"Lead you?† â€Å"When she takes full control, and you're no better than that weakling, once Racing Song, now Kevin. Remember him? The one who attacked the Healer?† I stared at her, eyes wide, nostrils flared. â€Å"Yes, it's probably just a matter of time. Your Comforter didn't tell you the statistics, did she? Well, even if she did, she wouldn't have the latest information that we have access to. The long-term success rate for situations such as yours-once a human host begins to resist-is under twenty percent. Did you have any idea it was so bad? They're changing the information they give potential settlers. There will be no more adult hosts offered. The risks are too great. We're losing souls. It won't be long before she's talking to you, talking through you, controlling your decisions.† I hadn't moved an inch or relaxed a muscle. The Seeker leaned in, stretched up on her toes to put her face closer to mine. Her voice turned low and smooth in an attempt to sound persuasive. â€Å"Is that what you want, Wanderer? To lose? To fade away, erased by another awareness? To be no better than a host body?† I couldn't breathe. â€Å"It only gets worse. You won't be you anymore. She'll beat you, and you'll disappear. Maybe someone will intervene†¦ Maybe they'll move you like they did Kevin. And you'll become some child named Melanie who likes to tinker with cars rather than compose music. Or whatever it is she does.† â€Å"The success rate is under twenty percent?† I whispered. She nodded, trying to suppress a smile. â€Å"You're losing yourself, Wanderer. All the worlds you've seen, all the experiences you've collected-they'll be for nothing. I saw in your file that you have the potential for Motherhood. If you gave yourself to be a Mother, at least all that would not be entirely wasted. Why throw yourself away? Have you considered Motherhood?† I jerked away from her, my face flushing. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she muttered, her face darkening, too. â€Å"That was impolite. Forget I said that.† â€Å"I'm going home. Don't follow.† â€Å"I have to, Wanderer. It's my job.† â€Å"Why do you care so much about a few spare humans? Why? How do you justify your job anymore? We've won! It's time for you to join society and do something productive!† My questions, my implied accusations, did not ruffle her. â€Å"Wherever the fringes of their world touch ours there is death.† She spoke the words peacefully, and for a moment I glimpsed a different person in her face. It surprised me to realize that she deeply believed in what she did. Part of me had supposed that she only chose to seek because she illicitly craved the violence. â€Å"If even one soul is lost to your Jared or your Jamie, that is one soul too many. Until there is total peace on this planet, my job will be justified. As long as there are Jareds surviving, I am needed to protect our kind. As long as there are Melanies leading souls around by the nose†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I turned my back on her and headed for my apartment with long strides that would force her to run if she wanted to keep up. â€Å"Don't lose yourself, Wanderer!† she called after me. â€Å"Time is running out for you!† She paused, then shouted more loudly. â€Å"Inform me when I'm to start calling you Melanie!† Her voice faded as the space between us grew. I knew she would follow at her own pace. This last uncomfortable week-seeing her face in the back of every class, hearing her footsteps behind me on the sidewalk every day-was nothing compared to what was coming. She was going to make my life a misery. It felt as if Melanie were bouncing violently against the inner walls of my skull. Let's get her canned. Tell her higher-ups that she did something unacceptable. Assaulted us. It's our word against hers – In a human world, I reminded her, almost sad that I didn't have access to that sort of recourse. There are no higher-ups, in that sense. Everyone works together as equals. There are those whom many report to, in order to keep the information organized, and councils who make decisions about that information, but they won't remove her from an assignment she wants. You see, it works like – Who cares how it works if it doesn't help us? I know-let's kill her! A gratuitous image of my hands tightening around the Seeker's neck filled my head. That sort of thing is exactly why my kind is better left in charge of this place. Get off your high horse. You'd enjoy it as much as I would. The image returned, the Seeker's face turning blue in our imagination, but this time it was accompanied by a fierce wave of pleasure. That's you, not me. My statement was true; the image sickened me. But it was also perilously close to false-in that I would very much enjoy never seeing the Seeker again. What do we do now? I'm not giving up. You're not giving up. And that wretched Seeker is sure as hell not giving up! I didn't answer her. I didn't have a ready answer. It was quiet in my head for a brief moment. That was nice. I wished the silence could last. But there was only one way to buy my peace. Was I willing to pay the price? Did I have a choice anymore? Melanie slowly calmed. By the time I was through the front door, locking behind me the bolts that I had never before turned-human artifacts that had no place in a peaceful world-her thoughts were contemplative. I'd never thought about how you all carry on your species. I didn't know it was like that. We take it very seriously, as you can imagine. Thanks for your concern. She wasn't bothered by the thick edge of irony in the thought. She was still musing over this discovery while I turned on my computer and began to look for shuttle flights. It was a moment before she was aware of what I was doing. Where are we going? The thought held a flicker of panic. I felt her awareness begin to rifle through my head, her touch like the soft brush of feathers, searching for anything I might be keeping from her. I decided to save her the search. I'm going to Chicago. The panic was more than a flicker now. Why? I'm going to see the Healer. I don't trust her. I want to talk to him before I make my decision. There was a brief silence before she spoke again. The decision to kill me? Yes, that one.