How does oil and gas market effect on world economic Coursework

How does oil and gas market effect on world economic - Coursework Example There is no contention or doubt that oil and gas are the major sources of energy in the world, despite the invention of other sources of energy like Nuclear and geothermal energy, oil and gas remain the most crucial and fundamental source of energy. The economy of most countries in the world is dependent upon oil and natural gas; this has been greatly evidenced by the effect of global oil and gas prices on the prices of other basic commodities and the cost of living. This vehemently indicates that the global economy is inextricably bound with the global oil and gas market. Political crisis and interrupting in major petroleum producing countries has often had tremendous effect on global prices of all other industrial commodities. This is because oil and gas energy is the backbone of industrial activities and development. . Other factors affecting the global oil market include technical factors, pricing and marketing, Environmental issues, national security, and public policy choices a nd debates in global oil markets. According to a report released by the International Energy Agency in the year 2011, the top ten oil producers accounted for 63% of the oil produced worldwide. These giant oil producers who have a large share of the Market greatly influence the international oil market. It is also projected that USA is going to overtake Russia as the largest oil producer by 2017. The greatest share of oil production is in the Middle East and political crisis in the last few years has seen a significant increase in global oil and gas prices. ... Market regionalisation would see very great oil price disparities which is mitigated by the oil controlling cartels like OPEC (Organisation for Petroleum Exporting Countries) OPEC has dominated the global oil market for a very long time and has somehow been effective in pushing the price of oil upwards in favour of oil producers. Due to the impact that the cartel has on the prices of oil and the market in general, there have been claims that the global oil market is not a fair market. This has seen petroleum producing countries realise a lot of wealth from the oil importing countries. The cartel has been effective in keeping the prices of oil higher than it would probably be if controlled by competition in a liberal market. However oil prices are at times greatly affected by world crisis or disasters and also speculation by the traders in this multi Trillion industry The petroleum producing countries greatly impact on the global oil prices by regulating production and supply, especia lly OPEC is very instrumental in regulating production by member states thus affecting supply and demand. The organisation is also involved in marketing of oil of the member states giving them a bigger bargaining power. If traders speculate a reduction in oil, prices they push the prices up, the availability of oil in strategic reserves also affect the global oil market. These include the oil stored in American reserves and refineries and also Saudi Arabia which has a very big reserve. If Saudi Arabia for instance allows release of oil from its strategic reserves, global oil prices tend to go down. Demand of oil and gas also greatly impact on the prevailing prices, this is especially during the

Bankrubtcy of Lehman Brothers changed the business world Research Paper

Bankrubtcy of Lehman Brothers changed the business world - Research Paper Example The study also discusses about the business scenario and stock market of the year 2008 after the breakdown of Lehman Brothers. 2.0 Arguments The following arguments relate to the effect of bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in various market segments. These arguments are true facts as it has taken from the reliable sources based on the topic. In the US, Lehman Brothers was considered as the fourth biggest investment bank and also a well-known brokerage firm (Hoffman & Et. Al., 2009). The fall down of Lehman Brothers in the year 2008 with no rescue from the government has brought appalling conditions to a number of people around the world. This occurrence was considered as a watershed event for everyone as it has played a significant role in the collapse of the global finance which brought dreadful situations and constricted the worldwide liquidity (Wei & Tong, 2009). The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers led to disastrous results on the ‘prime broker clients’, ‘stock lendin g funds’ and ‘money market funds’. This type of bankruptcy generated wider range of trading as well as immense exposure for several of the company’s counterparties. The collapsing of one of the largest banks has led to failure of trust between brokers and banks. The investment banks as well as their prime brokers have not been trusted by hedge funds. The hedge funds, investment banks or prime brokers were not preferred to expose to any other parties. The leverage of hedge funds was decreased considerably and there was a continuation of ‘deleveraging cycle’ of investment banks along with other companies. The lending of investment bank has been decreased and borrowing and lending leverage that were accessible to clients and banks has been stopped (Aikman, 2010). After such occurrence, prime brokers demanded more money for securities. In the year 2008, liquidator Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) made apparent that a few assets that have been offere d to Lehman Brothers International Europe (LBIE) were considered as ‘rehypothecated’. It was not apprehended for the clients on the basis of segregation and for that reason clients failed to obtain any proprietary interest in assets. Moreover, the investors of LBIE had fallen within unsecured creditors (Singh & Aitken, 2009). In the year 2008, the bankruptcy which had taken place in Lehman Brothers has strained the market to re-evaluate the risk that may possibly be raised. The price of junk bonds before the crisis was $2.50 and in 2007 the price increased to $4. Throughout the crisis the price raised to $6 to return to about $4.50 in the month of June 2008 and after the crisis it has increased to considerably higher point. There was a rigorous collision in money market finance due to the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers. On September 16, 2008, ‘Primary Fund’ which was a $62 billion fund declared that it had experienced a loss on the $785 million worth of Lehm an Brothers’ debt (Zingales, 2008). The fall in money market has led to an effect on borrowers. The funds of money market are the largest purchaser of commercial paper but because of more concern towards redemption risk they preferred safe and liquid investment (Krishnamurthy, (2008). The money market was a significant basis of liquidity for the worldwide market mainly for broker-dealers. The run on mutual funds that is related to

The Challenges And Opportunities For The Pacific Islands Politics Essay

The Challenges And Opportunities For The Pacific Islands Politics Essay When hearing the word Pacific Islands our minds wander off and mirror images of swaying palms, idyllic beaches, tranquil waters, cheap holidays and smiling locals. Beyond these characterisations, the Pacific island region is also known for its immense complexity and intriguing diversity. This is partly symbolised by the areas landmass fragmentation into thousands of scattered islands spread over the South Pacific. In line with this, my essay assesses some challenges to and some opportunities for the Pacific Island states since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Prior to this assessment, a regional profile is presented. Secondly, there is a brief explanation of the Pre- and Post-Cold War Pacific Island history. Thereafter, this essay addresses its core issues through the identification and assessment of some relevant Post-Cold War challenges to and a number of opportunities for the Pacific island region. To conclude I reiterate the essays major points of analysis. Pacific Island states in the post-Cold War World Regional Profile The Pacific Island region, which consists of 14 Island states and 21 political entities, is unique in many ways. Firstly, the South Pacific, which stretches from Australia and Papua New Guinea in the West to South America in the East, makes up one third of the earth. Simultaneously, this massive area is only home to 0.5% of the world population. Secondly, the region shows its uniqueness in a political sense through its distinctive cultures which gravely impact national and regional Pacific politics. This cultural diversity is reflected in the regions 3 main cultural groups: Melanesia in the West, Americanised Micronesia in the North and Polynesia in the South and East. Finally, according to Graham this aid dependent region, is exclusive and unseen due to its vast distance from global metropolitan centres, fragile ecosystems, limited resource base and the cultural clash between traditional lifestyles and the individualistic orientation of cash economies. The Pacific Islands in the pre and post-Cold War era Pre-Cold War era In the early twentieth century, the Pacific Island region entered a new era after its colonisation by the Western Powers. Over the next 50 years, the region, which was subjected to various territorial power shifts and the Japanese Invasion during World War II, remained under control of the Western nations. These latter established the South Pacific Commission, an advisory body on economic and social matters and more importantly a first form of regional cooperation, in 1947. Despite their decolonisation in the 1960s and 1970s, the newly emerged fully independent or self-governing island nations, maintained close connections due to a lack of economic self-sufficiency with their former Western colonisers, in particular Australia, New Zealand and the United States. In the early 1970s, the regional cooperation was further expanded through the establishment of the South Pacific Forum, a 16-member consisting advisory body on political matters. In the same decade and basically throughout the Cold War the aforementioned 3 regional powers used a strategic denial tactic against growing Chinese and Russian regional interests. While those three external regional powers were able to rebuff Soviet and Chinese overtures as well as control the region through the provision of development and financial aid assistance in the 1970s, the Pacific Island nations became more unsettled as a myriad of conflicts emerged in the following decade. Hence, the volatile 1980s, which resulted in increased domestic and regional political instability, were characterised by a series of illustrious events: military coups in Fiji, New Caledonian violence, temporary cession of the NZ-US ANZUS relationship, lawlessness in Papua New Guinea, a civil war on Bougainville and so forth. Post-Cold War era Since the end of the Cold War and the disappearance of the superpower rivalry by around 1990, the Pacific Island region has been confronted with numerous changes. For instance, the collapse of the Soviet Union resulted in an increasingly multi polar world and made international and regional organisations more influential. Furthermore, the economy started to play a pivotal role in international affairs. Contrastingly, the strategic value of the region for superpowers such as the US and the UK dwindled at first. However, after a growing Chinese interest, in particular the United States reviewed its regional strategy and policies. Some of these changes also created tensions and fuelled political instability at times. Corollary, the end of the Cold War also gravely affected the interests of the ANZAC countries. Due to the global emphasis on economic rationalism, the regions largest aid donors were pressured to lessen their unilateral involvement. After signing a number of agreements in t he beginning of the new millennium, the Pacific Island forum leaders implemented The Pacific Plan for strengthening Regional Cooperation and Integration in 2005. Overall, these numerous changes, which not only had a great impact on the region, have resulted in a series of challenges and opportunities for the Pacific Island nations. Challenges Environmental One of the key challenges for the Pacific Island environment is the issue of Climate Change. In an era characterised by increasing sea levels and the warming of the globe, the world was forced to commit itself to sustainable development. In response to the looming scenarios and dire implications of this phenomenon, international and regional organisations have prioritised the Pacific Island situation due to its above average rising sea levels. This latter has placed more stress on systems already under a lot of pressure. For instance, as a result of global warming, in the short term, the pacific islands could become prone to devastating storms. This could then lead to the contamination of the regions drinking water by sea water and ultimately to the inundation of many Pacific Island entities. Being fully aware of this, the South Pacific Forum has lobbied to raise international awareness and has aimed for the implementation of a framework convention on climate change. Unfortunately, a t present the involved small island states have yet to reach a consensus due to a negative cost-benefit analysis. However, unless a large-scale cooperation is established, the further existence of many low-lying islands will indeed be at stake. Another important environmental and economic issue concerns the resource management of Fisheries. In particular the Pacific Island tuna fishery, one of the worlds largest, is of vast importance to the region. Despite the region having a rich and extensive marine life, its lack of funds to develop and protect its 200 mile exclusive economic zones (EEZ) has created a major regional challenge. While having ensured the property rights over its marine resources, due to poor management and lacking funds, the island nations only receive a small proportion of the tuna fishery revenue. Moreover, tuna stocks face depletion due to unregulated fishing and open access. This results from the fact that the commercial fishing industry in the region is in hands of transnational companies and foreign fishing fleets. Therefore, to maintain this major source of income for future generations, it will be vital to safeguard a fairer distribution of the tuna fishery benefits and to prevent the depletion of its marine resources. Some of the other important regional environmental challenges are coastal area management, forestry, biodiversity, unregulated mining and domestic waste and problems of sanitation and water pollution. Political One of the main political challenges is to establish good governance to eliminate or at least minimise internal and external conflicts. Unfortunately, due to its late decolonisation from the Western Powers and its current heavy dependency on foreign aid the regional island states lack political and constitutional tradition. As a result, the Pacific Island region has an abundance of young island states facing internal instability. Furthermore, given the withdrawal of most Great powers from the region, the island states face a tremendous task of dealing with plentiful political challenges: high crime rates, numerous ethnic conflicts, corruption, drug trafficking, border disputes and so forth. Physical/Economic The Pacific Island region has a relatively weak economy. It is generally believed that the areas geographic remoteness, small size and small population base are the main reasons for this feat. Furthermore, its poor transport and communication links, heavy dependence on foreign states and limited resources have further affected the regions low economic growth. This latter has a clear impact on the regions low levels of employment which has led to poverty, social instability and crime. Furthermore, the employment challenge faced by the region is massive due to the rapid population growth in Micronesia and Melanesia. In order to overturn this doom spiral, higher economic growth will need to be created by adequate government spending on healthcare, urban infrastructure, waste management and environmental adaptation systems. Opportunities While the region faces a high number of challenges, one can be optimistic as there are definitely some growth opportunities for the region. One of these is the effect current Chinese investment has on the Pacific Island economy. Ever since the late 1990s Chinas influence in the South Pacific has grown rapidly. Regardless what Chinas motivations are, from the Pacific Island nations point of view any financial assistance can be an opportunity for the region. At present, China has already offered high amounts of financial and development assistance to enhance trade, improving local infrastructure, develop natural resources such as mining and petroleum and so forth. Another regional opportunity for growth lies in the regions tourism industry. Despite its high potential, the regions weak infrastructure, costly transportation, social and political instability, high crime rates and disease risks have slowed down tourism growth. To overcome these obstacles and truly capitalise on this massive opportunity, local governments and regional mechanisms need to address these above mentioned external constraints, develop national tourism policies in terms of its environmental impact, invest in tourism-related training to boost employment and improve marketing and data. Politically, establishing effective political leadership resulting in sustained growth is considered as a regional opportunity. This latter can only be accomplished through reforms. For instance, if one can strengthen the electoral systems and parliaments and involve the civil society in politics it will have a hugely positive effect on the government performance which will reverse the current doom spiral by minimising the numerous challenges the region is currently facing. In conclusion, it is evident from the above analysis of the Pacific Island region that due to slow growth various challenges are looming for the South Pacific nations. While there are a multitude of opportunities and despite foreign financial and developmental aid, without rapid economic growth the island nations will be unable to meet the various regional economic/physical, political and environmental challenges. Besides creating economic growth, it will be vital to manage its resources such as fishery, forestry, mining and tourism. In order to do so, vast and dramatic changes in political governance will be required. It remains to be seen though whether a combination of regional cooperation and local political stability through good governance will result into a major turning point in the Pacific Island history.

Success Story: Subway Restaurants Essay -- Business Marketing Franchis

Success Story: Subway Restaurants Subway Restaurants, the franchised based sandwich shops, has surpassed McDonald’s as the largest restaurant chain in the country. The â€Å"Healthy Choice† promoted chain surpassed the Big Mac of fast food by 148 locations. Subway opened 904 new locations last year, to McDonald’s 295 opened (www.Subway.com). The sandwich franchise began during the summer of 1965. Seventeen year old Fred DeLuca received a loan from a family friend for one thousand dollars, and opened the first Subway in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The store name was not Subway but Pete’s Super Submarines named after the family friend that gave Fred DeLuca the loan (www.entrepreneur.com). Pete’s Super Submarines was changed to the current name of Subway in 1974 (www.entrepreneur.com). Fred DeLuca wanted to expand and open more locations, he had a set goal of opening 32 shops with in ten years. By 1974 DeLuca owned and operated sixteen locations around Connecticut. DeLuca was just at the halfway point of his goal of 32 shops in ten years. Time was running short with just less than two years to achieve his targeted goal. DeLuca turned to franchising as an option to increase locations (www.Subway.com). A Friend of DeLuca was the first franchisee. Brian Dixon bought the Wallington, Connecticut location (www.Subway.com). In 2003 Subway is ranked number one in the franchise 500, they have held this title for three years in a row. Subway has also been ...

Defining Team Members’ Roles

What are team members’ roles? Why are they necessary to the team? After defining each person’s role on a team, what are their responsibilities? Can a team have dual roles and responsibilities? Does your personality have to match your role on the team? What are the benefits and advantages in working within a team? These are all questions that are not clearly defined in the beginning. This causing the overall scope of the project to be difficult, lack of communication between team members and team members often to have conflict. As members are placed, the first task is to determine the overall mission of the team. Each member should feel comfortable to voice his/her strategies for the overall purpose. Members must have equal say on the scope and consideration of their ideas toward the success of the project. After defining the overall objectives, the team must decide on the implementation of shared responsibilities. Shared responsibilities of the team would include scheduling project meeting times, determining when to meet, how often to meet, where to meet, who will be responsible for scheduling meeting request(s), who will be responsible for preparing and sending out agendas routinely, who will be responsible for taking and publishing minutes, and status updates for in-between the scheduled meetings. The team could also focus on document review deadlines and approvals for the project. There are various roles a team must outline inside of a team for the success in completing a project. According to the required reading this week, there can be several role descriptions for a team, they are as follows: Coach – one who tries to create harmony by creating a positive atmosphere, motivate everyone else on the team and building a great rapport Champion – one who brings ideas and thoughts to the team. This person often bring out the priorities and focus of the team Explorer – one who uncovers better ways of doing things; an improvement. Innovator – one who uses their imagination to dream up new concepts Sculptor – one who brings things about to get to the goal of the team. Curator – one who brings clarity, ask questions to get a full understanding of what the goals and scope of the team project. Conductor – one who organizes things into a systematic structure Scientist – one who analyize and give explanation of the team’s goals or projects. Usually a team member may already perform some of these roles defined above, but may perform more of one role verses another. Members may also have what is known today as a dual role. A dual role means taking on two roles at the same time. Based on the roles defined above, the coach and champion can be the same individuals based upon the coach’s life experience most likely contribute to his role as a team player or champion. For example: Being a champion and having a passion for what you love, after your career in a particular team setting is over, you are wanting to go forward and teach others what you know. This would go into the coaching aspect of the role. In every champion there is a future coach, and in every future coach there is a champion. After determining the roles that exist for each team member, the team must decide which member’s personality matches a particular role. If you take an individual’s personality that is warmhearted, conscientious, and cooperative; want harmony in their environment, work with determination to establish it; Like to work with others to complete tasks accurately and on time; Loyal, follow through even in small matters; Notice what others need in their day-by-day lives and try to provide it; Want to be appreciated for who they are and for what they contribute. Myers Briggs). This personality type would be a great coach. Once the roles and responsibilities of each team have been defined, there are several advantages and disadvantages for working on a team. Some of the advantages would be cross-training, greater cooperation and new approaches to a particular task maybe discovered. Some of the disadvantages for working on team would be time management issues, members’ may think it is less motivating or may not be conducive with various roles within a team. Since I am a team leader in the Order of Eastern Stars, there are many members under my leadership. These members entrust my judgment, integrity, fairness, and knowledge. My primary duties are to protect the interest of each team member and the overall chapter. The advantages for my position is to assist and aid each member, help the overall community and being a strong driving force for humanity. Some of the disadvantages as being viewed as a leader comes with a heavy burden. Being known as the fixer, taking on all individuals’ pumultuous issues and trying to come up with the best solution regarding the problem at hand. The greatest burden would not be able to separate other people’s issues and problems as my own. References Myers, Isabel Briggs with Peter B. Myers (1980, 1995). Gifts Differing: Understanding Personality Type. Mountain View, CA: Davies-Black Publishing. ISBN 0-89106-074-X.

Icons and Iconoclasm in the 15th Century Byzantine Era

Icons of the Byzantine era cater to the simplistic thread of art, in that they are made largely of materials already available during the 15th century, such as wood, marble and precious metals. The term simplistic could also refer to the fact that they don't really invite much scrutiny at first glance and the non-discerning viewer is more likely to simply shrug his shoulders and leave. However, icons hold more weight than they seem. In the 15th century, icons were used as symbols of the divine family and their tribulations [Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, the crucifixion, etc.].The purpose of which were to convey a story, a biblical truth, a teaching and, more spiritually, a gateway to heaven. The Virgin Eleousa (see Appendix), for instance, which was created in the early Byzantine days, depicts a serene-looking Virgin Mary with the child Jesus on her chest, as if to stress an emotion of great joy and happiness for His birth. Icons at the time were more than just visual aids. They wer e windows into the life and times of Christ and acted as middle grounders, or representatives, of the Divine here on earth.Hence, people kneel in front of icons in veneration, not because they worship the object itself, but because they feel a deep sense of gratitude and awe with what it represents. People venerate the Icon with Virgin Eleousa because it brings to form the Sacred Virgin's consummate motherhood and love for her child and for the rest of humankind. Debate has sprung that iconoclasm is some sort of idol worship. Supporters of icons reject this, again, stressing that while believers place much reverence over the earthly, man-made figures, it is the spiritual sense of the objects that is prime above all things.

James Dalton Trumbo Essays - English-language Films, Dalton Trumbo

James Dalton Trumbo Essays - English-language Films, Dalton Trumbo Dr. Roger B. Beck History 1526G 6 October 2015 Book Review James Dalton Trumbo was a screenwriter and novelist. Born December 9, 1905 in Montrose, Colorado(John). Trumbo was born into a slightly over the poverty level family, where his dad was a shoe clerk. He was the first and only boy, followed by two sisters Catherine and Elizabeth. Trumbo attended and graduated from Grand Junction High school. Trumbo left to attend college (University of Colorado), while his family moved due to the financial struggle, which lift him to acquire a job at a bakery shop(John). He worked there for approximatively 10 years, while still writing short stories. Oscar Trumbo (father of James) passed away just before he received the job at the bakery(Biography). There Trumbo landed a job at a magazine company known as the Saturday evening Post there his career elevated. After being released from there for advertising himself and rehired by Colombia pictures(Biography). Trumbo had many of the books written; The time of the toad, The biggest thief in town, Night of t he Aurocks, and the eclipse. Trumbo known for his Oscar award for the brave one in 1956. He was also known for his blacklisting for his association with the Communist Party from 1947 to 1960. Although he had antiwar novel Johnny got his gun he was said to be misunderstand according to (Biography). 1975 the Academy recognized Trumbo as the academy winner. 1976 Trumbo died from a heart attack in lost Angeles, at 70 September 10, 1976 (Dalton Trumbo) The book set in world war 1-time period. The larger picture of the novel is the main character Joe Bonham, begins to think to himself about his current state. He has no sense of smell, touch, or sight. And his question is why? Why is he in the bed limbless from a war that did not have anything to do with him. As he thinks back of how his position was chosen or could have been different. At the beginning he continues to keep imagining older memories in his life, while still ignorant to the fact that everything that he thinks about is the closet thing he could get to going back to normal. As each day goes by, Joe begins to notice all the things he could no longer do. The first thing he is aware of is him being unable to hear. Overall the conspiracy behind the novel is how the government and/or military involve our people in war thats not our own. In the fact that there is no democracy, honor, or winning a war. No matter who is declared a winner you still lose. If anyone tries to inform you on that information, the government will try the best to contain it or suppressed it. Chapter 1, Joe Bonham feels nervous and hears a ringing sounds similar to a phone. In a dream he was having, he walks through the room of the bakery where he works. His mother called to let him know that his father died. Joe informs Jody Simmons and the night foreman that his father died and that he needs to go home. (page 3, paragraph 1) Chapter 2, Joe remembers how his mother would bake bread twice a week. He remembers her singing while she worked. when he was young, he used to go to the store while his father worked. His father would give him money, and Joe would order three hamburgers from the hamburger man and meet his father at home with them. (page 8, paragraph 1) Chapter 3, Joe becomes conscious again. He can not see or hear, he realizes that he feels doctors working on him and he is pleased with the help. He feels a doctor working on his arm then realizes that they have amputated it. He immediately reacts with anger, he feels the doctors are to lazy to fix and rather take it off to save time and energy. Joe ponders over what they will do with his arm. He also realizes that the ring his girlfriend gave him gave him is on that hand. (page 12, paragraph 1) Chapter 4, Joe feels hot and starts to think back again; he imagines him working on the railroad in the desert with

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH LOVED ONE essays

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH LOVED ONE essays WAYS TO CONNECT WITH LOVED ONES FAR AWAY Two years ago, I excitedly left my family and friends for my far away dream land, Canada. However, just on the second day after arriving here, the excitement was gone. I was homesick. I missed my family and my friends, and I missed my hometown. All I could do was to hurriedly call my parents. This was my experience. Many international students may have a similar experience. As international students, they study alone in strange countries. They need emotional supports from their family. They need connection with their old friends. In general, international students use letters, e-mail, telephone and online chat to keep in touch with family and friends far away. Letters, the most traditional communication method, are still used by international students. Whether writing or reading a letter, the process is an emotional experience. For instance, when I wrote a letter to my family, I felt as if I had talked with them face to face. I didnt feel lonely anymore. All I could feel was love. When receiving a letter from my parents, I often open the envelope in a rush and read it carefully word by word. When finishing it, I would read it again just in case any word was omitted. The joy brought by the letter could last for days. However, waiting for a letter is not a joyful thing anymore. Its torture. The cycle of an international mail is time-consuming. For instance, it takes ten days for a mail from my hometown to Montreal. Many students cannot stand the long wait. They choose the alternative, e-mail. Today, e-mail is widely used as a means of communication. First, the cycle time of an e-mail is very short. It is delivered as soon as the Send key is pressed. It only takes minutes or hours to arrive at the destination mail box. Second, e-mail is convenient. Unlike traditional mail, there is no stamp or post office trip for e-mail. The basic requirements are an e-mail addres ...

Cities and the Quest to Host the Olympics Games

Cities and the Quest to Host the Olympics Games The first modern Olympics was held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. Since then, the Olympic Games have been held more than 50 times in cities in Europe, Asia, and North America. Although the first Olympic events were modest affairs, today they are multibillion-dollar events that require years of planning and politicking.   How an Olympic City Is Chosen The Winter and Summer Olympics are governed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This multinational organization chooses the host cities. The process begins nine years before the games are to be held when cities can begin lobbying the IOC. Over the next three years, each delegation must meet a series of goals to demonstrate that they have (or will have) the infrastructure and funding in place to host a successful Olympics. At the end of the three-year period, the IOCs member states vote on the finalist.  Not all cities that want to host the games make it to this point in the bidding process, however. For example, Doha,  Qatar, and Baku,  Azerbaijan,  two  of the five cities seeking the 2020 Summer Olympics, were eliminated by the IOC midway through the selection process. Only Istanbul, Madrid, and Paris were finalists; Paris won. Even if a city is awarded the games, that doesnt mean thats where the Olympics will take place. Denver made a successful bid to host the 1976 Winter Olympics in 1970, but it wasnt long before local political leaders began rallying against the event, citing the cost and potential environmental impact. In 1972, the Denver Olympic bid had been sidelined, and the games were awarded to Innsbruck, Austria, instead. Fun Facts About Host Cities The Olympics have been held in more than 40 cities since the first modern games were held. Here is some more trivia about the Olympics and their hosts.   The first modern Summer Olympics in Athens in 1896 took place just four years after Frenchman  Pierre de Coubertin  proposed them. The event featured only about 250 athletes from 13 nations competing in nine sports.The first Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. Sixteen nations competed that year, with just five sports total.The Summer and Winter Games were held every four years in the same year. In 1992, the IOC altered the schedule so that they would alternate every two years.  Seven cities have hosted the Olympic Games more than once: Athens; Paris; London; St. Moritz, Switzerland; Lake Placid, New York; Los Angeles; and Innsbruck, Austria.London is the only city to have hosted the Olympics three times. Paris will become the next city to do so when it hosts the 2024 Summer Games.Beijing, which hosted the Summer Olympics in 2008, will host the Winter Olympics in 2020, making it the first city to do so.The U.S. has hosted eight Olympic Games, more than any oth er nation. It will next host the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. Brazil is the only nation in South America to have hosted the Olympics. Africa is the only continent not to have hosted the Games.World War I prevented the 1916 Olympics from being held in Berlin. World War II  forced the cancellation of Olympics scheduled for Tokyo; London; Sapporo, Japan; and  Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy.The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, which cost an estimated $51 billion, was the most expensive Games of all time.   Summer Olympic Games Sites 1896: Athens, Greece1900: Paris, France1904: St. Louis, United States1908: London, United Kingdom1912: Stockholm, Sweden1916: Scheduled for Berlin, Germany1920: Antwerp, Belgium1924: Paris, France1928: Amsterdam, Netherlands1932: Los Angeles, United States1936: Berlin, Germany1940: Scheduled for Tokyo, Japan1944: Scheduled for London, United Kingdom1948: London, United Kingdom1952: Helsinki, Finland1956: Melbourne, Australia1960: Rome, Italy1964: Tokyo, Japan1968: Mexico City, Mexico1972: Munich, West Germany (now Germany)1976: Montreal, Canada1980: Moscow, U.S.S.R. (now Russia)1984: Los Angeles, United States1988: Seoul, South Korea1992: Barcelona, Spain1996: Atlanta, United States2000: Sydney, Australia2004: Athens, Greece2008: Beijing, China2012: London, United Kingdom2016: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil2020: Tokyo, Japan Winter Olympic Games Sites 1924: Chamonix, France1928: St. Moritz, Switzerland1932: Lake Placid, New York, United States1936: Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany1940: Scheduled for Sapporo, Japan1944: Scheduled for Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy1948: St. Moritz, Switzerland1952: Oslo, Norway1956: Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy1960: Squaw Valley, California, United States1964: Innsbruck, Austria1968: Grenoble, France1972:  Sapporo, Japan1976:  Innsbruck, Austria1980: Lake Placid, New York, United States1984: Sarajevo, Yugoslavia (now Bosnia and Herzegovina)1988: Calgary, Alberta, Canada1992: Albertville, France1994: Lillehammer, Norway1998: Nagano, Japan2002: Salt Lake City, Utah, United States2006: Torino (Turin), Italy2010: Vancouver, Canada2014: Sochi, Russia2018: Pyeongchang, South Korea2022: Beijing, China

Common law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Common law - Case Study Example Further, it is the concern of Stahl and Mendenhall (2005) that strategic and financial goals are too often emphasised in business, whilst the psychological, cultural and human resource implications are not fully recognized. A company that recognises and includes its employees in the decision-making process will enjoy increasing success in the long run. It is the long-term goals that matter the most. Organisational development (OD) is a planned organisation-wide approach to improving effectiveness, utilising humanistic values and beliefs about the potential to grow and a willingness to make changes. Work was once considered a mechanistic and rational process, but, over time, research has indicated that organisations are not as rational as the public has perceived them to be. OD is informed by a set of humanistic values and beliefs about the potential of people and organisations to develop and grow. Effectiveness is influenced by relationships, and understanding interdependencies within the work system is critical because change in one place will have an effect elsewhere (Opening Up OD, 2004). There are two ways to develop a business: in terms of structure and in terms of staff selection. Structure is the method used to set up the business from a mechanical and linear viewpoint. It offers a working outline from leadership to individual performance, as set forth in the Burke-Litwin model below (Using, 2006). However, a company that offers incentives for employees will find it much easier to capture the market share in the long run. In this respect, the McKinsey 7-S Framework appears to offer a more interconnected method of organisation (Famous Models 2006). Both of these systems have initiated criticism, but where people are involved, although a rigid framework might appear to bring about positive results, it leaves no room for compromise and is doomed to failure over time. Models of Performance Retrieved from http://www.roffeypark.com/articles/onearticler.php'article_id=169 It should be noted in the Burke-Litwin Model above that although the chart appears to be linear, the use of it in this case is more interactive and circular. The response from employees at AAH Pharmaceuticals in the UK to a questionnaire conducted by an outside company, Roffey Park, garnered an 86% response. The model allowed an analysis of organisational dynamics, and the findings were fed back to employees in a newsletter, completing the circle (Using, 2006). This is one indication of how the Burke-Litwin Model can be used, but unless its structure is flexible, it could bring about a less than satisfactory result. The Seven S Framework below appeared in The Art of Japanese Management by Richard Pascale and Anthony Athos in 1981, at a time when Japan was at the top of the global economic field. It became a basic tool for the McKinsey Consultancy and is called the McKinsey 7S Model. Whilst the Burke-Litwin Model studies activities, the 7S Model observes people. Chimaera Consulting offers their interpretation of the model (n.d.): Retrieved from http://www.chimaeraconsulting.com/7s_model.htm Strategy A set of actions

Rhetorical criticism, a proposition paper about Derrida Jacque Essay

Rhetorical criticism, a proposition paper about Derrida Jacque - Essay Example With this in mind, it is possible to provide a general evaluation of the â€Å"deconstruction† of the otherness between writing and speech, and why his literary essay â€Å"deconstruction† has been heavily critiqued. Derrida adopted a narrow understanding of the language. His argument that words are only used to signify other words and not thoughts or things has been the subject of much criticism. "Logocentrism" was his major point of quarrel, that assumption (as he perceived it) is that individuals have ideas in their minds, ideas that human brains try to express through speech or the art of writing. Nonetheless, his ideas cannot be further from the truth. There is no one individual possessing the complete significance of the words contained in them. Written messages, on the other hand, may some independence from the author and his intended purpose. Again, Derridas unconventional understanding of the Westerns philosophical history, an understanding through which philosophers are hypothetically required to be reproaching writing, at the same time favoring the oral language is not based on a factual understanding of the written works of the primary writers in the tradition of philosophy. Derrida, instead only analyzes a few primary figures at any point: Husserl, Plato, and Rousseau. Relatively, it appears inspired by his strong belief that all things in Logocentrism are based on this matter. If Derrida can treat the elements of a properly redefined concept of writing as conclusive of the matters that the field of philosophy has been mandated with – as definitive of certainty, realism, logic, etc. – then he contemplates that he is capable of deconstructing the said perceptions (Vardoulakis, 2009). The evidence that verbal communication is actually writing that writing comes before oral communication is dependent on redefinition. Through those methodologies, an individual can substantiate anything. An individual can prove that rich individuals

Marketing Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Marketing Plan - Essay Example Also, it is a sports drink which hydrates human body as well gives guaranteed additional 6 hours of energy for performing the daily activities. This marketing plan is meant to be effective only in the United States and as of now the company does not have any plans to operate in the overseas market. The study carried out a detailed analysis of the energy drink market of USA in order to get an idea of the business environment. The study revealed that the industry is fiercely competitive due to the presence of a large number of established players. However, Coca Cola being an established firm will get certain advantages in the market such as the brand identity and trust of consumers. The short term objective of the company is to create awareness of the product and achieve 2-5% of the market share by the end of the 1st year. In order to achieve it, the company has been strongly recommended to use a variety of promotional techniques and pursue a competitive pricing strategy. In addition, intensive distribution and entering into a treaty with sports companies has also been recommended. Situation Analysis Before the launch of a new product in the market, it is essential to perform a thorough analysis of the external business environment of a country. In addition, the industry in which the business will operate also needs to be assessed. Apart from that it is also essential to assess the competitors and customers. The sections below will try to examine the aforementioned factors and draw a conclusion based on which the marketing strategy for the energy drink will be designed. Description of the Product The product which will be marketed is an energy drink named as Hydra-Energy Shot. The product generally falls into the category of sports beverage product and is meant for providing additional energy to the consumers. The product can be described as smooth in taste, contains added electrolyte, Vitamin B12 (for energy), assorted fruit flavors and low in calorie. The produ ct promises to provide an additional 6 hours of energy to the consumers for performing their routine activities. Customer Analysis A business cannot operate in vacant and requires a base of customers for continuing operation and sustaining in the marketplace over a long period of time. The analysis of the customer is the recording and evaluating the data associated with the needs of consumers as well as market trends. Hydra-Energy Shot will principally target sportspersons. In addition, the product is also targeted for office goers and individuals who work out at different fitness centers. Energy drinks generally falls into the group of functional beverages and encompasses ‘nutraceutical’ and sports drinks. The share of the same is presented in the figure below: - Figure 1 – Market Share breakdown of Functional Beverages (Source: Heckman, Sherry & De Mejia, 2010) Sports drinks are essentially designed to consume before or during the process of action so as to pre vent any kind of dehydration and supply carbohydrate and electrolytes for maintaining proper metabolism in the system (Coombes & Hamilton 2000). Smith Kline Beecham Energy & Sports Drinks Report suggests that in the USA, around 53% of the people who consumes energy or sports drinks are within the age group of 14-34 years. Initially, athletes are the sole consumers of energy drinks, but the course of time and increased awareness the market grew tremendously and expanded to other niche segments. A study by Mintel (2009) made

The Impact of Location on the History of the Middle East Region Essay

The Impact of Location on the History of the Middle East Region - Essay Example How the middle Eat contributed into the development of civilization is not questionable. According to Goldschmidt Jr., â€Å"many Westerners do not know what they have learned from Islamic culture† (Goldschmidt, 2009). From the clothes that people wear, to the games that people play, to the food that people eat and substances that people drink, the Middle East had given her own share in developing the world’s lifestyle and culture. Take into consideration the root words of cotton, chess, coffee, kebab and pita. (Goldschmidt, 2009). Looking into the Middle East’s physical setting plays a very big impact on this region’s cultural and historical nature. By definition, Middle East as running from the Nile Valley to the Muslim lands of Central Asia (roughly, the valley of the Amu Darya, or Oxus, River), from southeast Europe to the Arabian Sea (Goldschmidt, 2009). Yet, this region had stretched and shrunk complexly throughout the history over dynasty affairs and world wars. This location makes it more natural for the region to be hot and dry which led into a distinction between nomads, who were not able to live up through the challenge of the climate and farmers who were able to turn the climate challenge into productive agriculture. The Middle East is the natural crossroads of the Afro-Eurasian landmass and it is also the "land of the seven seas" (Goldschmidt, 2009). This makes the region readily accessible for all traders making the growth of their civilization even more rapid than the others. But the relative growth of civilization in the Middle East different from those that has become a world power in history like China, United States and Britain, who saw themselves as primarily isolated but were able to develop and grow as a civilized nation as well. But as regards to its natural resources, Middle East’s location, unlike the European Countries and the United States, is not gifted of grassy plains and yet, this location magnified the region’s importance because of the huge petroleum deposits present here. Most importantly, the location of Middle East, as it is, â€Å"has contributed to the diversity of its inhabitants†

Materials & Manufacturing Process Selection Coursework - 1

Materials & Manufacturing Process Selection - Coursework Example Now, Aston Martin is a British luxury car makers and being a sports car Aston Martin lays much importance on its brake discs. According to Nice(2014) â€Å"Most modern cars have disc brakes on the front wheels, and some have disc brakes on all four wheels. This is the part of the brake system that does the actual work of stopping the car†. The brake disc controls the car in a unique way as it is directly related to the performance of the car. As we know, the brake disc are used for vehicle braking and is usually made of cast iron. In a sports car like Aston Martin, the break disc is controlled by the amount of pressure placed by the sports driver on the breaking pads. The brake disc is connected with other assembly parts of car like the piston, brake hose, wheel stud, caliper and break hose. The brake disc is exposed to many situation while it is operating and one of them is the stresses. One of the stress is the thermal stress because the car is fast paced and any kind of heat exposure can have credible effect on the brake disc. In this case study, the brake disc is designed for the Aston Martin and being a luxury sports car, it demands brake disc which can resist much temperature hike. Usually, the break disc need to resist temperature as high as 150 – 300 degree centigrade. When the vehicle operates it is exposed to many situations and the brake disc need to control the wear and tear and also the friction at this point. According to Agnihotri ( 2014,pg.40-49) â€Å"The disc brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel. Friction causes the disc and attached wheel to slow or stop. Brakes convert friction to heat, but if the brakes get too hot, they will cease to work because they cannot dissipate enough heat†. Normally, the brake disc operates in a harsh environment and should be designed to withstand extreme temperature and tedious service atmospheres. To obtain optimum racing brake and service condition the brake disc is manufactured

(ADVANCED PLACEMENT) -AP Art History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

(ADVANCED PLACEMENT) -AP Art History - Essay Example There are fifty scenes represented by captions in Latin Language. In addition, it represents the information by embroidered figures of men riding horses with weapons, dogs, and people pedaling boats indicating a scene of military conflict and persons that appear to have been displaced by the conflict. The tapestry was embroiled with eight different colors with blue-green, light-green, grey-blue, terracotta, and buff being the main colors. On the other hand, patches of yellow, dark-blue, and dark-green are evident. The Bayeux Tapestry is a long strip of cloth that narrates the events of a well-organized incursion. The Bayeux tells the perception of Norman on the state of affairs that led to the battle of Hasting. The Tapestry contains many details of different scenes, human figures, buildings, trees, Latin letters, creatures, and animals. The Burning of the Sanjo Palace is one of events that occurred during the Heiji Era. It is a piece of art represented on a hand scroll and believed to have been prepared during the 13th century. However, the name of the artist is unclear. The significance of this piece of artwork lies on the fact that it represents scenarios of conflicts that were usually exhibited by the Japanese War Lords during the Heiji Era. It gives audiences information concerning features of the conflicts that occurred in the 13th century in Japan and their level of severity i.e. burning of structures as well as beheading of people believed to be traitors. The narrative is expressed by drawings of a large group of men riding horses with arms and an inferno drawn on a large piece of an ancient scroll that measures 41.3 centimeters by 699.7 centimeters. It seems it was painted with ink and color. It indicates a scenario of conflict shown by the weapons carried by horse riders and the inferno that seems to have been set on

Materials & Manufacturing Process Selection Coursework - 1

Materials & Manufacturing Process Selection - Coursework Example Now, Aston Martin is a British luxury car makers and being a sports car Aston Martin lays much importance on its brake discs. According to Nice(2014) â€Å"Most modern cars have disc brakes on the front wheels, and some have disc brakes on all four wheels. This is the part of the brake system that does the actual work of stopping the car†. The brake disc controls the car in a unique way as it is directly related to the performance of the car. As we know, the brake disc are used for vehicle braking and is usually made of cast iron. In a sports car like Aston Martin, the break disc is controlled by the amount of pressure placed by the sports driver on the breaking pads. The brake disc is connected with other assembly parts of car like the piston, brake hose, wheel stud, caliper and break hose. The brake disc is exposed to many situation while it is operating and one of them is the stresses. One of the stress is the thermal stress because the car is fast paced and any kind of heat exposure can have credible effect on the brake disc. In this case study, the brake disc is designed for the Aston Martin and being a luxury sports car, it demands brake disc which can resist much temperature hike. Usually, the break disc need to resist temperature as high as 150 – 300 degree centigrade. When the vehicle operates it is exposed to many situations and the brake disc need to control the wear and tear and also the friction at this point. According to Agnihotri ( 2014,pg.40-49) â€Å"The disc brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel. Friction causes the disc and attached wheel to slow or stop. Brakes convert friction to heat, but if the brakes get too hot, they will cease to work because they cannot dissipate enough heat†. Normally, the brake disc operates in a harsh environment and should be designed to withstand extreme temperature and tedious service atmospheres. To obtain optimum racing brake and service condition the brake disc is manufactured

Risk Management Paper Essay Example for Free

Risk Management Paper Essay I interviewed James Alviar RN, the Coordinator of Risk Management at my current place of employment the Queens Medical Center West Oahu. I asked him if there were any current risk management issues at our facility that we could discuss, but he said all current issues were confidential and he could not divulge any information to me. Instead, James pointed me in the generic direction of hospital falls that is a nationwide risk management issue and also pertains to us at Queens Medical Center. This paper will be discussing risk managements role, what falls are, how falls are addressed, how risk management would remedy the problem, and how the similar situation is discussed at another facility. Queens Health Systems Risk Management (Risk Management) serves the Queens Health Systems (QHS) by developing and applying an integrated program for the preservation of QHSs capital assets and resources. The role of the Risk Management Department is to plan, direct, and coordinate the risk management and insurance function of Queens Medical Center, subject to and consistent with the Queens Health Services Mission Statement, policy and procedures, guidelines and applicable laws. Risk management is a process with four major components: identification, assessment, mitigation, and monitoring. Risk management addresses many issues that include patient safety, potential medical questions or errors, federal regulations, and legislation impacting healthcare. At Queens Medical Center, there are two options to file an event report. The employee may submit an event report anonymously or log onto the hospital intranet and utilize the RLs Risk Management software. The software is an easy step by step program for writing a thorough incident report to be submitted to Risk Management. The purpose of the occurrence report is to: Assist in identifying potential liability issues, facilitating appropriate corrective or remedial measures. To develop only information for investigation,  evaluation, and a final disposition of the reported incident. The information collected will provide management with a means of analyzing risk and quality levels. Fulfill QHSs internal reporting requirements, regulatory requirements, or insurance carriers requirements or legal obligation. Once the Risk Management department gets the report, they determine whether the situation should be investigated. If the situation needs to be examined, other departments are called upon to review the case. The other departments are but not exclusive to Falls Prevention and Protection Committee/Patient Safety, Department Managers and their nurses, Risk Managers, Human Resources, and Patient Advocate. Follow-up reports will be completed within three weeks, unless circumstances require a quicker response. I visited a smaller 57-bed hospital located central on the island to serving the residents of Central Oahu and the North Shore. Their incident reports are submitted on a form requiring the following information: How, when (date and time) and where the incident or offense took place The names of any injured persons and witnesses The nature and location of any injury or damage arising out of the incident or offense If a security report was made, a forwarded copy is required. If an incident report is written up, it would be submitted to the Risk Management where it would be reviewed. An investigation begins with a meeting with the department manager of the unit where the event occurred. If the incident was a fall, the incident is investigated to see if the ultimate cause of the fall was physiological or environmental. If the patient fell for physiological reasons, a plan of care is initiated. If it were an environmental reason like a loose handrail, they would be repaired immediately. Specifically to this paper, we will focus on patient falls. Patient falls are ubiquitous. According to the American College Of Surgeons National Trauma Data Bank 2013 Annual Report (2013), the highest mechanism of injury by region are falls with a total of 338,805 reported cases and with the second highest mechanism of injury from motor vehicle injury at a total of 234,164 reported cases. A patients fall is an unintended descend to the floor that may or may not result in any injury to the patient. A fall is when a patient lands on a surface where you would not expect to find the patient. There are many risk factors associated with falls such as:  Physiological reasons (changes in blood pressure, Parkinsons, arthritis, neuropathy, vision problems ) Environmental reasons (wet floor, rugs without non-skid backing, poor lighting) Adverse effects of medications An assisted fall is when a staff member witnesses a patients fall and attempts to minimize the impact of descend. Many patient falls occurring during hospital encounters may cause little or no harm but some can result in serious and even possibly life-threatening consequences for many patients such as hip fractures and head trauma. Even when a fall does not lead to death, it can require prolonged hospitalization. Some could suffer disability, loss of function, and lose their independence or premature death. â€Å"Patient falls in hospitals are a common and often preventable adverse event. Nurses routinely conduct fall risk assessment on all patients, but communication of fall risk status and tailored interventions to prevent falls is variable at best.† (Hurley, Dykes, Carroll, 2009). When reporting a fall, the event report should be submitted as soon as possible after the event is discovered. The employee who is involved or observes the incident should complete the report. Although employees can submit an incident report anonymously, submitting through the Risk Management Website in the QMC intranet using the RLs Risk Management program is preferred. Documentation should be objective, fact-based, and not include personal opinions or subjective information. If a visitor falls or is involved in the incidence, the Security Department should be called to take statements, names, and any necessary evidence, such as photographs. An incidence report should be complete including names of witnesses and any pertinent information. If a visitor is injured, he or she should be encouraged to be treated in the Emergency Department. After submitting the report, Risk Management and the designated managers are notified immediately. The responsible manager will review all submitted reports, investigate the events as indicated, and institute any necessary corrective action. If its indicated, the incident report may be presented to the Performance Improvement Coordinator for analysis. Risk management periodically reports event information to the hospital Patient Safety Committee. These activities are considered quality improvement related and a patient safety work product. The event reports are intended for  administration use. If it were a patient here should not be any reference to the incident report in the patients medical record. The event, effects on the patient, and action taken must be documented in the medical record for patient care purposes. Prevention of falls in inpatient settings requires a multidisciplinary, multifaceted approach. There is not one definitive factor that is the silver bullet in preventing falls. Even though hospitals have devoted quality improvement and research efforts to prevent falls, patient falls consistently compose the largest single category of reported incidents in hospitals. (Rowe, 2013). It is important that hospitals maintain a safe and effective environment to prevent or limit falls and/or fall-related injuries by patients, visitors, and staff. Departments such as Risk Management, Falls Prevention and Patient Safety, and Patient Advocate were created to help maintain a hospital’s safe, healing environment. References American College of Surgeons National Trauma Data Bank 2013 Annual Report. (2013). Retrieved from https://www.facs.org/~/media/files/quality%20programs/trauma/ntdb/ntdb%20annual%20report%202013.ashx Hurley, A., Dykes, P., Carroll, D. (2009). Fall Tip : validation of icons to communicate fall risk status and tailored interventions to prevent patient falls. Studies in health technology and informatics, 146(), 455-459. University of Phoenix Online Library. Rowe, J. (2013, June). Preventing Patient Falls What are the Factors in Hospital Settings that Help Reduce and Prevent Inpatient Falls?, Home Health Care Management Practice, 25(3), 98-103. University of Phoenix Online Library

Poor Project Leadership And Lack Of Motivation Management Essay

Poor Project Leadership And Lack Of Motivation Management Essay Leadership is a significant factor in the whole project process. A good leadership will lead to project success. A poor project leadership will cause failure in the project. Project leader who is responsible to the project is someone that sets direction and influences people to follow that direction. Many project leaders were selected because of their education background rather than their experiences. The result is, the project leader will lead the project that exceeds their capabilities. Poor project leadership also the result of project leader that does not see the opportunity and does not listening to the people. One secret to successful project implementation is the project leaders ability to get the diverse background, education and experiences of project team members performing at maximal effectiveness. Consequently, the project leader must be both a leader and a motivator. Poor project leadership was a leading factor of the company failure. A leads behaviours such as excessive ego often lead to a poor project leadership. The lack of leadership skill will result in people get demotivated and eventually reduce their work performance. And because, a project leader does not have a clear vision of the market trend such as soaring of oil prices and credit crunch, the project will cost more and will be delayed. Lack of Motivation According to William R.King (1998) page 756, stated that motivation is important to the project manager from two perspectives. First, the individual must be motivated to be a project manager. If one does not have sufficient intrinsic motivation to take the types of managerial steps required, then one is not likely to success at the project management task. Second, the project manager must be able to motivate others. For this it is crucial that the project manager have an adequate understanding of motivation and techniques for motivating others. Lack of motivation is one of the project failure factors. It will be crucial, if a project leader is demotivated because it can directly influence the project team and give impact to organisational performance. Lack of motivation can be the result of many factors such as company policies, work condition and salary. Lack of motivation equates to less work being accomplished by the employee. The productivity of the employee will transfer to something that does not relate to projects work. Things like internet surfing, personal chat and taking longer lunches cost the organisation time and money. Low employee motivation could be the result of decreased success of the organisation, abrupt changes in organization and economic downturn. No matter what the cause, while working in unpleasant work environment due to lack employee motivation will give an impact to the existing and potential clients and partners. A reputation can be tainted and dictate its future in the industry. Employees are like lifeline to the company. When they are highly motivated, they will do whatever is necessary to achieve the targets and maintain the company stability. An organisation whose employees have low motivation is completely prone to challenges because its employee are not going extra mile to maintain the companys stability. The space shuttle Columbia disaster One of the top project failures cause by poor leadership is Columbia disaster. Columbia was one of the space shuttle owned by NASA. Amy Donahue (2004) stated that on January 16, the Columbia with her crew of seven was lunched to begin a scientific research mission. Sixteen days later, Columbia and her crew were lost during re-entered the earths atmosphere with unknown damage to her left wing. Columbia broke up over the western United states at 200 000 feet and 12 000 miles per hour. Columbias disintegration was both a tragedy and a disaster. A tragedy because the lives of seven heroic astronauts and their lifes work of countless engineers were lost that morning. And a disaster because more than 87 000 pounds of debris from the shuttle was strewn over 2000 square miles of east Texas and western Louisiana. Some material was as small as postage stamps but other pieces weighed some 800 pounds and came in at upward of 1 600 miles per hour, angering several feet into the ground. Just after the 2003 tragedy occurred many experts concluded that technology was to blame. But a more thorough and comprehensive investigation, undertaken by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, CAIB, concluded differently. It maintained that management was as much to blame for the failure as was the foam strike. The Board described an organizational culture in which, at every juncture, program managers were resistant to new information. It was a culture in which people were unwilling to speak up or if they did speak up were never heard. In their report they wrote that the organizational failure was a product of NASAs history, its culture, and its politics. (Columbia Accident Investigation Board, 2003). Engineers requested inspection by crew or remote photo imagery to check for the damage but no actions were taken to ensure space shuttle integrity. Management, however, was apparently confident that there was no safety issue and a decision was made against imagery. Had the imagery been authorized, and the damage discovered, the conjecture is that a rescue attempt would have had a reasonable chance of success. The project leader didnt take the advice from his engineer and still proceed with his decision. Senior management also ignored the flight data from the previous mission where foam had broken on every lunch. This is a typical example of poor project leadership. On top of these problems, the initial leadership structure was diffuse, with federal state and local field offices, operations canters and command posts all directing of the operation. Figure 1 : Foam strike detected in launch Taken from www.aiche.org/uploadedFiles/CCPS//Presentation_Rev_newv4.ppt Denver International Airport Baggage handling System On top of that, one of good example of project failure that caused by poor project planning and poor risk management was Denver International baggage handling system. According to Dr.R.de. Neufuille (1994) Denvers baggage handling system was the worlds largest automated airport baggage handling system. Faced with the need for greater airport capacity, the city of Denver elected to construct a new state of the art airport that would cement Denvers position as an air transportation hub. Covering a land area of 140 Km2, the airport was to be the largest in the United States and have the capacity to handle more than 50m passengers annually The airports baggage handling system was a critical component in the plan. By automating baggage handling, aircraft turnaround time was to be reduced to as little as 30 minutes. Faster turnaround meant more efficient operations and was a cornerstone of the airports competitive advantage. Despite the good intention, the project complexity was underestimated and was delayed by 16 months and cost the city of Denver USD 1.1 Million per day. After ten years of opening, the system never worked well and in august 2005, United Airlines has abandoned the system completely. The root of this failure was Denver international airport failed to estimate the complexity involved. The system which was the first in the world and 10 times larger than any other automated baggage handling system. The project team estimated the project can be done in two years but it took almost four years to complete. Because of the complexity involved, the airport management does not provide enough trolley in case the system failed .They were overconfidence that the project wills success. The system that worked on 100 individual PC that were connected together have no back up if one PC failed to operate. The system also was unable to detect any jams in the system and instead the system keeps piling more and more baggage making the jam much worse. Another project failure factor was poor in risk management. The project encountered a massive technical problem but not action has been taken. The most significant issue was, the system suffered from electrical shock, To resolve this problem, a filter is used in the electrical circuit to prevent current surge. But the delivery and installation of the filter took several months. Such issues were predictable if the project team more focused on risk management. Figure 2 : Denver baggage handling system Taken from http://calleam.com/WTPF/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/denverbag5.jpg Motivation From the PMBOK 4th Edition (2008) page 418 motivating in a project environment involves creating an environment to meet project objectives while offering maximum self-satisfaction related to what people value most. These values may include job satisfaction, challenging work, a sense of accomplishment, achievement and growth, sufficient financial compensation, and other rewards and recognition the individual considers necessary and important. Motivation is the task of the project manager. He has to provide motivation for his project team. He has to motivate them individually and collectively, that they each may produce their best-and then excel even more. The essential tools in the project managers kitbag for the motivation of his team are: Approval, praise and recognition-These will encourage people to do work and keep the focus Trust, respect and high expectation-Trust is the fundamental of project success. The leader should put trust on his people and in return, people will feel encourage to work Job enrichment Good communication-Communication is simply a two communication between top and bottom. A leader should listen for any suggestion from his employees. Most of the project failure was caused by the breakdown in communication structure. With a good communication system between project leader and workers, any problem can be resolved Cash incentives-Money is a good motivator. Good salary and incentive based on performance will encourage people to go extra mile. The project manager has a much better chance of success if he uses persuasion rather than coercion. The former build morale and initiative, whilst the latter quite effectively kills such qualities. Three basic components in persuasion are: 1. Suggestion 2.Playing the persons sentiments 3.Appealing to their logic. Using these tactics, the project manager will achieve his goal quietly, gently with the minimum of real effort. It is, in effect, an effortless achievement. The project leader has a great role to play in respect of the productivity of his team and through them, the productivity of the whole site. It is on this the actual productivity of the people on the site-that the success of his project finally rest. Productivity is an abstract concept and very controversial indeed. According to William R.King (1988) page 764 one very useful model for explaining the changes that have occurred in human motivation over the years is that developed by Abraham Moslow. Maslows hierarchy argues that mans needs come in an ordered sequence that is arranged in the following five need categories: 1.Physical needs : the foods, water ,air 2.Safety needs : the needs for security, stability and freedom from threat to physical safety. 3.Love needs : the need for friend with whom one may affiliate. 4. Esteem needs : the need for self-respect and esteem of others. This includes recognition, attention and appreciation from others. 5.Self-actualization needs: The need for self-fulfilment to be able tp grow and learn The project leader must be able to assess where each of his subordinate and co-workers are on the hierarchy and attempt to appeal to the appropriate needs. some people crave status and recognition. Others wand strongly to be a member of a cohesive team and to belong Herzberg has suggested that they are two types of motivational factors: hygiene factors and motivators .He suggest that the hygiene factors are necessary condition for a satisfied workers, but do not guarantee satisfaction. The hygiene factors include Company policy and administration Supervision Relationship With supervisor Working condition Salary Personal llife Relationship with peers Status Security In other words, the hygiene factors satisfy the lower level maslow needs. On the other hand, there are motivators which are factors that account for satisfaction in the worker. the motivators include Achievement Recognition Work itsef Responsibility Advancement Growth As a conclusion, motivation is a must that drive people to work. Motivation also has to do with human factors. People are willing to do work if they feel comfortable to do it and fell appreciated with their work. Leadership From the PMBOK 4th Edition (2008) page 417 leadership involves focusing the efforts of a group of people toward a common goal and enabling them to work as a team. In general terms, leadership is the ability to get things done through others. Respect and trust, rather than fear and submission, are the key elements of effective leadership. Although important throughout all project phases, effective leadership is critical during the beginning phases of a project when the emphasis is on communicating the vision and motivating and inspiring project participants to achieve high performance. A good leader always lead by example and make the people work under him feel pleasant. According to William R.King (1988) page 741, leadership behaviour can be divided into task behaviour (one way communication) and relationship behaviour (two way communications).These principles of leadership present s variety of sometimes conflicting premises which make it difficult to select appropriate behaviours in practise. Throughout the project, the project team leaders are responsible for establishing and maintaining the vision, strategy, and communications; fostering trust and team building; influencing, mentoring, and monitoring; and evaluating the performance of the team and the project. If the project leader plays a main role, the project will run smoothly. The good concept off leadership will determine whether the project wills success or not. By implementing the basic techniques of leadership, the people that work for the project will put their heart on work. People at lower level also have right to speak up if the feel something wrong with the project. By taking into account various opinions a final decision can be made by the project leader

life lessons :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since I was young until now, I have learned a lot of life’s lessons. And some I go by, and some I use once and then get rid of them. But there are ones that I keep for a short time, and keep for a long time, because you never know when they will come in handy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The ones that I have still, they are good ones. I keep the good ones, and just forget the bad ones, because why keep lessons that will not help get you some where or get you out of a jam. Having little good life lessons is a lot better than having a lot of great life lessons or a lot of bad life lessons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is one main life lesson that I use all the time. And it is, to never be a quitter, because being a quitter is worse than losing. Being a quitter is even worse than being a loser. Cause, who would want to be called a quitter their whole life. I would rather spend extra time trying to get it down and done, then be a quitter. Cause if you quit at one thing, most will quit every time a roadblock is in their way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Life lessons are good for people. They can help you more than they can hurt you. They really don’t hurt you, because they are like warnings for the bad stuff out in the world today. They are just little helpful hints. They are especially helpful when you are in the time of need. If a life’s lesson hurts you, you are using them in the wrong way.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think the more life lessons you get and keep is good for your self-character. They show good character about you to other people. Because you don’t want to have badly self image. Because if other people see it as a bad self image, then you will try so hard to make it look like a good self image, and that you have good character, then it will make you look self absorb.

The Role of Women in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay -- Things

More than those of any other African writer, Chinua Achebe’s writings have helped to develop what is known as African literature today. And the single book which has helped him to launch his "revolution" is the classic, Things Fall Apart.   The focus of this essay includes: 1) Achebe's portraiture of women in his fictional universe, the existing sociocultural situation of the period he is depicting, and the factors in it that condition male attitudes towards women; 2) the consequences of the absence of a moderating female principle in his fictions; 3) Achebe's progressively changing attitude towards women s roles; and 4) feminist prospects for African women. In the context of this study, the Igbo people whom Achebe describes will represent the rest of Nigeria -- and a great many of the nations of Africa. Sociocultural Background Were Nigeria and Africa oppressively masculinist? The answer is, "Yes." Ghana was known to have some matrilineal societies, such as the Akans; but Nigeria's traditional culture, Muslim as well as non-Muslim, had been masculine-based even before the advent of the white man. The source, nature, and extent of female subordination and oppression have constituted a vexed problem in African literary debates. Writers such as Ama Ata Aidoo of Ghana and the late Flora Nwapa of Nigeria have insisted that the image of the helpless, dependent, unproductive African woman was one ushered in by European imperialists whose women lived that way. On the other hand, the Nigerian-born, expatriate writer Buchi Emecheta, along with other critics, maintains that African women were traditionally subordinated to sexist cultural mores. I ally myself to the latter camp. I believe that, in creating a masculine-based society, Ac... ...Function of Folk Tradition." Approaches To the African Novel: Essays in Analysis. London: Saros International, 1992. Nwapa, Flora.   Efuru.   London: Heinemann, 1966. ---.   Idu.   London: Heinemann, 1970. Ogunyemi, Chikwenye Okonjo.   "Women and Nigerian Literature." Perspectives on Nigerian Literature. Vol. 1.   Lagos, Nigeria: Guardian Books, 1988. Okonkwo, Juliet.   "The Talented Woman in African Literature." African Quarterly 15.1-2: pages. Rich, Adrienne.   Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution.   New York: Norton, 1976. Thiong o, Ngugi   wa.   Petals of Blood.   London: Heinemann, 1977. ---.   Devil on the Cross.   London: Heinemann, 1982.   Walker, Alice.   "In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens." In Search of Our Mothers   Gardens: Womanist Prose. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1983.   231-243. Weinstock, Donald, and Cathy Ramadan.     

Child Psychology Services (Part 2) Essay

Explain why it is important to ensure children and young people are protected from harm within the work setting. It is important to ensure children and young people are protected from harm within the setting, as the parents are leaving their children in your care with the expectation that they can trust you and your colleagues to keep their children from harm. It is difficult for parents to leave their children in an education or care setting and then go to work; they need to be confident that their children will be in safe supportive hands with people that will help them develop. Explain policies and procedures that are in place to protect children and young people and adults who work with them. Any professional working with children or young people is responsible for the care and well being of those children. Making sure that a child is safe on or out of a school setting is of paramount importance. Not only does it make a child or young person feel safe in a learning environment but it also gives the child the security to develop and achieve from an early age. As well as having policies to ensure that only suitable people work in their setting, managers need to promote very clear practices and ways of working to protect both the children and adults work with. Everyone in a setting has a responsibility to work hard to promote the welfare of the children in their care. – Working in an open and transparent way – Open-plan rooms, this ensures that no member of staff is totally alone and out of view with a child. Sharing plans and talking about different ways of working also helps to make sure that staff work in the most appropriate ways. – Listening to children and young people – Whenever possible avoid agreeing to keep something a secret. Always tell  a child if you feel you need to share information, especially if you feel a safeguarding issue is involved. It is important that you record and report any concern you have about a child’s welfare; make sure you know who to go in your setting. – Power and positions of trust – If you are involved in the care of children or young people, you are working in a position of trust. You have authority over the children and parents have placed their trust in you to look after them; this brings responsibilities. People who want to occupy position of trust with children and young people and vulnerable adults have to have enhanced CRB checks. – Propriety and behaviour – Children and young people tend to respect and look up to people in position of trust. You must think carefully about your own behaviour and the example you set to children and young people in your care. – Physical contact – Young children need physical contact; in they have fallen over, a cuddle can help them to recover and get back to playing. However, too much physical contact can be easily misunderstood. Make sure you are familiar with what is acceptable. Taking a child to the toilet, changing a nappy or helping a child change out of soiled clothes are all normal everyday tasks; but never do any of these in a room with the door closed or out of sight of other member of staff. Remembering this protects not only the child but yourself as well. – Photographs and video recordings – Photographing or videoing activities in any setting are great ways to let parents see what their children have been doing. Photos and videos are not available to anyone other than parents and carers; always make sure that parents have given permission for photos to be taken. Evaluate ways in which concerns about poor practice can be reported whilst ensuring that whistleblowers and those whose practice or behaviour is being questioned are protected. At some stage whilst working with children you may be faced with the problem of what to do about someone whose practice is unacceptable. You must not ignore poor practice, no matter who it is being carried out by. (It can be very difficult to report someone you work with, or even your manager) How to whistle blow: – think about exactly what is worrying you and why. – approach your supervisor, manager or safeguarding named person. – tell someone about your concerns as soon as you feel you can. – put your concerns in writing, outlining the background and history, giving names, dates and places where you can. – make sure something happens. Whistle blowing does take courage. There is the risk of being bullied or harassed as a result, but anyone who whistle blows has the right to protection from the person they have raised concerns about. If you suffer as a result of a whistle blowing incident the UK Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 offers legal protection. Explain how practitioners can take steps to protect themselves within their everyday practice in the work setting and on off site visits.   A significant element of a practitioner’s role in protecting themselves would be to read policies and procedures that are put in place to safeguard them and children or young people in their care. In a care setting a professional can protect themselves by: – Avoid being alone in a closed room with a child. – Two members of staff must be present if a child needs to be undressed in the event of an accident. – If a child is collected late by a parent/carer then two staff members must stay until the child is collected. – Always be seen to be working in an open and transparent way where there is either visual access or an open door, especially in one to one situations. – Avoid meetings with children or young people in an isolated or private area of a care setting. It would be unrealistic to recommend that a member of staff should touch children or young people only in emergencies as very few people would agree with that, especially when young children can become so distressed in certain situations and a cuddle or close contact is needed by the child. Physical contact, guides and support are necessary in a range of settings appropriate to the age of the child and the circumstances at that time. Settings should provide a clear guidance about when and how the physical contact should be used in order to protect both staff and children. Effective management of risk should become automatic as you become more experienced. For every activity you plan, you should think about the hazards, the likelihood of the hazard occurring and the control measures. – Risk, the outcome or likely impact of the hazard associated with the activity to be undertaken. – Hazard, something that has the potential to cause harm. – Likelihood, the probability of any harm from the hazard actually happening. – Control measure, any activity or measures put in place to control or minimise identified risks. In the case of educational visits, professionals should always carry out a full risk assessment of that visit, under the Health and Safety at work regulations Act 1999 it requires employers to assess the risks of activities, introduce measures to control these risks and inform employees of these measures. Before a trip can be arranged employers must follow the necessary policies and procedures as follows: – Age, competence, fitness and the standard behaviour of the children and young people. – Any special educational or medical needs of the children. – Adult to children ratio. – The competence and qualifications of the accompanying adults. – Modes of transport and location of visit. – Emergency procedures. – Permission from parents. – Relevant medical or dietary needs of children. Describe the possible signs, symptoms, indicators and behaviours that may cause concern in the context of safeguarding It is important that you are aware of the indications of child abuse. Not every sign means a child is being abused. Sometimes the first signs that you observe are not physical but a change in behaviour. It is important that you record your concerns and monitor any unexplained changes in a child’s behaviour. Sometimes a child may be experiencing more than one type of abuse. Physical abuse Physical abuse is when a child is physically hurt or injured (hitting, kicking, beating with objects, throwing and shaking are all physical abuse, and cause pain, cuts bruising, broken bones and sometimes even death) Signs and symptoms of physical abuse can include: – Unexplained recurrent injuries of burns. – Wearing heavy clothes to cover injuries, even in hot weather. – Refusal to undress. – Bald patches of hair. – Repeated running away from home. – Fear of medical examination. – Aggression towards self and others. – Fear of physical contact, shrinking back if approached or touched. Many signs of physical abuse can be confused with genuine accidental injuries, but they are often not in the places or distributed as you would expect. Sometimes the explanation does not fit the injury, or you may see the outline of a belt buckle or cigarette burn. Suspicion should be aroused if the parents have not sought medical advice soon after the injury occurred. Emotional abuse Emotional abuse occurs when children are not given love, approval or acceptance. They may be constantly criticised, blamed, sworn and shouted at, told that other people are better than they are. Emotional abuse also involves withholding love and affection. It is often linked with neglect Signs and symptoms of emotional abuse can include: – Delayed development. – Sudden speech problems such as stammering. – Low self-esteem. – Fear of any new situations. – Neurotic behaviour. – Extremes of withdrawal or aggression. Neglect Neglect, which can result in failure to thrive, is when parents or others looking after children do not provide them with proper food, warmth, shelter, clothing, care or protection Signs and symptoms of neglect can include: – Constant hunger. – Poor personal hygiene. – Constant tiredness. – Poor state of clothing. – Unusual thinness or lack of normal body weight. – Untreated medical problems. – No social relationships. – Stealing food. – Destructive tendencies. Sexual abuse Sexual abuse is when a child is forced or persuaded into sexual acts or situations by others. Children may be encouraged to look at pornography, be harassed by sexual suggestions or comments, be touched sexually or forced to have sex. Signs and symptoms of sexual abuse can include: – Sexual knowledge of behaviour that is inappropriate to the child’s age. – Medical problems such as chronic itching, pain in the genitals, venereal disease. – Depression, self-mutilation, suicide attempts, running away, overdoses or anorexia. – Personality changes (becoming insecure or clinging). – Regressing to younger behaviour patterns (thumb-sucking, cuddly toys). – Sudden loss of appetite or compulsive eating. – Being isolated or withdrawn. – Inability to concentrate. – Lack of trust or fear of someone they know well, (wanting to be alone with babysitter, child minder). – Starting to wet or soil again, day or night. – Becoming worried about clothing being removed. – Drawing sexually explicit pictures. – Trying to be ‘ultra-good or perfect, overreacting to criticism. Describe the actions to take if a child or young person alleges harm or abuse in line with policies and procedures of own setting. All settings that have contact with children and young people must have clear policies and procedures to follow in all cases of abuse. Staff must have training in these and organisation for dealing with the situation. Disclosure of abuse by a child can occur at any time and it can be a shock to hear details. The way an allegation is received can be very important in the outcome to a child, even many years later. There have been many examples in the past of children not being believed at the time they declared their experience often resulting in serious problems later in life. At my nursery setting if a child was to disclose any information we would get onto the child’s level and ask three questions, we would ask; – What Happened? – Where did it happen? – When did it happen? We would take note of exactly what the child said and take this straight to our safeguarding officer on the premises. Explain the rights that children, young people and their carers have in situations where harm or abuse is suspected or alleged. Children and their parents or carers have important rights even in cases of suspected abuse. Most children feel loyal towards those who care for them even when they have been responsible for the abuse, and have difficulty saying anything against them. In situation where harm or abuse is suspected or alleged, it is important to remember the following guidelines. – Children and young people should receive help so they can express themselves fully, understand what is happening and the decisions that have to be made. – A child or young person has a right not to be subjected to repeated medical examinations or questioning following any allegation of abuse, whether of a physical or sexual nature – Family members normally have the right to know what is being said about them and to contribute to important decisions about their lives and those of their children – Children should be kept fully informed of processes involving them, should be consulted sensitively and decisions about their future should take account of their views.

Forward the Foundation Chapter 18

13 â€Å"Yes,† said Hari Seldon wearily, â€Å"it was a great triumph. I had a wonderful time. I can hardly wait until I'm seventy so I can repeat it. But the fact is, I'm exhausted.† â€Å"So get yourself a good night's sleep, Dad,† said Raych, smiling. â€Å"That's an easy cure.† â€Å"I don't know how well I can relax when I have to see our great leader in a few days.† â€Å"Not alone, you won't see him,† said Dors Venabili grimly. Seldon frowned. â€Å"Don't say that again, Dors. It is important for me to see him alone.† â€Å"It won't be safe with you alone. Do you remember what happened ten years ago when you refused to let me come with you to greet the gardeners?† â€Å"There is no danger of my forgetting when you remind me of it twice a week, Dors. In this case, though, I intend to go alone. What can he want to do to me if I come in as an old man, utterly harmless, to find out what he wants?† â€Å"What do you imagine he wants?† said Raych, biting at his knuckle. â€Å"I suppose he wants what Cleon always wanted. It will turn out that he has found out that psychohistory can, in some way, predict the future and he will want to use it for his own purposes. I told Cleon the science wasn't up to it nearly thirty years ago and I kept telling him that all through my tenure as First Minister-and now I'll have to tell General Tennar the same thing.† â€Å"How do you know he'll believe you?† said Raych. â€Å"I'll think of some way of being convincing.† Dors said, â€Å"I do not wish you to go alone.† â€Å"Your wishing, Dors, makes no difference.† At this point, Tamwile Elar interrupted. He said, â€Å"I'm the only nonfamily person here. I don't know if a comment from me would be welcome.† â€Å"Go ahead,† said Seldon. â€Å"Come one, come all.† â€Å"I would like to suggest a compromise. Why don't a number of us go with the Maestro. Quite a few of us. We can act as his triumphal escort, a kind of finale to the birthday celebration. Now wait, I don't mean that we will all crowd into the General's offices. I don't even mean entering the Imperial Palace grounds. We can just take hotel rooms in the Imperial Sector at the edge of the grounds-the Dome's Edge Hotel would be just right-and we'll give ourselves a day of pleasure.† â€Å"That's just what I need,† snorted Seldon. â€Å"A day of pleasure.† â€Å"Not you, Maestro,† said Elar at once. â€Å"You'll be meeting with General Tennar. The rest of us, though, will give the people of the Imperial Sector a notion of your popularity-and perhaps the General will take note also. And if he knows we're all waiting for your return, it may keep him from being unpleasant.† There was a considerable silence after that. Finally Raych said, â€Å"It sounds too showy to me. It don't fit in with the image the world has of Dad.† But Dors said, â€Å"I'm not interested in Hari's image. I'm interested in Hari's safety. It strikes me that if we cannot invade the General's presence or the Imperial grounds, then allowing ourselves to accumulate, so to speak, as near the General as we can, might do us well. Thank you, Dr. Elar, for a very good suggestion.† â€Å"I don't want it done,† said Seldon. â€Å"But I do,† said Dors, â€Å"and if that's as close as I can get to offering you personal protection, then that much I will insist on.† Manella, who had listened to it all without comment till then, said, â€Å"Visiting the Dome's Edge Hotel could be a lot of fun.† â€Å"It's not fun I'm thinking of,† said Dors, â€Å"but I'll accept your vote in favor.† And so it was. The following day some twenty of the higher echelon of the Psychohistory Project descended on the Dome's Edge Hotel, with rooms overlooking the open spaces of the Imperial Palace grounds. The following evening Hari Seldon was picked up by the General's armed guards and taken off to the meeting. At almost the same time Dors Venabili disappeared, but her absence was not noted for a long time. And when it was noted, no one could guess what had happened to her and the gaily festive mood turned rapidly into apprehension. 14 Dors Venabili had lived on the Imperial Palace grounds for ten years. As wife of the First Minister, she had entry to the grounds and could pass freely from the dome to the open, with her fingerprints as the pass. In the confusion that followed Cleon's assassination, her pass had never been removed and now when, for the first time since that dreadful clay, she wanted to move from the dome into the open spaces of the grounds, she could do so. She had always known that she could do so easily only once, for, upon discovery, the pass would be canceled-but this was the one time to do it. There was a sudden darkening of the sky as she moved into the open and she felt a distinct lowering of the temperature. The world under the dome was always kept a little lighter during the night period than natural night would require and was kept a little dimmer during the day period. And, of course, the temperature beneath the dome was always a bit milder than the outdoors. Most Trantorians were unaware of this, for they spent their entire lives under the dome. To Dors it was expected, but it didn't really matter. She took the central roadway, into which the dome opened at the site of the Dome's Edge Hotel. It was, of course, brightly lit, so that the darkness of the sky didn't matter at all. Dors knew that she would not advance a hundred meters along the roadway without being stopped, less perhaps in the present paranoid lays of the junta. Her alien presence would be detected at once. Nor was she disappointed. A small ground-car skittered up and the guardsman shouted out the window, â€Å"What are you doing here? Where are you going?† Dors ignored the question and continued to walk. The guardsman called out, â€Å"Halt!† Then he slammed on the brakes and stepped out of the car, which was exactly what Dors had wanted him to do. The guardsman was holding a blaster loosely in his hand-not threatening to use it, merely demonstrating its existence. He said, â€Å"Your reference number.† Dors said, â€Å"I want your car.† â€Å"What!† The guardsman sounded outraged. â€Å"Your reference number. Immediately!† And now the blaster came up. Dors said quietly, â€Å"You don't need my reference number,† then she walked toward the guardsman. The guardsman took a backward step. â€Å"If you don't stop and present your reference number, I'll blast you.† â€Å"No! Drop your blaster.† The guardsman's lips tightened. His finger began to edge toward the contact, but before he could reach it, he was lost. He could never describe afterward what happened in any accurate way. All he could say was â€Å"How was I to know it was The Tiger Woman?† (The time came when he would be proud of the encounter.) â€Å"She moved so fast, I didn't see exactly what she did or what happened. One moment I was going to shoot her down-I was sure she was some sort of madwoman-and the next thing I knew, I was completely overwhelmed.† Dors held the guardsman in a firm grip, the hand with the blaster forced high. She said, â€Å"Either drop the blaster at once or I will break your arm.† The guardsman felt a kind of death grip around his chest that all but prevented him from breathing. Realizing he had no choice, he dropped the blaster. Dors Venabili released him, but before the guardsman could make a move to recover, he found himself facing his own blaster in Dors's hand. Dors said, â€Å"I hope you've left your detectors in place. Don't try to report what's happened too quickly. You had better wait and decide what it is you plan to tell your superiors. The fact that an unarmed woman took your blaster and your car may well put an end to your usefulness to the junta.† Dors started the car and began to speed down the central roadway. A ten-year stay on the grounds told her exactly where she was going. The car she was in-an official ground-car-was not an alien intrusion into the grounds and would not be picked up as a matter of course. However, she had to take a chance on speed, for she wanted to reach her destination rapidly. She pushed the car to a speed of two hundred kilometers per hour. The speed, at least, eventually did attract attention. She ignored radioed cries, demanding to know why she was speeding, and before long the car's detectors told her that another ground-car was in hot pursuit. She knew that there would be a warning sent up ahead and that there would be other ground-cars waiting for her to arrive, but there was little any of them could do, short of trying to blast her out of existence-something apparently no one was willing to try, pending further investigation. When she reached the building she had been heading for, two ground-cars were waiting for her. She climbed serenely out of her own car and walked toward the entrance. Two men at once stood in her way, obviously astonished that the driver of the speeding car was not a guardsman but a woman dressed in civilian clothes. â€Å"What are you doing here? What was the rush?† Dors said quietly, â€Å"Important message for Colonel Header Linn.† â€Å"Is that so?† said the guardsman harshly. There were now four men between her and the entrance. â€Å"Reference number, please.† Dors said, â€Å"Don't delay me.† â€Å"Reference number, I said.† â€Å"You're wasting my time.† One of the guardsmen said suddenly, â€Å"You know who she looks like? The old First Minister's wife. Dr. Venabili. The Tiger Woman.† There was an odd backward step on the part of all four, but one of them said, â€Å"You're under arrest.† â€Å"Am I?† said Dors. â€Å"If I'm The Tiger Woman, you must know that I am considerably stronger than any of you and that my reflexes are considerably faster. Let me suggest that all four of you accompany me quietly inside and we'll see what Colonel Linn has to say.† â€Å"You're under arrest† came the repetition and four blasters were aimed at Dors. â€Å"Well,† said Dors. â€Å"If you insist.† She moved rapidly and two of the guardsmen were suddenly on the ground, groaning, while Dors was standing with a blaster in each hand. She said, â€Å"I have tried not to hurt them, but it is quite possible that I have broken their wrists. That leaves two of you and I can shoot faster than you can. If either of you makes the slightest move-the slightest-I will have to break the habit of a lifetime and kill you. It will sicken me to do so and I beg you not to force me into it.† There was absolute silence from the two guardsmen still standing-no motion. â€Å"I would suggest,† said Dors, â€Å"that you two escort me into the colonel's presence and that you then seek medical help for your comrades.† The suggestion was not necessary. Colonel Linn emerged from his office. â€Å"What is going on here? What is-â€Å" Dors turned to him. â€Å"Ah! Let me introduce myself. I am Dr. Dors Venabili, the wife of Professor Hari Seldon. I have come to see you on important business. These four tried to stop me and, as a result, two are badly hurt. Send them all about their business and let me talk to you. I mean you no harm.† Linn stared at the four guardsmen, then at Dors. He said calmly, â€Å"You mean me no harm? Though four guardsmen have not succeeded in stopping you, I have four thousand at my instant call.† â€Å"Then call them,† said Dors. â€Å"However quickly they come, it will not be in time to save you, should I decide to kill you. Dismiss your guardsmen and let us talk civilly.† Linn dismissed the guardsmen and said, â€Å"Well, come in and we will talk. Let me warn you, though, Dr. Venabili-I have a long memory.† â€Å"And I,† said Dors. They walked into Linn's quarters together. 15 Linn said with utmost courtesy, â€Å"Tell me exactly why you are here, Dr. Venabili.† Dors smiled without menace-and yet not exactly pleasantly, either. â€Å"To begin with,† she said, â€Å"I have come here to show you that I can come here.† â€Å"Yes. My husband was taken to his interview with the General in an official ground-car under armed guard. I myself left the hotel at a the same time he did, on foot and unarmed-and here I am-and I believe I got here before he did. I had to wade through five guardsmen, including the guardsman whose car I appropriated, in order to reach you. I would have waded through fifty.† Linn nodded his head phlegmatically. â€Å"I understand that you are sometimes called The Tiger Woman.† â€Å"I have been called that. Now, having reached you, my task is to make certain that no harm comes to my husband. He is venturing into the General's lair-if I can be dramatic about it-and I want him to emerge unharmed and unthreatened.† â€Å"As far as I am concerned, I know that no harm will come to your husband as a result of this meeting. But if you are concerned, why do you come to me? Why didn't you go directly to the General?† â€Å"Because, of the two of you, it is you that has the brains.† There was a short pause and Linn said, â€Å"That would be a most dangerous remark-if overheard.† â€Å"More dangerous for you than for me, so make sure it is not overheard. Now, if it occurs to you that I am to be simply soothed and put off and that, if my husband is imprisoned or marked for execution, that there will really be nothing I can do about it, disabuse yourself.† She indicated the two blasters that lay on the table before her. â€Å"I entered the grounds with nothing. I arrived in your immediate vicinity with two blasters. If I had no blasters, I might have had knives, with which I am an expert. And if I had neither blasters nor knives, I would still be a formidable person. This table we're sitting at is metal-obviously-and sturdy.† â€Å"It is.† Dors held up her hands, fingers splayed, as if to show that she held no weapon. Then she dropped them to the table and, palms down, caressed its surface. Abruptly Dors raised her fist and then brought it down on the table with a loud crash, which sounded almost as if metal were striking metal. She smiled and lifted her hand. â€Å"No bruise,† Dors said. â€Å"No pain. But you'll notice that the table is slightly bent where I struck it. If that same blow had come down with the name force on a person's head, the skull would have exploded. I have never done such a thing; in fact, I have never killed anyone, though I have injured several. Nevertheless, if Professor Seldon is harmed-â€Å" â€Å"You are still threatening.† â€Å"I am promising. I will do nothing if Professor Seldon is unharmed. Otherwise, Colonel Linn, I will be forced to maim or kill you and-I promise you again-I will do the same to General Tennar.† Linn said, â€Å"You cannot withstand an entire army, no matter how tigerish a woman you are. What then?† â€Å"Stories spread,† said Dors, â€Å"and are exaggerated. I have not really done much in the way of tigerishness, but many more stories are told of me than are true. Your guardsmen fell back when they recognized me and they themselves will spread the story, with advantage, of how I made my way to you. Even an army might hesitate to attack me, Colonel Linn, but even if they did and even if they destroyed me, beware the indignation of the people. The junta is maintaining order, but it is doing so only barely and you don't want anything to upset matters. Think, then, of how easy the alternative is. Simply do not harm Professor Hari Seldon.† â€Å"We have no intention of harming him.† â€Å"Why the interview, then?† â€Å"What's the mystery? The General is curious about psychohistory. The government records are open to us. The old Emperor Cleon was interested. Demerzel, when he was First Minister, was interested. Why should we not be in our turn? In fact, more so.† â€Å"Why more so?† â€Å"Because time has passed. As I understand it, psychohistory began as a thought in Professor Seldon's mind. He has been working on it, with increasing vigor and with larger and larger groups of people, for nearly thirty years. He has done so almost entirely with government support, so that, in a way, his discoveries and techniques belong to the government. We intend to ask him about psychohistory, which, by now, must be far advanced beyond what existed in the times of Demerzel and Cleon, and we expect him to tell us what we want to know. We want something more practical than the vision of equations curling their way through air. Do you understand me?† â€Å"Yes,† said Dors, frowning. â€Å"And one more thing. Do not suppose that the danger to your husband comes from the government only and that any harm that reaches him will mean that you must attack us at once. I would suggest that Professor Seldon may have purely private enemies. I have no knowledge of such things, but surely it is possible.† â€Å"I shall keep that in mind. Right now, I want to have you arrange that I join my husband during his interview with the General. I want to know, beyond doubt, that he is safe.† â€Å"That will be hard to arrange and will take some time. It would be impossible to interrupt the conversation, but if you wait till it is ended-â€Å" â€Å"Take the time and arrange it. Do not count on double-crossing me and remaining alive.† 16 General Tennar stared at Hari Seldon in a rather pop-eyed manner and his fingers tapped lightly at the desk where he sat. â€Å"Thirty years,† he said. â€Å"Thirty years and you are telling me you still have nothing to show for it?† â€Å"Actually, General, twenty-eight years.† Tennar ignored that. â€Å"And all at government expense. Do you know how many billions of credits have been invested in your Project, Professor?† â€Å"I haven't kept up, General, but we have records that could give me the answer to your question in seconds.† â€Å"And so have we. The government, Professor, is not an endless source of funds. These are not the old times. We don't have Cleon's old free-and-easy attitude toward finances. Raising taxes is hard and we need credits for many things. I have called you here, hoping that you can benefit us in some way with your psychohistory. If you cannot, then I must tell you, quite frankly, that we will have to shut off the faucet. If you can continue your research without government funding, do so, for unless you show me something that would make the expense worth it, you will have to do just that.† â€Å"General, you make a demand I cannot meet, but, if in response, you and government support, you will be throwing away the future. Give me wile** and eventually-â€Å" â€Å"Various governments have heard that ‘eventually' from you for decades. Isn't it true, Professor, that you say your psychohistory predicts that the junta is unstable, that my rule is unstable, that in a short time it will collapse?† Seldon frowned. â€Å"The technique is not yet firm enough for me to say that this is something that psychohistory states.† â€Å"I put it to you that psychohistory does state it and that this is common knowledge within your Project.† â€Å"No,† said Seldon warmly. â€Å"No such thing. It is possible that some among us have interpreted some relationships to indicate that the junta may be an unstable form of government, but there are other relationships that may easily be interpreted to show it is stable. That is the reason why we must continue our work. At the present moment it is all too easy to use incomplete data and imperfect reasoning to reach any conclusion we wish.† â€Å"But if you decide to present the conclusion that the government is unstable and say that psychohistory warrants it-even if it does not actually do so-will it not add to the instability?† â€Å"It may very well do that, General. And if we announced that the government is stable, it may well add to the stability. I have had this very same discussion with Emperor Cleon on a number of occasions. It is possible to use psychohistory as a tool to manipulate the emotions of the people and achieve short-term effects. In the long run, however, the predictions are quite likely to prove incomplete or downright erroneous and psychohistory will lose all its credibility and it will be as though it had never existed.† â€Å"Enough! Tell me straight out! What do you think psychohistory shows about my government?† â€Å"It shows, we think, that there are elements of instability in it, but we are not certain-and cannot be certain-exactly in what way this can be made worse or made better.† â€Å"In other words, psychohistory simply tells you what you would know without psychohistory and it is that in which government has invested uncounted piles of credits.† â€Å"The time will come when psychohistory will tell us what we could not know without it and then the investment will pay itself back many, many times over.† â€Å"And how long will it be before that time comes?† â€Å"Not too long, I hope. We have been making rather gratifying progress in the last few years.† Tennar was tapping his fingernail on his desk again. â€Å"Not enough. Tell me something helpful now. Something useful.† Seldon pondered, then said, â€Å"I can prepare a detailed report for you, but it will take time.† â€Å"Of course it will. Days, months, years-and somehow it will never be written. Do you take me for a fool?† â€Å"No, of course not, General. However, I don't want to be taken for a fool, either. I can tell you something that I will take sole responsibility for. I have seen it in my psychohistorical research, but I may have misinterpreted what I saw. However, since you insist-â€Å" â€Å"I insist.† â€Å"You mentioned taxes a little while ago. You said raising taxes was difficult. Certainly. It is always difficult. Every government must do its work by collecting wealth in one form or another. The only two ways in which such credits can be obtained are, first, by robbing a neighbor, or second, persuading a government's own citizens to grant the credits willingly and peaceably. â€Å"Since we have established a Galactic Empire that has been conducting its business in reasonable fashion for thousands of years, there is no possibility of robbing a neighbor, except as the result of an occasional rebellion and its repression. This does not happen often enough to support a government-and, if it did, the government would be too unstable to last long, in any case.† Seldon drew a deep breath and went on. â€Å"Therefore, credits must be raised by asking the citizens to hand over part of their wealth for government use. Presumably, since the government will then work efficiently, the citizens can better spend their credits in this way than to hoard it-each man to himself-while living in a dangerous and chaotic anarchy. â€Å"However, though the request is reasonable and the citizenry is better off paying taxes as their price for maintaining a stable and efficient government, they are nevertheless reluctant to do so. In order to overcome this reluctance, governments must make it appear that they are not taking too many credits, and that they are considering each citizen's rights and benefits. In other words, they must lower the percentage taken out of low incomes; they must allow deductions of various kinds to be made before the tax is assessed, and so on. â€Å"As time goes on, the tax situation inevitably grows more and more complex as different worlds, different sectors within each world, and different economic divisions all demand and require special treatment. Me result is that the tax-collecting branch of the government grows in size and complexity and tends to become uncontrollable. The average citizen cannot understand why or how much he is being taxed; what he can get away with and what he can't. The government and the tax agency itself are often in the dark as well. â€Å"What's more, an ever-larger fraction of the funds collected must be put into running the overelaborate tax agency-maintaining records, pursuing tax delinquents-so the amount of credits available for good, and useful purposes declines despite anything we can do.** â€Å"In the end, the tax situation becomes overwhelming. It inspires discontent and rebellion. The history books tend to ascribe these things to greedy businessmen, to corrupt politicians, to brutal warriors, to ambitious viceroys-but these are just the individuals who take advantage of the tax overgrowth.† The General said harshly, â€Å"Are you telling me that our tax system is overcomplicated?† Seldon said, â€Å"If it were not, it would be the only one in history that wasn't, as far as I know. If there is one thing that psychohistory tells me is inevitable, it is tax overgrowth.† â€Å"And what do we do about it?† â€Å"That I cannot tell you. It is that for which I would like to prepare a report that-as you say-may take a while to get ready.† â€Å"Never mind the report. The tax system is overcomplicated, isn't it? Isn't that what you are saying?† â€Å"It is possible that it is,† said Seldon cautiously. â€Å"And to correct that, one must make the tax system simpler-as simple as possible, in fact.† â€Å"I would have to study-â€Å" â€Å"Nonsense. The opposite of great complication is great simplicity. I don't need a report to tell me that.† â€Å"As you say, General,† said Seldon. At this point the General looked up suddenly, as though he had been called-as, indeed, he had been. His fists clenched and holovision images of Colonel Linn and Dors Venabili suddenly appeared in the room. Thunderstruck, Seldon exclaimed, â€Å"Dors! What are you doing here?† The General said nothing, but his brow furrowed into a frown.