Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 20

Management - Essay Example Currently, people at Mr. X’s hotel owing to his highly profitable management style share mutual goals, which is a kind of trend that results in delivering real value to customers. Following discussion will demonstrate key features of my interview with Mr. X and also explain how his experience added to my knowledge of management. Many factors internal and external to an organization can influence the role played by mangers in carrying out their job. Success of a company depends a lot on if a manager is a good planner and has a considerable experience in planning functions or not. Sometimes managers do not find it easy to fully commit themselves to their plans which can adversely affect both short and long-term goals of a company. Apart from managers’ inherent capabilities, it can be factors external to an organization like the state of an economy or a fiercely competitive business environment which can affect the role played by managers. Bad economy can prevent a manager from good planning. The essence of Mr. X’s narrative was that a manager should essentially view him/herself as a conscientious leader. This is because an ethically and socially responsible leader always remains keen on participating with his/her employees. This participative style is the key to sustain success in any organization. Mr. X also described different management styles to me. Some organizations are run like tribes where managers primarily focus on paternalistic authoritarian management. Such managers develop aggressive-defensive cultures which thrive on the use of coercive prods. These coercive means are used by employers to force employees to complete tasks (Cheng 2006, p. 59). This negatively impacts the rate of employee motivation in an organization. Participative style on the other hand advocates the idea that every member of an organization

Indian Literature Essay Example for Free

Indian Literature Essay Indian Literature, writings in the languages and literary traditions of the Indian subcontinent. The subcontinent consists of three countries: India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The political division of the area into three nations took place in the 20th century; before that, the entire region was generally referred to as India. For centuries Indian society has been characterized by diversity—the people of modern India speak 18 major languages and many other minor languages and dialects; Urdu is the principal language of Pakistan, and Urdu and Bengali are used in Bangladesh. The people of the subcontinent also practice all the world’s major religions. Throughout its history, India has absorbed and transformed the cultures of the peoples who have moved through the region. As a result, the Indian literary tradition is one of the world’s oldest and richest. Religion has long exercised a strong influence on Indian writing. The major religions of the area have been Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Islam. Throughout the history of Indian literature, certain religious doctrines have formed common threads. One such doctrine is karma—the chain of good and bad actions and their inevitable consequences, which result in the repeated birth and death of the soul. The mythology of the dominant Hindu religion portrays the deities Vishnu, Shiva, the Goddess (Devi), and others. This mythology has influenced Indian texts, from ancient epics in the Sanskrit language to medieval poems in the various languages of different regions to modern works in English. The Vedas, which are Hindu sacred texts, are the earliest examples of Indian literature. The Vedas were composed between about 1500 bc and 1000 bc in Old Sanskrit, also called Vedic Sanskrit. This language belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. Indo-Aryan languages dominated northern India in ancient times, and Sanskrit became the major language of Indian religious and philosophical writing and classical literature. It also served as a common language with which scholars from different regions could communicate. No longer spoken widely, it is maintained as a literary language in modern India, meaning that people still use it for written works. The emergence of the popular religions Buddhism and Jainism in the 6th century bc gave rise to literature in Pali and in the several dialects of Sanskrit known as Prakrit (meaning â€Å"natural language†). Meanwhile, Tamil, a Dravidian language, emerged as the most important language in the south. A recorded literature in Tamil dates from the 1st century ad. Rich literary traditions have emerged in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam, which are modern languages that developed from Old Tamil and its dialects. Between the 10th and 18th centuries, the medieval dialects of the earlier languages evolved into the modern languages of India. Eighteen of these languages now have official status in India, as does English. As the different tongues evolved, a distinctive literature with particular styles and themes developed in each tongue. At the same time, Indian literature was influenced by the Persian language and its literature, which various Muslim conquerors brought to the Indian subcontinent. Muslims also introduced Islam to India, and Islamic philosophy and traditions affected Indian literature. After the British became active in India in the 1700s, English language and writing had a significant impact on Indian literature. Oral traditions have always been important in Indian literature. Many storytellers present traditional Indian texts by reciting them, often with improvisation. Others use song, dance, or drama to tell tales. In both its oral and written forms, Indian literature has produced great works that have influenced national and regional literary traditions in other parts of the world.

Quality and trust in workplace

Quality and trust in workplace INTRODUCTION:- TRUST:-Trust means confidence that others action are consistent with their words that the people with whom you work are concerned about your welfare and interests apart from what you can do for them, the skills you have developed are respected and valued by co-workers and the organization. Trust is found in three characteristics of workplace relationships:- Trust grows out of the ability to perceive others as credible that what they say is true and their actions are consistent. Trust also grows out of a sense that one will be treated fairly by others. Trust also depends on how much employees experience respect through support provided for professional growth, the inclusion of employees ideas in decision making and through care both within the workplace and life. Trust in organizational strategies and top management is the most critical component in creating commitment towards a common goal. Senior leaders need to place a high value on integrity and trust and then communicate that value to all associates. Key factors in building trust The five critical areas that directly impact the level of trust people have in their organization are:- The organization vision. The organization values. The compensation system. The work environment. Personnel decision. Management consultant Jack R Gibbs explains that distrust in people are likely to occur when Top management is feared. Excessive pressure is placed on people. Sales are low. The vision of company is unclear. QUALITY: The organization should work in order to assure high quality of management and leadership in all parts of the organization. To work methodically in improving Management Quality all links must hold, in the long chain from management policy, through management system, programs and processes, all the way out to the individual employee. This kind of quality assurance of management requires a complete and consistent structure or model, and it must be possible to measure present status and improvements Over the past few years, employees have increased their focus on organizational characteristics that enhance employee work experiences and assist employees in balancing their jobs and personal lives. This focus on workplace quality has become significant enough for business press publications such as Fortune and Working Mother to publish annual lists of companies that excel in creating a high quality of work life for their employees.. Fulmer et al. (2003) argue that employee attitu des affect behaviors and their performance. They argue further that employee attitudes can influence workplace quality through the attraction and retention of good employees. They argue that if employee attitudes resulting from high workplace quality produce a sustainable competitive advantage, then listed firms should exhibit better financial performance than do non listed firms. There is some evidence that companies successful in creating positive employee attitudes about their workplace possess a valuable competitive advantage, which leads to improved operating and market performance. A high Management Quality is characterized by the following Our organization has updated and documented mission statements, vision and strategies. Our policy describes how we wish to relate to our employees. Participation and a high degree of independence are corner-stones of our management system. Everyone regards himself as owner of their personal objectives and the organizations vision and objectives. We encourage open communication. Our policy describes how we work in order to ensure leaders of high quality in all places. We create good opportunities for our managers to be highly motivated in their task. We phase out leaders who are inadequate in their jobs. INRODUCTION OF ORGANISATION:- INFOSIS: An Infosys technology is founded in 1981 in India. Currently Infosys has over 58000 employees worldwide and have over $2 billion annual revenue. Infosys currently has over 15000 software developers working on projects with Microsoft technologies. Infosys BPO Ltd. is one of the fastest and leading BPO solution providers in the world. Having Infosys Technologies Ltd. as its parent company, it boasts of best-in-class systems and processes and financial strength and stability. The company started its operations in 2002 and has received numerous awards and citations such as: 10th among 50 Best Managed Vendors in the Black Book of Outsourcing, 2006 5th among 35 Rising Stars in The Global Outsourcing 100 of the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals, 2006. Infosys won the Outsourcing Institute and Vantage Partners first-ever customer relationship management award. Infosys is increasingly focusing on value-based pricing models for its offerings. QUALITY AT INFOSYS:- Infosys follows the best software engineering practices. Infosys is CMMI-5 certified but for a formal process oriented certification their CMMI level appears to be an outcome of what they actually practice. Infosys doubles it revenue every 2 years, reaching $ 2 billion in 2006.Company currently trains 4500 new recruits every 14 weeks at its own training campus in Mysore. Companys campus at Bangalore was magnificent. The 50 buildings were a glass pyramid shaped multimedia facility housing, a large dome shaped library, sports centers, refectories futuristic electric cars are used for visitors. INFOSYS WINS TELSTRA AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN QUALITY IN 2005 Infosys is the first IT Company to receive Telstra award for excellence in quality from over 11000 vendors. Telstra assessed Infosys against its other suppliers and determined it as the winner based on a rigorous appraisal of its quality and ongoing commitment to developing viable solutions and providing Telstra customer with better value. TRUST INFOSYS: Trust is the foundation of all successful interpersonal relationships, both personal and business. Trust is the confidence or belief a person feels toward a particular person or group. Trust is, therefore, one of the primary binding forces in any interpersonal relationship. Trust is present in Infosys strategies and among the employees. 1:-Infosys organizational vision is clear: Infosys vision is attainable and does not ignore the role that individuals play in achieving the organizational goals. 2:-The work environment in Infosys is very good. 3:-Infosys values:- Values are beliefs or convictions that guide behavior, Support the overall organizational vision. Typical values in Infosys include:- Exceeding customer needs, engagement, and innovation. 4:-Infosys compensation system is good. LITERATURE REVIEW WELL-BEING AND TRUST IN WORKPLACE:-The research on well-being and trust in workplace is done by John F Helliwell and Huang:-They say that they were the first to know of to provide Income -equivalent values for workplace trust. The estimated values of trust in the workplaces are very large, and remain so even when we make a number of adjustments designed to remove risks of over-estimation. Our workplace trust results are independently estimated from two Canadian and one US survey using different samples and different question wordings. That all three surveys should show such consistently large effects convinces us of the robustness of our results. In this paper we have built on Subsequent extensions by Helliwell, Huang and Putnam (2009). 2:-TRUST IN WORKPLACE:-Research is done by Robert W Rogers President, DDI. And by Sheryl Riddle Sr. Vice president consulting services DDI. In their research they said that trust plays an important role in the organization. According to them Leaders can foster high levels of trust among teams by encouraging team members to follow six fundamental steps: Maintain one anothers self-esteem. Support and praise one another. Keep sensitive information confidential. Stand up for one another. Avoid gossip or unfair criticism of others. Appreciate one anothers skills and differences. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:-Two types of data are used:- Secondary Data:-Secondary data is taken from books, magazines, internet, research work, journals. Primary Data:- Primary data is collected from Infosys campus at Bangalore. QUESTIONER:- 1-What is your company do for building trust in workplace? Ans-The company vision is clear. The goals set by top management are attainable and Infosys does not ignore the role of individual in the achievement of companies goal. 2-What did the company do for quality in workplace? Ans- A company follow the best software engineering practices. Infosys is CMMI-5 certified. 3-Why do the company use visual studio team system? Ans-The Company use visual studio team system because it will increase exponentially over the next few years. We expect to grow this area to over 25000 developers. 4:-What did Infosys do for creating employment? Ans: The Company currently trains 4,500 new recruits every 14 weeks, at its own training campus in Mysore. The average age of the companys employees is 25 years. 5:- What did the company do for society? Ans:-1. Conducting rehabilitation camps at tribal areas, drought hit areas. 2. Construction of hospitals. 3. Rehabilitation of mentally retarded through other local organization. DATA ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION:- From the above data we comes to a conclusion that quality and trust in workplace are very important factors because if the workers have no trust in organization they do not work properly for the achievement of the organizational goals. The organization should work in order to assure high quality of management and leadership in all parts of the organization. For better quality organizational missions, policies, strategies must be clear. Everyone regards himself/herself as owner of their personal objectives and open communication must be there in an organization so that everyone shares their views about the organizational goals. BIBLIOGRAPHY:- Well being and trust in workplace:- www.nber.org/papers/w14589 About the Infosys company www.Infosys.com Monograph:-Trust in workplace By Robert W Rogers, President, DDI And Sheryl Riddle, Sr. vice President consulting services DDI. Building trust in workplace:- www.Melcrum.com

Second World War Essay -- American History Great Powers Essays

Second World War My generation has already witnessed a day of infamy, less than two short years ago (or so CNN tells us). My grandfather would remember a different day, a morning marked by another surprise attack on America. That ambush, said Japanese General Yamamoto, awakened a â€Å"sleeping giant.† Analysis of American foreign policy begs the question: what if the giant had spurned its peaceful slumber? Instead, the behemoth could have chosen to lumber about. Odds are that the footsteps would not have fallen lightly, the reverberations spreading across the globe- all this, only had Wilsonians been at the helm of American foreign policy. The Jacksonian tradition steered the United States to victory in the Second World War. Once lulled from the comfort of its isolationism, the Americans sealed the fate of the Axis powers. But had the Wilsonian tradition, a formidable current here at Swarthmore and among today’s democrats, directed American foreign policy leading up to and during the war, it seems likely that history would tell a different tale. As it stood in 1941, the United States was undoubtedly entrenched in the Jacksonian camp (here at Swarthmore, I can count their sympathizers on one hand). Jacksonian policies of the United States in the 1930s and 1940s proved decisive for the Allied victory, yet reflection on a reorientation of these policies toward the Wilsonian camp reveals that the Second World War could have been avoided. In this context, German domestic and foreign policy- a brutish, perverted mix of the Jacksonian and Wilsonian traditions- will then be discussed. An understanding of the Jacksonian doctrine clarifies the reasoning of the United States leading up to the war. This tradition was, and remains, stron... ...h: do we really want to provoke the Jacksonians of this world? Works Cited Bell, P.M.H. The Origins of the Second World War in Europe. 2nd edition. NewYork: Longman, 1997. Cà ©saire, Aimà ©. "Discourse on Colonialism." Colonial Discourse and Post-Colonial Theory. Ed. Patrick Williams and Laura Chrisman. New York: Columbia University Press, 1994. Kennedy, Paul. The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers. New York: Random House,1987. Kindleberger, Charles P. The World in Depression 1929-1939. 1973. Kurth, James. "The American Way of Victory: A Twentieth-Century Trilogy," The National Interest, Summer 2000, pp. 5-16. Kurth, James. â€Å"War, Peace, and the Ideologies of the Twentieth Century,† Current History, January 1999, pp.3-8. Mead, Walter Russell. "The Jacksonian Tradition and American Foreign Policy," The National Interest, Winter 1999/2000, pp. 5-29.

Polygraph Research Essay

I began my research thinking I wanted to find out where we were today in our advancement of the lie detector machine and its accuracy. There was a time it was heard of often and considered quite controversial in its legitimacy. My research took me on a different journey then I had expected. A journey discovering that the Polygraph Machine is not only just as controversial today as ever, but also that there appears to be behind the controversy then simply its technology. The Polygraph Machine was traditionally known for its use in lie detection within law enforcement. So I began my search in the Criminal Justice data base of our school library. I came across an interesting article, â€Å"The Truth Surrounding Lie Detection Technology†, written by Rebecca Kanable, a freelance writer specializing in law enforcement topics for the periodical Law Enforcement Technology. Her article, although informative of the details in how the polygraph machine works, what it detects physiologically, and why it might be considered inaccurate, revealed to me there may be more behind the controversial system then simply its technology. She would reference an important sounding entity called the APA (American Polygraph Association), explaining the APA founding, their development, and purpose. After discussing the APA and its extensive research and technology, another official sounding entity was introduced, the NAS (National Academy of Sciences). The NAS reported that contrary to the APA’s pride in their more than 80% accuracy in detecting deception, a majority of the research was unreliable, unscientific, and biased. The APA responded that the NAS findings were confined to a review of the research on polygraph testing in particular, and how it relates to personnel screening. The APA said the NAS relied on 57 of more than 1000 research studies available. The NAS in turn responded that a century of research in psychology and physiology provided little basis for expecting the polygraph test could have extremely high accuracy because the physiological responses are not uniquely related to deception only. At this oint a third entity was introduced, the NACVSA (National Association of Computer Voice Stress Analysis), who also bashed the APA as a flawed method and flawed technology. They would tout how they were supported in agreement by the NITV (National Institute for Truth Verification), yet another official sounding entity. This back and forth seemed a bit odd, as though one or the other had an agenda. That is what redirected my research into whom these entities were, and who was considered more rel iable for the truth about lie detection. First stop was the APA web site (APA. org). I discovered it was a profit driven business selling technology, instruments, research, and advanced training and education programs, as well as advertising their APA magazine. Their primary customers were law enforcement, the legal community, and private sector security screening. It certainly was official, but only in the business sense. Ironically, in my search for the APA web site, it was paired with Antipolygraph. org web site. A location for message board discussions against the polygraph, most of which was specifically directed at the APA. I then moved on to the first entity contradicting the APA in Kanable’s article, the NAS. NASonline. org had nothing to sell, but rather a non profit society established by an act of congress signed by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 and extended by President Woodrow Wilson charged with the mission of providing independent objective advice to the nation on matters related to science and technology. It definitely carried some weight in legitimacy, but to be sure it was not a bias source about this topic, I search its site database for this particular topic, and although it spoke about the technology of the polygraph, it made no specific mention of the APA itself. I was unable to do the same of the APA site as you had to be a paying member to access their database. I felt the NAS response to the APA research was legitimate coinciding with their purpose. What about the NACVSA? It turns out they are a direct competitor of the APA. Upon arriving at the CVSA1. com web site, it was immediately obvious in their solicitation of CVSA software and training. Also solicited were funding assistance through grants from both Walmart and Target to purchase the technology. They tried to hide behind government looking signs and symbols to appear more â€Å"official†. They covered the bases offering insight of cases solved by their technology, who was using their technology, and the history of their technology. They would repeatedly indicate their direct support from the National Institute for Truth Verification. Of course this institute must be official and have a web site. A Google turned up nothing for the NITV, and any mention of them would link you to the CVSA1. com web site. An attempt at Wikipedia also only had them listed as a vendor and tied to the NACVSA. Returning to the CVSA1 website for further investigation, I noticed in small print in the corner the following, â€Å"the NITV is the manufacturer and sole source for the Computer Voice Stress Analyzer†. That certainly did explain their avid support of the CVSA technology. One last scroll through all the sites having mention of the NITV, I noticed a Government site with their mention. Eforia. bis. doc. gov. was a public posting of government documents from the department of commerce. It displayed 11 charges against the NITV of illegal exportation as a private business. So much for that. Realizing I only had information from either the biased private businesses of technology, or the seemingly unbiased sources of government documents and a science society founded by congress, I now wanted to find others with something to say about the polygraph. I went back to the school library database with a refinement for only magazines and newspapers. First was a eye catching title of an article in the Atlantic Monthly by Alan Berlow called â€Å"The Wrong Man†. I gave accounts of cases leading to the conviction and eventual carrying out of death sentences of what would turn out to be discovered as wrongful conviction down the road. The tie with the polygraph came in that the results of the polygraphs, although not admissible in court, did find in agreement with what resulted in their convictions, even in contradiction of there being no physical evidence. This article revealed why the DA in one of those cases was so adamant in ignoring the lack of evidence for guilt and continuing till a conviction. He had knowledge of, and was influenced by, the non admissible results of the polygraph. The Wall Street Journal offered opposite perspectives on the polygraph. In 2003, an Article by Sharon Begley called â€Å"Inertia, Hope, Morality, score TKO’s in Bouts with â€Å"Solid Science†. The dispute with the polygraph was no different then others but with her particular method and terminology of expression. The second Wall Street Journal article, â€Å"For The Polygraph Paradox; Lie Detectors Aren’t Perfect; But convicted Sex Offenders Concede, They May Be Good Enough†, by Laurie P. Cohen. Although alluding to a positive use for the polygraph in spite of its controversy, I doubted the weight of this perspective as the only source of data was that of those who were convicted. It has no opposite data of those who were not convicted. I didn’t take either article as being to far out of bounds as the Wall Street Journal is widely known as quite reputable, whether you agree with a particular article or not. So I then narrowed my search to the immediate locality, and took an article from the Telegram & Gazette. It was a General interest periodical in 1989 with no specific author. It was merely stating a factual outcome of the Massachusetts Supreme Court having ruled the polygraph test as inadmissible in this state. My research into the polygraph, although somewhat informative about its accuracy, was far more revealing about the source of opinions about the polygraph.

Setting in The Bicyle Thief portrays Objective Realism essays

Setting in The Bicyle Thief portrays Objective Realism essays In the film Bicycle Thief directed by Vittorio De Sica portrayed objective realism through the use of the setting the film takes place in. Not on scene that De Sica shot was in a studio. Everything was filmed in the everyday streets of Rome. The story line of the film is very simple and without De Sicas technique of mise en scene, the film would not nearly as realistic or portray the emotion that the audience experiences. All of the events in the film appear to be reality and accidental. Furthermore, the workmans search of finding his bicycle brings in more added drama and feeling for the audience. Although, without the setting of the streets in Rome with everyday people walking around, the same emotions would not be experienced. The public shame that the father and son go through add to their tragic search throughout the streets and open-air markets. The boy accompanies his father throughout the whole film while following along at his side. When it starts to rain, the fath er and son search for shelter, which ends up being the side of a building and has little covering to hide under on the side. The son wears shorts throughout the entire film even when it is raining in this scene, which bring more emotion to his character. When they are walking through the large but filled streets, a very tragic feelings occurs. You experience feelings of feeling sorry for the little boy having to go through this as a child, and also the father who feels shame and belittled because of his son that looks up to him but feels that may no longer be the case anymore. The style and appearance throughout the film is ingenious on De Sicas part and brings the objective realism out. Every detail in the film brings a bigger meaning that you realize at the time. Whether the son is in front of the father, next to him or behind him, De Sica is carefully showing the audience things which they at the time do not realize or notice. E...

The Rise of the New World in The Oresteia

The Rise of the New World in The Oresteia The Rise of the New World in The Oresteia Oh but a mans high daring spirit, Who can account for that? Or womans desperate passion daring past all bounds? She couples with every form of ruin known to mortals (The Libation Bearers 579-81) This lyrical excerpt from the chorus of The Libation Bearers in a highly pensive note marks the finale of the scene that takes place at Agamemnons grave, near the palace of Argos. That is when the two siblings, Orestes and Electra, reunited after a long time, planning the murder of their mother Clytaemnestra and her lover, Aegisthus. It has to be mentioned that matricide or patricide were considered to be the most atrocious crimes in ancient Greece. However, such a dire act was slightly justified by Clytaemnestra, who has murdered the siblings father, and by Apollo who himself requested the punishment. What really stands out here, in The Libation Bearers lament, is the great division between men and women in terms of the source of their madness: the hubris, the excess, the lavishness, all being bringers of doom. Clytaemnestras madness is indirectly but strongly tied to her instincts and sexuality as the desperate passion daring (The Libation Bearers 580). Based on the trilogy, these are the kinds of excesses rendered by the womanhoods greatest asset, the ability to give birth. On the other hand, the hubris of the men is related to boldness, audacity, and overconfidence in a warriors strength. Such distinction between the hubris of the men and that of the women demonstrates a very strong connection between the female and the chthonic forces, and it ties the social function of the master or ruler to masculinity. The chthonic forces of the Greek pantheon are rather ambiguous elements. Aeschylus definitely refers to them in The Oresteia as to the forces of the underworld that is closely tied to fertility as well as to envy, lust, and sensuality. They are depicted as the monsters or creatures of darkness and dread. In order to justify the killing of her husband Agamemnon, Clytaemnestras complex plea put forward the sacrificial rite of her daughter Iphigenia, born in blood and pain, for the purpose of winning the war, denying her maternal right associated with the warrior master. Besides, the image of Iphigenias death on the altar by the insistence on blood and pain depicts a reversed echo of her birth. Even so, this entitlement is soon shadowed to a mere pretext once Clytaemnestra accuses the long absence of Agamemnon from the conjugal bed. Finally, her desperate passion daring in the end satisfied by Aegisthus, is revealed as the real reason that stands behind Clytaemnestra murdering Agamemnon. The elders of the city, representing the chorus of the trilogys first part, are regarding the murderous wife in the terms as depicted above. Thus, they are indignantly contesting any rights her paramour Aegisthus has taken as the new leader of the city. Consequently, Orestes and Electra are not considering Clytaemnestra to be the mother who gave them birth, but as the one who has killed their father, stripped them of all rights, sent them to a social death in favor of her lover. As a lover, Clytaemnestra appears to be a creature of reversed birthing, and Orestes nurse is convinced that the display of her pain about the news of Orestes death is fake. It is said to be a mask underneath which the joy that the potential candidate to the throne of Argos and therefore, her lovers adversary hides, is now gone. These are the results derived from the sequence that ends with The Libation Bearers excerpts at Agamemnons grave. Even there, in a place and at a time where reminiscence and the current state of affairs could have brought it up, nobody, not even Orestes and Electra mentioned the sacrifice of Iphigenia. There was no love that was lost between them and Agamemnon, as it was he who had reduced their social ranking to mere servants, as their status of spoils of war entitled him. If we take in consideration the deities that are joining the family conflict, the Furies on Clytaemnestras side and Apollo on Agamemnons side, and also the fact that the female monsters are the daughters of the Night, who take the interference of the new gods as a trespassing, there is a reason to think that Aeschylus has chosen The Oresteia to celebrate a significant change in the society. The old gods are the chthonic gods, the masters of birth. In the last part of The Oresteia, the chorus of the Furies threatens the citizens of Athens with the drought of the land that would occur if the Areopagus (judicial body assembled by the elders) ruled for Orestes, therefore justifying the murder of his mother and also depriving them of the right to punish him. The new gods, on the other hand, The Olympians, are those of the city. Athena herself, who presides over the trial of Orestes, is a goddess without a mother, who was born from the head of Zeus and represented the full-fledged woman th at was set free because of her connection to the chthonic mystery of blood and pain. The act of revenge in the human world, like the one that started the Trojan War, becomes a struggle of the gods, with dominion being the prize. The triumph of the new gods over the old ones now reduced to positions of underlings and has also a deeper meaning, since it consecrates a downgrade of the woman rights in society. The trial of Orestes also challenges the role of the woman as birthing mother on the grounds of the warrior goddess birth, in favor of the role of nursing mother. Just like the old chthonic gods lost their positions, everything thats tied to them in the new society has to disappear or to be significantly altered to fit the new mindset. Set free from the fears of the daughters of the night, the Areopagus denies women any right to lead, rule, and in general to participate in the life and well-being of the state, in any way. With the exception of Athena herself, the judicial body is comprised only of men. There is no mentioning of any other form of social life anywher e in The Oresteia, because Clytaemnestra, the murderous wife, does not assume the leading role of her husband after having killed him, offering it to Aegisthus, her lover. The old days of the world can only be deduced from the existence of the conflict of the gods which was diplomatically solved in favor of the new gods by means of granting the old temples and offerings from the citizens of Athens. Thus, the old deities that are tamed and are now known by the name of Eumenides can participate in the well-being of the new harmonious way of life. From this perspective, The Oresteia does not only celebrate the triumph of the powers of light, of rightful justice over the dark right of an eye for an eye, but it also celebrates the triumph of a new world, a world of men. The city/state that stands for this new world is a symbol of goddess, but a warrior goddess is a maiden that has no husband. Her other half is her twin brother Apollo, the god of light. The human womanhood, as the subordinate part of mother and wife, will still maintain a guileful role of duplicity, closely tied to the darkness that is ruled by monsters and is seen as the dominant characteristic when the heroine manifests the lover.

3 Sentences That Cause Confusion

3 Sentences That Cause Confusion 3 Sentences That Cause Confusion 3 Sentences That Cause Confusion By Mark Nichol In each of the following sentences, a word or phrase is an obstacle to comprehension. The discussion and revision that follows each example suggests a path to clarity. 1. Technology companies have a very different mind-set to traditional financial institutions. Comparisons structured as one is in this sentence should employ from rather than to, and note the insertion of the phrase â€Å"that of the† to indicate that the comparison is between mind-sets and not the entities that have the mind-sets: â€Å"Technology companies have a very different mind-set from that of traditional financial institutions.† 2. The agency found that contrary to its claims, World Wide Wickets failed to employ reasonable and appropriate measures to protect data. This sentence has an unclear antecedent: The pronoun its appears to refer to â€Å"the agency,† because no other entity has yet been identified, but it is a reference to the company subsequently mentioned. For clarity, use a specific proper noun (for example, â€Å"World Wide Wickets†) or a specific common noun (for example, â€Å"(the) company†) first, then a pronoun (or, in this case, use a proper noun on first reference and a common noun on second reference, bypassing the need for a pronoun at all): â€Å"The agency found that contrary to the claims of World Wide Wickets, the company failed to employ reasonable and appropriate measures to protect data.† 3. Jones faces criticism of others who oppose his policy positions, as does opponent John Smith and many others. This sentence is ambiguous- it could mean that Smith and many others face the same criticism as Jones, or the phrase â€Å"as does† could apply not to the verb faces but to the verb oppose. (In this case, the latter option applies.) To eliminate possible confusion, chose a clearer word or phrase in place of the nebulous â€Å"as does†: â€Å"Jones faces criticism of others who oppose his policy positions, including opponent John Smith and many others.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Fly, Flew, (has) FlownFlied?75 Idioms and Expressions That Include â€Å"Break†Oppose and Opposed To

Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Argument - Essay Example Banning universities from showing, or rather, selling students list to credit card companies is a smart move. This is because; higher learning institutions should be the ones imparting life skills upon students. Instead, to benefit from the fees they get from the credit card companies, they give access to the students; this shows the level of corrupted morals in the country’s institutions of higher learning (Approvals.com). Thus, it is evident that students require loans to survive in colleges, unless, of course, one is from a well background. However, in spite of this fact sticking out, colleges and universities expose students to risks knowingly that they do not have the income to sustain the costs of financing a credit card. In this regard, institutions of higher learning should not grant access, whatsoever; despite the benefits, they bear from these companies. In addition, some of these institutions give misleading information, moreover to selling student lists, by giving promises of broader options concerning higher-education options (Golden). The information collected from these students is only beneficial to credit companies that commission such surveys and capitalize by using it for marketing. Other than exploitation by both institutions of higher learning and credit card companies, credit cards are a deception to students as they are not crucial to their life as students. Credit cards do not add any value except accrued debt and a lifetime of paying for it. Colleges should actively advocate against the use of credit cards, as they are non-essential products required by students. This is a critical move towards helping colleges and universities lower their own costs of operation, as well as save students the trouble of having claimants on their back. The move is significant because of the charges that come with processing credit card payments thus, curbing the operating costs of these institutions. Therefore to ensure that students do not use the ir credit cards, or even to deter them from using the said cards, some institutions are charging the processing fees in cards such as visa that are used to pay for tuition, parking and other services rendered in the institutions (Greene). Therefore, by doing so, credit card companies will be deterred from mounting their marketing stands in colleges and luring students to apply for finances that they do not require. This is by use of gifts at campus events in an attempt to attract them towards opening a credit card account (Zhu). In addition, due to the lack of independence demonstrated by most students, since they are either dependents of parents and guardians, the use of credit cards exposes them to greater risk (Zhu). This is in the form of promoting inability to cope with their own needs and put an end to reliance on advances; that one cannot afford due to either low income or lack of means to do so such as a job. Not only do they put students at risk, but also the parents and gu ardians who co-sign the application forms as per the law (Zhu). This is because; by spending that which they do not have puts the guardian in a position of responsibility to bear the cost of financing luxuries in the name of emergencies most of which usually end up as â€Å"fashion emergencies†. The fine print, otherwise known as terms and conditions, used by credit card compa

Human Service Program and profession Unit 2 Project Research Paper

Human Service Program and profession Unit 2 Project - Research Paper Example The requirements of a senior consultant job are: four years of relevant consulting or a public sector state government consulting experience. The importance of experience is to ensure that each client gets professional strategic advice on the best possible way to conquer their tests and meet their target as the consultant fully understands the client’s needs. The senior consultant will be required to have two years exposure to leading teams. This ensures that the consultant is familiar with this field of work. The consultant should be willing to travel at almost any time. This ensures availability and flexibility of the consultant to the client’s needs. Consultant will also be needed to have 2 years experience in business mapping, design and process analysis. This is because each client has their own unique demands and therefore the consultant should be creative enough to suit the client’s needs. The last requirement will be 2 years of performing conceptual and t echnical designs. Familiarity of the senior consultant to these designs will enable clients to get professional help. My other job is titled Integrated Eligibility (Health and Human Services) Manager. This job entails the manager leading and delivering the clients engagements which identify, design, and apply creative technology and business solutions for bigger companies. The requirements of being a manager are: at least 6 years industry and consulting experience. This is to ensure that the managers posses proper problem solving skills and have the capacity to make mature judgments. Good written and oral communication skills and presentation skills are also needed. This is because they will be required to participate in information activities and research proposal activities. A Bachelor’s Degree in public policy will be needed. This is to ensure there is the application of quality standards in project delivery artifacts. Managers

RISK MANAGEMENT & EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIIPS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

RISK MANAGEMENT & EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIIPS - Essay Example â€Å"Risks need to be properly identified, evaluated and addressed† (Sharp, 2009). Managers of the companies focus properly on identifying and assessing the risks, which the companies are likely to face at some point in future employee security, workplace safety, and computer systems security. An effective and well-organized mechanism is required in order to analyze the risks while achieving the balance between identified risks and the operational necessities of the companies. Let us now talk about employee relationships. Employee relationships refer to the efforts to maintain good relationships among employees of a company. The importance of maintaining employee relationships relates to its contribution in the success of a company. There is a specific employee relations department in most of the companies, which assists concerned authorities in different matters, such as, job training, mediation, employee support, and handling misconduct complaints. It is the responsibility of the employee relations department of a company to foster healthy and resourceful relationships between employees in order to make them productive for the company. Prior to this class, I would have handled the risk management and employee relationships issues somewhat differently that I can do it now as the manager of employee relations department. I would not have made a good use of my skills and abilities required to perform my job. This class made me aware of my exact roles and responsibilities as the manager. Before I took this class, I did not have a clear idea of the exceptions to the employment-at-will. I was not fully aware of three key issues, which included public policy, implied contract, and good faith and fair dealing. After the class, I became aware of the concept of employment-at-will properly. Without having an understanding of these concepts, I

Land mine detection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Land mine detection - Assignment Example 1.2 Problems with Depth and Speed An efficient detection system must not be sensitive to the depth of the mine underground and detection should be performed at a reasonable speed (Hussein & Waller 1999). On the subject of depth, if the mine detector is sensitive to the depth of the buried mine, then it will probably not be able to detect mines buried relatively deeper but which will still explode upon contact. Moreover, on the subject of speed, if the personnel in charge of the mine detector do not perform the operation reasonably fast, this will result in relatively more expensive operational costs. 1.3 Problems with the Background Since mines are buried all over different soil types and terrain as well as different local circumstances, then it follows that a good detection system must be extremely specific in the identification of the mine itself and should not be affected by the surrounding conditions (Hussein & Waller 1999). This means that the detection system must remain unaffe cted by the weather, the temperature of the soil as well as the relative amount or mere presence of moisture in the area where the mine is buried. Otherwise, the detection system may fail to identify the presence of the mine. Another problem concerning the fact that mines are buried underground is that even detection of dogs and electronic chemical sniffers can be thwarted because of the presence of residual vapor emissions from explosives that recently detonated (Hussein & Waller 1999). This means that despite the highly sensitive olfactory sense of dogs and the sophisticated nature of electronic chemical sniffers, they are still apt to detect the wrong vapors that would lead them to remnants of explosives and not mines. Other mine detection systems like pulse-induction metallic detectors and ground penetrating radars may be able to detect microwaves, but these microwaves are not pronounced if the mines are non-metallic. Moreover, echoes from the surface and from rocks and tree roo ts may interfere with the microwaves emitted by a particular mine, thus preventing accurate detection. 2. WHAT EFFECT DOES NEW TECHNOLOGY HAVE ON THE COST OF REMOVING LANDMINES? The cost to remove all of the estimated 110 million active mines in the world is around $33 billion and a total operation time of around 1,100 years given the current conditions (United Nations 1997). Moreover, the main reason for the high cost of landmine removal has always been the â€Å"the amount of clutter in typical minefields,† which account for 95% of detected objects by many landmine removal systems (Won et al. 2001). 2.1 Manufacturing and Operation Costs of Modern Mine Flails Mine flails, or devices mounted on vehicles that detonate land mines along its path, are highly sophisticated and complex that their manufacturing and operating costs are extremely expensive. The Aardvark, which operates on a 160 hp turbo charged diesel engine and which has a full armored structure and communication equ ipment, actually operates at the rate of $0.33 per square meter while clearing mines at the rate of around 600 square meters per hour (LandmineClearance.com 2004; Green 1999). Other flails however would cost up to $2 per square meter (Hartley 2003). That means $198

Distribution Channels and Strategies Research Paper

Distribution Channels and Strategies - Research Paper Example Logistics manage and govern various supply functions. Several activities form a part of logistics such as material handling and warehousing, inventory management, fleet and transportation management and hosts of other activities. Logistics bottleneck at any point may affect and strangulate the free movement of goods and in this sense, efficient and workable logistics is critical and necessary to keep distribution channel flooded with the goods so as to service consumer on time. Geographic location and area of coverage does affect the selection of distribution channels. Smaller the territory, fewer members in channel distribution can serve the purpose; however, as territory goes larger and distances increase, it becomes necessary to have more intermediate channel members for the efficient flow of goods. This also depends upon the nature of product that how fast the product is being consumed or whether it is perishable kind. The distribution channel would need more channel members alon g with proper logistics if the goods are fast moving and needs to be replenished in shorter duration so that channel does not go dry ever. Answer 2 There are two kinds of promotional strategies in marketing management and they are known as push and pull kinds of strategies to enhance sales of product or services. Push strategy uses very little or no advertising to get the products in the hands of consumer. In a push strategy, the company deploys their sales force and myriads of trade promotional means and ways to create demand for its product. Trade shows are most suitable places to push the product to the buyer. Push strategy is good when product is new and does not enjoy any brand loyalty; the market is flooded with many substitute products. Push strategy is also good when impulsive and unplanned buying is quite prevalent in the given product category. Push strategy also works well when consumer is well aware about the product. Dish washing detergents and other low-value products are good examples of push strategy. A push strategy is employed to sell the products or services directly to the customers bypassing entire distribution channel. Accordingly, push strategy is very well used in selling insurance products too. The characteristic of pull strategy is that it is directed toward consumers using a lot of promotional efforts such as coupons, free samples, and contests. In fact, pull strategy relies on high spending on advertisement and promotional means to create high consumer demand. Pull strategy works best when it is possible to differentiate the product with high brand loyalty in the chosen field. Usually, consumer involvement is also high in this category of products. The best example that can be given for pull strategy is the marketing efforts put by Proctor & Gamble in the marketing of personal care products such as creams, shampoos, lotions, sanitary napkins by providing free samples and coupons. Answer 3 ‘Noise’ can be defined as when too many advertising messages arrive in the market place regarding a product confusing the buyers to make their buying decisions. Consumers terminate these messages as 'noise' because they do not get any reliable and meaningful information necessary for their buying decisions. It is important to identify the situation that what is being conveyed in the marketplace and how seriously consumers take these messages. Any further messaging in the similar line will not evolve any favorable results

Emergency Procedures in a Suspected Plant Assignment

Emergency Procedures in a Suspected Plant - Assignment Example This is just precautionary regardless of whether the spill has taken place or not. After this individual with the requisite knowledge of the chemicals involved in the plant can the go into the plant and perform chemical tests on the physical elements in the factory, this may be air and any fluids or solids in the area. These tests should then point out whether there has been a spill in the plant or not. It is seen clearly that in the event of a spill most definitely hazardous materials will be involved. In this connection, there have to be ways of safeguarding the individuals who will be responding to the spill. These are the first responders and the other subsequent responders. This will involve the use of spill kits which in most cases contain a variety of contents that will be used. Some of these include various kinds of chemical absorbents such as universal spill absorbent, bromine neutralizer among others. Others components include neoprene gloves, goggles, vinyl boots and corrosive aprons among others. There are various ways through which diseases can be transmitted. These are the infectious diseases which can be transmitted from one person to another or alternatively from an animal to a human being. The responders should recognize the various ways through which the diseases can be transmitted and come up with ways that they can protect themselves. Examples of such ways include secluding the affected areas, putting on protective gear and also putting the affected individuals on quarantine. These will go a long way in trying to curb the diseases from spreading or infecting them. In the handling of the diseases, there are a number of tools and equipment that the responders can use to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. The most important among these is the respirator. This is especially used if the disease being handled is transmitted through the air. Diseases that are transmitted through fluids can best be prevented from  spreading if the liquid testing equipment is used.  

Land mine detection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Land mine detection - Assignment Example 1.2 Problems with Depth and Speed An efficient detection system must not be sensitive to the depth of the mine underground and detection should be performed at a reasonable speed (Hussein & Waller 1999). On the subject of depth, if the mine detector is sensitive to the depth of the buried mine, then it will probably not be able to detect mines buried relatively deeper but which will still explode upon contact. Moreover, on the subject of speed, if the personnel in charge of the mine detector do not perform the operation reasonably fast, this will result in relatively more expensive operational costs. 1.3 Problems with the Background Since mines are buried all over different soil types and terrain as well as different local circumstances, then it follows that a good detection system must be extremely specific in the identification of the mine itself and should not be affected by the surrounding conditions (Hussein & Waller 1999). This means that the detection system must remain unaffe cted by the weather, the temperature of the soil as well as the relative amount or mere presence of moisture in the area where the mine is buried. Otherwise, the detection system may fail to identify the presence of the mine. Another problem concerning the fact that mines are buried underground is that even detection of dogs and electronic chemical sniffers can be thwarted because of the presence of residual vapor emissions from explosives that recently detonated (Hussein & Waller 1999). This means that despite the highly sensitive olfactory sense of dogs and the sophisticated nature of electronic chemical sniffers, they are still apt to detect the wrong vapors that would lead them to remnants of explosives and not mines. Other mine detection systems like pulse-induction metallic detectors and ground penetrating radars may be able to detect microwaves, but these microwaves are not pronounced if the mines are non-metallic. Moreover, echoes from the surface and from rocks and tree roo ts may interfere with the microwaves emitted by a particular mine, thus preventing accurate detection. 2. WHAT EFFECT DOES NEW TECHNOLOGY HAVE ON THE COST OF REMOVING LANDMINES? The cost to remove all of the estimated 110 million active mines in the world is around $33 billion and a total operation time of around 1,100 years given the current conditions (United Nations 1997). Moreover, the main reason for the high cost of landmine removal has always been the â€Å"the amount of clutter in typical minefields,† which account for 95% of detected objects by many landmine removal systems (Won et al. 2001). 2.1 Manufacturing and Operation Costs of Modern Mine Flails Mine flails, or devices mounted on vehicles that detonate land mines along its path, are highly sophisticated and complex that their manufacturing and operating costs are extremely expensive. The Aardvark, which operates on a 160 hp turbo charged diesel engine and which has a full armored structure and communication equ ipment, actually operates at the rate of $0.33 per square meter while clearing mines at the rate of around 600 square meters per hour (LandmineClearance.com 2004; Green 1999). Other flails however would cost up to $2 per square meter (Hartley 2003). That means $198

Emergency Procedures in a Suspected Plant Assignment

Emergency Procedures in a Suspected Plant - Assignment Example This is just precautionary regardless of whether the spill has taken place or not. After this individual with the requisite knowledge of the chemicals involved in the plant can the go into the plant and perform chemical tests on the physical elements in the factory, this may be air and any fluids or solids in the area. These tests should then point out whether there has been a spill in the plant or not. It is seen clearly that in the event of a spill most definitely hazardous materials will be involved. In this connection, there have to be ways of safeguarding the individuals who will be responding to the spill. These are the first responders and the other subsequent responders. This will involve the use of spill kits which in most cases contain a variety of contents that will be used. Some of these include various kinds of chemical absorbents such as universal spill absorbent, bromine neutralizer among others. Others components include neoprene gloves, goggles, vinyl boots and corrosive aprons among others. There are various ways through which diseases can be transmitted. These are the infectious diseases which can be transmitted from one person to another or alternatively from an animal to a human being. The responders should recognize the various ways through which the diseases can be transmitted and come up with ways that they can protect themselves. Examples of such ways include secluding the affected areas, putting on protective gear and also putting the affected individuals on quarantine. These will go a long way in trying to curb the diseases from spreading or infecting them. In the handling of the diseases, there are a number of tools and equipment that the responders can use to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. The most important among these is the respirator. This is especially used if the disease being handled is transmitted through the air. Diseases that are transmitted through fluids can best be prevented from  spreading if the liquid testing equipment is used.  

Cultural Tourism Essay Example for Free

Cultural Tourism Essay Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world today that consists of eco-tourism, beach tourism, cruises, cultural tourism and business tourism. This essay will mainly discuss the authenticity of cultural tourism. Meethan suggested in 2001 that modern cultures and societies are just as authentic as those that are present since decades and even centuries. Meethan here is correct, because the tourists really seek a dispersed experience in cultures both modern and old. However, many people think that only the traditional cultures and original artefacts come under the definition of authentic cultural tourism. Even the tourists have a different insight of what constitutes the authenticity in cultural tourism. This essay will talk about these issues and their implications for cultural tourism. Cultural tourism, according to World Tourism Organization (WTO), is the visit of the interested tourists to culturally rich destinations and their visit consists of a range of activities such as visits to heritage buildings and sites, attending performances of the local artists, taking part in traditional festivities and pilgrimage of holy places. Many do not agree with this narrow definition by WTO as the cultural tourism is synonymised with the civilizations and the way of living of the historic societies in that tourist destination. The local residents are mostly ignored from the definition and also from the concept of cultural tourism. However, the truth is that the locals make up for the major part of the experience of tourists. Their way of living and the current culture of the residents if often revitalized for enhancing the experience of the tourists. This forced influence on the local cultures for attracting more tourists is hurting the authenticity of the cultures in tourist destinations (Clarke 2003). Although it is true that tourists seek a combination of modern and traditional cultures on their destinations, but they prefer to consume traditional and modern tourism separately. Some of the tourists just fly from East to West for sinking into the beauty of traditional culture. These tourists want to enjoy the tradition by visiting cultural heritage buildings, attending traditional theatres and listening to the cultural songs of the destination. However, some cultural entrepreneurs try to blend the modern aspects with the traditional culture for the promotion of the destinations. There is a triangle of the cultural entrepreneurs, the tourists and the residents of the destination. The culture of the destination is defined by the way of living of the residents and the activities of the entrepreneurs. For the purpose of expanding the business, attracting more tourists and enhancing their sales, the local hosts and cultural entrepreneurs force the residents to change their way of living and link it to the culture. This is done in order to present the tourists with a cultural experience. Hungary has been known for the production wine and the tradition of small wine shops with their own vineyards. These shops and the people involved in the production of wine were of a particular attraction to the tourists as they saw this tradition of wine production as a rich culture. As tourism thrived, there were attempts to increase the production of wines through both, the government authorities and through the cultural entrepreneurs. However, this mass production of wine was not as successful as the wine from small wineries. This is the threat to the authenticity of the culture and the tourists proved that they did not like this blend of modern and traditional culture in Hungary. They proved that they preferred the traditional culture over the modern culture as the mass production of Hungarian wine was not successful. The tourists came to this Hungarian destination for the experience of the traditional small wineries and not for the wine. The tourists also did not get any special treatment by the independent wine producers in Hungary because they considered the tourists as a source of sales. The tourists were not treated any differently from other customers and they were given the sale offer; taste it and purchase it if you like it. This was because the only interest for the wine producers was the revenue from the sale of the wines and nothing more. In this case, the original culture was not touched by the cultural entrepreneurs, and minimal accommodation was made for the tourists such as the use of local wood for furniture. This resulted in the reduction of wine tourism in this area as there was no cultural entrepreneurship. There was nothing more in the offer except the wine, but afterwards some food dishes were also added to the menu but the tourism still was low because of the more complex wine tourism efforts by the other countries. The other countries excelling in wine production attracted more tourists than Hungary because they were able to blend the modern and traditional culture. Another case that supports the view of Meethan is the case of â€Å"Valley of the Arts† which attracted millions of customers each year at the arts festival that was organized by Istvan Marta. The organizers gave a deep thought on the cultural perspectives of the valley and they came to the conclusion that different tourists have different needs. The high spenders would require different type of product than attending just a simple art festival. The venues were made better and redesigned and the marketing efforts were doubled. The organizers attracted sponsorships and media coverage and hence added to the appeal. The locals were also involved and were allowed to attend the shows and these events were transformed into a very fashionable one. Soon the streets became crowded with high end cars owned by the German tourists. Hence, from these two case studies, the lessons learnt are that an entrepreneurial spirit is necessary for the promotion of the cultural tourism focusing on the core of the activity. Hence, modern and traditional cultures need to go hand in hand for the attraction of the international tourists. The commercial intent is necessary but the tradition should be kept alive which is the driving force for the tourists. The tourists should be given added facilities to augment the sales and attract the high spenders and luxury seekers. While Alan Clarke was working in the rural areas of Hungary, the local tradition was kept alive but still the communication technologies had a lot of penetration. The list of available international channels was far more than the number available in United Kingdom. The rural areas had access to Hungarian, Italian, Spanish, French, German, American and Russian channels (Clarke 2003). Jaipur, a culturally rich city of India, is particularly selected as a destination by tourists because of its historical attractions including the handicrafts and the heritage. Jaipur inhibits some of the forts built by the Moguls, centuries old paintings, the preserved sculptures and the traditional excellence in architecture that is preserved in buildings such as mosques. The tourists are also keen to visit Jaipur because of the folklore dances and Sufi music that was inspired by pundits and saints centuries ago. However, the city is continuously gearing up and adding more hotels and hi-tech facilities for the tourists. The core product of tourism in this city is the same for all tourists, but different income level groups can enjoy different class of tourism in this city (Kala 2008). High spenders can opt to spend their evenings in luxury spas while the people belonging to lower income group can live in small hotels and save money to spend on the purchase of handicraft and sculptures. According to a survey on the local residents, around 85% of the residents of Jaipur think that there was an evidence of development of city because of tourism and more entertainment facilities such as pubs, bars, hotels, swimming pools and parks were being developed. In the city, the local small scale industries were also being promoted by the government as the handicraft items were in demand by the foreign tourists. New hotels were also being built for accommodating the increasing number of tourists over time. This has induced employment and created new job opportunities for the local residents. Around 81% of the respondents in Jaipur thought that employment was being generated in the city because of the increasing tourism. Hotels and restaurants are labour intensive and hence they require the locals to work in their facilities. This generates more jobs for the local residents. Increasing tourism had positive impacts on the economy, but the locals have to face the problems such as increased traffic jams in the city and change in the culture. The way of living of the locals change as the standard of living gets better. Once the international tourists start coming in, and development start, then the primary culture is forgotten. 71% of the respondents of a survey in Jaipur commented that the increase in tourism has affected their traditional culture (Kala 2008). This change in traditional culture and way of living could harm the cultural tourism industry in the long term because the tourists will not be attracted to the city once the way of living of the locals is changed. The tourist-host interaction is very important in cultural tourism because it is an integral part of cultural tourism. The cultural tourists expect a spontaneous interaction with the locals and their traditional hospitality. However, if these important elements are vanished from the Jaipur culture, then the cultural tourists will no longer be attracted to the city. From the case studies presented, it is proved that only those tourist destinations have been successful which integrated modern and traditional culture. Authenticity of the culture is affected by designing attractions for the tourists but this depends upon the definition of cultural tourism. The modern tourist, however, can no longer enjoy cultural tourism that is untouched by modernity. There are also some issues when there is a blend of the two types of cultures. If these issues are managed properly, cultural tourism can be of great help to the economy of the destination and it can be responsible for raising the standard of living of the locals too. WORKS CITED Clarke, A. The Cultural Tourism Dynamic. Conference on Developing Cultural Tourism. UK: University of Nottingham, 2003. Kala, N. Host Perception of Heritage Tourism Impact with Special Refernce to the City of Jaipur. entrepreneurs 1, no. 1 (2008): 65-76.

Relationship Between Profitability and Liquidity

Relationship Between Profitability and Liquidity CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION This study empirically examines the relationship between profitability and liquidity, of insurance companies in Mauritius by using regression models and correlation analysis. The goal of any business is to make profits. If it does not make profit, it will soon go out of existence. Business need to ensure that it has enough money not only to cover expenses, but ensures that something is left over. Profitability of a company can be affected by many factors, among which there is liquidity. Every stakeholder has an interest in the liquidity position of his related company. Employees are also having interest in the liquidity of their company in order to know whether the company can meet its employees related obligations that are salary, pension, and provident fund. Shareholders are interested in understanding the liquidity due to its huge impact on the profitability. One can understand the liquidity position by analyzing the financial statements of a company. Liquidity position of a company can examined through financing decisions or investment decisions. 1.1 Definition of Liquidity Liquidity is defined as the ability of a company to meet its short term obligations. It is also the ability of the company to convert its assets into cash. It is more explicitly the ability of a company to meet the cash demands of its policy and contract holders with no or negligible loss (Claire et al., 2000). The assets and liabilities of a company reflect its liquidity profile. Since liquidity risk is inherent in the financial institutions, one must be able to understand measure, monitor and manage this risk (Douglas and Raghuram, 2001). Liquidity Risk According to Claire et al., (2000), liquidity is the ability to meet expected and unexpected demands for cash through ongoing cash flow or the sale of an asset at fair market value. Liquidity risk is the risk that, at a point in time, an entity will be in short of cash or liquid assets to attain its cash obligations (Darling, 1999). This may result in a run-on-the-company event, which is an example of loss due to this risk which causes the collapse of an institution. This type of event can occur during a depression whereby most customers ask to have their cash paid immediately and that demand exceeded cash reserves. Other less dramatic losses can occur when a company needs to borrow unexpectedly or sell assets at an unanticipated low price (Stewart and Raghuram, 1998) 1.2 Profitability Profitability is defined as the ability of a company to generate income which surpasses its liabilities. Profitability is measured by different ratios such as, Return on Equity (ROE), Price to Earnings Ratio (PER) and Return on Assets (ROA) amongst others. The measurement of profitability is essential to every company (Eljelly, 2004). Insurance regulators either encourage profitability, when concerned with solvency, or seek to limit it, when regulating rates. To investors and insurers, profitability plays an essential role. To policyholders of a stock insurer, it sounds like markup, while to those insured by a mutual company, it has no impact (McClenahan, 1999). Enz and Karl (2001), state that profitability is subject to consistent and accurate determination under a given set of conventions and accounting rules. Profits are important to investors and management as sources of dividends and growth. Profits provide better security against insolvency to insurers and regulators. 1.3 Background on Insurance Sectors in Mauritius The first two insurance companies (Phoenix Assurance Company and the Commercial Union) were set up in 1835 by the British. In 1845, the Mauritius Marine Insurance was formed by Mauritian shareholders. A second Mauritian company was set up called the Mauritius Fire Insurance company in 1854. From that time till date, new companies have emerged. Presently there are 16 insurance companies operating in Mauritius. All these companies are engaged in Life business, General business or both. INSURANCE COMPANY LINE OF OPERATION Anglo Mauritius Assurance Co Ltd Life Insurance Albatross Insurance Co Ltd Life General Insurance British American Insurance Co Ltd Life General Insurance Island Life Assurance Co Ltd Life Insurance Indian Ocean General Assurance Co Ltd Life General Insurance Jubilee Insurance Mauritius Ltd Life General Insurance Llyods Mauritius Co Ltd Life General Insurance La Prudence Mauricienne Assurance Ltd Life General Insurance Lamco International Insurance Ltd Life General Insurance Life Insurance Corporation of India Life Insurance Mauritian Eagle Co Ltd Life General Insurance Mauritius Union Assurance Co Ltd Life General Insurance New India Assurance Company ltd General Insurance Swan Insurance Co Ltd General Insurance State Insurance Company of Mauritius Ltd Life General Insurance Sun Insurance Company Ltd Life General Insurance Table 1.1: List of Insurance Companies and their respective lines of operation 1.3.1 Liquidity issues in Mauritius Each insurance company has their own structures and policies to manage all the risks in their operations including liquidity. In addition, they have to abide by the guidelines on liquidity provided by the Financial Services Commission and Section 23 of the Insurance Act 2005. Insurance companies have also to develop a contingency plan which should help them manage their liquidity on a global consolidated basis. Recent technological and financial innovations have provided insurance companies new means to finance their activities and to manage their liquidity (Vittas, 2003). The liquidity of insurance companies should usually be well planned since the frequency, timing and severity of insurance claims and benefits are quite uncertain (Levene, 2003). Insurance companies obtain their liquidity through (i) Underwriting: Underwriting is calculated as premium revenues subtract payments and operating expenditures; (ii) Investment Income: Investment income consists of dividends, realized capital gains on stocks and coupon payments and principal payments on bonds and (iii) Asset Liquidation: Assets liquidation is primarily concerned with stock sales and bonds on the financial markets (Holden and Ellis, 1993). 1.4 Problem Statement The eventual measure of efficiency of the liquidity planning and control is the effect it has on profitability. The companies preference of high return on assets to increase their profitability affects their liquidity positions. As a result, a study in the insurance sector in Mauritius is carried out to confirm this statement. 1.4.1 Research Objectives The research objectives of the study are as follows: i. To assess the impact of liquidity on profitability of Mauritian insurance companies ii. To determine the relationship between liquidity and profitability iii. To evaluate the impact and significance of the different liquidity ratios on profitability 1.4.2 Aim and Objectives of the Dissertation The aim of this dissertation is to investigate the relation between profitability and liquidity within the Mauritian context, in particular in the insurance sector. An econometric model would be used for this research study. The same model will be used to test the impact of liquidity on profitability of thirteen insurance companies, namely Anglo Mauritius Assurance Co Ltd, Albatross Insurance Co Ltd, British American Insurance Co Ltd, Island Life Assurance Co Ltd, Indian Ocean General Assurance Co Ltd, Jubilee Insurance Mauritius Ltd, Llyods Mauritius Co Ltd, Lamco International Insurance Ltd, Mauritian Eagle Co Ltd, Mauritius Union Assurance Co Ltd, Swan Insurance Co Ltd, State Insurance Company of Mauritius Ltd and Sun Insurance Company Ltd. 1.5 Outline of the Dissertation 1.5.1 Chapter 1: Introduction The introduction gives an overview on liquidity risk and explains why it is an important area for research, in particular in the insurance sector in Mauritius. It gives a clear and concise statement of the aim and objectives of this dissertation. 1.5.2 Chapter 2: Literature Review This chapter is wholly a review of existing literature on liquidity and any relevant articles related to liquidity issue have been considered. This will help to put the proposed research in a relevant context and ensure that up-to-date techniques are used for the analysis in this research study. 1.5.3 Chapter 3: Methodology This chapter describes the methods and estimation techniques used to compute estimates of the parameters in the econometric model and explain the equations being used. It also outlines the sources of data collection. Finally, the limitations of the study are outlined in this chapter. 1.5.4 Chapter 4: Results and Findings Chapter 4 presents the Analysis of data and findings. Tables, graphs and figures are usually used in this chapter to better illustrate graphically the results of this research study. The data was analysed using EViews 7 and the findings will be discussed. The latter will enable comparison that will either confirm or contradict expectations. 1.5.5 Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendations This final chapter presents the conclusions reached based on the findings of the previous chapter. Finally, some suggestions for further research in liquidity will also be presented.

Death Penalty: Capital Punishment and Violent Crime Essay -- Argumenta

Capital Punishment and Violent Crime Hypothesis Most Americans are pro-death penalty, even though they don't really believe that it is an effective deterrent to violent crime. Those who are pro-death penalty will remain so, even if faced with the best arguments of anti-death penalty activists and told to assume the arguments were absolutely true. Violent crime Violent crime is a major problem in the United States. According to the ACLU, the violent crime rate rose sixty-one percent nationwide over the last two decades, making America one of the most dangerous countries in the industrialized world to live in. Americans are seven to ten times more likely to be murdered than the residents of most European countries and Japan are. Government's inability to make headway in the effort to solve this intractable problem, despite high-tech policing, stiffer sentencing, massive prison construction and the return of the death penalty in many states, has increasingly frustrated a fearful American public. Politicians have used this fear and frustration over the past few decades to position themselves as "tough on crime". Every election brings more debates about the causes of violent crime, and the possible solutions, including most importantly, the death penalty. According to most polls, over sixty percent of Americans favor the death penalty. A politician who runs on a pro-death penalty platform is always on stable ground, whereas an anti-death penalty candidate, such as presidential candidate Michael Dukakis in 1988, faces an almost insurmountable problem. This, despite mounting evidence that the death penalty is not a deterrent to violent crime. Capital Punishment In 1976 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the d... ... would be more immediate to a would-be murderer, and would be more of a deterrent. Another answer could be that some problems, such as violent crime, seem so big and unbeatable, frustration and anger come into play. Americans may be at a point where they don't care for arguments or statistics, or whether it works or not. It is a strong statement as to what we believe is right and wrong. I think the final answer lies in retribution. It seems to be an ingrained American trait. For proof, look at what passes for popular entertainment in movies and television. The final emotional pay-off of almost every movie is to see the arch-villain die in some hideous fashion. Movies where the big, bad guy we really hate learns his lesson and reforms are extremely rare. It is a gut level reaction to see someone get what he or she deserves, and revenge is a powerful emotion.

Analysis of an Article on Obesity in America Essay -- Article Review

Obesity kills at least 111,000 Americans per year (Greenstreet 107). The government has made many approaches to reshape our food system and attempt to force us to buy the foods that make us fat. Especially during our recession, it is that much easier to buy fast foods because it simply is the cheaper thing to do. We have many needs as human beings that need to be met, with food being one of the most important and being in this recession has made us easy targets for the government. Organic foods and less-fatty foods are more expensive these days so even health-savvy people try to find cheaper alternatives and look for the positives in these not-so-healthy foods. Due to this, many people believe that the government and its power to control how expensive or cheap food is sold for is the biggest reason for obesity in America but in retrospect, it is simply our own fault because we make the decision to save money and eat less nutritiously over spending more money on the best food for yo ur diet. The reason for the growing population of obesity is not due to the government creating this epidemic because they in turn are trying to help out the growing obese population. Also, the obese population is constantly growing because of the personal choices of the people, the environment around them and the genetics of each individual. Immediately in the subtitle of the article, Greenstreet is quick to declare â€Å"how corporations and the US Government create the obesity epidemic† (Greenstreet 107). He makes the government seem like they are the main enemies and contributors to the growing obesity epidemic, â€Å"the government takes an extremely damaging and passive-aggressive role in contributing to a national health crisis...† (Greenstreet 107). ... ...): 1095-1105. Raj, Manu and R. Krishna Kumar, â€Å"Obesity in children & adolescents.† Indian Journal of Medical Research 132.5 (2010): 598-607. Kouzoukas, Demetrios L. â€Å"Legal Preparedness for Obesity Prevention and Control: The Structural Framework and the Role of Government.† Journal of Law 37 (2009): 24-27 "Major Crops Grown in the United States | Ag 101 | Agriculture | US EPA." US Environmental Protection Agency. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2011. . "Obesity and Genetics." Columbia St. Mary's Medical Moment. N.p., Web. 1 May 2011. . "Ten ways to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy food." Choosing and cooking healthy food. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2011. .

Foundation’s Edge CHAPTER FIFTEEN GAIA-S

GAIA-S Sura Novi now stepped into the control room of the small and rather old-fashioned ship that was carrying Stor Gendibal and herself across the parsecs in deliberate Jumps. She had clearly been in the compact cleaning room, where oils, warm air, and a minimum of water freshened her body. She had a robe wrapped about her and was holding it tightly to herself in an agony of modesty. Her hair was dry but tangled. She said in a low voice, â€Å"Master?† Gendibal looked up from his charts and from his computer. â€Å"Yes, Novi?† â€Å"I be sorrow-laden†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She paused and then said slowly, â€Å"I am very sorry to bother you, Master† (then she slipped again) â€Å"but I be loss-ridden for my clothing.† â€Å"Your clothing?† Gendibal stared at her blankly for a moment and then rose to his feet in an access of contrition. â€Å"Novi, I forgot. They needed cleaning and they're in the detergent-hamper. They're cleaned, dried, folded, all set. I should have taken them out and placed them in clear sight. I forgot.† â€Å"I did not like to-to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (she looked down at herself) â€Å"offend.† â€Å"You don't offend,† said Gendibal cheerily. â€Å"Look, I promise you that when this is over I shall see to it that you have a great deal of clothing – new and in the latest fashion. We left in a hurry and it never occurred to me to bring a supply, but really, Novi, there are only the two of us and we'll be together for some time in very close quarters and it's needless to be – to be – so concerned – about†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He gestured vaguely, became aware of the horrified look in her eyes, and thought: Well, she's only a country girl after all and has her standards; probably wouldn't object to improprieties of all kinds – but with her clothes on. Then he felt ashamed of himself and was glad that she was no â€Å"scholar† who could sense his thoughts. He said, â€Å"Shall I get your clothes for you?† â€Å"Oh no, Master. It be not for you. I know where they are.† He next saw her properly dressed and with her hair combed. There was a distinct shyness about her. â€Å"I am ashamed, Master, to have behaved so improperly. I should have found them for myself.† â€Å"No matter,† said Gendibal. â€Å"You are doing very well with your Galactic, Novi. You are picking up the language of scholars very quickly.† Novi smiled suddenly. Her teeth were somewhat uneven, but that scarcely detracted from the manner in which her face brightened and grew almost sweet under praise, thought Gendibal. He told himself that it was for that reason that he rather liked to praise her. The Hamish will think little of me when I am back home,† she said. â€Å"They will say I be – am a word-chopper. That is what they call someone who speaks – odd. They do not like such.† â€Å"I doubt that you will be going back to the Hamish, Novi,† said Gendibal. â€Å"I am sure there will continue to be a place for you in the complex – with the scholars, that is – when this is over.† â€Å"I would like that, Master.† â€Å"I don't suppose you would care to call me ‘Speaker Gendibal' or just†¦ No, I see you wouldn't,† he said, responding to her look of scandalized objection. â€Å"Oh well.† â€Å"It would not be fitting, Master. – But may I ask when this will be over?† Gendibal shook his head. â€Å"I scarcely know. Right now, I must merely get to a particular place as quickly as I can. This ship, which is a very good ship for its kind, is slow and ‘as quickly as I can' is not very quick. You see† (he gestured at the computer and the charts) â€Å"I must work out ways to get across large stretches of space, but the computer is limited in its abilities and I am not very skillful.† â€Å"Must you be there quickly because there is danger, Master?† â€Å"What makes you think there is danger, Novi?† â€Å"Because I watch you sometimes when I don't think you see me and your face looks – I do not know the word. Not afeared – I mean, frightened – and not bad-expecting, either.† â€Å"Apprehensive,† muttered Gendibal. â€Å"You look – concerned. Is that the word?† â€Å"It depends. What do you mean by concerned, Novi?† â€Å"I means you look as though you are saying to yourself, ‘What am I going to do next in this great trouble?† Gendibal looked astonished. â€Å"That is ‘concerned,' but do you see that in my face, Novi? Back in the Place of Scholars, I am extremely careful that no one should see anything in my face, but I did think that, alone in space – except for you – I could relax and let it sit around in its underwear, so to speak. – I'm sorry. That has embarrassed you.. What I'm trying to say is that if you're so perceptive, I shall have to be more careful. Every once in a while I have to relearn the lesson that even nonmentalics can make shrewd guesses.† Novi looked blank. â€Å"I don't understand, Master.† â€Å"I'm talking to myself, Novi. Don't be concerned. – See, there's that word again.† â€Å"But is there danger?† â€Å"There's a problem, Novi. I do not know what I shall find when I reach Sayshell – that is the place to which we are going. I may find myself in a situation of great difficulty.† â€Å"Does that not mean danger?† â€Å"No, because I will be able to handle it.† â€Å"How can you tell this?† â€Å"Because I am a – scholar. And I am the best of them. There is nothing in the Galaxy I cannot handle.† â€Å"Master,† and something very like agony twisted Novi's face, â€Å"I do not wish to offensify – I mean, give offense – and make you angry. I have seen you with that oafish Rufirant and you were in danger then – and he was only a Hamish farmer. Now I do not know what awaits you – and you do not, either.† Gendibal felt chagrined, â€Å"Are you afraid, Novi?† â€Å"Not for myself, Master. I fear – I am afraid – for you.† â€Å"You can say, ‘I fear,† muttered Gendibal. â€Å"That is good Galactic, too.† For a moment he was engaged in thought. Then he looked up, took Sura Novi's rather coarse hands in his, and said, â€Å"Novi, I don't want you to fear anything. Let me explain. You know how you could tell there was – or rather might be – danger from the look on my face – almost as though you could read my thoughts?† â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"I can read thoughts better than you can. That is what scholars learn to do and I am a very good scholar.† Novi's eyes widened and her hand pulled loose from his. She seemed to be holding her breath. â€Å"You can read my thoughts?† Gendibal held up a finger hurriedly. â€Å"I don't, Novi. I don't read your thoughts, except when I must. I do not read your thoughts.† (He knew that, in a practical sense, he was lying. It was impossible to be with Sura Novi and not understand the general tenor of some of her thoughts. One scarcely needed to be a Second Foundationer for that. Gendibal felt himself to be on the edge of blushing. But even from a Hamishwoman, such an attitude was flattering. – And yet she had to be reassured – out of common humanity – He said, â€Å"I can also change the way people think. I can make people feel hurt. I can†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But Novi was shaking her head. â€Å"How can you do all that, Master? Rufirant†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Forget Rufirant,† said Gendibal testily. â€Å"I could have stopped him in a moment. I could have made him fall to the ground. I could have made all the Hamish†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He stopped suddenly and felt uneasily that he was boasting, that he was trying to impress this provincial woman. And she was shaking her head still. â€Å"Master,† she said, â€Å"you are trying to make me not afraid, but I am not afraid except for you, so there is no need. I know you are a great scholar and can make this ship fly through space where it seems to me that no person could do aught but – I mean, anything but – be lost. And you use machines I cannot understand – and that no Hamish person could understand. But you need not tell me of these powers of mind, which surely cannot be so, since all the things you say you could have done to Rufirant, you did not do, though you were in danger.† Gendibal pressed his lips together. Leave it at that, he thought. If the woman insists she is not afraid for herself, let it go at that. Yet he did not want her to think of him as a weakling and braggart. He simply did not. He said, â€Å"If I did nothing to Rufirant, it was because I did not wish to. We scholars must never do anything to the Hamish. We are guests on your world. Do you understand that?† â€Å"You are our masters. That is what we always say.† For a moment Gendibal was diverted. â€Å"How is it, then, that this Rufirant attacked me?† â€Å"I do not know,† she said simply. â€Å"I don't think he knew. He must have been mind-wandering – uh, out of his mind.† Gendibal grunted. â€Å"In any case, we do not harm the Hamish. If I had been forced to stop him by – hurting him, I might have been poorly thought of by the other scholars and might perhaps have lost my position. But to save myself being badly hurt, I might have had to handle him just a small bit – the smallest possible.† Novi drooped. â€Å"Then I need not have come rushing in like a great fool myself.† â€Å"You did exactly right,† said Gendibal. â€Å"I have just said I would have done ill to have hurt him. You made it unnecessary to do so. You stopped him and that was well done. I am grateful.† She smiled again – blissfully. â€Å"I see, then, why you have been so kind to me.† â€Å"I was grateful, of course,† said Gendibal, a little flustered, â€Å"but the important thing is that you must understand there is no danger. I can handle an army of ordinary people. Any scholar can especially the important ones – and I told you I am the best of all of them. There is no one in the Galaxy who can stand against me.† â€Å"If you say so, Master, I am sure of it.† â€Å"I do say so. Now, are you afraid for me?† â€Å"No, Master, except Master, is it only our scholars who can read minds and. Are there other scholars, other places, who can oppose you?† For a moment Gendibal was staggered. The woman had an astonishing gift of penetration. It was necessary to lie. He said, â€Å"There are none.† â€Å"But there are so many stars in the sky. I once tried to count them and couldn't. If there are as many worlds of people as there are stars, wouldn't some of them be scholars? Besides the scholars on our own world, I mean?† â€Å"What if there are?† â€Å"They would not be as strong as I am.† â€Å"What if they leap upon you suddenly before you are aware?† â€Å"They cannot do that. If any strange scholar were to approach, I would know at once. I would know it long before he could harm me.† â€Å"Could you run?† â€Å"I would not have to run. – But† (anticipating her objection) â€Å"if I had to, I could be in a new ship soon – better than any in the Galaxy. They would not catch me.† â€Å"Might they not change your thoughts and make you stay?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"There might be many of them. You are but one.† â€Å"As soon as they are there, long before they can imagine it would be possible, I would know they were there and I would leave. Our whole world of scholars would then turn against them and they would not stand. And they would know that, so they would not dare do anything against me. In fact, they would not want me to know of them at all – and yet I will.† â€Å"Because you are so much better than they?† said Novi, her face shining with a doubtful pride. Gendibal could not resist. Her native intelligence, her quick understanding was such that it was simple joy to be with her. That softvoiced monster, Speaker Debra Delarmi, had done him an incredible favor when she had forced this Hamish farmwoman upon him. He said, â€Å"No, Novi, not because I am better than they, although I am. It is because I have you with me.† â€Å"I?† â€Å"Exactly, Novi. Had you guessed that?† â€Å"No, Master,† she said, wondering. â€Å"What is it I could do?† â€Å"It is your mind.† He held up his hand at once. â€Å"I am not reading your thoughts. I see merely the outline of your mind and it is a smooth outline, an unusually smooth outline.† She put her hand to her forehead. â€Å"Because I am unlearned, Master? Because I am so foolish?† â€Å"No, dear.† He did not notice the manner of address. â€Å"It is because you are honest and possess no guile; because you are truthful and speak your mind; because you are warm of heart and – and other things. If other scholars send out anything to touch our minds yours and mine – the touch will be instantly visible on the smoothness of your mind. I will be aware of that even before I would be aware of a touch on my own mind – and I will then have time for counteractive strategy; that is, to fight it off.† There was a silence for long moments after that. Gendibal realized that it was not just happiness in Novi's eyes, but exultation and pride, too. She said softly, â€Å"And you took me with you for that reason?† Gendibal nodded. â€Å"That was an important reason. Yes.† Her voice sank to a whisper. â€Å"How can I help as much as possible, Master?† He said. â€Å"Remain calm. Don't be afraid. And just – just stay as you are.† She said, â€Å"I will stay as I am. And I will stand between you and danger, as I did in the case of Rufirant.† She left the room and Gendibal looked after her. It was strange how much there was to her. How could so simple a creature hold such complexity? The smoothness of her mind structure had, beneath it, enormous intelligence, understanding, and courage. What more could he ask – of anyone? Somehow, he caught an image of Sura Novi – who was not a Speaker, not even a Second Foundationer, not even educated grimly at his side, playing a vital auxiliary role in the drama that was coming. Yet he could not see the details clearly. – He could not yet see precisely what it was that awaited them. â€Å"A single Jump,† muttered Trevize, â€Å"and there it is.† â€Å"Gaia?† asked Pelorat, looking over Trevize's shoulder at the screen. â€Å"Gaia's sun,† said Trevize. â€Å"Call it Gaia-S, if you like, to avoid confusion. Gaiactographers do that sometimes.† â€Å"And where is Gaia itself, then? Or do we call it Gaia-P – for planet?† â€Å"Gaia would be sufficient for the planet. We can't see Gaia yet, however. Planets aren't as easy to see as stars are and we're still a hundred microparsecs away from Gaia-S. Notice that it's only a star, even though a very bright one. We're not close enough for it to show as a disc. – And don't stare at it directly, Janov. It's still bright enough to damage the retina. I'll throw in a filter, once I'm through with my observations. Then you can stare.† â€Å"How much is a hundred microparsecs in units which a mythologist can understand, Golan?† â€Å"Three billion kilometers; about twenty times the distance of Terminus from our own sun. Does that help?† â€Å"Enormously. – But shouldn't we get closer?† â€Å"No!† Trevize looked up in surprise. â€Å"Not right away. After what we've heard about Gaia, why should we rush? It's one thing to have guts; it's another to be crazy. Let's take a look first.† â€Å"At what, Golan? You said we can't see Gaia yet?† â€Å"Not at a glance, no. But we have telescopic viewers and we have an excellent computer for rapid analysis. We can certainly study Gaia-S, to begin with, and we can perhaps make a few other observations. – Relax, Janov† He reached out and slapped the other's shoulder with an avuncular flourish. After a pause Trevize said, â€Å"Gaia-S is a single star or, if it has a companion, that companion is much farther away from it than we are at the present moment and it is, at best, a red dwarf, which means we need not be concerned with it. Gaia-S is a G4 star, which means it is perfectly capable of having a habitable planet, and that's good. If it were an A or an M, we would have to turn around and leave right now.† Pelorat said, â€Å"I may be only a mythologist, but couldn't we have determined the spectral class of Gaia-S from Sayshell?† â€Å"We could and we did, Janov, but it never hurts to check at closer quarters. – Gaia-S has a planetary system, which is no surprise. There are two gas giants in view and one of them is nice and large – if the computer's distance estimate is accurate. There could easily be another on the other side of the star and therefore not easily detectable, since we happen – by chance – to be somewhat close to the planetary plane. I can't make out anything in the inner regions, which is also no surprise.† â€Å"Is that bad?† â€Å"Not really. It's expected. The habitable planets would be of rock and metal and would be much smaller than the gas giants and much closer to the star, if they're to be warm enough – and on both counts they would be much harder to see from out here. It means we'll have to get in considerably closer in order to probe the area within four microparsecs of Gaia-S.† â€Å"I'm ready.† â€Å"I'm not. We'll make the Jump tomorrow.† â€Å"Why tomorrow?† â€Å"Why not? Let's give them a day to come out and get us – and for us to get away, perhaps, if we spot them coming and don't like what we see.† It was a slow and cautious process. During the day that passed, Trevize grimly directed the calculation of several different approaches and tried to choose between them. Lacking hard data, he could depend only on intuition, which unfortunately told him nothing. He lacked that â€Å"sureness† he sometimes experienced. Eventually he punched in directions for a Jump that moved them far out of the planetary plane. â€Å"That will give us a better view of the region as a whole,† he said, â€Å"since we will see the planets in every part of their orbit at maximum apparent distance from the sun. And they – whoever they may be – might not be quite as watchful over regions outside the plane. – I hope.† They were now as close to Gaia-S as the nearest and largest of the gas giants was and they were nearly half a billion kilometers from it. Trevize placed it under full magnification on the screen for Pelorat's benefit. It was an impressive sight, even if the three sparse and narrow rings of debris were left out of account. â€Å"It has the usual train of satellites,† said Trevize, â€Å"but at this distance from Gaia-S, we know that none of them are habitable. Nor are any of them settled by ‘human beings who survive, let us say, under a glass dome or under other strictly artificial conditions.† â€Å"How can you tell?† â€Å"There's no radio noise with characteristics that point them out as of intelligent origin. Of course,† he added, qualifying his statement at once, â€Å"it is conceivable that a scientific outpost might go to great pains to shield its radio signals and the gas giant produces radio noise that could mask what I was looking for. Still, our radio reception is delicate and our computer is an extraordinarily good one. I'd say the chance of human occupation of those satellites is extremely small.† â€Å"Does that mean there's no Gaia?† â€Å"No. But it does mean that if there is a Gaia, it hasn't bothered to settle those satellites. Perhaps it lacks the capacity to do so – or the interest.† â€Å"Well, is there a Gaia?† â€Å"Patience, Janov. Patience.† Trevize considered the sky with a seemingly endless supply of patience. He stopped at one point to say, â€Å"Frankly, the fact that they haven't come out to pounce on us is disheartening, in a way. Surely, if they had the capacities they were described as having, they would have reacted to us by now.† â€Å"It's conceivable, I suppose,† said Pelorat glumly, â€Å"that the whole thing is a fantasy.† â€Å"Call it a myth, Janov,† said Trevize with a wry smile, â€Å"and it will be right up your alley. Still, there's a planet moving through the ecosphere, which means it might be habitable. I'll want to observe it for at least a day.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"To make sure it's habitable, for one thing.† â€Å"You just said it was in the ecosphere, Golan.† â€Å"Yes, at the moment it is. But its orbit could be very eccentric, and could eventually carry it within a microparsec of the star, or out to fifteen microparsecs, or both. We'll have to determine and compare the planet's distance from Gaia-S with its orbital speed – and it would help to note the direction of its motion.† Another day. â€Å"The orbit is nearly circular,† Trevize said finally, â€Å"which means that habitability becomes a much safer bet. Yet no one's coming out to get us even now. We'll have to try a closer look.† Pelorat said, â€Å"Why does it take so long to arrange a Jump? You're just taking little ones.† â€Å"Listen to the man. Little Jumps are harder to control than big ones. Is it easier to pick up a rock or a fine grain of sand? Besides, Gaia-S is nearby and space is sharply curved. That complicates the calculations even for the computer. Even a mythologist should see that.† Pelorat grunted. Trevize said, â€Å"You can see the planet with the unaided eye now. Right there. See it? The period of rotation is about twenty-two Galactic Hours and the axial inclination is twelve degrees. It is practically a textbook example of a habitable planet and it is life-bearing.† â€Å"How can you tell?† â€Å"There are substantial quantities of free oxygen in the atmosphere. You can't have that without well-established vegetation.† â€Å"What about intelligent life?† â€Å"That depends on the analysis of radio-wave radiation. Of course, there could be intelligent life that has abandoned technology, I suppose, but that seems very unlikely.† â€Å"There have been cases of that,† said Pelorat. â€Å"I'll take your word for it. That's your department. However, it's not likely that there would be nothing but pastoral survivors on a planet that frightened off the Mule.† Pelorat said, â€Å"Does it have a satellite?† â€Å"Yes, it does,† said Trevize casually. â€Å"How big?† Pelorat said in a voice that was suddenly choking. â€Å"Can't tell for sure. Perhaps a hundred kilometers across.† â€Å"Dear me,† said Pelorat wistfully. â€Å"I wish I had some worthier set of expletives on instant call, my dear chap, but there was just that one little chance†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You mean, if it had a giant satellite, it might be Earth itself?† â€Å"Yes, but it clearly isn't.† â€Å"Well, if Compor is right, Earth wouldn't be in this Galactic region, anyway. It would be over Sirius way. – Really, Janov, I'm sorry.† â€Å"Oh well.† â€Å"Look, we'll wait, and risk one more small Jump. If we find no signs of intelligent life, then it should be safe to land – except that there will then be no reason to land, will there?† After the next Jump, Trevize said in an astonished voice, â€Å"That does it, Janov. It's Gaia, all right. At least, it possesses a technological civilization.† â€Å"Can you tell that from the radio waves?† â€Å"Better than that. There's a space station circling the planet. Do you see that?† There was an object on display on the viewscreen. To Pelorat's unaccustomed eye, it didn't seem very remarkable, but Trevize said, â€Å"Artificial, metallic, and a radio-source.† â€Å"What do we do now?† â€Å"Nothing, for a while. At this stage of technology, they cannot fail to detect us. If, after a while, they do nothing, I will beam a radio message at them. If they still do nothing, I will approach cautiously.† â€Å"What if they do do something?† â€Å"It will depend on the ‘something. ‘ If I don't like it, then I'll have to take advantage of the fact that it is very unlikely that they have anything that can match the facility with which this ship can make a Jump.† â€Å"You mean we'll leave?† â€Å"Like a hyperspatial missile.† â€Å"But we'll leave no wiser than we came.† â€Å"Not at all. At the very least we'll know that Gaia exists, that it has a working technology, and that it's done something to scare us.† â€Å"But, Golan, let's not be too easily scared.† â€Å"Now, Janov, I know that you want nothing more in the Galaxy than to learn about Earth at any cost, but please remember that I don't share your monomania. We are in an unarmed ship and those people down there have been isolated for centuries. Suppose they have never heard of the Foundation and don't know enough to be respectful of it. Or suppose this is the Second Foundation and once we're in their grip – if they're annoyed with us – we may never be the same again. Do you want them to wipe your mind clear and find you are no longer a mythologist and know nothing about any legends whatever?† Pelorat looked grim. â€Å"If you put it that way. But what do we do once we leave?† â€Å"Simple. We get back to Terminus with the news. – Or as near to Terminus as the old woman will allow. Then we might return to Gaia once again – more quickly and without all this inching along, and we return with an armed ship or an armed fleet. Things may well be different then.† They waited. It had grown to be a routine. They had spent far more time waiting in the approaches to Gaia than they had spent in all the flight from Terminus to Sayshell. Trevize set the computer to automatic alarm and was even nonchalant enough to doze in his padded chair. This meant he woke with a start when the alarm chimed. Pelorat came into Trevize's room, just as startled. He bad been interrupted while shaving. â€Å"Have we received a message?† asked Pelorat. â€Å"No,† said Trevize energetically. â€Å"We're moving.† â€Å"Moving? Where?† â€Å"Toward the space station.† â€Å"Why is that?† â€Å"I don't know. The motors are on and the computer doesn't respond to me – but we're moving. – Janov, we've been seized. We've come a little too close to Gaia.†