Sales Management and Personal Selling Essay

To address your immediate need from Kendrick Foundation Company (‘KFC’) for a price quote on Curl Metal Cushion Pads (Cushion pads or ‘CMCP’), it would be beneficial to establish a proper pricing strategy. It may also be beneficial to not only consider the short term, but also the potential long term pricing strategy for future consumers as well. To estimate the value price or price premium, it is advisable to keep in mind perceived value added propositions for your consumer. Also, as with most products, it is meaningful to perform a margin analysis based on potential pricing to customers to determine profitability of the overall product venture. Last but not least, external competition should also be considered as a factor on your product price. First, based on the information given, relative pricing analysis can be performed utilizing information from consumer purchases of conventional pads. Based on the price paid for the conventional pads for each projec t, it can be assumed the customer is willing and able to pay comparable pricing for CMCP (assuming the same benefits are created for users). A higher value price can be created by emphasizing the additional features or benefits of utilizing CMCP versus the conventional pads. The main additional features include more efficient pile driving time and less required time for change (overall less labor utilized), this value proposition can be estimated based on labor cost savings. In addition, CMCP are generally safer than the conventional pad, while the measurement of this value/benefit may be harder to measure, it is yet another selling point that could increase the price premium the customer is willing to pay for CMCP. For purposes of having a measurable pricing strategy, the focus of this analysis is on labor time savings. Assuming the average cost per Real Hour is $63/Hour for labor (HBS – Curled Metal Inc – Table A), and the willingness to pay for the material itself is same as what the customer paid for the conventional pads, the additional benefit from labor time saved (utilizing conventional pad as bench mark) can be considered cost savings to customers therefore, addition to customer perceived value. Table 1 – Revenue Analysis exhibits the cost to customer  for purchases of conventional padding (project based), this cost plus the labor cost savings switching from conventional pads to CMCP translates to an estimated per unit customer value price for CMCP. With comparable data collected for the two test customers, the estimated value pricing is $765/pad (based on selling 6 pad sets) and $1,392/pad (based on selling 5 pad sets) for size 11  ½, and $339/pad (based on selling 6 pad sets) for size >11  ½ Inch. This is evident of the upward price we can charge the customers, also, a differentiated price can be based on volume sold per set. To continue the flow of the discussion and to be conservative, we will assume the remaining discussion pertains to selling sets of 6 or at the $765/Unit (11  ½ Inch pad price) and $339/Unit (>11 1/2 Inch pad price). Second, margin analysis is necessary to determine profitability based on the aforementioned customer value pricing. Table 2 – Cost/Margin Analysis calculates the profitability per unit for short term (250 Units Production) and long term (500 Units Production), this analysis utilizes the estimated perceived value calculation along with prior information provided (HBS – Curled Metal Inc – Exhibit 6). Analysis is performed for the most popular sizing – 11  ½ inch pad, along with two other product lines to expand the production consideration. Result of the analysis concludes the 11  ½ product is most profitable among the three products. In regards to your consideration of whether to expend $150K on permanent tooling, based on our analysis, it does result in higher profit margin than using your original equipment. However, this is given that there is enough customer demand to cover the cost of the additional tooling. Lastly, based on the analysis, COGS will also decrease as production increases even with the additional spend for equipment (comparison of 500 units vs. 250 units produced). With uncertainty on market demand, and with limited resources on marketing research efforts, I would advise you to hold off on permanent tooling purchase until demand is more certain. Third, competitors and substitutable products could have an impact on product price. Since CMCP is the first of its kind to enter the market, you will have first mover advantage, however, competitors could enter the market with a similar product and additional pricing strategies, such as rebates/discounts or changes to list price may need to be considered. While it is not a huge concern during product launch period, it should something to be cognizant of  in case the product proves to be profitable. Further analysis should be performed to ensure maximum customer price value is captured. Based on the aforementioned information, I would suggest focusing efforts on the 11  ½ inch CMCP and charging the customers upwards of $765/Unit (based on selling sets of 6 pads) and $1,392/Unit (based on selling sets of 5 pads). In the short run, I would advise not to purchase the additional permanent tooling cost until there is more certainty around the demand for the product. In the long run, with proven sales records, the company can benefit from additional operational efficiencies from higher volume production. If you have any further questions regarding this, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Bestfoods Case study Essay

Bestfoods can only perform effectively through interactions with the broader external environment of which it is a part. The structure and function ¬ing of the international organisation must reflect, therefore, the nature of the environment in which it is operating, including workforce diversity issues. In order to ensure its survival and future success Bestfoods must be readily adaptable to the external demands placed upon it using appropriate structure and support of its HR management team. In this case, Bestfood is responsive to change through workforce diversity management. To operate internationally, Bestfoods has to provide diversity management in order to leverage differences between employees. 1. The key diversity challenges facing by the company include: – two-thirds of employees working outside the USA; – disproportionate number of women and minorities who leave Bestfoods; – gender inequalities (women can reach only middle management level); – women and minorities have less opportunities for career development than men (according to the survey); – high turnover level among women and minorities at every management level; – attitudes and behaviour barrier for promotion; – few women at high positions. These challenges shows that Bestfoods has high diverse workforce that prevent the company to grow rapidly. Managing gender and racial differences should be the part of the management concerned with the maintenance of human relationships and ensuring the physical well being of employees so that they give the maximum contribution to efficient working 2. To overcome diversity problems, Laura Brody was appointed to develop and implement equal opportunity campaigns involving international divisions of the company. She called her task as a â€Å"double edge sword† aimed to propose everyone equal opportunities for carrier development. The key actions helped this strategy to succeed include: – global action learning programs and an incremental change; – the first woman appointed as a country general manager; – the diverse board of directors consisted of two female, an African American CEOs and four males form other countries; – senior-management training programs; – long-term objectives of the company rather than compliance; – Diversity Advisory Council. These key issues encompassed a strategic perspective of the company and were closely related to the management process as a whole demanding that each functional manager and supervisor apply the principles effectively. 3. In order to implement diversity programs, Bestfoods took several steps. (1) Brody changed the nature of Diversity Advisory Council implemented a team-building approach aimed to establish a common vision. If a team is to be successful and perform effectively there must be a spirit of unity and co-operation, which can be achieved through scheduling and decision-making. As a part of this action, the Council developed a Balance Scorecard for diversity. (2) Examining and borrowing experience from leading companies about â€Å"leveraging workforcce† (p. 529) (outside practitioners, gathering best-practice and benchmarking studies). This step helped to avoid possible mistakes and faults. (3) A Cultural Connections program was implemented. It helps to reconcile the gap between what should happen, and desire-targets and standards of performance; and what is happening and levels of work performance. It involved: educational programs, training, sexual harassment prevention training, motivation for further education, etc. (4) Forum initiative. 4. In general, the idea of a Forum was very effective helping to join employees, increase their confidence, motivation and commitment; provide recognition, enhanced responsibility, and promotion; give a feeling of personal satisfaction and achievement, and broader opportunities for career progression. The idea of Forum could help to improve organisational perfor ¬mance as it increases the level of individual and organisational compe ¬tence. Nevertheless, the drawback of this policy was that Brody decided to involve only women as participants. Instead of a blend of competence, the Forum resulted in greater diversity within organization. (5) An alternative action to this program can be the International HR management Forum involving male and female employees, HR managers from different countries and the USA. This strategy would be more effectible in terms of overall company’s policy towards diversity management. This International HR Form would ensure human resources policy as an essential part for every manager and supervisor aware of diversity management. It would develop an integrated approach for organisations to locate equality issues in their mainstream activities. (6) The main problems faced by Brody and Shoemate included negative attitudes of male employees and women excluded from discussions the diversity issues. In general, this approach broadened gander diversity, and created a negative image of females as executives. Many women were afraid that: â€Å"after attending an all-women forum might encourage others to think their success was owed primarily to their status as women rather to their competence† (p. 540). The challenge was that the Forum forced some executives to rethink their attitude towards women’s potential and look objectively at their competence and professional skills. (7) Unfortunately, the Forum was negatively perceived by male employees. For some of them it was nothing more than â€Å"koffee-klatch† (p. 541) and discrimination on the gender basis. It is possible to treat this meeting as indirect discrimination depriving most employees from opportunities to be involved in problem-solving and strategic planning. This policy did not offend only male employees, but women who had not been invited. Most women called it another â€Å"private club† party (p. 540). Brody and Shoemate did not develop a sense of people per ¬ception, and did not understand the feelings of staff, their needs and expectations. (8) In any case, leadership played a crucial role helping to held female employees together and motivated them to give their best effort to the job. Communication strategies helped to provide satisfaction of members’ social needs, and a sense of personal identity and belonging to organization. Communication provided additional channels and means of motivation, for example, through status, social inter ¬action. Decision-making about the future strategy of the organization was made and implemented by employees. It was very important that employees were involved in this process. The unity of leadership, communication and decision-making created an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect between managers and employees. (9) Bestfoods and Brody can institutionalized the position of a diversity manager in every office around the world. This strategy will help to address not only women question, but to cover equal employment opportunities for all employees in spite of their gender, position in the company or racial/national differences. The Forum should be based on an elective principle which means that every employee in the company has an equal opportunity to take part in it. The Forum can address different questions involving all employees of Bestfoods. This strategy will increase team effectiveness which depends upon different strategies including a spirit of unity and co-operation, which can be achieved through leveling of differences. In an opening letter to all CPC Employees, Shoemate underlined that the policy of the company is: â€Å"an ongoing process that affects everyone in the company. †¦ we need to engage every person in this effort† (p. 546). Nevertheless, the Forum did not present different groups of employees focused only on gender diversity question. To overcome this drawback, the Forum can create separate working teams examining gender diversity, minorities’ rights, equal opportunities and equal pay issues. Recognising that men and women present different cultures at work, as well as different ethnic groups, and that this diversity needs to be managed, is key to promoting a positive environment of equal opportunity, which goes beyond merely fulfilling the demands of the statutory codes. References 1. Case Study: Bestfoods.

Evolution of Business Presentation Essay

The Industrial Revolution Business has gone through several different stages of evolution from feudalism to the industrial revolution. In the following, each stage of business evolution will be examined and explained in detail. FeudalismThe business or economic system in which one class of people, aristocrats, control the property rights to all valuable resources, including people. The Hierarchy of English Aristocrats is indicated to the right of the description of Feudalism. The position in which an individual held was determined by the income they generated. The more income you made, the higher position you held in the hierarchy. The kings and Queens were the highest in rank who controlled everyone and everything that happens in their land. Hierarchy of authorityDating back in the Stone Age, the beginnings of Feudalism were starting to take place. Business has always been the stepping stone to a grand life, rather it be a great nation or corporation. During the time of the stone age, there was a chief who had authority over everyone. There were hunters who hunted wild animals for food to distribute to the tribe or clan. The food gatherers would gather and clean all the food the hunters would bring in. Craftspeople would make clothes and weapons out of the hides and bones of the animals hunted. The priests, shamans, and sages were responsible for providing â€Å"protection† and religious hope. MERCANTILISM Business or economic system in which merchants and bankers organize the trade of products across markets and countries until they are put to their most valued use. Mercantilism existed back in Egyptian times also. It was a huge part of Egypt and it’s economic existence. There was some papyrus records found that described boundless quantities of grain and olive oil being stored in warehouses that extended over several fields in Alexandria, Egypt. These  warehouses were meant for sale abroad. In the time of the Ptolemy dynasty, mercantilism was a godsend. This king of Egypt owed Alexander the Great an abundant amount of money for Egypt being a free country. Along with gold, King Ptolemy would send fields of grain as payment for their freedom. The price of TeaMerchants then and now still make huge amounts of profit by taking advantage of differences in the prices of products in different markets. In the 1600s, tea that was imported from India to Britain cost about $100 a pound in today’s money. It was so expensive that it had to be locked up and taken out with care. Because tea was so expensive, some British communities fought back by dressing up as Native Americans and forcing the tea that was being imported into the ocean. This was called the Boston Tea Party and it helped bring about eh American Revolution. CAPITALISM The economic, business, and political system that allows people to own resources and use them to engage in production, trade, and distribution of goods and services. Capital was and still is a huge part of business. If you didn’t have what you needed, trading and bartering was the way to get it. For example, $100 was your starting capital and you needed to buy ten sacks of corn to create your product. Once you create your product and sold it, you produced more capital to turn around and buy more product. If the business was good then you could have created profit as well. Capital is not just money, it could be anything that creates profit. A piece of land perhaps with the ability to grow corn, raise cattle, etc. When a person grows corn and raises livestock, they could sell it and make an abundance of profit. COMMERCE Commerce is a division of trade or production which deals with the exchange of goods and services from producer to final consumer. Commerce comprises the trading of something of economic value such as goods, services, information or money between two or more entities. It functions as the central mechanism which drives capitalism and certain other economic systems. Commerce can be traced to the very start of communication in prehistoric times. Trading became a principal of prehistoric people who bartered what they had for goods and services from each other. PROPERTY RIGHTS Property rights are the claims by people to own, use, and sell the rights to valuable resources. Unlike now, there were no laws to protect and provide people with a legitimate claim to own and use property. The claim for property rights were a matter of using harsh force to get obtain it. Once you claimed land, you owned everything on it. The diagram shows what property rights and resources are,Land: ownership of the rights to land and the buildings and structures upon it. Capital: Ownership of the rights to financial assets such as stock, bonds, and money. Enterprise: Ownership of the rights to the products of enterprise such as patents and copyrights to products. Labor: Ownership of the rights to ones own labor and the right to work freely. THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION The Industrial Revolution was an era in the 1700 and 1800’s that marked improved production and trade brought about by advances in technology. The Industrial Revolution was a period in which fundamental changes occurred in agriculture, textile and metal manufacture, transportation, economic policies and the social structure in England. It spread through Europe and  the United States. This period is appropriately labeled â€Å"revolution† for its thoroughly destroyed the old manner of doing things. Advances in agricultural techniques and practices resulted in an increased supply of food and raw materials, changes in industrial organization and new technology which cased an increase in production, efficiency and profits, and the increase of commerce, foreign and domestic, were all conditions which promoted the advent of the Industrial Revolution. REFERENCES The McGraw-Hill Companies. (2007). The Evolution of Business. Retrieved August 22, 2008, from The McGraw-Hill Companies, Week Two, BUS210- Foundations of Business Web site. Halsall Paul, (1996). Internet Medieval Sourcebook. . Retrieved August 22, 2008, from http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook1i.html#FeudalismWikipedia. (). Feudalism, Mercantilism, Capitalism, Commerce, Property rights, The Industrial Revolution. Retrieved August 22, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_PageGoogle.com. (2008). Feudalism, Mercantilism, Capitalism, Commerce, Property rights, The Industrial Revolution. Retrieved August 22, 2008, from www.google.comAbout.com. (2008). Feudalism, Mercantilism, Capitalism, Commerce, Property rights, The Industrial Revolution.. Retrieved August 22, 2008, from www.about.comAsk. (2008). Feudalism, Mercantilism, Capitalism, Commerce, Property rights, The Industrial Revolution. Retrieved August 22, 2008, from www.ask.com

Comparative Politics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Comparative Politics - Research Paper Example Democracy can be perceived as equality and liberty. A democratic nation is liberal thereby allowing its citizens to have the power to rule it, to be equal before the law and have equal access to the law. Elections are periodically held to choose representatives for the governmental body that will exercise its supreme power. The distinctive principles of democracy include freedom of speech, press and political expression. Sovereignty, on the other hand, refers to a body that has independent power over people. A sovereign state can be regarded as having absolute authority of lawmaking (Almond et al. 101-120). Russia for a long time had been ruled by the Soviet Union using communism which attained its downfall in 1991. Thereafter, the United Russia party led by Russian Executive President Vladimir Putin introduced sovereign democracy in the Russian regime. However, the "sovereign democracy" practiced in Russian does not emanate democratic principles, a fact that has placed Vladimir Putin's political program under constant criticism (Almond et al. 355). According to Economist Intelligent Unit, the United Russian presidential political party aims at increasing its power of the international exchange system. The party intends to strengthen its powers to control the economic, political and administrative structure. The Russian doctrine of "sovereign democracy" emanates principles that are in contrast with democratic principles such as restrictions in the mass media and citizen's freedom (Almond et al. 356). The Russian democracy can, therefore, be viewed as managed democracy because the Russian political system is strictly supervised and regulated thereby denying Russian citizens freedom of expressing their political will. Although this fact is highly denied by the Russian authority for instance Vladislav Surkov who is the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office and advisor of the president as he provides analytical and organizational information which is crucial to the president insists that the Russian political system is governed by sovereign democracy (Almond et al. 356). According to the Russian doctrine of Sovereign democracy, no one can make attest to owning or having power over the Russian nation as explained in the Russian constitution. However, critically looking at the idea imposed by the Russian constitution the concept behind sovereign democracy can be viewed as nationalism. Russia perceives its state to be more superior than other states, therefore, it is ready to impose radical political force over other states if it senses any signs of threat. This means that Russia is a powerful nation which is not ready to be influenced by global monopolies or dictatorship (Almond et al. 362-370).Therefore, Russia can be perceived as indirectly opposing worldwide globalization which is encouraged by the western countries especially the United States. However, according to Surkov, the doctrine of Russian sovereign democracy aims at first prioritizing the interests of the country. This can be depicted in the economic, social and cultural success that the country has gained in global politics. Russia has managed to restore its governance in the Chechen Republic.

Interactive Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Interactive Marketing - Essay Example He emphasized that the then unthinkable systems will emerge in the future as just in time interactive marketing systems with features that shall fulfill all the dimensions of interactivity defined by him. Coviello and Milley et al. (2001. pp22-23) argue that the interactive marketing is the "new" type of marketing and all the rest methods are "traditional" types of marketing. The forms of interactive marketing presented by the researchers are business to consumer, inter-personnel commercial, fully interactive collaboration, network, and business to business. Brodie and Winklhofer (2007. pp3-4) presented the new marketing strategy called e-Marketing penetration that is carried out through four methodologies - Database Marketing (using database tools to target customers in a segment or micro-segment), Transactional Marketing (traditional marketing but through electronic means), Interactive Marketing (electronic interactions between employees and customers) and Network Marketing (develo ping relationships with customers & firms within an on-line network).

The Social Context of Ethical Practice in Mental Health Care Essay

The Social Context of Ethical Practice in Mental Health Care - Essay Example It shall discuss the planning, implementation, and evaluation associated with their care relating it to the nursing process and theoretical framework and model of care underpinning the assessment. The driving force for the development of mental health policies were concerns on public safety and on the minimization of risk (Fry, 2011). In the 1700s, their fears of mental illness were mostly related to their fears on witchcraft and the devil. The lower classes believed that only by using violent means could the mental illness be treated. Among the upper classes, they were keen on morally condemning such illnesses; and their fears of these diseases impacted on mental health with the attitudes of apathy being expressed against these diseases (Fry, 2011). During King George’s time when he was apparently cured of his mental illness, the attitudes towards mental illness changed and took on a more accepting attitude. The people had faith in the belief that the mental illness can be cu red. As a result, asylums for the treatment of the mentally ill were established (Fry, 2011). More research on mental illness and on its treatment was carried out. Models of sanity were also conceptualized; these models were accepted among professionals and laymen. Unfortunately inasmuch as these asylums were built on noble and helpful reasons, they soon became places of incarceration for the mentally ill, not a place of treatment (Fry, 2011). The war gave birth to the so-called war trauma which was identified as a mental illness. This mental illness became the subject of many studies. However, even as the general concern was for the treatment of mental illnesses, the focus of legislation ran towards detainment and compulsory treatment (Fry, 2011). After the Second World War and with the advent of drug therapies, including tranquilizers and neuroleptics, better odds for the treatment of mental illness brought about legislation for the improvement of the treatment of patients in ment al institutions (Fry, 2011). In 1983, the Mental Health Act was introduced in order to secure the rights of mental health patients and to protect public safety. The National Health Service and Community Care Act of 1990 further improved this law by introducing community care for the mentally ill. More improvements were later seen on mental health care with the amendment of the Mental Health Act as introduced by the Mental Health Act of 2007. Description of patient My client who shall be referred to as Patient A was admitted into the rehabilitation unit from Ward 8 following his right below the knee amputation. His amputation was carried out as a result of infected foot ulcers. His sutures from his amputation were recently removed and he was now set to start the rehabilitation process. The rehabilitation unit where he was admitted specializes in orthopaedic and stroke rehabilitation patients, including patients having had fractures, amputations, and patients with bodily weakness caus ed by paralysis as a result of strokes and spinal injuries. The unit focuses on regaining mobility for patients, helping them regain strength and coordination in their movements, and assisting them in learning ways on how to carry out their daily activities even with their disabilities. On the third of March 2011, an ectasia was detected in his right common iliac. Further infection of foot ulcers in the area led to further

Elasticity of Demand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Elasticity of Demand - Essay Example When one of these two changes, the other also tends to change. This tendency is very well described by what is popularly known as Law of Demand. The law of Demand is a general law which need not be applicable in all situations. In certain situations this law seems to be unrealistic. The Law of Demand states that when the price increases, the quantity demanded decreases and vice versa, other things remaining the same. The phrase 'other things remain the same' is an important one that it portrays the exceptions of Law of Demand. The Law of Demand, therefore postulates the direction of change in one variable (price or quantity) due to the change in other variable. The law is silent about the magnitude of change. That means, it does not talk anything about the degree by which demand changes as a result of a change in price. Here lies the importance of Elasticity of Demand. This concept tells us the extent to which demand increases or decreases owing to a decrease or increase in price. Th erefore, Law of Demand is a qualitative measurement whereas Elasticity of Demand is a quantitative measurement. As stated earlier, elasticity is a measure of responsiveness of quantity demanded for a change in price. ... Mathematically, it may be computed as: (Moffatt Mike: Elasticity of Demand) To calculate percentage change in quantity and percentage change in price, the following formulae can be sued: % change in quantity = Quantity (new) - Quantity (old) / Quantity (old) (Moffatt Mike: Elasticity of Demand) % change in Price = Price (new) - Price (old) / Price (old) (Moffatt Mike: Elasticity of Demand) Price Elasticity of Demand The Price Elasticity of Demand is the measure of responsiveness of quantity demand of a product as a result of change in its own price. This is also known as Own Price Elasticity of Demand. This theory measures the rate of response of quantity demanded due to change in price. Price Elasticity is a common phenomenon because price and demand are the two closely related variables. In other words, price is the most important determinant of demand. Price of a product and its demand are negatively correlated, which means when price increases, demand decreases and vice versa. Mathematically, price elasticity of demand can be expressed as below: Price Elasticity of Demand = (% Change in quantity demanded)/ (% change in price) (Moffatt Mike: Price Elasticity of Demand) % Change in quantity demanded = Quantity (new) - Quantity (old) / Quantity (old) (Moffatt Mike: Price Elasticity of Demand) % change in price = Price (new) - Price (old) / Price (old) (Moffatt Mike: Price Elasticity of Demand) Significance of Price Elasticity The calculation of price elasticity alone is not sufficient to an economist for decision making. It is a means to an end. Thus, interpretation is more important than computation. The purpose of calculating elasticity is for analyzing how sensitive is the demand for the product due to a

Using Collaboration Tools to Market Products PowerPoint Presentation

Using Collaboration Tools to Market Products - PowerPoint Presentation Example This is especially in the beauty industry where this study focuses to come up with an effective collaboration tool for a jewelry store. Collaboration tool product advocated in this presentation is â€Å"Yammer†, which will not only aid in serving clients as necessitated but also manage jewelry store’s human resource (Nash, 2011). There are numerous collaborations tools, which corporations can use and attain their respective goals. However, in ascertaining collaboration tool that will work appropriately for a given corporation it entails meticulous research coupled with considering its respective goals. This is because the need to have an effective collaboration tool is to aid a given Corporation to attain its targets with ease. Some of the probable web-based collaboration tools for a jewelry store include, Compared to other collaborative tools, Yammer emerges as the best option for jewelry store. This is because of its varied and essential features essential for reaching large pool of clients. It also enables effective management of human resource. Some of its essential functionalities include, Yammer 2.0 version will enable Jewelry Store Heads to have direct conversations with their clients as well as interacting with employees (Markowitz, 2011). Hence, make it easy for its respective departments handle clientele’s complaints and suggestions with immediate thus improve their services. Technical department will set Yammer 2.0 and other recently incorporated versions such that varied departmental sections are in constant contact with each other, hence share information internally (Nash, 2011). Internal interaction with the aid of Yammer aims at improving social networking such that there is no wastage of both resources and time, which employees use while holding meetings (Sumner, 2011). Therefore, Jewelry store will be posting internal and urgent information to its employees who in turn will try to give their sentiments

International Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International Law - Essay Example In order to determine whether or not the state has a right to use self-defence against a non-state actor under contemporary international law, the theory of jus ad bellum within the context of the UN Charter, Article 51 will have to examined. This paper will argue that the principle characteristics of the theory of jus ad bellum and Article 51, although design to control hostilities between states, can be interpreted to permit the use of military force in self-defence against non-state actors. The theory jus ad bellum is a evolved from Western cultures as a guide for reconciling â€Å"right with might† or â€Å"sollen with sein.†5 The primary objective of the doctrine of jus ad bellum was to cultivate a concept that military force was only justified in response to unprovoked aggression. Likewise, military force could be legitimately used for the purpose of restoring order or correcting a violated right. Military force could also be used legitimately for punitive reason.6 Taken together as a whole, the theory of jus ad bellum dictates generally that military force could legitimately be used for humanitarian intervention and for protection of sovereignty. After the Second World War, the United Nations was formed by virtue of the UN Charter which ultimately re-introduced and reconstructed the ambit of jus ad bellum.7 The primary purpose of the UN was to prevent war among the nations of the world.8 Following the 1990s Kosovo conflict International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty modified the UN Charter setting restraints for the exceptions to the UN’s policy on permissible military force between states under the auspices of jus ad bellum. Under the UN Charter the contemporary concept of just war of jus ad bellum dictates merely that war can no longer be justified on the grounds of humanitarian intervention, but for purposes of self defence.9 The UN Charter was implemented on October 24,

Western civilization.The political theory of John Locke and Jean Essay

Western civilization.The political theory of John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau - Essay Example This is a study about the political theory of John Locke and the political theory of Jean Jacques Rousseau. In addition, the study will highlight and discuss how the thinking of Locke and Rousseau fit into the period of Enlightenment. The study will start with a discussion of the political theory of Locke, followed by a discussion of Rousseau’s political theory, and then end with how their thinking fits into the period of enlightenment. The political theory of John Locke John Locke can be regarded as one of the founding fathers of liberal philosophy, which lays emphasis on limited government and individual rights. In his arguments about the state of nature, Locke noted that nature is characterized by scarcity of things to eat or wear. Therefore, human beings must work extremely hard to get food to eat and other necessities. Two things happen as a result of this hard work; first, a person survives. Secondly, a person creates property by mixing labor with the natural resources t o create food, shelter, and cloth (Bode 4). Locke argued that problems might arise with property since it can be detached from the individual. In the state of nature, many people may be willing to solve the problem of scarcity by snatching a person’s property. Through this struggle, the idea of government comes into being. Locke hypothesized that men entered the society with the ultimate aim of preserving their property. People sacrifice their freedom in the state of nature and join others in a protective government... God does not choose kings; people invent kings to protect property. On the limitations of government, people have the authority to replace leaders if they fail to perform their duties as expected (Bode 6). The political theory of Jean Jacques Rousseau Jean Rousseau can be regarded as a significant figure in the development of philosophical thought in the eighteenth century. He was one of the scholars who developed the political theory, which would later influence the age of revolutions, especially the French and American Revolutions. On the nature and society, Rousseau noted that man’s natural state could be more preferred than the civil or social state. In his Discourse on equality, Rousseau argues that man tends to appear as the solitary salvage and lives a carefree life (Qvortrup 76). In his classical work on political theory, The Social Contract (1762), Jean notes that ‘Man was born free, but is everywhere in chains’. This expressed his belief that the society has corrupted man. He argues that people recognize a general will, which is collective (Qvortrup 78). This general will should represent the common good or the interest of the public. All citizens should take part and show commitment to the general good. This should happen even if it means that people should act against their personal or private interests. For example, people may support a political party that proposes to impose heavy taxes if they have high income. This would not hurt as the taxation will bring considerable benefits to all persons. To Rousseau, therefore, a loyal citizen should not put their private interests first. He argued that when people do not put their personal interests first, equality and

ITA evaluation report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

ITA evaluation report - Essay Example The views in MVC can be nested. For instance, a control panel of buttons can be implemented as a complex view containing nested button views. The user interface for an object inspector can have nested views that may be reused in a debugger. MVC offers support to nested views that have the Composite View class, a subclass of View. Objects in the Composite View perform as View objects; a composite view can be applied where a view can be used, but it also has the ability to contain and manage nested views. The user can take this as a design that lets them treat a composite view just like we treat one of its components. But the design is used to a more general problem, which occurs whenever we want to group objects and treat the group like an individual object (Bucanek 2009, p.256). This more general design is described by the Composite design pattern. It lets the user create a class hierarchy in which some subclasses define simple objects like Button and other classes define composite o bjects Composite View that groups the simple objects into more complex objects. MVC also allows the user to change the way a view reacts to user input without changing its visual presentation. The user might want to change the way it responds to the keyboard, or set it to use command keys in place of the normal pop-up menu or vice versa. MVC encapsulates the response mechanism in an object known as the Controller object. There is a chain of commands of controllers, so a user can create a new controller as a variation on an existing one. An occurrence of a Controller subclass is used by a View to implement a particular response strategy; to implement another dissimilar strategy; the user has to replace the occurrence with a diverse type of controller. It is also possible to change a controller of a view at run-time to let the view change the

On Becoming A Leader Essay Example for Free

On Becoming A Leader Essay Nowadays, the title of â€Å"leader† seems to be sloppily thrown here and there. For the inexperienced eye, if someone seems to be the dominant individual in a group, people automatically ascribe the term to the person. Nowadays, it seems to be more of having a title than meeting that title’s responsibilities. It is imperative for a leader to know what enables his leadership; he should know how he had come to that position. In retrospect, a good study of the great leaders has amounted to a list of qualities that they innately possess. Bennis, (2003) in his book, â€Å"On Becoming A Leader† talks about what it takes to become a leader. There are different so-called â€Å"ingredients† that the author attributes the greatness of those people who have been worth enough to be called leaders of their generation. He speaks of ingredients such as guiding vision wherein a leader knows where he is going and knows how to get there. It is the proverbial horizon that the leader looks to. Another ingredient is passion—it is an enduring love for what he is doing. The author also speaks about integrity and being honest to oneself. He talks about the importance of doing away with self-deception and aligning one’s thoughts with one’s words and actions. He adds curiosity and a daring attitude to the mix as he stresses the importance of learning how to not be satisfied with the status quo by taking on challenges which have real-life risks. Finally, he closes with one of the most poignant traits that a leader must have. He bases his findings on a simple, yet hard-to-define element: trust. The author gives several reasons why it is important for a leader to be trustworthy. This trait essentially speaks of a leader’s integrity and how he deals with other people. Bennis says that it is one of the qualities that can only be earned and not acquired. It is given freely by the leader’s peers and followers. (Bennis, 2003) Trust is said to be one of the essentials that a leader needs in order to have his or her group up and running. Like a car without fuel, a leader will not be able to function if those under the leadership do not trust him. More than anything, this is the most vital part of any type of leadership. If the people are unable to follow the leader because they do not trust him or her, then it would be better if there was no one to follow at all. Apart from trust, all of the other ingredients are learned. Ordinary people will eventually learn how to look at the big picture and become accountable to themselves and to others. Leaders-to-be will eventually engender a love and a passion for what it is that they do but on of the things that cannot be learned is the trust that comes with responsibility. To be able to look at one’s follower and have that person say to you, â€Å"I trust you† is one of the most precious ingredients a leader can ever have. It is the cherry on top of everything else—the so-called icing on the cake without which everything will simply be ordinary and out-of-the-box. With all of the talk of having certain qualities that a leader needs to have, all of the ingredients are important but none as important as the trust that is earned by a leader.

General Psychology Of Sex And Gender Psychology Essay

General Psychology Of Sex And Gender Psychology Essay The topics I have chosen for consideration of psychological research are language, and sex and gender. The approaches taken will be analysed the topic in general terms and not to focus on one particular aspect at detailed levels. It points to the lack of a conclusive answer which is caused by Psychology as a discipline being relatively young and still in early stages with a lack of adequately strong theories that might assist to connect otherwise contrasting perspectives co existing. The report concludes that different perspectives within psychology can coexist at times, though conflict is frequent throughout. Sex and Gender The Psychology of sex and gender is one the most topical, important and engaging subjects that psychology, it illustrates many of the difficult issues that psychological explanations must address, including the political implications of different perspectives and the challenging of integrating explanations. It has been a controversial topic since the inception of psychology as a discipline and it powerful illustrates some of the diverse approaches with the field. A deliberation of how psychology approaches the analysis of sex and gender discloses four psychological perspectives, these are: Biological sex differences: Explaining the differences between male and female and biological correlates of behaviour. Investigations ere conducted through scientific processes Evolutionary psychology: Explaining the differences in the behaviour between the sexes in terms of behavioural selection for reproductive fitness. Test are conducted empirically Social constructionist theory: Gender differences between the sexes through the study of discourse in various historical, cultural and social contexts and so is hermeneutic. Psychoanalytic psychology: Development and meaning of sexual differences. Studies are largely done through clinical observation. Direct impressions of the four perspectives are objects of knowledge of each of the perspectives are all valid and useful in general psychology of sex and gender,. They pose somewhat different questions, have different objects of knowledge and use different notions of evidences. These perspectives may be complementary, conflicting however the scope for co-existence is not transparent. Given that the perspectives do not share common objects of knowledge, however is there can be an underlying hope for complementary theories in which together they all contribute to a broad understanding. Sex refer to the biological basis of differences between the sexes, where as gender refers to social constructed categories pertaining to these differences. Assigning a sex to humans can sometimes be a complex process, biological characteristics such as genetics and hormonal used to designate male or female, can be unreliable in small proportions of case, due to genetic abnormalities, such as, Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS) and Klinefelterss Syndrome ((XXY) (OU, p137) The biological and evolutionary perspectives certainly seem complementary at theoretic level in which both consider biological sex as the fonudation for gender and view conflicts between sexes as biological characteristics that have been cycled through during evolution. Evolutionary psychologists argue that sexual selections and the different optimal reproductive styles of our male female ancestors have results in some differences in the behavioural predispositions of the two sexes. These are seen to particularly apparent in the area of sexual behaviours and attitudes. Buss (1992), found while both sexes reported experiencing jealousy at the though of their partner being involved with another person, there were differences in the focus of their concerned. OU,p145) In humans, unlike in other animals, clear differences in brain structures that correlate with differences in adult behaviour patterns have proven difficult to demonstrate. Nonetheless, imaging studies show some sex differences in brain functioning of Western adults. This is probably due, at least in part, to the brains plasticity.(Giedd et al, 1999) )p140). While some sex differences are clearly established at birth for most individuals, bodies and brained may become gendered over lifetime of use. A explanations would appear to be consistent with research findings from cross-cultural differences in male and females sexual behaviours, which Allen and Gorski, 1990 study has backed (OU, p139) Nevertheless, biological psychology sets out to explain differences with in male and female psychology in terms of chosen physiological features, e.g. dimorphism in brain structures ( Hofman and Swaab, 1991,OU p.139). Additionally the evolutionary psychologists would primarily contend in favour of selected behavioural features such as differences between sexual attitudes between the sexes ( Clark and Hatfield, 1989, OU p.146). Thus, in that respect a conflict is apprent at the level of analysis, hence it is ironic that evolutionary psychology must dependently coinside with biological psychology since, given the intelligible complusions on its capacity to carryout the types of empirical reserach that might could be hoped for (Herrnstein-Smith, 2000,, OU p.141), it is dependent on a particulr amount of certification from the biological perspective, amongst others (OU, 2007, pp.184). From a social constructionist point of view, they regard sex and gender as features that are declared only through discourse and action. These are repercussion, of the individuals behaviour and experience within a cultural, social and historical context. The depth of the conflict is illustrated by a comparison of evolutionary studies that stress cross-cultural stability in particular sexual preferences ( Buss and Schmitt, 1993, OU, p.148, ) and social constructionist ideas such as Sandra Bem, who developed the idea of the cultural lens of musicality and femininity. This lens is a way of perceiving the world that makes behaviour and experiences gendered, this is called the Gender Schema Theory (1994, Holloway et al, 2007, OU p.153). According to the social constructionist perspectives, biological sex is not central to explaining what it is to be a man or a women, rather it is a signpost to which a whole set of us socially constructed gender differences are attached. In this account, social constructionist created discourse about masculinity and femininity are used by individual to create their own gendered subject positions. Whereas the biological and evolutionary perspectives correspond that biological sex consists at the center of explaining gender, the social constructionist perspective categorically rejects that notion, primarly for political reasons. In relation to Sex and Gender, political differences are often exposed when conflicting accounts of differences occur. Gender and sexuality came to be seen, through Freuds work, as having far-reaching implications for the development of it self. It largely correlates the social constructionist, in conditions of its interpretive or hermeneutic methodology. Therefore both the social constructionist and psychoanalytic perspectives dispute with the biological and evolutionary persptetives at the methodological level of understanding. Contrastingly however the psychoanalysis perspective acknowledges that both biological and cultural contributions to its hypothesis make up, though it is not without its share of difference however. Within the perspective, a important critical developments in the psychoanalytic theory sex and gender includes Freuds notion for the symbolic significance of the penis( and penis envy) quickly came under scrutiny from feminist psychologists to scientific practices, through Freud failure to consider the significant of womens genitals. (OU, Horney, 1926, , 2007, p.164). Language and Meaning There are three main perspectives used to examine the complex area of language, these are: Theory Methods Themes. These perspectives focus on different aspects of language including evolutionary developments of languages, the processing of languages and the construction of meaning through interaction. From the study of language and meaning, an evenly conniving combination of possible co-existence, complementory and conflicting aspects can be found when comparing the three principal perspectives. The evolutionary perspective sets out to explore language to understand how are related structurally and historically, how they are used differently by various social and cultural groups and how languages is used to communicate and create meaning. Language is the main medium for communication between humans beings and where we express, explore and pursue those goals that mean most to us . It can be concvied to view the three perspectives as at to the lowest degree co-existent. Their objectives of knowledge are different and one could anticipate their cumulative intentions to contribute to some sort of merged theroy Nevertheless, the possible conflict between the cognitive and social constructionist perspectives is disclosed in how they consider meaning as the object of knowledge. For the congntive view it is something whihc is manufactured internally by the individual before transmission, and subsequently rebuilt by the whoever present viewing. For the social view it is negotiated as a consequence of discourse between individuals, in which meaning emerges as the result of a complex exchange of intentions, interpretations and power-relations. Therefore, there is cause for discrepancy, as to what meaning is and where it comes from (Sperber and Wilson 1986, OU, p100). It therefore approprant to rationalise a claim of conflict since the types of meaning adopted by the two perspectives are themselves contratsting. A major social constructionist disagreement with a formulist cognitive perspective is that cognitive processes cannot be transparently reported. The argument is one that cognitive psychologist have long noted. Talking about early research into the cognitive modelling of language Boden (1977, pp.113ff, et passim) notes that a persons comprhendion of language in a given instance is dependent, not merely from their knowledge of the einviroment surrounding them, but importantly on their understanding of their relationship with who they communicate with. Within the evolutionary perspective there is also a argument as to whether language evolved as an adaptation advantage and was the foundation for other cognitive abilities. Pinker (1994) believes that languages may have evolved through natural selection, perhaps in conjunction with other cognitive abilities, OU, p83) or as a reaction of selection for an ability to form our Metarepresentation (Sperber, 2000, p.86). These are contradictory and conflicting views.. The major differences between psychological methods based on natural science principles and those based those on hermeneutic principles means that preservatives based on these methods may have difficulty achieving more than uneasy coexistence. Psychologists do not always abide on such significant basic principle. The questions they posture can often be hard to extract without abridging the prognostic ability of whatever solution, in comparion to physics or chemisty which can be measured through of year thousands of years evidence, psychology on the other hand as a recognisable discipline has been prenst of litte over a hundread years. A inevitable conclusion is that psychology is characterised by perspectives that are present at more then one level on conflict, co-existenct or complementtory aspects, No perspective on its own can tell the whole story. The perspectives and levels of analysis and explanations cannot just be combined without an account of how they interact.

Market Segmentation In Radio Listening Habits

Market Segmentation In Radio Listening Habits Market segmentation plays an important role in radio listening habits due to three important reasons. Firstly, it allows marketers to identify groups of listeners with similar needs and facilitate the analysis of characteristics and listening behaviour of these groups (Soutar Clarke 1983; Kent 1994; Arjona et al. 1998). Secondly, segmentation provides marketers with critical information that are necessary for designing marketing mixes that are consistent with the characteristics and desires of one or more segments (Arjona et al. 1998; Gatfield 2006). Thirdly, segmentation allows radio stations achieved its objectives while satisfying the needs and wants of its customers and listeners (Fitzgerald 2004; Gatfield 2006). According to past research done on radio listening habits had indicated that lifestyle segmentation is an appropriate and effective approach adopted by marketing managers to reach its target audiences (Massy 1971; Soutar Clarke 1983; Evans, Lawson Todd 2006). Therefore, this quantitative study will be focusing on a key research question Do lifestyle predicts radio listening patterns for 6WF and 96FM Radio Station? Firstly, an external market research company was engaged to conduct phone interviews within the Perth metropolitan area and respondents were asked to respond to 43 key sets of AIO (activity, interest and opinion statement). The AIO approach is one of the most common approach use by scholars to measure consumers lifestyle (Li 2004). Respondents lifestyle can be assess through a 1-7 likert scale measurement (where 1 stands for strongly disagree and 7 stands for strongly agree) (Cicia et al. 2010). Appendix 1 shows the AIO questionnaire. Responses were obtained from 400 household in metropolitan Western Australia. Secondly, factor analysis will be used to identify the latent construct of questionnaire as this is commonly use in business research (Hair Jr et al. 2010). A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) will be used to verify all the questionnaire are categorized under the latent dimensions as proposed by previous theories or literatures (Soutar Clarke 1983) because the research will be using the 43 seven-point Lickert scale items to gauge if lifestyle influence a respondents listening habits. Thirdly, according to Leung, Fund and Lee (2009) a stepwise regression analysis is an appropriate method used to predict if lifestyle plays an important role in affecting radio listening habits. But before a factor analysis can be conducted the assumption of sample size, normality, linearity, outliers among cases, multicollinearity and singularity, factorability of the correction matrix and outliners among variables before analysis must be conducted. Results: The assumption on sample size was adequate as the research is based on 400 responses which are higher than the rule of thumb of 100. Thus, the sampling size is adequate for a factor analysis. When testing for normality on the AIO items, most of the AIO items seem to be normal with the exception of AIO8, 10,11,14,25,31,32,38. These 8 cases also had a series of outliners. Therefore, a data transformation will be required to determine if these questions can be kept for the analysis. After a series of data transformation, normality could not be achieved. Even with the deletion of outliners, normality was not achievable. Therefore these questions were eliminated from the analysis. Thus a total of 35 AIO items will be used. AIO8: AIO10 AIO11 AIO14 AIO25 AIO31 AIO32 AIO38 Reliability Statistics Cronbachs Alpha Cronbachs Alpha Based on Standardized Items .732 .739 The reliability statistic as indicated above has a result higher than Cronbachs alpha .70, which indicates an acceptable degree of internal consistency. Confirmatory Factor Analysis will be conducted to verify the hidden dimension of lifestyle towards listening habits as well as to determine the number of items categorized under each hidden dimension. The factorability of a correlation matrix can be detected via the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) Measure of Sampling Adequacy. In relation to this, the measure of sampling adequacy for each item (as shown on the diagonal of the anti-image correlation matrix) is larger than .5. Anti-image Matrices Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. The Communalities table shows the communalities value for each of the 35 items in the AIO questionnaire. Note that aio39 (I listen to the radio for a specific announcer or DJ) shows the highest communalities (.832), whereas aio5 (I have traditional ideas about most things) shows the lowest communalities (.413). The value of the initial communalities represents the percentage of variance in each item that can be explained by all possible factors. Hence, the value of initial communalities of (1.000) means that 100% of the variance in an item can be explained by all possible factors. On the other hand, the value of extracted communalities represents the percentage of variance in each item that can be explained by the extracted factors via the Principal Component (PC) Analysis. Hence the value of the extracted communalities is smaller as compared to the value of initial communalities. Based on the Total Variance Explained table, we can conclude that only 13 factors (with eigen value of more than 1) have been extracted via Principal Component (PC) Analysis. The first extracted factor can explain 11.448% in the items; the second factor can explain 10.115% of the variance in the items, all the way to the 11th extractor factor which explained 3.015% of the variance in the items. These 11 extracted factors can explain 65.518% of the variances in the AIO questionnaire items. Total Variance Explained Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. The Rotation Sums of Squared Loadings column reports information on the extracted factors with their respective eigen values, the percentage of variance and the cumulative percentage of variance explained by the extracted factor after the Varimax rotation. Only 11 factors (with eigen value of 1.055 to 4.007 respectively have been extracted. The first extracted factor can explain 7.744% of the variance in the items whereas the 11th factor can explain 3.727% of the variance in the items. As a whole, these 11 factors can explain 65.518% of the variance in questionnaire items. The Varimax rotation has changed the percentage of variance explained by the 11 factors (for example Factor 1 from 11.448% to 7.744%). The scree plot displays the eigen value for each of the factor. The plotted eigen value is based on the eigen value reported in Extraction Sum of Squared Loadings column. From the scree plot, observation can be made that there are two dominant factors with an eigen value of greater than 3.540. The Varimax rotation with Kaiser Normalization is conducted to better categorize the component matrix. Each item of the questionnaire that best suited a particular component will be categorized together and highlighted in different colors. For example, component 1 consists of items with a factor loading of 0.831 to 0.874. Appendix 2 provides the series of AIO questions associated to each component. Examination of the items grouping in each component allows the representation of a conceptually distinct aspect of lifestyle to radio listening as indicated in Appendix 2. The Rotated Component Matrix provide a form of content validity as it provide an assessment of the correspondence of the variables to be included in each component and its conceptual definition. This form of validity, also known as face validity, subjectively assesses the correspondence between the individual items and the concept through ratings (Hair Jr et al. 2010). For example, items in component 1 can be classified under a main concept or variables TV Addicts. The mean score of items associated to each component will be computed through the Transform Compute Variables function, for example, mean(aio27,aio20,ai04) of each respondent to form a new variables call Lifestyle_TV_Addicts. Rotated Component Matrixa Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization. The computed data had resulted in 11 newly created variables that can be used to perform a multiple regression and provide information if lifestyle influence radio listening behaviour. The list of newly created variables can be found in Appendix 2. A stepwise linear regression will be conducted to address the below mentioned research question: What contributions do the 11 variables make to the prediction of radio listening preference of each radio station? Null Hypothesis: Lifestyle influence radio listening preference Alternate Hypothesis: Lifestyle does not influence radio listening preference Radio Station: 6WF Variables Entered/Removeda Model Variables Entered Variables Removed dimension0 1 Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical . 2 Lifestyle_Fashion . 3 Lifestyle_Outdoor . a. Dependent Variable: q3wf The table above shows the order in which the variables were entered and removed from the model. 3 variables were added and none were removed. In addition, an examination of the Mahalanobis distance MAH_1 values had indicated that there are no multivariate outliers among the independent variables as there are no values that are greater than or equal to the critical chi square value of 13.8 at an alpha level of .001 (Coakes, Steed Ong 2010). Model Summaryd Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate Change Statistics R Square Change F Change df1 df2 dimension0 1 .279a .078 .075 1.991 .078 33.576 1 398 2 .332b .111 .106 1.958 .033 14.603 1 397 3 .375c .141 .134 1.927 .030 13.968 1 396 a. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical b. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical, Lifestyle_Fashion c. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical, Lifestyle_Fashion, Lifestyle_Outdoor d. Dependent Variable: q3wf The above model summary indicated that model 1, which included only Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical accounted for 7.5% of the variance (adjusted R Square = 0.075). The inclusion of Lifestyle_Fashion in model 2 resulted in an additional 3.1`% of the variance explained. The inclusion of Lifestyle_Outdoor into model 3 resulted in an additional 2.8% of the variance explained (R Square change = 0.03). The whole model accounted for 13.4% of the variance in radio listening preference, which is highly significant, as indicated by the F-value of 21.635 in the ANOVA table below. ANOVAd Model Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. 1 Regression 133.105 1 133.105 33.576 .000a Residual 1577.792 398 3.964 Total 1710.897 399 2 Regression 189.082 2 94.541 24.663 .000b Residual 1521.815 397 3.833 Total 1710.897 399 3 Regression 240.931 3 80.310 21.635 .000c Residual 1469.967 396 3.712 Total 1710.897 399 a. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical b. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical, Lifestyle_Fashion c. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical, Lifestyle_Fashion, Lifestyle_Outdoor d. Dependent Variable: q3wf The ANOVA assess the overall significance of the model. As p Coefficientsa Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients t Sig. B Std. Error Beta 1 (Constant) 1.120 .267 Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical .384 .066 2 (Constant) 2.016 .352 5.732 Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical .444 .067 .323 6.625 Lifestyle_Fashion -.266 .070 -.186 -3.821 3 (Constant) 1.280 .398 3.213 Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical .452 .066 .329 6.856 Lifestyle_Fashion -.306 .069 -.214 -4.413 Lifestyle_Outdoor .221 .059 .176 3.737 Dependent Variable: q3wf Therefore the overall strength of the model in predicting lifestyle influence on radio listening preference for 6WF is as follow: Adjusted R square = .134; F3,396 = 21.635, p Predictor Variable Beta p Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical .329 p Lifestyle_Fashion -.214 p Lifestyle_Outdoor .176 p Radio Station: 96FM Variables Entered/Removeda Model Variables Entered Variables Removed dimension0 1 Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts . 2 Lifestyle_Tradition . 3 Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical . 4 Lifestyle_Conservative . 5 Lifestyle_Follower . 6 Lifestyle_Fashion . 7 Lifestyle_TV_Addicts . a. Dependent Variable: q396fm The table above shows us the order in which the variables were entered and removed from the model. Seven variables were added and none were removed. In addition, an examination of the Mahalanobis distance MAH_2 values had indicated that there are no multivariate outliers among the independent variables as there are no values that are greater than or equal to the critical chi square value of 13.8 at an alpha level of .001 (Coakes, Steed Ong 2010). Model Summaryh Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate Change Statistics R Square Change F Change df1 df2 dimension0 1 .273a .074 .072 2.448 .074 31.961 1 398 2 .365b .133 .129 2.371 .059 27.051 1 397 3 .417c .174 .168 2.318 .041 19.607 1 396 4 .449d .201 .193 2.282 .027 13.358 1 395 5 .468e .219 .209 2.260 .017 8.795 1 394 6 .479f .229 .218 2.248 .011 5.388 1 393 7 .488g .239 .225 2.237 .009 4.788 1 392 a. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts b. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts, Lifestyle_Tradition c. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts, Lifestyle_Tradition, Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical d. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts, Lifestyle_Tradition, Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical, Lifestyle_Conservative e. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts, Lifestyle_Tradition, Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical, Lifestyle_Conservative, Lifestyle_Follower f. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts, Lifestyle_Tradition, Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical, Lifestyle_Conservative, Lifestyle_Follower, Lifestyle_Fashion g. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts, Lifestyle_Tradition, Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical, Lifestyle_Conservative, Lifestyle_Follower, Lifestyle_Fashion, Lifestyle_TV_Addicts h. Dependent Variable: q396fm Model 1, which included Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts accounted for 7.2% of the variance (Adjusted R Square 0.072). The inclusion of Lifestyle_Tradition into model 2 resulted in an additional 6% of the variance being explained (R Square Change = .059). The inclusion of Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical in model 3 resulted in an additional 4% of the variance being explained (R Square Change = .041). The inclusion of Lifestyle_Conservative in model 4 resulted in an additional 3% of the variance being explained (R Square Change = .027). The inclusion of Lifestyle_Follower in model 5 resulted in an additional 2% of variance explained (R Square Change = .017). The inclusion of Lifestyle_Fashion into model 6 resulted in an additional 1% of the variance explained (R Square Change = .011). Lastly, the inclusion of Lifestyle_TV_Addicts into model 7 resulted in an additional 1% of the variance explained (R Square Change = .009). The whole model accounted for 22.5% of the variance, which is highly signifi cant as indicated by the F-value of 17.547. ANOVAh Model Sum of Squares df Mean Square F 1 Regression 191.481 1 191.481 31.961 Residual 2384.479 398 5.991 Total 2575.960 399 2 Regression 343.593 2 171.797 30.552 Residual 2232.367 397 5.623 Total 2575.960 399 3 Regression 448.908 3 149.636 27.858 Residual 2127.052 396 5.371 Total 2575.960 399 4 Regression 518.486 4 129.622 24.885 Residual 2057.474 395 5.209 Total 2575.960 399 5 Regression 563.413 5 112.683 22.060 Residual 2012.547 394 5.108 Total 2575.960 399 6 Regression 590.630 6 98.438 19.486 Residual 1985.330 393 5.052 Total 2575.960 399 7 Regression 614.586 7 87.798 17.547 Residual 1961.374 392 5.004 Total 2575.960 399 a. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts b. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts, Lifestyle_Tradition c. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts, Lifestyle_Tradition, Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical d. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts, Lifestyle_Tradition, Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical, Lifestyle_Conservative e. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts, Lifestyle_Tradition, Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical, Lifestyle_Conservative, Lifestyle_Follower f. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts, Lifestyle_Tradition, Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical, Lifestyle_Conservative, Lifestyle_Follower, Lifestyle_Fashion g. Predictors: (Constant), Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts, Lifestyle_Tradition, Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical, Lifestyle_Conservative, Lifestyle_Follower, Lifestyle_Fashion, Lifestyle_TV_Addicts h. Dependent Variable: q396fm The ANOVA assess the overall significance of the model. As p Coefficientsa Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients t Sig. B Std. Error Beta 1 (Constant) .534 .537 Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts .599 .106 2 (Constant) 1.858 .579 3.208 Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts .566 .103 .258 5.505 Lifestyle_Tradition -.346 .067 -.243 -5.201 3 (Constant) 3.021 .624 4.841 Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts .624 .101 .284 6.152 Lifestyle_Tradition -.390 .066 -.274 -5.921 Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical -.348 .079 -.206 -4.428 4 (Constant) 4.330 .711 6.088 Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts .651 .100 .296 6.503 Lifestyle_Tradition -.353 .066 -.248 -5.371 Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical -.292 .079 -.173 -3.696 Lifestyle_Conservative -.363 .099 -.170 -3.655 5 (Constant) 4.539 .708 6.413 Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts .723 .102 .329 7.084 Lifestyle_Tradition -.330 .065 -.232 -5.042 Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical -.312 .079 -.185 -3.975 Lifestyle_Conservative -.351 .098 -.164 -3.568 Lifestyle_Follower -.195 .066 -.137 -2.966 6 (Constant) 4.187 .720 5.815 Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts .679 .103 .309 6.567 Lifestyle_Tradition -.325 .065 -.228 -4.984 Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical -.351 .080 -.208 -4.394 Lifestyle_Conservative -.359 .098 -.168 -3.663 Lifestyle_Follower -.220 .066 -.155 -3.316 Lifestyle_Fashion .193 .083 .110 2.321 7 (Constant) 4.560 .737 6.191 Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts .666 .103 .303 6.463 Lifestyle_Tradition -.297 .066 -.208 -4.490 Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical -.360 .080 -.213 -4.525 Lifestyle_Conservative -.333 .098 -.156 -3.395 Lifestyle_Follower -.203 .067 -.143 -3.053 Lifestyle_Fashion .210 .083 .120 2.526 Lifestyle_TV_Addicts -.162 .074 -.101 -2.188 a. Dependent Variable: q396fm Therefore the overall strength of the model in predicting lifestyle influence on radio listening preference for 96FM is as follow: Adjusted R Square = .225, F7,392 = 17.547, p Predictor Variable Beta p Lifestyle_Radio_Addicts .303 p Lifestyle_Tradition -.208 p Lifestyle_Cultural_Classical -.213 p Lifestyle_Conservative -.156 p = 0.001 Lifestyle_Follower -.143 p = 0.002 Lifestyle_Fashion .120 p = 0.012 Lifestyle_TV_Addicts -.101 p = 0.029 The models representing both radio stations, 6WF and 96FM, are not a good model as they only explained 13.4% and 22.5% of the variance (R Square) in radio listening preference. Therefore, lifestyle can be seen as an insignificant predictor of radio listening preference. Therefore, the H0 will be rejected and H1 will be accepted and conclude that lifestyle does not influence radio listening preference. Conclusion: It is apparent that, the two radio stations, 6WF and 96FM, did not have distinct audiences with different lifestyle. This is a direct contrast to the previous research conducted by Soutar and Clarke (1983) that concluded lifestyle plays a role in influencing radio listening patterns. Therefore, the respective radio stations program manager need not have distinct radio programming policy to attract a different group of audiences. However, the research has indicated that lifestyle plays a more important role in predicting the radio listening preference for 96FM than 6WF because the model represented in the regression analysis managed to explained 22.5% of the variance, which is 9.1% more than the 6WFs model (13.4% of the variance explained). Bibliography Arjona, LD, Shah, R, Tinivelli, A Weiss, A 1998, Marketing to the Hispanic Consumer, The McKinsey Quarterly, vol. 1, no. 3. Cicia, G, Corduas, M, Del Giudice, T Piccolo, D 2010, Valuing Consumer Preferences with the CUB Model: A CaseStudy of Fair Trade Coffee, International Journal on Food System Dynamics, vol. 1, pp. 82-93. Coakes, SJ, Steed, L Ong, C 2010, SPSS Version 17.0 for Windows: Analysis without anguish, Wiley, Milton, Qld. Evans, S, Lawson, R Todd, S 2006, New Zealand in the 21st century: A consumer lifestyles study, NZ Post, Loyalty NZ, University of Otago Fitzgerald, J 2004, Evaluating Return on Investment of Multimedia Advertising with a Single-Source Panel: A Retail Case Study, Journal of Advertising Research, vol. 44, no. 3, pp. 262-270. Available from: ufh. Gatfield, T 2006, Community Radio Broadcasting and Positioning an Australian Perspective, Marketing Review, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 183-189. Available from: buh. Hair Jr, JF, Black, WC, Babin, BJ Anderson, RE 2010, Multivarate Data Analysis: A Global Perspective, Seven edn, Pearson, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Kent, R 1994, Measuring Media Audiences, Routledge, London. Leung, L, Fung, AYH Lee, PSN 2009, Embedding into out lives: New opportunities and challenges of the internet, The Chinese University Press, NT, Hong Kong. Li, S-CS 2004, Examining the factors that influence the intentions to adopt internet shopping and cable television shopping in Taiwan, New Media Society, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 173-193. Massy, WF 1971, Discriminant Analysis of Audience Characteristics, in Multivariate Analysis in Marketing, ed. D Aaker, Wadsworth, California. Soutar, JN Clarke, YM 1983, LIFE STYLE AND RADIO LISTENING PATTERNS IN PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, Australian Journal of Management, vol. 8, no. 1, p. 71. Available from: buh. Appendix 1 AIO Questionnaire

Inevitability of Change in Stephen Cranes The Bride Comes to Yellow Sk

Inevitability of Change in Stephen Crane's The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky Humans are creatures of habit. In his work "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky," Stephen Crane considers this apparent truism as well as its sometimes unfortunate consequences. In the story, Scratchy Wilson and Jack Potter face a dramatically changing society. Although their actions and emotions concerning the changes in their town differ, Scratchy and Potter are both very fearful of the inescapable easternizing influences. Through Scratchy and Potter's embracing of the Old West, their responses to the East, and their optimism, Stephen Crane illustrates that whether attachment or resistance exists, change is inevitable. To emphasize the difficulty and inevitability of change, Crane displays the characters' attachments to the Old West. Scratchy, the sole survivor of an old gang, plays out his beloved past by rampaging Yellow Sky with his long revolvers and drunken curses. His "creeping movement of [a] midnight cat," chants of "Apache scalp-music," and "terrible invitations" all portray Scratchy's devotion to the Old West. Scratchy's loyalty to his past clearly emphasizes his resistance to change and foreshadows that change will defeat him no matter how long or how hard he plays the game. Potter also plays along by acting as the town marshal who must save Yellow Sky and heroically put an end to the town "terror." Nevertheless, though Potter is attached to the Old West, he embraces the new West with his marriage. Unlike Scratchy, Potter accepts that Yellow Sky is changing and decides to change with it. Crane uses this acceptance to show that change is sometimes easier for some than for others. Potter c ontinues to struggle and worries what his hometown will d... ... forever. The future is now unreachable for him. On the other hand, Potter, though apprehensive like Scratchy, slowly opens his heart to the changing world. Through Scratchy and Potter, Crane establishes two choices: one can either resist change as Scratchy does and remain unhappy until the end, or one can accept change as Potter eventually does and further his future and happiness. Humans are creatures of habit where stability and comfort come first. Ironically, though fully aware of it, humans are always surprised at and afraid of change and how to handle it. Through his work, Stephen Crane brilliantly sets forth that one has no control over what is to come but only how he or she chooses to face it. Works Cited: Crane, Stephen. â€Å"Bride Comes to Yellow Sky.† Literature: The Human Experience. 8th ed. Ed. Richard Abcarian and Marvin Klotz. Boston: Bedford, 2002.

History of Andersonville Prison Essay -- Andersonville Prison Civil Wa

History of Andersonville Prison When one turns on the television today they are made witness to all the crimes that are present in society. It is impossible to sit through thirty-five minutes of news without anger and rage becoming aroused. This is because society is bothered by infinitesimal paraphernalia. Society also believes in human rights and punishment for those who violate such rights. Yet what constitutes humanity? Ever sit there and watch the news and wonder just how far humanity reaches? When is it time to say this is a human rights violation? Every wonder when someone’s morals and ethics begin to effect their ability to do their job? Ever wonder why in every news story the â€Å"bad guy† always become caught? Ever wonder how many people on death row might not be guilt? Some of them could have even been used as scapegoats. Yet how does one become a scapegoat? Could someone out there have that much hatred and anger to blame one person for the faults of many? Is the need for blame significant ? Does desire lead to more hatred and evil? What does it feel like to be blamed for something that might not be wrong, and to be put on trial knowing that the jury wants to blame someone? In society and in the United States since its founding, there has been a need to place blame. Imagine how the person being blamed would feel. Henry Wirz did not have to image it; he lived through it and died for it. Someone is always to be blamed, even if they were just following orders. Orders which can only go so far until humanity takes effect. Henry Wirz was used as a scapegoat for war crimes committed during the Civil War at Andersonville Prison, however that does not justify his acts or make him an American hero. Ever take a midnight train to Georgia? No, well ever drive through Georgia? When driving through Georgia on State Road 49, there is a little town called Andersonville that is very easy to miss. To many it is just another town. Yet this town has its own trail. The Andersonville Trail is a small brown dirt road that leads visitors to the Andersonville National Historic Site (Roberts xi). This National Historic Site looks like a â€Å"well- tended† national cemetery. On closer examination, this cemetery is nothing like Arlington (Roberts xi). â€Å"In this national cemetery, the marble headstones are so close together, they almost touch. The markers appear to be one long head... ... Confederacy should face the truth as did Eliza Frances Andrews, who wrote of Andersonville: â€Å"it is horrible, and a blot on the fair name of our Confederacy† (Futch 122). That is exactly it, Andersonville was a blot on the Confederacy not on just Wirz, yet Wirz was blamed. Does this seam fair? Hardly. What happened at Andersonville was a repercussion of the Confederacy’s inability, not on the inability of Henry Wirz. Bibliography Denny, Robert. Civil War Prisons and Escapes. New York, New York: Sterling Publishing Company, 1993. Futch, Ovid. History of Andersonville Prison. Indiantown, Florida: University of Florida Press, 1968. Hillstrom, Kevin. American Civil War Biographies. Michigan: The Gale Group, 2000 Levitt, Saul. The Andersonville Trial. New York, New York: Random House, 1960. Murphy, Richard. The Nation Reunited. Canada: Time-Life Books, Inc. 1987 Roberts, Edward. Andersonville Journey. Shippensburg, PA: Burd Street Press, 1998 Robertson, James: Tenting Tonight: A Soldier’s Life. Canada: The Time-Life, Inc. 1984. Shaw, William B., et al. A Photographic History of the Civil War. Six Volumes. New York, New York: The Blue and Grey Press, 1987.

Guidance of Young Children Essay -- Teaching Young Children

1. Developmentally appropriate practice as defined by NAEYC is a â€Å"framework of principles and guidelines for best practice in the care and education of young children, birth through age 8. Children cannot perform tasks that they are not yet developmentally capable of doing and teachers have to be aware of this. One would not expect a one year old child to be able to write their name, not only because they are not cognitively able to understand this task, but also because their fine motor skills have not developed enough to hold a writing instrument. Therefore, most adults would realize this task is not developmentally appropriate. A kindergarten teacher, for example, can able to expect his or her students to know why it is necessary as well as how to clean up their tables after coloring. This task would be developmentally appropriate for most 5 year olds. Making sure that developmentally appropriate tasks are utilized is important because children can easily get discouraged an d may feel inadequate if they cannot perform a task this is simply not within their developmental capabilities. 2. The majorities of teachers that I have interacted have tended to display the authoritative parenting style. They appeared to have respect for their students and allowed them to have a voice in classroom decisions. The teachers also exuded warmth and had genuine care and concern for their students. When students required discipline, the teachers did explain the reason to the child in most circumstances. However, one teacher that I worked with encompassed all three of the parenting styles. With certain students, she presented herself with an authoritative style. These students tended to follow directions, were well behaved and did well on ... ... the entire classroom the new skill or information and then have the children make an attempt. The teacher can focus the attention on the children who appear to be struggling. A wonderful form of learning that can utilize Vygotsky’s ideas of scaffolding and the zone of proximal development is cooperative learning. When children are grouped together with their various ZPD’s, together they can help each other learn and the teacher can assist each group as needed. Not only does this help the children who are struggling, but the students who have a firm grasp of the skills further them by teaching their fellow classmates. Bibliography Gartrell, D. (2004). The power of guidance, teaching social-emotional skills in early childhood classrooms. Belmont, CA: Delmar Marion, M. (2012). Guidance of young children. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc

Analytical Essay – Lochie Leonard

Awkwardness, barbaricness and moodiness are stereotypes which are utilize to represent teenagers. In his unused Locke Leonard the man Torpedo, Tim Wanton explores the emotional tuition of teenagers. In the novel he represents teenagers as reckless. This is achieved through and through with(predicate) Locales foreign workions, rude behavior and his blighted run-in. The novel displays teenagers as reckless through their inappropriate behavior.In the chapter Getting Serious Locke and Vicki are only when in her ho purpose and they engage n versed activities disregarding the possible consequences. This is withal shown later on in the harbor in the chapter Ocean Beach where they again act without thinking. The two chapters give the reader a clear example that teenagers can be reckless due to their inappropriate behavior. At school Locke displays rude behavior towards his teachers.In the chapter Everybodys preferent Spread Locke is in class studying his to the lowest degree favorite subject, Math, and is rude to his teacher by omitting to call him sir (pap-18). Also in the chapter rightful(a) Torpedoing Locke is in his woodwork class and erst again displays dude behavior and freshness to his teacher by suggesting that the teacher does his farce (pap-31). This insulting comment could enrage an already hostile teacher even to a greater extent and is therefore reckless.In the first two weeks Locke has already acquired a bad reputation for himself. Locales rude behavior is very risky. Teenagers are be as reckless due to their manipulation of inappropriate or bad language. Locke has been influenced to use bad language after teaching a book about sexual development. In the chapter Every iodins Favorite Spread Locke is cosmos bullied. Whilst being bullied he retaliates by calling them a bunch of yellow vulvas (pap), which might irritate them to attack him, rather than trying to settle them down, which would be more sensible. Locales use of language clearly represents teens as reckless. In this novel Tim Wanton represents teenagers as reckless because of their inappropriate actions, rude behavior and bad language. He has focused on emotional development in adolescents. While this is only one aspect of the challenges faced by teens, the beginning has represented common stereotypes in characters and their actions to come upon teenagers.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Six

CatelynOf every last(predicate) the rooms in Winterfells groovy hold, Catelyns merchant domainchamber were the calefactivetest. She seldom had to light a fire. The castling had been built oer natural fervid springs, and the scalding waters rushed done its w every(prenominal)s and chambers equal blood through a mans body, driving the chill from the st unmatched halls, pickax the glass gardens with a moist warmth, safe retention the earth from freezing. Open pools smoked daylight and night in a 12 small administrationyards. That was a humble thing, in summer in winter, it was the difference amongst life and death.Catelyns bath was always hot and steaming, and her walls warm to the touch. The warmth reminded her of River onslaught, of days in the sun with Lysa and Edmure, besides Ned could neer turneder the heat. The complete(a)s were made for the cold, he would describe her, and she would gag and regula educate him in that case they had sure built their fort in the damage out.So when they had finished, Ned rolled off and climbed from her bed, as he had a thousand quantify in the lead. He pass over the room, pulled bet on the siturnine tapestries, and threw open the high narrow windows one by one, letting the night propagate into the chamber.The wind swirled provided about him as he stood facing the dark, naked and empty-handed. Catelyn pulled the furs to her chin and watched him. He wagered somehow smaller and to a immenseer extent vulnerable, like the youth she had wed in the tribe at Riverrun, fifteen long days gone. Her loins still ached from the urgency of his lovemaking. It was a good ache. She could feel his touchd at heart her. She prayed that it business leader quicken on that point. It had been collar age since Rickon. She was non too old. She could give him another(prenominal) son.I impart refuse him, Ned verbalise as he false anchor to her. His eyes were haunted, his articulation thick with doubt.Cate lyn sat up in the bed. You hind endnot. You must not.My duties atomic number 18 here in the uniting. I realise no wish to be Roberts Hand.He result not understand that. He is a king instanter, and kings are not like other men. If you refuse to exe golf strokee him, he pass on wonder why, and kinda or later he will begin to suspect that you oppose him. Cant you hold the danger that would put us in?Ned shook his head, refusing to believe. Robert would neer harm me or any of mine. We were closer than brothers. He loves me. If I refuse him, he will big H and curse and bluster, and in a calendar week we will laugh about it together. I know the manYou k newly the man, she verbalise. The king is a stranger to you. Catelyn remembered the direwolf dead in the snow, the con set in motioned antler lodged deep in her throat. She had to make him test. hook is everything to a king, my lord. Robert came all this way to see you, to bring you these great keeps, you cannot throw them back in his nervus.Honors? Ned laughed bitterly.In his eyes, yes, she place.And in yours?And in mine, she blazed, angry now. Why couldnt he see? He offers his own son in marriage to our daughter, what else would you call that? Sansa might someday be queen. Her sons could rule from the Wall to the mountains of Dorne. What is so wrong with that?Gods, Catelyn, Sansa is scarce el raze, Ned verbalize. And Joffrey . . . Joffrey is . . . She finished for him. . . . lead prince, and heir to the Iron Throne. And I was just now twelve when my begetter promised me to your brother Brandon.That brought a bitter twist to Neds mouth. Brandon. Yes. Brandon would know what to do. He always did. It was all meant for Brandon. You, Winterfell, everything. He was natural to be a Kings Hand and a overprotect to queens. I never needed for this instill to pass to me.Perhaps not, Catelyn express, save Brandon is dead, and the transfuse has passed, and you must drink from it, like it or not.Ned sullen away from her, back to the night. He stood staring out in the darkness, observation the moon and the stars perhaps, or perhaps the sentries on the wall.Catelyn voicedened and then, to see his pain. Eddard unforgiving had married her in Brandons place, as custom decreed, notwithstanding the specter of his dead brother still lay between them, as did the other, the shadow of the woman he would not name, the woman who had borne him his mutt son.She was about to go to him when the smash came at the door, loud and un anticipate. Ned turned, frowning. What is it?Desmonds voice came through the door. My lord, Maester Luwin is without and begs urgent audience.You told him I had leftfield-hand(a) orders not to be disturbed?Yes, my lord. He insists. rattling well. Send him in.Ned crossed to the wardrobe and slipped on a heavy robe. Catelyn realized suddenly how cold it had become. She sat up in bed and pulled the furs to her chin. Perhaps we should close the window s, she suggested.Ned nodded absently. Maester Luwin was shown in.The maester was a small grey man. His eyes were grey, and quick, and judgeing much. His hair was grey, what little the geezerhood had left him. His robe was grey wool, trimmed with uninfected fur, the Stark colors. Its great floppy sleeves had pockets incomprehensible inside. Luwin was always tucking things into those sleeves and producing other things from them books, centers, strange artifacts, toys for the children. With all he kept hidden in his sleeves, Catelyn was surprised that Maester Luwin could lift his munition at all.The maester waited until the door had closed behind him out front he spoke. My lord, he said to Ned, relieve for disturbing your rest. I put up been left a message.Ned looked irritated. Been left? By whom? Has on that point been a rider? I was not told. on that point was no rider, my lord. Only a carved wooden box, left on a table in my observation tower while I napped. My servants saw no one, nevertheless it must adopt been brought by someone in the kings party. We oblige had no other visitors from the mho.A wooden box, you say? Catelyn said.Inside was a fine new lens for the observatory, from Myr by the look of it. The lenscrafters of Myr are without equal.Ned frowned. He had little patience for this itemise apart of thing, Catelyn knew. A lens, he said. What has that to do with me?I asked the same question, Maester Luwin said. Clearly there was to a greater extent to this than the seeming.Under the heavy weight of her furs, Catelyn shivered. A lens is an instrument to help us see.Indeed it is. He fingered the pass with flying colors of his order a heavy filament worn tight around the bang beneath his robe, each link tough from a disparate metal.Catelyn could feel collar stirring inside her once again. What is it that they would own us see more hand?The very thing I asked myself. Maester Luwin draw a tightly rolled base out of his sleeve. I found the unbowed message concealed within a false bottom when I tear down the box the lens had come in, but it is not for my eyes.Ned held out his hand. permit me have it, then.Luwin did not stir. Pardons, my lord. The message is not for you either. It is tag for the eyes of the maam Catelyn, and her alone. May I approach?Catelyn nodded, not go foring to speak. The maester pose the paper on the table beside the bed. It was cockeyed with a small blob of benighted stand up. Luwin bowed and began to retreat.Stay, Ned commanded him. His voice was grave. He looked at Catelyn. What is it? My lady, youre shaking.Im afraid, she admitted. She reached out and took the earn in rickety hands. The furs dropped away from her nakedness, forgotten. In the blue wax was the moon-and-falcon seal of stick out Arryn. Its from Lysa. Catelyn looked at her married man. It will not make us glad, she told him. in that respect is grief in this message, Ned. I can feel it.Ned frowned, his face d arkening. Open it.Catelyn stone-broke the seal.Her eyes moved over the row. At first they made no moxie to her. Then she remembered. Lysa took no chances. When we were misfires together, we had a cliquish language, she and I.Can you read it?Yes, Catelyn admitted.Then tell us. Perhaps I should withdraw, Maester Luwin said.No, Catelyn said. We will subscribe your counsel. She threw back the furs and climbed from the bed. The night air was as cold as the grave on her bare skin as she embroider across the room.Maester Luwin averted his eyes. Even Ned looked shocked. What are you doing? he asked.Lighting a fire, Catelyn told him. She found a dressing gown and shrugged into it, then knelt over the cold hearth.Maester Luwin Ned began.Maester Luwin has delivered all my children, Catelyn said. This is no while for false modesty. She slid the paper in among the kindling and placed the heavier logs on top of it.Ned crossed the room, took her by the arm, and pulled her to her feet. He held her there, his face inches from her. My lady, tell me What was this message?Catelyn stiffened in his grasp. A warning, she said softly. If we have the wits to hear.His eyes searched her face. Go on.Lysa says Jon Arryn was murdered.His fingers tightened on her arm. By whom?The Lannisters, she told him. The queen.Ned released his hold on her arm. There were deep red tag on her skin. Gods, he whispered. His voice was hoarse. Your babe is sick with grief. She cannot know what she is saying.She knows, Catelyn said. Lysa is impulsive, yes, but this message was carefully planned, cleverly hidden. She knew it meant death if her letter fell into the wrong hands. To risk so much, she must have had more than unmingled suspicion. Catelyn looked to her husband. Now we truly have no choice. You must be Roberts Hand. You must go south with him and pack the truth.She saw at once that Ned had reached a very different conclusion. The only truths I know are here. The south is a nest of adders I would do better to avoid.Luwin plucked at his chain collar where it had chafed the soft skin of his throat. The Hand of the King has great power, my lord. Power to find the truth of manufacturer Arryns death, to bring his killers to the kings justice. Power to protect Lady Arryn and her son, if the worst be true.Ned glanced helplessly around the bedchamber. Catelyns heart went out to him, but she knew she could not scoop up him in her arms just then. First the victory must be won, for her childrens sake. You say you love Robert like a brother. Would you leave your brother surrounded by Lannisters?The Others sweep up both of you, Ned muttered darkly. He turned away from them and went to the window. She did not speak, nor did the maester. They waited, quiet, while Eddard Stark said a silent adieu to the home he love. When he turned away from the window at last, his voice was tired and full of melancholy, and moisture glittered faintly in the corners of his eyes. My father went s outh once, to behave the summons of a king. He never came home again.A different period, Maester Luwin said. A different king.Yes, Ned said dully. He place himself in a chair by the hearth. Catelyn, you shall stay here in Winterfell.His words were like an icy draft through her heart. No, she said, suddenly afraid. Was this to be her punishment? neer to see his face again, nor to feel his arms around her?Yes, Ned said, in words that would plump for no argument. You must govern the north in my stead, while I run Roberts errands. There must always be a Stark in Winterfell. Robb is fourteen. in short enough, he will be a man grown. He must learn to rule, and I will not be here for him. Make him part of your councils. He must be ready when his time comes.Gods will, not for many years, Maester Luwin murmured.Maester Luwin, I trust you as I would my own blood. outflow my wife your voice in all things great and small. Teach my son the things he needs to know. Winter is coming.Maester Luwin nodded gravely. Then whitewash fell, until Catelyn found her courage and asked the question whose coiffe she most dreaded. What of the other children?Ned stood, and took her in his arms, and held her face close to his. Rickon is very young, he said gently. He should stay here with you and Robb. The others I would take with me.I could not turn up it, Catelyn said, trembling.You must, he said. Sansa must wed Joffrey, that is clear now, we must give them no drive to suspect our devotion. And it is past time that Arya well-read the ways of a southron court. In a hardly a(prenominal) years she will be of an age to marry too.Sansa would shine in the south, Catelyn thought to herself, and the gods knew that Arya needed refinement. Reluctantly, she let go of them in her heart. But not Bran. never Bran. Yes, she said, but please, Ned, for the love you bear me, let Bran remain here at Winterfell. He is only seven.I was eight when my father sent me to foster at the Eyrie, Ned said. Ser Rodrik tells me there is bad feeling between Robb and Prince Joffrey. That is not healthy. Bran can bridge that distance. He is a sweet boy, quick to laugh, easy to love. Let him grow up with the young princes, let him become their friend as Robert became mine. Our House will be the safer for it.He was honest Catelyn knew it. It did not make the pain any easier to bear. She would lose all four of them, then Ned, and both girls, and her sweet, loving Bran. Only Robb and little Rickon would be left to her. She felt sole(a) already. Winterfell was such a vast place. Keep him off the walls, then, she said bravely. You know how Bran loves to climb.Ned kissed the rupture from her eyes before they could fall. Thank you, my lady, he whispered. This is clayey, I know.What of Jon Snow, my lord? Maester Luwin asked.Catelyn tensed at the mention of the name. Ned felt the anger in her, and pulled away.Many men fathered bastards. Catelyn had grown up with that knowledge. It came as no su rprise to her, in the first year of her marriage, to learn that Ned had fathered a child on some girl chance met on campaign. He had a mans needs, after all, and they had spent that year apart, Ned off at war in the south while she remained safe in her fathers castling at Riverrun. Her thoughts were more of Robb, the infant at her breast, than of the husband she scarcely knew. He was pleasurable to whatever solace he might find between battles. And if his seed quickened, she expected he would see to the childs needs.He did more than that. The Starks were not like other men. Ned brought his bastard home with him, and called him son for all the north to see. When the wars were over at last, and Catelyn rode to Winterfell, Jon and his wet prevail had already taken up residence.That cut deep. Ned would not speak of the mother, not so much as a word, but a castle has no secrets, and Catelyn comprehend her maids repeating tales they hear from the lips of her husbands soldiers. They whi spered of Ser Arthur Dayne, the vane of the Morning, deadliest of the seven knights of Aeryss Kingsguard, and of how their young lord had slay him in single combat. And they told how afterward Ned had carried Ser Arthurs steel back to the beautiful young babe who awaited him in a castle called Starfall on the shores of the SummerSea. The Lady Ashara Dayne, tall and fair, with dogged violet eyes. It had taken her a fortnight to marshal her courage, but finally, in bed one night, Catelyn had asked her husband the truth of it, asked him to his face.That was the only time in all their years that Ned had ever frightened her. Never ask me about Jon, he said, cold as ice. He is my blood, and that is all you need to know. And now I will learn where you heard that name, my lady. She had pledged to obey she told him and from that day on, the susurrus had stopped, and Ashara Daynes name was never heard in Winterfell again.Whoever Jons mother had been, Ned must have loved her fiercely, for nothing Catelyn said would persuade him to bear down the boy away. It was the one thing she could never forgive him. She had come to love her husband with all her heart, but she had never found it in her to love Jon. She might have overlooked a twelve bastards for Neds sake, so long as they were out of sight. Jon was never out of sight, and as he grew, he looked more like Ned than any of the trueborn sons she practice him. Somehow that made it worse. Jon must go, she said now.He and Robb are close, Ned said. I had hoped . . . He cannot stay here, Catelyn said, cutting him off. He is your son, not mine. I will not have him. It was hard, she knew, but no less the truth. Ned would do the boy no kindness by leaving him here at Winterfell.The look Ned gave her was anguished. You know I cannot take him south. There will be no place for him at court. A boy with a bastards name . . . you know what they will say of him. He will be shunned.Catelyn arrayed her heart against the mute appeal in her husbands eyes. They say your friend Robert has fathered a dozen bastards himself.And none of them has ever been seen at court Ned blazed. The Lannister woman has seen to that. How can you be so damnably cruel, Catelyn? He is only a boy. HeHis fury was on him. He might have said more, and worse, but Maester Luwin cut in. Another solution presents itself, he said, his voice quiet. Your brother Benjen came to me about Jon a few days ago. It seems the boy aspires to take the black.Ned looked shocked. He asked to join the Nights Watch?Catelyn said nothing. Let Ned work it out in his own mind her voice would not be welcome now. Yet gladly would she have kissed the maester just then. His was the perfect solution. Benjen Stark was a Sworn Brother. Jon would be a son to him, the child he would never have. And in time the boy would take the oath as well. He would father no sons who might someday bout with Catelyns own grandchildren for Winterfell.Maester Luwin said, There is great ho nor in service on the Wall, my lord.And even a bastard may rise high in the Nights Watch, Ned reflected. Still, his voice was troubled. Jon is so young. If he asked this when he was a man grown, that would be one thing, but a boy of fourteen . . . A hard sacrifice, Maester Luwin agreed. Yet these are hard times, my lord. His channel is no crueler than yours or your ladys.Catelyn thought of the three children she must lose. It was not easy keeping silent then.Ned turned away from them to regard out the window, his long face silent and thoughtful. Finally he sighed, and turned back. actually well, he said to Maester Luwin. I conceive of it is for the best. I will speak to Ben.When shall we tell Jon? the maester asked.When I must. Preparations must be made. It will be a fortnight before we are ready to depart. I would before let Jon enjoy these last few days. Summer will end concisely enough, and childhood as well. When the time comes, I will tell him myself.