Identify three key characteristics of the marketing concpet Essay

The first characteristic is to target a certain part of the market in order to satisfy the majority of customers, by doing this Britvic had to figure out not only who had a need for their product, but also who was most likely to buy it, by finding out this type of information they would have to consider following factors such as, age, gender and other factors in order to determine how their products would fit into the customers lifestyle. The second characteristic would be identifying their customer’s needs and finding out what a customer would actually be looking for in Britvic’s products, by doing this Britvic would have to use customer focus groups, surveys/questionnaires and gather this information based on a common customers expectations of their products. Last but not least, according to marketing concept customers should be at the centre of all the organisations activities. Therefore all departments of Britvic are responsible for customer satisfaction and only in that way their goals can be achieved. Explain Britvic’s micro and macro environment Marco forces of marketing environment can affect all organisations operating in market. External marketing environment consists of six categories of forces: political, economical, social, technological, environmental and legal (Dibb, 2012:76). Those forces are uncontrollable and often called PEST or PESTEL. Generally, businesses can prepare for the unexpected by using PESTEL analysis. For example a new legislation of television advertising of food and drink to children has led to the use of non – television campaigns i.e. sponsorship and celebrity endorsement like Wimbledon or British pantomimes play an important role in Britvic’s marketing strategy. Micro environment factors are factors close to a business that have a direct impact on.

Stryker Corporation

Stryker Corporation is a Fortune 500 medical technologies firm based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Stryker's products include implants used in joint replacement and trauma surgeries; surgical equipment and surgical navigation systems; endoscopic and communications systems; patient handling and emergency medical equipment; neurosurgical, neurovascular and spinal devices; as well as other medical device products used in a variety of medical specialties. In the United States, most of Stryker's products are marketed directly to doctors, hospitals and other healthcare facilities.Internationally, Stryker products are sold in over 100 countries through Company-owned sales subsidiaries and branches as well as third-party dealers and distributors. Business Segments – Stryker segregates their reporting into three reportable business segments: Reconstructive, Medical and Surgical, and Neurotechnology and Spine. Reconstructive products consist primarily of implants used in hip and knee joint re placements and trauma and extremities surgeries.MedSurg products include surgical equipment and surgical navigation systems (Instruments); endoscopic and communications systems (Endoscopy); patient handling and emergency medical equipment (Medical); and reprocessed and remanufactured medical devices as well as other medical device products used in a variety of medical specialties. Stryker Neurotechnology and Spine products include a portfolio of products including both neurosurgical and neurovascular devices.Their neurotechnology offering includes products used for minimally invasive endovascular techniques, as well as a line of products for traditional brain and open skull base surgical procedures, orthobiologic and biosurgery products including synthetic bone grafts and vertebral augmentation products, as well as minimally invasive products for the treatment of acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Stryker also develops, manufactures and markets spinal implant products including cervical, thoracolumbar and interbody systems used in spinal injury, deformity and degenerative therapies.Contents: 1 History †¢2 Corporate governance †¢3 Recent acquisitions †¢4 Sponsorships †¢5 Regulatory controversies †¢6 References †¢7 External linksHistoryThe Orthopedic Frame Company, precursor of Stryker Corporation, was formed on February 20, 1941 by Dr. Homer Stryker, a Kalamazoo, Michigan based orthopedist. Stryker developed the Turning Frame—a mobile hospital bed that allowed for repositioning of injured patients while providing necessary body immobility, the cast cutter—a cast cutting apparatus that removed cast material without damaging underlying tissues, and the walking heel, among others.In 1964, the company name underwent revision and was officially changed to Stryker Corporation. [2] In 1979 Stryker made an initial public offering of stock and later acquired Osteonics Corporation, entering the replacement hip, knee, and ot her orthopaedic implants market (Stryker). In 1999 annual sales reached $2. 1 billion and in 2000 Stryker was included in the S&P 500 and the Forbes Platinum 400 for the first time. In 2002 sales reached $3.0 billion and Stryker was listed in the Fortune 500 for the first time.In 2003 Stephen P. MacMillan joined Stryker as President and COO. In 2005, annual sales reached $4. 9 billion and John W. Brown transitioned to the single role of Chairman of the Board while Steve MacMillan became President & CEO. By 2007, Stryker sold its Physiotherapy Associates division to private equity firm Water Street Healthcare Partners for $150 million. In February 2012, Mr.  MacMillan resigned and Curt R. Hartman was named Interim Chief Executive Officer and Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.Mr. William U. Parfet was named Non-Executive Chairman of the Board. On October 1, 2012 Mr. Kevin A. Lobo was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer. At the end of 2012, Stryker had approxi mately 22,000 global employees, annual sales of $8. 7 billion, and 35% of those sales were outside the U. S.Stryker Roll-In-StretcherAs of a 2012 global market overview of top medical technology firms, Stryker maintains a number 10 locus with total portfolio sales in excess of $8. 6 billion. Moreover, the firm maintains 35% worldwide reconstructive market share; 50% worldwide MedSurg market share; 15% worldwide Neurotechnology and Spine market share. The company was recognized in by Hermann Simon as a role model for other small to medium sized business in his book Hidden Champions.Corporate governance As of 2013, members of the board of directors of Stryker Corporation are: †¢John W. Brown, Chairman Emeritus †¢Kevin A. Lobo, President & CEO †¢William U. Parfet, Non Executive Chairman †¢Howard E. Cox, Jr. †¢Srikant M. Datar, Ph.D. †¢Dr. Roch Doliveux †¢Donald M. Engelman, Ph.D. †¢Louise L. Francesconi †¢Allan C. Golston †¢Howard L. La nce †¢Ronda E. StrykerRecent acquisitionsIn 1998, Stryker purchased Howmedica, the orthopaedic division of Pfizer, for $1. 65 billion. Howmedica became Stryker Orthopaedics. In August 2000, Stryker acquired, with stock, Guided Technologies, Inc. , a developer and manufacturer of optical localizers purposed for use in healthcare and industrial.   In August 2004, Stryker acquired, for $120 million, SpineCore Inc. , a company involved in the development of artificial spinal disks. About two years preceding this date, in June 2002, the firm acquired the Spinal Implant Business of Surgical Dynamics Inc.for $135 million. In March 2006 Stryker absorbed the Haifa, Israel based Sightline Technologies Ltd. into its operations. Sightline, a manufacturer of gastrointestinal endoscopy apparatuses, propelled Stryker into the flexible endoscopy market. In February of the same year, the firm acquired eTrauma. com Corp. , a privately held entity involved in the development of software for Pic ture archiving and communication system (PACS); the company was incorporated into Stryker Endoscopy Business. December 2005 marked the company’s acquisition of PlasmaSol Corp. for $17. 5 million.PlasmaSol produces technologies allowing sterilization of various MedSurg equipments. In 2009, Stryker acquired Ascent Healthcare Solutions, Inc. the market leader in the reprocessing and remanufacturing of medical devices in the U. S. In Jan 2011, Stryker acquired the Neurovascular Division of Boston Scientific, which includes products used for the minimally invasive treatment of hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke. In June 2011, Stryker purchased Malvern, Pennsylvania-based Orthovita, a biomaterials company specializing in bone augmentation and substitution technologies.The Orthovita business now makes up the Stryker Orthobiologics division, which specializes in biomaterials for all Stryker divisions. In July 2011, Stryker completed the acquisition of privately held Memometal Technologi es S. A. (Memometal). France based Memometal develops, manufactures and markets products for extremity indications based on its proprietary methods for preparing and manufacturing a shape memory metal alloy. In August 2011, Stryker signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Concentric Medical, Inc. (Concentric) in an all cash transaction for $135 million.Concentric's products include devices for the removal of thrombus in patients experiencing acute ischemic stroke along with a broad range of AIS access products. In November 2012, Stryker acquired the Tel Aviv, Israel based Surpass Medical Ltd. a company developing a flow diversion stent technology to treat brain aneurysms using a mesh design and delivery system, for $135 million. [10] In March 2013, Stryker acquired Trauson Holdings Company Limited (Trauson). Trauson is a trauma manufacturer in China and a major competitor in the spine segment.SponsorshipsStryker maintains relationships with, but not limited to, the fo llowing professional and trade organizations:†¢The Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) †¢The Medical Devices Manufacturing Association (MDMA) †¢The Orthopedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) †¢National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) †¢European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT) †¢International Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology (SICOT) †¢International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS) †¢Foundation for Orthopaedic Trauma; Speaking of Women’s Health †¢Arthritis Foundation and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) †¢Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) †¢American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) Additionally, the following athletes publicly endorse Stryker Orthopaedics products: †¢Johnny Bench †¢Fred FunkRegulatory controversiesOn Jan 27, 20 00, Stryker Corporation restated its operating results for the year ended December 31, 1998 to reduce acquisition-related charges by $30. 9 million. Since early 2007 the company has received three Warning Letters from the Food & Drug Administration citing issues in compliancy. The first of these, a seven-page correspondence, named various issues at an Ireland-based manufacturing facility such as untimely fix of failures and procedural noncompliance in the testing of failed or otherwise problem-prone devices.The second, sent November 2007, cites issues at the firm’s Mahwah, N. J. facility including poor fixation of hip implant components, in some instances requiring mitigation by revision surgeries; exceeded microbial level violations in the cleaning and final packaging areas of the sterile implants; and failure to institute measures in prevention of recurrence of these and other problems. The final warning letter, sent April 2008, cites issues at the firm’s Hopkinton, MA biotechnology facility.Again, issues relate to quality and noncompliance including falsification of documents relevant to the selling of products to hospitals which are to be sold under a limited, government-mandated basis. Stryker maintains that employees involved in the falsification of documents have since been terminated. In the Fall of 2007, Stryker, along with the related companies: Biomet, Zimmer Holdings, DePuy Orthopaedics and Smith & Nephew, were involved in civil ligation with the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.This litigation called for a net payout of $311 million as the governmental department maintains the aforementioned companies engaged in unlawful kickbacks to physicians who urged hospitals to purchase their respective products. Stryker, however, having cooperated early in the investigation, was not fined. As of February 2008, a dispute exists between Stryker Corp. and the U. S. Department of Justice concerning a subpo ena linking the company to aforementioned misconduct in sale of products.Since governmental filing of the injunction, Stryker notes that it has produced in excess of 300,000 pages of documentation in compliance with the mandate. U. S. Government counters, however, that the documentation was not proper in scope and format. Law officials expect the investigation to continue for several months. Stryker recalled several models of medical vacuums sold under the Neptune Waste Management System brand in June and September of 2012. The devices, some of which had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, caused a fatal accident when the vacuum was mistakenly used to suction a passive drainage tube.

An Influenza test

An Influenza test RESULTS: An Influenza test is ordered when a provider suspects the patient has Influenza or if someone else in the family/household has been diagnosed with Influenza or is suspected of having it (Feemster, 2016, pg. 504). If the test result is negative, it would still be sent to the lab for PCR confirmation (Blosser, 2016, pg. 507). The Rapid Influenza test requires a respiratory sample collected on a swab from the nasopharynx or a nasal aspirate (McMullen et al., 2016). HPI The patient presented with a cough, nasal congestion, sore throat, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea with an onset of 3 days. The physical exam findings of Influenza may include cough, nasal congestion, vomiting, diarrhea, macular or maculopapular rash, or fever (Feemster, 2016, pg. 504). COMPONENTS OF THE RAPID FLU TEST The test detects viral nucleoprotein antigens in respiratory specimens, giving a qualitative result within 15 minutes (McMullen et al., 2016). One downfall of the rapid influenza antigen test is that it has a high number of false-negative results (Cunha Connolly, 2014). Another issue is the sensitivity to detect Influenza A and B; sensitivity for B is lower than A (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017).Also, when Influenza activity is low, false positive results can happen as well (McMullen et al., 2016).These tests usually identify as low as 5% and as high as 50% of influenza cases (McMullen et al., 2016). According to the CDC, if an individual is suspected of having Influenza, even if you tested negative, you should not withdraw treatment (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). If an individual tests negative, a viral culture PCR may be sent to confirm. These tests can detect either only Influenza A viruses, or both A B, and either distinguish or not disti nguish between the two (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). There are no rapid influenza diagnostic tests that determine any information about influenza A virus subtypes (Cuhna Connolly, 2014). ABNORMALS IDENTIFIED Rapid Flu positive Influenza B positive and Influenza A negative INTERPRETATION The positive lab result test confirms that the patient has a diagnosis of Influenza B and not Influenza A. A positive result means that the test detected the influenza viral antigen, but it does not mean the person has the Influenza virus or they are contagious (Cuhna Connelly, 2014). A negative result means that the test did not detect any influenza viral antigen (Cuhna Connelly, 2014). Positive results are typically higher when Influenza activity is high and lower when Influenza activity is low (McMullen et al., 2016). You are more likely to have a true positive result if the individual it was collected on had an onset within 4 days (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). PREVENTION/TREATMENT Influenza is highly contagious; it is easily spread through contact. Hand hygiene is key to prevent spreading. Prevention includes receiving the Influenza vaccination annually for 6 months of age and older (Kelly Sandora, 2016, pg 319). It is important children receive the vaccine as soon as it is available before the yearly influenza season starts; they are a major vector for influenza transmission because they tend to contract the virus far more than adults (Blosser, 2016, pg. 490). When a positive result is confirmed, the recommendation/interventions for these positive results include medication treatment and supportive care. Medication treatment may include antiviral treatment, such as neuraminidase inhibitors; they can help shorten the time period and reduce the symptoms (Feemster, 2016, pg. 505). The reason why you would use antiviral medications over antibiotics are because antibiotics are not effective against viral infections like Influenza; antibiotics are generally prescr ibed for bacterial infections. Neuraminidase inhibitors are the recommended antiviral medication for treatment and chemoprophylaxis for Influenza A and Influenza B (Feemster, 2016, pg. 505). However, the effect on antivirals change yearly depending on the virus and strains for the winter season (Blosser, 2016, pg. 508). Medications that are approved for treatment are Tamiflu (Oseltamivir), Relenza (Zanamivir), and Rapivab (Peramivir). Amantadine and Rimantadine are only recommended for influenza A and not Influenza B treatment because it is not effective on Influenza B (Blosser, 2016, pg. 508). The dosages of these medications are determined by the age and weight of the patient. When a patient is diagnosed with Influenza, it is important to provide supportive measures as well. These may include keeping the child well hydrated with plenty of fluids, bed rest, antipyretics for a fever, or decongestants if they are congested (Blosser, 2016, pg. 508). Using a humidifier in the room that the child sleeps in is beneficial as well. Parents should be educated on what signs or symptoms to contact the office or seek further medical attention, such as difficulty breathing, dehydration, or muscle weakness.

Is Nationalism best understood as a rational phenomenon Essay

Is Nationalism best understood as a rational phenomenon - Essay Example The specificity of nationalism, that which distinguishes nationality from other types of identity, derives from the fact that nationalism locates the source of individual identity within a â€Å"people†, which for its part has been acknowledged as the bearer of sovereignty, the central object of loyalty, and the basis of collective solidarity. The foundation of nationalism, argued Liah Greenfeld (1992), without which no nationalism is possible, is an idea; nationalism is a particular perspective or a style of thought and that the idea of the nation lies in it core. (p. 3-4) Scholars are at odds as to when did nationalism emerge. However, they are in unison in saying that it started in Europe. For instance, there are those who argue that nationalism came out of Britain in the sixteenth century. There are those who believe such as Andrew Vincent (2002), that nationalism’s groundwork was established during the French and American revolutions. (p. 46) Nonetheless, the concept has signified the beginning of modernity, corresponding with the growth and modernization of states. This does not mean, however, that there were no instances of group loyalty and allegiance in the past. They were not simply considered nationalist as we understand the term today. The membership of an individual in a country is not a voluntary issue, though some times it is said to be voluntary. Nationalism is involuntary when a member of a country is born in a particular nation. It was not a choice to be born there, so it is involuntary. People who decide to change their citizenship and get that of another country are voluntarily members of their country of choice. This argument has become significant when we talk about ability to consider and choose between alternatives, which â€Å"entitle one to decide what was best for oneself and was the basis for the recognition of the autonomy

What's worth preserving-King Kong 2005 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

What's worth preserving-King Kong 2005 - Essay Example But paired with a brilliant script and good direction, the maker’s of Kong 2005 knew it was a recipe for success, and not just the box-office kind. No other remake of a fiction film was able to reflect realities or tell truths than the original in such a thrilling and tear-jerking fashion. And truthfully speaking, that’s what really counts. To say that the film took audiences at the edge of their seats is an undeniable understatement. Even without seeing Kong, the scene with the savages is enough to make one suddenly â€Å"goosebumpy†. King Kong then finally arrives and a screech from Ann Darrow confirms the presence of the big beast. And lo, Kong never looked more like a real gorilla. Cheers to science! Thanks to science and the filmmaker’s reference to it that kids watching the movie can easily identify with what their watching. With its massive size, huge fangs, and intimidating bearing, one might think that fear is something that’s instantly instilled in innocent minds as they realize that there are real beings bigger than their parents looking exactly like it. And spectacular as the wrestling scene was with the T-rexes, the big ape is now alone with a human being, â€Å"Is it dinner time?† But then, all fear of the girl being eaten is suddenly gone as they all see that the 50-foot monster is, indeed, the gorilla that they learned in school—it eats plants. And speaking of learning, I remember a story of a friend who shares the same sentiments as I have on the film. He watched the movie with his cousins and their families and their little nephews and nieces watched too. When it came to the particular scene I just mentioned, he laughed quietly as his cousin says to her son, â€Å"See Andre? If you want to be big and strong like King Kong, you have to eat vegetables too.† Again, cheers to science! The film goes on and we realize that Kong of 2005 is more of a gorilla than

The Kent State University Shootings And The Boston Massacre Essay

The Kent State University Shootings And The Boston Massacre - Essay Example These lines printed in bold on the front pages of national newspapers and magazines dated May 5, 1970, conveyed the essence of what had happened during Kent students' protest against the war in Vietnam and the U.S. invasion to Cambodia. The Cambodian invasion took place in late April of 1970. According to the statement of President Nixon broadcasted nationwide on April 30, 1970 the goal of the invasion was to attack the Viet Cong headquarters located on Cambodian territory. The first protests followed the next day after Nixon's statement. Hundreds of American students, whose anti-war sentiment was the highest as compared with other social groups protested in their campuses across the country. Kent State University campus was also involved in the anti-military demonstrations. The protests peaked on Monday, May 4, when several hundreds students of Kent State University gathered at noon to declare their disapproval of the U.S. military policies in Asia2. By strange coincidence the Kent State University shootings bore frightening resemblance to another prominent event of the U.S. history, namely the Boston Massacre of 1770. The Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770 between a group of Boston citizens and British troops. A group of British soldiers shot five colonists during a public protest action against the Townshend Acts and the excessive presence of British troops in Boston and New York. The soldiers, struck by snow and ice balls thrown by the crowd, fired into the demonstrants killing five and wounding half a dozen people3. The first thing one might notice about these two events is striking similarity of dates and numbers. Separated by almost exactly two centuries both shootings occurred in the spring, and both cases produced nearly the same number of victims. In-depth analysis of the historical background of the shootings, comparison of the implications produced by them and examination of their impact on the society reveals even more interesting details. The second half of 20th century was marked by a series of events that determined the modern visage of American society. Nuclear disarmament movement and Civil rights movement in the USA of the late 1950s - early 1960s, Anti-Vietnam War movement in the USA and worldwide of the mid 1960s - early 1970s, students movement in the USA of the mid 1960s - early 1970s, women's movement in the USA that began in the late 1960s and soon spread to Europe - these are only most notable examples of such events. The shootings at Kent University went down in history as the turning point of the Vietnam War era. In those days the nation was torn by deep cultural and political conflict. Richard Nixon won the 1968 election promising to end the Vietnam War, but failed to stick to his promise. Instead, the first draft lottery since World War II was announced followed by the invasion into Cambodia that made the war even more intensive. Thousands of American students responded to the increased risk of being d rafted by protests and demonstrations setting the stage for the Kent University shootings4. The historical background of the Boston Massacre was characterized by a number of similar features, though the context was totally different. Political and economic

Teenage pregnancy does not effects the future of both the child and Essay

Teenage pregnancy does not effects the future of both the child and the mother - Essay Example They further assert that most people are willing to support young ladies as well as their children. This is evidenced by what takes place in the U.S.; the citizens of the U.S. participate significantly in raising enough cash for the upbringing of the young children as well as for the care of their mothers. For instance, it is documented that the U.S. spent approximately $9 billion on teenagers’ children in 2004. The dollar amount rose significantly in 2008; approximately $11 billion was spent on children born out of marriage. From this amount, one can deduce that the U.S. spends approximately $1,647 on each child born to teenagers each year (Misra, Goggins & Matte, 2014). Thus, it beats logic when a person to asserts that the future of teenage mothers and their children is doomed. The current society is also full of humane people. This is evidenced by the fact that there are organizations as well as individuals who participate in upbringing of teens’ children. It is also evident that working together of the government with non-governmental organizations aid in the addressing the socioeconomic challenges that teen mothers face in life (Misra, Goggins & Matte, 2014). Although teen mothers, as well as their children, receive support from taxpayers money, government, and non-governmental organizations, it is evident their future lives will be affected significantly. In most occasions, teenage pregnancy affects the future of both the mother and the child negatively. This is evidenced by the Bhana and MCambi’s article. According to Bhana and MCambi (2013), teenage pregnancy is associated with a high level of stigmatization. Teenage girls when pregnant as well as when having children find it very hard to relate with their fellow students because of self-denial. The rearing of a child while at school is also a big problem to teenage mothers. In most occasions, such mothers are requested by their respective schools

The International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The International Business - Essay Example The rising tension in the global scenario can be mainly attributed to the rapid changes in the political and economic scenario amidst which organizations operate. Employers have been continuously undertaking reform initiatives and developing strategies directed towards improving employment relations and which brings changes in behaviour and attitude at the workplace and addresses the issues of skill development, work organization and flexibility, compensation, cross cultural management etc (Macdonald, 1997, p.3). The project seeks to make an analysis of the changes in the business environment in which organizations operate and the consequent impact on their employment relationships. In this context, particular emphasis is provided on organizations in the UK. A critical analysis is provided in the project which discusses the views and arguments of researchers and practitioners on the subject. This is supported by presenting the outcome of previous researches and surveys. This is follo wed by a critical discussion of the subject and the data collected for the purpose. Literature Review It is seen that the new approaches adopted in organizations are based on a wide range of HRM and employment relationship practices which are directed towards improving the skills and flexibility of the workforce within the organizational environment which thrives on communication, collaboration, trust and cooperation between managers, workers as well as their representatives. However, the changes have been universally accepted in all organizations. They are predominantly prominent among the industrialized nations of the world. Low growth rates have been the fundamental reason for retarding the progress of technological advancement in Great Britain. It has ill-equipped the nation to adjust to the prevailing economic and political situation. The underutilized and minimally legalized system of regulation coupled with fragmented collective bargaining system, growth of labour organizatio ns, low degrees of centralization, proved to be resistant towards attempts to change the system. Neither the coalition government nor the subsequent state initiatives succeeded in bringing about any structural innovation in the UK organizations (Jacobi, 1986, p.3-9). Significant changes were noticed among the trade unions in the organizations. The export and the modernization oriented growth were accepted willingly by the trade unions. It was believed that it would generate high levels of productivity and performance and this in turn would strengthen the bargaining power of the trade unions. A major emphasis has shifted playing a more protective role by the unions apart from performing their regular functions. Organizations are focussing more on the equitable distribution of social wealth which is reflected through the compensation structures and policies (Jacobi, 1986, p.3-9). This section will present some of the research outcomes conducted by the Labour Force Survey in 2005. The results will bring about the impacts of the economic downturn occurring in 2008 and 2009 compared to the previous years. The economic downturn occurring in 2008/2009 has caused a common problem in mostly all nations, i.e., it

Human Resource Management in the Multinational Context Research Paper

Human Resource Management in the Multinational Context - Research Paper Example Alignment of HRM strategy in MNCs is of importance when it comes to strategic implementation (Chew & Horwitz 2004, p. 33). This is the alignment of HHRM systems and policies with the organizational goals and policies in order to achieve the established operational goal and competitive strategy of the firm. HRM system must be deemed as a source of the firm’s competitive advantage in any multination for it to be successful (Sparrow et al 1994, p. 268). IHR function constitutes of corporate HRM group managing the various roles and practices of personnel management. This HRM group has about 500 level managers who carry out the global service program. In line with the company’s philosophy, the HRM group manages the various subsidiaries in line with the markets they operate in, for instance, the company applies varying HR standards in different market operations. Salary standards are applied differently in a different market and the aim is to ensure that their salary scale re mains competitive in the markets. Multinationals like Coca Cola staffs its operations from the local personnel and only engages expatriates where the system demands. According to Caligiuri et al (2010, p. 3), successful MNC companies manage their global staff in ways that match their strategic needs as well as the demands of their markets. Global market offers different external environments and varying skills and capabilities in the global labor market HR plays a critically important role in managing the companies’ global operations and enhancing their competitiveness. IHRM policies and practices play an important role in strengthening interunit linkages in various ways including staffing policies, comprehensive planning of human resource, compensation policies, performance appraisals, and development and training of staff. As the report stresses business today is no longer limited to the countries’ national boundaries. Large multinationals do a significant percentage of their business activities outside their home market and country; this has resulted from continued establishment and strengthening of business in the overseas by multinationals. Competitiveness in these corporations has largely been determined by their effectiveness in the international market, this is in turn determined by the effectiveness of global managers particularly the international human resource managers who can function effectively in the international business activities. IHR practices are critically important in determining the effectiveness of multinationals.

Foreign Direct Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Foreign Direct Investment - Essay Example (1) Over the same period, these countries also achieved a substantial increase in their exports, especially towards Western Europe. The question we address in this paper is whether FDI inflows have been a significant determinant of export growth in 12 CEE countries. To do so, we use a pooled data for the period between 1996 and 2004 and attempt to account for the effects of FDI on host economy exports. We separate the potential effects into supply-increasing effects (capacity effects) and FDI-specific effects. The supply-increasing effects arise when FDI inflows induce increases in the host country's production capacity, which, in turn, increases export supply capacity. The FDI-specific effects arise because foreign capital inflows may incorporate different competitive advantages, such as superior knowledge and technology and thus, higher productivity, or better information about export markets as compared to local firms. We believe that differentiating between these two effects of FDI on exports is especially important in terms of policy implications. It is often argued that successful FDI-promoting policies sh ould lead to, among other things, a significant increase in the host country's exports. ... In the following section, we provide a discussion of potential channels through which FDI may affect exports. Based on the discussion in this section, we present our empirical model in the next section. The empirical results are presented and compared to those of previous studies in the penultimate section. The last section concludes the paper. Effects of FDI on Exports - Theoretical Arguments This section discusses some theoretical arguments regarding the different potential effects of FDI on the host country's exports. Theory of Multinational Enterprise The theory of multinational enterprise (MNE) examines conditions under which firms may undertake FDI and become MNEs. (2) Such decisions may have consequences for host country's exports and it is a goal of this section to review parts of this theory that predict effects of inward FDI on host country's exports. Overall, the theory indicates that positive effects of inward FDI on a host country's exports may be expected when the host country and a home country have different factor intensities. In this case, the MNE may outsource some segments of its production process to the host country and export these (intermediate) products back to the home country (as well as other countries). Similarly, when the host country has a cost advantage and costs of trade are low (as compared to the trade costs of the home country), the host country may be used by the MNE as an export platform for serving its home market, as well as other markets. The starting point for the theory of MNE is the idea that firms must have certain advantages in order to become multinational companies. Dunning

Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power Essay Example for Free

Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power Essay The release and development of the enormous energy potential locked in the atomic nucleus signified a key revolution in scientific research in the 20th century. With great potential and optimism of developing a pollution free unlimited supply of energy, nuclear technology was ushered into the 21st century where it has become embroiled in unending debates. Nuclear power is a clean source of energy, the raw material is sustainable and the magnitude of power output is extremely large and efficient. Opponents have been quick to recount the costs of initial investment, the risks and safety loopholes and the more fearsome proliferation of nuclear weapons as the major detriments to exploitation of nuclear energy. This paper offers a succinct and informed analysis on the cons and pros of nuclear power exploitation and the potentialities that exist in the future exploitation of nuclear power. With genuine interest and adherence to rigorous and stringent constraints, safety in design and construction and global informed decision making, the setbacks to nuclear exploitation can be effectively ameliorated. In classical thermodynamics, energy is the capacity or ability to do work. Practically, energy is the major driving force of development in post modern civilizations. Energy is the main ingredient to economic, social and political prosperity. Gradual increases in demands of energy for production purposes has put a strain on non renewable sources of energy such as fossil fuels; the most predominant sources of energy(Richardson, 1996). Decreases in oil, natural gas and coal reserves have prompted a paradigm shift to other forms of energy such as wind energy, solar energy and nuclear power to help replenish energy shortages as well as create a reserve for growing industrial energy demand(Nersesian, 2007). Increasing global energy demands and environmental pollution coupled with the prospect of declining and eventual depletion of non renewable energy resources is the sustainable incentive towards to exploitation of a clean, more efficient and sustainable energy solution to meet the global demand. Even though solar energy and wind energy present a cleaner more sustainable energy option, the magnitude of global energy demand can only be offset by nuclear power production(Conant, 1979). In simple terms it takes a certain amount of energy to make another form of energy. Combustion of oil produces a certain amount of energy that is much higher than when coal undergoes combustion. Nuclear energy consumes the least amount of fuel energy to release a huge out put of electricity(Nersesian, 2007). This makes nuclear power the most cost effective form of power production and it does not contribute to environmental pollution so long as the nuclear waste is disposed off according to compliance standards, the risk of radiative exposure is reduces through installation of security measures(Dell et al, 2004). In this era of climate change and global warming, nuclear power; a green energy source is a godsend necessary to limit and considerably reduce the release of green house gases and other toxic elements into the atmosphere and the ozone layer. In 1977, the Kyoto Protocol negotiated by the Framework Convention on Climate Change(FCCC) agreed in principle to institute steps aimed at the reduction of green house gases. The center piece of such a resolution undoubtedly rested on the transformation from non renewable sources of energy to renewable sources of energy. Only fission, wind solar, decarbonized fossil fuels, wind and biomass have the capacity to provide a steady supply of carbon free energy. To a large extent only fission energy is commercially feasible and cost effective, the other have significant economic and technical handicaps. Nuclear energy remains the only viable option that can be fully exploited to reduce green house gas emissions to near minimum emissions while maintaining a reliable and consistent supply of carbon free electric energy supply to meet the world energy demand(B. van der Zwaan et al, 1999). Apart from the initial capital investments involved in construction, monitoring, insurance and decommission, nuclear power production is relatively inexpensive. Uranium; the raw material in nuclear reactors is less expensive than any form of fossil fuel. Because subsequent production costs are reduced, nuclear power is a less expensive source of electricity. The magnitude of energy produced makes it more reliable and consistent energy source. Other sources of renewable energy supply are so limited as to be of very little economic benefit. For this reason countries are extending the lifespan of older nuclear reactors while constructing new ones. This has led to a progressive reduction in the costs incurred in nuclear energy production. There are more specific reasons that attest to this trend. Countries have succeeded in developing and adopting a more superior choice of nuclear technology, efficiency in construction and operation management, low costs of decommissioning in the United States and Western Europe have ensured that green technologies like nuclear power become the future global energy solution(Griffin, 2003). Despite being one of the most efficient energy production technology, nuclear power production is plagued by a myriad of issues. Some of these issues are ,specific in nature but a majority are basically non specific and are manly driven by lack of adequate technical and scientific know how or even fear . Specific issues revolve around licensing regulations and safety. Safety concerns are ideally resolvable and include fatigue of the piping system in much older plants, fire protection system, issues that concern the degradation of the reactor pressure vessel as a result of neutron irradiation. Those opposed to the building of more nuclear power plants advocate for an uprating of the power output of those plants that are currently in operation(Angelo, 2004). Global terrorism is putting more strain on the regulation of nuclear production for fear of proliferation of nuclear weapons in unstable states and the acquisition of nuclear production knowledge by extremists , fundamentalists and terrorists or suicidal fanaticism(B. van der Zwaan et al, 1999). However, such fears are obviated by the defense in depth philosophy employed in the design and construction of nuclear power production facilities. Nuclear plants are primarily designed to protect the public from radiation exposure. For terrorists to attack such plants then it would mean that their primary aim is not to cause mass civilian deaths but sabotage the power production. Moreover, these facilities have a vehicle barrier systems designed to deter against truck bombs. Advanced security systems cordon off restricted areas from any form of intrusion or unauthorized entry. Nuclear facilities are immune and more resistant to aerial attacks than any other civilian security or energy installation. After the September 11 attacks, the United States government installed additional protection measures and carried out studies to determine the extent of damage to a nuclear plant should it be struck by a large aircraft as in the World Trade Center attacks. Results affirmed that no considerable damage was envisioned because such an explosion would not be able to penetrate and affect the nuclear fuel or even penetrate into the nuclear facility to cause any radiation release(Angelo, 2004; US National Energy Council, 2003). Nuclear accidents and safety issues have remained to be the most pressing, highly visible issues because accidents generally release nuclear radiations that affect the general public. Nuclear facilities are required to completely prevent radioactive release into the environment. Fear of potential exposure to radiations is still being propelled by two notable nuclear reactor accidents. In 1979, the Mile Island accident in the United States caused severe destruction to the facility although no external human or environmental health was recorded. This was only possible because the reactor had installed a safety containment vessel. In 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine accident caused disastrous human and environmental effects. Lack of a safety containment vessel, glaring human errors and poor reactor design was to blame for the extent of the destruction. 31 employees and emergency response personnel lost their lives from acute radiation sickness. The environmental consequences were spread throughout the Soviet Union. Effects were also felt in parts of Europe and even across vast regions of the Northern Hemisphere (Angelo, 2004). The facts behind the detrimental effects caused by the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accidents pointed to gross design and operational defects(Evans, 1984). Such defects are not applicable to modern nuclear reactors that undergo rigorous and stringent compliance tests but the Chernobyl accident still drives popular misconceptions that emanate from nuclear neurosis or radiation phobia as some psychologists prefer to refer to the misconception syndrome. However, issues about nuclear safety should not be stashed aside and the status quo in safety left to reign. Safety in nuclear energy production should be a continuous improvement exercise because radiologic accidents inflict profound psychosocial impacts along and across the societal strata. Emergency response and evacuation mechanisms are a prerequisite to any operating reactor plant. The trends of evacuation and health care assistance in the aftermath of a reactor accident is a determinant of the level of psychosocial impacts that will manifest in the society long after the accident. Disorderly evacuation, panic driven movements by the surrounding community and general public panic stimulate unwarranted societal anxiety. It is these impacts that tend to propagate indecision on the level of safety a nuclear plant can attain(Foreman, 1970). Economically, nuclear energy production costs are comparatively lower when compared with other sources of energy. However, initial investment capital is enormous(Kursunoglu et al, 2000). The costs incurred in construction, monitoring, insurance and decommission are extremely high hence creating opposition to investments in nuclear power(Domenici, 2007). Because the efficiency of nuclear energy is not under any doubts, a broad based strategy program is essential to ameliorate the concerns about initial cost of investments, risks involved in energy production, waste disposal problems and the fear of proliferation of nuclear weapons. Conclusion Recent developments in the nuclear technology and the continuing threat of nuclear warfare has stimulated fresh intellectual debates on the benefits of nuclear technology to the existence of mankind. Even when used for civilian production of energy, nuclear technology conjures up a real threat to world peace the oldest wish for humanity since the onset of human civilization. Nuclear power is the most potent force for human annihilation and it gets even more scary when such a tool is placed is accessible for suicidal fanaticism. When used unwisely, it may prove to be a deadly weapon that is capable of trashing human civilizations and making real the undying fear of nuclear apocalypse. Regional nuclear warfare and nuclear nuclear terrorism can only be forestalled or completely eliminated when humanity works together for a common purpose that is beneficial to each and every head on the surface of this earth. Human beings have an innate responsibility to do all in their power as human beings to use nuclear technology to advance the cause of modern civilization in power generation, medicine, agriculture, research, industrial applications and space exploration. Nuclear power should be harnessed properly with the genuine cause of building a sustainable planetary civilization that spans beyond the ends of the earth into the uncharted territories of the solar system. Rigorous and stringent constraints, safety in design and construction and a global informed decision making is a prerequisite to nuclear power exploitation. References Angelo, A. Joseph. (2004). Nuclear Technology. p. 439-443 B. van der Zwaan. , Hill, C. R. , Mechelyncj, A. L. , Ripka, G. (Eds). (1999). Nuclear Energy: Promise or Peril? Conant, Melvin. (1979). Access to Energy: 2000 and After. p. 85 Dell, Ronald. , Anthony, David. , Rand, James. (2004). Clean Energy. RSC Clean Technology Monographs. p. 68-76 Domenici, P. V. (2007). A Brighter Tomorrow: Fulfilling the Promise of Nuclear Energy. p. 4 Evans, Nigel, Hope, Chris. (1984). Nuclear Power: Futures, Costs and Benefits. p. 8, 151 Foreman, Harry. (1970). Nuclear Power and the Public. p. 209 Griffin, James, M. (2003). Global Climate Change: The Science, Economics and Politics. p. 237 Kursunoglu, Behram, Stephan L. Mintz, Arnold Perlmutter. (2000). The Challenges to Nuclear Power in the Twenty-first Century. p. 94 Nersesian, L. Roy. (2007). Energy in the 21st Century: A Comprehensive Guide to Conventional and Alternative Sources. p. 15-26 Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power. http://www. greenenergyhelpfiles. com/articles/20. htm Richardson, Mervyn. (1996). Risk Reduction: Chemicals and Energy Into the 21st Century. p. 234-246 United States National Council of Energy. (2003). Energy and Transportation: Challenges for the Chemical Sciences in the 21st Century. p. 49. National Research Council (U. S. ). Organizing Committee for the Workshop on Energy and Transportation, National Research Council (U. S. ), National Research Council

Houghton Mifflin Company Essay Example for Free

Houghton Mifflin Company Essay World War 1 is the first war in history that I may say, involved the use of technology and advances in science. The ever famous â€Å"mustard gas† was developed by the Germans, and used against the allied forces. Mustard gas is an oily liquid that readily evaporates into a very noxious and toxic gas, and are used in chemical warfare, where it burns the skin and causes very fatal respiratory and lung damages. It was used effectively against bunkers and trenches, where escape was not easy, so the efficiency of the gas is very high. The Allied forces counteract and produced the first ever effective gas mask, made from very fine activated carbon; it absorbs the poisonous gas, preventing severe damage and effect to the allied soldiers. The drawback of this mask was it reduced visibility and made the soldier vulnerable to sniper attacks. World War 1 was also the setting for the first aerial warfare. Airplanes in the form of biplanes (the first type of airplane, it was very light and it resembled the first airplanes developed by the Wright brothers). They converted simple courier and transport planes into aerial and bomber planes, mass produced the most efficient design and further improved its applications. The Germans have early aerial advantage against the allied forces because of its high amount of available fighter planes and the ever famous Zeppelin, a large dirigible or flying balloon used in bombarding and raiding Britain. But the German advantage declined starting the mid-1916 because the British forces gained aerial superiority in the Western front. Aside trench warfare; tanks were also first widely used in World War 1. Light tanks were first manufactured on 1910 and used for small wars and revolts on the British Empire. The Germans also manufactured tanks to cope up with the allied forces. Armored tanks were used later to inflict damage to enemy trenches. Besides tanks, long range artillery was also developed. High powered howitzers and cannons were fired towards enemy trenches and were proven effective against concentrated enemy troops and tanks. On sea, naval warfare was also developed. Large sea vessels carried high powered bombs and can lay siege even to distant enemy camps. The Germans was the first to use submarines on a full scale war on the sea. They can damage enemy ships without being detected or even seen. The submarine was proven to be effective as patrol on enemy sea territory and can be used as a warning if enemy naval ships were mobilized. The famous German submarine was the U-boat. It was used on unrestricted submarine warfare, in which enemy ships were targeted and sunk, even civilian ships. This unrestricted submarine warfare leads the United States to join the war on 1917. The reason was because the German U-boat was a risk to the United States trade policies with European countries. The U-boat has sunk the Lusitania on 1915, a British liner en route to the United States. It carried American citizens, and reports were published that Americans were killed during the attack. These angered the United States, thus declaring war on Germany and the Central Powers. World War 1 was not fought only on Europe. The colonies of European nations involved also joined the war. Japan for instance, joined the Allied forces to obtain German colonies on the pacific. The British expeditionary forces battled the Ottoman Empire on the desert. The expeditionary force led by T. E. Lawrence pushed the Ottoman Empire troops back into Lebanon until its defeat by the Allied forces on September 1918. The Treaty of Versailles ended the war. When the Central powers were defeated, this treaty promised peace all throughout Europe and it was the one who outlined the land and territorial distribution of lands acquired from the Central powers. I was affected by the topic because World War 1 was a very devastating war. Over 20 million casualties were reported on both sides. May were killed and wounded. I know war was against morality. But sometimes, countries and governments were blinded by their ambitions, mostly to obtain power and territories. As stated earlier, war is inevitable. Although the United Nation exists now, war is still happening. Even now, as I write this article, a war is happening, somewhere out there. War can still be prevented up to a certain extent. Peace talks must be initiated to prevent further conflicts, even if war has already broke up. Living in peace is a very good thing. I can help to achieve that, in my own little way, by respecting others’ opinion and properties. If every nation on earth can learn that, I am sure war are sure to be found on History books only. No war will happen once again. Respect is the word. References Andrea, A. J, and Overfield J. H. (1990). The Human record: Sources of Global History. Vol. 2. Boston. Houghton Mifflin Company. Heilbroner, R. H. (1974). An Inquiry into the Human Prospect. New York. Norton and Company. Keilor W. R. (2007). â€Å"World War 1†. Microsoft ® Student 2008 [DVD]. Redmond. Microsoft Corporation

Debate Of Whether Psychology Is A Science

Debate Of Whether Psychology Is A Science Empiricism and Positivism are the two major philosophical influences on psychology; the empiricists brought the concept that all ideas are derived from experience. Experience is the basis of all knowledge. And the positivists further explained that sensory experience which can be shared with others can be objectively studied by observing their overt behavior. Determinism, indeterminism and nondeterminism hold different view on whether psychology is a science. Some aspects of psychology are scientific and some are not. Behaviorist, for example, used scientific method to understand human, while humanists do not used this kind of methodology. It is clearly that psychology is not a pure science instead it scientifically studies the nature of human and animals. Introduction In trying to answer the important and complex question of whether psychology is a science, we will first take a brief look at two major philosophical influences that help to create psychology- Empiricism and Positivism. Then study the view of determinism, indeterminism and nondeterminism of different psychologists to discuss the mind and subject matter of psychology. And finally, try to compare determinism and free will and conclude writers view on this original question Is psychology a science?. Empiricism John Locke, David Hume and David Hartley etc were the British empiricists who stressed that the important of experience in the attainment of knowledge. And the only source of true knowledge about the world is sensory experience which is information that comes to our senses or our inferences between the relationships of sensory facts. The word empirical is often used with the concept of science which implies that science used observation, measurement of the world and collecting data in the environment. This view is contrast with the Rationalists who believed that knowledge is innate and inborn. Locke maintained that the mind at birth was purely nothing, but experiences color it. This idea built into the behaviorist view of learning, like children can be made into anything that environment want it to be. The implication of empiricism on psychology include, firstly, the idea of conscious mind into simple ideas or overt behavior into stimuli response behavior and secondly, provided us the theory of association for explaining how simple elements can be combined to form complex elements or compounds. Thus the empiricist provided for psychology both a theory and methodology that most behaviorists made used of and is still influence todays psychology. Positivism Comte, the positivist, claimed that the only things we can be sure of is thing that can publicly observable. That is, sense experience that can be shared with other people. The data of science is observable and therefore can be trusted and only scientific information can be considered valid. Anything that is not publicly observable is suspect and is rejected because it is not a proper object to study. He did not believe psychology could not become a science because the only way to study the mind is using unreliable method of introspection. To study individual, it can be objectively studied by observing their overt behavior or through phrenological analysis. There are two significant impact of positivism on psychology: firstly, Darwins evolution theory enabled psychology to be placed in field of biological science. Secondly, psychology can be treated experimentally under Wundts psychology laboratory. Determinism All determinists believe that all behavior is caused and there are three kinds of determinism: the first one is biological determinism which emphasizes that behavior can be caused by physiological conditions or genetic predisposition, for example, mental illness was caused because of the lack of neurotransmitter, dopamine, in the brain. And that people will suffer abnormal behavior. Most human behavior is genetically inherited. The second one is environmental determinism, stressed that the environmental stimulus as the determinants of human behavior. For example, behavior theory emphasizes that environmental stimulus determine our behavior. The third determinism is sociocultural determinism, it is a form of environmental determinism, but emphasizes on the cultural factors like rules, regulations and beliefs that govern human behavior. For example, everyone keep quite in the library automatically because the social norm of our culture is no talking in the library. So, the environment factor guides our behaviors. Freud and Skinner, who are both determinists, agreed with the view that human behavior is caused. The neo-behaviorist B. F. Skinner held the view that the person is not free. In his book Beyond freedom and Dignity (1971), he argues that behavioral freedom is an illusion. His famous concept of operant conditioning, suggested that when negative reinforcers are consider along with rewards, then almost all behavior is controlled by association of reinforcement which occur constantly in the environment. What we think that we are behaving freely is not accurate because we are merely free of negative reinforcement or its threat; our behavior is still determined by the pursuit of things that have been positively reinforcing in the past, and consists of responses that have previously been positively reinforced. When we perceive others as behaving freely we are merely unaware of their reinforcement histories and the association that govern their behavior. So, Skinner concluded that behavioral freedom is an illusion. Other determinist, Freud, also rejects the possibility of free will. Every cause of humans behavior comes from within the individuals own unconscious mind; for Skinners view, they are external. However, from the view of inductive nature of science, it is clear that total predictability is impossible. The past does not logically predict the future, if it is true for physics, does it still true for human behavior? And how much more true it is? So if the main requirement of determinism is that behavior should be completely predictable, it does not seem to bring the same reason to the free will view after all. Indeterminism Some psychologists believe that human behavior is determined but since the universe is complex, we cannot accurately measure all the cause of our behavior. As Heisnberg said, despite human behavior is determined, we cannot know at least some of causes of behavior because we change that behavior when we are attempting to observe them. Psychologists who accepted this view believing that there are some specific causes of behavior but that we cannot accurately known. For example, when studying humans thought and behavior, just like social psychologists does in their experiment; one dependent variable can be caused by many independent variables. The problem of youngsters drug abuse can be caused by peer influence, family problem, personal attitudes or others factors. The drug abuse behavior is determined, but we cannot accurately measure or discover all the causes. Determinism versus Nondeterminism (Free will) Our everyday common sense understanding is that people have the ability to choose their own course of action, to determine their lives and, to this extent, have free will. Free will could be exercised within physical, political, environmental and other sociological factors. Sometimes, when we think about the concept of free will, it is also linked to the concept of responsibility; we normally think that people are responsible for what they do since they are the cause of what they do, that is they are not driven by any outsides factors. Most humanists or existentialists, like Carl Rogers, Rollo May and George Kelly etc assume that human behaviors are freely chosen and therefore cannot be tested by scientific method. This belief in free will is contrary to the view of determinism. Therefore, these psychologists are considered nonscientific. These psychologists are strongly influenced by the concept that our nature of experience and our knowledge of the external world are determined on how we interpret and define it. The universe is occupied only by the minds, and physical objects depend on and exist in individuals mind. But the view of positivism in the nature of scientific psychology is different. They imply that behavior is determined by external events or stimuli and that people response to it passively and, to this extent, are not free. Determinism also implies that behavior is totally predictable, as they occur in a regular, orderly manner. And every human action has a cause. An important distinction can be made between compulsion on the one hand and determinism on the other hand. Free actions are free from compulsion, but this is consistent with them being determined. The view which William James proposed called soft determinism. He argued that the question of free action is depending on the type of cause our behavior has. If our actions have as their proximate cause something like conscious mind, we can see them as free, rational, voluntary, purposive actions. Is psychology a science? Is psychology science? Some aspects of psychology are scientific and some are not. The psychologist used scientific method have provided very much useful information in every major area of psychology, for example, memory, personality, learning, perception, intelligence, motivation and psychotherapy. Structuralism, behaviorism and cognitive psychology used scientific method to study the nature of human being. In structuralism, psychologists try to identify the elements of the humans conscious thoughts and feelings. Then, its work is replaced by behaviorism which its emphasis on the objective observation of the behaviors of adults, children and animals. While cognitive psychologists recognize that cognitive process can be inferred from observable behavior and be studied under experimental setting. And these three aspects have a clear definition of subject-matter, a fundamental assumption of learning, it allows prediction and control and it is a methodology, with the controlled experiment. Psychology cannot be concluded as a totally science, some even said that psychology is rather a pseudo-science or it is still in a pre-scientific stage. Since some aspects of psychology, for example the subjective mind cannot be tested scientifically as it can change from time to time. When answering the question Is psychology a science? It can be concluded that psychology is not a normal science. Whether or not we consider psychology as a science depend on which aspect of psychology we are focusing on. Clearly that not all psychologists are methodological, for example, psychoanalytic and humanistic psychologists. If we change the question to Is psychology science? It is surely answered that psychology is scientific. Conclusion

From James Joyces Stephen Hero to After The Race - Blending Narrator

From James Joyce's Stephen Hero to "After The Race" - Blending Narrator and Character James Joyce's fragment of a novel, Stephen Hero, leaves the reader little room to interpret the text for themselves. The work lacks the narrative distance that Joyce achieves in his later works. Dubliners, a work Joyce was writing concurrently, seemingly employs a drastically different voice. A voice which leaves the reader room to make judgments of their own. Yet it is curious that Joyce could produce these two works at the same time, one that controls the reader so directly, telling not showing , while the other, Dubliners, seems to give the reader the power of final interpretation over the characters it portrays. By changing voice from a narrator who tells the reader to a narrator who shows the reader in Dubliners, Joyce has seemingly relinquished considerable control over his vision of Dublin. However, Joyce's change of narrator yields him alternative forms of authorial sovereignty. In fact, Joyce guides the reader in a much more powerful way in Dubliners; without the reader's knowledge. Through quick shifts in point of view and interjections that seem to be the voice of a character, yet are not directly linked to it, Joyce controls the stories in Dubliners more subtly and with more effect than the bold declarations in Stephen Hero ever do. In her essay "'Oh She's A Nice Lady!'": A Rereading of "A Mother" Jane E. Miller addresses the issue of judgment in the story. Although told in an aloof and anonymous third-person, the narrativeis always shifting, almost imperceptibly, from an objective stance to less neutral observations which, because of their perspective or particular choice of words, appear to be those of Mrs. Kearney. (Miller,... ...f him in the narration. These interjections in "After the Race" are not the complete rupture of objectivity that they are in Stephen Hero. Still, the effect is much the same. They channel the reader rather than tell the reader how to judge. They offer the reader a guide to the reading of "After the Race" in much the same way a legend acts for a map. This is not to say that phrases like this operate in every story of Dubliners as they do here. But in the story "After the Race" they give the reader "important directions for reading" much like the narrative language does in "A Mother". In addition, these phrases seem to be a much more polished version of the blunt preaching Joyce does in Stephen Hero. They operate on the reader subtly, blending the voice of character and narrator to produce a guide to the reading, not a usurpation of, as in Stephen Hero, the text.

The Cheating Hearts of Men Essay -- Relationships Affairs Boyfriends E

The Cheating Hearts of Men In writing this paper, I am setting out to answer a question that has been plaguing women for many years. Why do men cheat on us? Is it something us women do that causes it? Is it something they are taught is ok somewhere along the way? Does it have to do with the fact that their genitalia are on the outside? Or is there no logical explanation in the universe for it? (I’m leaning towards the last one, but hey, that’s just me.) Men always seem to have an explanation for their behavior, or more likely, an excuse. These excuses have been known to range from blaming the woman they are cheating on to trying to get back at her for something. Having more than just some personal experience with being cheated on, I’m curious to find out what causes this relationship phenomenon. More importantly, is it me? I know I have several friends who might also stand to benefit from my â€Å"research†, and hopefully by the end of this we’ll all have some answers. To start my research, I had to look no further than in the mirror. My ex-boyfriend cheated on me several times. Whenever I would suspect him, he would always have these fabulous excuses as to what he was doing and who he was with. He was a very convincing person, and he knew that. When I finally found out the truth (from the other girl I might add, which by the way guys is the worst way to find out) his first reaction was to deny it, and then when he finally admitted to it he had the balls to blame it on me. He said it was my fault because I did not pay him enough attention and the other time was because I was spending too much time with one of my male friends and then the next excuse was because I already was accusing him of it so he might as well. He might as we... ...s that I read in my search, I honestly do believe that there is just something inherent in the nature of the male species that causes them to be more likely to be unfaithful then women. I will end this paper with a little positive note for all the guys. Just to make you all feel a little better, I also learned in my research that nowadays women are almost as likely to cheat as men are. Works Cited Carey, Benedict. â€Å"Your cheating heart; Yen for variety can strain marital bonds.† Times-Picayune 25 Oct. 2003 Charles, Nick. â€Å"Why good men cheat.† Essence Jan 2003: 104-107+. Giglio, Anthony. â€Å"Would your guy cheat? Would you know?† Redbook April 2001: 108-118. Koli, Anuradha. â€Å"Why Guys Cheat on Hot Women.† Cosmopolitan Jan 2004: 106. LaFrance, Siona. â€Å"The Cheating Kind; Men’s affairs are a symptom of deeper problems.† Times-Picayune 28 Jan. 2004.

The Day Labor Market in Phoenix, Arizona Essay -- Business Economics U

The Day Labor Market in Phoenix, Arizona Introduction This paper focuses on the Macehualli Day Labor Union located in Phoenix, Arizona in the 85032 area. Throughout the history of the United States, illegal immigrants have come from all over the world to find work and a better way of life. It is estimated that right now there are about seven million illegal aliens living in America. About 69% of these illegal immigrants are Mexican and over 283,000 of them live in Arizona1. In this paper, we presuppose that the illegal aliens we refer to are Mexican. This is because the aliens living in the geographic area around the day labor center we examine are over 99% Mexican (Reza, 2003, personal interview). Many Mexicans risk everything they have, including their lives, in their attempts to cross the border and live the â€Å"American Dream.† Most immigrants are motivated by the lure of lucrative employment across the border. They come to this country with the hope of finding a higher paying job. In most cases, the immigrants are young men who leave their families behind, but intend to earn enough money to eventually bring their loved ones across (Reza, 2003, personal interview). Over the past three decades, the influx of illegal immigrants has become even more noticeable (Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1999). In the year 2000, unauthorized immigrants accounted for about 2.5% of the U.S. population2. These immigrants’ illegal status is a serious obstacle in their search for employment. Almost all employers require some proof of United States citizenship. For citizens and legal immigrants, this is easily established through a driver’s license or state identification card. Illegal workers, on the other hand, obvi... .... 11 Jun. 2003. Day Labor Union Workers. Personal Interview. 25 Oct. 2003 Gonzalez, Daniel. â€Å"Future Will Require Immigrants by Millions for Jobs, Report Says.† The Arizona Republic 31 Aug. 2003 : A6. Reza, Salvador (Director of the Macehualli Day Labor Union). Personal Interview. 25 Oct. 2003. Smart pages. 2 Dec. 2003 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. â€Å"Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States: 1999 to 2000† 2 Dec. 2003 . U.S. Department of Labor. 2 Dec. 2003 minimumwage.htm>. Valenzuela, Abel Jr. â€Å"Day Labourers as Entrepreneurs?† Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 27.2 (2001) : 335-352 Valenzuela, Abel Jr. â€Å"Day Labor Work† Annual Review of Sociology 29 (2003) : 307-33

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 1 PARTY

I WAS NINETY-NINE POINT NINE PERCENT SURE I WAS dreaming. The reasons I was so certain were that, first, I was standing in a bright shaft of sunlightthe kind of blinding clear sun that never shone on my drizzly new hometown in Forks, Washingtonand second, I was looking at my Grandma Marie. Gran had been dead for six years now, so that was solid evidence toward the dream theory. Gran hadn't changed much; her face looked just the same as I remembered it. The skin was soft and withered, bent into a thousand tiny creases that clung gently to the bone underneath. Like a dried apricot, but with a puff of thick white hair standing out in a cloud around it. Our mouthshers a wizened pickerspread into the same surprised half-smile at just the same time. Apparently, she hadn't been expecting to see me, either. I was about to ask her a question; I had so manyWhat was she doing here in my cream? What had she been up to in the past six years? Was Pop okay, and had they found each other, wherever they werebut she opened her mouth when I did, so I stopped to let her go first. She paused, too, and then we Goth smiled at the little awkwardness. â€Å"Bella!† It wasn't Gran who called my name, and we both turned to see the addition to our small reunion. I didn't have to look to know who it was; this was a voice I would know anywhereknow, and respond to, whether I was awake or asleep or even dead, I'd bet. The voice I'd walk through fire foror, less dramatically, slosh every day through the cold and endless rain for. Edward. Even though I was always thrilled to see himconscious or otherwiseand even though I was almost positive that I was dreaming, I panicked as Edward walked toward us through the glaring sunlight. I panicked because Gran didn't know that I was in love with a vampirenobody knew thatso how was I supposed to explain the fact that the brilliant sunbeams were shattering off his skin into a thousand rainbow shards like he was made of crystal or diamond? Well, Gran, yon might have noticed that my boyfriend glitters. It's just something he does in the sun. Don't worry about it What was he doing? The whole reason he lived in Forks, the rainiest place in the world, was so that he could be outside in the daytime without exposing his family's secret. Yet here he was, strolling gracefully toward mewith the most beautiful smile on his angel's faceas if I were the only one here. In that second, I wished that I was not the one exception to his mysterious talent; I usually felt grateful that I was the only person whose thoughts he couldn't hear just as clearly as if they were spoken aloud. But now I wished he could hear me, too, so that he could hear the warning I was screaming in my head. I shot a panicked glance back at Gran, and saw that it was too late. She was just turning to stare back at me, her eyes as alarmed as mine. Edwardstill smiling so beautifully that my heart felt like it was going to swell up and burst through my chestput his arm around my shoulder and turned to face my grandmother. Gran's expression surprised me. Instead of looking horrified, she was staring at me sheepishly, as if waiting for a scolding. And she was standing in such a strange positionone arm held awkwardly away from her body, stretched out and then curled around the air. Like she had her arm around someone I couldn't see, someone invisible Only then, as I looked at the bigger picture, did I notice the huge gilt frame that enclosed my grandmother's form. Uncomprehending, I raised the hand that wasn't wrapped around Edward's waist and reached out to touch her. She mimicked the movement exactly, mirrored it. But where our fingers should have met, there was nothing but cold glass With a dizzying jolt, my dream abruptly became a nightmare. There was no Gran. That was me. Me in a mirror. Meancient, creased, and withered. Edward stood beside me, casting no reflection, excruciatingly lovely and forever seventeen. He pressed his icy, perfect lips against my wasted cheek. â€Å"Happy birthday,† he whispered. I woke with a startmy eyelids popping open wideand gasped. Dull gray light, the familiar light of an overcast morning, took the place of the blinding sun in my dream. Just a dream, I told myself. It was only a dream. I took a deep breath, and then jumped again when my alarm went off. The little calendar in the corner of the clock's display informed me that today was September thirteenth. Only a dream, but prophetic enough in one way, at least. Today was my birthday. I was officially eighteen years old. I'd been dreading this day for months. All through the perfect summerthe happiest summer I had ever had, the happiest summer anyone anywhere had ever had, and the rainiest summer in the history of the Olympic Peninsulathis bleak date had lurked in ambush, waiting to spring. And now that it had hit, it was even worse than I'd feared it would be. I could feel itI was older. Every day I got older, but this was different, worse, quantifiable. I was eighteen. And Edward never would be. When I went to brush my teeth, I was almost surprised that the face in the mirror hadn't changed. I stared at myself, looking for some sign of impending wrinkles in my ivory skin. The only creases were the ones on my forehead, though, and I knew that if I could manage to relax, they would disappear. I couldn't. My eyebrows stayed lodged in a worried line over my anxious brown eyes. It was just a dream, I reminded myself again. Just a dream but also my worst nightmare. I skipped breakfast, in a hurry to get out of the house as quickly as possible. I wasn't entirely able to avoid my dad, and so I had to spend a few minutes acting cheerful. I honestly tried to be excited about the gifts I'd asked him not to get me, but every time I had to smile, it felt like I might start crying. I struggled to get a grip on myself as I drove to school. The vision of GranI would not think of it as mewas hard to get out of my head. I couldn't feel anything but despair until I pulled into the familiar parking lot behind Forks High School and spotted Edward leaning motionlessly against his polished silver Volvo, like a marble tribute to some forgotten pagan god of beauty. The dream had not done him justice. And he was waiting there for me, just the same as every other day. Despair momentarily vanished; wonder took its place. Even after half a year with him, I still couldn't believe that I deserved this degree of good fortune. His sister Alice was standing by his side, waiting for me, too. Of course Edward and Alice weren't really related (in Forks the story was that all the Cullen siblings were adopted by Dr. Carlisle Culler and his wife, Esme, both plainly too young to have teenage children), but their skin was precisely the same pale shade, their eyes had the same strange golden tint, with the same deep, bruise-like shadows beneath them. Her face, like his, was also startlingly beautiful. To someone in the knowsomeone like methese similarities marked them for what they were. The sight of Alice waiting thereher tawny eyes brilliant with excitement, and a small silver-wrapped square in her handsmade me frown. I'd told Alice I didn't want anything, anything, not gifts or even attention, for my birthday. Obviously, my wishes were being ignored. I slammed the door of my '53 Chevy trucka shower of rust specks fluttered down to the wet blacktopand walked slowly toward where they waited. Alice skipped forward to meet me, her pixie face glowing under her spiky black hair. â€Å"Happy birthday, Bella!† â€Å"Shh!† I hissed, glancing around the lot to make sure no one had heard her. The last thing I wanted was some kind of celebration of the black event. She ignored me. â€Å"Do you want to open your present now or later?† she asked eagerly as we made our way to where Edward still waited. â€Å"No presents,† I protested in a mumble. She finally seemed to process my mood. â€Å"Okay later, then. Did you like the scrapbook your mom sent you? And the camera from Charlie?† I sighed. Of course she would know what my birthday presents were. Edward wasn't the only member of his family with unusual skills. Alice would have â€Å"seen† what my parents were planning as soon as they'd decided that themselves. â€Å"Yeah. They're great.† â€Å"I think it's a nice idea. You're only a senior once. Might as well document the experience.† â€Å"How many times have you been a senior?† â€Å"That's different.† We reached Edward then, and he held out his hand for mine. I took it eagerly, forgetting, for a moment, my glum mood. His skin was, as always, smooth, hard, and very cold. He gave my fingers a gentle squeeze. I looked into his liquid topa2 eyes, and my heart gave a not-quite-so-gentle squeeze of its own. Hearing the stutter in my heartbeats, he smiled again. He lifted his free hand and traced one cool fingertip around the outside of my lips as he spoke. â€Å"So, as discussed, I am not allowed to wish you a happy birthday, is that correct?† â€Å"Yes. That is correct.† I could never quite mimic the flow of his perfect, formal articulation. It was something that could only be picked up in an earlier century. â€Å"Just checking.† He ran his hand through his tousled bronze hair. â€Å"You might have changed your mind. Most people seem to enjoy things like birthdays and gifts.† Alice laughed, and the sound was all silver, a wind chime. â€Å"Of course you'll enjoy it. Everyone is supposed to be nice to you today and give you your way, Bella. What's the worst that could happen?† She meant it as a rhetorical question. â€Å"Getting older,† I answered anyway, and my voice was not as steady as I wanted it to be. Beside me, Edward's smile tightened into a hard line. â€Å"Eighteen isn't very old,† Alice said. â€Å"Don't women usually wait till they're twenty-nine to get upset over birthdays?† â€Å"It's older than Edward,† I mumbled. He sighed. â€Å"Technically,† she said, keeping her tone light. â€Å"Just by one little year, though.† And I supposed if I could be sure of the future I wanted, sure that I would get to spend forever with Edward, and Alice and the rest of the Cullens (preferably not as a wrinkled little old lady) then a year or two one direction or the other wouldn't matter to me so much. But Edward was dead set against any future that changed me. Any future that made me like himthat made me immortal, too. An impasse, he called it. I couldn't really see Edward's point, to be honest. What was so great about mortality? Being a vampire didn't look like such a terrible thingnot the way the Cullens did it, anyway. â€Å"What time will you be at the house?† Alice continued, changing the subject. From her expression, she was up to exactly the kind of thing I'd been hoping to avoid. â€Å"I didn't know I had plans to be there.† â€Å"Oh, be fair, Bella!† she complained. â€Å"You aren't going to ruin all our fun like that, are you?† â€Å"I thought my birthday was about what I want.† â€Å"I'll get her from Charlie's right after school,† Edward told her, ignoring me altogether. â€Å"I have to work,† I protested. â€Å"You don't, actually,† Alice told me smugly. â€Å"I already spoke to Mrs. Newton about it. She's trading your shifts. She said to tell you ‘Happy Birthday.'† â€Å"II still can't come over,† I stammered, scrambling for an excuse. â€Å"I, well, I haven't watched Romeo and Juliet yet for English.† Alice snorted. â€Å"You have Romeo and Juliet memorized.† â€Å"But Mr. Berty said we needed to see it performed to fully appreciate itthat's how Shakespeare intended it to be presented.† Edward rolled his eyes. â€Å"You've already seen the movie,† Alice accused. â€Å"But not the nineteen-sixties version. Mr. Berty said it was the best.† Finally, Alice lost the smug smile and glared at me. â€Å"This can be easy, or this can be hard, Bella, but one way or the other† Edward interrupted her threat. â€Å"Relax, Alice. If Bella wants to watch a movie, then she can. It's her birthday.† â€Å"So there,† I added. â€Å"I'll bring her over around seven,† he continued. â€Å"That will give you more time to set up.† Alice's laughter chimed again. â€Å"Sounds good. See you tonight, Bella! It'll be fun, you'll see.† She grinnedthe wide smile exposed all her perfect, glistening teeththen pecked me on the cheek and danced off toward her first class before I could respond. â€Å"Edward, please† I started to beg, but he pressed one cool finger to my lips. â€Å"Let's discuss it later. We're going to be late for class.† No one bothered to stare at us as we took our usual seats in the back of the classroom (we had almost every class together nowit was amazing the favors Edward could get the female administrators to do for him). Edward and I had been together too long now to be an object of gossip anymore. Even Mike Newton didn't bother to give me the glum stare that used to make me feel a little guilty. He smiled now instead, and I was glad he seemed to have accepted that we could only be friends. Mike had changed over the summerhis face had lost some of the roundness, making his cheekbones more prominent, and he was wearing his pale blond hair a new way; instead of bristly, it was longer and gelled into a carefully casual disarray. It was easy to see where his inspiration came frombut Edward's look wasn't something that could be achieved through imitation. As the day progressed, I considered ways to get out of whatever was going down at the Cullen house tonight. It would be bad enough to have to celebrate when I was in the mood to mourn. But, worse than that, this was sure to involve attention and gifts. Attention is never a good thing, as any other accident-prone klutz would agree. No one wants a spotlight when they're likely to fall on their face. And I'd very pointedly askedwell, ordered reallythat no one give me any presents this year. It looked like Charlie and Renee weren't the only ones who had decided to overlook that. I'd never had much money, and that had never bothered me. Renee had raised me on a kindergarten teacher's salary. Charlie wasn't getting rich at his job, eitherhe was the police chief here in the tiny town of Forks. My only personal income came from the three days a week I worked at the local sporting goods store. In a town this small, I was lucky to have a job. Every penny I made went into my microscopic college fund. (College was Plan B. I was still hoping for Plan A, but Edward was just so stubborn about leaving me human) Edward had a lot of moneyI didn't even want to think about how much. Money meant next to nothing to Edward or the rest of the Cullens. It was just something that accumulated when you had unlimited time on your hands and a sister who had an uncanny ability to predict trends in the stock market. Edward didn't seem to understand why I objected to him spending money on mewhy it made me uncomfortable if he took me to an expensive restaurant in Seattle, why he wasn't allowed to buy me a car that could reach speeds over fifty-five miles an hour, or why I wouldn't let him pay my college tuition (he was ridiculously enthusiastic about Plan B). Edward thought I was being unnecessarily difficult. But how could I let him give me things when I had nothing to reciprocate with? He, for some unfathomable reason, wanted to be with me. Anything he gave me on top of that just threw us more out of balance. As the day went on, neither Edward nor Alice brought my birthday up again, and I began to relax a little. We sat at our usual table for lunch. A strange kind of truce existed at that table. The three of usEdward, Alice, and Isat on the extreme southern end of the table. Now that the â€Å"older† and somewhat scarier (in Emmett's case, certainly) Cullen siblings had graduated, Alice and Edward did not seem quite so intimidating, and we did not sit here alone. My other friends, Mike and Jessica (who were in the awkward post-breakup friendship phase), Angela and Ben (whose relationship had survived the summer), Eric, Conner, Tyler, and Lauren (though that last one didn't really count in the friend category) all sat at the same table, on the other side of an invisible line. That line dissolved on sunny days when Edward and Alice always skipped school, and then the conversation would swell out effortlessly to include me. Edward and Alice didn't find this minor ostracism odd or hurtful the way I would have. They barely noticed it. People always felt strangely ill at ease with the Cullens, almost afraid for some reason they couldn't explain to themselves. I was a rare exception to that rule. Sometimes it bothered Edward how very comfortable I was with being close to him. He thought he was hazardous to my healthan opinion I rejected vehemently whenever he voiced it. The afternoon passed quickly. School ended, and Edward walked me to my truck as he usually did. But this time, he held the passenger door open for me. Alice must have been taking his car home so that he could keep me from making a run for it. I folded my arms and made no move to get out of the rain. â€Å"It's my birthday, don't I get to drive?† â€Å"I'm pretending it's not your birthday, just as you wished.† â€Å"If it's not my birthday, then I don't have to go to your house tonight† â€Å"All right.† He shut the passenger door and walked past me to open the driver's side. â€Å"Happy birthday.† â€Å"Shh,† I shushed him halfheartedly. I climbed in the opened door, wishing he'd taken the other offer. Edward played with the radio while I drove, shaking his head in disapproval. â€Å"Your radio has horrible reception.† I frowned. I didn't like it when he picked on my truck. The truck was greatit had personality. â€Å"You want a nice stereo? Drive your own car.† I was so nervous about Alice's plans, on top of my already gloomy mood, that the words came out sharper than I'd meant them. I was hardly ever bad-tempered with Edward, and my tone made him press his lips together to keep from smiling. When I parked in front of Charlie's house, he reached over to take my face in his hands. He handled me very carefully, pressing just the tips of his fingers softly against my temples, my cheekbones, my jawline. Like I was especially breakable. Which was exactly the casecompared with him, at least. â€Å"You should be in a good mood, today of all days,† he whispered. His sweet breath fanned across my face. â€Å"And if I don't want to be in a good mood?† I asked, my breathing uneven. His golden eyes smoldered. â€Å"Too bad.† My head was already spinning by the time he leaned closer and pressed his icy lips against mine. As he intended, no doubt, I forgot all about my worries, and concentrated on remembering how to inhale and exhale. His mouth lingered on mine, cold and smooth and gentle, until I wrapped my arms around his neck and threw myself into the kiss with a little too much enthusiasm. I could feel his lips curve upward as he let go of my face and reached back to unlock my grip on him. Edward had drawn many careful lines for our physical relationship, with the intent being to keep me alive. Though I respected the need for maintaining a safe distance between my skin and his razor-sharp, venom-coated teeth, I tended to forget about trivial things like that when he was kissing me. â€Å"Be good, please,† he breathed against my cheek. He pressed his lips gently to mine one more time and then pulled away, folding my arms across my stomach. My pulse was thudding in my ears. I put one hand over my heart. It drummed hyperactively under my palm. â€Å"Do you think I'll ever get better at this?† I wondered, mostly to myself. â€Å"That my heart might someday stop trying to jump out of my chest whenever you touch me?† â€Å"I really hope not,† he said, a bit smug. I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Let's go watch the Capulets and Montagues hack each other up, all right?† â€Å"Your wish, my command.† Edward sprawled across the couch while I started the movie, fast-forwarding through the opening credits. When I perched on the edge of the sofa in front of him, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against his chest. It wasn't exactly as comfortable as a sofa cushion would be, what with his chest being hard and coldand perfectas an ice sculpture, but it was definitely preferable. He pulled the old afghan off the back of the couch and draped it over me so I wouldn't freeze beside his body. â€Å"You know, I've never had much patience with Romeo,† he commented as the movie started. â€Å"What's wrong with Romeo?† I asked, a little offended. Romeo was one of my favorite fictional characters. Until I'd met Edward, I'd sort of had a thing for him. â€Å"Well, first of all, he's in love with this Rosalinedon't you think it makes him seem a little fickle? And then, a few minutes after their wedding, he kills Juliet's cousin. That's not very brilliant. Mistake after mistake. Could he have destroyed his own happiness any more thoroughly?† I sighed. â€Å"Do you want me to watch this alone?† â€Å"No, I'll mostly be watching you, anyway.† His fingers traced patterns across the skin of my arm, raising goose bumps. â€Å"Will you cry?† â€Å"Probably,† I admitted, â€Å"if I'm paying attention.† â€Å"I won't distract you then.† But I felt his lips on my hair, and it was very distracting. The movie eventually captured my interest, thanks in large part to Edward whispering Romeo's lines in my earhis irresistible, velvet voice made the actor's voice sound weak and coarse by comparison. And I did cry, to his amusement, when Juliet woke and found her new husband dead. â€Å"I'll admit, I do sort of envy him here,† Edward said, drying the tears with a lock of my hair. â€Å"She's very pretty.† He made a disgusted sound. â€Å"I don't envy him the girljust the ease of the suicide,† he clarified in a teasing tone. â€Å"You humans have it so easy! All you have to do is throw down one tiny vial of plant extracts† â€Å"What?† I gasped. â€Å"It's something I had to think about once, and I knew from Carlisle's experience that it wouldn't be simple. I'm not even sure how many ways Carlisle tried to kill himself in the beginning after he realized what he'd become† His voice, which had grown serious, turned light again. â€Å"And he's clearly still in excellent health.† I twisted around so that I could read his face. â€Å"What are you talking about?† I demanded. â€Å"What do you mean, this something you had to think about once?† â€Å"Last spring, when you were nearly killed† He paused to take a deep breath, snuggling to return to his teasing tone. â€Å"Of course I was trying to focus on finding you alive, but part of my mind was making contingency plans. Like I said, it's not as easy for me as it is for a human.† For one second, the memory of my last trip to Phoenix washed through my head and made me feel dizzy. I could see it all so clearlythe blinding sun, the heat waves coming off the concrete as I ran with desperate haste to find the sadistic vampire who wanted to torture me to death. James, waiting in the mirrored room with my mother as his hostageor so I'd thought. I hadn't known it was all a ruse. Just as James hadn't known that Edward was racing to save me; Edward made it in time, but it had been a close one. Unthinkingly, my fingers traced the crescent-shaped scar on my hand that was always just a few degrees cooler than the rest of my skin. I shook my headas if I could shake away the bad memoriesand tried to grasp what Edward meant. My stomach plunged uncomfortably. â€Å"Contingency plans?† I repeated. â€Å"Well, I wasn't going to live without you.† He rolled his eyes as if that fact were childishly obvious. â€Å"But I wasn't sure how to do itI knew Emmett and Jasper would never help so I was thinking maybe I would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi.† I didn't want to believe he was serious, but his golden eyes were brooding, focused on something far away in the distance as he contemplated ways to end his own life. Abruptly, I was furious. â€Å"What is a Volturi?† I demanded. â€Å"The Volturi are a family,† he explained, his eyes still remote. â€Å"A very old, very powerful family of our kind. They are the closest thing our world has to a royal family, I suppose. Carlisle lived with them briefly in his early years, in Italy, before he settled in Americado you remember the story?† â€Å"Of course I remember.† I would never forget the first time I'd gone to his home, the huge white mansion buried deep in the forest beside the river, or the room where CarlisleEdward's father in so many real wayskept a wall of paintings that illustrated his personal history. The most vivid, most wildly colorful canvas there, the largest, was from Carlisle's time in Italy. Of course I remembered the calm quartet of men, each with the exquisite face of a seraph, painted into the highest balcony overlooking the swirling mayhem of color. Though the painting was centuries old, Carlislethe blond angelremained unchanged. And I remembered the three others, Carlisle's early acquaintances. Edward had never used the name Volturi for the beautiful trio, two black-haired, one snow white. He'd called them Aro, Caius, and Marcus, nighttime patrons of the arts â€Å"Anyway, you don't irritate the Volturi,† Edward went on, interrupting ray reverie. â€Å"Not unless you want to dieor whatever it is we do.† His voice was so calm, it made him sound almost bored by the prospect. My anger turned to horror. I took his marble face between my hands and held it very tightly. â€Å"You must never, never, never think of anything like that again!† I said. â€Å"No matter what might ever happen to me, you are not allowed to hurt yourself!† â€Å"I'll never put you in danger again, so it's a moot point.† â€Å"Put me in danger! I thought we'd established that all the bad luck is my fault?† I was getting angrier. â€Å"How dare you even think like that?† The idea of Edward ceasing to exist, even if I were dead, was impossiblypainful. â€Å"What would you do, if the situation were reversed?† he asked. â€Å"That's not the same thing.† He didn't seem to understand the difference. He chuckled. â€Å"What if something did happen to you?† I blanched at the thought. â€Å"Would you want me to go off myself?† A trace of pain touched his perfect features. â€Å"I guess I see your point a little,† he admitted. â€Å"But what would I do without you?† â€Å"Whatever you were doing before I came along and complicated your existence.† He sighed. â€Å"You make that sound so easy.† â€Å"It should be. I'm not really that interesting.† He was about to argue, but then he let it go. â€Å"Moot point,† he reminded me. Abruptly, he pulled himself up into a more formal posture, shifting me to the side so that we were no longer touching. â€Å"Charlie?† I guessed. Edward smiled. After a moment, I heard the sound of the police cruiser pulling into the driveway. I reached out and took his hand firmly. My dad could deal with that much. Charlie came in with a pizza box in his hands. â€Å"Hey, kids.† He grinned at me. â€Å"I thought you'd like a break from cooking and washing dishes for your birthday. Hungry?† â€Å"Sure. Thanks, Dad.† Charlie didn't comment on Edward's apparent lack of appetite. He was used to Edward passing on dinner. â€Å"Do you mind if I borrow Bella for the evening?† Edward asked when Charlie and I were done. I looked at Charlie hopefully. Maybe he had some concept of birthdays as stay-at-home, family affairsthis was my first birthday with him, the first birthday since my mom, Renee, had remarried and gone to live in Florida, so I didn't know what he would expect. â€Å"That's finethe Mariners are playing the Sox tonight,† Charlie explained, and my hope disappeared. â€Å"So I won't be any kind of company Here.† He scooped up the camera he'd gotten me on Renee's suggestion (because I would need pictures to fill up my scrap-book), and threw it to me. He ought to know better than thatI'd always been coordinationally challenged. The camera glanced off the tip of my finger, and tumbled toward the floor. Edward snagged it before it could crash onto the linoleum. â€Å"Nice save,† Charlie noted. â€Å"If they're doing something fun at the Cullens' tonight, Bella, you should take some pictures. You know how your mother getsshe'll be wanting to see the pictures faster than you can take them.† â€Å"Good idea, Charlie,† Edward said, handing me the camera. I turned the camera on Edward, and snapped the first picture. â€Å"It works.† â€Å"That's good. Hey, say hi to Alice for me. She hasn't been over in a while.† Charlie's mouth pulled down at one corner. â€Å"It's been three days, Dad,† I reminded him. Charlie was crazy about Alice. He'd become attached last spring when she'd helped me through my awkward convalescence; Charlie would be fore'ter grateful to her for saving him from the horror of an almost-adult daughter who needed help showering. â€Å"I'll tell her.† â€Å"Okay. You kids have fun tonight.† It was clearly a dismissal. Charlie was already edging toward the living room and the TV. Edward smiled, triumphant, and took my hand to pull me from the kitchen. When we got to the truck, he opened the passenger door for me again, and this time I didn't argue. I still had a hard time finding the obscure turnoff to his house in the dark. Edward drove north through Forks, visibly chafing at the speed limit enforced by my prehistoric Chevy. The engine groaned even louder than usual as he pushed it over fifty. â€Å"Take it easy,† I warned him. â€Å"You know what you would love? A nice little Audi coupe. Very quiet, lots of power† â€Å"There's nothing wrong with my truck. And speaking of expensive nonessentials, if you know what's good for you, you didn't spend any money on birthday presents.† â€Å"Not a dime,† he said virtuously. â€Å"Good.† â€Å"Can you do me a favor?† â€Å"That depends on what it is.† He sighed, his lovely face serious. â€Å"Bella, the last real birthday any of us had was Emmett in 1935. Cut us a little slack, and don't be too difficult tonight. They're all very excited.† It always startled me a little when he brought up things like that. â€Å"Fine, I'll behave.† â€Å"I probably should warn you† â€Å"Please do.† â€Å"When I say they're all excited I do mean all of them.† â€Å"Everyone?† I choked. â€Å"I thought Emmett and Rosalie were in Africa.† The rest of Forks was under the impression that the older Cullens had gone off to college this year, to Dartmouth, but I knew better. â€Å"Emmett wanted to be here.† â€Å"But Rosalie?† â€Å"I know, Bella. Don't worry, she'll be on her best behavior.† I didn't answer. Like I could just not worry, that easy. Unlike Alice, Edward's other â€Å"adopted† sister, the golden blond and exquisite Rosalie, didn't like me much. Actually, the feeling was a little bit stronger than just dislike. As far as Rosalie was concerned, I was an unwelcome intruder into her family's secret life. I felt horribly guilty about the present situation, guessing that Rosalie and Emmett's prolonged absence was my fault, even as I furtively enjoyed not having to see her Emmett, Edward's playful bear of a brother, I did miss. He was in many ways just like the big brother I'd always wanted only much, much more terrifying. Edward decided to change the subject. â€Å"So, if you won't let me get you the Audi, isn't there anything that you'd like for your birthday?† The words came out in a whisper. â€Å"You know what I want.† A deep frown carved creases into his marble forehead. He obviously wished he'd stuck to the subject of Rosalie. It felt like we'd had this argument a lot today. â€Å"Not tonight, Bella. Please.† â€Å"Well, maybe Alice will give me what I want.† Edward growleda deep, menacing sound. â€Å"This isn't going to be your last birthday, Bella,† he vowed. â€Å"That's not fair!† I thought I heard his teeth clench together. We were pulling up to the house now. Bright light shined from every window on the first two floors. A long line of glowing Japanese lanterns hung from the porch eaves, reflecting a soft radiance on the huge cedars that surrounded the house. Big bowls of flowerspink roseslined the wide stairs up to the front doors. I moaned. Edward took a few deep breaths to calm himself. â€Å"This is a party,† he reminded me. â€Å"Try to be a good sport.† â€Å"Sure,† I muttered. He came around to get my door, and offered me his hand. â€Å"I have a question.† He waited warily. â€Å"If I develop this film,† I said, toying with the camera in my hands, â€Å"will you show up in the picture?† Edward started laughing. He helped me out of the car, pulled me up the stairs, and was still laughing as he opened the door for me. They were all waiting in the huge white living room; when I walked through the door, they greeted me with a loud chorus of â€Å"Happy birthday, Bella!† while I blushed and looked down. Alice, I assumed, had covered every flat surface with pink candles and dozens of crystal bowls filled with hundreds of roses. There was a table with a white cloth draped over it next to Edward's grand piano, holding a pink birthday cake, more roses, a stack of glass plates, and a small pile of silver-wrapped presents. It was a hundred times worse than I'd imagined. Edward, sensing my distress, wrapped an encouraging arm around my waist and kissed the top of my head. Edward's parents, Carlisle and Esmeimpossibly youthful and lovely as everwere the closest to the door. Esme hugged me carefully, her soft, caramel-colored hair brushing against my cheek as she kissed my forehead, and then Carlisle put his arm around my shoulders. â€Å"Sorry about this, Bella,† he stage-whispered. â€Å"We couldn't rein Alice in.† Rosalie and Emmett stood behind them. Rosalie didn't smile, but at least she didn't glare. Emmett's face was stretched into a huge grin. It had been months since I'd seen them; I'd forgotten how gloriously beautiful Rosalie wasit almost hurt to look at her. And had Emmett always been so big? â€Å"You haven't changed at all,† Emmett said with mock disappointment. â€Å"I expected a perceptible difference, but here you are, red-faced just like always.† â€Å"Thanks a lot, Emmett,† I said, blushing deeper. He laughed, â€Å"I have to step out for a second†he paused to wink conspicuously at Alice†Don't do anything funny while I'm gone.† â€Å"I'lltry.† Alice let go of Jasper's hand and skipped forward, all her teeth sparkling in the bright light. Jasper smiled, too, but kept his distance. He leaned, long and blond, against the post at the foot of the stairs. During the days we'd had to spend cooped up together in Phoenix, I'd thought he'd gotten over his aversion to me. But he'd gone back to exactly how he'd acted beforeavoiding me as much as possiblethe moment he was free from that temporary obligation to protect me. I knew it wasn't personal, just a precaution, and I tried not to be overly sensitive about it. Jasper had more trouble sticking to the Cullens' diet than the rest of them; the scent of human blood was much harder for him to resist than the othershe hadn't been trying as long. â€Å"Time to open presents,† Alice declared. She put her cool hand under my elbow and towed me to the table with the cake and the shiny packages. I put on my best martyr face. â€Å"Alice, I know I told you I didn't want anything† â€Å"But I didn't listen,† she interrupted, smug. â€Å"Open it.† She took the camera from my hands and replaced it with a big, square silver box. The box was so light that it felt empty. The tag on top said that it was from Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper. Selfconsciously, I tore the paper off and then stared at the box it concealed. It was something electrical, with lots of numbers in the name. I opened the box, hoping for further illumination. But the box was empty. â€Å"Um thanks.† Rosalie actually cracked a smile. Jasper laughed. â€Å"It's a stereo for your truck,† he explained. â€Å"Emmett's installing it right now so that you can't return it.† Alice was always one step ahead of me. â€Å"Thanks, Jasper, Rosalie,† I told them, grinning as I remembered Edward's complaints about my radio this afternoonall a setup, apparently. â€Å"Thanks, Emmett!† I called more loudly. I heard his booming laugh from my truck, and I couldn't help laughing, too. â€Å"Open mine and Edward's next,† Alice said, so excited her voice was a high-pitched trill. She held a small, flat square in her hand. I turned to give Edward a basilisk glare. â€Å"You promised.† Before he could answer, Emmett bounded through the door. â€Å"Just in time!† he crowed. He pushed in behind Jasper, who had also drifted closer than usual to get a good look. â€Å"I didn't spend a dime,† Edward assured me. He brushed a strand of hair from my face, leaving my skin tingling from his touch. I inhaled deeply and turned to Alice. â€Å"Give it to me,† I sighed. Emmett chuckled with delight. I took the little package, rolling my eyes at Edward while I stuck my finger under the edge of the paper and jerked it under the tape. â€Å"Shoot,† I muttered when the paper sliced my finger; I pulled it out to examine the damage. A single drop of blood oozed from the tiny cut. It all happened very quickly then. â€Å"No!† Edward roared. He threw himself at me, flinging me back across the table. It fell, as I did, scattering the cake and the presents, the flowers and the plates. I landed in the mess of shattered crystal. Jasper slammed into Edward, and the sound was like the crash of boulders in a rock slide. There was another noise, a grisly snarling that seemed to be coming from deep in Jasper's chest. Jasper tried to shove past Edward, snapping his teeth just inches from Edward's face. Emmett grabbed Jasper from behind in the next second, locking him into his massive steel grip, but Jasper struggled on, his wild, empty eyes focused only on me. Beyond the shock, there was also pain. I'd tumbled down to the floor by the piano, with my arms thrown out instinctively to catch my fall, into the jagged shards of glass. Only now did I feel the searing, stinging pain that ran from my wrist to the crease inside my elbow. Dazed and disoriented, I looked up from the bright red blood pulsing out of my arminto the fevered eyes of the six suddenly ravenous vampires.