Succubus Blues CHAPTER 2

The phone jolted me to consciousness the next morning. Dim, murky light filtered in through my sheer curtains, signifying some freakishly early hour. Around here, however, that amount of light could have indicated anything from sunrise to high noon. After four rings, I finally deigned to answer, accidentally knocking Aubrey out of the bed. She landed with an indignant mhew and stalked off to clean herself. â€Å"Hello?† † Yo, Kincaid?† â€Å"No.† My response came swift and certain. â€Å"I'm not coming in.† â€Å"You don't even know I'm going to ask that.† â€Å"Of course I know. There's no other reason you'd be calling me this early, and I'm not going to do it. It's my day off, Doug.† Doug, the other assistant manager at my day job, was a pretty nice guy, but he couldn't keep a poker face – or voice – to save his life. His cool demeanor immediately gave way to desperation. â€Å"Everyone called in sick today, and now we're strapped. You have to do it.† â€Å"Well, I'm sick too. Believe me, you don't want me there.† Okay, I wasn't exactly sick, but I was still sporting a residual afterglow from being with Martin. Mortals would not â€Å"see† it as Duane had per se, but they would sense it and be drawn to it – men and women alike – without even knowing why. My confinement today would prevent any foolish, lovesick behavior. It was very kind of me, really. â€Å"Liar. You're never sick.† â€Å"Doug, I was already planning on coming back tonight for the signing. If I work a shift today too, I'll be there all day. That's sick and twisted.† â€Å"Welcome to my world, babe. We have no alternative, not if you really care about the fate of the store, not if you truly care about our customers and their happiness†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You're losing me, cowboy.† â€Å"So,† he continued, â€Å"the question is, are you going to come here willingly, or do I have to walk over there and drag you out of bed myself? Frankly, I wouldn't mind the latter.† I did a mental eye roll, chiding myself for the billionth time about living two blocks from work. His rambling about the bookstore's suffering had been effective, as he'd known it would. I operated under the mistaken belief that the place couldn't survive without me. â€Å"Well, rather than risk any more of your attempts at witty, sexual banter, I suppose I'll have to come over there. But Doug†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My voice turned hard. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Don't put me on the registers or anything.† I heard hesitation on his end. â€Å"Doug? I'm serious. Not the main registers. I don't want to be around a lot of customers.† â€Å"All right,† he said at last. â€Å"Not the main registers.† â€Å"Promise?† â€Å"I promise.† A half hour later, I stepped outside my door to walk the two blocks to the bookstore. Long clouds hung low, darkening the sky, and a faint chill touched the air, forcing some of my fellow pedestrians to don a coat. I had opted for none, finding my khaki slacks and brown chenille sweater more than sufficient. The clothing, just like the lip gloss and eyeliner I'd carefully applied this morning, were real; I had not shape-shifted into them. I enjoyed the routine nature of applying cosmetics and matching articles of clothing, though Hugh would have claimed I was just being weird again. Emerald City Books & Caf? ¦ was a sprawling establishment, occupying almost a full block in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood. It sat two stories high, with the cafe portion dominating a second-floor corner viewing the Space Needle. A cheerful green awning hung over the main door, protecting those customers waiting for the store to open. I walked around them and entered through a side door, using my staff key. Doug assaulted me before I'd taken two steps inside. â€Å"It's about time. We†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused and did a double-take, reexamining me. â€Å"Wow. You look†¦ really nice today. Did you do something different?† Only a thirty-four-year-old virgin, I thought. â€Å"You're just imagining things because you're so happy I'm here to fix your staffing problem. What am I doing? Stock?† â€Å"I, er, no.† Doug struggled to snap out of his haze, still looking me up and down in a way I found disconcerting. His interest in dating me was no secret, nor was my continual rejection. â€Å"Come on, I'll show you.† â€Å"I told you – â€Å" â€Å"It's not the main registers,† he promised me. What â€Å"it† turned out to be was the espresso counter in our upstairs cafe. Bookstore staff hardly ever subbed up here, but it wasn't unheard of. Bruce, the cafe manager, popped up from where he'd been kneeling behind the counter. I often thought Doug and Bruce could be twins in a mixed-race, alternate-reality sort of way. Both had long, scraggly ponytails, and both wore a good deal of flannel in tribute to the grunge era neither had fully recovered from. They differed mainly in their coloring. Doug was Japanese-American, black-haired with flawless skin; Bruce was Mr. Aryan Nation, all blond hair and blue eyes. â€Å"Hey Doug, Georgina,† heralded Bruce. His eyes widened at me. â€Å"Whoa, you look great today.† â€Å"Doug! This is just as bad. I told you I didn't want any customers.† â€Å"You told me not the main registers. You didn't say anything about this one.† I opened my mouth to protest, but Bruce interrupted. â€Å"Come on, Georgina, I had Alex call in sick today, and Cindy actually quit.† Seeing my stony expression, he quickly added, â€Å"Our registers are almost identical to yours. It'll be easy.† â€Å"Besides† – Doug raised his voice to a fair imitation of our manager's – † ‘assistant managers are supposed to be able to fill in for anybody around here.' â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, but the cafe – â€Å" † – is still part of the store. Look, I've got to go open. Bruce'll show you what you need to know. Don't worry, it'll be fine.† He hastily darted off before I could refuse again. â€Å"Coward!† I yelled after him. â€Å"It really won't be that bad,† Bruce reiterated, not understanding my dismay. â€Å"You just take the money, and I'll make the espresso. Let's practice on you. You want a white chocolate mocha?† â€Å"Yeah,† I conceded. Everyone I worked with knew about that particular vice. I usually managed to take down three of them a day. Mochas that was, not coworkers. Bruce walked me through the necessary steps, showing me how to mark up the cups and find what I needed to push on the register's touch-screen interface. He was right. It wasn't so bad. â€Å"You're a natural,† he assured me later, handing over my mocha. I grunted in response and consumed my caffeine, thinking I could handle anything so long as the mochas kept coming. Besides, this really couldn't be as bad as the main registers. The cafe probably did no business this time of day. I was wrong. Minutes after opening, we had a line of five people. â€Å"Large latte,† I repeated back to my first customer, carefully punching in the information. â€Å"Already got it,† Bruce told me, starting the beverage before I even had a chance to label the cup. I happily took the woman's money and moved on to my next order. â€Å"A large skinny mocha.† † Skinny's just another word for nonfat, Georgina.† I scrawled NF on the cup. No worries. We could do this. The next customer wandered up and stared at me, momentarily bedazzled. Coming to her senses, she shook her head and blurted out a torrent of orders. â€Å"I need one small drip coffee, one large nonfat vanilla latte, one small double cappuccino, and one large decaf latte.† Now I felt bedazzled. How had she remembered all those? And honestly, who ordered drip anymore? On and on the morning went, and despite my misgivings, I soon felt myself perking up and enjoying the experience. I couldn't help it. It was how I worked, how I carried myself through life. I liked trying new things – even something as banal as ringing up espresso. People could be silly, certainly, but I enjoyed working with the public most of the time. It was how I had ended up in customer service. And once I overcame my sleepiness, my inborn succubus charisma kicked in. I became the star of my own personal stage show, bantering and flirting with ease. When combined with the Martin-induced glamour, I became downright irresistible. While this did result in a number of proffered dates and pickup lines, it also saved me from the repercussions of any mistakes. My customers found no wrong with me. â€Å"That's all right, dear,† one older woman assured me upon discovering I'd accidentally ordered her a large cinnamon mocha instead of a nonfat, decaf latte. â€Å"I really need to branch out into new drinks anyway.† I smiled back winningly, hoping she wasn't diabetic. Later on, a guy came up carrying a copy of Seth Mortensen's The Glasgow Pact. It was the first sign I'd seen of tonight's momentous event. â€Å"Are you going to the signing?† I asked as I rang up his tea. Bleh. Caffeine-free. He studied me for a pregnant moment, and I braced myself for a pass. Instead the guy said mildly, â€Å"Yeah, I'll be there.† â€Å"Well, make sure you think up good questions for him. Don't ask the same ones everyone else does.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Oh, you know, the usual. ‘Where do you get your ideas from?' and ‘Are Cady and O'Neill ever going to get together?' â€Å" The guy considered this as I made change. He was cute, in a disheveled sort of way. He had brown hair with a reddish-gold gleam to it, said gleam being more noticeable in the shadow of facial hair crossing his lower face. I couldn't quite decide if he'd intentionally grown a beard or just forgotten to shave. Whatever it was, it had grown in more or less evenly and, when combined with the Pink Floyd T-shirt he wore, presented the image of a sort of hippie-lumberjack. â€Å"I don't think the ‘usual questions' make them any less meaningful to the one doing the asking,† he decided at last, seeming shy about contradicting me. â€Å"To a fan, each question is new and unique.† He stepped aside so I could wait on another customer. I continued the conversation as I took the next order, unwilling to pass up the opportunity to discuss Seth Mortensen intelligently. â€Å"Forget the fans. What about poor Seth Mortensen? He probably wants to impale himself each time he gets one of those.† † ‘Impale' is kind of a strong word, don't you think?† â€Å"Absolutely not. The guy's brilliant. Hearing idiotic questions must bore him to tears.† A bemused smile played across the man's mouth, and his steady brown eyes weighed me carefully. When he realized he was staring so openly, he glanced away, embarrassed. â€Å"No. If he's out touring, he cares about his fans. He doesn't mind the repetitive questions.† â€Å"He's not out touring for altruism. He's out touring because the publicists at his publishing house are making him tour,† I countered. â€Å"Which is also a waste of time, by the way.† He dared a look back at me. â€Å"Touring is? You don't want to meet him?† â€Å"I – well, yes, of course I do. It's just, that†¦ okay. Look, don't get me wrong. I worship the ground this guy walks on. I'm excited to meet him tonight. I'm dying to meet him tonight. If he wanted to carry me off and make me his love slave, I'd do it, so long as I got advance copies of his books. But this touring thing†¦ it takes time. Time that would be better spent writing the next book. I mean, haven't you seen how long his books take to come out?† â€Å"Yeah. I've noticed.† Just then, a previous customer returned, complaining he'd gotten caramel syrup instead of caramel sauce. Whatever that meant. I offered a few smiles and sweet apologies, and he soon didn't care about the caramel sauce or anything else. By the time he left my register, the Mortensen fan guy was gone too. When I finally finished my shift around five, Doug came to meet me. â€Å"I heard some interesting things about your performance up here.† â€Å"I hear interesting things about your ‘performance' all the time, Doug, but you don't hear me making jokes about it.† He bandied with me a bit more and finally released me to get ready for the signing, but not before I'd made him humbly acknowledge how much he owed me for my kindness today. Between him and Hugh, I was accruing favors all over the place. I practically ran the two blocks home, anxious to grab some dinner and figure out what I wanted to wear. My exhilaration was growing. In an hour or so, I'd be meeting my all-time favorite author. Could life get any better? Humming to myself, I took the stairs two at a time and produced my keys with a flourish that only I noticed or appreciated. As I opened the door, a hand suddenly grabbed me and pulled me roughly inside, into the darkness of my apartment. I yelped in surprise and fear as I was shoved up against the door, slamming it shut. The lights burst on suddenly and unexpectedly, and the faint smell of sulfur wafted through the air. Although the brightness made me wince, I could see well enough to recognize what was going on. Hell hath no fury like a pissed-off demon.

Does Things Change in Poor Area of China

Does things change in poor areas? When I was young ,my mother often told me it’s very bitter for them to go to school, they had to get up very early in the morning,then prepared for their brakefast by themselves and did some housework . they couldn’t leave until they finished all of that. They even couldn’t have lunch because proverty. But now ,things about education has changed. Student can get a better care. Now government pay more attention to education,especially in poor areas.Our country has done a lot to improve the education in our country. And they had realized the importance of education for the development of a country since the setting of our country. But they couldn’t do much to poor areas. But now ,with the development of economy, we have enough money to pay for fees for education. Everything has changed in poor areas. Carations from the government push the process of education development in poor areas. Government can support these areas with enough money and good teachers.As a result ,children in poor areas can get the same education resourses as others in rich places. From china daily ,children in guizhou now can get free lunch and beautiful classroom because the aid. What’s more, their family don’t need to care about the payments. In this way ,more children can get the opportunity to know more about the world. In fect, there are so many photographers who care about poor areas. They use their camara to tell people what is going on in poor areas, and try to tell the government.Yes , government can help poor place, but they don’t have enough information. These special people just contribute themselves to the development of poor areas. They even organize activities to collect money for the education of poor places. Most of them will spend most of their time to do that. Thanks to them ,these places can’t perfect their education fast without them. Thanks to the government and people who contribu te themselves to education of poor areas, now children can get more opportuties to get formillar with the world.And things have changed to the good side. New word; Principal : main, or most important poverty-stricken : extremely poor malnourished: weak or sick because you do not eat enough or do not eat enough of the right foods poverty: a lack of something, especially ideas or feelings allowance: an amount of something that you are officially allowed by a particular set of rules or by the law; a tax exemption administration : the government of a country; the activity of governing a country or region; a department of the U. S. overnment launched : to start a major activity such as a military attack, a public investigation, or a new career or project; to start selling a new product or service to the public remote : far away from other cities, towns, or people; far away in distance or space; far away in the past or future rural: relating to parts of a country that are not near cities and where the population is low; typical of the countryside Sentence The central government launched a program in October that aims to improve nutrition for rural students in poor areas.When it was introduced, Xinglong school would receive packed bread and milk from the Dafang county education administration every day, but it did not work out, After raising the problem with the education administration, the school was allowed to provide hot lunches, with a daily allowance of 3 yuan (50 US cents) per child. Although many students are malnourished due to poverty, free school lunches will make them healthier, he added. Unlike many students in urban areas of China, where child obesity is becoming a problem,

Presenting, Assessing and Reviewing Essay

As a teacher my roles responsibilities and boundaries, would be spread over a broad spectrum of areas and tasks and in preparing for, delivering, assessing and reviewing the courses I would deliver, applying the P. A. R. (Present, Apply, Review) principles not only in the direct delivery of my subject but as a broader ethos surrounding my whole teaching cycle. On employment with a provider my initial responsibilities would be to review the Protocols, rules and regulations of the establishment which are the most fundamental boundaries, to review the contents of existing courses (or units for art and design courses) that were already being provided in my subject area of photography , examining the associated schemes of work and lesson plans to ensure that I had a good grasp of what I was expected to teach, ( it may be impossible to assimilate all of this information in one go , but I would go into each session having researched what I am expected to know and impart to the students). Drawing from my own experience I would offer to open a dialogue (using course data) with my colleagues and peers, be they fellow tutors or superiors, to see where the delivery could be strengthened, via its content (syllabus non-withstanding) timing structure , scale, location and facilities on offer. This would be with a view to improving course numbers and positive learning outcomes which is a core responsibility. A boundary here would be if I were employed in a role which did not allow this kind of input, a barrier would be the annoyance of staff who have already delivered photography courses or units (as I have little teaching experience) so consideration and good interpersonal skills would need to come to the fore. This information would feed into my role of preparing my own subject ‘schemes of work’, it would be my responsibility to analyse the requirements of the syllabus, making sure that I understood it myself by carrying out research to bring myself up to date I would then work out how to break it down into its constituent parts and how relate it to my learners in enjoyable and manageable chunks over the duration of the course. Boundaries here are set out by awarding bodies for the qualifications I would teach, such as the amount of contact time, the length of time allowed for a learner to complete the course, what written work is required i. . assignments, essays or dissertations as well as how it is assessed. The amount of practical work and how it is assessed may also be set externally. When setting out schemes of work I would also need to consider as boundaries:- †¢ What kind of learners will be attending, what will be their motivations, what will their baseline achievement levels be, how broad will the spectrum of attainment be? †¢ What equipment will be required and how will I make it available to everyone? †¢ Where each session is to be delivered, its impact on what can be taught and how it can be taught? †¢ When each session is delivered, what condition the learners will be in, how will it impact on their concentration and what kind of practical work will be viable? †¢ How long is the term and are there any holidays, placements, visits and other trips? Having set out my schemes of work, I would then review them with my colleagues if the setting out had not already been a collaborative effort. Depending on the circumstances there also might be the opportunity to feedback to whichever body (or senior member of staff) sets the syllabus, with new ideas or fresh perspectives on the course contents. At this point I could give a clear insight into the courses I would be delivering and how it would fit into the broader theme of being a learner, I would be able to use this in my role as a spokesman for my subject area or faculty during marketing events such as open evenings and school visits, again feeding back information about new areas of interest, ways of getting better uptake of courses by analysing dialogue or questionnaires filled out. In my role as a Tutor I will conduct interviews with prospective students myself, (or they may be conducted by someone else) where I will be responsible for assessing whether they which of my courses would be most suited to them, if they may need to carry out further learning, either alongside doing the course or in preparation for it and if they require support in regard to disability, inance, childcare or any other barrier that would prevent them from fair access to the course. From this meeting and after enrolment an initial Individual Learning Plan is agreed. Using the framework of my ‘Schemes of Work’ I will then use the information from the Individual Learning Plans to tailor my lesson planning to the students needs and strengths and encouraging improvement in their weaker areas, using Visual, Aural and Kinaesthetic (V.  A. K. ) means, Making best use of their prior learning, promoting equality and celebrating diversity. Once students have started a course with me I would be responsible for their health and safety, I would make them familiar with all aspects of health and safety relevant to Photography Practice, and the policy of the college or institution, these are boundaries put in place to protect all, providing a safe and supportive place to study and work. These would also form part of the ground rules in my sessions, It would be my role to enforce them as it would be to abide by them, examples would be to establish what is suitable subject material, what constitutes correct handling of equipment , respect for others, no shouting, swearing, no sexism or racism either in images or verbally. I would present this information as I would with the rest of my course content using V. A. K. modes of teaching in as enjoyable a format as possible, clearly setting out the aims and objectives. Personal boundaries would need to be set out as I could well be teaching people of the same age as me, or anyone of 16 years or older, fraternisation outside of contact time could be seen as favouritism or abusing my position. Another important boundary would be to recognise the appropriate amount of help I should give to an individual learner, assisting students to access relevant services in college but avoiding inappropriate contact and making sure that my actions are not to the detriment of my students. I would strive to create a supportive learning environment for my learners while teaching theoretical and practical aspects of photography, I would introduce each session with a clear aims and objectives, assess what knowledge the group has of the topic, Sharing my Knowledge via demonstrations, videos or lectures, giving opportunities to discuss and explore the topic via V. A. K. learning modes, allowing them to apply their learning with hands on work, demonstrating their learning to each other, myself and themselves making sure that hands on time extends their knowledge and maximises learning potential. I would use informal testing methods such as questions and answers or a quiz to assess retention before finally reviewing the learning. Written and practical assignments , formal testing either set by the awarding body or myself would be used in part to assess the learning, It would be my role to use this data in tandem with informal testing (Q&A, Quizzes, etc), observation, peer review and self assessment and progress meetings with individual students. It would be my responsibility to see that these assessments are carried out properly, and without bias, making sure that handed in work was assessed with the same care that I would like my own work to be assessed and kept safe, free from damage and in accordance with the institutions’ data protection policy. On a session to session basis it would be my responsibility to ensure all of the administration relating to the students was up to date, in good order and reached the correct departments in the learning institute (or external body). Records such as the attendance register are not only kept for safety reasons (to establish the whereabouts of an individual, during a fire or other emergency and as part of a broader duty of care to students) but to monitor learners attendance so it meets the minimum requirements for the course. If not, correct assessment would not possible and the student’s opportunity to learn would also be compromised, falling below the minimum accepted attendance would be a boundary to the student’s success. I would also keep records on student progress, behaviour and performance (including which learning methods stimulate them the most. ) and use them with the results from both formal and informal assessments to adjust my lesson planning not only during the session as it happens, but fine tuning future lesson plans to match the rise and falls of student insight into, retention and application of the subject. During this fine tuning process I would also take account of my own reflections on the session, (Review) has my communication (spoken, written or by demonstration) triggered the correct response in the learner? Have I listened correctly and understood the students? (Feedback is only useful if it is understood,) In addition I would consider input from my peers (assessment) as to whether my delivery and the structure of the course needs to be amended during the period of its current delivery (Present). At the end of the course I would use this information and the students’ completed portfolios to assess and review what improvements can be made in the presentation of the next teaching year cycle. The principle of P. A. R. (Presenting, Assessing and Reviewing) is used on several different forms, In my preparation to become a trainer, In my extended role as a spokesperson for my subject or college and as a tutor within individual sessions, dealing with students and their immediate interaction with the subject and my delivery of it, then again in preparation and evaluation of courses I would run in the session to session cycle and during the yearly teaching cycle.

Rhetoric Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Rhetoric Paper - Essay Example What then were the odds of a black society infringing on a white society’s copyrights stand of winning a legal battle against the latter if the case was heard by an all- white jury? The answer to the question would obviously be very slim if any. Past Imperial Potentate Caesar Blake, Jr. and his Black Shriners fought such a battle and won. The win remains embalmed in the Masonic history and is celebrated every year as the Jubilee day. Freemasonry is one of the World's largest and oldest men’s fraternity. The fraternity has its roots on the middle ages guilds established by stonemasons who constructed the great cathedrals and castles of medieval Europe. Modern Freemason fraternities use the traditions, tools and terminologies to symbolize building men’s. Though many claim that the group is secretive, the freemasons themselves dispute this and claim that even though they exhibit high levels of discipline, no society of their size could be secretive (Shriners). In th e United States freemasons are in two distinctive societies based on their race; the White masons and the Black masons. The masons refer to themselves as Shriners. They claim to be a fraternity based on fun and fellowship and upholding the Masonic principles of relief, truth and brotherly love. The White Masonry society was established in 1872 with an aim of being a source of fun and to extend charitable actions through their activities. The fraternity these Masons established was referred to as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine and was exclusively for the Whites. In 1893 the Black Masons created their own Shrine society which they referred to as the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order (AEAONMS) also referred to as Prince Hall Shrinedom. Both societies called their chapters "temples†. The term "imperial potentate† was used by both groups to refer to their leader. This paper suggests that the Rhetorical Skills of the Past Imperial Potentate Caesar Blak e had a Big Role in Winning the Legal Tussle with the White Shriners. The paper also looks into the issue of administration of the Black Masonic Society and comes to the conclusion that the success of the same during the early 20th Century can also be partially attributed to the rhetorical skills of their leader ( Shriners home page). However, the paper is of the opinion that there were many other factors that led to the success of the Black Shriners. It is also imperative to consider the fact that other side of the legal battle had skilled orators too. The paper therefore concludes that rhetoric is not enough to win a cause. Action must support the rhetorical skills for any cause to succeed Historical background Jubilee Day Both Masonic groups coexisted harmoniously, in some cases in the same cities with each carrying its activities without the other’s interference for at least twenty years. However, the harmony between them broke with the White masons claiming that the Blac k masons had imitated their name, emblems, regalia and titles. The discontent within the White group culminated into a lawsuit in 1914 by a White Georgia Mason’s lodge which sought for orders to restrain the Black Masons from using the same. A similar lawsuit was raised in Arkansas. The matter reached the United States Supreme Court when a White Mason group in Houston sued

Contemporary issues in marketing MGT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Contemporary issues in marketing MGT - Essay Example Over time the classical economic theory based business social responsibility evolved to see business social responsibility as more than just profit. Businesses worldwide have become more socially responsible, but they still are pursuing economic interests. Economic interests will always remain the number one priority for businesses all over the world. "Any mechanism for enforcing or urging social responsibility upon firms must of course reckon with a profit motive..." (Arrow, 2001: 304) Not all the businesses have socially responsible outlook. Some business owners still regard socially responsible business practices as a waste of money, the cost outweighing any benefits. The majority of business owners, however, regard the cost of socially responsible actions as necessary expense. They make such a commitment an essential part of their business operation. They take a great deal of pride in the reputation their business has established and wish to protect its good name. These businesses want to be seen as responsible corporate citizens, conscious of the high standards expected of them by their customers and society at large. The business world of today is much more complex compared to that of 60 years age, requiring a higher degree of corporate social responsibil... Corporate Social responsibility's (CSR's) time has come, and it is not just a management fad. The key benefits of CSR for companies are in employee retention and helping organizations through dialogue and engagement with their key stakeholders. This enables companies to win better alignment with their markets and customers in the long run, and help stem the growing tide of confrontation. Strategic Ethics And Social Responsibility Strategic ethics and social responsibility are two of the most important, yet perhaps most misunderstood concerns in the world of business today. By their very nature, these fields are controversial, and there is no universally accepted approach for solving their questions. On the other hand, government is encouraging organizational accountability for ethical conduct, and organisations are being asked to prevent and control misconduct by implementing ethics programs. By defining strategic ethics, we can link and compare it with the concept of social responsibility. In this way, we can examine applications in the business context, thus drawing conclusions about their roles in strategy. (Ferrell, 2000, 119-23) With the competing demands from different stakeholders, Corporate Social Responsibility is becoming more important in an organisation. Corporate enterprises are starting to recognize that they have a wider responsibility to the communities within which they operate. Research has shown that by implementing social responsibilities, a win-win situation can be achieved between the company and its stakeholders. Social responsibility is the obligation a business assumes toward society. Jennings (2003:6)

#5 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

#5 - Research Paper Example In the generic business level strategies, New York Times Company can be positioned as a leader in cost efficiency. The organization has a good and wide reputation in the industry. Therefore, it enjoys some internal efficiency that would see it have a margin that would maintain above average profits. Moreover, the internal efficiency would be instrumental in sustaining the cost to the clients since it would attract customers to purchase the product. The organization engages in standardizing the product in order to have generic goods that are satisfactory to a considerable number of clients and offer it at the lowest price. This generic strategy has been an essential tool for the company in the industry considering it is quality level. The New York Times Company offers its products at the industry’s average prices, and this has enabled it gain the share of the market. The New York Times company business problem originated from its failure to use online services earlier enough than its competitors. It is, consequently, sensible for the company to implement integrated cost leadership and differentiation strategy. This strategy is new and hybrid and had gained more weight and popularity especially in today’s increased global competition (Janice, n.d). In essence, the organization can utilize this strategy to position itself and enhance its ability to adapt faster to the technological changes. In addition, this strategy would be a more efficient core competency in the product line. It would also be useful in producing products with differentiated characteristics that are treasured by the customers and providing the product at a lower cost in comparison to those of its rivals. The airline industry is one industry in which companies have to adapt in order to earn profits continually. In this industry, it is inevitable to charge high ticket prices so as to make profits. The Southwest Airlines confronted this challenge by marketing itself as a cost leader. The

Confederacies and Chiefdoms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Confederacies and Chiefdoms - Essay Example   There were three main confederacies that inhabited the Eastern North America, namely the Hurons, the Iroquois and the Powhattans (Johnson & Smith, 2003). The three confederacies took the form of having one single leader who was in charge of different tribes or communities that had been united to form a confederacy. The confederacies were mainly found in the regions of Southern Ontario, near lakes Ontario and Erie, where the Huron confederacy occupied, while the Iroquois Confederacy occupied the central New York region and the Powhattans occupied the Chesapeake regions (Johansen, 2005). On the other hand, the chiefdoms were organizations of a single community under the leadership of their chiefs, who wielded much authority and powers over the people and established informal government structures, with their aides under them, who were responsible for overseeing the implementation of the chief’s authority by the different sections of the community. The chiefdoms occupied the major river ways of the Mississippi River hence their being referred to as the Mississippian chiefdoms (Milner, 2006). The advantages in both forms of political organization is that the coming together of tribes and communities gave the political organizations the strength to fight against their enemies as opposed to when they could fight as single tribes or communities. However, the disadvantage is that the political organizations allowed for the leaders to exploit their subjects since their word was the authority.   Therefore, the subjects had to share the spoils of their hunting, gathering and agricultural exploits with the leaders, through paying such exploits as tribute to the leaders (Milner, 2006). The population estimate of the confederacies and the chiefdoms in the eastern North America region has been the subject of controversy between archeologists. However, there is an agreement between the archeologists, based on the archeological artifacts that have been discovered in this region, that hunting and gathering was the main social and economic activity of the people, while