Paper 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Paper 2 - Essay Example In his graphic novel Maus (1991), Spiegelman records history from an interview he conducted with his father Vladek. Vladek was a holocaust survivor who lived in New York, and he related his experiences that Spiegelman translated into a graphic novel. In this graphic story, the holocaust is comically depicted with Jews as Mice, the Poles as Pigs, Germans as Cats, French as Frogs, and Americans as Dogs (Wood 83). Through illustrations, the reader is compelled to make an action in his mind and by doing this; the author touches on soft underbellies that most texts would not dare to through non pictorial means (Ewert 82). The author has given a fresh understanding of holocaust in this novel. In Palestine, Sacco gives a graphical representation of the consequences of the first intifada in the holy land of Israel/Palestine. In this graphic novel, the author takes the audience through various refugee camps and towns in Palestine in a bid to gather stories, pictures and other relevant informa tion. The book has interesting illustrations and written texts that convey various themes throughout the pictured pages. The two graphic novels have given an interesting revelation about the cultural and political state in their settings. For example, Maus (1991) was written with a cultural touch and especially when it masks the low cultural status of comical works in the English speaking world where the word ‘comic’ was not taken seriously. Moreover, the novel has been used as a cultural tool in most states. For example, the author of the novel went against the cultural expectations of fascism and accepted his book to be published in South Africa in opposition of apartheid regime (Wood 85). This is because the book is culturally revolutionary and advocates for human rights to be upheld by the ruling regimes. Likewise, Sacco’s Palestine is a work that centers on violence, brutality, and torture as forms of

Discussion Topic 2 Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion Topic 2 - Personal Statement Example He pays attention, listening with keenness and with increased interest in the topic. Looking straight into his face, he exhibits the characteristics of a good listener, as his face is always to his communicating partner. By giving a person the opportunity to speak, he ensures that they talk in turns, making the communication process successful. Moreover, while talking to the audience, he maintains a steady eye contact, ensuring that all the people are paying attention. More interesting about him is his use of body language while communicating. Every action that indicates any emotional feeling, the pastor shows it out effectively, making his mode of communication understandable. Having mastered his reactions and gestures, his message is more understandable when compared to other speakers, as Leonard (78) points out that body language is part of communication, with increased influence on the understanding of a speaker’s message. He is always audible when talking to a person or t he congregation, and avoids too much information that is likely to be a hindrance to the understanding of his message. If there is one thing that I would borrow from the pastor is his use of body language. The manner in which he uses body language is captivating. The timing of his gestures and application of body language fascinates to me more, as it complements his speech

Stereotyping in Nursing Care | Reflection

Stereotyping in Nursing Care | Reflection PLACEMENT REFLECTION Introduction Reflection has been defined within healthcare as the active process of reviewing, analysing and evaluating experiences, drawing upon theoretical concepts or previous learning, in order to inform future actions (Reid, 1993). A reflective practitioner often reflects on experience and is capable of reflecting-in-action, continually learning from experience to the benefit of future actions (Schon, 1983). This essay is a reflective account based on the recurrence of an incident that took place during my placements in a forensic and an acute ward as part of my mental health nursing training. This reflection is based on Gibbs (1988) definition of reflection which is shown in his reflective cycle in the diagram below. The model will be used to describe the incident, my feelings following the incident and an evaluation of my experience. An analysis of what sense can be made of the situation and thoughts of what else could have been done under the circumstances. The final stage is an action pl an for what has to be done if the incident eventuates in future during practice (NHS, 2006). In accordance with the NMC code of conduct (2008) on confidentiality, the names used for the patients are pseudonyms. Reflection in nursing is important as it generates practice knowledge, enhances the ability to adapt to new situations, develops self-esteem, leads to satisfaction and improves professional practice (Baird and Winter, 2005, p.156). Similarly, Siviter (2004, p.165) explain that reflection is about gaining self-confidence, identifying when to improve, learning from own mistakes and behaviour, looking at other people’s perspectives, being self-aware and improving the future by learning from the past. Description of the incident During my first week of placement at a forensic ward, I was cautioned to be careful of some patients whom the nurses had labelled as ‘difficult’. This was a perception I carried with me till the end of my placement, unfortunately. At one instance I was with a nurse in the office when Yosef, one of the ‘so-called’ difficult patients came to request for the patients phone to make a call. The nurse appeared to be very busy and ignored the patient. As the patient kept knocking at the window, I asked the nurse if I could facilitate the request, but I was told the patient had to wait because he has a habit of always making requests. Yosef walked away after waiting for a few more minutes without help. He was fuming and very upset. I looked at the nurse in despair as I really could not understand what he had to wait for in the first place since in my view, the request could have easily been facilitated. I felt a sense of guilt because at that moment I felt we had le t down a service user as facilitators of service. I carried this guilt with me to my second placement which was a female acute admissions ward. I found that here too, the labelling of some patients as ‘difficult’ existed. Bridget, a 59 year old patient who presented as isolative, interacting minimally with peers and staff was also labelled as such. During a ‘plan of the day’ meeting which all patients and staff are expected to attend, Bridget was surprisingly very forthright. She spoke about staff negative attitudes towards patients during the ‘any other business session’. After lunch that day, I decided to have a conversation with her. I started by introducing myself and congratulated her for being outspoken at the meeting, empathising with her on some of the concerns she raised at the meeting. This was meant to make the prospect of engaging her more appealing to her. The conversation took off slowly, but I had to adopt emphatic listening whic h according to Wold (2004, p.73) is about the willingness to understand the other person and not just judging the person’s facts. During the conversation, I maintained eye contact in order to express a sense of interest in what she was saying (Caris-Verhallen et al, 1999). To my surprise, Bridget was participative, and very pleasant throughout the conversation, dispelling the earlier impression I had been given about her. At the meeting that morning, she had mentioned nurses’ insensitivity which I wanted her to elaborate on. In her response, she said ‘Nurses must know that mental illness is invisible unlike physical illness. The therapy is not all about medication, but it is also about relationships that show warmth towards us as patients. But some nurses feel so important and insensitive; their attitude sometimes makes me feel slighted and frustrated. This can easily lead me on to kick off and explode when I shouldn’t’. She was very thankful and said she felt ‘lifted’ after the conversation. My feelings I had mixed feelings after this conversation; a feeling of disappointment and regret. The disappointment was associated with the fact that there appeared to be a thread of a culture of neglect instead of support at the two wards towards patients. My regret was borne out of the fact that I had allowed some nurses to colour my perceptions of some of the patients. It was clear after this conversation that some nurses have failed to understand and respond to the needs of some patients because they failed to form sound therapeutic alliances with patients which is an essential component of all therapeutic interventions through effective communication Stevenson (2008, p.109). It is important in a mental health setting that nurses promote a therapeutic rapport with patients that is underpinned by a sense of trust, respect and mutual understanding. According to Harkreader and Hogan (2004, p. 245) these are ingredients that would raise the patient’s self-esteem and personal growth. Even more important, according to Arnold and Boggs (2007, p.200) is the need for effective therapeutic communication which can improve the patient’s ability to function. In order to establish therapeutic nurse-patient interaction, a nurse must demonstrate caring, empathy and trustworthiness (Kathol, 2003, p.33). These involve the implementation of interpersonal skills which Johnson (2008) defines as the total ability to communicate effectively with patients and all those involved in their care. Communication is the exchange of information, and effective communication must involve both verbal and non-verbal communication through the use of gestures, postures, facial e xpressions, tone and level of volume. I had a feeling that this intervention was a good starting point to develop my communication and interpersonal skills in future. Evaluation I realised that through communication, I got to know how some patients feel about nurses and the kind of interaction that they expect would contribute to their therapy. At least, my intervention had helped to alleviate her stress to some extent, calmed her frustration and anger through the use of effective communication skills which underpins the promotion of therapeutic relationships necessary to handle aggression more effectively (Duxbury 2002). Analysis Caring which consists among other things of the provision of comfort, concern and support, the development of trust and the alleviation of stress (Leninger, 1994) is a primary duty of nurses. But arguably, caring can only be demonstrated when people interact with each other and get to understand their needs. My interaction with Bridget was part of my duty to provide nursing care, and this was achieved by putting her at the centre of the conversation by way of making her: feel listened to; feel that her concerns are being validated and not trivialised; feel emotionally supported; feel understood. A conducive atmosphere for effective communication was created which enabled her to express her feelings. The Department of Health (DH) (2004) and the National Health Service (NHS) Modernisation Agency (2003) lay emphasis on the importance of patient-focused communication between health professionals and patients. This is seen as vital to achieving patient satisfaction, inclusive decision making in caregiving and an efficient health service. Nursing literature also promotes these concepts as indicative of best practice. For example, McCabe and Timmins (2006) and Charlton et al. (2008) found that, by using a person-centred approach in the interaction between nurses and patients, care outcomes were improved in: patient satisfaction; adherence to treatment options; patient health. Effective communication is also essential to practice and improving interpersonal relationships in the workplace between professional groups and peers (Grover, 2005) Conclusion The nurse is seen as the therapeutic agent in the nurse-patient relationship. This involves the application of effective communication and interpersonal skills which can lead to a sense of safety and protection, improved levels of patient satisfaction and greater adherence to treatment options and increased recovery rates. Furthermore, a successful communication through a patient-centred approach also serves to reassure relatives that their loved ones are receiving the necessary treatment. Action Plan My action plan for future clinical practice is to avoid stereotyping of some patients, but to try to understand them as individuals and treat them with the care that ensures recovery. This can only be done by forming therapeutic alliances with them through effective communication and interpersonal skills. REFERENCES Arnold, E. C. and Boggs, K. (2007) Interpersonal Relationship: Professional Communication Skills for Nurses, Copyright  © 2006, Elsevier, London. Baird, M. and Winter, J. (2005) Reflection, practice and clinical education in Philadelphia: ElsevierChurchill Livingstone. Caris-Verhallen, W. M. C. M., Kerkstra, A. and Bensing, J. M. (1999) Non-verbalbehaviour in nurse-elderly patient communication. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 29 (4), 808-818. Charlton, CR, Dearing, KS, Berry, JA and Johnson, MJ (2008) Nurse practitioners’ communication styles and their impact on patient outcomes: an integrated literature review. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 20: 382–8. Duxbury J.A. (2002) An evaluation of staff and patients’ views of and strategies employed to manage patient aggression and violence on one mental health unit. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 9, 325–337. Gibbs, G (1988) Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford: Further Education Grover, S. M. (2005). Shaping Effective Communication Skills and Therapeutic Relationships at Work, The foundation of Collaboration. AAOHN Journal, 53(4), 177-182. Harkreader, H. and Hogan, M. A. (2004) Fundamental of Nursing: Caring andClinical Judgment. Johnson, D. (2008) Interpersonal skills [onlinehttp://www.mtsu.edu/~jsanborn/iskills/interpersonal.htm[Accessed on 21 March 2014] Kathol, D. D. (2003) Communication in Kockrow, E. O. and Christen, B. L. (eds) Foundation of Nursing, Missouri: Mosby. Leninger, M. (1994). Evaluation criteria and critique of qualitative evaluation studies. (Ed.), Critical issues in qualitative research methods (pp. 95-115). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. McCabe C, Timmins F. (2006) Communication Skills for Nursing Practice, Palgrave MacMillan NHS Modernisation Agency (2003) Available at: http://www.institute.nhs.uk/index.php?option=com_joomcartmain_page=document_product_infoproducts_id=230cPath=67 Accessed on April 2014 Nursing and Midwifery Council. (NMC). (2008). The Code Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics for Nurses and Midwives. London: NMC Reid, B. (1993) But we’re already doing it! Exploring a response to the concept of reflective practice in order to improve it’s facilitation. Nurse Education Today. 13 pp. 305-309. Schon, D.A. (1983) The reflective practitioner. New York: Basic Books. Siviter, B. (2004) The Student Nurse Handbook. USA: Baillere Tindall. Stevenson (2008, p.109). Unit, Oxford Polytechnic. Wold, G. H. (2004, p.73) Basic Geriatric Nursing 3rd ed. USA: Mosby https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/amending-the-national-health-service-act-2006

Sarcasm and Irony in Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal :: A Modest Proposal Jonathan Swift

Sarcasm and Irony in Swift's A Modest Proposal In his lengthy literary career, Jonathan Swift wrote many stories that used a broad range of voices that were used to make some compelling personal statements. For example, Swifts, A Modest Proposal, is often heralded as his best use of both sarcasm and irony. Yet taking into account the persona of Swift, as well as the period in which it was written, one can prove that through that same use of sarcasm and irony, this proposal is actually written to entertain the upper-class. Therefore the true irony in this story lies not in the analyzation of minute details in the story, but rather in the context of the story as it is written. One of the voices that is present throughout the story is that of irony. The story itself is ironic since no one can take Swifts proposal seriously. This irony is clearly demonstrated at the end of the story; Swift makes it clear that this proposal would not affect him since his children were grown and his wife unable to have any more children. It would be rather absurd to think that a rational man would want to both propose this and partake in the eating of another human being. Therefore, before an analyzation can continue, one has to make the assumption that this is strictly a fictional work and Swift had no intention of pursuing his proposal any further. One of the other voices that is present throughout the entire story is that of sarcasm. In order to understand this further, a reader has to comprehend that Swift, becoming infamous after Gullivers Travels, was a member of the upper-class. Right from the first paragraph Swift attempts to fool his readers by the sarcasm of the dreary scene that Swift presents. For example, he mentions that it is a melancholy sight to see beggars and their children on the street. The sarcastic paradox in this statement is whether it is a melancholy object for him, having to see homeless people every day, or for the beggars lifestyle? Upon first reading this one may be led to believe that Swift is a compassionate writer attempting to feel the pain of the beggars. But as the story continues, a reader can look back and note that he is using a sarcastic tone and the only sad sight that he sees is the fact that people of his status have to deal with commoners.

Thorn Queen Chapter Three

Once I stopped hyperventilating from all the attention on me, I immediately realized Nia had been right about the dress. Like always, the gentry dressed like that they were going to a Renaissance Faire that served ecstasy. Satin, velvet, silk. Even a little leather here and there. Lots of jewelry, lots of skin. The glittering array dazzled the eye, the colors shining, rich, and vivid. I wore a sundress meant to have sort of a vintage look. Made of tan gauze scattered with a design of tiny yellow flowers, it had an empire waist and a clingy little skirt that went to my knees. The straps tied behind my neck, and most of my back stayed bare, all the better to show off my tattoos: a woman's face within a full moon on my neck and a line of violets on my lower back. The dress's color looked great with the dusky, light auburn of my hair. Unfortunately, while the shabby-chic peasant look might be expensive and very much in vogue in the human world, dressing like a peasant in a place resembling the set from an epic medieval movie made you look like, well, a peasant. â€Å"Oh my God,† I hissed to Shaya as we walked through the room. â€Å"I look completely out of place.† â€Å"Be quiet,† she snapped, in a rare display of the consternation she probably actually always held around me. â€Å"You are queen of the Thorn Land. You destroyed one of the shining ones' most powerful kings. You have the right to wear whatever you want, so act like it.† I swallowed my retort and hoped she and her tough love were right. As it was, I had to resist the urge to cling to her hand like a child. That inept social upbringing of mine made navigating this kind of attention painful. Shaya had promised to stay by my side and ensure my etiquette, though that had allayed my fears only marginally. With a great force of will, I tried to follow her advice and look haughty and unconcerned by my appearance. â€Å"You must go to Maiwenn first,† she murmured, â€Å"and then most of them will come to you for introductions. You've been a great source of curiosity, and this is your first public appearance since taking the crown.† â€Å"Got it. Maiwenn first.† The Willow Queen appeared to be surrounded by a throng of people. We headed toward them. On the way, I received an assortment of nods, curtsies, and bows. The room held a handful of monarchs, my peers, but every other noble held a rank lower than mine. A few of those we passed offered greeting. I suspected I might have met them at a ball I'd attended last spring. Most simply gave me polite murmurings of â€Å"Your majesty.† We reached Maiwenn's circle of admirers. I meant to hover on the edges, but the people parted for us, soon giving Shaya and me a front-row view. Maiwenn sat in an ornately carved wooden throne, its whirling designs accented here and there with gold. She herself was golden, with lustrous, tanned skin and long hair that looked like spilled sunshine. A gown of teal velvet-the same color as her eyes-showed her maternal curves to great advantage. Yet, her greatest ornamentation, in my opinion, was the striking figure of Kiyo standing nearby, one hand resting on the back of her chair. He wore gentry clothing tonight, simple black slacks and a long-sleeved white silk tunic that he probably could have worn among humans without question. His eyes, warm and dark, met mine briefly before turning back to the person addressing Maiwenn. Heat flared between him and me in that moment, and electricity coursed through my body as I remembered last night. â€Å"-best wishes for you and your child, your majesty,† the man was saying. â€Å"Truly this is a joyous occasion, and we pray to the gods for good fortune and good health.† I pondered his words, recalling Kiyo telling me this was less of a baby shower and more of a luck ceremony. The gentry did not conceive often, nor did they bear children easily. Infant mortality was high. Old superstition held that a party like this, with so many well-wishers, would imbue the child with luck and ensure prosperity. The man finished his spiel and gestured to a servant to bring his gift. The servant handed over a small golden chest, about the size of a shoebox, which his master opened with a flourish. A few oohs sounded from those gathered, and I craned my head to see what it held. A glitter of red met my eyes. â€Å"This is my gift to your son or daughter: the finest rubies from my land, polished and cut to perfection.† I blinked and glanced around, wondering if I was the only one who found that gift ridiculous. What the hell was an infant going to do with a crate of rubies? Choke on them? Those things definitely needed a Not For Children Under 3 warning on them. No one else shared my view, and the group seemed to be in agreement on the gift's value. Kiyo, however, caught my eye, and I saw the faintest of smiles play over his face as he guessed what I was thinking. The man left, and all eyes swiveled to me. We hadn't arrived first, but apparently my rank bought me cutting rights. Following Shaya's earlier instructions, I stepped forward and kissed Maiwenn's cheek. She kissed mine in return. â€Å"Eugenie, I'm so happy to see you again.† She looked it, too. I don't know if it was faked or not, but she was one of those people who could always look happy and make you think she really cared about you. I suspected most of her kindness was sincere, but she had to have the same uneasiness around me as I did with her, given our respective relationships with Kiyo. Glancing at his dark looks and her golden ones, I suddenly had a vivid image of them in bed together. I wondered if he'd been as wild with her as with me. I wondered if she'd liked it. Pushing that picture out of my head, I attempted a return smile. â€Å"Thank you for inviting me. Sorry I'm late.† She waved a dismissive hand. â€Å"You didn't have to come at all. I'm just glad you're here.† I didn't have any elegant speeches, so I kept my words simple. â€Å"I'm†¦very happy for you. I hope things go great with you and the baby.† I glanced over at Shaya, who'd been holding my backpack. She handed it to me, and I noticed then that the number of watchers had increased, eyes curious as to what the half-human queen would give. The Kiyo Love Triangle was no secret; gentry gossip spread around the Otherworld faster than any human tabloid could have kept up with. Producing a teddy bear, I handed it over to her. She took it, eyes surprised as her hands ran over its smooth, sable-brown fur. I'd paid a lot of money for it. It was some kind of designer brand I'd been told was much coveted among upper-class suburban moms. â€Å"It's, um, a toy,† I explained, immediately feeling idiotic. The gentry weren't technologically advanced, but even they could figure that one out. â€Å"It's lovely,† she said, touching the seams. â€Å"We can't match this kind of workmanship. Thank you.† â€Å"Oh, and well†¦I honestly didn't think there was anything else I could give that the baby wouldn't already have. So, instead, I made a donation in its name to a children's charity. Or rather, once we know its name, I'll finalize the donation.† Forgetting the teddy bear, she looked up at me, clearly perplexed. â€Å"I don't understand.† Those gathered apparently didn't either, judging from the curious expressions. â€Å"I, um, well, gave money to a group that helps sick kids. They'll use that money to take care of them, and it'll be†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I grasped for something gentry-friendly. â€Å"†¦it'll be done in your baby's honor.† A supreme look of delight flooded her gorgeous face, and I knew without a doubt she wasn't faking it. She understood, and she liked the gift. â€Å"It's very generous,† Kiyo explained to her. The smoldering message his eyes gave me indicated he had a few ideas of how to express his gratitude for the present. She put her arms around the teddy bear, holding it to her ample chest while her eyes gazed off with thought. â€Å"Acts of such kindness†¦done in the baby's name†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She turned that radiance back to me. â€Å"Acts like that cannot help but generate good will from the gods. Thank you, Eugenie.† A murmur of considering whispers stirred behind us. She and I exchanged a few more remarks, and then I yielded the floor to the next well-wisher. â€Å"Was that okay?† I asked Shaya as we walked away. â€Å"Extremely.† A wry note hung in her voice. â€Å"I doubted your gift, but now I think you understand this custom better than we do.† She switched to a lower tone. â€Å"Ah, this is Katrice, the Rowan Queen, coming toward us.† I looked up with interest, having passed through the Rowan Land so many times during my Otherworldly journey. Katrice looked about fifty or so in human years, which meant she could boast a few centuries. Only a little silver laced her thick black hair, and her dark eyes glittered with a keen intellect. A dress of red and white satin covered her stout figure. â€Å"Oh, oh, oh! This is her at last! The Thorn Queen. My dear child, you have been too absent from our gatherings.† She put her arms around me and kissed my cheek. It was a bit more slobbery than Maiwenn's kiss. A little overwhelmed by her presence, I returned the gesture. She smelled like roses. â€Å"It†¦it's nice to meet you.† â€Å"You are so lovely! Look at her, Marlin. Isn't she lovely?† She grabbed the arm of a man who looked about twice her age, his wispy gray hair barely covering his head. His eyes indicated he wasn't really at the party right now. â€Å"What?† he asked. Katrice raised her voice. â€Å"Lovely. Isn't she LOVELY?† â€Å"Loverly,† he muttered, staring off to my left. â€Å"Duke Marlin, the queen's consort,† Shaya whispered. â€Å"Look at you, look at you!† Katrice continued, still bubbling over. â€Å"How could a little thing like you have killed Aeson? Hmm? Old Tirigan Storm King would be so proud.† I jerked with surprise, taken aback by the callous reference to both my slaying of Aeson and my father's name. Not noticing my reaction, she gestured frantically to a young man passing nearby. He had slim good looks and raven-black hair tied back in a ponytail. He too wore red and white, and I remembered once seeing the Rowan Land's flag, a rowan tree bordered in red and white. Apparently, they were a patriotic group. â€Å"Darling, darling! Come meet the Thorn Queen.† Smiling, he hastened to her side and gave me a courteous nod. â€Å"This is my son, Leith. Leith, Queen Eugenie.† He took my hand and kissed it very properly, as was the custom. â€Å"A pleasure, your majesty.† â€Å"Likewise.† I studied him, curious at seeing a gentry prince. With all the gentry reproductive issues, none of the other monarchs I'd met-aside from Maiwenn-had any children. They tended to be solitary rulers. He looked so nice and friendly-and like he wasn't currently make plans to get in my pants-that I wanted to make conversation, but I was never very good at initiating that kind of thing. Katrice took the dilemma out of my hands. â€Å"Isn't she beautiful, Leith? I was just saying how I can scarce believe she killed old Aeson. Can you believe that? What was it that I heard, my dear? That you drowned him?† I cleared my throat uncomfortably. â€Å"Um, no, not exactly. I sort of summoned all the water out of his body and blew him apart.† â€Å"Oh!† She clapped her hands together as though it were the most wonderful thing she'd ever heard. â€Å"Oh! Oh! Isn't that fascinating? And so clever!† Apparently noting my discomfort, Leith hastily said, â€Å"Mother, I'm sure the Thorn Queen would prefer to discuss more pleasant topics. This is hardly the place to talk about death.† I flashed him a grateful smile. We did indeed move to more mundane topics, and I found he managed a conversation far more effectively than his mother did. â€Å"I saw your expression over the rubies,† he teased. â€Å"You don't think the baby will appreciate those?† I made a face. â€Å"Maybe if they can decorate a crib with them. Or maybe make a mobile. Are those kinds of gifts normal?† â€Å"I'm afraid so,† he said, still smiling. â€Å"As I heard you say, there isn't much this baby won't get from Maiwenn. Most of these nobles are more interested in making the queen happy, not the baby-hence all the useless gifts.† â€Å"Why, Leith,† scolded his mother. â€Å"That's ridiculous. I'm sure Maiwenn's child will absolutely love the crystal dinnerware we brought.† When I finally excused us, Leith kissed my hand again and spoke in a voice too low for Katrice to hear. â€Å"I'm sorry about her. She doesn't always think before she speaks.† I laughed. â€Å"It's okay,† I murmured back. â€Å"She's a queen. That's her job.† More loudly and properly, he said, â€Å"I hope you'll come visit us. Mother's been dying to receive you at our court.† â€Å"Sure,† I agreed. â€Å"One of these days.† I tried to reciprocate the politeness. â€Å"You should come visit us too. I'm not around much, but you're welcome whenever.† He brightened, as did Katrice who actually stayed silent for a change. â€Å"Thank you, your majesty. I'd love to. I've heard amazing things about your land. They say it's very fierce. Fierce, but beautiful.† Shaya laughed softly as we departed. â€Å"Oh, you don't know what you've done.† I stared at her. â€Å"What do you mean? I think I handled that well, considering that woman's endless chattering.† â€Å"Don't let her surface fool you. She's shrewder than you think. And powerful. Unfortunately, her son is not.† â€Å"Leith? What do you mean? Magically?† She nodded. â€Å"His magic is almost nonexistent. He won't be able to inherit her kingdom.† â€Å"Whoa†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Considering how long gentry lived, I'd never thought much about inheritance issues. â€Å"But he seemed pretty competent. Very intelligent.† â€Å"He is. Extremely so. He's an inventor of sorts. He's created things that have revolutionized their kingdom-and the others, slowly. He most recently created tools to print text in books the way your people do. It'll save a fortune in scribes.† â€Å"Like a printing press? Wow.† Who knew? Leith was like a fairy version of Gutenberg. Cool. Maybe the Otherworld was well on its way to the Industrial Revolution. â€Å"And that doesn't count for anything with ruling?† â€Å"No.† Shaya didn't sound sympathetic in the least. Magical strength was the greatest measure of a gentry's worth, which is why my bastard father had been held in such high regard. Those who believed I would match him one day regarded me similarly. â€Å"Ingenuity alone is not enough to inherit the throne or bind the land. However, his odds might improve if he had a powerful consort.† I suddenly tripped on my own feet when I caught her meaning. â€Å"What, you mean me?† â€Å"By their estimation, you're a good match. Powerful, already ruling a kingdom. Your human blood and ability to conceive makes you extremely attractive, your role in the prophecy doubly so.† â€Å"Christ. You people are nuts.† She seemed to be enjoying my dismay. â€Å"Like I said, Katrice is shrewd. She wasn't lying when she said she wanted to meet you. She's probably planned this for a while. You inviting Leith to visit fulfilled her dreams. Just wait, he'll come soon.† â€Å"How come you guys have no concept of ‘just friends' around here? Why is every guy I meet a potential mate? Leith was nice enough and cute, but I mean†¦come on.† I supposed I shouldn't have been surprised, really. The gentry had much looser sexual mores than humans-as a few couples in the room's corners were currently demonstrating-so they probably treated everything as a possible romantic encounter. Considering the wights' less-than-romantic bid for my affections earlier, I should have been grateful for Leith's more civilized courtship. Still, I found it all wearying. Shaya introduced me to a number of other nobles that afternoon. Most blurred together. I simply smiled and nodded a lot, fantasizing about being home in bed with Kiyo. Near the end of the party, one new person actually caught my attention. The first interesting thing was just how dark his skin was-a rarity in the otherwise Caucasian gentry of this portion of the Otherworld. His black hair hung around his face in a shower of tiny braids, perfectly setting off the burgundy satin cloak around him. He bowed low over my hand, sweeping his cloak away with a flourish. â€Å"Your majesty,† he said with a faint French accent. â€Å"It is an honor and a privilege. The stories of your beauty do not do you justice. I am Girard de la Colline.† I accepted his hand kiss with astonishment. â€Å"You must be from very far away.† The Otherworld mirrored my own world in geography. The residents here, near Arizona, spoke variations of American English. I wondered idly if those who ruled now had supplanted an American Indian version of the gentry. â€Å"Such a journey is well worth it to be in your presence, but sometime, if you like, I would be honored to tell you stories of my homeland. Its beauty is enough to make a man weep, though I'm given to understand that the terrible beauty of your own kingdom can make men weep as well-for different reasons.† I laughed. â€Å"I suppose so. Those who respect it can survive it; those who don't†¦well, don't.† â€Å"It sounds just like its queen.† He inclined his head. â€Å"I also have a small talent with metalwork, if you would ever like anything crafted. I live in the Rowan Land now but would happily take a commission if you require one.† I thanked him for the offer and said I'd think about it. When we left him, I turned to Shaya. â€Å"I liked him. But let me guess-he wants to woo me and father my child, too?† â€Å"Oh, he wouldn't be opposed to it, but that's not his short-term goal. He really is quite a gifted artisan-he's even got a little human blood in his ancestry, which lets him somewhat touch iron. But a man like him†¦well, he's a courtier. He hangs around nobility and tries to find connections that might help him rule a kingdom of his own one day.† â€Å"Which, my dear Shaya, is a very kind way of saying he is a schmoozing bottom-feeder who will do anything to further his own political aspirations. I will agree with you on his artistic talents, however. Why, we should have him make our good friend the Thorn Queen here a proper crown and solidify her title.† That smooth, laconic voice sliced my heart in two, and I froze. Turning around slowly, I met a pair of long-lashed green eyes flecked with gold and hazel, all framed by a sweep of long, fiery hair that rivaled the trees of autumn in his kingdom. Dorian, King of the Oak Land. â€Å"Your majesty,† exclaimed Shaya happily, giving him a low curtsey. â€Å"How are you? How is your domain?† Dorian smiled and lightly chucked her chin. â€Å"Are you afraid my household has fallen apart without you? I confess, it does run a bit less smoothly than before, but we endure what we must. I have no doubts your new mistress has more need of your services than I, so I shall suffer longer for her sake.† He gave me a pointed look. I said nothing. Shaya glanced between the two of us, her happy mien turning nervous. â€Å"If you'll excuse me, your majesties, I'm going to find some refreshment. I'll return momentarily.† I sincerely doubted that, but she departed too quickly for me to protest. I wanted to follow her but was now trapped. A bit of his showmanship dimmed, but the wit and lazy amusement that constantly cloaked Dorian remained. He always behaved as though he were on a stage, both in his mannerisms and his melodramatic-and often wry-commentary. I guess as a king he kind of was on stage during his life. â€Å"Well, Eugenie, here we are.† Dorian carelessly smoothed down the black velvet of his robe. Gold and red patterns danced around the hems. â€Å"You are a vision of sublime beauty, as always.† â€Å"Oh come on,† I exclaimed. â€Å"Not from you, of all people. I'm the most shoddily dressed person in this room.† â€Å"No. I saw a scullery maid dressed nearly as badly. A crown really would go a long way to establish your standing. But, barring that, your dress is actually lovely and well-made, even if plain. Wait and watch: you'll see women wearing copies of it soon. The fact that you can still draw eyes while wearing it is a testament to your beauty and presence. You achieve what most of these trumped-up, painted women cannot, no matter how many layers of heavy, rich fabric cover them up.† I gestured toward his robe. â€Å"You're covered up in a fair amount of heavy, rich fabric yourself.† The edges of his lips curled up. â€Å"If they bother you, I can remove as many of these layers as you like.† I rolled my eyes, but the damage was done. With those few words, I once again saw his naked body, smooth and perfect in the moonlight, hovering over mine as I lay bound to his bed. It had been one night, one night only, but it was a night I'd had little luck in forgetting for the last three months. Seeing Dorian stirred it all up again, filling me with confusion over the way my body had responded to such domination. Long before that night, Dorian had been one of my first allies in the Otherworld. He'd supported Storm King-and would have loved to knock me up-but had stood firm against any notion of rape. He'd wanted me of my own free will. In the end, he'd helped me defeat Aeson and had shown me the fundamentals of using magic. â€Å"Did you give Maiwenn something?† I asked abruptly, steering us elsewhere. He scrutinized me a moment before answering. â€Å"Yes, of course. What was it? Ah. Yes. Bolts of lovely cloth that I'm sure she can do†¦something†¦lovely with. My steward picked it out. A paltry present compared to yours, or so I hear.† His eyes tracked across the room to where Maiwenn and Kiyo laughed with some woman I didn't recognize. â€Å"Look at them. Their child will be something to see, don't you think? They make a very striking couple. I should commission a painter to do a family portrait once the baby arrives. Something they can all treasure for years to come.† I stiffened. â€Å"That's why you wanted to talk to me, huh? You haven't changed, Dorian, and I'm not going to stay here and play if you're just going to try to bait me. I didn't want to talk to you anyway.† Dorian gave a long-suffering sigh. â€Å"You always think so little of me, Eugenie. I wished to speak with you because I wanted to know how you've been. I've missed you. How do you like being a queen? Your land hasn't perished†¦yet†¦so I'm taking that as a good sign.† Still irked by the Kiyo jibe, I fixed him with a glare. â€Å"I didn't want to be a queen at all. It's your fault I've gotten into this. If you hadn't tricked me into claiming the land, I'd be in Tucson right now and away from all of this.† The sting of what he'd done, binding me to the Thorn Land, still itched within me. I wasn't sure if I could ever forgive him for that. â€Å"Not true. You'd still be here, moping around while your lover receives gifts for his child, just as you are right now. And men like the young Rowan prince would still solicit you because whatever other titles come and go, you will always be Storm King's daughter.† â€Å"I don't really want to be that either.† He spread his hands out, palms up, in a gesture of helplessness. â€Å"That I cannot change. All I can do with that is help you to develop the powers you inherited, but you've already refused my aid there.† I looked away. â€Å"I don't need your help.† Aside from the grudge I held against him, I couldn't shake the feeling that more of his â€Å"help† would result in me in his bed again. He took a step toward me. â€Å"Have you been teaching yourself?† I didn't answer. â€Å"You have been, haven't you? Or trying to, at least. Odd, considering I distinctly recall you saying you were satisfied with the level of magic you'd reached through my training.† He smiled. â€Å"How is that going? Perhaps you'd like my help again?† I jerked my head back toward him. Too much at this party had ground me down already, and his serpent's tongue was the point that threatened to break me. â€Å"No. I don't need your help. I don't need anyone's help, okay? I'm happy with what I'm teaching myself. If I advance, fine. If I don't, fine. It doesn't matter to me.† He laughed, a soft and deadly sound that poured over me like honey. â€Å"Eugenie, Eugenie. You may lie to other people, you may lie to your kitsune, and you may even lie to yourself. But do not lie to me. I was the one who first taught you to control your magic. I've seen how you crave it, how you glow with the rush of that power. I know how it makes you feel because I've felt it too. I can see in those lovely violet eyes of yours how passionately you want to tap more of that magic. It's consuming you.† â€Å"As usual,† I said in a low voice that matched his own, â€Å"you're imagining more than is actually there.† â€Å"And you, as usual, are denying what is there, not to mention your own nature. You are what you are, Eugenie, and the sooner you accept that, the sooner you can begin doing great things.† â€Å"This conversation is done,† I snapped, turning away. Dorian's hand closed around my wrist, and he pulled me toward him with an unexpected harshness. I don't think he'd meant to do it quite so hard. I let out a small gasp as those fingers tightened against my skin. I wasn't trapped by any stretch of the imagination, but for half a moment, I could believe I was. The painful restraint on my wrist sent shockwaves of heat through my body, and the scent of cinnamon drifted around me, standing this close to him. My breathing had grown heavy, and I willed it to slow down. He hadn't expected that reaction. A slight widening of his eyes showed rarely expressed surprise. Leaning his face toward mine, his thumb stroked the skin on my arm while the rest of the fingers maintained their hold. â€Å"Just like old times, hmm? It seems you haven't entirely lost your taste for restraint. Yet, like everything else, I'm sure you deny yourself that as well.† â€Å"You think so?† I asked nastily. â€Å"You should try fucking Kiyo. Lots of restraint there.† Amusement lit his face, contrasting with the dark desire in his eyes. â€Å"Since I'm presuming you don't mean you finally bought him a leash, let me say simply that there is a big difference between allowing an animal to ravage you and allowing yourself to be ravaged. One is common. The other is art. It is planned. Crafted, even. Only capable of being done by a master.† His next words came out so conversationally, we might as well have been discussing the weather. â€Å"As it is, I've been planning out what I'd like to do the next time we make love. I think I want you to lie on your stomach, with your hands bound to the front of the bed. We'll have to shift your hips up a bit, put you on your knees just a little, but otherwise you'll stay prostrate, almost like you're bowing in humble obeisance as I kneel behind you and take you.† He paused. â€Å"Unless you have other suggestions?† I broke from his grasp and backed up, surprised to find I was shaking. This was Dorian. The same dangerous, presumptuous, and scheming Dorian I'd first met months ago, no matter the sweetness and charm that poured off of him. He had no right to speak to me like that, not after I'd parted ways over his trick with the Thorn Land, not after I'd told him I wanted to stay with Kiyo. And yet, he had once been my friend and my teacher and my ally in battle†¦and my lover. And as I stood there staring at him, I could imagine everything he'd just described. I could feel it. And, God help me, I wanted it. My whole body tingled with the arousal his words wrought. â€Å"I have to go,† I said. It took two tries for my dry mouth to get the words out. â€Å"I have to find Shaya.† He inclined his head politely. â€Å"Of course.† I turned and walked away, but not before I heard him call after me. â€Å"Eugenie? Don't forget, if you change your mind, my offer still stands. For all things.† I bit my lip so as not to retort and was so focused on maintaining control that I nearly ran into a woman heading in the direction I'd just come from. She was gorgeous, with red hair that stood out like bright flames against her fair skin. She wore a puff-sleeved dress that matched the sky blue of her long-lashed eyes and reminded me a little of Cinderella's ball gown. Of course, Disney would have never allowed that much cleavage. The woman stepped gracefully aside, just barely avoiding a collision. And then, to my complete and total shock, she sidled up to Dorian and wrapped herself around him, pressing her lips to his cheeks. â€Å"Ah, there you are,† he said happily. He returned the kiss-except, well, it was on her lips. And lasted awhile. With tongue. I stood there, frozen, urging myself to ignore them and keep moving. Yet, I couldn't. Dorian, seeing me still there, gave me one of his grander smiles. â€Å"Queen Eugenie, a moment. Have you met my charming young friend yet?† That, of course, was one of Dorian's more annoying habits. He knew perfectly well I'd never met her but enjoyed playing the innocent. â€Å"I haven't,† I said stiffly, crossing my arms over my chest. â€Å"Queen Eugenie, may I present Ysabel, one of my subjects in the Oak Land. She's been spending some time†¦in the castle.† I took the subtext to mean that said time was specifically being spent in his bed. Ysabel bowed, giving me a polite â€Å"Your majesty.† Yet, when she straightened up, I saw the look in her eyes was anything but polite. There was a distinct hostility there, and it was directed at me. I was a bit taken aback until I realized what it was. Jealousy. This woman was insanely, adamantly jealous of me. She pressed herself closer to Dorian, almost possessively, her hands roaming over his body in the way that was so commonplace among their kind. â€Å"A pleasure,† I replied. I turned around to leave again, having no desire to watch Ysabel grope Dorian. If she wanted to make me jealous, she was wasting her efforts. Dorian and I were finished. There was nothing more between us, nor would there ever be again. â€Å"Dorian's latest lover,† Shaya explained later. â€Å"Yeah, I kind of figured that out.† â€Å"My understanding is that he went an astonishingly long time without a consort ever since†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She didn't finish. She was referring to when Dorian and I had been involved. â€Å"How long is a long time?† I asked. â€Å"Mmm†¦a couple of weeks.† â€Å"A couple of weeks after we broke up? That's a long time?† â€Å"For King Dorian? Yes. I believe she's his fourth since then, but she bears a distinct resemblance to all the others.† Shaya looked at me meaningfully. â€Å"So?† I asked, not getting the point. â€Å"Always fair skinned. Always redheads. Violet eyes are harder to find, though, so he's settled on blue.† It took me a few moments more to catch on. â€Å"Wait. Are you saying Dorian's been taking lovers that look like me?† â€Å"It could just be a coincidence,† she said diplomatically. â€Å"Jesus Christ,† I said, suddenly freaked out. Had I really made that big of an impression on him? Shaya paused a moment, face thoughtful. â€Å"I don't think Ysabel likes you very much.† â€Å"I kind of figured that out too. She was trying to make me jealous.† Then, in case there was any question, I added, â€Å"But I'm not.† â€Å"As you say,† replied Shaya, voice and face perfectly pleasant. I couldn't tell if she believed me or not, but it didn't matter. I knew the truth. I really wasn't jealous of Ysabel and Dorian. Well, not much, anyway.

Funeral Oration of Pericles Essay

In the reading of the Funeral Oration of Pericles, I do not believe what Pericles says about Athens. I believe he made his speech to boost morale for his people and for the soldiers, and to keep the war going. In the Funeral Oration of Pericles, they were there to honor the fallen soldiers and to have a burial for them, but Pericles made it about the war. He used it to boost morale for the soldiers, to get them excited and to give them a reason to keep fighting, he also used it to give a reason behind the war to the citizens. It was a political move on its own. These tactics are still used in the world today, such as the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and as far back as the Gettysburg Address. Pericles believed that personal glory was one of the rare things you could have, and fighting in the war and giving your life for your city was one of the highest glories you could bestow, so therefore he glorified the war not the people that lost their lives fighting in it. Pericles was trying to persuade the people that the war was worth people losing their lives over and that there was a meaning and cause for it. The funeral oration can be seen in the world today with the war in Iraq, where the President gives the speeches about why we are fighting in a war, the reasons and the cause, which is really not known today, such as weapons of mass destruction, it was said that Iraq possessed these and come to find out they had none, so many people lost their lives for what reason? There was hype, and glorification given to the men and women that fought, to boost their morale and for them to know they were doing something that helped the country. The President tried to persuade the citizens with his speeches that it was just and there was a reason for the war. In conclusion, the question asked was do I believe everything Pericles says about Athens in the Funeral Oration. The answer to that would be no. I do not believe that Pericles was there to honor the fallen soldiers. I belie ve he was there to persuade the citizens and the soldiers that what they were doing was right and was just and if they continued then they would be glorified.

RENE MARGRITTE, TIME TRANSFIXED

RENE MARGRITTE, TIME TRANSFIXED, 1938 Time transfixed by Rene Margritte is a surrealistic painting. By watching the painting We see a very sharp and clear painting with dark colors close to the red. The painting look so real that fools the eye and the observer has the impression that it is a computer graphic and not a real painting. The composition its ruled by straight diagonal lines. But there are some vertical lines to break the monotony and to relax our eye. Our vision goes straight to the fireplace because its the only object on white and attracts our attention. It is a strange composition. There is a fireplace and a train coming through it. Its the train that travels through the time. But why come through the fireplace? That because is surrealistic. On the top of the fireplace are two candles. The candles are not lit. But the painting is illuminated by natural light coming from the right. The candles symbolize the knowledge. In meddle of two candles is a black watch showing 1 oclock. The watch symbolizes time and the mystery of time! On the back is a mirror. It reflects only the shape of the candle and the watch and nothing else. There is void space on the mirror. Thats because the mirror symbolizes the mystery of the Universe and our ignorance for the mysteries that Universe hides and the forth dimension TIME. By seeing the painting the observers has the impression that there is void space in the room too. The mirror and the fireplace, which looks like an empty box, give that impression. We dont know if there is void space i! n the room because we see only a part of it. There are also implied lines. Its the painting line that goes from the left to the inside right and the light line that goes from right to inside left. Those lines meet together at an another horizontal line, which passes through the train and the watch. These lines give more focus to the train ...

First and Second Conditional Review ESL Lesson Plan

First and Second Conditional Review ESL Lesson Plan The ability to speculate about situations becomes more important as students become more advanced. Students will probably have learned conditional forms during intermediate level courses, but may seldom make use of these forms in conversation. However, making conditional statements are an important part of fluency. This lesson focuses on helping students improve their recognition of the structure and use it more frequently in conversation. Lesson Aim: Improve recognition of the first and second conditional forms used in conditional statements, while inductively reviewing the structures. Activities: Reading a short prepared text with first and second conditional forms included, speaking and replying to student-generated conditional questions, writing and developing structurally correct questions using the first and second conditionals Level: Intermediate Outline: Ask students to imagine the following situation: Youve arrived home late at night and you find that the door is open to your apartment. What would you do? Refresh students awareness of the conditional in this relaxed introductory portion of the lesson.Have students read prepared extract using conditionals.Ask students to underline all conditional structures.In groups, students complete fill-in activity based on the previous reading.Correct worksheets in small groups. Move about the room helping students with their corrections.Go over corrections as a class.Answer any questions they may have on the first and second conditional structure at this point.In groups, have students prepare two what if situations on a separate piece of paper. Ask students to employ first and second conditionals.Ask students to exchange their prepared situations with another group.Students in each group discuss the what if... situations. Move about the class and help students - especially concentrating on the correct production of the first and second conditional forms. Practice conditional form structure with this real and unreal conditional form worksheet providing a quick review and practice exercises. The past conditional worksheet focuses on using the form in the past. Teachers can also use this guide on how to teach conditionals. Exercises Exercise 1: Emergency Procedures Directions: Underline all conditional structures with either 1 (first conditional) or 2 (second conditional) If you take a look at the handout, youll find all the telephone numbers, addresses, and other necessary information. If Tom were here, hed help me with this presentation. Unfortunately, he couldnt make it today. OK, lets get started: Todays subject is helping guests with emergency situations. Wed certainly have a worse reputation if we didnt handle these situations well. Thats why we like to review these procedures every year. If a guest loses his passport, call the consulate immediately. If the consulate isnt nearby, youll have to help the guest get to the appropriate consulate. It would be great if we had some more consulates here. However, there are also a few in Boston. Next, if a guest has an accident which is not so serious, youll find the first-aid kit under the reception desk. If the accident is serious, call an ambulance. Sometimes guests need to return home unexpectedly. If this happens, the guest might need your help in making travel arrangements, re-scheduling appointments, etc. Do everything you can to make this situation as easy to cope with as possible. If there is a problem, the guest will expect us to be able to handle any situation. Its our responsibility to make sure ahead of time that we can. Exercise 2: Check Your Understanding Directions: Fill in the blanks with the correct missing half of the sentence youll have to help the guest get to the appropriate consulateyoull find all the telephone numbers, addresses, and other necessary informationthe guest will expect us to be able to handle any situationif we didnt handle these situations wellIf Tom were hereIf this happensIf a guest loses his passportcall an ambulance If you take a look at the handout, _____. _____, hed help me with this presentation. Unfortunately, he couldnt make it today. OK, lets get started: Todays subject is helping guests with emergency situations. Wed certainly have a worse reputation _____. Thats why we like to review these procedures every year. _____, call the consulate immediately. If the consulate isnt nearby, _____. It would be great if we had some more consulates here. However, there are also a few in Boston. Next, if a guest has an accident which is not so serious, youll find the first-aid kit under the reception desk. If the accident is serious, _____. Sometimes guests need to return home unexpectedly. ______, the guest might need your help in making travel arrangements, re-scheduling appointments, etc. Do everything you can to make this situation as easy to cope with as possible. If there is a problem, _____. Its our responsibility to make sure ahead of time that we can.

Changing Role and Key Skills to Be Acquired-Myasssignmenthelp.Com

What Is the My Changing Role and Key Skills to Be Acquired? I am working for an apparel manufacturing company, EthnicCharisma, dealing in personalized fashion garments, essentially for women. We have only two outlets in the Dubai and we cater mostly to the local buyers including tourists. At present several tourists buy traditional scarves and garments as souvenirs for their families back at home. However our focus is not on exports. At present we are making moderate sale especially during the winters. Our company focuses on brick and mortar based point of sales rather than e-commerce. Also the tastes are changing and hence competition from online transactions is increasing becoming our threats. UAE is one of the key textile markets globally and was worth USD13 billion in 2011. The apparel and footwear segments went through slow growth compared to 2015. This is due to falling prices of oil and gold since 2014. The retailers are coming up with innovative offers in order to compensate the situation and maintain some kind of positive growth (Euro Monitor International, 2017). The pressure is higher due to slowing economies, budget constraints and salary cuts. So the key factor is innovative ways of marketing and adapting to changing westernized tastes and preferences. Also the more the firm can diversify the better. In my company where I mainly look after the marketing and customer relations, the focus is essentially on traditional women’s wear. They are presently contemplating diversification into kids’ and men’s wear. However I personally think that instead of considering garments, the venture could stream into gems and jewelries or accessories like bags and designer watches. The products should also match the changing tastes and be knitted into more fashionable light and close fit garments instead of loose and heavy work ethnic embroideries. The first change driver would be the marketing department. Also a research team might be required in order to carry out some market survey to know the tastes and preferences from potential customers’ feedbacks. I also believe the company’s presence in social media and e-commerce is essential. All these aspects can help in improving the ways of marketing. All these would require proper training, fresh hiring of young and technical people. Skills should be upgraded. Company can hire a professional fashion designer if required. So leader’s change related action, change-related training and aligned human resources practices are the key change drivers (Whelan-Berry and Somerville, 2010). This will obviously take its toll on the cost burden but the investment should pay off in long term. Some of the old staff might feel vulnerable and at risk. The company needs to figure out some ways of using the old people as well instead of wasting too much time training them. Other companies might take advantage of this disturbance if the change is not managed well and attempt to takeaway our market share. This is the main threat. Maintaining consumers’ confidence in the face of rising international brands like H&M, Zara, Next and Matalan is a major challenge but the new strategies should also bring more opportunities to cater to the global market now (Euro Monitor International, 2017). This will be a phase of proactive change which could be difficult as well as an opportune change process for us (Nadina, 2011). My role would perhaps shift from more talking to more typing and less talking. There is a chance that I will need to develop content for marketing through social media. The website needs to be developed attractively. I may need to get involved in some market research before launch of new product line for men and kids. Also its will be important to play as the linkage between customers and the designers and tailors. By the end of the module I expect to be able to apply the theories to practice. In fact I am already associating the theoretical terms more commonly relevant to the business I am familiar with. I also believe I will be more tolerant and confident in dealing with consumers. It is at times important to think like the owners in order to perform better. One needs to expect the worst and work for the best. Keeping a backup plan is very important to face drastic changes. I should be able to do this more efficiently as the module ends. Euro Monitor International, (2017), Apparel and Footwear in the United Arab Emirates, Country Report. Retrieved from: https://www.euromonitor.com/apparel-and-footwear-in-the-united-arab-emirates/report Nadina, R.R.(2011). METHODS OF IDENTIFICATION OF THE NEED FOR ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AS BEING OPPORTUNE, West University of Timioara, Retrieved from: https://ideas.repec.org/a/ora/journl/v1y2011i2p707-712.html Whelan-Berry, K.S. and K.A. Somerville, (2010), Linking Change Drivers and the Organizational Change Process: A Review and Synthesis, Journal of Change Management, 10( 2), 175– 193 .com is an Australia-based assignment help services that aims to fulfill students' requests 'can someone do my assignment online '. We have hired best-qualified and experienced assignment helper to assist students in crafting premier quality academic papers. Students are guaranteed to receive high-quality assignment writing assistance at an affordable price. This is why, we are considered as the best assignment solver . You are required to write a researched argument essay that convinces persuades the reader of your position / stance. This is an academic, researched and referenced do... Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to elaborate the factors which are considered by individuals before selecting an occupation. Choosing an occupati... 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Oracle database Recovery Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Oracle database Recovery - Research Paper Example The mounting technique helps a database to read files without opening them. The Oracle tries to initialize each and every control files available in the initORACLE_SID.ora  file, if the files are replicated. The any control file is broken the mounting techniques fails. In order to configure a database, first we need to run svrmgrl, and secondly connect it to the database and finally enter (Preston, 1999): startup mount. â€Å"$  svrmgrl SVRMGR >  connect internal; Connected. SVRMGR >  startup mount; Statement processed† If the above procedure accomplished then the output must seems to be like this (Preston, 1999): â€Å"SVRMGR >  startup mount; ORACLE instance started. Total System Global Area 5130648 bytes Fixed Size 44924 bytes Variable Size 4151836 bytes Database Buffers 409600 bytes Redo Buffers 524288 bytes Database mounted† The mounting of the database if turn successful then step 10 must be performed. On the contrary, if the mounting process fails than the output seems like this (Preston, 1999): â€Å"SVRMGR >  startup mount; Total System Global Area 5130648 bytes Fixed Size 44924 bytes Variable Size 4151836 bytes Database Buffer to s 409600 bytes Redo Buffers 524288 bytes ORACLE instance started. ... Moreover, these files can easily be recreated if required. The core element regarding data and information portrays impact on more than one control files that are missing. This is due to the fact that Oracle abandons the mounting files that come across failure. Hence, the files are missing if the mounting procedure fails. Therefore, before taking any action, first we need to determine the seriousness of the problem. This can be done by researching on the situation. Initial research includes the names of the missing control files by doing configORACLE_SID.ora  file subsequently to the word  control files. It looks somewhat like this (Preston, 1999): â€Å"control_files = (/db/Oracle/a/oradata/crash/control01.ctl, /db/Oracle/b/oradata/crash/control02.ctl, /db/Oracle/c/oradata/crash/control03.ctl)† (Rajan, 2006 ) The control file name that is criticized by Oracle should be found. This can be found by searching for this phrase control file that is maintained in the alert logs. Moreover, the alert log can be found in particular location such as ‘background_dump_dest’ and ‘configinstance.ora’ file. In general, it is present in the file named as ORACLE_BASE/ORACLE_SID/admin/bdump’directory. A file named as ‘alert_ORACLE_SID.log’ must be present in directory. The error looks like this (Preston, 1999): alter database mount exclusive ORA-00202: controlfile: '/db/a/oradata/crash/control01.ctl' ORA-27037: unable to obtain file status SVR4 Error: 2: No such file or directory† The name of all the control files along with crashed file names, it is relatively easier to analyze the complexity of the issue. This can be achieved by listing control files with their comparison with the size and time of any change and

Financial Reporting on Enron Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Financial Reporting on Enron - Case Study Example But as the time passed by the firm's business mix shifted from the regulated transportation of natural gas to unregulated energy trading markets. Since in the energy trading more money could be made in buying and selling financial contracts linked to the value of energy assets than in actual ownership of physical assets. Because of its business nature Enron's reported annual revenues grew from under $10 billion in the early 1990s to $101 billion in 2000, ranking it seventh on the Fortune 500 (Benston 2002). First, briefly it is important to know what happened which led to the ultimate bankruptcy and collapse. Enron was in the business of energy trading and distribution. It all started with Jeffery Skilling who replaced Kenneth Lay as CEO quitted from his position and Kenneth Lay became the CEO again. Another event of importance was the role of Enron's Chief Financial Officer, Andrew S. Fastow; he was responsible for handling all the off shore partnerships for the company; his actions led to hiding of around a billion dollar debt through these off shore drilling partnership businesses. This was one of the bases which led to the collapse of Enron when it was disclosed. And the admission was made regarding overstatement of profitability of Enron by hiding some of the debt; when the matter was disclosed Enron's share price came slashing down and the company lost its credibility in the financial markets. No one was ready to forward any loan so that the company can come out of the ditch of b ankruptcy. The collapse of Enron badly effected the retirement savings of the employees as these were linked to the stock prices which plummeted badly hence, effecting the employees' savings. An important thing to point out is that the accountants, Arthur Anderson did not indicate at any moment the worsening financial situation of the company. Thus, in the end the accountants, Anderson and the Enron shredded the company documents that reflected the audit reports and employees that were against this were fired (Beams 2002). What do we identify after Enron's implosion that we did not identify before it The conventional perception is that the Enron debacle exposes basic flaw in our current system of corporate governance. Conceivably, this is so, but where is the flaw located Beneath what conditions will critical systems fall short Chief debacles of historical dimensions (and Enron is certainly that) tend to produce a surplus of explanations. In Enron's case, the firm's strange breakdown is becoming an effective Rorschach test in which every commentator can observe evidence verifying that what he or she previously believed. However, the problem with viewing Enron as a sign of any methodical governance collapse is that its nucleus facts are maddeningly only one of its kinds. Most obviously, Enron's governance structure was sui generis. Other public corporations just have not certified their chief financial officer to run a self-governing entity that enters into billions of dollars of risky and unpredictable trading transactions with them; nor have they permitted their senior officials to profit from such self-dealing transactions with no wide direction or even understanding of the profits involved. Neither have

Compare and contrast competition in beer market with competition in Essay

Compare and contrast competition in beer market with competition in tablet devices - Essay Example Steverman from Bloomberg business (2010) reports that the dismal performance of beer market in the recent times could continue because with escalating cost of production, the competitive pricing is taking a heavy toll on the companies’ financial performance. While the import has significantly come down, the adverse impact on market of the premium brands like Coors, Sub-Miller, Anheuser-Busch etc is also significant. Trends show that in the present times, people increasingly prefer cheaper brands at home and institutional sales to hotels, bar etc have come down. Thus, the market conditions for beer have become very tough and beer companies must come up with highly differentiating products and innovative market strategy to meet the challenges of time. The tablet market, on the other and has been most enthusiastic with wide range of differentiating products within tablet digital products. The technological advancements have seen some amazing innovations in the field of communicat ion and data handling. The tablet digital products are the latest craze amongst the technology savvy huge customer base across the globe.

Managing risk in construction project in developing countriess Ghana Essay

Managing risk in construction project in developing countriess Ghana - Essay Example t the major risks associated with the construction sector include risks logistical delays , political influences , extensive procedures for approval , improper construction designs , financial constraints , etc . To study the impact of these risks on the construction projects in Ghana , a quantitative survey has been conducted . The data collected by the quantitative questionnaire , has been statistically analysed . The statistical measure used for the analyses include mean , tally , histogram and pearson’s correlation . The software tools used in the research include Excel spread sheet for data representation and MINITAB for statistical analyses . Based on the results of the statistical analyses , the research has suggested a set of strategies for risk management in the construction projects in Ghana . I --------------------------------------- , wish to acknowledge the following personnel who gave their valuable assistance and guidance for me to complete this research work successfully . Without their cooperation , the development of this research and publication would have been difficult I -------- wish to dedicate this research work Based on the Risk Management in Construction projects in developing countries like Ghana , to my --------------- who had always been my ----------------- and I also dedicate this research work for the benefit of the people involved in the construction sector . The history of the construction industry dates back to many centuries , when human beings left the caves and started living in houses . The architectural and engineering aspects of the construction industry started emerging since the construction of the pyramids . Construction could be described as a process of building the infrastructure and involves a fleet of multi tasked activities . Any construction project includes the involvement of design engineers , architects , civil engineers , project mangers , etc . The successful completion of any

Why Do Small Businesses Fail Analysing the Reasons for their High Rate Essay

Why Do Small Businesses Fail Analysing the Reasons for their High Rate of Failure in the UK - Essay Example Studies show that by the third year of starting up, at least half of them close down. While there are external factors such as inadequate funding that leads to this, part of the reason is also internal - such as the work culture, the marketing being poor, the location not being right, the product being ahead or behind its times, and so on. Therefore, for an entrepreneur to succeed, it is essential that they come with not only a product/service plan but also its business plan and a back up in case the first one does not work. In the first place, there is a lot of concern that not many innovative ideas find the light of the day in the UK. According to a study commissioned by NESTA, an early stage investor in innovative and creative businesses, 80% of innovative ideas do not see the light of the day as knowledge of how to go about it, lack of funds and lack of time. However, the biggest concern was the fear of failure - what if the venture failed According to a Cambridge University's Centre for Business Research study (Fielding2, 2006) based on three surveys of more than 1,000 SMEs conducted in 1991, 1997 and 2004, SME survival rates fell from 59% to 54% over the same period. Between 1991 and 1997, 28% of the companies in the survey failed; between 1997 and 2004, that proportion rose to 32%. Among its more worrying findings, the research reveals a significant decline since 1997 in the proportion of SMEs carrying out research and development activities - from 52% to 38% - even though R&D investment is considered vital to this sector of the UK economy. Such statistics would clearly deter anyone from venturing into setting up a new business. Supporting this is the CBR finding that, since 1997, research and development activities of the small and medium enterprises fell from 52% to 38% despite it being considered important by the UK government. According to Finfacts Ireland3 website: The decline in the UK's early stage entrepreneurship rate, from 6.2 per cent to 5.8 per cent, was partly attributed to the growth in jobs in the financial services sector, where the lure of high wages was attracting many would-be entrepreneurs. According to a press release on the Small Business Service4 website: In 2005, there were 177,900 registrations and 152,900 de-registrations, resulting in an increase of 25,000 (1.4 per cent) in the stock of VAT-registered enterprises during 2005. Chapter 2 Why Start-Up The industry is already filled with businesses - large, medium and small - offering products and services right from a safety pin to aeroplane. Then why another company Is it merely the entrepreneurial spirit or is there truly something new on offer Unless the entrepreneur can truly answer this question, there may really be no point in starting a new business. For, several times, it may be the same idea in an old bottle. For instance, an idea may be approached from

Research paper on sustainable fashion Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

On sustainable fashion - Research Paper Example The fashion industry has undergone a tremendous transformation over the years. Global fashion trends are in a continuous change and this has forced the industry to adopt new operational patterns. There is a growing need for high-class fashion products and services globally. Sustainability can be achieved through various means including, application of technology, proper management of human resource, and wise choice of supply chains. The fashion industry has been able to solve many issues associated with obstacles in sustainability and this has made it grow tremendously. This paper addresses the different way the fashion industry can approach in aiming sustainability and meeting the global fashion needs while adhering to the social and environmental laws. There are various issues that arise along the way as the fashion industry strives to attain sustainability. The issues that hamper sustainability in the fashion industry are both internal and external. Internal issues relate to management whereas the external ones arise from the economic trends outside the industry. One of the issues in sustainability in the fashion industry is the poor management of resources and overspending. Success in any business relies on how the resources are managed. The fashion industry faces various challenges in coming upon with a credible framework that can guide it in channeling its resources. The industry is vast and this makes it hard for the owners of fashion companies to come to terms on matters of expenditure. Additionally, the fashion industry has a poor cost control avenue and this translates into overspending. Although the industry boasts huge revenues globally, its income ends up in wasteful spending. Sustainability can be seen in the minimized operational costs and use of environment-friendly forms of energy. The fashion industry is complex and resource management issues arise making it hard to hit the mark of sustainability. One of the major issues arising in

Why Do Small Businesses Fail Analysing the Reasons for their High Rate Essay

Why Do Small Businesses Fail Analysing the Reasons for their High Rate of Failure in the UK - Essay Example Studies show that by the third year of starting up, at least half of them close down. While there are external factors such as inadequate funding that leads to this, part of the reason is also internal - such as the work culture, the marketing being poor, the location not being right, the product being ahead or behind its times, and so on. Therefore, for an entrepreneur to succeed, it is essential that they come with not only a product/service plan but also its business plan and a back up in case the first one does not work. In the first place, there is a lot of concern that not many innovative ideas find the light of the day in the UK. According to a study commissioned by NESTA, an early stage investor in innovative and creative businesses, 80% of innovative ideas do not see the light of the day as knowledge of how to go about it, lack of funds and lack of time. However, the biggest concern was the fear of failure - what if the venture failed According to a Cambridge University's Centre for Business Research study (Fielding2, 2006) based on three surveys of more than 1,000 SMEs conducted in 1991, 1997 and 2004, SME survival rates fell from 59% to 54% over the same period. Between 1991 and 1997, 28% of the companies in the survey failed; between 1997 and 2004, that proportion rose to 32%. Among its more worrying findings, the research reveals a significant decline since 1997 in the proportion of SMEs carrying out research and development activities - from 52% to 38% - even though R&D investment is considered vital to this sector of the UK economy. Such statistics would clearly deter anyone from venturing into setting up a new business. Supporting this is the CBR finding that, since 1997, research and development activities of the small and medium enterprises fell from 52% to 38% despite it being considered important by the UK government. According to Finfacts Ireland3 website: The decline in the UK's early stage entrepreneurship rate, from 6.2 per cent to 5.8 per cent, was partly attributed to the growth in jobs in the financial services sector, where the lure of high wages was attracting many would-be entrepreneurs. According to a press release on the Small Business Service4 website: In 2005, there were 177,900 registrations and 152,900 de-registrations, resulting in an increase of 25,000 (1.4 per cent) in the stock of VAT-registered enterprises during 2005. Chapter 2 Why Start-Up The industry is already filled with businesses - large, medium and small - offering products and services right from a safety pin to aeroplane. Then why another company Is it merely the entrepreneurial spirit or is there truly something new on offer Unless the entrepreneur can truly answer this question, there may really be no point in starting a new business. For, several times, it may be the same idea in an old bottle. For instance, an idea may be approached from

Indigenous peoples in Australia Essay Example for Free

Indigenous peoples in Australia Essay Indigenous Peoples of Australia is categorized into two groups namely, the Aboriginal People and the Torres Strait Islanders (Sharp). Aboriginal peoples are said to be the group of IP’s, who became the first settlers in mainland Australia. The Torres Strait Islanders are the ones who are originally the inhabitants of the region between Australia and New Guinea. Indigenous Australians include a very diverse communities and societies across the whole Australia. Studies and researches show that there is an approximately 200 languages that are native to the Indigenous Australians and 20 of these languages are still being spoken up to now in Australia (Sharp). The majority of the Indigenous Australians resides in the south east near the Murray River. Indigenous Peoples in South Africa The African region has been termed as home for the majority of indigenous peoples (Clark). North and South Africa are comprised of indigenous communities which are also divided into several subgroups. Though hunting, gathering and pastoral means are the most basic means used by the indigenous peoples in Africa, some indigenous communities have already learned the agricultural system. As mentioned, the diverse indigenous communities in both North and South Africa are grouped not on the basis of their chronological subsistence but on the basis of their common characteristics in terms of cultural inclinations and lifestyle. Mining Operations in Australia and South Africa South Africa and Australia rank second and third respectively as the world’s top producers of gold (Indigenous Community Organisations and Miners, 2007). While gold is the second outstanding export product of Australia, it is the biggest export product of South Africa. It is undeniable that mining in both Australia and South Africa helps the two in advancing and maintaining good economic standings. However, other issues like human rights violations have been reportedly committed because of the mining operations in South Africa and Australia. On the other hand, South Africa and Australia have different cases in terms of the developments regarding the alleviation of human rights violations through mining operations. In Australia, the government devises a strategic approach which aims to reconcile the mining companies and the indigenous peoples (The Mining Ombudsman, 2007). As part of the Corporate Social Responsibility of the mining companies, they are obligated by the law to come up with humanitarian programs that which are directed towards the promotion of the welfare of the indigenous peoples in Australia. Mining companies conducted seminars, conferences and workshops that which enables the indigenous peoples know how mining projects operate and how could they help the indigenous peoples improve their everyday living. Through these programs and projects, the rights of the Indigenous Australians are being upheld in such a way that they are set towards progress and development together with the mining corporations. However, in the case of the mining operations in South Africa, there is a lack of consideration given to the indigenous peoples. The mining companies in South Africa have been reportedly accused of exploiting the natural resources within the habitats of the indigenous peoples in South Africa (Communities take shine off, 2006). Environmental degradation, displacement of the indigenous peoples from their residences, and health hazards brought about by the mining operations are among the issues raised by the indigenous communities (Communities take shine off, 2006). Their rights as people are being neglected in such way that the mining activities cause harm on their part. Many forests are deforested and the wild life is severely threatened. It is to be noted that most of the indigenous peoples in South Africa live on uplands as well as near forests. The destruction of these forests signals the destruction of their homes too. Thus, in order to safeguard their rights for these natural resources (as their homes and source of food and others), protection and preservation of the environment should also be considered by the government as well as the mining corporations. In addition, there is also a treat to the health of the indigenous peoples caused by the toxic and other wastes products that are being secreted during mining activities (Communities take shine off, 2006). Water contamination and lead poisoning are some of the health hazards that are caused by mining. Lastly, cultural degradation is also said to occur in indigenous communities because mining devastates certain sites which are sacred and ceremonial for the indigenous peoples. Conclusion Though, mining serves the economic growth of Australia and South Africa, it does not change the fact that it brings certain disadvantages towards the people particularly on the indigenous peoples. The main difference between the impact of the mining operations on the indigenous communities in Australia and South Africa is that in Australia the government and the mining companies are aware of the fact that they should consider the well-being of the indigenous peoples whereas in South Africa the government and the mining corporations lacks awareness and cooperation to resolve the conflict between the indigenous peoples and the mining operations. Works Cited Maybury-Lewis, David. Indigenous Peoples, Ethnic Groups, and the State. Second ed. Allyn and Bacon, 2001. Sharp, Anne. Indigenous Peoples of the World – Australia. First ed. Lucent Books, 2002. Clark, Domini. South Africa the People. Crabtree Publishing Company, 1999. â€Å"The Mining Ombudsman. † 2007. Oxfam Australia. 09 November 2007 http://www. oxfam. org. au/campaigns/mining/ombudsman/. â€Å"Indigenous Community Organisations and Miners: Partnering Sustainable Regional Development. † 14 February 2007. The Australian National University. 09 November 2007 http://www. anu. edu. au/caepr/mining. php. â€Å"Communities take shine off platinum players in South Africas Bushveld. † 19 May 2006. Mines and Communities. 09 November 2007 http://www. minesandcommunities. org/Action/press1099. htm.

Testing Organizational Communication Satisfaction

Testing Organizational Communication Satisfaction ABSTRACT Communication Satisfaction plays a very critical role in achieving employee engagement in organizations. It becomes even more significant and relevant in the context of the recent global crisis wherein organizations focus on employee engagement was high and was aimed towards employee retention and motivation. While several researchers have studied the relationship between communication and employee involvement, very few studies have established a relationship between Communication Satisfaction and Employee Engagement. Using the second-generation analytical technique Structural Equation Modeling, the present study examines the relationship between various components of Organization Communication Satisfaction (Organization Integration, Supervisory Communication, Personal Feedback, Communication Climate and Media Quality) and various components of Employee Engagement (Organizational Commitment, Job Satisfaction and Withdrawal Cognition). A modified version of the Downs Hazens Communica tion Satisfaction Questionnaire was administered on 235 personnel in the Information Technology/Information Technology Enabled Services industry in India. The scale was tested for reliability and validity using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The results indicate that Organization Communication Satisfaction has a positive impact on Employee Engagement. The study findings have strategic implications for organizations with regard to laying a greater emphasis on increasing communication satisfaction through various human resource interventions, both at macro and micro levels in the organization. Introduction Employee engagement has been drawing a lot of importance in various organizations in recent times. A global workforce study conducted by Towers Perrin in 2007-2008 revealed that only 21% of the employees were engaged. A more disturbing finding of the study was that 38% of the employees were partly to fully disengaged. The study also concluded that companies with the higher levels of employee engagement are able to retain their valued employees as also achieve better financial results. Similarly, Gallup has also conducted a study on employee engagement and found that 29% of employees are actively engaged in their jobs, 54% are not engaged, and 17% are actively disengaged. Many researchers have studied employee engagement and have found that employee engagement predicts employee outcomes, organizational success and financial performance (Bates, 2004; Harter et al., 2002,). Similarly, Hewitt Associates (LLC, 2005, p.1) have also established a strong relationship between employee engagem ent and profitability through higher productivity, sales, customer satisfaction and employee retention. Unfortunately though, a lot of literature available is only those from Consulting firms and there is very little theoretical or empirical research available on employee engagement. Today, as a result of continuous organizational restructuring (mergers, acquisitions, downturn imperatives), it is commonly observed that organizations are resorting to right sizing strategies. It certainly becomes the most critical priority of CEOs around the world to ensure that the employees who survive the layoffs are fully engaged. Research indicates that there is a decline in engagement levels and that there is deepening disengagement among employees today (Saks, 2006; Richman, 2006; Bates, 2004). It has also been reported that the majority of workers today, roughly half of all Americans in the workforce are not fully engaged or they are dis engaged leading to what has been referred to as an â€Å"engagement gap† that is costing US business $300 billion a year in lost productivity (Saks, 2006, Bates 2004, Johnson, 2004 Kowalski, 2003). Further, with the world becoming a global market place, where every thing is becoming a commodity, people and management of peoples talen t are becoming very critical components of an organizations ability to service its customer. Managing dis-engaged employees or non-engaged employees in a customer facing role is therefore that much more critical to the success and profitability of the business. Lockwood explains, â€Å"As organizations move forward into a boundaryless environment, the ability to attract, engage, develop and retain talent will hence, become increasingly important† In addition to the various literatures available from consultants, there have been a few researches conducted on the antecedents and consequences of employee engagement and also â€Å"What is employee engagement†. A very exhaustive analysis of employee engagement has bee done by Macey and Schneider (2008). In the study employee engagement has been explained as 3 facests viz., Psychological state engagement (Satisfaction, involvement, commitment, empowerment), Trait engagement (personality, conscientiousness) and Behavioural engagement (Organizational Citizenship Behaviour, Personal initiative, role expansion). Another research indicates that employee engagement constitutes two aspects viz., job engagement and organization engagement (Saks, 2006). Saks (2006 further found that employee engagement was significantly positively related to job satisfaction, organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behaviour and negatively related to intention to quit. Organizational Communication plays a very critical part in ensuring employee engagement. It has been established that clear, consise and honest communication is an important tool for employee engagement (Lockwood). It is further established that lack of communication or poorly communicated information can lead to distrust, dissatisfaction, skepticism and unwanted employee turnover. Studies demonstrate that there is a significant influence of Interpersonal trust on individual, group and organizational achievements (Earley, 1986; Robinson, 1996), Job Satisfaction (Driscoll, 1978; Muchinsky, 1977), Job Involvement (Saks, 2006) and Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (Konovsky Pugh, 1994; McAllister, 1995). Studies have also underlined the central role of communication in developing and maintaining Trust (Gail, Zolin, Hartman, 2009; Becerra Gupta, 2003; Muchinsky, 1977). With particular reerence to recession, downsizing has become a harsh reality over the past 2 decades. These downsizing strategies come with other negative consequences of â€Å"attrition of employees who are not impacted by downsizing†. The problem is more profound when the attriting employees are top performers or employees with skills critical to future growth plans of the organization. Various studies have proved that downsizing negatively affects attitudes of employees surviving the downsizing by reducing organizational commitment, morale, job satisfaction and also increasing intention to quit and job stress (Arnold and Feldman, 1982; Greenhalge, 1982; Kozlowski et. al, 1993). It is therefore, very important for organizations to find ways to retain the attriting employees afer downsizing. Managerial communication and Organizational support can be looked at as possible avenues to reduce the negative effects of downsizing. Communication becomes very critical because employees believe that their organization holds them in low regard and ignores their interest (Anderson, 1996; Mclean Parks and Kidder, 1994). They also suspect that management communication is not credible for tat information is being withheld (Noer 1993, ONeill and Lenn, 1995). Employees need to understand how they fit into the overall plans of the organization in terms of their roles and contribution to the growth plans of the organizations. Various surveys in this regard indicate that employees want more communication with their managers (Argenti, 1998). There are various studies that have established a positive relationship between communication satisfaction and job satisfaction (Petit, Gori s and Vaught, 1997; Pincus 1996) and organization commitment (Varona, 1996). A communication ROI study by Watson Wyatt (2007-2008) revealed that â€Å"firms that communicate effectively are 4 times as likely to report high levels of employee engagement as firms that communicate less effectively. This study therefore, attempts to establish the impact of Organizational communication on mediating role of Trust in the relationship between Organizational Communication Satisfaction on Employee Engagement in the Information Technology / Information Technology Enabled Services (IT/ITES) industry in India. We have selected the IT/ITES) industry because of the significance of the impact during the recent recessionary period. Literature Review and Research Hypothesis Organizational Communication Organisation communication constitutes many dimensions spanning from formal and informal means of internal communication and external communications. A review of literature in this area reveals that Organizational communication can be classified into four different levels (SHRM Magazine) (i) Overall Organizational communication (ii) Inter-organizational communication (iii) Group-level communication (iv) Interpersonal communication Further, review of the research in this area underlines the importance of organizational communication towards building commitment, satisfaction and retention of employees in an organization. A number of studies (Burhans 1971, Downs 1971, Jain 1970) studied the relevance and importance of satisfaction with organizational communication. Such examinations of the communication-satisfaction relationship have produced, a construct called communication satisfaction, which is becoming a common reference in organizational literature (Downs and Hazen, 1977). Downs and Hazen, introduced the Communications Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ) and conducted a factor analytic study of communication satisfaction. This study established eight stable definitions of communication satisfaction, which has also been enumerated as follows in another study by Clampitt Downs, 1993: Communication Climate reflects communication on both the organizational and personal level. On one hand, it includes items such as the extent to which communication in the organization motivates and stimulates workers to meet organizational goals and the extent to which it makes them identify with the organization. On the other, it includes estimates of whether or not peoples attitudes toward communicating are healthy in the organization. Supervisory Communication includes both upward and downward aspects of communicating with superiors. Three of the principal items include the extent to which a superior is open to ideas, the extent to which the supervisor listens and pays attention, and the extent to which guidance is offered in solving job-related problems. Organizational Integration revolves around the degree to which individuals receive information about the immediate work environment. Items include the degree of satisfaction with information about departmental plans, the requirements of their jobs, and some personnel news. Media Quality deals with the extent to which meetings are well organized, written directives are short and clear, and the degree to which the amount of communication is about right. Co-worker Communication concerns the extent to which horizontal and informal communication is accurate and free flowing. This factor also includes satisfaction with the activeness of the grapevine. Corporate Information deals with broadest kind of information about the organization as a whole. It includes items on notification about changes, information about the organizations financial standing, and information about the overall policies and goals of the organization. Personal Feedback is concerned with the workers need to know how they are being judged and how their performance is being appraised. Subordinate Communication focuses on upward and downward communication with subordinates. Only workers in a supervisory capacity respond to these items, which include subordinate responsiveness to downward communication and the extent to which subordinates initiate upward communication. Crino White (1981) investigated Communication Satisfaction with 137 supervisors from textile mills. Similarly, Pincus (1986) used the CSQ in a study of nurses and their supervisors to investigate the relationship between communication and job satisfaction and job performance. These findings had resulted in the CSQ being the most widely used scale when measuring communication satisfaction. The notable aspect though is, that the studies by Downs Hazens (1977) and Crino White (1981) exploratory factor analysis rather than confirmator factor analysis for assessing the validity of the CSQ. Theerefore, the convergent and discriminant validity of the CSQ was under question. Further, until the introduction of CSQ, Communication was considered as an unidimensional construct. The underlying belief was that employees are either satisfied or dis-satisfied with communication. However, with the introduction of the CSQ changed it communication satisfaction to be viewed as a multi-dimensional construct wherein, employees could be satisfied or dis-sastisfied with one or more aspects of communication and be dis-satisfied. Gary and Laidlaw (2004) assessed the CSQ using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Their study used a series of congeneric measurement models to study the validity and reliability of the CSQ. Based on the study, Gary Laidlaw concluded, â€Å"the results substantiate CSQ as a valid instrument for measuring communication satisfaction and supports the multi-dimensional aspects of the communication satisfacation construct. This study therefore, proposes to establish the convergent and discriminant validity and reliability of the CSQ for the purpose of IT/ITES sector in India. The study also proposes to establish the relationships between the individual dimensions of Organizational Communication Satisfaction using First order and Second order Confirmatory Factor Analysis. H1 : Dimensions of Organisation Communication Satisfaction are inter-related H2 : Organisational Communication Satisfaction is explained by Organisational Integration, Supervisory communication, Personal Feedback, Corporate Information, Communication Climate and Media Quality. Employee Engagement Employee engagement has been drawing a lot of importance in various organizations in recent times. There have been few research works on employee engagement (Robinson et al, 200) and most of understanding comes from Consulting firms and Independent Research agencies. There have been various definitions of employee engagement. Employee engagement is the level of commitment and involvement an employee has towards their organization and its values (Vazirani, 2007). Engagement is the willingness and ability to contribute to company success, the extent to which employees put discretionary effort into their work, in the form of extra time, brainpower and energy (Towers Perrin, 2007). Often used as a synonym for motivation or motivation and retention; engagement is really more fundamental. Engagement is an employees decision to apply his discretionary effort to the goals of the enterprise, to accept those goals as his own and wholeheartedly commit himself to achieving them. (Fineman Carter 2007) Though employee engagement as a concept has been drawing a lot of importance, it is still a term widely referred among consulting firms and independent research agencies. There have been very few empirical research initiatives in the academic world to establish the definition of the construct â€Å"employee engagement†. Mickey and Schneider (2008) have done a detailed study on â€Å"the meaning of employee engagement† and have established a series of propositions covering 3 facets : a) Psychological stage engagement b) Behavioural engagement c) Trait engagement. This research though will focus on the psychological state engagement facet since this has received maximum attention and is central to the engagement issue. Further, the scope of the research is focussed towards examining the impact of Organizational Communication Satisfaction on Employee Engagement. Past researches on similar subjects have all focussed on studying the relationship between Organizational Communication Satisfaction on individual aspects of State Engagement viz., Satisfaction, Commitment and Involvement. Mickey and Schneider (2008), while explaining the psychological state engagement have studied 4 different aspects viz., Job satisfaction, Organizational commitment, Psychological empowerment and Job involvement. They have further referred to various related research in each of the above aspects and thereby analyse each of the aboe aspects as a facet or antecedent or consequence of employee engagement. Their study and analysis is as follows : Engagement as Job Satisfaction In defining Job Satisfaction as a facet of employee engagement, the views of Erickson (2005) are noteworthy; â€Å"Engagement is above or beyond simple satisfaction with the employment arrangement or basic loyalty to the employer. Engagement in contrast is about passion and commitment, the willingness to invest oneself and expand ones discretionary effort to help the employer succeed† Therefore, it is beyond basic loyalty and is about the emotional aspect of Job satisfaction that triggers emotions and feelings of energy, enthusiasm and thereby constitutes a very important aspect of Engagement. Engagement as Organization Commitment In defining Organizational commitment as an important facet of employee engagement, the views from various contributions are noteworthy (Wellins and Concelman, 2005; OReilly Chatman, 1986; Mowday, Porter Steers, 1982; Meyer and Allens, 1997; Meyer, Becker Vanderberghe, 2004). These significant contributions lead to definitions; employees exert extra energy in support of the organization, feel proud as a key contrinbutor to the organization and its success and enjoy a personal identity with the organization. This leads to organization commitment being defined as a key facet of engagement (Mickey Schneider, 2008). While analysing organization commitment, there is also an analysis around organization / job withdrawal thereby suggesting that commitment as a state of engagement also relates to how long an employee stays as a result of commitment (The Corporate Executive Board, 2006) Engagement as Job Involvement The next aspect analysed by Mickey and Schneider (2008) is Job Involvement. Job Involvement has been defined â€Å"as the degree to which an employee psychologically relates to his or her job and the work performed therein and specifically equated job involvement and job commitment (Cooper-Hakim and Visweswaran, 2005). Brown (1996), Mathieu and Zajacs (1990) have also come up the conclusion that job involvement is an antecedent to organizational commitment. Brown further concluded that organizational withdrawal decisions are less related to job involvement than to organizational commitment. Erickson (2005) described job involvement as a key antecedent of the state of engagement. Based on the analysis and significant well researched contributions, we identify Job Satisfaction, Organizational commitment and withdrawal as key facets of employee engagement. Further, Saks (2006) has conducted a good study on the antecedents and consequences of employee engagement. The research conceptualized engagement as being reflective of the extent to which an individual is psychologically present in a particular organizational role (Kahn, 1990; Rothbard, 2001). It was further conceptualized that there are two dominant roles attributable to most organizational members viz., their work role and their role as a member of the organization. These two roles led to the two components of employee engagement: Job and Organization engagement. Saks (2006) further found that that Job and Organization engagement were significantly positively related to Job satisfaction, organizational commitment and Organizational Citizenship Behavior, and negatively related to intention to quit. In summary, employee engagement is about ones emotional commitment towards the organization, being psychologically involved and willingness ability to walk that extra mile in achieving the Organizational goals and objectives. Based on the above review, it is understood that employee engagement mainly constitutes three aspects viz., Organizational commitment, job satisfaction and intention to stay. This study aims at establishing a relationship between the facets / components of Employee Engagement using 2nd order Confirmatory Factor Analysis. This study further proposes to establish the convergent and discriminant validity and reliability of the various facets of employee engagement using First and Second order Confirmatory Factor Analysis H3 : Dimensions of Employee Engagement are interrelated H4 : Employee engagement is explained by Organisational Commitment, Job Satisfaction and Withdrawl Cognition Organization Communication Satisfaction and Employee Engagement The next dimension studied was the relationship between Organizational Communication and Employee Engagement in organizations. Employees see managers as trustworthy when their communication is accurate and forthcoming. In addition, adequate explanations and timely feedback on decisions lead to higher levels of trust (Folger Konovsky, 1989; Konovsky Cropanzano, 1991; Sapienza Korsgaard, 1996). Evidently, managers who take the time to explain their decisions thoroughly are likely to be perceived as trustworthy. Finally, open communication, in which managers exchange thoughts and ideas freely with employees, enhances perceptions of trust (Butler, 1991; Farris, Senner, Butterfield, 1973; Gabarro, 1978; Hart, Capps, Cangemi, Caillouet, 1986). Lockwood states that â€Å"lack of communication or poorly communicated information can lead to distrust, dissatisfaction, skepticism, cynicism and unwanted turnover. This is even more relevant in times of crisis as observed by Meyers in 1986 ; â€Å"When a crisis occurs, employees are affected on a personal level, in ways and to an extent unlike in any other audience. Their immediate reaction is often to be stunned and lose a sense of common purpose and cohesiveness Gripped by fear, employees may stray from their sense of reality and turn inward, focusing exclusively on their personal needs and ignoring the organizations needs†. Pincus Acharya, 1998 observed that â€Å"Employees who are uncertain about their jobs, health, or safety may deny, misinterpret, selectively perceive, or tune out information from management about the crisis situation because they may be blinded by their own sense of a personal crisis.† These studies lead us the understanding that â€Å"clear, consice, timely and honest communication is a very important management tool towards building employee engagement in Organizations (Lockwood). As discussed earlier, there have been many consultants and independent research organizations, which have established communication as a very critical component in enabling employee engagement in organizations. Further, there have been individual studies relating organizational communication and the individual facets and antecedents of employee engagement. This study proposes to study the relationship of Organization Communication Satisfaction on Employee Engagement using second-generation analysis tecnique, Structural Equation Modelling. H5 : Organisation Communication Satisfaction has a positive impact on Employee Engagement.. Research Methodology Questionnaire Design The Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire (Downs and Hazens, 1977) was selected for the Organization Communication construct of the study. We have used on seven factors of the CSQ beause the eighth factor, subordinate communication since this study was not aimed at personnel in their role as employees and not supervisors. For the Employee Engagement construct, each of the individual facets was measured on borrowed scales. Job Satisfaction was measured on 5 items taken from the scale developed by Price and Muellar (1986). Organization Commitment was measured on 6 items taken from the scale developed by Meyer, Allen and Smith (1997) while Withdrawal Cognition was measured on 3-item scale developed by De Conninck and Bachmann (2005). Since we are using borrowed scales for each of the constructs, it is important to first establish the validity and reliability of the scale. In other words, the items must reflect what they are intended to measure (face validity) and represent a proper sample of the domain of each construct (content valididty), and pass other tests of validity (discriminant, convergent and predictive validity) in order for a measure to have construct validity (Hardesty and Bearden, 2003). As a first step, we carried out a face validity of the constructs of the study. Based on the approaches discussed by Hardesty and Bearden, we identified a panel of 7 judges to assess the face validity. The judges were exposed to the definition of each construct, overall scope and objective of the study and the individual items under each construct (Total number of items was 49). Each judge was requested to rate the importance and relevance of the item to the constructs conceptual definition on a scale of 1-10 (1-Lea st important to 10-Most Important). (eg. How would items like â€Å"I find real enjoyment in my job† or â€Å"I am seldom bored with my job†). Additional remarks were also sought from the judges on whether multiple items under a construct mean the same and also which among the items was a better representative of the constructs conceptual definition. These results were summarized by Judge for each item and the items which were given a weightage of â€Å"less than 8† were considered for reduction. During the content validity stage, the judges unanimously felt that co-worker communication, as a dimension was not too relevant from an engagement perspective since a lot of it was not largely under the control of the organization. However, one item in the co-worker communication was felt necessary to be included viz., â€Å"Extent to which communication practices are adaptable to emergencies† and hence, the same was retained and included in the dimension  "Communication climate†. Similarly, the item viz., â€Å"Information about changes in our organization† and â€Å"Information about company goals and policies† were the only 2 items left under the dimenstion â€Å"Corporate Information†. Since it is required to have atleast 3 items under each dimension / factor for Structured Equation Modelling, these 2 items were grouped under the dimension â€Å"Organizational Integration†. Therefore, in the final questionnaire (total number of items 29), Organizational Communication Satisfaction was reduced to 5 factors viz., Organizational Integration, Supervisory Communication, Personal Feedback, Communication Climate and Media Quality. The factors under Employee Engagement were all retained viz., Organization commitment, Job satisfaction and Withdrawl cognition. In addition to the 2 sections representing the main constructs of the study, the questionnaire also covered a brief write up covering the purpose of the study as well as explicit statements of assurance to the respondents about the confidentiality of their responses and that the responses would be used for academic purposes only. Data Collection and Sampling : For this study, primary data was collected through structured undisguised questionnaires adminstered to the respondents. Questionnaires were administered through personal contacts / meetings and through mail as per the convenience of the respondent at home or in office. The respondents were requested to spare few minutes to provide categorical responses to items in the questionnaire The respondents for the study were selected from the personnel of organizations in Information Technology (IT) / Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) industry in India. A total of 275 questionnaires were administered to the respondents. 264 questionnaires were found to be complete in all respects, giving a response rate of 96.%. A further 29 invalid questionnaires were eliminated (those questionnaires where too many items were left unanswered or the same response was given to all the questions) and thereby 235 valid questionnaires were taken for further analysis. Measurements The study hypothesis covers 2 Constructs Organization Communication Satisfaction (OCS) and Employee Engagement (EE). OCS is measured for 5 key dimensions / Factors viz., Organization Integration, Supervisory Communication, Personal Feedback, Communication Climate and Media Quality while EE is measured on 3 key dimensions / factors viz., Organization commitment, Job satisfaction and Withdrawal Cognition. The 8 categorical dimensions were measured on the following items / variables: Factor / Dimenstion Items / Variables of measurement Organization Communication Satisfaction (OCS) Organization Integration Information about the requirements of my job Information about my progress in my job Information about company policies and goals Information about changes in our organization Supervisory Communication Extent to which my supervisor listens and pays attention to me Extent to which my supervisor offers guidance for solving job related problems Extent to which my supervisor trusts me Extent to which my supervisor is open to ideas Personal Feedback Information about how I am being assessed Information about how my efforts are recognized and rewarded Extent to which superiors know and understand the problems faced by subordinates Communication Climate Extent to which the organizations communication motivates and stimulates an enthusiasm for meeting its goals Extent to which the organizations communication makes me identify with it or feel a vital part of it Extent to which communication practices are adaptable to emergencies Extent to which I receive in time the information need to do my job Media Quality Extent to which written directives and reports are clear and concise Extent to which the attitudes toward communication in the organization are basically healthy Extent to which the amount of communication in the organization is about right Employee Engagement Organization Commitment I really feel as if this organizations problems are my own I do not feel like part of the family at my organization (R) I do not feel emotionally attached to this organization (R) This organization has a great deal of personal meaning for me I do not feel strong sense of belonging to my organization (R) Job Satisfaction I find real enjoyment in my job Most days I am enthusiastic about my job I feel fairly well satisfied with my job Withdrawal Cognition I would be very happy to spend the rest of my career in this Company Within the next six months, I would rate the likelihood of leaving my present job as high All the variables are categorical in nature and were measured on a categorical scale (5 point Likert). Data Analysis We have applied Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) as the tool of analysis for maximum likelihood estimation for examining the proposed hypotheses. As suggested by many researchers (e.g. Anderson Gerbing, 1998), we have chosen the Two-step analysis method wherein in the first step, we conduct the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) based on the correlation coefficient matrix of each measurement item (i.e. dimenstions / factors of OCS and dimensions / factors of EE). In the second step, after confirming the fitness of the cons