Reflective journal entry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflective journal entry - Essay Example Goals set competition bases within the organization and in external environments. Missions are set based on the firms goal attainment strategies. A firms mission also acts as a base for attracting customers since it is linked to its activities and products. Controlling, Planning and organizing are tools of management that contribute to most of the internal decisions made by managers and departmental heads. Cost drivers are also tools used in decision-making processes. They include structural, activity and organizational drivers. Structural costs are linked to product delivery and include technologies and scope of operations. Organizational costs are incurred during the relay of information between departments and chain of command. Additionally, they are also involved in the connection between the firm and its external environments such as suppliers and other contractors. Activity costs are incurred while enhancing customer service and catering for their needs. Firms invest in these costs with the aim of customer satisfaction and profit maximization. Ethics is part of the decision-making tools that a firm has to adopt to ensure success. Ethics is linked to the social life of customers and various impacts that the firm has caused to the society. Code of ethics includes various behavioral approaches that a firm exercises with its customers. The chapter has provided in-depth information on the approaches that firms have to follow to ensure success and competency. Decision-making processes in firms are not just made abruptly, but managers have to put different principles into consideration. The tools have covered all principles and sectors that make a business unique. The chapter specializes in cost behavior analysis and estimation and their relation to the performance of the firm. The cost behavior consists of four patterns that include mixed, variable, step and fixed costs. They are

Social and Psychological Differences in Trifles by Susan Glaspell Essay Example for Free

Social and Psychological Differences in Trifles by Susan Glaspell Essay In the play Trifles, by Susan Glaspell, the central theme of the play are the social and psychological differences between the men and the women. The male characters has a chauvinistic attitude towards women, while the women are more understanding and perceptive than the men in terms of trying to solve the crime. It is because of the mens attitudes that led them to fail in seeing the truth of Mr. Wrights murder. Their attitudes were blatantly apparent while they were assessing the crime scene at the Wright House. Rather than being objective investigators, their negative views towards women and their discriminatory nature of the opposite sex caused them to overlook the situation and automatically branded Mrs. Wright as the killer with no regard for her emotions or state of mind at the time of the murder. The men were more concerned with criticizing Mrs. Wrights lack of proper homemaking skills than trying to find the reason behind the murder of Mr. Wright. In line 157, while looking for evidence, the county attorney complains after washing his hands, Dirty towels! Not much of a housekeeper, would you say, ladies?, while kicking the pans under the sink. His irritation showed his negative attitude because the house was not kept in proper standards by Mrs. Wright. His actions alluded to his beliefs that since women stayed home as house wives, while holding no proper jobs in the world, they should at least keep the house up to par. He defends his opinions to the ladies in line 163 saying that I know that there are some Dickson County farmhouses that do not have such roller towels. When Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters quickly defended Mrs. Wright, his reaction was, Ah, loyal to your sex , I see. His demeaning undertone revealed his lack of respect for womens societal roles and believes that wom en are inferior to men. The women on the other hand, were more perceptive and sympathetic to Mrs. Wrights situation. From the beginning, they were the ones that noticed the little things. The effort that Mrs. Wright had to caring for her house even though it was not perfect was not overlooked by the women. They were more sympathetic than the men because they themselves knew the flight it took to run a household, to which the men disregarded. The women were the ones that asked questions. They knew Mrs. Wright before she had married the cold and quiet Mr. Wright. They recalled that Minnie was a lively person and was always singing but later became recluse and closed off from the neighbors after marrying Mr. Wright. They pondered whether or not she had a happy and stable marriage, going through many reasons as to what could have led her to commit such a crime. While the men were busy investigating upstairs, it was the women who found the bird cage as well as the dead bird in the sewing box. They compared Mrs. Wright to the bird in line 449. She come to think of it, she was kind of like a bird herself real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and fluttery. How-she-did-change. The women based their findings on facts and evidence as opposed to the indifferent attitude of the men. Though the women sympathized with Mrs. Wrights situation, they believed that killing Mr. Wright was still wrong, however, their sympathy and understanding for Mrs. Wright led them to conceal the bird as evidence from the sheriff and the county attorney. The play clearly showed a divide in opposing ideas and attitudes between both sexes. The men were more harsh, critical, rough and self centered where as the women were more intuitive, cautious and sensitive to the situation. Their differences led to them having contrasting opinions on the facts. The mens judgments on women did not allow them to accurately and objectively assess the case where as the women we able to see things that the men overlook. However, though the men were not able to gather more evidence for the case, the women were the ones who found possibly the most important finding, which was the broken bird cage as well as the dead bird. Even after finding the bird, the women decided to commit a crime themselves by hiding the bird from the sheriff. Even though the women were more sympathetic they were still wrong for hiding the evidence. Thus alluding to the fact that the womens emotional nature disabled them the same way as the mens judgmental attitude.

Diversity And Equality In The Workplace Social Work Essay

Diversity And Equality In The Workplace Social Work Essay The workplace is forever changing. With the number of working women rising steadily for decades and the average age of the workforce increasing (BBC News 2008), it is more diverse than ever. Managing diversity and equality in the workplace is an important managerial competency. Treating people equally is essential to being an effective and successful organisation. In respect of the many different dimensions in which people differ, whether by age, gender, race, religion, disability, or sexual orientation, organisations have a responsibility to proactively promote equality throughout their establishment. Within these organisations employees still face many challenges and experience aspects of inequality and discrimination. These issues in their respective organisations are a hindrance that prevent progression and success and can cause the career development of employees to suffer. Discrimination can come in many forms, however, the key factor that will be focused on regarding discrimin ation is the glass ceiling and the negative effects it has on women and their career development. In this essay, the term glass ceiling will be defined, reasons explaining how and why women are likely to encounter the glass ceiling will be discussed and concepts such as the Queen Bee Syndrome, gender pay gap and gender ideology will be explored. The essay will then examine the measures Human Resources practitioners can take to address the problems of inequality encountered by women. For women in the workplace, the struggle to climb the corporate ladder and reach the top seems out of reach because of the glass ceiling. The theory known as the glass ceiling is defined as artificial barriers based on attitudinal or organisational bias that prevent qualified individuals from advancing to positions of power offering higher salaries and more responsibility and authority (International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 2008). It has been known that women experience significant levels of frustration at every stage due to the barriers of progression even though the promotional roles are within sight and ability. Flanders (1994) suggests that the reason the barrier of the glass ceiling exists and is exerted upon women is because of societys attitude, prejudice towards women and the preconceived idea that the workplace and managerial position are all male based. There are various ways in which women can experience the glass ceiling with also a vast amount of evidence to support this. The gender pay gap is the most commonly used example to demonstrate the inequality between men and women. The pay gap is defined as the shortfall between how much men earn and how much women earn (Padavic Reskin, 2002, p121). Comparing hourly pay of men and women, based on the mean earnings, the 2009 figures stated that womens hourly pay was 16.4% less than men for full time employees and 13.2% for part time employees, in comparison to the 2008 figures of 17.4% and 15.2% respectively (Office for National Statistics, 2010), but the figures still stand as a high percentage. Although the Equal Pay Act (1970) was introduced which makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate between men and women in their pay and conditions when they are doing the same or similar work, work rated as equivalent, or work of equal value (Government Equalities Office, 2010), women in the workforce still continue to earn considerably less than their male counterparts. The pay gap is most certainly of concern in the finance sector, despite women and men making up equal proportions of the employees, women earn significantly less than their male colleagues, when investigated by the commission of equality and human rights (2010), the results were startling, the inquiry found that on average women earn 55% less than men in their annual salaries, this figure compared to the average pay gap was significantly higher. The vast difference in the pay gap shows that the inequality between men and women is still present and is an area in the workplace where there is cause for concern. For those that have shattered the glass ceiling and have reached senior management positions, they have not been affected by what is known as blocked promotion. Women on all levels face blockages and find it hard to move up the corporate ladder. Davidson and Cooper (1992) state that currently promotions are based on the ability to be mobile and relocate to different sites if necessary. It is also stated that The state of existing marital relationships and the tendency of most organisations to promote by job transfer therefore make it extremely difficult for women to advance their careers very far (Davidson and Cooper, 1992). Sex inequality and a sex-gender hierarchy have been formed on the basis of societys treatment towards the sexes in which men are favoured over women (Padavic Reskin, 2002). It is this concept in which society has formed preconceptions that the mans occupation is superior to the womans. Therefore it would seem that a decision as grand as relocation would not take place on the basis of the promotion of a woman. Women are also associated with the characteristic of being submissive; this in turn would also be a contributing factor to women being less likely to relocate with their family for work in comparison to men. With the glass ceiling, gender pay gap and societys stereotypes, women in the workplace already face many challenges of inequality and discrimination. Now theres a major, and somewhat unexpected, addition to the list known as the female boss, who exhibits the Queen Bee Syndrome. The Queen Bee Syndrome occurs when women in managerial positions discriminate against other women, most often to do with their own insecurities and feeling threatened, this syndrome may sometimes be as important as sexism in holding back womens careers (Dobson Iredale, 2006). It is natural for women to feel threatened by other women which would result in defences being raised. Poe Courter (1994) demonstrate how women managers are not always sympathetic in regards to other women, in a study of 2,405 pregnancy-discrimination lawsuits in Ohio between 1985 and 1990, researchers found that 36% of the supervisors who refused to hire pregnant women or let them return to work were women (Poe Courter. 1994, p5). Fo r women to overcome the glass ceiling the Queen Bee Syndrome needs to be eradicated. Davidson Cooper (1992) explains how in their findings, the Queen Bee Syndrome is a type of behaviour that is not exhibited in all women, and there are those that have asserted to make efforts to help other women. Eradication of this syndrome will only take place when the women that are in a position to exert this behaviour have assurance that their role is not under threat. This in turn will eliminate all areas of insecurities and subsequently the behaviour that follows. Sex stereotypes are the most common reason why woman face discrimination and encounter the glass ceiling. These stereotypes are socially shared beliefs that link sexes with attributes and skills and are a part of gender ideology (Padavic and Reskin, 2002). The commission for equality and human rights (2010) states that employers still have stereotypical views of what is defined as womens work and mens work. This evidently can be developed and transcended into the recruitment and selection process of a specific job role and discrimination can take place. These constant stereotypes generate a close identification between men and management (McTavish Miller, 2006). It is argued that management is a sex typed occupation and there is a high ratio of men already in management roles due to the attributes needed for management closely linked with the characteristics of men (Kakabadse, Bank Vinnicombe, 2005). Stereotypical ideas in relation to the workforce and management suggest why there is occupational segregation in the workplace and why men are in the senior managerial positions and why women encounter the glass ceiling. The theory of gender ideology uses a set of shared assumptions about the way sexes are to behaviour and certain norms and characteristics associated with those sexes to explain why women face inequality and the glass ceiling in the workplace (Padavic and Reskin, 2002). This ideology limits womens employment options as they may be deemed unsuitable for certain roles. Padavic and Reskin (2002) then lead on to discuss how this ideology leads to physical segregation which keeps women close to the home and away from the workforce. This largely relates to societys presumptions of men being socially accepted as breadwinners in the family. Throughout history a patriarchal social system, in which men have authority over women has prevailed (Powell Graves, 2003). It was in the nineteenth century based on this social system that the concept of the family wage theory was introduced. The theory was an objective adopted by male trade unionists at the turn of the nineteenth century in their fight for improved wages based on the argument that a wage should be sufficient to maintain a family (A dictionary for Sociology, 2008). Nowadays it is often cited as a factor in explanations of womens disadvantaged position in the workplace (A dictionary for Sociology, 2008). The patriarchal system and the theory of family wage have instilled expectations that men are the breadwinners and providers for their family and women are inferior to men. This has developed over time and has contributed to why women face the glass ceiling in the workplace. The role of Human Resource practitioners is a difficult one; they face the role of addressing inequality by implementing ways to resolve the issue. It is clear that strategies and solutions need to be put in place to address the issue. A clear issue that surrounds women is family and the ability to care for the family. The appointment and retention of family friendly working practices is significant in resolving this issue. Organisations are beginning to provide onsite day care centres and nurseries for employees children (Davison Cooper, 1992). This needs to expand to further organisations and establishments. Flexible working patterns need to be put in place to accommodate employees family patterns. Flexitime is an example of this in which parents and careers can meet the needs associated with their childs education (Davison Cooper, 1992). The Commission for Equality and human rights (2010) welcomes the Governments proposals for the regulations on Additional Paternity Leave (APL).   The Commission believes that implementation of APL would provide more choice for parents in childcare responsibilities and a more equitable sharing of leave entitlements. The recruitment and selection process should be designed to find the most suitable candidate for the role, regardless of gender (Commission for equality and human rights, 2010). Human Resources practitioners need to enforce this regulation. Women receive less training then men, subsequently employers may discriminate on that basis (Flanders, 1994). Therefore human resource practitioners should allow men and women in the same role to receive the same amount of training. The government are also taking steps in order to address inequality. The equality bill which received royal assent and formally became the Equality Act was passed in April 2010. The Equality Act states that if a company has 250 or more employees they may have to publish the differences between the pay of men and women (Government Equalities Office, 2010). This encourages companies to oblige by the Equal Pay Act (1970), and avoid the gender discrimination becoming public knowledge. The Government Equalities Office (2010) also state that jobs are allowed to be aimed at certain groups e.g. women in order to build a more diverse workforce. This means jobs that women are underrepresented in can aim to employ more women under this act and thus create a more equal workforce. The government also introduced in 2004, the 10 year childcare strategy, in which one of the key themes was a greater choice in how parents can balance their family life and work commitments, a suggestion that was propos ed was enhanced parental leave in both maternal and paternal leave (Department for children, schools and families, 2009). This strategy would help women considerably in balancing work and family life and would allow them to still pursue a career without fear of family concerns. The implementation of these government schemes in the workplace by Human Resource practitioners could significantly reduce inequality for women. There are many factors to suggest reasons for why women face the glass ceiling, discrimination and inequality, some of which would include stereotyping, prejudice and preconceived ideas. There have been developments in reducing inequality in the workforce and career progression for women but nevertheless further action still needs to be taken. For those that have not shattered the glass ceiling, they continue to face challenges and obstacles in the workplace. Only with the change of societys preconceptions and subsequent actions, will the workplace fully change for women and their career progression. If inequality is to be eliminated and the glass ceiling overcome, societys stereotypes need to be a historical concept. As of now there is still a need to raise awareness of the inequality still present in the workplace and address the problems associated with inequality and to encourage organisations to manage diversity and equality effectively and successfully.

Essay --

3.1 Introduction A research is an investigation to discover new knowledge by collecting numerous information on the certain ideas or theories. The research methodology is the ways to solve the research problem systematically by using various steps. 3.2 Research Method The researcher has used the quantitative method for this research. The quantitative method is a method to collect various numerical data by using mathematically methods. The purpose of using quantitative method is to measure various perspective and opinions in a chosen sample. 3.3 Data Collection Method The data collection is involved in collecting as much information as possible for the research topic by relying on the desk study and the field study. The field study is collected as a primary data while the desk study are collected as a secondary data. 3.3.1 Field Study The researcher has used the survey method to measure the characteristics and the opinion of the populations as well as observing the behaviour of certain people. The survey method is a technique used to gather information from the people by using the questionnaires. 3.3.2 Desk Study The desk study is the reviews of the research information available before the field study had taken place. The data from the desk study are collected from the journals, newspapers, Utar library and Malaysia government official website of Economic Planning Unit. 3.4 Research Design The quantitative method gives an emphasis on the measurement of objective and the numerical data analysis collected through the questionnaires. The questionnaires for this research have been given to the degree graduates of built environment professional in West Malaysia area. 3.4.1 Survey Questionnaire A questionnaire ... ...the method of the probability sample, each element of the population has non-zero chance of being selected for the sample. On the other hand, non-probability sampling is the method that we do not know chances for the each element of the population to be selected. The convenience sampling has been chosen from the non-probability sampling method for this research. The convenience sampling can also be known as haphazard sampling. The researcher has selected this method for the research because it is convenience and easy to be used. The convenience sample is used any participant available for the research. 3.5.2 Instrument of Data Collection The researcher has used iPhone 4 mobile phone with 5 megapixels camera as a tool to take the pictures for the research. The reason is because iPhone 4 mobile phone is easy to carry around whenever the researcher need it.

Digital Fortress Chapter 88-93

Chapter 88 The headlight of Becker's Vespa threw stark shadows on the walls of the narrow passageways. He struggled with the gear shift and roared between the whitewashed buildings, giving the inhabitants of Santa Cruz an early wake-up call this Sunday morning. It had been less than thirty minutes since Becker's escape from the airport. He'd been on the run ever since, his mind grappling with endless questions: Who's trying to kill me? What's so special about this ring? Where is the NSA jet? He thought of Megan dead in the stall, and the nausea crept back. Becker had hoped to cut directly across the barrio and exit on the other side, but Santa Cruz was a bewildering labyrinth of alleyways. It was peppered with false starts and dead ends. Becker quickly became disoriented. He looked up for the tower of the Giralda to get his bearings, but the surrounding walls were so high he could see nothing except a thin slit of breaking dawn above him. Becker wondered where the man in wire-rim glasses was; he knew better than to think the assailant had given up. The killer probably was after him on foot. Becker struggled to maneuver his Vespa around tight corners. The sputtering of the engine echoed up and down the alleys. Becker knew he was an easy target in the silence of Santa Cruz. At this point, all he had in his favor was speed. Got to get to the other side! After a long series of turns and straightaways, Becker skidded into a three-way intersection marked Esquina de los Reyes. He knew he was in trouble-he had been there already. As he stood straddling the idling bike, trying to decide which way to turn, the engine sputtered to a stop. The gas gauge read vacio. As if on cue, a shadow appeared down an alley on his left. The human mind is the fastest computer in existence. In the next fraction of a second, Becker's mind registered the shape of the man's glasses, searched his memory for a match, found one, registered danger, and requested a decision. He got one. He dropped the useless bike and took off at a full sprint. Unfortunately for Becker, Hulohot was now on solid ground rather than in a lurching taxi. He calmly raised his weapon and fired. The bullet caught Becker in the side just as he stumbled around the corner out of range. He took five or six strides before the sensation began to register. At first it felt like a muscle pull, just above the hip. Then it turned to a warm tingling. When Becker saw the blood, he knew. There was no pain, no pain anywhere, just a headlong race through the winding maze of Santa Cruz. Hulohot dashed after his quarry. He had been tempted to hit Becker in the head, but he was a professional; he played the odds. Becker was a moving target, and aiming at his midsection provided the greatest margin of error both vertically and horizontally. The odds had paid off. Becker had shifted at the last instant, and rather than missing his head, Hulohot had caught a piece of his side. Although he knew the bullet had barely grazed Becker and would do no lasting damage, the shot had served its purpose. Contact had been made. The prey had been touched by death. It was a whole new game. Becker raced forward blindly. Turning. Winding. Staying out of the straightaways. The footsteps behind him seemed relentless. Becker's mind was blank. Blank to everything-where he was, who was chasing him-all that was left was instinct, self preservation, no pain, only fear, and raw energy. A shot exploded against the azulejo tile behind him. Shards of glass sprayed across the back of his neck. He stumbled left, into another alley. He heard himself call for help, but except for the sound of footsteps and strained breathing, the morning air remained deathly still. Becker's side was burning now. He feared he was leaving a crimson trail on the whitewashed walks. He searched everywhere for an open door, an open gate, any escape from the suffocating canyons. Nothing. The walkway narrowed. â€Å"Socorro!† Becker's voice was barely audible. â€Å"Help!† The walls grew closer on each side. The walkway curved. Becker searched for an intersection, a tributary, any way out. The passageway narrowed. Locked doors. Narrowing. Locked gates. The footsteps were closing. He was in a straightaway, and suddenly the alley began to slope upward. Steeper. Becker felt his legs straining. He was slowing. And then he was there. Like a freeway that had run out of funding, the alley just stopped. There was a high wall, a wooden bench, and nothing else. No escape. Becker looked up three stories to the top of the building and then spun and started back down the long alley, but he had only taken a few steps before he stopped short. At the foot of the inclined straightaway, a figure appeared. The man moved toward Becker with a measured determination. In his hand, a gun glinted in the early morning sun. Becker felt a sudden lucidity as he backed up toward the wall. The pain in his side suddenly registered. He touched the spot and looked down. There was blood smeared across his fingers and across Ensei Tankado's golden ring. He felt dizzy. He stared at the engraved band, puzzled. He'd forgotten he was wearing it. He'd forgotten why he had come to Seville. He looked up at the figure approaching. He looked down at the ring. Was this why Megan had died? Was this why he would die? The shadow advanced up the inclined passageway. Becker saw walls on all sides-a dead end behind him. A few gated entryways between them, but it was too late to call for help. Becker pressed his back against the dead end. Suddenly he could feel every piece of grit beneath the soles of his shoes, every bump in the stucco wall behind him. His mind was reeling backward, his childhood, his parents†¦ Susan. Oh, God†¦ Susan. For the first time since he was a kid, Becker prayed. He did not pray for deliverance from death; he did not believe in miracles. Instead he prayed that the woman he left behind would find strength, that she would know without a doubt that she had been loved. He closed his eyes. The memories came like a torrent. They were not memories of department meetings, university business, and the things that made up 90 percent of his life; they were memories of her. Simple memories: teaching her to use chopsticks, sailing on Cape Cod. I love you, he thought. Know that†¦ forever. It was as if every defense, every facade, every insecure exaggeration of his life had been stripped away. He was standing naked-flesh and bones before God. I am a man, he thought. And in a moment of irony he thought, A man without wax. He stood, eyes closed, as the man in wire-rim glasses drew nearer. Somewhere nearby, a bell began to toll. Becker waited in darkness, for the sound that would end his life. Chapter 89 The morning sun was just breaking over the Seville rooftops and shining down into the canyons below. The bells atop the Giralda cried out for sunrise mass. This was the moment inhabitants had all been waiting for. Everywhere in the ancient barrio, gates opened and families poured into the alleyways. Like lifeblood through the veins of old Santa Cruz, they coursed toward the heart of their pueblo, toward the core of their history, toward their God, their shrine, their cathedral. Somewhere in Becker's mind, a bell was tolling. Am I dead? Almost reluctantly, he opened his eyes and squinted into the first rays of sunlight. He knew exactly where he was. He leveled his gaze and searched the alley for his assailant. But the man in wire-rims was not there. Instead, there were others. Spanish families, in their finest clothes, stepping from their gated portals into the alleyways, talking, laughing. At the bottom of the alley, hidden from Becker's view, Hulohot cursed in frustration. At first there had been only a single couple separating him from his quarry. Hulohot had been certain they would leave. But the sound of the bells kept reverberating down the alley, drawing others from their homes. A second couple, with children. They greeted each another. Talking, laughing, kissing three times on the cheek. Another group appeared, and Hulohot could no longer see his prey. Now, in a boiling rage, he raced into the quickly growing crowd. He had to get to David Becker! The killer fought his way toward the end of the alley. He found himself momentarily lost in a sea of bodies-coats and ties, black dresses, lace mantles over hunched women. They all seemed oblivious to Hulohot's presence; they strolled casually, all in black, shuffling, moving as one, blocking his way. Hulohot dug his way through the crowd and dashed up the alley into the dead end, his weapon raised. Then he let out a muted, inhuman scream. David Becker was gone. Becker stumbled and sidestepped his way through the crowd. Follow the crowd, he thought. They know the way out. He cut right at the intersection and the alley widened. Everywhere gates were opening and people were pouring out. The pealing of the bells grew louder. Becker's side was still burning, but he sensed the bleeding had stopped. He raced on. Somewhere behind him, closing fast, was a man with a gun. Becker ducked in and out of the groups of churchgoers and tried to keep his head down. It was not much farther. He could sense it. The crowd had thickened. The alley had widened. They were no longer in a little tributary, this was the main river. As he rounded a bend, Becker suddenly saw it, rising before them-the cathedral and Giralda tower. The bells were deafening, the reverberations trapped in the high-walled plaza. The crowds converged, everyone in black, pushing across the square toward the gaping doors of the Seville Cathedral. Becker tried to break away toward Mateus Gago, but he was trapped. He was shoulder to shoulder, heel to toe with the shoving throngs. The Spaniards had always had a different idea of closeness than the rest of the world. Becker was wedged between two heavyset women, both with their eyes closed, letting the crowd carry them. They mumbled prayers to themselves and clutched rosary beads in their fingers. As the crowd closed on the enormous stone structure, Becker tried to cut left again, but the current was stronger now. The anticipation, the pushing and shoving, the blind, mumbled prayers. He turned into the crowd, trying to fight backward against the eager throngs. It was impossible, like swimming upstream in a mile-deep river. He turned. The cathedral doors loomed before him-like the opening to some dark carnival ride he wished he hadn't taken. David Becker suddenly realized he was going to church. Chapter 90 The Crypto sirens were blaring. Strathmore had no idea how long Susan had been gone. He sat alone in the shadows, the drone of TRANSLTR calling to him. You're a survivor†¦ you're a survivor†¦. Yes, he thought. I'm a survivor-but survival is nothing without honor. I'd rather die than live in the shadow of disgrace. And disgrace was what was waiting for him. He had kept information from the director. He had sent a virus into the nation's most secure computer. There was no doubt he would be hung out to dry. His intentions had been patriotic, but nothing had gone as he'd planned. There had been death and treachery. There would be trials, accusations, public outrage. He had served his country with honor and integrity for so many years, he couldn't allow it to end this way. I'm a survivor, he thought. You're a liar, his own thoughts replied. It was true. He was a liar. There were people he hadn't been honest with. Susan Fletcher was one of them. There were so many things he hadn't told her-things he was now desperately ashamed of. For years she'd been his illusion, his living fantasy. He dreamed of her at night; he cried out for her in his sleep. He couldn't help it. She was as brilliant and as beautiful as any woman he could imagine. His wife had tried to be patient, but when she finally met Susan, she immediately lost hope. Bev Strathmore never blamed her husband for his feelings. She tried to endure the pain as long as possible, but recently it had become too much. She'd told him their marriage was ending; another woman's shadow was no place to spend the rest of her life. Gradually the sirens lifted Strathmore from his daze. His analytical powers searched for any way out. His mind reluctantly confirmed what his heart had suspected. There was only one true escape, only one solution. Strathmore gazed down at the keyboard and began typing. He didn't bother to turn the monitor so he could see it. His fingers pecked out the words slowly and decisively. Dearest friends, I am taking my life today†¦ This way, no one would ever wonder. There would be no questions. There would be no accusations. He would spell out for the world what had happened. Many had died†¦ but there was still one life to take. Chapter 91 In a cathedral, it is always night. The warmth of the day turns to damp coolness. The traffic is silenced behind thick granite walls. No number of candelabras can illuminate the vast darkness overhead. Shadows fall everywhere. There's only the stained glass, high above, filtering the ugliness of the outside world into rays of muted reds and blues. The Seville Cathedral, like all great cathedrals of Europe, is laid out in the shape of a cross. The sanctuary and altar are located just above the midpoint and open downward onto the main sanctuary. Wooden pews fill the vertical axis, a staggering 113 yards from the altar to the base of the cross. To the left and right of the altar, the transept of the cross houses confessionals, sacred tombs, and additional seating. Becker found himself wedged in the middle of a long pew about halfway back. Overhead, in the dizzying empty space, a silver censer the size of a refrigerator swung enormous arcs on a frayed rope, leaving a trail of frankincense. The bells of the Giralda kept ringing, sending low rumbling shock waves through the stone. Becker lowered his gaze to the gilded wall behind the altar. He had a lot to be thankful for. He was breathing. He was alive. It was a miracle. As the priest prepared to give the opening prayer, Becker checked his side. There was a red stain on his shirt, but the bleeding had stopped. The wound was small, more of a laceration than a puncture. Becker tucked his shirt back in and craned his neck. Behind him, the doors were cranking shut. He knew if he'd been followed, he was now trapped. The Seville Cathedral had a single functional entrance, a design popularized in the days when churches were used as fortresses, a safe haven against Moorish invasion. With a single entrance, there was only one door to barricade. Now the single entrance had another function-it ensured all tourists entering the cathedral had purchased a ticket. The twenty-two-foot-high, gilded doors slammed with a decisive crash. Becker was sealed in the house of God. He closed his eyes and slid low in his pew. He was the only one in the building not dressed in black. Somewhere voices began to chant. Toward the back of the church, a figure moved slowly up the side aisle, keeping to the shadows. He had slipped in just before the doors closed. He smiled to himself. The hunt was getting interesting. Becker is here†¦ I can feel it. He moved methodically, one row at a time. Overhead the frankincense decanter swung its long, lazy arcs. A fine place to die, Hulohot thought. I hope I do as well. Becker knelt on the cold cathedral floor and ducked his head out of sight. The man seated next to him glared down-it was most irregular behavior in the house of God. â€Å"Enfermo,† Becker apologized. â€Å"Sick.† Becker knew he had to stay low. He had glimpsed a familiar silhouette moving up the side aisle. It's him! He's here! Despite being in the middle of an enormous congregation, Becker feared he was an easy target-his khaki blazer was like a roadside flare in the crowd of black. He considered removing it, but the white oxford shirt underneath was no better. Instead he huddled lower. The man beside him frowned. â€Å"Turista.† He grunted. Then he whispered, half sarcastically, â€Å"Llamo un medico? Shall I call a doctor?† Becker looked up at the old man's mole-ridden face. â€Å"No, gracias. Estoy bien.† The man gave him an angry look. â€Å"Pues sientate! Then sit down!† There were scattered shushes around them, and the old man bit his tongue and faced front. Becker closed his eyes and huddled lower, wondering how long the service would last. Becker, raised Protestant, had always had the impression Catholics were long-winded. He prayed it was true-as soon as the service ended, he would be forced to stand and let the others out. In khaki he was dead. Becker knew he had no choice at the moment. He simply knelt there on the cold stone floor of the great cathedral. Eventually, the old man lost interest. The congregation was standing now, singing a hymn. Becker stayed down. His legs were starting to cramp. There was no room to stretch them. Patience, he thought. Patience. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It felt like only minutes later that Becker felt someone kicking him. He looked up. The mole-faced man was standing to his right, waiting impatiently to leave the pew. Becker panicked. He wants to leave already? I'll have to stand up! Becker motioned for the man to step over him. The man could barely control his anger. He grabbed the tails of his black blazer, pulled them down in a huff, and leaned back to reveal the entire row of people waiting to leave. Becker looked left and saw that the woman who had been seated there was gone. The length of pew to his left was empty all the way to the center aisle. The service can't be over! It's impossible! We just got here! But when Becker saw the altar boy at the end of the row and the two single-file lines moving up the center aisle toward the altar, he knew what was happening. Communion. He groaned. The damn Spaniards do it first! Chapter 92 Susan climbed down the ladder into the sublevels. Thick steam was now boiling up around TRANSLTR's hull. The catwalks were wet with condensation. She almost fell, her flats providing very little traction. She wondered how much longer TRANSLTR would survive. The sirens continued their intermittent warning. The emergency lights spun in two-second intervals. Three stories below, the aux generators shook in a taxed whine. Susan knew somewhere at the bottom in the foggy dimness there was a circuit breaker. She sensed time was running out. Upstairs, Strathmore held the Beretta in his hand. He reread his note and laid it on the floor of the room where he was standing. What he was about to do was a cowardly act, there was no doubt. I'm a survivor, he thought. He thought of the virus in the NSA databank, he thought of David Becker in Spain, he thought of his plans for a back door. He had told so many lies. He was guilty of so much. He knew this was the only way to avoid accountability†¦ the only way to avoid the shame. Carefully he aimed the gun. Then he closed his eyes and pulled the trigger. Susan had only descended six flights when she heard the muffled shot. It was far off, barely audible over the generators. She had never heard a gunshot except on television, but she had no doubt what it was. She stopped short, the sound resounding in her ears. In a wave of horror, she feared the worst. She pictured the commander's dreams-the back door in Digital Fortress, the incredible coup it would have been. She pictured the virus in the databank, his failing marriage, that eerie nod he had given her. Her footing faltered. She spun on the landing, grappling for the banister. Commander! No! Susan was momentarily frozen, her mind blank. The echo of the gunshot seemed to drown out the chaos around her. Her mind told her to keep on going, but her legs refused. Commander! An instant later she found herself stumbling back up the stairs, entirely forgetting the danger around her. She ran blindly, slipping on the slick metal. Above her the humidity fell like rain. When she reached the ladder and began climbing, she felt herself lifted from below by a tremendous surge of steam that practically jettisoned her through the trapdoor. She rolled onto the Crypto floor and felt the cool air wash over her. Her white blouse clung to her body, soaked through. It was dark. Susan paused, trying to get her bearings. The sound of the gunshot was on endless loop in her head. Hot steam billowed up through the trapdoor like gases from a volcano about to explode. Susan cursed herself for leaving the Beretta with Strathmore. She had left it with him, hadn't she? Or was it in Node 3? As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she glanced toward the gaping hole in the Node 3 wall. The glow from the monitors was faint, but in the distance she could see Hale lying motionless on the floor where she'd left him. There was no sign of Strathmore. Terrified of what she'd find, she turned toward the commander's office. But as she began to move, something registered as strange. She backpedaled a few steps and peered into Node 3 again. In the soft light she could see Hale's arm. It was not at his side. He was no longer tied like a mummy. His arm was up over his head. He was sprawled backward on the floor. Had he gotten free? There was no movement. Hale was deathly still. Susan gazed up at Strathmore's workstation perched high on the wall. â€Å"Commander?† Silence. Tentatively she moved toward Node 3. There was an object in Hale's hand. It glimmered in the light of the monitors. Susan moved closer†¦ closer. Suddenly she could see what Hale was holding. It was the Beretta. Susan gasped. Following the arch of Hale's arm, her eyes moved to his face. What she saw was grotesque. Half of Greg Hale's head was soaked in blood. The dark stain had spread out across the carpet. Oh my God! Susan staggered backward. It wasn't the commander's shot she'd heard, it was Hale's! As if in a trance, Susan moved toward the body. Apparently, Hale had managed to free himself. The printer cables were piled on the floor beside him. I must have left the gun on the couch, she thought. The blood flowing through the hole in his skull looked black in the bluish light. On the floor beside Hale was a piece of paper. Susan went over unsteadily, and picked it up. It was a letter. Dearest friends, I am taking my life today in penance for the following sins†¦ In utter disbelief, Susan stared at the suicide note in her hand. She read slowly. It was surreal-so unlike Hale-a laundry list of crimes. He was admitting to everything-figuring out that NDAKOTA was a hoax, hiring a mercenary to kill Ensei Tankado and take the ring, pushing Phil Chartrukian, planning to sell Digital Fortress. Susan reached the final line. She was not prepared for what she read. The letter's final words delivered a numbing blow. Above all, I'm truly sorry about David Becker. Forgive me, I was blinded by ambition. As Susan stood trembling over Hale's body, the sound of running footsteps approached behind her. In slow motion, she turned. Strathmore appeared in the broken window, pale and out of breath. He stared down at Hale's body in apparent shock. â€Å"Oh my God!† he said. â€Å"What happened?† Chapter 93 Communion. Hulohot spotted Becker immediately. The khaki blazer was impossible to miss, particularly with the small bloodstain on one side. The jacket was moving up the center aisle in a sea of black. He must not know I'm here. Hulohot smiled. He's a dead man. He fanned the tiny metal contacts on his fingertips, eager to tell his American contact the good news. Soon, he thought, very soon. Like a predator moving downwind, Hulohot moved to the back of the church. Then he began his approach-straight up the center aisle. Hulohot was in no mood to track Becker through the crowds leaving the church. His quarry was trapped, a fortunate turn of events. Hulohot just needed a way to eliminate him quietly. His silencer, the best money could buy, emitted no more than a tiny spitting cough. That would be fine. As Hulohot closed on the khaki blazer, he was unaware of the quiet murmurs coming from those he was passing. The congregation could understand this man's excitement to receive the blessing of God, but nevertheless, there were strict rules of protocol-two lines, single file. Hulohot kept moving. He was closing quickly. He thumbed the revolver in his jacket pocket. The moment had arrived. David Becker had been exceptionally fortunate so far; there was no need to tempt fortune any further. The khaki blazer was only ten people ahead, facing front, head down. Hulohot rehearsed the kill in his mind. The image was clear-cutting in behind Becker, keeping the gun low and out of sight, firing two shots into Becker's back, Becker slumping, Hulohot catching him and helping him into a pew like a concerned friend. Then Hulohot would move quickly to the back of the church as if going for help. In the confusion, he would disappear before anyone knew what had happened. Five people. Four. Three. Hulohot fingered the gun in his pocket, keeping it low. He would fire from hip level upward into Becker's spine. That way the bullet would hit either the spine or a lung before finding the heart. Even if the bullet missed the heart, Becker would die. A punctured lung was fatal, maybe not in more medically advanced parts of the world, but in Spain, it was fatal. Two people†¦ one. And then Hulohot was there. Like a dancer performing a well-rehearsed move, he turned to his right. He laid his hand on the shoulder of the khaki blazer, aimed the gun, and†¦ fired. Two muffled spats. Instantly the body was rigid. Then it was falling. Hulohot caught his victim under the armpits. In a single motion, he swung the body into a pew before any bloodstains spread across his back. Nearby, people turned. Hulohot paid no heed-he would be gone in an instant. He groped the man's lifeless fingers for the ring. Nothing. He felt again. The fingers were bare. Hulohot spun the man around angrily. The horror was instantaneous. The face was not David Becker's. Rafael de la Maza, a banker from the suburbs of Seville, had died almost instantly. He was still clutching the 50,000 pesetas the strange American had paid him for a cheap black blazer.

Rocky Mountain Case

2009 ROCKY MOUNTAIN MUTUAL JOESPH MIROLA Rocky Mountain Mutual: Promoting Fun or Fitness? Date of Submission: 27th July 2009 Submitted to: Submitted by: Sanjay Kumar Gupta Rajiv Agarwal WAC instructor Roll: 20091034 To: Zachery Evans (Vice President) From: Joesph Mirola Date: 27 July 2009 Please find the detailed analysis of the fitness center in our organization with all the relevant data. Kindly inform me if some more information is required of the same. Regards Joseph Mirola ? CONTENTS: Sr. noTopicsPAGE NO: 1EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 2SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS 6 3PROBLEM STATEMENT 6 4STATEMENT OF OPTIONS 7 5CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION 7 6EVALUATION OF OPTIONS 8 7RECOMMENDATIONS 10 8PLAN OF ACTION 10 LIST OF TABLES 9TABLE 16 ? EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Rocky Mountain Mutual is a growing insurance company which has recently opened a branch office in a remote area of Utah. The unique feature of this branch is its fitness center which boasts of facilities such as swimming pool and track for walking and running. According to company records users of fitness center have shown reduction in their medical expense but the cost of operating is too high and also less than 50% of employees are using it. Zachery Evans, the vice president of the operations wants to close it as it is an expensive affair and also utilizing lots of space. The analysis shows that the best option available is to continue using fitness center but reduce it space area by eliminating some of the unnecessary facilities and also using it as an discussion room in the off hours. No of words:140 SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS: Ours is a growing insurance company and has recently built a headquarter in remote area of Utah with a work strength of 250 employee, which features an fitness center in the campus which was started with an investment of 1 million dollar. Mr. Joe Mirola consider this fitness center as an added advantage to the company. Table: 1 Non usersUsers Absentism:12 days a yearAbsentism:6 days a year Medical cost Visiting center once or twice Visiting center thrice No of Emp. Cost/Emp. Total costNo of Emp. Cost/Emp. Total costNo of Emp. Cost/Emp. lTotal cost 2505001250006230018600251002500 As seen from the above table the medical expense of employee has reduced considerably with the use of fitness center however one more thing can be noticed that fitness center has not been used by its entire employee. The possible reason for this can be due to various facts such as: †¢Crowding during the peak hours †¢Employee need to come early to use the fitness center †¢Lack of awareness Zachary Evans the vice president of the operations believes that this center is too expensive to run and farther consuming up lot of the company valuable space. He is of the view that this center poses a great hindrance in the expansion of the company and wants it to be shut down unless of course he is convince that fitness center is worth the amount incurred in it PROBLEM STATEMENT The fitness center as shown by company records results in reduction of medical cost of an employee and also cause less absenteeism, but the cost incurred in maintenance is too high considering the fact that only 35% of the employee are making use of it, so problem lies with Mr. joe Mirola as to how to convince vice president Zachery Evans to continue fitness center or should he close it. STATEMENT OF OPTIONS 1. Fitness center should be continued and more and more employees should be encouraged to join it and some nominal fee must be charged. 2. Fitness center can be discontinued and space might be utilized for expansion of the company. 3. It can be used for commercial purpose by opening it for non-employees also and generate revenue. CRITERIA OF EVALUATION 1. Cost to company 2. Assets Utilization 3. Productivity 4. Competition 5. Risk factor EVALUATION OF OPTIONS: OPTION 1: OPTION 2: . Option3: RECOMMENDATION: From the above analysis it can be seen that option 3 gives us many advantage over the other and it looks to be the most viable option available. PLAN OF ACTION: 1. The first thing we must do is to run awareness program within the company. 2. Conduct an survey and take the feedback of the people as in what can be done to make center more useful 3. Proper management should be there so as avoid chaos during peak hours 4. Timings should be such that the everybody can easily make use of center 5. Proper marketing should be done so as to attract the non employees. 6. The fees charged must be nominal and give people value for money. Total words:1030