Olive Garden Essay - 1561 Words

Olive Garden Project Marketing Plan: Phase I During week two, Learning Team B will take a thorough look at the Olive Garden Italian Restaurant chain. Team B has decided that a new appetizer item should be added to the restaurant menu. The appetizer item being considered is cheese filled breadsticks served with Marinara sauce. The team will begin this marketing plan by giving an overview of the Olive Garden Restaurant, along with a detailed description of the new menu item being considered. They will also explain why marketing plays an important role in the restaurants success. A SWOTT analysis will be given to introduce all the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and trends that should be considered prior to†¦show more content†¦If customers have tried breadsticks from these companies and did not like them, then they may think the same of the stuffed breadsticks from Olive Garden. It is important to market the stuffed breadstick differently than the low cost breadsticks from the other restaurants. SWOTT Analysis One useful aid that Team B can use to identify â€Å"relevant screening criteria and for zeroing in on a feasible strategy is SWOT analysis.† SWOT analysis identifies and lists the strengths and weaknesses and its opportunities and threats (Perreault, Cannon, McCarthy, 2009). Here are the strengths and weaknesses and the opportunities and threats for the new breadsticks for Olive Garden. Two important strengths for Olive Garden is that it is a well know Italian food restaurant and they are known for their breadsticks. For Olive Garden to add a new line of breadsticks with cheese will be a nice addition. There are many people who will enjoy the cheese filled breadsticks served with the marinara sauce on the side. This gives Olive Garden customers a choice on what type they would like before their dinner, if not both. One weakness that needs to be considered for adding this appetizer menu item would be the fact that Olive Garden is known for their already plain b readsticks and some people do not like change. With this being said, the bread sticks may not do well because the majority of people don’t want to try the new breadShow MoreRelatedOlive Garden Case Analysis Essay957 Words   |  4 PagesCase Analysis of Olive Garden Restaurants Division Brief Overview On Tuesday evening around 8:15 pm, Mr. Martin A. Wallace accompanied by his father and two daughters, entered an Olive Garden Restaurant expecting to be greeted with a friendly smile and great customer service. This was not the case. Instead, Mr. Wallace was not greeted by any host/hostess, but instead an empty station. After waiting about ten minutes, he went to the bar to find someone to seat him and his family. Only then did aRead MoreOlive Garden Evaluation783 Words   |  4 PagesOlive Garden: A Treat for the Family Robert Rodkey DeVry University Professor Bacon September 9, 2012 An Evaluation of the Olive Garden Restaurant Olive Garden has always been known for a great Italian meal and family friendly atmosphere. Tradition has always been a strong part of the experience as each meal is start with soup or salad and their patented bread sticks. These and more have made Olive Garden a staple nationwide in Italian cuisine, however like any chain, it does comeRead MoreOlive Garden vs Milestones1306 Words   |  6 PagesOlive Garden vs. Milestones In this paper I will compare my favorite restaurant, Olive Garden, to its most direct competition which in this case is Milestones Bar and Grill. These two restaurants are in competition because they target the same market and are located within one block of each other. Each restaurant is owned by one of top restaurant companies in North America. Olive Garden is owned by Darden Restaurants which also owns Red Lobster, Smokey Bones, Bahama Breeze, Longhorn SteakhouseRead MoreOlive Garden: SQM Overview1851 Words   |  7 Pagesorganization of which you are the CEO--Superintendent of a school district? CEO of a hospital? Plant Manager? University president? CEO of Wal-Mart, Costco, or Dollar Tree? Etc.? Olive Garden is a U.S. based mid-range chain. Olive garden operates in more than 750 locations globally specializing in Italian-American cuisine. Olive Garden is part of the Darden Restaurant Group, which also includes Red Lobster and the LongHorn Steakhouse group. Consensus of Leadership Team to Implement SQM 2011-2012 ManagementRead MoreOlive Garden Serving Process2007 Words   |  9 PagesExecutive Summary Olive Garden is committed to providing every guest with a genuine Italian dining experience and make the guest feel like they are family; in Italian it is called Hospitaliano! In an effort to have competitive advantage over other chain restaurants, Olive Garden emphasizes comprehensive employee trainings in order to provide their customers the best service possible. But even though employees have gone through training, there are some issues that would need to be fixed in orderRead MoreTABC Considerations for Olive Garden Analysis1256 Words   |  5 PagesBeverage Management Project #2 TABC Considerations for Olive Garden Analysis In order to offer a viable platform in which restaurants can offer alcoholic beverages as part of their drink line, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has created a set of guidelines which establishments must utilize in order to initiate a more responsible service to the community. According to the TABC guidelines (2014) these guidelines should clear following national, state, and local laws when offering alcoholRead MoreA Restaurant Analysis:4262 Words   |  18 PagesOlive Garden Italian Restaurant, Ruby Tuesday, and Hard Times Cafà © represent three franchise-operated, chain restaurants in the DC metropolitan area. This paper examines the organizational goals, authority structure, field research, customer seating patterns, technology, organizational structure, operational logistics, research limitations and team recommendations. The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant located is located Bowie, MD and is a franchised restaurant which was established in 1992 by BillRead MoreCompany Case 6 – Darden Restaurants: Balancing Standardization and Differentiation679 Words   |  3 PagesStandardization and Differentiation 1. Use the full spectrum of segmentation variables, describe how Darden segments and target the sit-down dining market? Psychographic Segmentation is represented by Olive Garden’s plan to build a dining experience around the concept of a fabled Italian family. Olive Garden’s marketing team learned that a primary customer insight shows that customers are as interested in emotional nourishment as they are in physical nourishment. Styling the restaurant as an ItalianRead MoreDarden Restaurant Financial Analysis4050 Words   |  17 PagesDarden (DRI) is the parent company of Red Lobster, The Olive Garden, the now-defunct China Coast concept, and a new â€Å"Floribbean† concept: Bahama Breezes. Throughout its existence, as a part of General Mills, Pillsbury, or on its own as DRI, Darden has made waves throughout the restaurant industry. The thought processes behind the introduction of a concept are considered revolutionary, as exemplified by the strategy behind The Olive Garden and Bahama Breezes. While Darden has not had the mostRead MoreCaloric Intake Of A Typical Meal At The Olive Garden857 Words   |  4 Pagesbecause of my above average height, my weight, my young age, and my gender (male). Even though I can consume a lot of Calories, I still need to be aware of what I eat. One of my favorite restaurants is the Olive Garden, thus I am going to compare the caloric intake of a typical meal at the Olive Garden with my estimated caloric needs. A meal that I typically have is the chicken parmigiana, the chicken and gnocchi soup, and a raspberry lemonade. The chicken parmigiana has 1050 Calories, the chicken and

The Origin Of Diversity Within Species - 1361 Words

According to Charles Darwin, he suggested that all organisms were descendants from a common ancestor that was once existed in the past (Darwin 1859). As organisms share a lot of common characteristics due to common ancestry, the history of evolution of different species can be known through comparing how closely their genes and body structures were. The more similar those characteristics are, the more closely related those species is. However there is a wide range of diversity between every single species and between every single individual. Diversification allows organisms to occupy different niches in the ecosystem. In this essay, the origin of diversity within species, the origin of diversity between the species, the significance of†¦show more content†¦Every single individual will not be genetically identical unless they are identical twins. Variation within individuals could be caused my crossing over or independent assortment during the process of fusion of two gametes . !!!! Origin of diversity between species A common ancestor gave rise to all organisms on earth. However, every individual species developed their own distinct character that allows them to play a specific role in the ecosystem. Diversity is caused as species are being isolated by geographic barriers or by sexual selection. The diversity between species can be present as there is a difference in the species heritable trait. Those organisms that contain an advantageous allele that allows them to be better adapted to the environment survive and reproduce. As a result, the advantageous allele will be inherited by the offspring and the frequency of the advantageous allele will increase within the population. In the example of Strepsirhini, it was one of the linages that was evolved form the earliest primates together with tarsiers (e.g. monkeys and apes) (Hickman, et al. 2011). When Madagascar was separated from the southeast coast of Africa at about 120million years ago, the Madagasy prosimians where separated from the rest of the population of apes and monkeys. The Madagasy prosimians where geographically isolated form the rest of the primate populationShow MoreRelatedDiscuss the origin and significance of diversity within and between species in a named taxonomic group of your choice(Ants).1888 Words   |  8 Pages150 million years ago(2006 Chuck Lydeard)1. Due to their long ecological dominancy amongst insect and short life span they have undergone a high rate of adaptive radiation. Leading to a reasonably large amount of species and inter- species diversity. There are at least 12000 different species of Formicidae (2008 Edward O. Wilson)2 which have colonised almost every landmass on the planet(Alice S. 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Vampire Academy Chapter 9 Free Essays

string(35) " wrong as using magic as a weapon\." NINE I SNAPPED INTO HER MIND, once again seeing and directly experiencing what went on around her. She was sneaking into the chapel’s attic again, confirming my worst fears. Like last time, she met no resistance. We will write a custom essay sample on Vampire Academy Chapter 9 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Good God, I thought, could that priest be any worse about securing his own chapel? Sunrise lit up the stained-glass window, and Christian’s silhouette was framed against it: he was sitting in the window seat. â€Å"You’re late,† he told her. â€Å"Been waiting a while.† Lissa pulled up one of the rickety chairs, brushing dust off it. â€Å"I figured you’d be tied up with Headmistress Kirova.† He shook his head. â€Å"Not much to it. They suspended me for a week, that’s all. Not like it’s hard to sneak out.† He waved his hands around. â€Å"As you can see.† â€Å"I’m surprised you didn’t get more time.† A patch of sunlight lit up his crystal-blue eyes. â€Å"Disappointed?† She looked shocked. â€Å"You set someone on fire!† â€Å"No, I didn’t. Did you see any burns on him?† â€Å"He was covered in flames.† â€Å"I had them under control. I kept them off of him.† She sighed. â€Å"You shouldn’t have done that.† Straightening out of his lounging position, he sat up and leaned toward her. â€Å"I did it for you.† â€Å"You attacked someone for me?† â€Å"Sure. He was giving you and Rose a hard time. She was doing an okay job against him, I guess, but I figured she could use the backup. Besides, this’ll shut anyone else up about the whole fox thing, too.† â€Å"You shouldn’t have done that,† she repeated, looking away. She didn’t know how to feel about this â€Å"generosity.† â€Å"And don’t act like it was all for me. You liked doing it. Part of you wanted to – just because.† Christian’s smug expression dropped, replaced by one of uncharacteristic surprise. Lissa might not be psychic, but she had a startling ability to read people. Seeing him off guard, she continued. â€Å"Attacking someone else with magic is forbidden – and that’s exactly why you wanted to do it. You got a thrill out of it.† â€Å"Those rules are stupid. If we used magic as a weapon instead of just for warm and fuzzy shit, Strigoi wouldn’t keep killing so many of us.† â€Å"It’s wrong,† she said firmly. â€Å"Magic is a gift. It’s peaceful.† â€Å"Only because they say it is. You’re repeating the party line we’ve been fed our whole lives.† He stood up and paced the small space of the attic. â€Å"It wasn’t always that way, you know. We used to fight, right along with the guardians – centuries ago. Then people started getting scared and stopped. Figured it was safer to just hide. They forgot the attack spells.† â€Å"Then how did you know that one?† He crooked her a smile. â€Å"Not everyone forgot.† â€Å"Like your family? Like your parents?† The smile disappeared. â€Å"You don’t know anything about my parents.† His face darkened, his eyes grew hard. To most people, he might have appeared scary and intimidating, but as Lissa studied and admired his features, he suddenly seemed very, very vulnerable. â€Å"You’re right,† she admitted softly, after a moment. â€Å"I don’t. I’m sorry.† For the second time in this meeting, Christian looked astonished. Probably no one apologized to him that often. Hell, no one even talked to him that often. Certainly no one ever listened. Like usual, he quickly turned into his cocky self. â€Å"Forget it.† Abruptly, he stopped pacing and knelt in front of her so they could look each other in the eye. Feeling him so close made her hold her breath. A dangerous smile curled his lips. â€Å"And really, I don’t get why you of all people should act so outraged that I used ? ®forbidden’ magic.† â€Å"Me ? ®of all people’? What’s that supposed to mean?† â€Å"You can play all innocent if you want – and you do a pretty good job – but I know the truth.† â€Å"What truth is that?† She couldn’t hide her uneasiness from me or Christian. He leaned even closer. â€Å"That you use compulsion. All the time.† â€Å"No, I don’t,† she said immediately. â€Å"Of course you do. I’ve been lying awake at night, trying to figure out how in the world you two were able to rent out a place and go to high school without anyone ever wanting to meet your parents. Then I figured it out. You had to be using compulsion. That’s probably how you broke out of here in the first place.† â€Å"I see. You just figured it out. Without any proof.† â€Å"I’ve got all the proof I need, just from watching you.† â€Å"You’ve been watching me – spying on me – to prove I’m using compulsion?† He shrugged. â€Å"No. Actually, I’ve been watching you just because I like it. The compulsion thing was a bonus. I saw you use it the other day to get an extension on that math assignment. And you used it on Ms. Carmack when she wanted to make you go through more testing.† â€Å"So you assume it’s compulsion? Maybe I’m just really good at convincing people.† There was a defiant note in her voice: understandable, considering her fear and anger. Only she delivered it with a toss of her hair which – if I didn’t know any better – might have been considered flirtatious. And I did know better? ­right? Suddenly, I wasn’t sure. He went on, but something in his eyes told me he’d noticed the hair, that he always noticed everything about her. â€Å"People get these goofy looks on their faces when you talk to them. And not just any people – you’re able to do it to Moroi. Probably dhampirs, too. Now that’s crazy. I didn’t even know that was possible. You’re some kind of superstar. Some kind of evil, compulsion-abusing superstar.† It was an accusation, but his tone and presence radiated the same flirtatiousness she had. Lissa didn’t know what to say. He was right. Everything he’d said was right. Her compulsion was what had allowed us to dodge authority and get along in the world without adult help. It was what had allowed us to convince the bank to let her tap into her inheritance. And it was considered every bit as wrong as using magic as a weapon. You read "Vampire Academy Chapter 9" in category "Essay examples" Why not? It was a weapon. A powerful one, one that could be abused very easily. Moroi children had it drilled into them from an early age that compulsion was very, very wrong. No one was taught to use it, though every Moroi technically had the ability. Lissa had just sort of stumbled into it – deeply – and, as Christian had pointed out, she could wield it over Moroi, as well as humans and dhampirs. â€Å"What are you going to do then?† she asked. â€Å"You going to turn me in?† He shook his head and smiled. â€Å"No. I think it’s hot.† She stared, eyes widening and heart racing. Something about the shape of his lips intrigued her. â€Å"Rose thinks you’re dangerous,† she blurted out nervously. â€Å"She thinks you might have killed the fox.† I didn’t know how I felt about being dragged into this bizarre conversation. Some people were scared of me. Maybe he was too. Judging from the amusement in his voice when he spoke, it appeared he wasn’t. â€Å"People think I’m unstable, but I tell you, Rose is ten times worse. Of course, that makes it harder for people to fuck with you, so I’m all for it.† Leaning back on his heels, he finally broke the intimate space between them. â€Å"And I sure as hell didn’t do that. Find out who did, though? ­and what I did to Ralf won’t seem like anything.† His gallant offer of creepy vengeance didn’t exactly reassure Lissa? ­but it did thrill her a little. â€Å"I don’t want you doing anything like that. And I still don’t know who did it.† He leaned back toward her and caught her wrists in his hands. He started to say something, then stopped and looked down in surprise, running his thumbs over faint, barely there scars. Looking back up at her, he had a strange – for him – kindness in his face. â€Å"You might not know who did it. But you know something. Something you aren’t talking about.† She stared at him, a swirl of emotions playing in her chest. â€Å"You can’t know all my secrets,† she murmured. He glanced back down at her wrists and then released them, that dry smile of his back on his face. â€Å"No. I guess not.† A feeling of peace settled over her, a feeling I thought only I could bring. Returning to my own head and my room, I sat on the floor staring at my math book. Then, for reasons I didn’t really get, I slammed it shut and threw it against the wall. I spent the rest of the night brooding until the time I was supposed to meet Jesse came around. Slipping downstairs, I went into the kitchen – a place I could visit so long as I kept things brief – and caught his eye when I cut through the main visiting area. Moving past him, I paused and whispered, â€Å"There’s a lounge on the fourth floor that nobody uses. Take the stairs on the other side of the bathrooms and meet me there in five minutes. The lock on the door is broken.† He complied to the second, and we found the lounge dark, dusty, and deserted. The drop in guardian numbers over the years meant a lot of the dorm stayed empty, a sad sign for Moroi society but terribly convenient right now. He sat down on the couch, and I lay back on it, putting my feet in his lap. I was still annoyed after Lissa and Christian’s bizarre attic romance and wanted nothing more than to forget about it for a while. â€Å"You really here to study, or was it just an excuse?† I asked. â€Å"No. It was real. Had to do an assignment with Meredith.† The tone in his voice indicated he wasn’t happy about that. â€Å"Oooh,† I teased. â€Å"Is working with a dhampir beneath your royal blood? Should I be offended?† He smiled, showing a mouth full of perfect white teeth and fangs. â€Å"You’re a lot hotter than she is.† â€Å"Glad I make the cut.† There was a sort of a heat in his eyes that was turning me on, as was his hand sliding up my leg. But I needed to do something first. It was time for some vengeance. â€Å"Mia must too, since you guys let her hang out with you. She’s not royal.† His finger playfully poked me in the calf. â€Å"She’s with Aaron. And I’ve got lots of friends who aren’t royal. And friends who are dhamps. I’m not a total asshole.† â€Å"Yeah, but did you know her parents are practically custodians for the Drozdovs?† The hand on my leg stopped. I’d exaggerated, but he was a sucker for gossip – and he was notorious for spreading it. â€Å"Seriously?† â€Å"Yeah. Scrubbing floors and stuff like that.† â€Å"Huh.† I could see the wheels turning in his dark blue eyes and had to hide a smile. The seed was planted. Sitting up, I moved closer to him and draped a leg over his lap. I wrapped my arms around him, and without further delay, thoughts of Mia disappeared as his testosterone kicked in. He kissed me eagerly – sloppily, even – pushing me against the back of the couch, and I relaxed into what had to be the first enjoyable physical activity I’d had in weeks. We kissed like that for a long time, and I didn’t stop him when he pulled off my shirt. â€Å"I’m not having sex,† I warned between kisses. I had no intention of losing my virginity on a couch in a lounge. He paused, thinking about this, and finally decided not to push it. â€Å"Okay.† But he pushed me onto the couch, lying over me, still kissing with that same fierceness. His lips traveled down to my neck, and when the sharp points of his fangs brushed against my skin, I couldn’t help an excited gasp. He raised himself up, looking into my face with open surprise. For a moment, I could barely breathe, recalling that rush of pleasure that a vampire bite could fill me with, wondering what it’d be like to feel that while making out. Then the old taboos kicked in. Even if we didn’t have sex, giving blood while we did this was still wrong, still dirty. â€Å"Don’t,† I warned. â€Å"You want to.† His voice held excited wonder. â€Å"I can tell.† â€Å"No, I don’t.† His eyes lit up. â€Å"You do. How – hey, have you done it before?† â€Å"No,† I scoffed. â€Å"Of course not.† Those gorgeous blue eyes watched me, and I could see the wheels spinning behind them. Jesse might flirt a lot and have a big mouth, but he wasn’t stupid. â€Å"You act like you have. You got excited when I was by your neck.† â€Å"You’re a good kisser,† I countered, though it wasn’t entirely true. He drooled a little more than I would have preferred. â€Å"Don’t you think everyone would know if I was giving blood?† The realization seized him. â€Å"Unless you weren’t doing it before you left. You did it while you were gone, didn’t you? You fed Lissa.† â€Å"Of course not,† I repeated. But he was on to something, and he knew it. â€Å"It was the only way. You didn’t have feeders. Oh, man.† â€Å"She found some,† I lied. It was the same line we’d fed Natalie, the one she’d spread around and that no one – except Christian – had ever questioned. â€Å"Plenty of humans are into it.† â€Å"Sure,† he said with a smile. He leaned his mouth back to my neck. â€Å"I’m not a blood whore,† I snapped, pulling away from him. â€Å"But you want to. You like it. All you dhamp girls do.† His teeth were on my skin again. Sharp. Wonderful. I had a feeling hostility would only make things worse, so I defused the situation with teasing. â€Å"Stop it,† I said gently, running a fingertip over his lips. â€Å"I told you, I’m not like that. But if you want something to do with your mouth, I can give you some ideas.† That peaked his interest. â€Å"Yeah? Like wha – ?† And that was when the door opened. We sprang apart. I was ready to handle a fellow student or even possibly the matron. What I was not ready for was Dimitri. He burst in the door like he’d expected to find us, and in that horrible moment, with him raging like a storm, I knew why Mason had called him a god. In the blink of an eye, he crossed the room and jerked Jesse up by his shirt, nearly holding the Moroi off the ground. â€Å"What’s your name?† barked Dimitri. â€Å"J-Jesse, sir. Jesse Zeklos, sir.† â€Å"Mr. Zeklos, do you have permission to be in this part of the dorm?† â€Å"No, sir.† â€Å"Do you know the rules about male and female interactions around here?† â€Å"Yes, sir.† â€Å"Then I suggest you get out of here as fast as you can before I turn you over to someone who will punish you accordingly. If I ever see you like this again† – Dimitri pointed to where I cowered, half-dressed, on the couch – â€Å"I will be the one to punish you. And it will hurt. A lot. Do you understand?† Jesse swallowed, eyes wide. None of the bravado he usually showed was there. I guess there was â€Å"usually† and then there was being held in the grip of a really ripped, really tall, and really pissed-off Russian guy â€Å"Yes, sir!† â€Å"Then go.† Dimitri released him, and, if possible, Jesse got out of there faster than Dimitri had burst in. My mentor then turned to me, a dangerous glint in his eyes. He didn’t say anything, but the angry, disapproving message came through loud and clear. And then it shifted. It was almost like he’d been taken by surprise, like he’d never noticed me before. Had it been any other guy, I would have said he was checking me out. As it was, he was definitely studying me. Studying my face, my body. And I suddenly realized I was only in jeans and a bra – a black bra at that. I knew perfectly well that there weren’t a lot of girls at this school who looked as good in a bra as I did. Even a guy like Dimitri, one who seemed so focused on duty and training and all of that, had to appreciate that. And, finally, I noticed that a hot flush was spreading over me, and that the look in his eyes was doing more to me than Jesse’s kisses had. Dimitri was quiet and distant sometimes, but he also had a dedication and an intensity that I’d never seen in any other person. I wondered how that kind of power and strength translated into? ­well, sex. I wondered what it’d be like for him to touch me and – shit! What was I thinking? Was I out of my mind? Embarrassed, I covered my feelings with attitude. â€Å"You see something you like?† I asked. â€Å"Get dressed.† The set of his mouth hardened, and whatever he’d just felt was gone. That fierceness sobered me up and made me forget about my own troubling reaction. I immediately pulled my shirt back on, uneasy at seeing his badass side. â€Å"How’d you find me? You following me to make sure I don’t run away?† â€Å"Be quiet,† he snapped, leaning down so that we were at eye level. â€Å"A janitor saw you and reported it. Do you have any idea how stupid this was?† â€Å"I know, I know, the whole probation thing, right?† â€Å"Not just that. I’m talking about the stupidity of getting in that kind of situation in the first place.† â€Å"I get in that kind of situation all the time, Comrade. It’s not a big deal.† Anger replaced my fear. I didn’t like being treated like a child. â€Å"Stop calling me that. You don’t know even know what you’re talking about.† â€Å"Sure I do. I had to do a report on Russia and the R.S.S.R. last year.† â€Å"U.S.S.R. And it is a big deal for a Moroi to be with a dhampir girl. They like to brag.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"So?† he looked disgusted. â€Å"So don’t you have any respect? Think about Lissa. You make yourself look cheap. You live up to what a lot of people already think about dhampir girls, and it reflects back on her. And me.† â€Å"Oh, I see. Is that what this is about? Am I hurting your big, bad male pride? Are you afraid I’ll ruin your reputation?† â€Å"My reputation is already made, Rose. I set my standards and lived up to them long ago. What you do with yours remains to be seen.† His voice hardened again. â€Å"Now get back to your room – if you can manage it without throwing yourself at someone else.† â€Å"Is that your subtle way of calling me a slut?† â€Å"I hear the stories you guys tell. I’ve heard stories about you.† Ouch. I wanted to yell back that it was none of his business what I did with my body, but something about the anger and disappointment on his face made me falter. I didn’t know what it was. â€Å"Disappointing† someone like Kirova was a non-event, but Dimitri ­I remembered how proud I’d felt when he praised me the last few times in our practices. Seeing that disappear from him? ­well, it suddenly made me feel as cheap as he’d implied I was. Something broke inside of me. Blinking back tears, I said, â€Å"Why is it wrong to? ­I don’t know, have fun? I’m seventeen, you know. I should be able to enjoy it.† â€Å"You’re seventeen, and in less than a year, someone’s life and death will be in your hands.† His voice still sounded firm, but there was a gentleness there too. â€Å"If you were human or Moroi, you could have fun. You could do things other girls could.† â€Å"But you’re saying I can’t.† He glanced away, and his dark eyes went unfocused. He was thinking about something far away from here. â€Å"When I was seventeen, I met Ivan Zeklos. We weren’t like you and Lissa, but we became friends, and he requested me as his guardian when I graduated. I was the top student in my school. I paid attention to everything in my classes, but in the end, it wasn’t enough. That’s how it is in this life. One slip, one distraction? ­Ã¢â‚¬  He sighed. â€Å"And it’s too late.† A lump formed in my throat as I thought about one slip or one distraction costing Lissa her life. â€Å"Jesse’s a Zeklos,† I said, suddenly realizing Dimitri had just thrown around a relative of his former friend and charge. â€Å"I know.† â€Å"Does it bother you? Does he remind you of Ivan?† â€Å"It doesn’t matter how I feel. It doesn’t matter how any of us feel.† â€Å"But it does bother you.† It suddenly became very obvious to me. I could read his pain, though he clearly worked hard to hide it. â€Å"You hurt. Every day. Don’t you? You miss him.† Dimitri looked surprised, like he didn’t want me to know that, like I’d uncovered some secret part of him. I’d been thinking he was some aloof, antisocial tough guy, but maybe he kept himself apart from other people so he wouldn’t get hurt if he lost them. Ivan’s death had clearly left a permanent mark. I wondered if Dimitri was lonely. The surprised look vanished, and his standard serious one returned. â€Å"It doesn’t matter how I feel. They come first. Protecting them.† I thought about Lissa again. â€Å"Yeah. They do.† A long silence fell before he spoke again. â€Å"You told me you want to fight, to really fight. Is that still true?† â€Å"Yes. Absolutely.† â€Å"Rose? ­I can teach you, but I have to believe you’re dedicated. Really dedicated. I can’t have you distracted by things like this.† He gestured around the lounge. â€Å"Can I trust you?† Again, I felt like crying under that gaze, under the seriousness of what he asked. I didn’t get how he could have such a powerful effect on me. I’d never cared so much about what one person thought. â€Å"Yes. I promise.† â€Å"All right. I’ll teach you, but I need you strong. I know you hate the running, but it really is necessary. You have no idea what Strigoi are like. The school tries to prepare you, but until you’ve seen how strong they are and how fast? ­well, you can’t even imagine. So I can’t stop the running and the conditioning. If you want to learn more about fighting, we need to add more trainings. It’ll take up more of your time. You won’t have much left for your homework or anything else. You’ll be tired. A lot.† I thought about it, about him, and about Lissa. â€Å"It doesn’t matter. If you tell me to do it, I’ll do it.† He studied me hard, like he was still trying to decide if he could believe me. Finally satisfied, he gave me a sharp nod. â€Å"We’ll start tomorrow.† How to cite Vampire Academy Chapter 9, Essay examples

Self Reflections on Issues of Environment-myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Write about theSelf Reflections on Issues of Professional Environment. Answer: Team Building Activity in Professional Environment While participating in this professional management project the participants were divided into 6 teams. Each team had to take part in the event and they were then asked to discuss their self-reflections. In order to discuss the self-reflective views, each team selected a team leader who was asked to share the reflective views of his team members. This full process of teamwork guided me in self-assessing this project. The management of building a team plays a very significant role in a professional environment. The building of a team is used frequently for the development of the organization that aims at cultivating the relationship between the firm and its employees (Mitchell et al 2012). The process of constructing a team undergoes various steps and situations. There are a variety of strategies that help an organization to construct a team effectively with respect to its present situations and challenges (Joham and Clarke 2012). It is the responsibility of a company to invest in forming a team to increase the efficiency of the productions of an organization (Khattak, Ku and Goh 2012). According to me, the construction of building a rig team needs huge surveys and leadership qualities. As the building of a team more or less refers to an individuals leadership qualities, it allows the employees to build trust on their leader. This bond between the employees and the firm is a vital requirement for the survival of the organization in the long run. During the construction of a team, the cooperation of each team member is necessary and this will take out the qualities of leadership within him or her. Another significant role of team building from my perspective is the trial of patience among the members of the team. Since there are tough competitions with other teams, there is huge opportunity for the team members to give their best effort for their own team (Erkutlu 2012). My view on building of a team values three main principles: the first one signifies the sensitivity of belonging to a social group that evokes a spirit working on behalf of the leader and his expectations. The second significance is the distribution of the charges and the hidden costs among the leaders and their employees and at times among various agencies. The third and the most important one is the determination of differences in the agents responsive effort (Goetsch and Davis 2014). This team building management in a given professional environment has huge benefits for students like me. This hypothetical process of building a team from my perspective will guide me for my future employment prospect. The leadership skills that have been attained by me while doing the practice classes are mentioned below (Batey and Lupi 2012): Charismatic Leadership: Individuals with charismatic behavior leads to the development of charismatic leaders. Individuals who have a charming behavior serve as a successful and accomplished leader (Kohorn 2012). These leaders encourage his team members to complete their assignments efficiently. A leader with his charismatic behavior inculcates pride, confidence and assurance and respects his subordinates. Individual Consideration: Leaders and managers practicing individualized consideration treat his team members as an individual and guide them in accomplishing their career targets. Intellectual Stimulation: In high-profile organizations, a leaders importance in technical proficiency and logical power is at times ignored. However, intellectual stimulation is a vital aspect of leadership that helps in spreading awareness among his subordinates in solving critical problems that may arise from different issues. Courage: An efficient leader always stands up for truth and do not avoid confrontations. A leader must have confidence in his ability and must work independently. Dependability: A leader must keep his commitments and take the responsibility of his actions and at the same time should abide by the laws and terms of his higher authority. Flexibility: A leader must be able to perform his duties in any given situations and conditions with stability. Integrity: An efficient and successful leader must adhere to his strict code of business ethics and moral values. Judgment: A leader always uses rational and intellectual judgment to provide a sound and logical decision for all and sundry. Therefore, from the above-mentioned points it is evident that building of team helps in developing a well-organized and successful team leader who can manages his team members efficiently. Cultural Awareness in Intercultural Communication Inter cultural communication is an approach that is integrated in individuals from diverse cultures in order to gain proper responses or behaviors from the individuals outside of his own culture. This includes a major diversity in the individuals taste and preferences, his linguistic skills and also in his modesty. In order to strengthen the communicative skills within the individuals it is important to arouse cultural awareness among different community (Baker 2012). In classes of intercultural communication, it was instructed by the instructor that each and every team must include students from diverse cultural backgrounds and it is the responsibility of the team leader to make all the members aware of every students unique cultural milieu. This practice helped me in obtaining the idea of cultural awareness. Over the last few decades, cultural awareness has emerged as a significant tool in the concept of teaching international students. An instance that can be made here is the acceptance of the English language as a globalized lingua franca (Xiaomei and Yushan 2012). According to me, Cultural awareness is a conscious understanding of the intercultural communication that leads to an ability to evaluate significantly based on explicit criteria, perspectives and practices (Thomas and Peterson 2017). Cultural awareness plays a crucial role in a professional environment. In an organization, there are employees from different cultural backgrounds (Pokhilko 2016). In order to accomplish the job role it is very essential for an employee to communicate with his co-workers and leaders in conveying his message to others. Here comes the role of cultural awareness that assists the employee in fulfilling his target (Hammer, Bennett and Wiseman 2012). In order to build a relationship of trust and assurance it is important to develop inter cultural communication skill (Barrett, Huber and Reynolds 2014). In my opinion, Cultural awareness also signifies the honor for each community and its cultures. It also symbolizes the Unity in Diversity and shares the spirit of brotherhood. References Baker, W., 2012. From cultural awareness to intercultural awareness: Culture in ELT.ELT journal,66(1), pp.62-70. Barrett, M.D., Huber, J. and Reynolds, C., 2014.Developing intercultural competence through education. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing. Batey, J.J. and Lupi, M.H., 2012. Reflections on student interns' cultural awareness developed through a short-term international internship.Teacher Education Quarterly,39(3), pp.25-44. Erkutlu, H., 2012. The impact of organizational culture on the relationship between shared leadership and team proactivity.Team Performance Management: An International Journal,18(1/2), pp.102-119. Goetsch, D.L. and Davis, S.B., 2014.Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson. Hammer, M.R., Bennett, M. and Wiseman, R., 2012. The intercultural development inventory.Student learning abroad, pp.115-136. Joham, C. and Clarke, M., 2012. Teaching critical management skills: the role of problem-based learning.Teaching in Higher Education,17(1), pp.75-88. Khattak, H., Ku, H. and Goh, S., 2012. Courses for teaching leadership capacity in professional engineering degrees in Australia and Europe.European Journal of Engineering Education,37(3), pp.279-296. Mitchell, P., Wynia, M., Golden, R., McNellis, B., Okun, S., Webb, C.E., Rohrbach, V. and Von Kohorn, I., 2012.Core principles values of effective team-based health care. Washington, DC: Institute of Medicine. Pokhilko, O.L., 2016. Cross-Cultural Awareness. Thomas, D.C. and Peterson, M.F., 2017.Cross-cultural management: Essential concepts. Sage Publications. Xiaomei, C. and Yushan, Z., 2012. An action research in college English teaching to raise students' intercultural awareness [J].Foreign Language World,2, p.005.

Sensory Experiences Exploring Reality

Learning and experiencing new objects and scenes depend on the number of sensory experiences involved into contemplation. In fact, the experience of contemplating the room by one individual cannot testify to the objectivity of the room.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sensory Experiences: Exploring Reality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Neither can different experiences become the proof of objective reality. At the same time, the existence of the objective reality as itself is justified by the emergence of various perceptions existing in spiritual form. Due to the fact that earthly flesh has constantly changing nature, the room that Kant describes can change as well, based on different perceptions. I agree with the idea that our attitude to the external environment depends not only on perception of sensory experience, but also on previous knowledge about the object to be perceived. Therefore, if Kant looks at t he room for the first time, he could make up an opinion about its various qualities and attributes. The second time of looking at the room will be evaluated on the premise of both new sensory experience and previous knowledge about it. The latter allows the viewer to present a comparative analysis of two different perceptions. In response to the objective reality, the author argues that our sensory experience also has a sequential nature. The difference in experience also depends on the shifts in perceptions once the priority of contemplating the object is changed. There is also a matter of ordering while looking at the object in the room. Hence, Kant focuses on his personal choice in choosing the sequence of looking at the objects. The above-presented assumptions premise on the theory of great chain of being introduced by Aristotle and Plato. According to this theory, our world and experience is composed of multiple chains and links. Due to the fact that the world is constantly cha nging, human experience of observing the objects surrounding them can be different all the time. In spite of the fact that material the world changes, the spiritual component remains permanent, which is important for understanding the concept of reality. In general, object position cannot be altered in the hierarchy. In nature, earth stands at the core of hierarchical chain because this element owns only the quality of existence. Each component that is directed upward focuses on the positive aspects of the previous chain. For instance, a human combines mortal, flesh characteristics and spiritual ones. Within the context of this dichotomy, body and soul become a whole in which the moral component is shaped. In case a human focuses on spirit, he/she could become much closer to the religious domain. Different outlooks and perceptions of the world influence human understanding of reality.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The theoretical framework and Kant observations are of great significance for understanding and evaluation the connection between human subjective perception and the objective representation of reality. The concept of reality, however, does not always coincide with the sum of perceptions on the objects. Therefore, different angles and sequences of contemplating the object can alter the position of objects. Kant’s observations do not only create different angles of perception, but also characterize reality in terms of its changeability. In addition, each person contemplating specific objects relies heavily on his/her experience while assigning various attributes to it. Therefore, a variety of subjective analyses provides a new meaning to objective reality and introduces a new dimension of perception. This essay on Sensory Experiences: Exploring Reality was written and submitted by user Remy O. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Separate Spheres for Men and Women

Separate Spheres for Men and Women The ideology of separate spheres dominated thought about gender roles from the late 18th century through the 19th century in America. Similar ideas influenced gender roles in other parts of the world. The concept of separate spheres continues to influence some thinking about proper gender roles today. In the conception of the division of gender roles into separate spheres, womens place was in the private sphere, which included family life and the home. Mens place was in the public sphere, whether in politics, in the economic world which was becoming increasingly separate from home life as the Industrial Revolution progressed, or in public social and cultural activity. Natural Gender Division or Social Construction of Gender Many experts of the time wrote about how such a division was natural,  rooted in the nature of each gender. Those women who sought roles or visibility in the public sphere often found themselves identified as unnatural and as unwelcome challenges to the cultural assumptions. The legal status of women was as dependents until marriage and under coverture after marriage, with no separate identity and few or no personal rights including economic and property rights. This status  was in accord with the idea that womens place was in the home and mans place was in the public world. While experts of the time often tried to defend  this division of gender rules as rooted in nature, the ideology of separate spheres is considered an example of the social construction of gender: that cultural and social attitudes built ideas of womanhood and manhood (proper womanhood and proper  manhood)  that empowered and/or constrained women and men. Historians on Separate Spheres and Women Nancy Cotts 1977 book, The Bonds of Womanhood: Womens Sphere in New England, 1780-1835, is a classic in the study of womens history that examines the concept of separate spheres, with womens sphere being the domestic sphere. Cott focuses, in the tradition of social history, on the experience of women in their lives, and shows how within their sphere, women wielded considerable power and influence. Critics of Nancy Cotts portrayal of separate spheres include Carroll Smith-Rosenberg, who published Disorderly Conduct: Visions of Gender in Victorian America in 1982. She showed not only how women, in their separate sphere, created a womens culture, but how women were at a disadvantage socially, educationally, politically, economically and even medically. Another writer who took on the separate spheres ideology in womens history was Rosalind Rosenberg. Her 1982 book, Beyond Separate Spheres: Intellectual Roots of Modern Feminism, details the legal and social disadvantages of women under the separate spheres ideology. Her work documents  how some women began to challenge the relegation of women to the home. Elizabeth Fox-Genovese  also challenged the focus on separate spheres as a place of solidarity among women, in her 1988 book Within the Plantation Household: Black and White Women in the Old South. She demonstrated the different experiences of women: those who were part of the slave-holding class as wives and daughters, those who were enslaved, those free women who lived on farms where there were no enslaved people, and other poor white women. Within a general disempowerment of women in a patriarchal system, there was no singular womens culture, she argues.  Friendships among women, documented in studies of northern bourgeois or well-off women, were not characteristic of the Old South. In common among all these books, and others on the topic is documentation of a general cultural ideology of separate spheres, grounded in  the idea that women belong in the private sphere, and are aliens in the public sphere, and that the reverse was true of men. Public Housekeeping and Widening Womens Sphere In the late 19th century, some reformers like Frances Willard with her temperance work and Jane Addams with her settlement house work relied on a separate spheres ideology to justify their public reform efforts, thus subtly both using and undermining the ideology. Both saw their work as public housekeeping, a public expression of womens work of taking care of family and the home, and both took that work into the realms of politics and the public social and cultural realm.  This idea was later termed social feminism.

Land law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Land law - Essay Example Different types of ownership stipulate different rights and liabilities of co-tenants. The type of ownership determines guidelines on the property in terms of attempts to sell it, and methods by which the property can be transferred. In this case, each owner is referred to as a tenant in common. The freehold property that the four pioneer owners (Allan, Ben, Chris and David) bought by contributing different amounts makes them tenants in common (TIC). Unless otherwise stated, most courts assume that a tenancy in common exists whenever several persons take concurrent possession of a single piece of land. When land is granted, transferred, conveyed, assigned or bequeathed to two or more persons, other than as executors, administrators or trustees in either fee simple or any lesser estate, legal or equitable, and the tenancy is not specified in the document creating the estate, the co-owners hold as tenants in common1. Each member has an interest in a particular part of the parcel and th e right to access the parcel as a whole. Each co-owner is allowed to choose who will inherit his or her ownership interest upon death. In cases where no will exists, then the share of the deceased would go to the persons entitled under the rules of intestacy. Each co-owner is liable to the others if they cause any deterioration in the value of the property. Tenancy in common only has the unity of possession and has no right of survivorship. Unity of possession is achieved when each co-owner is entitled to possession of the whole property. In situations where the conveyance in favor of the co-owners includes how the co-owners should hold the equitable interest in the property, this agreement is conclusive2. Each tenant in common enjoys autonomy in dealing with his interest, including the decision to dispose of the interest by will. Each tenant in common holds undivided proportionate interests. Tenants in common cannot hold unity of interest because their interests are not proportiona te. Each tenant is awarded interest according to his contribution. Initially, the shares of Allan, Ben, Chris and David are determined by how much each owner contributed to the purchase of the property. After Chris retired and sold his shares to Fiona, Fiona owned Chris’ shares and hers as well. The sale of Chris’ shares to Fiona does not alter the arrangement between the remaining owners. However, a transfer must be used and fees should be charged on the value of the proportionate interest being transferred. On the other hand, Elsa took over David’s shares after David died. After Elsa died, Gerry and Harry became co-owners, each entitled to the share Elsa assigned him. It is permissible for Harry and Garry to hold Elsa’s interest in joint custody. In that case, Harry and Garry can be joint tenants so that they are both tenants in common with the other co-tenants. As joint tenants, they enjoy the right of survivorship which presumes that when one dies, th e other takes over ownership of the entire parcel which they shared before the death. This minimizes delays when handing over property. Incase Garry, having inherited property does not desire to claim any ownership interest, the interest to the property can be transferred to the other tenants in common. As joint tenants, Harry and Garry have four unities which include: interest, time, title and possession. Joint tenancy mandates owners to have the same interest, developed under the same conveyance, starting at the same time and held under the

Green computing or networking Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Green computing or networking - Research Paper Example ng is to conserve as much energy as possible, cut down on the usage of hazardous materials and also make the computer recyclable and more biodegradable after its’ been disposed off. It was the year 1992 when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took a giant step in promoting green computing not only in the US, but throughout the world. The Energy Star labeling program was launched that year, which recognized the computer peripherals and computer monitors which were energy efficient. The Energy Star program thus brought a new wave in the world of computers. The sleep mode was incorporated in a number of electronic equipment, including a few of the major computer operating systems, as a response to the popularity of the Energy Star labeling program. Green Computing was taken further when TCO Development, a company from Sweden rolled out its TCO Certification program, which basically certified the CRT monitors which had low magnetic emissions. By the turn of the millennium, there was no doubt that Green Computing had affected the computer industry in a big way. Commenting on Green Computing, Jason Harris (2008, p.13) states ‘Educating people about green computing is best done by the experts themselves- the computer consultants.’ The Government regulations and the efforts of several organizations for reducing hazardous materials in computers cannot go very far if the computer users don’t involve themselves with the Green Computing drive. Some steps from individuals which will maximize Green Computing include switching off the PC when its not being used for a long stretch of time, powering up computer peripherals such as the power consuming laser printing machines as and when printing is required., using of laptops and PDA’s instead of desktops whenever possible, using the Power Management feature in the Windows operating system, using alternative sources of energy to power the computer and networks, replacing the outdated and power hungry Cathode Ray

Is there still a viable Social Democratic tradition in British Essay

Is there still a viable Social Democratic tradition in British Politics - Essay Example It suffers from a democratic deficit, and this has been established by the Westminster scandal. Nevertheless, the United Kingdom has a well established political culture that is based on values, moderation and public service. The class system of this nation served to establish a political class that has the ability to resist the exploitation of power and privilege (Soutphommasane, 2009: 11). Moreover, the British Empire generated a sense of common identity, in a society that was based on an inflexible classification on the basis of class. However, with the passage of time, these traits have been eroded. Furthermore, due to the professionalization of politics, parliamentary culture based on duty has been weakened (Soutphommasane, 2009: 11). The decline of the imperial power, in conjunction with multiculturalism and a disregard for national pride has rendered the UK a socially fragmented nation. The void thus created is being occupied by the nationalists of the far right. This is the real crisis being faced by the parliamentary system of UK. With European elections, in the offing, the political parties of the UK are making every possible effort to propose reforms to the constitution and the electoral process, in order to restore public trust in politics (Soutphommasane, 2009: 11). Thatcherism emerged in the aftermath of the acute social tension of the 1970s, wherein corporatist strategies of resolving competing demands on the economy and society had proved to be dismal failures. The mine workers’ strikes had defeated two governments; and inflation levels, were at the maximum level. It was believed that the UK had become ungovernable; and cultural and social warfare was being conducted against promiscuity, abortion, immigration, universities, and schooling. At that critical juncture, Margaret Thatcher was elected as the Prime Minister of the UK, on the basis of her

Public Engagement A New Paradigm For Public Relations Marketing Essay

Public Engagement A New Paradigm For Public Relations Marketing Essay Engaging with the public has always been a necessity for PR practitioners to succeed. However, due to the web 2.0, engaging with the public has opened up new channels of communication and therefore a new communication strategy needs to be put into place. As Public Engagement is a relatively new term, no studies have been carried out in this area. The author will look into what Public Engagement is and see if its fit into existing Public Relation models, how organisations engage with their audience , due to the digital web, and if a new Public Engagement model is needed. Paradigms of PR A definition of a paradigm in PR is narrow (Burrell and Morgan 1979). It is seen as a sign of discipline maturing and developing a range of different approaches; at the same time the process is not seen as advanced enough for a full blown paradigm struggle, or debate to be able to take place (Botan 1993, p.108). A paradigm can be thought of as a model (LTang Pieczka 2006) or worldviews (Grunig). Kuhn (1969) defined it a model or a way of thinking about and studying a problem. He stated that no paradigm is perfect and that facts and figures that do not fit the paradigm does not necessarily nullify the values of the paradigm. According to Kuhn a new paradigm can provide a perspective from which the subject can move on. ( As the term paradigm is still very much a vague area, the author will use the terminology used by academics to describe a paradigm as a model or theory and will find out whether Public Engagement fits into any of the original paradigms of Public Relations. There have been many communication models put forward and tested over the past 60 years by public relations practitioners. The principal ones being, the Shannon and Weaver model (1949), Shramms Interactive Model (1954) and Grunigs and Hunts 4 Models (1984). It is important to look at communication models to see whether Public Engagement is a new paradigm in the digital age or simply an extension of these. 1.3 Shannon and Weaver model Shannon and Wavers (1949) Mathematical theory of Communication is acknowledged as one of the most important models from which communication studies has grown (Johnson and Klare 1961), albeit biased towards the technical aspects of communication research (John Fiske 1982). This basic model was linear and did not represent reality where senders and receivers have an equal role. In contrast to the above models Schramm went on to create his model which emphasised two-way communication (1954) and introduced the concept of feedback. In problem solving scenarios open ended questions need to be asked in order to gain feedback and results. The model can be criticised as conveying the feeling of equality in communication. This could be rarely seen in practice and communication tends to be unbalanced. While this model was an important breakthrough in PR, it did little to listen to what the public actually needed. System theories / Four step and Excellence model System theorists are PR practitioners who develop a theory from experience/being in the organisation. They are concerned with the public in PR decisions. Grunig. J and Hunt.T (1984) are two of the earliest system theorists. From their observations they developed four models of public relations (Edward 2009). These were press agentry /publicist, public information, two-way asymmetric and two way symmetric communications known as the Four Step Model. 2.2i Four step model Press agentry (one way communication) is a way of communicating a biased message through media channels. (McQuail Windahl 1993) Public information (one way communication) similar to press agentry, but transparency in the message is vital; the message is truthful and informative. (McQuail Windahl 1993) Two way asymmetric (two way communication) is known as a persuasive tool. The purpose of this is to make the public think in the same way as the organisations. Feedback from the public is used to strength communication strategies. (McQuail Windahl 1993). The message is unbalanced , it is all about persuasion and is favoured by some advertising companies. Two way symmetric (two way communication) the two-way symmetric model, (Grunig and Hunt 1984) is probably the most popular and widely used in todays PR industry. This model is one that can build relationships and solve differences. Stakeholders engage with the organisation and can have some power over policies. This model employs research, listening, and dialogue as tools to promote relationships with both internal and external parties. Grunig put ethics the centre of symmetrical communication. (Grunig Hunt, 1984, p.22 and Grunig et al, 1992, p.55-61). According to Phillips and Young (2009), social media is causing a new communication paradigm. They believe that communication is shifting from the traditional hierarchical arrangement to an audience model encouraging horizontal discourse. Edelman in his interview Edelman (2009) agreed with this idea. In a survey of PR practitioners in charge of campaigns winning the 2002 Golden World awards from IPRA, it was found that when asked which of the four Public relations models they preferred, no one voted for press agentry model, 6.3% preferred the public information model, 18.8% the two way asymmetric model and the favourite model was the two way symmetrical model where 56.3% voted for it (Horn Neff 2008 and Okay PR from theory to practise book). 2.2ii Excellence model Gruig went on to complete a 10 year study Pr practice and developing a model for Excellent Public Relations ( Grunig 1992) It was found that the most successful Public Relations departments took part or contributed to the strategic decisions of the company. Once stakeholders had been identified, the study showed that successful Public Relation departments developed programmes to communicate with them. According to Grunig (1992) Excellence is the balance between an organisation and the public. It was seen as the management of communications on a level that aided the strategic management role whilst maintaining the attention and cooperation of the public. As such, the Public Relation role was enhanced and perceived in commercial terms whereby long term relationships could be forged between strategic parties. This model has been challenged by a number of academics. Philip and Younge (2009) argued that the new Public Relations challenges the Excellence model. LEtang (2006) was also critical and stated that the power imbalance between organisation and public was a weakness in the theory of two-way communication. Pieczka (2006) criticised the model as she felt that the study was biased to the two way symmetrical model. Pieczka not only critised his two way symmetry but questioned the and questioned the validity of his model. She believed that inconsistencies were apparent. It is clear that Grunig excluded conflicting viewpoints and academics have questioned the research carried out and pointed out that he chose paradigms to fit his model. Obviously Grunig based his model loosely on the systems theory but he did take on board these criticisms and the model was revised over the years (Grunig L, Grunig, JE Dossier, M, 2002). It is apparent the Excellence theory has had an impact on PR a leadin g body of work has developed around Symmetry/Excellence Theory which has probably done more to develop public relations theory and scholarships than any other single school of thought Botan and Hazleton (2006) (p. 6). As it was a model that was based on practise in a real life situation, it could be said that this is the model that is real to the industry. As PR has progressed and social media has become a large part in most cases, Public Engagement has taken on a new role, but nevertheless a new communication strategy could be easily adapted from the Excellence model. 2.2 Publics As audiences are needed for communication to take part it is necessary to look at different types of publics. Grunig and Repper (1992) propose two types of publics, the passive and the active. Active audiences go out of the way to find information on the company and respond. Passive audience do not want to engage with the company, but may if prompted to. This has led many practitioners to explore what methods of communication will prompt and engage these audiences. Grunig (1983) identified four basic publics: All issue publics: These publics are concerned with the organisation as a whole and are active on all issues. For example the media Apathetic publics: Are not aware or interested in the organisation as a whole (Smith 2005) Single-issue publics : Tend to be active in one area of the organisation Hot issue publics: are active on a issue that has received a lot of issue in the media These models all have uses and, they do not always consider what other factors affect why people engage in communication or how to attract the public who are unaware of their product. A further model is needed which could include attitudes, communication behaviour and personal behaviour which could help to recognise new stakeholders. ( Featherstone,Weitkamp,Ling and Burnet 2009 from journal Public Understanding of Science ) http://pus.sagepub.com/content/18/2/214.full.pdf+html This theory has been criticised by many. It lacks diversity and ignores the power dimensions of organisations and its publics (Lietch and Neilson 2001). Cutlip et al (2000) believe that PR practioneers should operate in an open system, whereby the external environment should be looked at in order for business change to suit their publics. There appears to be a new kind of publics at the moment and these are named the 21st century consumers and forming a relationship with them is crucial. They are more demanding than ever and want to receive information differently and share it with their own communities (Soli Breakenridge 2009) This new breed has been aided by social media. The social web allows people to communicate and share information and it is important for organisations to be aware of this and monitor conversations, if not, the public will still carry on talking and organisations may miss out . They have come to realise that listening is important. The relationship paradigm leads to trust It believes that two-way communication that attempts to accommodate both parties, while not abandoning the objectives of the initiative, will result in a much greater understanding of the needs and resources available to target publics (Martinez, Jr., Belio, n.d) (http://www.allacademic.com//meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/7/2/1/7/pages172179/p172179-10.php ) 3.5 Rhetorical perspectives Rhetorical theory is based on persuasive through discussion. It is a two way conversation between groups with a common purpose and deals with choice. ( Nichols1963)Ethics goes hand in hand with it. Aristole, a Greek philosopher, wrote The Art of Rhetoric, which was the first formal book to define persuasion and the Greek society was governed by the principle of debate and persuasion. Agreement between parties is the ultimate aim but communication and agreement between both parties is necessary. More recently Heath (1980) ( Heath 1980 ; à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã‚   Rhetorics: New Rhetorics ; Rhetorical Studies ; Organization-Public Relationships said that rhetoric was at the front of an organizations relationship to its surroundings. Since then he has argued that it is the good organization communicating well ( Heath 2001 , 39; à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã‚   Public Relations Ethics ) Heath believes that PR practitioners and public are engaged in discussion and that rhetoric could be compared to G runigs symmetry model(Heath 2002 p49). Audiences can assess the credibility of all speakers by considering the values on which the message is built. Public relation practitioners role in the past has been seen as one that is there to persuade the public and change their attitudes. This has been common in PR and has been categorised as Grunigs asymmetrical model. Grunig argued that his model be best described as a way of getting what an organisation wants without changing its behaviour or without compromising leads to actions which are unethically, socially irresponsible and ineffective ( Grunig 1992 p39-( Public Relations Ch 18). Rhetorical Theory assumes multiple voices and if one view is acknowledged and preferred then others may not have the opportunity to put their opinion forward. Rhetoric can be seen as a way of asking individuals to think about different points of views (Bryant 1953) (from CH 13 Public Relations theory to practice) Rhetoric is not needed if there is agreement but as Heath (1992) points out communi cation is a wrangle of voices and not in isolation. It helps informs the public how to communicate and engage with each other but ultimately for organisations to be ethical. LEtang ( 1996) and Cheney and Dionisopoulos(1989)( Exploring Public Relations) http://www.prismjournal.org/fileadmin/Praxis/Files/Journal_Files/issue1/refereed_articles_paper3.pdf Heath 2002 pg 49 http://www.blackwellreference.com/public/tocnode?id=g9781405131995_yr2010_chunk_g978140513199523_ss94-1 Postmodernists believe that because of their exsisting power, businesses and government will always enjoy a more profitable outcome than their publics when the two are in dialogue. Postemodernists recognise that the pr industry is changing due to audience segmentation, uncontrolled media due to the digital age, globalisation and a diverse audience. 3.6 Sphere of influence The sphere of influence was first put forward by Habermas ( 1989) He promoted the idea that a just society was at the centre of his theory and that discussion should be free and equal and defined it as the social space that mediates between the political sphere and the private sphere by providing space for discussion and negotitation . ( Weaver, Motion and Roper.- in Public Relations Critical Debates and Contemporary Practice 2006) However it seems that this approach could be seen to be too idealistic. It is more likely that communication is part of a strategic plan to control what the public listens to and the way in which it is disseminated. Jensen (2001) (Jensen I Public Relations and emerging functions of the public sphere. An analytical framework . Journal of Communication Management 6 :133-147). Moloney (2006) maintains that we do not live in a public sphere but a persuasive sphere and that Habermas utopia ideal does not exist. Again it appears that some scholars see his theory of public interest to be very similar to Grunig and Hunts (1984) model of two way symmetrical public relations. 1.2 Conclusion Although Grunigs fourth model is possibly the most well-known and the one that PR practitioners use in their day to day work, there appears to be a gap in communication models in regards to Public Engagement as a result of the digital age. It is now evident that a new model of Public Relations is needed. Public Engagement Public Engagement is a modern paradigm in the Public Relations context and sets out how professionals should be listening and engaging with their stakeholders in this digital age. Marshall Manson, Director of digital strategy at Edelman UK, describes Public Engagement as advancing shared interest moving from an influence pyramid to a world of cross-influence (Manson 2009, pg5). According to Edelman there are four attributes of Public Engagement; it aims to be democratic and decentralized, inform the conversation, call for engagement with stakeholders and finally make it clear how reputation is important. Public Engagement has to work in all four areas (Richard Edelman, 2008). Trust building both internally and externally, reputation management and transparency are the hallmarks of successful Public Relations initiatives. The term Participatory Democracy, a the precursor of Public Engagement was used by John Stuart MillsMills . Mills supported a representative government which included public participation of some kind but on a limited scale. It was apparent that participation could endanger political decision making and therefore democracy (Pateman 1970). Engagement in politics had been regarded as reactive but it is now perceived as proactive. Dialogue and engagement with all parties is important to prevent loss of public trust (Edward Andersson, Simon Burall Emily Fennell, Involve 2010). The Big Society introduced by David Cameron 19 July 2010 sought public dialogue and involvement in decision making. It is true that business and government rely on Public Relations to establish trust and dialogue and that Public Engagement, like any conversation, is all about listening. The world can be compared to a conversation and in order to be successful we need to listen (Richard Edelman 2008). The onset of the digital world has provided the public with means to engage in these conversations as never before. http://www.essex.ac.uk/ecpr/events/jointsessions/paperarchive/edinburgh/ws22/zittel.pdf Arthur W Page Societys White paper(2007)is a good example of how Public Relations practitioners and company leaders must alter their approaches and business goals to be more trustworthy in todays world. The study looked at how CEOs saw their roles change with the culture of the environment. The environment is changing because of the advent of all things digital, a worldwide economy and a new class of stakeholders. However, it failed to provide a clear way to develop the role of the communication department in the future. The paper went on to say that some communication departments need to change their working practises. In order to move forward they must familiarise themselves with new technologies, publics and engagement models. Ivy Lee developed the first press release in 1906 after a train crash occurred in Atlantic city. He used a press release to invite journalists and photographers to the crash, as a way of promoting open dialogue with the media. He believed that Public relations was two way communication, and that PRs were responsible for making organisations listen to their publics and in return to communicate messages to them and engage with them. (Solis Breakenridge 2009). Prior to current publications on Public Engagement, the term was mainly linked to the scientific world. Demos (2009) stated that the UK was now perceived as a forerunner in Public Engagement within the science world. It argued that Public Engagement would only work when interest groups were included. Matthew C. Nisbet Dietram A. Scheufele (2007) argued that communication must be accessible to all sections of society. Advocacy, a term used by Public Relations Company Weber Shandwick, has been used as an alternative to PE and is defined as Public relations caught the first wave, the adoption of new technology to spread information   But that first wave, sharing information with more segmented audiences, is cresting.   A new one, a fundamental transformation of communication from information to advocacy, is rising (Jack Leslie, Chairman, Weber Shandwick Worldwide, n.d). It argues that engagement is necessary if communication with audiences is to take place. It is now evident that universities are becoming involved with the term Public Engagement. The National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) is part of the Beacon for Public Engagement project. Their aim is to support and encourage universities engage with the public and their stakeholders. According to response source (2010) the ten most engaging brands in the UK are Google, Cadbury, amazon, BBC, facebook, MS, sony , Microsoft, the Olympics and Dove. Case studies- Olympics 2012 London 2012 logo was designed to attract and engage with the young. The aim of the project is to build community engagement and to bring people together through a national event; this would in turn go hand in hand with David Camerons Big Society. Campaigns have already begun, such as the Inspire programme, which has led to projects which have engaged the community. 1,000 projects have now been giving the 2012 Inspire brand to go ahead and is estimated to have reached over 10 million people in the UK with more to be expected (DCMS 2010). The Olympics will coincide with the big society by creating up to 70,000 game makers, who will volunteer around the game sites and will help out in their communities but during the games and after. The Olympics other aim is to change the perception of the disabled. TV broadcasting will be issued throughout the Paralympics games. Other areas of engaging with the community consists of: The new Sports Leaders programme this will train 40,000 sports leaders across the UK, they will have to volunteer 10 hours of their time to teach in the community. Engaging with the next generation of performers A London 2012 festival will be held with over 1,000 events to be released in the summer of 2011 Inspired by a project which helps disadvantaged young people around Britain http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/201210_Legacy_Publication.pdf Facebook In the run up to the 2010 UK election, facebook reminded their UK audience to register and vote and held online live debates between the candidates. They used a live tool on Facebooks democracy tool UK page, where the audience could say whether they liked or disliked what the politicians were saying. Facebooks intention was for their audience to engage with the tool. Facebooks Director of European Public Policy, Richard Allan said: 2010 is the UKs first ever social media election, and the dial test shows how voters can get involved on a scale never seen before. The dial test will provide a true barometer of the public mood and will define how the impact of the debates is interpreted. The tool gave facebook vital statistics on finding more information about their audience. (Wired article) More recently Face book was blamed by the Egyptian government for rallying Egyptians to meet and demonstrate against the President. The web proved so powerful a tool to engage the public that the internet was closed down by the government( The Telegraph 28th Jan 2011) The Police Gordon Scobbie a senior police officer wants to see police using social networks to engage with the public. He says that forces in Scotland should adopt virtual community policing, with officers going online and directly engaging with the public about local issues (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-11828502 ) BBC The BBC Trust set up Audience Councils in The British Isles to engage directly with their audiences and get their viewpoint on the programmes and services that the BBC offers. They represent all sections of society and as recently as the end of January 2011 invited viewers to join their organisation through the web and BBC TV Channels. They also hosted events for the youth and made home visits to gain an insight to the needs of the public. A Public consultation was carried out by the BBC Trust in 2010. They held three working lunches and invited organisations who had theory and practise in Public Engagement. They found that although the BBC website was very good at engaging with their audience, there is still a large population who do not have access to the internet. Face to face communication was seen as crucial to meet those with limited access to the internet. http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/consult/audience_engagement/interest_groups.pdf http://www.mediawatchuk.org.uk/index.php?option=com_contenttask=viewid=309Itemid=92 http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/ace/what/ Social Media in Public Relations Social media, a new paradigm for PR can be defined as being centred around the concept of a read-write Web, where the online audience moves beyond passive viewing of Web content to actually contributing to the content (Sweetser and Lariscy p. 179). From a communication viewpoint, social media creates an available access point for messages to be communicated to the public. Social media messages can be strategic and have many communication aims for organisations e.g. marketing and customer service (Avery, Lariscyb, Sweetser, 2010) Social media has developed over the past years and now consists of forums, message boards, pod casts, photo sharing, search engine marketing, video sharing, Wikis, social networks, professional networks and micro blogging.( Wright and Hinson 2002). Web 2.0 engages with consumers, new and old through these social media platforms and it has let organisations put the Public back into PR'(Solis Breakenridge 2009) Old style PR skills are still helpful in bringing about transparency when communicating with stakeholders (Schlesinger 2010) but the introduction of Web 2.0 technologies has changed the world of communications for Public Relations bringing individual relevancy to communication efforts and at the same time fulfilling marketing criteria and legal obligations. (Pavlik 2008, Philips Young 2009) Rubel (2008) also agrees that there is still a role in public relations for traditional media pitching in certain establishments. Web 2.0 had a great effect on public relations. Whereas before, the web was a place to find information, it is now a place for symmetrical communication (Phillips and Young 2009). According to Phillips and Young Web 2.0 is an evolution. It was observed that digital media has the potential to make the profession more global, strategic, two-way, interactive and socially responsible Grunig, J.E (2009, pg1). However, he adds that the new media is being used ineffectively by some practitioners. Some are using it, as they did with the old media, as a place to write messages rather than using it to interact with the public strategically. Grunig (2009) concludes that it can only be used effectively if social media is used to its full capacity. 1.1 Social media and stakeholder engagement From the eCircle 2010 the European marketing social media and Email marketing study of 1,045 Consumer in the UK, some interesting results showed: Fans and Followers are the new email subscribers. To successfully engage in digital dialogue, marketing experts must convert consumers into subscribers as fans and followers. Users of social networks want to be engaged by companies: 13% of fans and followers of company / brand profiles want to be called upon to do something. These should be used better by brands. When information is shared, it can have a wide reach: 43% of users of social networks have more than 100 friends of followers. On average, each shared message reaches 77 people. But companies only achieve this multiplier effect if the brand or product becomes part of the users private communication. Public Engagement has produced new networks of influences and online forums leading to a way of communication through Blog, Twitter and Facebook among many, which impacts on all walks of life (Edelman, 2009.) In 2009, 625 million people worldwide had access to the internet, and as a result many people are now choosing to share their content on popular social network sites, such as Facbook and My Space, rather than choosing a service which allows only one means of purpose such as Blogger (McCann 2009). In one of the most recent surveys across numerous industries, 78% of organizations reported using blogs, 63% online video, 56% social networks, and 49% podcasts (Gillin, 2008). A further research by PR company Burson-marsteller 2010 confirmed that major international companies were using all four media platforms twitter, facebook, youtube and corporate blogs to engage with the public . Wight and Hinson carried two research projects that were five years apart, into the impact of new technologies on PR. It concluded that although more people used these technologies between 2009-2010 there were fewer new media opportunities available, for example this was borne out in the fact that facebook had been the most used social network site and that twitter was the most popular micro blogging site. It was obvious from their results that technology was continuing to change public relations. In 2008 it was reported that 61% of those who answered their survey believed that blogs and social media had changed the way their companies had communicated. By 2010 this figure had increased to 75% and many believe that social media worked alongside traditional media. Many of the open ended questions from the study showed that technology was having a huge impact and moving PR into a two way communication by opening channels between companies and publics. It is evident that Public Relations practitioners are using social media tools, especially blogging, in recent years within the workplace. It was seen as a way of competing against others in the PR world (Porter, Sweetser Trammel, Chung, Kim, 2007). According to Rowse (2007) practitioners are actively using blogs. Engaging and starting a conversation with stakeholders through social media a very powerful tool(PR Week 4th Feb pg 20) It offers practitioners and journalist a means to have two way communication and great opportunities. According to McCanns Wave 4 report (2009), social media platforms are so common these days that it is the place where the public share and create. In his study he noted how they presented unique opportunities to listen and observe. One way messaging is now outdated and anyone understanding this new communication world will only succeed (Weber Shandwick n.d). There is a need to understand and integrate social media platforms to PR initiatives (Flanagan 2010) and organisations have to think carefully on how they are going to engage various stakeholders on problems and in the planning process in the changing technological environment (Goodman 2010). But not everyone has access to the internet. The elderly find it hard to learn new skills and the poorest of our society may not have access to a computer or the internet. As a result their ability to engage with each other or society can be limited and certain groups of society may be excluded (Warschauer 2003). It seems that Prs need todo more that just have use of the web. They need to be aware of conversations happening online, and they know that they should engage in a fully transparent dialogue with openness and honesty. This will help to develop relationships with their customers. One section of society that has been affected by the introduction of the digital world is PRs relationship with journalists. (Sweetser, Porter, Chung, Kim, 2008) Instead of the old means of PRs contacting journalists for pitching news stories, the roles are changing slightly. Media catching is increasing in popularity. Journalists are now contacting a number of PRs at one time and others looking for stories and information. One third of Americans constantly use blogs as a means of gaining information (Smith 2008). At this point it is necessary to understand that social media is vital within organizations, encouraging employee engagement. Enterprise 2.0 is a form of web 2.0 which is used for businesses only. They provide services such as Yammer, a corporate version of Twitter, and Chatter- a social-networking service (Economist 2010). According to Mashable (2010) the top five engaged brands in social media are Starbucks, Coca- Cola, Oreo, Skittles and Redbull. Starbucks has developed a digital platform solely so that the public can

My Star- Lesbian Relationship :: Personal Narrative Relationships Papers

My Star I sat on the edge of her bed, with my head in my hands, crying. My heart was pounding and adrenaline rushed through my veins, making me feel sick to my stomach. I couldn't make myself calm down. I couldn't even take a breath. My hands trembled as I wiped the hair out of my eyes. I glanced through my tears at Star, huddled in the corner of her bright yellow room. She was curled up in a ball with her head on her knees, shaking. I stared, wondering what she was thinking, and what I should do. I wanted so badly to go comfort her as we both cried, but I felt as though I could never touch her again. I felt dirty, even evil. I began to question every belief I'd ever had, even who I was. I looked back down to the ground, and watched everything fade away as more tears formed in my eyes. I wanted to just disappear, to leave my body behind, and not have to deal with what was about to happen. My roommate Star and I had decided to go to Tampa to visit her family for the weekend. She stood over my bed one Friday morning, watching me sleep. I opened my eyes and smiled expecting her to crawl in like she did every morning after her first class, but instead she asked " You wanna come to Tampa with me?" She had a huge, fake smile on her face, as if she was saying please. I didn't hesitate. "Sure," I said as I made room for her next to me. How could I say no to Star, especially when she smiled at me like that? I didn't care where we were going, but I knew I didn't want to spend a weekend with out her. Star was the only child of two extremely religious parents, and attended Catholic school her whole life. She was very sheltered, and modest, whereas I am a very open-minded, liberal person, who is anything but modest. She was Hispanic, and had dark brown, short, curly hair, that she always hid with a bandana. Her eyes were almost black, and were so mysterious and deep that I could stare into them and get lost. She wore pointy, black glasses that I called her "sassy librarian glasses." She dressed how my friends would describe as "dykey.

Teen Sex

Teen Sex Many teenagers are engaging in having sex. A lot of them are doing it just to fit in and some are doing it because of peer pressure. Yes I believe abstinence programs discourage teen sex but a lot of teenagers need an abstinence education as well as a comprehensive sex education. Although some say that Abstinence and comprehensive sex education programs in schools are a bad idea, I think otherwise because some students need help learning about birth control and if they're ready for sex.The government needs to fund teen sex programs that guide teenagers through which sexual direction they want to go in and things they want to learn about such as Comprehensive education, Abstinence education and Pregnancy. Comprehensive sex education has been proven more effective. Comprehensive sex is well needed in schools. It does not encourage teens to start having sexual intercourse. This program is what young people need; an honest effective sex education.Comprehensive sex education prog rams help youth delay from sexual activity, it reduces the frequency of sexual activity, and it reduces the number of sexual partners and increases condom and contraceptive use. Without a Comprehensive sex education program in schools, teen sex increases, more teens will experience negative sexual health outcomes and pregnancy. â€Å"Medically accurate, age appropriate, comprehensive sex education in schools, education that include information about both, abstinence and contraception, both from a values and public-health perspective. † (Rep. Lee and Sen.Frank Lautenberg, 2005, P. 776) Abstinence programs can help teens delay sex. Sex education classes that focus on encouraging children to remain abstinent can persuade a significant proportion to delay sexual activity. I think that abstinence education convinces teens to postpone sex; which is a good thing because they are too young. Without an abstinence program, more students would be engaging in sex. â€Å"Federal governme nt only funds abstinence education, even though at least 75 percent of parents say they want teens to be taught about both abstinence and contraception. (As cited in CQ researcher, 2005, pg. 771) Pregnancy is often the result of teen sex. With abstinence and comprehensive sex education programs, pregnancy rates will decrease. Teen mothers are less likely to finish high school and more likely to end up on welfare, and their children are at greater risk for abuse and neglect. The majority of teen mothers raise their children alone without the help of the child’s father, which makes it much harder. â€Å"Twenty percent of teen mothers have a second child before the age of 20. † (Sarah Brown, 2005, pg. 763) It’s very hard for teen mothers to go to schoolGovernments need to fund teen sex programs that guide teen through sexual activity. Teenagers are having sex to fit in and some are being forced to have sex because of peer pressure. Schools are not responsible for t eens engaging in having sex but it helps a lot for teenagers to go to school and learn about it through Abstinence, Pregnancy and Comprehensive programs. With the students being taught about things it can decrease the pregnancy rate and reduce teen sexual activity. Both teens and the government will benefit from them; teens postpone sex and the government wouldn’t have to fund as many teen moms on welfare.