Changes in work place safety since the 1900's Term Paper

Changes in work place safety since the 1900's - Term Paper Example information prior to 1880s.Amesricans modified the route to industrialization in order to fit their geographical and economic needs, they encouraged labor and time saving machines and procedures. Employers made such developments under legal and regulatory system that rooted out employer’s interest in workplace safety. Therefore, Americans developed highly profitable production methods that were dangerous very often (Aldrich, 2001). Aldrich (2001) reveals that work safety has long been compromised due to the fact that accidents were cheap in American, employers could afford to risk employees. When heirs of injured or killed employee sue employers for compensation, it was too hard to get it. Employer could prove that it was worker’s own fault, some other worker’s fault or the worker has assumed the risk. Usually courts dismiss such cases and deny liability. Several surveys about 1900 work safety revealed that only about half of all workers recover from fatal injures while their compensation only amounted to only half a year’s pay. Employers didn’t have to pay much for accidents, therefore Americans industrial methods were not developed enough to take care of safety. According to Fisk (2003) when it comes to comparing American workforce at the beginning and ending of the century, changes are quite frequent, some of these changes are very dramatic and well-known while some are just the opposite. In some cases, statistical data is not sufficient for making quantitative comparisons but discernible in most of the cases. During 20th century, total size of workforce increased approximately six times. US Bureau of the Census reports that the workers who are 10 years of age and above were registered and reported to have a rewarding occupation was 24 million in 1900(part 1,p.127) while according to Employment and Earnings (2000, p.10) it became 139 million in 1999 for 16 years and above (cited in Fisk, 2003). Fisk (2003) further explains that it is not just a

Inter-organizational Cooperation Essay Example for Free

Inter-organizational Cooperation Essay The fundamental principle of a resonance inter-organizational cooperation is that an agency must give up something in order to get something else in return. The cooperation of local or international organizational is fostered to ensure that both organization benefit from each other. The inter-organizational attraction brought about by trust plays a big role in helping such collaborations to achieve their goals. Paying much attention on developing leadership styles that will promote effectual and collaborative value chains through building of a closer relationship which comprises of trust, commitment, cooperation, and coordination needed between organization members guarantees success of the alliance. Inter-organizational cooperation has continued focusing on leadership as the key for its success. A clear leadership of a focal organization accounts for a stable alliance by guaranteeing legitimacy and authority within the alliance. Effective leadership helps to deal with social, economic and environmental concerns within the inter-organization (Ebers, 1999). In addition, the inter-organization cooperation are increasingly focusing on leadership so as to ensure coordination by merging resources to achieve new things and address common issues through group decision making. Consequently, the leadership behavior of adapting to the competitive global environment through inter-organizational cooperation rather than competing in an adversarial manner ensures survival of the collaboration. This can be attained through impacting leaders with supply chain management skills so that they may be able to establish and maintain effective inter-organizational networks. Proper investment in leaders will ensure that the desired business results are met given that leaders will facilitate an open exchange of proposals which will foster collaboration. Examples include; Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), International Labor Organization (ILO) and Consortia and Enduring Construction firms in the U. S.

Euthanasia :: Free Euthanasia Essay

Euthanasia A considerable portion of society supports euthanasia an instrument of preserving dignity in the terminally ill, bringing peace to the incurable, and closure to their families. Some Americans believe to maintain the democratic values upon which the Unites States stands in balance, they must possess the right to determine the applicable time to end a person’s life.(Chapman 209) The more widely help opinion comes in the form of opposition. The majority strikes out against euthanasia, targeting it as an instrument of the divine, a tool that humans, above democratic values and inalienable rights, dare not employ themselves lest they suffer the wrath of imposing on Almighty God. The human race as a whole must wipe their eyes of their own naà ¯vetà ©. Humans cannot play God. Encroaching on God’s proverbial territory would usurp divine function and interfere with divine plan. (Maguire 132) From Greek words meaning â€Å"good† and â€Å"death†, euthanasia is commonly referred to as mercy killing or physician assisted suicide.(Brody 75) The argument deals with the question of whether licensed physicians have the right to play a role in mercy killing. Indirectly executed and therefore viewed by and large with a lesser face of malcontent, a â€Å"Do Not Resuscitate† order, or DNR, refers to refraining from heroic measures to keep someone alive. In other words, a doctor may withhold treatment to let a person die naturally. Opposition arises in the form of protesters and activists, defrauding and doctor’s right to play God in trauma rooms and on operating tables. Unfortunately, courts and moral theorists ha long accepted the proposition that people have the right to refuse medical treatment they find painful or difficult to bear, even if that refusal means certain death. (Walter 176) A growing concern over medical costs questions family’s ability to make rational decisions as responsible caregivers. The cost of a dose of barbiturates and curare and the few hours in a hospital bed that it takes them to act is minute compared to the massive bills incurred by many patients in the last weeks and months of their lives. Legalizing euthanasia would render substantial monetary resources that could be used by the families or by the healthcare provider for more practical treatments. (Friedman 116) Permitting money to influence human life is overtly immoral, but nevertheless pressures the acceptance of euthanasia. If legalize, the natural evolution of policy and procedure would see growth in the category of patients for whom euthanasia is permitted.

Biochemical Cycles

INTRODUCING WITH BIOCHEMICAL CYCLES Biochemical cycles Nutrients are important for organisms to function. Each nutrient has a role in global biogeochemical cycles. A nutrient is a chemical that organisms need to live and grow and are substances an organism's uses for metabolism which must be taken in from its environment that enrich the organism. Two types of nutrients are macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are needed in large quantities while micronutrients are needed in smaller quantities.A biogeochemical cycle moves chemical element between living, and nonliving parts in the environment. I will describe the water cycle, explaining the major processed involved and the relationship of micronutrients. There are five major global biogeochemical cycles, each with a different function and relationship to micronutrients. They can be classified as either gaseous, sedimentary, or hydrololic. The water cycle is a hydrologic cycle that moves water in the biosphere through evap oration, condensation and precipitation.Two sedimentary cycles are the sulfur and phosphorous cycle. Their main reservoirs are in soil and rock sediments. Sulfur enters the cycle as hydrogen sulfide and is oxidized to sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide and water vapor makes sulfuic acid in the rainfall. It is then absorbed by plant roots and turned into amino acids traveling through the food chain and released by decomposition. In the phosporous cycle, phosporours is released through erosion or mining. It is then absorbed by roots and then travels through the food chains and returned to sediment.When the main reservoir of the nutrient is the atmosphere it is considered a gaseous cycle. The carbon and nitrogen cycles are gaseous cycles. Carbon enters the environment during photosynthesis and is returned through cellular respiration. Nitrogen enters the cycle by nitrogen fixation and results in ammonia and nitrates that are carried to the Earth by precipitation. Once they entered into the soil they are absorbed by plants. Micronutrients are needed in each of the biogechemical cycles to help convert, absorb, or facilitate each cycle.Water is essential to all organisms and has a major impact on global processes. The hydrologic cycle begins with the evaporation of water from the ocean. Evaporation is caused by solar energy. The ocean is the major reservoir in the water cycle. It contains 97% of the water in the biosphere. As moist air is lifted, it cools and water vapor forms. Moisture is then moved around the atmosphere until it returns to the Earth's surface as precipitation. Once water reaches the surface it becomes groundwater.Groundwater either seeps back into the oceans, rivers, and streams, or absorbed by plants. The leaves and stems put water back into the atmosphere through a process called transpiration. Transpiration accounts for approximately ten percent of all evaporating water returning to the cycle. Biogeochemical cycles are pathways which macronutrients , micronutrients, or other molecules move through the biosphere, litosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. These nutrients are recycled and passed from one organism to another and from one part of the biosphere to another through biogeochemical cycles.

Why was Malthus wrong about Japan?

Today Japan is a highly developed first world country with a vast population and a booming economy. The demographic history of Japan and how it reached this renowned economic status has been the focus of much theorising and has engaged the minds of many demographers, economists and historians for centuries. Japan is unique in the way its population has changed and its economy has developed without the stimulus of overseas markets. It does not boast the best physical landscape, being 85 percent mountainous, and it is not well endowed in terms of resources. Despite these negative attributes however, Japan has developed, and to such an extent it can now boast one of the worlds leading economies. Indeed Japan was the only country outside the western world to have developed at a similar rate. In the 18th century a Swedish doctor, P. Thunberg commented on Japan, ‘Of all the countries that inhabit the three largest parts of the globe, the Japanese deserved to be ranked first, and to be compared with the Europeans. ‘ (Modern Japan, P. Duus. ) It stands to reason therefore that Japan's history merits such a wealth of discussion amongst academics. Part of Japan's success as a country has to be attributed to its longstanding political regime. For centuries Japan was an empire ruled by an emperor based at Kyoto. From the 12th century however Japan was governed by Shogun (military leaders) who oversaw the day-to-day life of the Japanese people. The emperor, in effect, was under house arrest, taking a submissive role being more of a spiritual leader to the people. The year 1600 saw an important event for the political governing of Japan. It was in this year that a battle (Sekigahara) established the supremacy of the Tokugawa family as ruling shoguns. From 1600 to 1868 this family ruled and these 268 years of Japan's history became known as the Tokugawa period. It is this period that is of fascination to many demographers as during this time Japan experienced stagnation in its population but it also seemed to be the onset of its economic success. From the early 18th century to the Meiji restoration in 1868 Japan's population stayed at around 33 million. It is this 150-year period of stagnation that is of interest to studiers of the demographic history of Japan. There is also much discussion as to whether the population as it was, was inextricably linked to economic growth or vice versa. Searches for explanation of population trends date back centuries. One of the earliest and probably the most famous explanation of observed population figures in the world in general, was put forward by the Rev. Thomas R. Malthus in the 18th century. In 1798 Malthus's ‘Essay on Population' was published, in which he wrote at length on past, present and future population trends of mankind. His most famous stance on population levels was that ‘population, when unchecked increases in geometrical ratio; subsistence only in an arithmetical ratio. (Malthusian Population Theory, McCleary. ) He believed that mans (sic) power to produce population is greater than his power to produce subsistence, thus meaning that that the population of a country was constantly held in check by misery and vice. From this a simple model is produced illustrating the point that if populations increases; food prices will increase; real income will decrease; and thus mortality will increase (figure 1. ) The ultimate check according to his works was the want of food, but this was never an immediate check except in the case of actual famines. The constant checks can be classified into two sets, preventative and positive. Positive checks are multifarious and include such components as exposure to the elements, epidemics, war, plagues, famines and extreme poverty. The preventative checks can be further sub-classified into vice and non-vice. According to Malthus however, there is only one preventative check that can be classified as vice and this is moral restraint. The consideration of moral restraint was a latter thought from Malthus, added to his ‘essay' in 1803. From this a more optimistic model of possibility was constructed (Fig 2. ) The two checks vary inversely from one another and can be in operation with varying affect according to the society in which there are operational. The situation as it was in Japan must have had some constituent that caused the observed trends in population. If Malthus's theory is believed to have been operational in Japan then some sort of check was holding the population at its stagnated rate. Japan, unlike Europe at the time was a closed system. Emigration was unheard of and likewise nobody entered the country. Internal migration was also low, although would not have affected population figures. This was mainly due the Tokugawa establishing a period of isolation, cutting Japan off from the rest of the trading world. In terms of Japans population this meant that migration was not responsible for the stagnation, therefore according to Malthus it must be due to high mortality rates and/or moral restraint alone. Malthus travelled to various European countries to study their population trends in order to supplement the work in his first essay. He did not however make it as far as Asia, but did manage to comment on Japan and China in his work. He tended to make generalisations about Japan based on his thoughts about China, believing that in both of these countries moral restraint was not practiced, as it was only adapted to Western Europe. His work led him to believe that in Japan and China marriage was universal and occurred at a very young age. Taking this into account, Malthus attributed positive checks on population to the cause of the stagnation the Tokugawa period. Included in the positive checks Malthus believed occurred in Japan was the act of infanticide or ‘mabiki', literally meaning ‘thinning out. ‘ Again he depicted Japan as being similar to China, but whether he was wrongly casting aspersions about Japan or whether infanticide was one of the components accountable for the population trends is another area that has been widely debated. Many people in this field of work since Malthus have devised various explanations as to the cause of Japans stagnation, and many have been curious as to whether Malthus was right about Japan. In order to deem Malthus right or wrong on this topic information on fertility and mortality levels as well as the marriage system and evidence of infanticide is needed. Early studiers of Japan's history found a way of gathering such information. During the Tokugawa period a registration system, known as Shumon Aratame Cho, was devised (mainly for tax reasons) that recorded births, deaths and other such information for villages in Japan. By studying, what were tantamount to an early form of census, family reconstitution is possible and a better idea of the overall demographic change at that time in Japan is given. Generations of population historians have performed village studies and different generations have varying ideas about the trend in population. The first generation of population historians believed Malthusian checks to be in action in Japan. Subsequent work has questioned this conclusion and many other avenues of thought have been opened up. Levels of fertility are related to marital patterns. This is an area that Malthus had decidedly definite views on in Japan. A control on marriage may have been responsible for the stagnation experienced between 1700 and 1850. This kind of population control may have been conducted in Japan in order to yield positive benefits from lower fertility levels, managed food prices and improved real incomes. Malthus believed that nuptuality in China and Japan was universal and occurred at a young age. He did not believe that controls on marriage could occur in Japan as outside Western Europe h thought that ‘the passion between the sexes is necessary' and cannot be overcome (Malthusian Population Theory, McCleary. From studies of nuptuality records (including components such as age at marrying and proportion of people ever married) it is shown that marriage was universal in Japan but was not at such an early age as it was in China. If nuptuality levels for Japan are compared with England and China for the same time period, then Japan falls somewhere in the middle (see fig 3. ) Universal marrying would suggest high levels of fertility but as discussed this was not the case in Tokugawa Japan. The issue of marrying at a later age can account for low levels of fertility, and possible reduced fecundability in women. Other factors can be attributed to fertility levels and many studies have been carried out in this area. T. C Smith, part of a later generation of population historians, conducted a study of a village which he named ‘Nakahara,' to give an overall general pattern of what was occurring in Japan at this time. Smith looked at fertility levels of the village and constructed fertility curves to examine the possibility of infanticide. The curves showed low levels of fertility, and were convex suggesting that there was an absence of birth control in the village. This adheres loosely to the standard levels of fertility at the time; although the figures in question were lower (fertility levels were naturally low in Tokugawa Japan, lower than pre-industrial Europe. ) Smith believed that the low levels of fertility were due not only to factors such spacing and lactational amenorrhea, as put forward by some of his contemporaries (e. g. Cornell), but also to the practice of infanticide. If Smith's study is consistent with the rest of Japan, then Malthus's theory would be true. However fertility curves alone do not prove beyond doubt that infanticide was occurring. L. Cornell believed the reasons for the low levels of fertility could be explained by factors other than infanticide. She believed the low level of fertility in general in Japan was a result of cultural rather than structural patterns. One of the main reasons put forward for this was the long lactation periods of Japanese mothers. It is biologically proven that the longer the lactation period after birth the harder it is for a couple to conceive their next child. This, Cornell attributes to the observed low fertility levels. Another reason put forward is migration patterns of males in villages at that time, causing a reduction in fecundability. Migration to castle towns, where employment had a large pulling power, was seasonal in villages and as a result of long periods of migration, fecundability decreased and fertility was kept at a low level. Cornell believed that these factors not deliberate controls on family size by the practice of infanticide as other academics believed, caused low levels of fertility in Japan. This was brought about by controls on society by over-riding cultural trends. Smith however, had evidence other than fertility curves to support his claim about infanticide. He studied the sex bias in families in Nakahara to add weight to his argument. He believed that the sex of the next child in a family was enforced by infanticide. Assumptions are easily made that this practice accords with the widely heard of folklore that males were the preferred sex in Japanese households, therefore one would expect the sex ratio to be male biased. However Smith found from his studies that the sex of the next child was not biased to males. He tabulated the evidence, which showed that in a family with predominantly male children, the next child was more likely to be female, and in families that had equal number of male and female children, the next child was most likely to be a male. The opposite was true in families with predominantly female children. However sex selectiveness was not found in other studies, for example in a study by Hayami, there was no evidence of sex selectiveness in families. Smith used this evidence to suggest that infanticide was a means of family limitation in Japan. Another piece evidence he found for the practice of infanticide was that small landholders had fewer children than large landholders, suggesting that family limitation was practiced as a long-term plan, so as to not put financial on the existing family and to maintain living standards. This idea has been rejected however by other authors such as Hanley and Yamamura who believed that infanticide was not only practised by peasants and poor families, but also by the rich who chose to limit their family in order to husband assets. Many authors speculate that infanticide was also practiced to limit the number of male heirs in a family and lessen the competition for family headship. On the matter of infanticide in Japan, contrasting ideas make it difficult to conclude if Malthus was correct in his assumption. However what can be concluded is that villages would have undoubtedly varied in their practices and beliefs. From a persons study of one village it would be wrong to conclude that infanticide was or was not practised in general in Japan. What would be a fair assumption would be to say that infanticide probably was operational in some areas and not in others. However it seems unlikely that infanticide alone, occurring in some areas would lead to the stagnated population that occurred in Japan at this time. Other checks on population must now be looked at to prove or disprove Malthus's theory. It is a given that fertility levels were low in Tokugawa Japan, so according to Malthus mortality must be a contributing factor of the population stagnation. From the Shumon Aratame Cho it is difficult to gain an idea of mortality levels, especially infant mortality. It has been estimated (Cornell) that by as late as 1926 a quarter of all deaths in Japan were infants. In the early Tokugawa period death rates were high and fluctuating. The life expectancy at birth at this time was in the low thirties. Epidemics as a constant check, proposed by Malthus, occurred regularly in Japan; however by about the 16th century the population was large enough to support such disasters. There were also some wide spread famines, particularly bad ones occurring in the 1730's, 1780's and the 1830's, which obviously would have made a dent in population figures. However there is a tendency for populations to recover quickly from famines, and many people would have simply moved away from the area. These two Malthusian checks seem not to have had a large impact on death rates, suggesting Malthus was wrong about Japan in this case in point. Death rates not associated with widespread disasters, must also be take into account. Mortality levels were generally higher in the cities, of which there were about 200 at this time, than in the countryside. An increase in the number of people living in cities could account for a high national mortality level; however improvements in the standard of living meant that death rates actually decreased in these areas. It seems that in this period of Japan's history contrasting factors were at work keeping the death rates at a constant level. Warfare decreased at the beginning of the Tokugawa period, lowering death rates; but epidemics were introduced, increasing the rates. Similarly death rates increased slightly as cities grew, but the improvements of living standards combated this increase. Malthus was correct in the sense that checks on population were occurring in Tokugawa Japan, however he did not account for the fact that Japan with a completely different culture and set of traditions from Europe, would have had different ‘checks' on the population working in opposition to the ones he proposed. A picture is now appearing of life in Tokugawa Japan. Fertility levels were low; mortality levels were high and fluctuating at the start of this period but then decreased towards the end. These two demographic variables can account in part for the population remaining constant for so many years, but it is not exactly in accordance with what Malthus thought about Japan. In reality Japan was much more akin to England in terms of its demography than China. Malthus was wrong in this case as well. He presumed Japan to be dissimilar to European countries and because of its locality in relation to China, to be much more alike it neighbouring country. Malthus had some general thoughts on population, not specific to Japan, but which are also wrong in Japans case. Malthus believed that ‘man (sic) does not like hard work', and this is why subsistence cannot take keep pace with population. This would ultimately lead to a positive check on population, which Malthus did believe was occurring in Japan. From the time of the Tokugawa period to present day, the people of Japan have shown to have been hardworking, which is represented in the level of their economic success today. From the 17th century agriculture was the main employment sector in Japan. During this century agriculture took off at a vast rate and began to keep pace with the growing number of mouths. As the population slowed and productivity continued to increase, the per capita food supply also increased. Small-scale cultivators dominated the agricultural economy in Tokugawa Japan, but this was only the starting point of the economic transitional change in Japan. By the late Tokugawa period, ‘proto-industrialsation', a term referring to the production of goods for distant markets was underway. New technologies spread and output of products such as soy sauce, bean paste and vegetable oil was a substantial proportion of all non-agricultural output. Proto-industialisation was concentrated in rural areas, which meant migration to large cities slowed, which in turn would have affected mortality rates, as mortality was consistently higher in these areas. In this case Malthus was also wrong in his assumptions about Japan. The population did not grow in a geometric ratio whilst the subsistence only grew in an arithmetical ratio. In fact quite the opposite occurred during the Tokugawa period in Japan. Overall it seems Malthus was wrong in most of his assumptions about Japan, such as universally low ages of marriage, moral restraint not being practised and widespread infanticide. However he did touch upon factors that operated in Japan as they did in many other countries at that time, such as family limitation and preventative checks affecting population numbers. In fact given the very little first hand knowledge Malthus actually knew about Japan, the only way his speculations could have been correct would have been purely by chance, which as highlighted is the not the case. Malthus was incorrect in his assumptions about the extent to which population-influencing factors occurred in Japan. Never the less he gave many population historians a foothold to further investigate the demographics of historic Japan.

How to use commas - Emphasis

How to use commas How to use commas Compared with pondering the placement of the much less familiar semi-colon or the enigmatic apostrophe, the ubiquitous comma might seem hardly worth worrying about. They’re ten a penny, arent they? Why not just sprinkle them at will or leave them out entirely? Unsurprisingly, we don’t recommend doing either. They may seem a common or garden item of punctuation, but – just like the elderly in society – we can learn much from commas and should treat them with respect. So, use them: Â   Â   Â  to denote a natural pause, such as if you were reading aloud Unfortunately, commas are often underrated. Â   Â   Â  after a secondary clause that’s been put at the beginning of a sentence Although the comma had been left out of the speech, he still paused for dramatic effect. Â   Â   Â  to separate items in a list My job involves typing, proofreading, answering the phone and stocktaking commas. I’m looking for a tall, dark, handsome lover of punctuation. Â   Â   Â  to make it clear exactly how items are split (to avoid confusion, usually when the word ‘and’ is involved in the list) The courses on offer were Introduction to colons, Intensive comma revision, Hyphens and dashes, and Figures and numbers. Â   Â   Â  in pairs, for information additional to the main point (that could be lifted out to leave a sentence that still makes complete sense) The phone call, which lasted ten minutes, was mostly about Mary’s incorrect use of punctuation. However, the information contained by the two commas has to be ‘non-defining’ (not vital to the overall gist of the sentence); if it is ‘defining’, you would use no commas at all: The phone call that was about Mary’s poor punctuating was full of awkward pauses. Â   Â   Â  to introduce short quotes He said, ‘Let’s take a short break here.’ Changing sense Given the often ambiguous nature of our language, it is important to give pause to where you place your commas. Otherwise you may end up saying something other than you intended, or leaving your reader rather confused. Compare: However, you might feel the report is irrelevant [and we may take that into consideration] with However you might feel, the report is irrelevant [your opinion doesn’t really matter]. Or I donated, myself, to that charity [I, like you, am a philanthropist] and I donated myself to that charity [not sure how much use they’ll have for me]. Or even The Wombles of Wimbledon Common are we [thats why the Common is so tidy] and The Wombles of Wimbledon, common are we [can’t move for wombles while watching the tennis]. Commas can make subtle distinctions too. Observe the nuances: Our boss, who is based in Basingstoke, will be at that seminar and Our boss who is based in Basingstoke will be at that seminar. In the first example, there is only one boss. He may be based in Basingstoke, but that is not vital information (it is ‘non-defining’). The main point is that he’ll be at the seminar. In the second example, there are presumably several bosses. But it is specifically the one lucky enough to be based in Basingstoke who will attend the seminar. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: punctuation matters. Particularly if you want your writing to end up meaning what you meant it to.

17 Proofreading Techniques for Business Communication

17 Proofreading Techniques for Business Communication Finally. Your document is just about complete. It’s been written, reviewed, compiled, and re-reviewed. With the final edits in place, it’s now ready to be proofread. Proofreading can seem like a simple task in business communication. However, the attention to detail and intense focus it requires means that proofreading is as challenging as it is important. However, there are many tactics you can use to ensure this task is completed well and effectively. This article highlights our top strategies. Why is Proofreading Important? Proofreading can help you improve the readability and quality of your documents. It is important to ensure that your writing is error free and professional. What is Proofreading? Proofreading includes reviewing for grammar, correct use of language, and format. It’s the final touches needed to ensure a business document is correct, consistent, and professional. When Do I Proofread? Proofreading is often confounded with editing. Editing involves revisions of the document, often with major changes, to ensure alignment with goals, accuracy of information, or modification of tone. Only once those major edits are complete can the document move to the proofreading stage. Proofreading ensures the final content is free of linguistic and formatting errors. 17 Proofreading Techniques: The following list presents the strategies we recommend for better proofreading. These methods strengthen your proofreading process and knowledge. 1. Step Away, Then Focus Whenever possible, step away from the document before proofreading. This is crucial when you are the document’s author. You are too close to the content, making it difficult to have a clear, objective eye on the text. We recommend taking a 24-hour break from the content before proofreading for maximum effectiveness. 2. Print a Hard Copy Proof of Your Document Many editors find it easier to proofread with a physical document. Printing the document makes it easier to read and allows you to proofread in more places. 3. Read Aloud Good proofreading is done slowly. Simply reading it normally allows your brain to fill in gaps and fix errors in your mind and skip them on the page. Reading aloud ensures that each word and punctuation mark is verified. It also highlights awkward sentences because it will sound more awkward out loud than on the page. Conveniently, there are online programs that will help with this task. Use your computer’s text-to-voice function to have your document read to you. Having your computer read to you will help catch typos that you may skip over as you know the original intent of the sentence. 4. Align With Company Style Standards Most companies have style standards for external documents. Ensure you have these guidelines close at hand while proofreading. These guidelines may range from font choice to preferred spellings to margin size and more. These details ensure consistency across an organization. 5. Remove Excess Words Business writing is concise and direct. Excess words, like adjectives or adverbs, can detract from the message. Being careful not to overstep into editing, review the text for superfluous words that do not add value to the text. In addition, accidental excess or repeat words are erroneous and can be missed prior to proofing. 6. Explain or Remove Jargon Specialized terminology or acronyms should be used sparingly, if at all, in business writing. When used appropriately for the reader, they still must be explained. Generally, the first mention of an acronym is spelled out completely with the acronym followed in brackets. An unfamiliar technical term should be explained in the text before being referenced. Terms that are difficult for the reader should be removed and replaced with more accessible wording. 7. Check Sentence Structure A proper sentence must have a subject, a verb, and express a complete thought. Simple, right? Yet, sentence fragments and run-on sentences can sneak into an otherwise great text. Review each sentence for proper structure and punctuation. 8. Review Flow and Sequencing One pass of the document must be a high-level review. This overview checks the organization of the document to ensure it has proper flow and sequencing. Check for formatting consistency, order, and numbering of images, tables, and appendices, and the general presentation. 9. Use Software Technology is your friend when it comes to proofreading. Microsoft’s Spelling and Grammar tool and Grammarly’s online editor are two handy tools to catch spelling, grammatical errors, and some syntax errors that your spellcheck may miss. Use these tools as a first scan. They will catch detectable errors. However, word choice and homonyms are often only found by the human eye. You can check out our list of the top tools for tone, editing, and grammar (among others business writing needs!) on our blog. 10. Hire an Editor or Ask Colleagues/Friends If you’re way, way too close to your document, proofing it yourself may not be a good idea. In this case, seek a truly objective opinion and review. Hiring an editor to complete the proofreading phase can be a valuable investment. Alternatively, asking a friend or colleague to proof your text can provide a fresh perspective. 11. Take a Course Proofreading is a skill that is learned, honed, and improved. Like many other writing aptitudes, proofing can be developed through education. Taking a course on proofing will help you master the process. We offer a Proofreading Course with Grammar Review that hones the skills required to effectively proofread in a business environment. Avoid Common Mistakes These tactics will help you catch the trickiest business communication errors. 12. Check Homonyms When a word sounds right, the quick reader can mistake it for being correct. Homonyms are a painful but important item to check. Including accept where except is intended can be embarrassing or even disastrous in business communication. Ensure the word choice is the correct one. 13. Check Apostrophes Apostrophes are often placed incorrectly. Apostrophes are almost never used for plurals, but somehow they often appear as such. While mixing up companies with company’s may not be disastrous, it is confusing and unprofessional. 14. Fact Check Employees, colleagues, and clients rely on business communications for information and decisions. Therefore, they need to be accurate. Whether it is the client name spelling, the sales division location, or the policy sheet, each detail must be correct. Fact checking these details will ensure the document is valuable and useful. 15. Verify Numbers, Times, and Dates Numerical information is often the most critical and the easiest to mistype. Each number must be verified. A misplaced decimal or zero in a budget line can be a grievous error. Times should be checked that they are correct, including the time zone. Dates must be correct to the day of the month and the week. Triple checking the numbers is not an over-the-top habit. 16. Verify Names Writing a staff’s, colleague’s, or client’s name incorrectly or completely wrong is simply disrespectful. It can lead to confusion, but more importantly, it shows poor attention to detail to the most important people: the reader or subject of the business communication. 17.Test Hyperlinks and Phone Numbers Website and phone numbers are very handy. However, they become very frustrating or ignored if they are incorrect. In the proofreading process, click on each hyperlink, type in each web address, and dial each phone number included in the document to ensure they will correctly direct the reader. Fool-Proof These seventeen strategies will improve your proofreading skills. Carve out the time to properly review and implement each of these strategies and your business communication will be accurate, valuable, and professional.

Paragraph and Essay Development - Definition and Examples

Paragraph and Essay Development s In composition, development is the process of adding informative and illustrative details to support the main idea in a paragraph or essay. Also known as  elaboration. Paragraphs and essays can be developed in many different ways. In conventional composition courses (see current-traditional rhetoric), the following patterns of exposition (or models of composition) are often presented as the standard methods of development in expository writing: AnalogyCause and EffectClassification and DivisionComparison and ContrastExampleExtended DefinitionProcess Analysis Examples and Observations [The] methods of development arent empty jugs to pour full of any old, dull words. Neither are they straitjackets woven by fiendish English teachers to pin your writing arm to your side and keep you from expressing yourself naturally. The methods are tools for achieving your purpose in writing, whatever that purpose may be. They can help you discover what you know, what you need to know, how to think critically about your subject, and how to shape your writing.(X.J. Kennedy and Dorothy M. Kennedy, The Bedford Reader, 7th ed. Bedford/St. Martins, 2000) The Importance of Providing Supporting Details Possibly the most seriousand most commonweakness of all essays by novice writers is the lack of effectively developed body paragraphs. The information in each paragraph must adequately explain, exemplify, define, or in some other way support your topic sentence. Therefore, you must include enough supporting information or evidence in each paragraph to make your readers understand your topic sentence. Moreover, you must make the information in the paragraph clear and specific enough for the readers to accept your ideas.  (Jean Wyrick, Steps to Writing Well, 11th ed. Wadsworth, 2011) Body-Building What the opening of an essay promises, the body of the essay must deliver. This is known as developing your ideas, but I like to use a body-building metaphor because it implies adding not just bulk to a framework, but musculature. In other words, good essay development strengthens, not merely fills out. . . .What is the best way to reinforce the main idea of your essay? You can do some by making good use of any combination of the following six methods of development: StatisticsComparisonClassification and DivisionExample, case-in-pointQuotationCharacterization,  dialogue By using these bodybuilding elements, you are telling your readers, I dont expect you to take my word for these claims; I want you to see for yourself!  (Fred D. White, LifeWriting: Drawing from Personal Experience to Create Features You Can Publish. Quill Driver Books, 2004) Multiple Patterns of Development Although most short papers may employ one primary pattern with other patterns woven throughout, longer papers may have two or more primary patterns of development. For example, if you are writing a paper on the causes and effects of child abuse in the foster care system, you might, after the causal analysis, shift the primary focus of the essay to prevention, thus continuing the essay with a process analysis of what the state might do to prevent child abuse. Then you might end the essay by addressing the objections from those defending the system, shifting the focus of the essay to argumentation. Your decision to include other primary patterns depends on your purpose and audience. Your thesis makes your purpose clear to your reader. Then as you develop your essay, you may integrate other patterns into your paragraphs.  (Luis Nazario, Deborah Borchers, and William Lewis, Bridges to Better Writing. Wadsworth, 2010)

On an individual basis critically analyse the CSR strategy of Disney Assignment

On an individual basis critically analyse the CSR strategy of Disney drawing upon Husted and Allens 7-step corporate social strategy framework - Assignment Example It will also help them to design the implementation plan of the strategy. Corporate social responsibility is the initiative taken by any organisation to assess various social and environmental issues and actively participating in the betterment of the society. 7 steps of well designed strategic plan have been introduced by Husted and Allen for the proper implementation of corporate social strategy (Husted and Allen, 2010). The 7 step framework of Husted and Allen has been used to design the implementation plan of corporate social strategy of Disney. The CSR of Disney includes activities such as healthy cleaning, recycling of waste materials, providing nutrition guidelines and online safety for kids (Hopkins, 2012). Women economic empowerment is a factor that can be considered by Disney to expand their existing range of CSR activity. Economic condition of women is miserable in various parts of African and Asian countries. The locations of Disney in those countries can help them to resolve this issue. Large companies like Wal-Mart and Coca-Cola are already involved in various operations to enhance the economical position of women in the society. Government of those countries are attracting more investment from top corporate towards the solution of unemployment and poverty (Lownes-Jackson and Guy, 2012). Disney can conduct training facility for the women under poverty level of these countries to enhance their working skills. Offering employment to these women can improve the economical status of these countries. Disney needs to analyse their available resources and the capabilities of the organisation before creating any plan. The major resources of any organisation are their financial resources and physical assets. Walt Disney holds a large number of consumer franchises that caters from soft toys selling to theme parks which are established in various parts of Africa and Asia. They have

United Nations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

United Nations - Essay Example ome states together with other interest groups, for instance, have lobbied and convinced others to vote against certain issues of common good and interest of the US. For example, the US proposed amendment to change the Rome Statute so that they could join was opposed by many. These polarization and blocs have, therefore, undermined the original values stood for by the UN as an institution (Patrick & Forman, 2002). Despite these challenges, the UN remains one of the greatest platforms to implement the US multilateralism. With most major global threats such as nuclear and terrorism increasing, forums like the UN are, therefore, important for US. The above complications, therefore, results in the need for smart multilateralism. In implementing this, US have to make some hard decisions and determinations like asking for help but at the same time, not remaining vulnerable. Its leaders and policy makers in the diplomatic forums must also be strategic, consistent in their pursuit and remain respectful. While ensuring all these, they must still find avenues of preventing tyranny in voting blocs, thus, preventing countering its interest and weakening its priorities and efforts (Fallon & Gayle, 2010). In providing best options for achieving best outcomes, the US should, therefore, create a number of options such as; creating alternatives to the following issues of concern. Better human rights, community of democracies transformation, security structures and refurbishment of economic systems at the international levels (Fallon & Gayle, 2010). Fallon, W. J., & Gayle, H. D. (2010). Report of the CSIS Commission on Smart Global Health Policy: A Healthier, Safer, and More Prosperous World. Washington, D.C: Center for Strategic and International

Computer Ethics-Cyberbullying Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Computer Ethics-Cyberbullying - Thesis Example It is defined as â€Å"the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others† (Owens, 2010). Cyber bullying involves using technology, such as cell phones and the Internet, to harass another person. Cyberbullying is more dangerous than traditional bullying for the following reasons: (1) it is location independent; (2) it offers the ability to bully without a face-to-face confrontation (Meech, 2007); (3) it is difficult to trace or discover because of problems in identification; (4) it can be rapidly scaled to a large audience in a short time; and (5) there are neither codes of conduct nor procedures currently in place to deal with it (Owens, 2010). Cyberbullying is more unethical because as the world evolves, technology has become pervasive and a key component of our continued existence as a cohesive society. It is difficult to envision lives being lived without cyber-interaction especially among the youth. It is therefore vital for people to practice respect of each other in the virtual community just as much as in the physical world. Cyberbullying breaks this communal respect that is being nurtured online. Today’s youth need to be taught that even when no one can see what they are doing online, their actions affect other people. Furthermore, even if they can’t see those results, they need to know that the consequences are not only present and real but can also be catastrophic. A good example of cyber-bullying is the Amanda Marcuson case (Harmon, 2004). Amanda, a new eighth-grade student, reported her classmates for stealing her pencil case. But at the end of the day when she went home, the girls that she had reported begun sending her insulting instant messages on her home computer. Amanda’s mother took her away from the computer to watch a basketball game with the rest of

Exploiting Competitive Advantages Using Business Strategy Essay

Exploiting Competitive Advantages Using Business Strategy - Essay Example â€Å"Companies with significant market share create a problem for competitors because these competitors will have to rely on "stealing" market share away from the competition; they can't just create a business out of thin air† (Teenanalyst, 2009). A strategy that the company uses to capitalize on its low-cost strategy is aggressively targeting customers through smart marketing campaigns. The use of marketing has helped the company get the word out about the good prices the company offers. On many occasions, the company offers outstanding value through special sales of products. The best evidence that the strategies used by the managerial staff of the organization are effective is the fact that Wal-Mart is the industry leader in the retail industry. The profitability of the company is further evidence of the dominance of the company. The net margin which is a financial metric that illustrates the absolute profitability of an organization is 4% (Walmartstores, 2012). A few year s ago I worked at a company that utilized the niche generic strategy to market its products. â€Å"A business that focuses on a niche market is addressing a need for a product or service that is not being addressed by mainstream providers† (Ward, 2012). ... Most people in this hobby lose several planes each year to crashes. The best proof that the niche strategy used by the company was effective was that during the beta test trials the product received outstanding reviews from the clients. Despite the fact that the company had a good niche strategy and an excellent product WRM failed as a business venture due to the fact that the ownership team did not have sufficient operating capital to move into the commercialization stage of the product. A company that is currently using the generic strategy of differentiation is the automobile maker BMW. BMW sells cars that are different than most cars in the marketplace due to the super quality, performance, suspension, design, and luxury. The differentiation strategy has helped this company build a great reputation and brand value Evidence that the strategy the company uses is effective is the fact that BMW charges a premium price for its products.  

Applied Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Applied Economics - Essay Example An independent Monetary Policy Committee was launched in 2012 as a subsidiary of the bank to take relevant action in order to eliminate or reduce operational risks with a mission of leveraging and increasing the resilience of the UK financial system (Buckley & Desai, 2011). The committee is also charged with supporting the economic policy of the government. Managing inflation Types of inflation Demand-Pull Inflation In demand-pull inflation, inflation is solely caused by increases in aggregate demand. This inflation develops when the household, government, business and foreign sectors together try to purchase more output than the economy is able to produce. Demand pull inflation results when aggregate demand increases beyond aggregate supply causing shortages in the economy. This type of inflation is can be sustained with an increase in the monetary base (Buckley & Desai, 2011). Cost-Push Inflation In, cost-push inflation, inflation results from decreases in aggregate supply due to i ncreases in cost of production. This type of inflation arises when the cost of using labor, capital, land, or entrepreneurship rises. This means that the production possibilities edge is reducing in size closer to the origin, causing it to bump down against the aggregate demand. The eventual result is inflation. ... Expansion of fiscal and monetary base cause excess demand and as a result, inflation increases. One of the key responsibilities of the bank of England is maintaining monetary stability. This means low inflation, stable prices and confidence in the UK currency. Price stability is defined by the inflation target set by the government, which the bank aims to meet by the decisions taken by the Monetary Policy Committee. The Monetary Policy Committee is a committee that consists of nine experts who meet every month at the bank to discuss and review the performance of the economy and decides on the most effective way to set the monetary policy to achieve the rate of inflation of 2% set by the government (2012). This committee votes on the bank rate at its meetings and decides whether it is wise to employ quantitative easing or not, and if so, how much money should be injected into the economy. The monetary policy committee makes its decision independently without the intervention of the go vernment (Toporowski, 2012). The principal aim of the bank is to protect the value of the currency based on what it is able to buy-an increase in prices implies inflation, which lowers the value of the currency. The monetary policy is created to achieve this aim and developing a structure for non-inflationary economic growth. The monetary policy of the bank of England controls inflation by influencing the interest rate at which money is lent and through quantitative easing (QE)-injecting money directly into the economy by buying assets. This implies that the banks mechanisms of managing inflation through monetary policy budges towards the quantity of money availed in the economy rather than the interest rate at which the bank borrows or lends money to

Occupational Safety and Health Administration Essay

Occupational Safety and Health Administration - Essay Example As the best precaution to be taken against health and environmental hazards, the following steps would be taken into consideration: Recognition and Identification of the Surrounding Hazards and Risks: - This is, in fact, the first and initial step that I have to undertake in order to establish a safe and risk-free environment. It is also the most important step in the program of safety awareness. Wayne Hebertson, in â€Å"The Practical Safety Guide†, once said that the first step in the process of safety implementation is Identification of Hazards and assessment of risks (Cardenas, Para, 2). I will immediately take the time to review the current condition of the organization and that of the employees. This will enhance identification of the places that need changes, and then initiate the implantation process (Gregory, 97). I will introduce a program where the employees and the employers share a responsibility in understanding and practicing proper hazards and risk management. Normally, it is good for a person to use his or her knowledge to practice proper safety measures. I would recommend the employer to provide the employees with proper and safer working condition (Cardenas, Para, 2). In addition, I will try as much as possible to explore the current and new ideas in all sections concerning safety matters and check for better approaches to safety. This will be achieved through a safety program that contains effective safety procedures and processes, employees training and checklists (Gregory, 101).

Applied Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Applied Economics - Essay Example An independent Monetary Policy Committee was launched in 2012 as a subsidiary of the bank to take relevant action in order to eliminate or reduce operational risks with a mission of leveraging and increasing the resilience of the UK financial system (Buckley & Desai, 2011). The committee is also charged with supporting the economic policy of the government. Managing inflation Types of inflation Demand-Pull Inflation In demand-pull inflation, inflation is solely caused by increases in aggregate demand. This inflation develops when the household, government, business and foreign sectors together try to purchase more output than the economy is able to produce. Demand pull inflation results when aggregate demand increases beyond aggregate supply causing shortages in the economy. This type of inflation is can be sustained with an increase in the monetary base (Buckley & Desai, 2011). Cost-Push Inflation In, cost-push inflation, inflation results from decreases in aggregate supply due to i ncreases in cost of production. This type of inflation arises when the cost of using labor, capital, land, or entrepreneurship rises. This means that the production possibilities edge is reducing in size closer to the origin, causing it to bump down against the aggregate demand. The eventual result is inflation. ... Expansion of fiscal and monetary base cause excess demand and as a result, inflation increases. One of the key responsibilities of the bank of England is maintaining monetary stability. This means low inflation, stable prices and confidence in the UK currency. Price stability is defined by the inflation target set by the government, which the bank aims to meet by the decisions taken by the Monetary Policy Committee. The Monetary Policy Committee is a committee that consists of nine experts who meet every month at the bank to discuss and review the performance of the economy and decides on the most effective way to set the monetary policy to achieve the rate of inflation of 2% set by the government (2012). This committee votes on the bank rate at its meetings and decides whether it is wise to employ quantitative easing or not, and if so, how much money should be injected into the economy. The monetary policy committee makes its decision independently without the intervention of the go vernment (Toporowski, 2012). The principal aim of the bank is to protect the value of the currency based on what it is able to buy-an increase in prices implies inflation, which lowers the value of the currency. The monetary policy is created to achieve this aim and developing a structure for non-inflationary economic growth. The monetary policy of the bank of England controls inflation by influencing the interest rate at which money is lent and through quantitative easing (QE)-injecting money directly into the economy by buying assets. This implies that the banks mechanisms of managing inflation through monetary policy budges towards the quantity of money availed in the economy rather than the interest rate at which the bank borrows or lends money to

The US supreme court Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The US supreme court - Essay Example For the appointment of a Supreme Court Judge to be confirmed by the Senate, a simple majority is required. Judges of the Supreme Court can be impeached and removed from office if they are found to be involved in misdemeanour or criminal activities (Abraham, 1992). The existence of the US Supreme Court is a necessity because of the roles it plays in several aspects of the legal framework of the country, such as its support for the civil rights movement, which received legal sanctity with the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This was a ground-breaking legislation in the country because it did away with most forms of discrimination against women and Blacks and with racial segregation. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 legally eliminated discrimination in voter registration as well as racial discrimination in educational institutions and at the work place. However, during the initial years, the constitutional validity of the Civil Rights Act was disputed in the context of its applicab ility to the private sector. In many of the important civil rights hearings, the US Supreme Court had held that Congress was not legally empowered to prevent discriminatory practices in the private sector. ... This ruling marked the beginning of the effectiveness of the separate but equal concept in the US. In 1971, the US Supreme Court held in the case titled Griggs v. Duke Power Co that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does not permit discrimination at the work place and also that employers cannot adopt practices that are discriminatory towards women and minorities. In case titled University of Alabama v. Garrett, the Supreme Court held that the 11th Amendment did not permit state employees to file applications in federal courts to seek financial compensation for discriminatory practices used by employers in violation of the Americans with Disabilites Act. This decision revealed that the Supreme Court has not been favourable in regard to civil rights issues. It held that even if the state’s actions are indicative of being hard hearted, they may not necessarily violate provisions of the Constitution (The Leadership Conference, 2012). The US Supreme Court is a democratically legitimate institution because it acts under the given provisions and its judges are elected in keeping with the due process of law. However, the appointment of Supreme Court judges during the President Roosevelt’s time came under cloud because between 1933 and 1937, the Supreme Court had declared six of Roosevelt's eight major New Deal programs unconstitutional. Roosevelt wanted to prevent the Supreme Court from rejecting his future New Deal proposals and he reacted by introducing a scheme whereby new judges would be appointed to the Supreme Court and who would be supportive of his plans (Crawford, 2008). Roosevelt introduced a plan that gave him authority to appoint a new judge for

Plug-in hybrid Essay Example for Free

Plug-in hybrid Essay This is an analytical and comprehensive approach for preparing marketing plan for Toyota Prius, the hybrid car, consists of formulating strategies and implementing them, with suggestions for recommended changes and implementing the plan. Toyota is well known for its innovative and excellent quality cars all over the world. Toyota has started the hybrid project in about 1991 and launched its first concept in 1997. It is Toyota that made this revolution of hybrid cars a success story. The Global, 21st century known as G-21 team worked on the Prius. It aims in focussing the target market in Australia, in main cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Brisbane, etc. the main focus is on the two kinds of buyers in the market, i. e. the private buyers and the corporate and fleet buyers. The distribution is done through the strong network of 211 dealers in Australia. There is proper training to the dealer about the car and its features as its technology is new in the market. This also helps to solve customers’ objections and their queries. The promotion is done through Medias like television shows, advertisement with celebrity, news paper and magazine. Also through the personnel marketing where the dealer meet and communicate with customers personally. Internet is the modern means of marketing and advertisement. The costing of the car is issue at present movement. But it could be solved with help of government policy and the company’s discount. As the technology improves the cars will be cheaper and can be affordable by lower income segment. Table of content TopicPage No. 1. Introduction4 2. Mission Statement4 3. Situation Analysis4 3. 1. Internal environment4 3. 1. 1. Products4 3. 1. 2. Financial and non-financial situation5 3. 1. 3. Channels5 3. 2. External Environment6 3. 2. 1. Markets6. 3. 2. 2. Competitive environment6 3. 2. 3. Economic environment7 3. 2. 4. Demographic environment7 3. 2. 5. Social and cultural environment7 3. 2. 6. Political and legal environment7 3. 2. 7. Technological environment8 3. 3. SWOT analysis8 3. 4. Critical issues9 4. Marketing Objectives10 5. Marketing Strategies10 5. 1. Target markets10 5. 2. Product strategies11 5. 3. Pricing strategies11 5. 4. Promotion strategies11 5. 5. Distribution strategies12 6. Recommendations for change12 7. Implementation plan13 8. References A. Appendices14 14 1. Introduction: Toyota Motor Corporation is Japanese company and one of the world’s largest automaker. Toyota has created philosophies and techniques which are now implemented commonly in every organisation in the world which is called as the Toyota-style management and manufacturing technique. Toyota is well known for designing and manufacturing of concepts and future cars. Toyota was the first company to manufacture powerful and high quality hybrid car in the year 1997 (Chambers, 2008). Toyota used combination of fossil fuel and electricity for power and manufactured its well known car called ‘Prius’, which gained popularity all over the world within short time. Toyota launched hybrid Prius in Australia in 2001. We will be discussing about the marketing plan of Prius in Australian market and revolution it would create in automotive market. 2. Mission Statement: Toyota’s mission is to deliver outstanding automotive product and to provide service to their customers. It also aims in enriching our community, partners, and environment. Toyota’s four core values are customer first priority, respect for the people, international focus, continuous improvement and innovation . 3. Situation Analysis: It is the analysis of the vast amount of information regarding the organisation, product and the situation they are facing (Cohen, 2005). It consists of various environmental factors and experts call it as process of environmental scanning. 3. 1. Internal Environment: It consists of the situation inside the organisation and its internal working. It can be regarding the product, channels, and financial situation. 3. 1. 1. Product: Toyota has launched wide range of products in Australia which is divided in four segments passenger, four wheel drive and sports utility vehicles, commercial vehicles and Toyota racing development (TRD). Prius comes in the passenger segment of cars. It began in the year 1992; Toyota announced its plans to develop a car with lowest possible emission. It created committee called G-21, G known as global and 21 is twenty-first century. In 1994 the concept car named â€Å"Prius† was developed. Prius is a hybrid car which is combination of fossil fuel and electricity. It used patented Hybrid Synergy Drive system which enables car to give a whooping mileage of 100 kilometres in 4. 4litres of fuel. 3. 1. 2. Financial and non-financial situation: Toyota has large manufacturing facility at Altona, and since 2004 Toyota has invested 800 million in Australian manufacturing plant. Toyota has generated sales revenue of $9. 284 billion and has total assets of $2. 478 billion as of December, 2007. Total exports for 2007 were $1. 7 billion inclusive of parts. Toyota has 4720 employees and about 11,300 dealer employees. It produces about 148,931 vehicles and 112,415 engines. It has domestic sales of 236,647 and exports of 97,688 units to 23 countries. http://www. toyota. com. au/about/key-facts . 3. 1. 3. Channels: â€Å"Distribution channels are set of interdependent organisations involved in the process of making a product or service available for use or consumption by the consumer or industrial user† (Kotler and Armstrong, 2004 p). Toyota is known for its â€Å"just-in-time† production system. It produces car when there is demand from customers. There is direct network between manufacturer of components and Toyota, so that it does not have to maintain inventory. Toyota has wide network of 211 dealers in Australia. Toyota fulfils its consumers demand by its dealer network where approximately 11,300 employees serve. http://www. toyota. com. au/about/key-facts . 3. 2. External Environment: The company’s macro-environment, now known as external factors are uncontrollable forces that the company must watch and also respond to (Kotler and Armstrong, 19871). Fig. 1. (Source: Kotler, et. al [2006], pg: 169) 3. 2. 1. Markets: â€Å"A market is the set of actual and potential buyers of a product† (Kotler and Armstrong, 2004 pg7). The potential buyers of hybrid car are from higher income group and they stay in metropolitan cities. Hybrid car market can be developed in developed countries and advanced cities. Hybrid car owners are educated and have concern towards environmental factors. Hybrid car owners are few years older than average car buyers . 3. 2. 2. Competitive environment: Toyota was the first develop hybrid passenger car called Prius. The biggest competitor of Toyota is Honda. Honda has its hybrid model Insight which poses competition to Prius. Recently ford has also launched hybrid version of its popular SUV Escape. Ethanol blended fuel car also pose competition to hybrid cars, as they have low emission and good mileage. Also non-hybrid cars are not much costly as compared to hybrid cars. 3. 2. 3. Economic environment: â€Å"Factors that affect consumer buying power and spending patterns† (Kotler and Armstrong, 2004 p71). Considering the positive side, many companies gives special offers and incentives to encourage purchasing of hybrid vehicle. There are also Government rebates to encourage buying of hybrid vehicles. Considering the negative side customer has to pay around five to seven thousand dollars more for hybrid vehicle against non-hybrid vehicles. The battery and electric motor replacement are costly parts. Repairs and maintenance facilities are limited to dealerships only. 3. 2. 4. Demographic environment: Demographic environment is very much interest to the marketers. As demography involve people and it is the people who make the market for any product. The private market is an important market, where the consumer is either male or female and in the age group of 30 to 50 years old. The consumers are from wealthy class, they are educated, well informed and they are from AB socio-economic segment. Hence the consumer can be in profession like administrative, or higher managerial or professional occupation who are ready to purchase environmental-friendly car and also pay more for its exceptional features. 3. 2. 5. Social and cultural environment This environment represents the effect of religion, fashion, population trends; social issues like equality and social movements such as environmentalism (Dann, 2004). The customers are from higher income group. Customers have higher level of education, who is concerned about environmental crises. Prius focuses on the customers with age group few years older than the average car buyers, and mostly women prefer for this car. It is preferred by customers who drive fewer miles and ready to pay more for their car. 3. 2. 6. Political and legal environment Australia is quite receptive towards foreign firms to invest in country. Government attract foreign investment by giving various incentives. Australia is politically stable country and has democratic government. So there are less risk for change of policy, increase of duty, blocking company’s property and currency and takeover of company’s property. Government bureaucracy is also important factor which help companies with good market information, efficient custom handling (Kotler and Armstrong, 2004). 3. 2. 7. Technological environment Toyota was first company to successfully launch a hybrid commercial vehicle. High level of research and development and after a long experiment Toyota launched Prius in late 1997. It has developed patented hybrid system called Hybrid Synergy Drive. It provides a combination of electric power and fossil fuel which gives an eye-catching mileage of about 100 kilometres in 4. 4liter of fuel. This technology gives high power output and greater performance as it is combination of fuel and electricity. Due to this combination the car goes for more kilometres in less fuel. This car has fewer emissions and pollutants problem. We can say that hybrid technology gives us clean, powerful and efficient car. 3. 3. SWOT analysis: SWOT analysis is the overall evaluation of company’s strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threat. Strengths: ?Toyota is one of the world’s largest car manufacturers having reliable and high quality image. ?A hybrid car cuts emission by 25% to 30% ?‘Just-In-Time’ production ?It has greater fuel economy typically around 100 kilometres in 4. 4litres ? Government gives incentives on hybrid cars. ?It has the â€Å"green† image for car. ?It is â€Å"new† and successful technology. Weakness: ?There is high cost involved in research and development and technology is costly. ?The car is much pricier than non-hybrid cars. ?Fuel saving is limited, and only if the car is driven within the limit. ?It has low speed? Customers has limited choice ?The maintenance can be costly as lot of electronics and computer are involved Opportunities: ?Targeting the people who are environmentally conscious. ?It can be used to lower the global warming concerns ?As technology becomes more and more affordable, car can introduced in lower income segment ? There is also scope for future government policy for transition to hybrid technology. Threats: ?In non-hybrid cars with gasoline and ethanol blend, gives good mileage and have lower emission problem ? Diesel technology also gives good mileage, but has emission problems ? There are threats from small cars like Honda Civic or Mazda 3 which are fuel efficient and less costly than hybrid cars. ?To pay four to six thousand dollars more to get twenty five percent improvement can be a tough decision to make. 3. 4. Critical Issues: ?Will the cost of hybrid cars Prius be reduce? ?Can lower economic segment of society be able to buy Prius? ?Can the maintenance of car and parts become cheaper? ?Will customers have a variety of hybrid models to choose from? ?Can Prius become more fuel efficient? ?Can the emission be reducing to almost negligible? ?Should Toyota focus its research on other type of hybrid vehicles? 4. Marketing Objectives: ?Customers and consumers should be made aware of new product i. e. Toyota Prius. ?Increasing shareholders wealth which is achieved by higher profits and increased sales. ?As this is new product and having new technology, the objective is to educate consumers and explain its working and advantage of this. ?Prius should me made marketed so as to make it valid alternative to traditional cars. ?Customers should be communicated through website, brochures, visiting local dealer and ordering test drive to know about Prius. ?Communication should lead to purchase, and also number of visits to dealer should be turned into sales. 5. Marketing Strategy: Marketing strategy also known as ‘the game plan’ is used to fulfil the plan’s objective. It consist of strategy for target markets, product strategy, pricing strategy, promotion and distribution strategy (Kotler et. al, 2006). 5. 1. Target markets: Target market consists of a set of buyers who share common needs or characteristics that the company has decided to serve (Kotler et. al, 2007). Toyota is the first mass produced hybrid car. Hybrid car market is new and having light competitive. Prius belong to the lower to medium passenger car segment. Toyota has competition from Honda’s Insight, which is the two-seat sports car. But it is not offering the features like Prius. Prius focuses on providing comfort to passenger segment i. e. C, so there is strong competition in this segment . The target market for Prius concentrate on two major categories: the customers and consumer. Customers are corporate buyers and fleet. Customers buy cars either for corporate hire / rental or for company fleets. Toyota can make tie-ups with corporate and provide special offers to them. They can be reached through business press and media. Since Prius is low in operating cost and its environmental friendly features makes it interesting for business buyers. In consumer market, Prius focuses on consumer who is few years older than average car buyers. It focuses especially females with higher income group. Consumers who are eco friendly and educated are also targeted . 5. 2. Product strategies: â€Å"It is the total benefit that the seller offers through its product features to its customers† (Dann and Dann, 2004 p20). Toyota Prius is a product which requires high involvement and it’s having unique features, which require personal selling. Personal selling can be achieved through the dealer network, which will be given special training about the car, its advantages and also trained to overcome objections form customers. Personal training is also useful to target corporate customers and fleet buying customers, who buy fleet of cars for rental or corporate use, by convincing them about the environmental factors and efficiency in long term use. Dealers should also personally visit the potential buyer group, like environmental friendly and higher income group. 5. 3. Pricing strategies: â€Å"Pricing strategy is a cost to the customer incurred by acquiring and using the products† (Dann and Dann, 2004 p20). As Prius is new technology and new product in market it is some-what costly than other traditional cars. To make people buy Prius, company should implement sales promotion and there should be incentives to buy Prius. This helps product to be accepted in market at its early stage of life-cycle. There should be tie-ups with government to encourage the sale of hybrid and clean cars. Government should give incentives to buy low emission and hybrid cars. Currently Prius is available between ranges of $37,400 to $46,900. This price tag is quite high as compared to other cars of the same segment. 5. 4. Promotion strategies: â€Å"Promotion strategy is the use of audio and visual communications, elements of marketing for the purpose of getting a message to the market place† (Dann and Dann, 2004 p20). The promotion of the Prius can be done through mass communication media. There should be continuous advertisement in news papers and magazines about the cars and its features. Television commercials are expensive, but they are very effective strategy in promotion. Other media is radio and hoardings which can influence customers to buy car. The brand image of the product can be made by sponsoring some sports events or similar kind of promotion, which will boosts sales of the car. One of the better ways to promote Prius is associate it with some celebrity from Hollywood or some sports or cricket personality. This will create a different image of car for the people. 5. 5. Distribution strategies Distribution strategy plays an important role in marketing. Toyota is having wide network of 211 dealers in Australia. The retail private buyer i. e. consumer will buy the car from the franchised dealer network. There should be special dealers for the fleet buyers, who buy cars in fleet for corporate or rental use, so as to demonstrate the benefits and advantage of hybrid car. This should be directly connected to company so that the cars can be customised according to the need of the corporate users. There should be strong supplier network. Distribution strategy should be set for the supplier network also so that it receives components and parts on just-in-time basis. 6. Recommendations for change: As Prius is new concept with new technology, there should be rigorous testing on the car so that product is placed at strong position in market. Testing with the customer and consumer makes their ideas clear about the car and encourage them to go for hybrid car. There should be campaigns and promotion activities for corporate and fleet buying customers. Company should carry out seminars and demonstration for customer, where they are explained the benefits of hybrid cars and its benefits in long term use. There should be personal promotion strategy used by the dealer. The existing customers of Toyota and the owners of expensive car should be contacted by mail and telephone to create awareness for the vehicle. Company should create awareness about environmental concern and rising fuel price. Government should participate in promotion activity to use hybrid cars by giving incentives or tax benefits for the hybrid car customers. There should be research and development to reduce the cost of the car. There should be specialised dealer network for specialised hybrid car like Prius. Television, print media, radios; hoardings are one of the best means for the promotion activity. 7. Implementation plan: The above recommended plan can be implemented by using various promotion activities. The dealer should make the car run on streets of city with promotional advertisement on the car. This creates direct impact on the people. The car should be promoted by television programs which deal with cars like the Top Gear on BBC, which can create a positive image of the car. Promotional activity can be carried out by the use of print media in business magazine like The Time, Fortune, etc. also in daily news papers and periodicals. Outdoor billboards should be placed in busy areas like station and in urban areas. Internet can be used to directly reach to people. There should be online brochures and facility to have detailed specification of car. Customers should be able to book car online and also test drive. Time line must be set and there should be target number of vehicles that must be sold within the time frame. There should be attractive price and attractive looks and features that will force people to buy the car. 8. References: CHAMBERS K [2008] â€Å"Toyota† Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut, London. DANN S and DANN S [2004] â€Å"Introduction to Marketing† John Wiley and Sons Australia, Ltd. KOTLER P and ARMSTRONG G [2007] â€Å"Marketing – an introduction† 3rd ed. Prentice Hall Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. KOTLER P, BROWN L, ADAM S, BURTON S and ARMSTRONG G [2007] â€Å"Marketing† 7th ed. Pearson Prentice Hall, Australia. Website: [http://www. toyota.com. au/about/vision] accessed 2/03/2009, 0900hrs. [http://andidas. deviantart. net/projects/academic/MaketingCommunications_ToyotaPriusMarketingPlan. pdf] accessed 2/02/2009, 1000hrs. [http://www. toyota. co. jp/en/tech/environment/hsd/pdf/a_guide_to_hsd. pdf] accessed 1/02/2009, 1100hrs. [http://www. toyota. com. au/about/key-facts] accessed 1/02/2009, 1100hrs. [http://www. hybridcars. com/hybrid-drivers/profile-of-hybrid-drivers. html] accessed 2/02/2009, 1600hrs. A. Appendices: Figure 1. Major Force in organisation’s macro environment.

Have We Overcome Segregation? Essay -- Segregation, history, USA,

1950. America was in the midst of a racial battle. African Americans used separate bathrooms, went to separate schools and were treated with the least amount of respect. The world was a much different place where segregation was the norm. Today though, the majority of Americans believe we have overcome this inequality. But have we really? When looking at the educational system in today’s society, you can easily find flaws in almost every aspect of it. Although I agree that we have came a long way in overcoming a lot of these issues there is still one that remains very prominent in almost every school in America: segregation. While segregation may no longer be taught or enforced nationwide, you still see it across schools within cliques, gangs, and social settings. Even though it may be human nature to â€Å"hang out† with people you can identify with the most, it is the negative acts against everyone else of different ethnicity that causes problems. Today these problems are widespread but because we live in a country that pretends we have overcome racism, it goes unpublicized. However, within doing some research you can find some of these stories of segregation in today’s society everywhere from the news to Hollywood videos. In a 2006 NBC News story, a school in Omaha, Nebraska was debating on splitting the school up into three different districts. The first district would be white, the second black and the third Latino. In defense for this proposal the state senator is saying, â€Å"Segregation exists right now. Our children are failing and our schools are failing. The gap between the achievements of white children and black children in their respective schools is not narrowing (Tibbles).† He proposes that each school would be able to ... ... are acting out the way they are. A change is going to have to occur within the educational system and parenting, in order to see a change in society. Children learn a good majority of their social skills, including how to segregate from one another in school. When we have our children growing up with these ideas being instilled at home and at school, how can we expect any change in the future? If we are still having segregated proms and noose’s hanging from trees in the year 2009, where equality obviously doesn’t exist, when is the â€Å"real† change going to occur? Are we soon going to be going back to a time where African Americans used separate bathrooms, attend separate schools and are no longer treated with the respect they deserve? I believe if we continue allowing segregation the way we have been, that yes, we will eventually find ourselves reliving the 1950’s. Have We Overcome Segregation? Essay -- Segregation, history, USA, 1950. America was in the midst of a racial battle. African Americans used separate bathrooms, went to separate schools and were treated with the least amount of respect. The world was a much different place where segregation was the norm. Today though, the majority of Americans believe we have overcome this inequality. But have we really? When looking at the educational system in today’s society, you can easily find flaws in almost every aspect of it. Although I agree that we have came a long way in overcoming a lot of these issues there is still one that remains very prominent in almost every school in America: segregation. While segregation may no longer be taught or enforced nationwide, you still see it across schools within cliques, gangs, and social settings. Even though it may be human nature to â€Å"hang out† with people you can identify with the most, it is the negative acts against everyone else of different ethnicity that causes problems. Today these problems are widespread but because we live in a country that pretends we have overcome racism, it goes unpublicized. However, within doing some research you can find some of these stories of segregation in today’s society everywhere from the news to Hollywood videos. In a 2006 NBC News story, a school in Omaha, Nebraska was debating on splitting the school up into three different districts. The first district would be white, the second black and the third Latino. In defense for this proposal the state senator is saying, â€Å"Segregation exists right now. Our children are failing and our schools are failing. The gap between the achievements of white children and black children in their respective schools is not narrowing (Tibbles).† He proposes that each school would be able to ... ... are acting out the way they are. A change is going to have to occur within the educational system and parenting, in order to see a change in society. Children learn a good majority of their social skills, including how to segregate from one another in school. When we have our children growing up with these ideas being instilled at home and at school, how can we expect any change in the future? If we are still having segregated proms and noose’s hanging from trees in the year 2009, where equality obviously doesn’t exist, when is the â€Å"real† change going to occur? Are we soon going to be going back to a time where African Americans used separate bathrooms, attend separate schools and are no longer treated with the respect they deserve? I believe if we continue allowing segregation the way we have been, that yes, we will eventually find ourselves reliving the 1950’s.

Martin Luther Essay -- essays research papers fc

Martin Luther lived from 1483-1546. Luther was born on November 10, 1483 in Eisleben in the province of Saxony. His protestant view of Christianity started what was called the Protestant Reformation in Germany. Luther's intentions were to reform the medieval Roman Catholic Church. But firm resistance from the church towards Luther's challenge made way to a permanent division in the structure of Western Christianity.Luther lived in Mansfield and was the son of a miner. He later went on to study at Eisenbach and Magdeburg. After studying at these institutions he moved on to study at the University of Erfurt. Luther started out studying law, but then went on to enter the religious life. He went into the religious life due to the fact that he felt that he would never earn his eternal salvation. He didn't feel that all of the prayer, studying and sacraments were enough. Therefore, Luther felt that he would never be able to satisfy such a judging God. Not being able to satisfy this God meant eternal damnation. After entering the religious life he later became an Augustinian monk and entered the Augustinian monastery at Erfurt in July of 1505. While in this monastery Luther became a well known theologian and Biblical scholar. In 1512 Luther earned his doctorate in theology and became a professor of Biblical literature at Wittenberg University.Luther took his religious vocation very serious. This led him into a severe crisis in dealing with his religion. He wondered, "is it possible to reconcile the demands of God's law with human inability to live up to the law." Luther then turned to the New Testament book of Romans for answers. He had found, "God had, in the obedience of Jesus Christ, reconciled humanity to himself." "What was required of mankind, therefore, was not strict adherence to law or the fulfillment of religious obligations, but a response of faith that accepted what God had done." In other words he realized that religion is based on love and not fear. Basically, he realized that everyone is burdened by sin because it happens as a result of our weaknesses. He concluded that man could never earn his salvation by leading a blameless life or by performing holy acts. Instead, man's salvation was a divine gift from God resulting from faith in Jesus, especially the saving power of his death and resurrection. This was known ... ...accuracy and true meaning of the Word. He felt that the Roman Catholic Church preferred the Papal authority of the Church above God's Word. How did Luther define faith? Luther defines faith as the absence of all good works. What were Luther's objections to the Pope and other church officials? He felt that the Pope and other officials of the Catholic Church had no knowledge or comprehension of the Bible or had ever even read it. They were wicked people who were preoccupied with wealth and power, but who never considered accomplishing God's will. What political and social implications came as a result of Luther's teachings? His teachings caused a revolt among the German peasants. They also caused separation within the Catholic Church. How did Protestantism encourage people to view religion on an individual basis? Protestantism encouraged people individually to decide what they needed to do to be saved. This caused people to stray away from traditional beliefs. Bibliography.(Martin Luther). Compton's. 1998 Vol. 4(Martin Luther). The World Book of Knowledge. 1996 Vol. 9Andrea, Alfred J., & Overfeild, James H. (1998). The Human Record (3rd ed.). New York: Houghton Miffin Co.

Creative writing – A Christmas to remember

For the first time in her life, Catherine Benson faced the prospect of spending Christmas alone. With a mixture of fond thoughts of the past and the sadness, she recalled the Christmas's of her childhood happy times full of love, laughter and family togetherness. However, this year, her parents were spending Christmas with her brother, who was happily married and with a family of his own. He lived In Wales. Of course, ever since college there had been Anthony. But even thinking the name now bought pain of sadness and loneliness. Anthony and Catherine had been inseparable. They has so many plans for the future. They'd shared dreams and so she thought, they shared lives. But that had all crumbled to dust in the last few months. The love she thought would last forever had failed to stand the first major test of their relationship. Sighing, she draped the last piece of tinsel over the branches of her small tree and stepped back to cast a critical eye upon it. It barely seemed worth the effort just for herself. Some how the tree and the fireplace, served only to make her situation seem little more worthwhile. If only she could get Anthony McBride out of her mind as effectively as he had removed himself from her life. But he crept into her thoughts at the most weirdest times and though it had been several hard painful weeks since they had split up, she'd been unable to let go of her deep feelings for him, she couldn't ignore them. â€Å"We're having a couple of friends over for Christmas Eve. Catherine please say you'll come.† Louise Andrews enticed at work the next day. New friends and a new job had given her something to focus on after Anthony. But, unused to being single, and still nursing her broken heart, Catherine had shied away from taking up a social life again. â€Å"I don't know, Louise.† She said answered cautiously. â€Å"Come on.† Her friend replied joyfully. â€Å"It's Christmas-the last of the century! It'll only be a small gathering I promise.† Smiling, Catherine allowed herself to be persuaded. Perhaps Louise was right. With the millennium coming up, it was time to cast off the past and to look forward to the future with hope and new years resolutions. So on the night before Christmas, she found herself hovering anxiously outside the door of the flat that Louise shared with her fiancà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½, Dominic. Very nervously she took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. â€Å"Catherine I'm so glad you decided to come.† Louise greeted her with a warm smile. â€Å"These are for you† Catherine handed over a bottle of wine and a big box of chocolates. â€Å"Sorry it's not very original.† â€Å"They're lovely! Let me take your coat and get you a drink, then I can introduce you to everyone.† Catherine hesitated in the doorway of the nicely decorated living room. Soft relaxing music played in the background, and half a dozen people stood in small groups, chatting and laughing. â€Å"You'll soon relax and find everyone really friendly. Dominic has invited a friend from the gym. He'll be feeling just as nervous as you, trying to get back into the swing of things as a single person after the break up of a long-term relationship.† â€Å"Now I hope you're not matchmaking.† Catherine protested with an anxious smile. â€Å"Maybe just a bit.† Louise teased. â€Å"Dominic says his friend is funny, generous and compassionate, and if he's half as good looking as I've been lead to believe, you'll be thanking me before the evening is over.† Catherine doubted it, but she held her tongue. Slipping her wine, she curbed the sudden instinct to run. She had to face some people some time. â€Å"I thought you'd ducked out on me.† Dominic greeted his guest when the door opened. â€Å"I did wonder about coming, but I knew if I didn't I would never hear the end of it. Sorry if I'm late.† â€Å"That's okay. It's only a buffet supper and we haven't started yet. Come and meet the others, what will you have to drink?† â€Å"Beer if you have it, thanks.† He replied. Stepping intensively inside the flat. Anthony asked himself for the hundredth time what he was doing here. Parties weren't his thing; he'd tended to shy away from social gatherings of any kind in the last few weeks, turning himself into work and sport instead. Following Dominic into the kitchen, he leaned on the counter and watched as his friend poured the drinks. â€Å"Louise has bought a friend from the bank I think you should meet.† Dominic said cautiously. Anthony's heart sank. â€Å"I don't want to meet anyone, not like that anyway.† â€Å"She's lovely Anthony, she's been hurt badly herself, so she knows how difficult it is to take the plunge and meet new people. Give her a chance; she's funny and intelligent. You'll like her.† Strongly wishing he hadn't come, but unable to walk away, Anthony followed his friend through to the other room. The sound of the lively conversation daunted on him for a moment, and he hesitated on the threshold. As soon as he entered the room, a tingle of awareness caught him by surprise. He scanned the room, and then he saw her. Catherine. His breath caught in his throat. Suddenly, it was as if the last painful, lonely weeks had been stripped away. She was here, in the same room, looking as lovely as ever, but unapproachable and out of his reach. Before he could retreat, Catherine turned and saw him. Shock registered on her face. His mouth tightened, just as she had been shutting him out in the last few weeks they'd been together. â€Å"Come and meet Carolyn† Dominic suggested. â€Å"No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..I..† His friend brushed his protest aside. â€Å"She was very broken up over the split with her fiancà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. But she told Louise that he just never listened to her.† Dominic confided quietly. Catherine had said that? Stunned, Anthony didn't resist as Dominic steered him across the room. Catherine couldn't believe that Anthony was here. What a disaster. Just the sight of him had brought back all the pain and heartache and it had taken only a second to confirm her worst fears. Despite everything, she still loved him. â€Å"That's the friend of Dominic's I was telling you about.† Louise whispered, pushing her forward. They met in the middle of the room. If it hadn't have been so embarrassing it would have been funny. But she was too hurt, too shocked to laugh. And it was clear that Louise and Dominic had no idea what was happening. â€Å"We'll leave you to get to know each other.† Louise smiled. â€Å"You have so much in common.† Dominic said innocently. Louise and Dominic sneaked off quietly. â€Å"I didn't think I would ever see you again.† Catherine managed to say after a tense moment. â€Å"How have you been?† Anthony said awkwardly. â€Å"Not good.† She admitted. â€Å"You?† â€Å"The same.† Anthony absorbed everything about her, every single feature of her was the same, except the fact that she was thinner and her complexion had lost the happy healthy glow that it was had. â€Å"Did you really say that I never listened to you?† Dominic enquired. She nodded, her hands nervously fiddling in front of her. â€Å"Well you thought that I didn't need you anymore.† Catherine replied. â€Å"You shut me out!† â€Å"No I never, you weren't interested you were always so busy with work, you never had time for me. You never took time to really listen to me, not like used to.† Anthony took a step back, remembering all the silly quarrels that had taken their toll on their relationship. Catherine realized that neither of them had listened to each other. Everyone regrouped to enjoy the buffet supper. Neither of them ate anything, they were too busy thinking about what they had said to each other. And what now, did he still care for her as she cared for him? She met his gaze across the room. How could she loved him so much and not realize how he was feeling? Was there a chance they could get back together, could he forgive her? Anthony tried to mix with the other guests, but he couldn't stop thinking about Catherine. Could she forgive him for all the hurt and pain he had caused her? The weeks without her had been dreadful, and seeing her again had only made him realize how much he really needed her. Was it too late? At last the gathering broke up. Anthony said goodbye and left the flat, but instead of going straight home, he waited outside for Catherine to appear. â€Å"Thank you for this evening.† Catherine murmured. She slipped on her coat and left. As she was leaving the building she felt disappointed that Anthony had left and nothing happened between them. A figure emerged from the shadows as she left the building and stepped onto the pavement. â€Å"Oh.† She gasped. â€Å"I thought you had gone.† She said. Relieved with the fact the he had waited for her. â€Å"Can I walk you home?† Anthony asked. â€Å"Thank you I'd like that.† They walked side by side. Catherine felt nervous, uncertain what to say, but scared if she said nothing at all. Just being near her made him feel better. He didn't want this chance to slip, but could he find the right words to say? They began to walk slower and slower and gradually they came to a halt, where they turned to each other. â€Å"I'm sorry.† They said in harmony along with a nervous smile. Anthony reached out a tentative hand to take one of hers. â€Å"I've missed you, Catherine.† He whispered. â€Å"I've been so miserable without you.† She replied. Very slowly they drew together and hugged. â€Å"We haven't been very clever.† They agreed with each other. â€Å"Will you take me back, give me a second chance?† Anthony questioned. â€Å"Only if you will. Look it's snowing.† Across the road the church bell struck midnight. Christmas day. â€Å"Shall we go in?† Anthony asked. â€Å"Yes please, we have so much to give thanks for.† She agreed. Behind them another couple strolled slowly towards the church. â€Å"They'll be alright now.† Louise pronounced with satisfaction. â€Å"Shall we tell them we knew all along?† Dominic asked. â€Å"Maybe one day, but not just yet.† Squeezing her hand as they walked up the steps, Dominic knew he was equally lucky in the love that he had. â€Å"Happy Christmas, Louise†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ 