The Lost Symbol Chapter 90-92

CHAPTER 90 In the dim light of the Cathedral College kitchen, Langdon and Katherine stood over the pot of water and stared at the transformed capstone beneath the surface. On the side of the golden capstone, an incandescent message was glowing. Langdon read the shining text, scarcely able to believe his eyes. He knew the pyramid was rumored to reveal a specific location . . . but he had never imagined that the location would be quite this specific. Eight Franklin Square â€Å"A street address,† he whispered, stunned. Katherine looked equally amazed. â€Å"I don't know what's there, do you?† Langdon shook his head. He knew Franklin Square was one of the older sections of Washington, but he wasn't familiar with the address. He looked at the tip of the capstone, and read downward, taking in the entire text. The secret hides within The Order Eight Franklin Square Is there some kind of Order on Franklin Square? Is there a building that hides the opening to a deep spiral staircase? Whether or not there was actually something buried at that address, Langdon had no idea. The important issue at this point was that he and Katherine had deciphered the pyramid and now possessed the information required to negotiate Peter's release. And not a moment too soon. The glowing arms on Langdon's Mickey Mouse watch indicated that they had less than ten minutes to spare. â€Å"Make the call,† Katherine said, motioning to a phone on the wall in the kitchen. â€Å"Now!† The sudden arrival of this moment startled Langdon, and he found himself hesitating. â€Å"Are we sure about this?† â€Å"I most certainly am.† â€Å"I'm not telling him anything until we know Peter is safe.† â€Å"Of course not. You remember the number, right?† Langdon nodded and made his way over to the kitchen phone. He lifted the receiver and dialed the man's cell-phone number. Katherine came over and placed her head next to his so she could listen in. As the line began to ring, Langdon prepared himself for the eerie whisper of the man who had tricked him earlier tonight. Finally, the call connected. There was no greeting, though. No voice. Only the sound of breathing at the other end. Langdon waited and then finally spoke. â€Å"I have the information you want, but if you want it, you'll have to give us Peter.† â€Å"Who is this?† a woman's voice replied. Langdon jumped. â€Å"Robert Langdon,† he said reflexively. â€Å"Who are you?† For an instant he thought he must have dialed incorrectly. â€Å"Your name is Langdon?† The woman sounded surprised. â€Å"There's someone here asking for you.† What? â€Å"I'm sorry, who is this?† â€Å"Officer Paige Montgomery with Preferred Security.† Her voice seemed shaky. â€Å"Maybe you can help us with this. About an hour ago, my partner responded to a 911 call in Kalorama Heights . . . a possible hostage situation. I lost all contact with her, and so I called backup and came to check the residence. We found my partner dead in the backyard. The home owner was gone, and so we broke in. A cell phone was ringing on the hall table, and I–† â€Å"You're inside?† Langdon demanded. â€Å"Yes, and the 911 tip . . . was a good one,† the woman stammered. â€Å"Sorry if I sound rattled, but my partner's dead, and we found a man being held here against his will. He's in bad shape, and we're working on him now. He's been asking for two people–one named Langdon and one named Katherine.† â€Å"That's my brother!† Katherine blurted into the receiver, pressing her head closer to Langdon's. â€Å"I made the 911 call! Is he okay?!† â€Å"Actually, ma'am, he's . . .† The woman's voice cracked. â€Å"He's in bad shape. He's missing his right hand . . .† â€Å"Please,† Katherine urged. â€Å"I want to talk to him!† â€Å"They're working on him at the moment. He's in and out of consciousness. If you're anywhere in the area, you should get over here. He obviously wants to see you.† â€Å"We're about six minutes away!† Katherine said. â€Å"Then I suggest you hurry.† There was a muffled noise in the background, and the woman then returned to the line. â€Å"Sorry, it looks like I'm needed. I'll speak to you when you arrive.† The line went dead. CHAPTER 91 Inside Cathedral College, Langdon and Katherine bounded up the basement stairs and hurried down a darkened hallway looking for a front exit. No longer did they hear the sounds of helicopter blades overhead, and Langdon felt hopeful they could slip out unseen and find their way up to Kalorama Heights to see Peter. They found him. He's alive. Thirty seconds earlier, when they'd hung up with the female security guard, Katherine had hurriedly hoisted the steaming pyramid and capstone out of the water. The pyramid was still dripping when she lowered it into Langdon's leather bag. Now he could feel the heat radiating through the leather. Excitement over Peter's discovery had temporarily trumped any further reflection on the capstone's glowing message–Eight Franklin Square– but there would be time for that once they got to Peter. As they rounded the corner at the top of the stairs, Katherine stopped short and pointed into a sitting room across the hall. Through the bay window, Langdon could see a sleek black helicopter sitting silent on the lawn. A lone pilot stood beside it, facing away from them and talking on his radio. There was also a black Escalade with tinted windows parked nearby. Staying in the shadows, Langdon and Katherine moved into the sitting room, and peered out the window to see if they could see the rest of the field team. Thankfully, the huge lawn outside the National Cathedral was empty. â€Å"They must be inside the cathedral,† Langdon said. â€Å"They're not,† a deep voice said behind them. Langdon and Katherine wheeled around to see who had spoken. In the doorway of the sitting room, two black-clad figures aimed laser-sighted rifles at them. Langdon could see a glowing red dot dancing on his chest. â€Å"Nice to see you again, Professor,† said a familiar raspy voice. The agents parted, and the tiny form of Director Sato sliced effortlessly through, crossing the sitting room and stopping directly in front of Langdon. â€Å"You've made some exceedingly poor choices tonight.† â€Å"The police found Peter Solomon,† Langdon declared forcefully. â€Å"He's in bad shape, but he'll live. It's over.† If Sato was surprised Peter had been found, she did not show it. Her eyes were unflinching as she walked to Langdon and stopped only inches away. â€Å"Professor, I can assure you, this is nowhere near over. And if the police are now involved, it has only become more serious. As I told you earlier this evening, this is an extremely delicate situation. You never should have run away with that pyramid.† â€Å"Ma'am,† Katherine blurted, â€Å"I need to see my brother. You can have the pyramid, but you must let–â€Å" â€Å"I must?† Sato demanded, spinning to Katherine. â€Å"Ms. Solomon, I assume?† She stared at Katherine with fire in her eyes and then turned back to Langdon. â€Å"Put the leather bag on the table.† Langdon glanced down at the pair of laser sights on his chest. He set the leather bag on the coffee table. An agent approached cautiously, unzipped the bag, and pulled the two sides apart. A little puff of trapped steam billowed up out of the bag. He aimed his light inside, stared for a long, puzzled moment, and then nodded to Sato. Sato walked over and peered into the bag. The wet pyramid and capstone glistened in the beam of the flashlight. Sato crouched down, looking very closely at the golden capstone, which Langdon realized she had only seen in X-ray. â€Å"The inscription,† Sato demanded. â€Å"Does it mean anything to you? `The secret hides within The Order'?† â€Å"We're not sure, ma'am.† â€Å"Why is the pyramid steaming hot?† â€Å"We submerged it in boiling water,† Katherine said without hesitation. â€Å"It was part of the process of deciphering the code. We'll tell you everything, but please let us go see my brother. He's been through–â€Å" â€Å"You boiled the pyramid?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Turn off the flashlight,† Katherine said. â€Å"Look at the capstone. You can probably still see.† The agent flicked off his light, and Sato knelt down before the capstone. Even from where Langdon was standing, he could see that the text on the capstone was still glowing slightly. â€Å"Eight Franklin Square?† Sato said, sounding amazed. â€Å"Yes, ma'am. That text was written with an incandescent lacquer or something. The thirty-third degree was actually–â€Å" â€Å"And the address?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Is this what this guy wants?† â€Å"Yes,† Langdon said. â€Å"He believes the pyramid is a map that will tell him the location of a great treasure–the key to unlocking the Ancient Mysteries.† Sato looked again at the capstone, her expression one of disbelief. â€Å"Tell me,† she said, fear creeping into her voice, â€Å"have you contacted this man yet? Have you already given him this address?† â€Å"We tried.† Langdon explained what had happened when they called the man's cell phone. Sato listened, running her tongue over her yellow teeth as he spoke. Despite looking ready to erupt with anger over the situation, she turned to one of her agents and spoke in a restrained whisper. â€Å"Send him in. He's in the SUV.† The agent nodded and spoke into his transceiver. â€Å"Send who in?† Langdon said. â€Å"The only person who has any hope of fixing the goddamn mess you made!† â€Å"What mess?† Langdon fired back. â€Å"Now that Peter is safe, everything is–â€Å" â€Å"For Christ's sake!† Sato exploded. â€Å"This is not about Peter! I tried to tell you that at the Capitol Building, Professor, but you chose to work against me rather than with me! Now you've made an ungodly mess! When you destroyed your cell phone, which, by the way, we were tracking, you cut off your communication with this man. And this address you uncovered–whatever the hell it is–this address was our one chance to catch this lunatic. I needed you to play his game, to provide him with this address so we would know where the hell to catch him!† Before Langdon could reply, Sato directed the remainder of her wrath at Katherine. â€Å"And you, Ms. Solomon! You knew where this maniac lived? Why didn't you tell me? You sent a rent-a-cop to this man's house? Don't you see you've ruined any chance we had of catching him there? I'm glad your brother is safe, but let me tell you this, we are facing a crisis tonight whose ramifications far outreach your family. They will be felt all around the world. The man who took your brother has enormous power, and we need to catch him immediately.† As she finished her tirade, the tall, elegant silhouette of Warren Bellamy emerged from the shadows and stepped into the sitting room. He looked rumpled, bruised, and shaken . . . like he'd been through hell. â€Å"Warren!† Langdon stood up. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"No,† he replied. â€Å"Not really.† â€Å"Did you hear? Peter is safe!† Bellamy nodded, looking dazed, as if nothing mattered anymore. â€Å"Yes, I just heard your conversation. I'm glad.† â€Å"Warren, what the hell is going on?† Sato intervened. â€Å"You boys can catch up in a minute. Right now, Mr. Bellamy is going to reach out to this lunatic and communicate with him. Just like he's been doing all night.† Langdon felt lost. â€Å"Bellamy hasn't been communicating with this guy tonight! This guy doesn't even know Bellamy is involved!† Sato turned to Bellamy and raised her eyebrows. Bellamy sighed. â€Å"Robert, I'm afraid I haven't been entirely honest with you this evening.† Langdon could only stare. â€Å"I thought I was doing the right thing . . .† Bellamy said, looking frightened. â€Å"Well,† Sato said, â€Å"now you will do the right thing . . . and we'd all better pray to God it works.† As if to substantiate Sato's portentous tone, the mantel clock began chiming the hour. Sato took out a Ziploc bag of items and tossed it to Bellamy. â€Å"Here's your stuff. Does your cell phone take photos?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† â€Å"Good. Hold up the capstone.† The message Mal'akh had just received was from his contact–Warren Bellamy–the Mason he had sent to the Capitol Building earlier tonight to assist Robert Langdon. Bellamy, like Langdon, wanted Peter Solomon back alive and had assured Mal'akh he would help Langdon acquire and decipher the pyramid. All night, Mal'akh had been receiving e-mail updates, which had been automatically forwarded to his cell phone. This should be interesting, Mal'akh thought, opening the message. From: Warren Bellamy got separated from langdon but finally have info you demanded. proof attached. call for missing piece. –wb –one attachment (jpeg)– Call for missing piece? Mal'akh wondered, opening the attachment. The attachment was a photo. When Mal'akh saw it, he gasped out loud, and he could feel his heart start pounding with excitement. He was looking at a close-up of a tiny golden pyramid. The legendary capstone! The ornate engraving on the face carried a promising message: The secret hides within The Order. Beneath the inscription, Mal'akh now saw something that stunned him. The capstone seemed to be glowing. In disbelief, he stared at the faintly radiant text and realized that the legend was literally true: The Masonic Pyramid transforms itself to reveal its secret to the worthy. How this magical transformation had occurred, Mal'akh had no idea, and he didn't care. The glowing text was clearly pointing to a specific location in D.C., exactly as prophesied. Franklin Square. Unfortunately, the photo of the capstone also included Warren Bellamy's index finger, which was strategically positioned on the capstone to block out a critical piece of information. The secret hides within The Order Franklin Square Call for missing piece. Mal'akh now understood Bellamy's meaning. The Architect of the Capitol had been cooperative all night, but now he had chosen to play a very dangerous game. CHAPTER 92 Beneath the watchful gaze of several armed CIA agents, Langdon, Katherine, and Bellamy waited with Sato in the Cathedral College sitting room. On the coffee table before them, Langdon's leather bag was still open, the golden capstone peeking out the top. The words Eight Franklin Square had now faded away, leaving no evidence that they had ever existed. Katherine had pleaded with Sato to let her go see her brother, but Sato had simply shaken her head, eyes fixed on Bellamy's cell phone. It sat on the coffee table and had yet to ring. Why didn't Bellamy just tell me the truth? Langdon wondered. Apparently, the Architect had been in contact with Peter's captor all night, reassuring him that Langdon was making progress deciphering the pyramid. It was a bluff, an attempt to buy time for Peter. In fact, Bellamy was doing all he could to interfere with anyone who threatened to unveil the pyramid's secret. Now, however, it seemed that Bellamy had switched sides. He and Sato were now prepared to risk the pyramid's secret in hopes of catching this man. â€Å"Take your hands off me!† shouted an elderly voice in the hall. â€Å"I'm blind, not inept! I know my way through the college!† Dean Galloway was still protesting loudly as a CIA agent manhandled him into the sitting room and forced him into one of the chairs. â€Å"Who's here?† Galloway demanded, his blank eyes staring dead ahead. â€Å"It sounds like a lot of you. How many do you need to detain an old man? Really now!† â€Å"There are seven of us,† Sato declared. â€Å"Including Robert Langdon, Katherine Solomon, and your Masonic brother Warren Bellamy.† Galloway slumped, all his bluster gone. â€Å"We're okay,† Langdon said. â€Å"And we just heard that Peter is safe. He's in bad shape, but the police are with him.† â€Å"Thank heavens,† Galloway said. â€Å"And the–â€Å" A loud rattling caused everyone in the room to jump. It was Bellamy's cell phone vibrating against the coffee table. Everyone fell silent. â€Å"Okay, Mr. Bellamy,† Sato said. â€Å"Don't blow it. You know the stakes.† Bellamy took a deep breath and exhaled. Then he reached down and pressed the speakerphone button to connect the call. â€Å"Bellamy here,† he said, speaking loudly toward the phone on the coffee table. The voice that crackled back through the speaker was familiar, an airy whisper. It sounded like he was calling from a hands-free speakerphone inside a car. â€Å"It's past midnight, Mr. Bellamy. I was about to put Peter out of his misery.† There was an uneasy silence in the room. â€Å"Let me talk to him.† â€Å"Impossible,† the man replied. â€Å"We're driving. He's tied up in the trunk.† Langdon and Katherine exchanged looks and then began shaking their heads at everyone. He's bluffing! He no longer has Peter! Sato motioned for Bellamy to keep pressing. â€Å"I want proof that Peter's alive,† Bellamy said. â€Å"I'm not giving you the rest of–â€Å" â€Å"Your Worshipful Master needs a doctor. Don't waste time with negotiations. Tell me the street number on Franklin Square, and I'll bring Peter to you there.† â€Å"I told you, I want–â€Å" â€Å"Now!† the man exploded. â€Å"Or I will pull over and Peter Solomon dies this instant!† â€Å"You listen to me,† Bellamy said forcefully. â€Å"If you want the rest of the address, you'll play by my rules. Meet me at Franklin Square. Once you deliver Peter alive, I'll tell you the number of the building.† â€Å"How do I know you won't bring the authorities?† â€Å"Because I can't risk double-crossing you. Peter's life is not the only card you hold. I know what's really at stake tonight.† â€Å"You do realize,† the man on the phone said, â€Å"that if I sense so much as a hint of anyone other than you at Franklin Square, I will keep driving, and you will never find even a trace of Peter Solomon. And of course . . . that will be the least of your worries.† â€Å"I'll come alone,† Bellamy replied somberly. â€Å"When you turn over Peter, I'll give you everything you need.† â€Å"Center of the square,† the man said. â€Å"It will take me at least twenty minutes to get there. I suggest you wait for me as long as it takes.† The line went dead. Instantly, the room sprang to life. Sato began shouting orders. Several field agents grabbed their radios and headed for the door. â€Å"Move! Move!† In the chaos, Langdon looked to Bellamy for some kind of explanation as to what was actually going on tonight, but the older man was already being hurried out the door. â€Å"I need to see my brother!† Katherine shouted. â€Å"You have to let us go!† Sato walked over to Katherine. â€Å"I don't have to do anything, Ms. Solomon. Is that clear?† Katherine stood her ground and looked desperately into Sato's small eyes. â€Å"Ms. Solomon, my top priority is apprehending the man at Franklin Square, and you will sit here with one of my men until I accomplish that task. Then, and only then, will we deal with your brother.† â€Å"You're missing the point,† Katherine said. â€Å"I know exactly where this man lives! It's literally five minutes up the road in Kalorama Heights, and there will be evidence there that will help you! Besides, you said you want to keep this quiet. Who knows what Peter will start telling the authorities once he's stabilized.† Sato pursed her lips, apparently registering Katherine's point. Outside, the chopper blades began winding up. Sato frowned and then turned to one of her men. â€Å"Hartmann, you take the Escalade. Transport Ms. Solomon and Mr. Langdon to Kalorama Heights. Peter Solomon is not to speak to anyone. Is that understood?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am,† the agent said. â€Å"Call me when you get there. Tell me what you find. And don't let these two out of your sight.† Agent Hartmann gave a quick nod, pulled out the Escalade keys, and headed for the door. Katherine was right behind him. Sato turned to Langdon. â€Å"I'll see you shortly, Professor. I know you think I'm the enemy, but I can assure you that's not the case. Get to Peter at once. This isn't over yet.† Off to one side of Langdon, Dean Galloway was sitting quietly at the coffee table. His hands had found the stone pyramid, which was still sitting in Langdon's open leather bag on the table in front of him. The old man was running his hands over the stone's warm surface. Langdon said, â€Å"Father, are you coming to see Peter?† â€Å"I'd just slow you down.† Galloway removed his hands from the bag and zipped it up around the pyramid. â€Å"I'll stay right here and pray for Peter's recovery. We can all speak later. But when you show Peter the pyramid, would you please tell him something for me?† â€Å"Of course.† Langdon hoisted the bag onto his shoulder. â€Å"Tell him this.† Galloway cleared his throat. â€Å"The Masonic Pyramid has always kept her secret . . . sincerely.† â€Å"I don't understand.† The old man winked. â€Å"Just tell Peter that. He will understand.† With that, Dean Galloway bowed his head and began praying. Perplexed, Langdon left him there and hurried outside. Katherine was already in the front seat of the SUV giving the agent directions. Langdon climbed in back and had barely closed the door before the giant vehicle was rocketing across the lawn, racing northward to Kalorama Heights.

Week discussion questions

Personally when I complete tasks on my lists I feel a sense of accomplishment and have more desire to tackle some of the harder tasks on y list. I will begin to implement this time management skill with this class, and carry it over to block 2 through Gateway Community College. 2. Plan a schedule that has important work, fun activities, and rest. I get so busy with what I think needs to be done that I forget to include fun things In my schedule. Having fun and enjoying my time is something that is very important because It helps decrease stress.Because I have a four year old who feeds off of my emotions It Is vital that I don't show my stress and that I enjoy my time with him rather than worrying about what tasks are not getting done. 3. Create a designated study time, and stick to It. I plan to implement an hour of study time each morning and actually hold to It. Every semester I tell myself I will study more but I never seem to find the time to and I find myself scrambling at the l ast minute to cram for the upcoming exam.If I set aside time and It Is a part of my dally routine I can avoid all insights the day before the exam and feel better prepared for whatever It Is I will be doing that day In school. What resources might you have available to use for professional and personal development? I have my education to use for professional and personal development. In school I am learning more than Just the science and theory behind nursing.I am learning how to analyze my thinking and the thinking of others, how to make and achieve goals, critical thinking skills that can be used both at work and at home, and how to manage my time wisely. With the program I am In through Gateway Community College and The university of Phoenix I am able to network with other nursing professionals and build relationships that I can use as references later or as guidance on what field and where I should be looking for a Job. I have support from family, friends, and lacerates availabl e to lad In my development.They are there to encourage me to keep going when I feel Like Glenn up, and to help me emotionally get through this rigorous program. By pointlessness done that I forget to include fun things in my schedule. Having fun and enjoying my time is something that is very important because it helps decrease stress. Because I have a four year old who feeds off of my emotions it is vital that I don't show my not getting done. 3. Create a designated study time, and stick to it. I plan to implement an hour of study time each morning and actually hold to it.Every time and it is a part of my daily routine I can avoid all insights the day before the exam and feel better prepared for whatever it is I will be doing that day in school. My time wisely. With the program I am in through Gateway Community College and The University of Phoenix I am able to network with other nursing professionals and build relationships that I can use as references later or as guidance on what field and classmates available to aid in my development. They are there to encourage me to keep going when I feel like giving up, and to help me emotionally get through this

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World view chart writing - Assignment Example There are many categories within a religion that reflect its peculiar position on various aspects of the world. This paper will analyze Islam and its views on salvation in particular, drawing connections to other religions and the contemporary social environment. Speaking of a rationale for choosing this category, one might note that the concept of salvation should be named among the central ones in every religion. Indeed, even those that reject this concept make this rejection a significant statement. In addition to that, many religions put emphasis on the afterlife of a person and salvation is largely see as an effective way to ensure that a person will not suffer after death. Furthermore, it would not be a mistake to suggest that the idea of salvation is able to reflect the deep beliefs of a particular spiritual system showing which areas are highlighted by it and regarded as the most important ones for the well being of one’s soul. According to the teaching of Islam, the way to save one’s soul is the submission to God (Royster, 2014, p. 242). This concept is central to the entire religion and is enshrined in many practiced that are carried out on a daily basis. Another point that should be mentioned is that the two rivaling branches agree that submission is the only effective way that will bring a person closer to God (Seligman, 1989, p. 118). Some mind suggest that submission is achieved very easily and there is not difficult in it; what these people tend to forget is that the idea in question is much deeper than it seems. In other words, for Islam different aspects of salvation are grounded on the concept of submission (White, 2013, p. 56). I might turn to a careful examination of the significant of the above mentioned category across the religions that were studied in the course. Thus, it is obvious that the call for submission is somewhat similar to the Christian call for accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Though it may be

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Experience as the Part of a Team - Personal Statement Example In this regard, I was required to recognize and apply basic programming and modeling concepts that we have learned so far. There was a great deal of analysis, coding, testing, evaluation, involved, which has to be done in cycles in order to achieve our development goals. I found that my responsibilities were not that easy and concluded that if I have not paid enough attention and became engaged and involved with other steps and aspects of the project, especially those tasks and work allotted to my teammates, I would not have finished my own tasks successfully and correctly. The whole process is just one of the practice environments that allowed us, students, to learn not just about product or system being developed but the processes involved especially those that concern factors such as teamwork in designing, programming and modeling systems. In this regard, the help of our instructor has helped me a lot. As previously mentioned, there was a need to document and reflect on what we have done. I thought that this was easy but actually it was not. It required additional effort on our part. Particularly the assistance offered in areas of difficulty such as in examining diagrams or developing coding solutions were very valuable. The instructor was also very helpful in the way we are able to divide responsibilities in a systematic way. The group is quite pleased that we were able to work seamlessly. I think this was made possible because of the fact that we are able to divide tasks according to our competencies. I believe that the objective of the entire activity and project development is to enhance our knowledge especially in the face of the constantly changing state of our minds in terms of knowledge acquisition as we labor on with this particular course.  

Contemporary Development in Business and Management Essay

Contemporary Development in Business and Management - Essay Example The telecom network in India were historically owned and managed by the Government of India as they considered that natural monopoly and strategic service were best controlled under the states supervision. The Department of Telecommunication (DoT), which is now known as Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL), was the single largest provider of telecom services. However, the examples of privatization in other economies in the 1990's, which resulted in better quality of service and lower tariffs, led Indian policy makers to initiate a change process. This finally resulted in unlocking the sector for the private operators. Unwrapping the sector was although greeted with a lot of optimism counting the potential and the kind of services the operators could offer, however the sky-scraping license fees, high investment requirements were not matched by a corresponding increase in revenues. With the subscriber base not matching up the expectation and airtime usage remaining sluggish, business plans made by the service providers began to falter that resulted in small companies winding up their businesses early. One of the first steps towards introducing reforms in the sector by the government was with the setting up of Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) in 1984. It was made with an objective of managing research in the switching and transmission segments. Thereupon, the government separated the Department of Post and Telegraph in 1985 by setting up the Department of Post and the Department of Telecommunications. In the year government instituted two public corporations viz. The Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) and the Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL). These were set up under supervision of Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The VSNL worked out an exclusive arrangement for access to undersea wideband cable capacity with Fibre Optic Link around the Globe (FLAG), an international telecom carrier in which it had invested US$37 million. However, the prime minister's office (PMO) intervened to make the VSNL review these exclusive rights. Ultimately, other private operators were given the right to work with FLAG and other similar carriers to have access to undersea bandwidth for providing ILD services. The VSNL's monopoly status was to be reviewed in the year 2004. Over a period of time the government diluted its stake in the VSNL by issuing global depository receipts (GDRs). Till the year 2000, the government still held nearly 53 per cent of the equity. The VSNL's incoming international traffic grew at an average rate of 24 per cent per annum between 1990 to 2000, and over the same period incoming calls grew by 12 per cent per annum. The VSNL's revenue could easily compare with the leading telecom companies of smaller countries like Chile, Pakistan, and Malaysia. In the year 1997, the government instituted a body called Telecom Regulatory Authority of India or TRAI. The authority was helpful in getting the private cellular operators approach them before contesting their case before DoT. The telecom Policies In 1994 the government issued the first ever Telecommunications Policy. The policy was issued to provide universal access to basic telecommunications services by 1997 and offered guidelines for entry of the private sector into basic telecommu

Role of government in East Asian miracle Research Paper

Role of government in East Asian miracle - Research Paper Example This paper discusses the economic boom which we see in East Asian countries. Despite a few ups and downs close to the end of the century, it is an example of regional development beyond anything. The rapid and well paced development that came in the last 40 years started off largely based on development and manufacturing of simple products like toys and apparel but then keeping up the pace of development reached to the development of automobiles and robots. With mass production and integration of technology and the products marketed towards the major European and American markets, the principal factors that have proven to be the major advantages are low cost of labor, growth in production quality and experience, competitive currency exchange rates in the region and compared to other global currencies and integration of latest technology in the production processes. A clear example of such development is clearly evident from the progress of china which became one of the leading produc ers of products that are completing with some of the most popular brands in the world. Japan which was entirely devastated due to the Second World War did not come out of its chaotic situation automatically; instead, the entire fabric of the country was integrated into one agenda that was of massive development. Unlike most of the westerns countries, the major player in the development of most of the East Asian countries remains the government. Each government played a pivotal role in the formulation of policy and national agenda of economic development that resulted in the miracle to happen. The fact cannot be denied that the global economic changes also played their role in the rapid progress of this region but not completely responsible for it. An independent study conducted by the World Bank on the progress of East Asian tigers, the â€Å"The East Asian Miracle† remarks that: Fundamentally sound development policy was a major ingredient in achieving rapid growth: macro ma nagement, saving promotion policies, education, agricultural productivity, . . . But these fundamental policies do not tell the whole story. Government intervened, targeting selected industries, promoting exports, low interest rates, protecting certain industries, . . . rapid growth has at times benefited from careful policy intervention. (1996: 5) The governments have the control and the ability or forming broad based policies that can be applied on a vast scale with a mission of developing standard policies and delivery of the services. With rapidly changing and uncertain global economics, the macroeconomics of the regions is

Haematology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Haematology - Essay Example The subsequent decrease and increases in the blood components and processes as given by the test would have resulted to the illness condition of the patient. The patient reacted to several tests that can be explained as: the test of RBCs which denotes the Red Blood cells found that it existed at a ratio of 2.82x1012/L; this meant that the volume of Red Blood cells per liter of blood was lower than the expected and normal range for a normal individual at 3.8-5.8x1012/L. This meant that the volume of RBCs in the patient blood was already reduced by a certain percentage below the norm. This can be attributed to a reduced ability of the bone marrow to produce the Red Blood Cells. The inability of Red Blood Cell production by the bone marrow can be assumed to have resulted from the effects of cancer (Korde, et al., 2011). The normal hemoglobin mass in each deciliter of blood should be at 11.5-16.5g/dl but the test on the patient blood test revealed a lower level of 7.6g/dl thereby showing a reduced mass of hemoglobin that gives the blood its color. The concentration is below the normal range thus depicting that this patient was suffering from anemia. The HCT test revealed a lower volume in relation to the blood volume at 0.239L/L down from the normal level at 0.37-0.47L/L.This reduction would lead to an individual contracting a disease under such conditions. The MCV test gave a result of 84fL which is a visible drop from the normal expected range in normal individuals at 80-96fL. The MCH test also showed a drop from 27-32pg to 26.9pg which would have caused discomfort in the individual. MCHC test gave a result of 31.8g/dl which was different from the normal range lying at 32-36g/dl (University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2009). The patient before undergoing laboratory examinations was appearing fatigued, weight loss and increasingly severe back pains. Fatigue in the patient must have resulted from her condition of having less hemoglobin or rather low hemoglobin conten t in the blood cells. Hemoglobin is obviously responsible for the transport of oxygen in the blood keeping the body and cells fresh and active. Low levels of hemoglobin will therefore mean that the blood circulated within the body will be carrying less oxygen in it, active body muscles are then become deprived of sufficient oxygen for respiration and low energy supply to the cells resulting to fatigue and extreme tiredness. The low volumes of red blood cells in the body blood also result to tiredness (Hematology, 2009). The pale appearance was a result of low hemoglobin level in the blood. This condition might have resulted from iron deficiency since iron is responsible for the production of hemoglobin, which can also be linked to situations of inability of the body to absorb certain vitamins which help in hemoglobin production. The patient began treatment with a therapy of melphalan and thalidomide together with radiotherapy support for bone pain. This is a combined treatment that has largely been used in patients diagnosed with myeloma. Myeloma is also known as hematologic cancer which in other words refers to the cancer of blood and represents about 1% of all cancers in the white individuals and 2% of all cancers in black individuals. Myeloma has been greatly linked to the reduction in immune systems though no imminent cause has been identified to date and those susceptible to the disease are the aging

Problems with the pre-admission call center Case Study

Problems with the pre-admission call center - Case Study Example The pre-admission procedure is an extremely crucial process in any infirmary. It is a crucial procedure because it provides the concerned doctor the chance to inform the infirmary of a patient’s surgery or appointment. It notifies of the patient’s admission date and the length of stay in the hospital. It is a prior encounter with a physician who elucidates the entire process, addresses any queries with regard to the treatment. It ensures that the ailing individual approves of his or her treatment at the infirmary. In this procedure, it is vital to confirm any individual details, Medicare or health coverage information, entitlement information and any physician’s information provided. The pre-admission call office has professionals, who have the responsibility to contact patients prior to admission to assess their medical accounts, confer their discharge needs, and respond to any queries that the ailing individuals might have, as well as offer directions with rega rd to the day of admittance to the infirmary. The nurse at the centre also ensures that the patient gets an appropriate appointment time for his or her respective medical procedure. In this same process, the patient might be required to get blood testing, x-rays, sessions with a physiotherapist and a dialogue with regard to discharge time. The pre-admission phase creates a chance for medical personnel to relate with the patients. This is usually to reveal the caring aspect of the infirmary via personalized, patient centric treatment. It provides an opportune time to foster ailing individual’s health literacy and their comprehension of care procedures so as to avert any needless readmissions (Forbes, p.1). A vital requirement to averting these readmissions is medical resolutions. This is where accessible and potential contra-intervening medical therapies are established and remediated. Persons with the least health literacy, low agreement profiles, and intricate regimens are m ost in danger. The doctor’s failure to recognize potential medication problems early is a patient security subject that can rapidly corrode a patient’s assurance in the infirmary. This can put patient in jeopardy. In addition, the pre-admission procedure assists reveal risks that can influence treatment and describe post release follow up treatments. This, consequently, enhances patient gratification issue. This process also assists in enhancing post discharge personal management. This is mainly to thwart expenses and perils related to needless re-admissions. The pre-admission process makes certain that all patients’ needs have been established. It also ensures that a patient comprehends everything that is going to occur and the related peril. It is a significant procedure since the patient’s as well as the infirmary’s resources is planned properly. An inclusive process assists in developing a positive initial impression on the client. The pre-admi ssion procedure ensures efficient resource utilization and advances patient gratification and security. Fostering post release process all through the pre-admission procedure can make sure that a patient has an affirmative last impression. This also ensures that the patient has adequate information required for a secure recuperation. The significant objective of the pre-admission procedure is education of patients. This is prior to treatment, as well as post discharge supervision. This process also aids in developing a checklist of requirements for varied patients. This helps in averting issues that emerge from incoherent additions or deletions in drug utilization. It also assists in directing the patient to the correct healthcare physiotherapist. It also ensures establishment of accountability as well as developing patients’ alerts utilizing a transitional treatment command office. Furthermore, it assists in the scheduling of treatment dates as well as making sure post disch arge best procedures are designed

Learning English On-line Essay Example for Free

Learning English On-line Essay Introduction In these days of fast-changing technology, almost everything is being affected and changed by technology’s machinery – including the world of academe. Because almost everything now is in the world-wide-web, most people look to the internet for information, business, research, etc. Thus, it is no wonder that even the academia is flowing along this trend and is using the internet as means to enhance learning. As much as it is true that large and considerable help is found in the Net, when it comes to the issue of serious and more fruitful study, traditional schooling is still advantageous. Though some among the academic world have casted their votes for on-line learning, this paper attempts to give the opposite view. This is an argument against on-line learning. Disadvantages of E-Classes Several things are propounded by those who criticize e-learning which merit the attention of those who are on the pro side. 1.) No personalized face to face communication with teachers. Because there is no real interaction with teachers as inside the actual classroom, critics argue that e-learning, in the process, loses its being â€Å"educational† in the truest sense of education, or according to its philosophy . Not only that the students in e-class deprived of teacher-student interaction, they are also lacking class audience which is very crucial in the development of confidence, in terms of learning how to deal with â€Å"real listeners.† 2.) Isolation. Another disadvantage facing an e-student is the feeling of isolation that often and normally ensues in an e-class scenario. Although this is effectively answered by those supporting e-learning, still, it ought to be considered as this has been the real case in this set up/arrangement. 3.) No group learning activities. Group learning activities are very fruitful tool for study which stimulate and yield a lot of ideas. Not being able to join such group discussions is indeed a weakness of e-learning. Students need the variety of ways of learning which a college/campus usually is able to provide. Conclusion Learning English as a second language is not easily learned in an e-class scenario. The three points I have cited above that argue against e-learning are crucial ones. Anything that is used or added up to stimulate learning in any educational set up should have the quality or atmosphere that may inspire and thus enhance learning. Anything which does not guarantee the acquisition of holistic knowledge is not education in its truest sense. Works Cited 1. Peters, Richard S. In www.acm.org/ubiquity/views/c_shoniregun_3. Accessed April 28, 2007.

Strategic marketing management for Boots in the UK

Strategic marketing management for Boots in the UK Boots is a leading UK retailer, selling health and beauty products through its chain of Boots the Chemists stores. Around half the Boots brand products are developed and manufactured by the company. In this case the company is in control of the entire supply chain. From its foundation in 1849 Boots has always believed in and practiced what is today known as Corporate Social Responsibility. The company is proud of this heritage and its strong sense of social responsibility. Today it is reflected in values and behaviours and made explicit in the company statement of business purpose. We seek to respond to the legitimate concerns of our stakeholders whether they be in the marketplace, the workplace, the communities in which we operate or the environment that affects us all. Marketing Strategy Options. Boots is a member of Alliance Boots, an international pharmacy-led health and beauty group. Our purpose is to help our customers look and feel better than they ever thought possible. Our customers are at the heart of our business. Were committed to providing exceptional customer and patient care, be the first choice for pharmacy and healthcare, offer innovative products only at Boots, with great value our customers love. Our people are our strength and they tell us that Boots is a great place to work. We are always be the employer of choice, attracting and retaining the most talented and passionate people.The strategy is to focus on its two core business activities of pharmacy led health and beauty retailing and pharmaceutical wholesaling and distribution, while increasingly developing and internationalising our product brands to create a third dimension. growing the core businesses in existing markets,continuing to deliver productivity improvements and other cost savings,pursuing growth opportunities in selective new high growth markets and launching our product brands in new markets. This strategy is underpinned by our continue focus on patient or customer needs and services selective partnerships and our strong financial diciplines.we are commited to providing exceptional customer and patient care be the first choice for pharmacy and healthcare offer innovative products only at Boots,with great va lue our customer love. Pharmacy-led health and beauty strategy : Boots is the largest pharmacy chain in Europe with an excellent reputation for differentiated health and beauty products and customer care.Our strategy is to develop Boots into the worlds leading pharmacy-led health and beauty retail brand,focused on helping people look and feel their best. The key steps we are taking in the uk to execute our strategy are:- -Making Boots more convenient and accessible for our customers. -Developing our people to be at their very best for our customer -Improving our customer in store shopping experience -creating a compelling multi-channel health and wellbeing consumer offering -Increasingly differentiating our product offering -Continuing to provide customers with excellent value -Opening new stores in markets where Boots is already well established -Developing new store in markets where Boots is already well established -Developing country specific Boots branded trading formats to meet local needs. Marketing strategies options: Every marketing strategy is unique, but if we abstract from the individualizing details, each can be reduced into a generic marketing strategy. A brief description of the most common categorizing schemes is presented below, Strategies based on market dominance In this scheme, firms are classified based on their market share or dominance of an industry. There are a number of ways of categorizing these generic strategies. Typically there are four types of market dominance strategies: Leader Niche Follower Challenger Porter generic strategies: Michael Porter assessed strategy on the dimensions of strategic scope and strategic strength. Strategic scope refers to the breadth of market penetration while strategic strength refers to the firms sustainable competitive advantage. He felt three types were important: Market segmentation Product differentiation Cost leadership Innovation strategies:- This deal with the firms rate of new product development and business model innovation. It asks whether the company is on the cutting edge of technology and business innovation. There are three types: Close followers Late followers Pioneers Growth strategies:- In this scheme we ask the question, how should the firm grow? There are a number of different ways of answering that question, but the most common gives four answers: Diversification Intensification Vertical integration Horizontal integration Aggressiveness strategies: This asks whether a firm should grow or not, and if so, how fast. One scheme divides strategies into: Holding Building Harvesting Warfare based strategies: This scheme draws parallels between marketing strategies and military strategies. There are many types of marketing warfare strategies, but they can be grouped into: Flanking marketing warfare Defensive marketing warfare strategies Offensive marketing warfare strategies Keys to Success: An analysis of successful partnerships has identified common features. These include: Project delivery focused on addressing local requirements over a sustained period of time. Likely to include issues as varied as access, car parking, addition to their local Business Rate, to pay for additional services. Where there is a majority vote in favour, all businesses are required to pay. The genuine commitment of the Local Authority (both at senior officer and political level) Adequate funding identified from a broad base of supporters/ sponsors and other sources A Business Plan and a programme of projects endorsed and funded by the partners A robust, inclusive partnership that represents a genuine cross-section of all the elements of town centre activity. A management structure with clear accountabilities to deliver the Business Plan and to monitor and evaluate progress A realistic, achievable vision for the centre that identifies the necessary steps required for its delivery The precept is gathered by the Local Authority but passed to a business-led local partnership to manage and deliver the BID Business Plan. Support available from Alliance Boots, Corporate Affairs: 1. Links and contacts to a broad range of external organisations that can assist with sourcing information and practical support. 2. An additional programme is facilitated by Boots UK for those sites currently without an effective local partnership, but wishing to establish one 3. The Company continues to support the core funding of 100 Town Centre Management initiatives. A twice-yearly Induction Programme is provided by Boots UK (at no charge to ATCM members), for newly appointed Partnership Managers. The programme focuses on the key issues that challenge partnerships and offers help to successfully resolve them 4. A series of short briefing papers have been prepared that store managers and town centre managers can receive upon request. These include; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Developing a Retail Crime Partnership à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Participating in Working Groups and Steering Groups à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Business Improvement Districts what are they à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Influencing Car Park Provision à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Developing Christmas à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Business Improvement Districts lessons learnt à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Preparing a Business Plan à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Broadening the Base of Business Engagement membership services à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Funding à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Marketing and Promotion. Launching an effective campaign to promote your centre à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Business Improvement Districts key criteria necessary for Alliance Boots support à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sunday/extended Trading hours 5. Advice and guidance to store managers and Town Centre Managers, via contact details on page one of this brief Development of Boots Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy: The launch in 2004 of a new CSR strategy has enabled Boots to develop a framework to integrate sustainable development holistically into all areas of operations covering the sectors of: Workplace Marketplace Community Environment This strategy ensures that sustainable development is integrated effectively across the organisation and underlines Boots commitment to social responsibility as a business value. Progress is reviewed quarterly and reported to the Corporate Social Responsibility Action Group chaired by the Group Operations Director. In addition the Board Social Responsibilities Committee chaired by a non-executive Board Director reviews consistency against operational planning on a quarterly basis. Within these sectors are a total of 21 focus areas. For each one a review was undertaken to benchmark against similar organisations, analyse strengths, weaknesses and identify opportunities for improvements. From this our ambition and annual targets have been developed Targets and progress made in meeting them is reported annually and made publicly available. Porters 5 forces analysis: Competitive rivalry All the other retailers have different competitive advantages. The other factors which compete with the Boots bank is different banks and building societies The retail market is filled up with high competitors as more and more companies are trying to step into the Health Beauty industry Boots reach in different stores allows it to reach large number of customers. Barriers for entry Local knowledge is required for a new business in order to establish, which is highly difficult for new firms to replicate. Barriers to entry is high due to a number of factors: Secondly, company in retail sectors are increasing, which itself means there is very less chance for any new entrances. Firstly, company looking to set up its business in UK requires lots of investment, brand development, which takes years to establish. Threats of Substitutes The only major threat of substitute is an internal industry threat, wherein one supermarket can lap up the business of other supermarkets. The threats for newcomers or substitutes is less, as the consumers views that as a necessity, especially in the developed world. The retail market is always trying to look around for new innovations with respect to Health Beauty products, alternative businesses. As a result of which it is difficult for substitution. Buyers power During the time of recession consumers wants are taken into more demand, thereby increasing their power. Because of the presence of too many competitors in the retail Health Beauty sector selling the same product, buyer power is high in the industry. Supplier power Suppliers in itself is huge company providing products to the supermarkets. If the products are not sold, consumer will shift loyalties, making suppliers more powerful. And also when the products do not reach the supermarket, sales do get affected hugely. Developing Tools and Processes: The company has formal processes for all new product development and introduction. To integrate sustainable development criteria consistently across our product range new and revised tools and processes were introduced. Mckinsey growth pyramid It is similar to that of market matrix. This model argues that business should develop their growth strategies based on: Growth skills Privileged assets Operational skills Privileged assets The model outlines seven ways of achieving growth, which are: New product and services A combination of market matrix and diversification strategy-by developing and marketing new products. Some of these can be sold to the existing customers who trust the business but new customers would require more persuasion. Existing products to new customers Taking the current customers as a base, the objective is to find entirely new products that these customers may buy, or else start to provide the products the existing customer is buying from the competitors. Existing products to existing customers The lowest-risk option; try to increase sales to the existing customers; which can be done by increasing the frequency of purchase and maintaining customer loyalty. New competitive arenas This option requires a business to think about opportunities to integrate vertically or consider whether the skills could be used in other industries. New geographies In this businesses are encouraged to consider new geographical areas into which to sell their products. Geographical expansions is one of the most powerful option for growth-but also one of the difficult ones. New delivery approaches This focuses on the use of distribution channels as a possible means of growth. Are there any ways in which the products can be sold using the current or new emerging channels which may boost sales? New industry structure It considers the possibility of acquiring troubled competitors which can be done through a general acquisition program. TASK2 MARKETING ENVIRONMENT Using of PESTEL analysis, marketing mix elements can be produced to contribute the goals and values of Boots, after analyzing the current marketing environment. PESTEL analysis: PESTEL ANALYSIS (Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Environmental, Legal)The PESTEL analysis is a useful tool for understanding market growth or decline, and as such the position, potential and direction for a business.. The PESTEL analysis headings are a framework for reviewing a situation, and can also, like SWOT analysis, and Porters Five Forces model, be used to review a strategy or position, direction of a company, a marketing proposition, or idea. Its an external factor. PESTEL is used to assess the market for a business or organizational unit. A PESTEL analysis is a business measurement tool. A PESTEL analysis measures a market; a SWOT analysis measures a business unit, a proposition or idea. Considering each factor individually :- Political European/international legislation international regulations government term and change regulatory bodies and processes current legislation home market government trading policies funding, grants and initiatives Economic The UK has been in recession since August 2009 with two successive quarters of decline , affecting the economical factors nationally and globally. general/ product specific taxation issues customer/end-user drivers overseas economies and trends home economy situation/ trends specific industry factors market routes and distribution trends Social Factors including the demographic changes, the way people live, work and think and cultural aspect of the place, affecting customer needs and the potential markets demographics consumer attitudes and opinions lifestyle trends advertising and publicit .media views consumer buying patterns brand, company, technology image ethnic/religious factors Technological It includes RD, computerization, technology incentives and rate at which technology changes. These changes affect the cost and quality of the product motivating for improvement. competing technology development research funding intellectual property issues consumer buying mechanisms/technology maturity of technology associated/dependent technologies manufacturing maturity and capacity technology access, licensing, patents replacement technology/solutions information and communications innovation potential technology access, licensing, patents technology legislation Environmental Boots uses the carbon foot printing tool in their farms which says about the total amount of greenhouse gases caused directly and indirectly in the making and transportation of that product climate Weather climate change .. Legal The cost of production and operation and effect on employees working in Boots was affected when government increased the labour wages by 15%. It also follows legal factors like no child labour, special consideration for disables ,etc. health and safety law employment law antitrust law discrimination law consumer law Globalisation:- After considering all the above factors Boots should put plan and put down proper strategies before entering the global market and also reviewing the progress on regular basis , so as to make the necessary changes. Following are the areas which should be consider by the organisation: Well planned Strategies to develop the profit and to attain long term goal Know clearly the goals , objectives and targets with a regular follow up. Organisation should identify and assess their product in the market need to plan strategically as well as operationally market growth using the PESTEL analysis. logic, self-discipline and to operate systematically SWOT analysis STRENGTHS Strengths Weaknesses Strong Brand Equity Low profitability Store Network Lack of International Presence Opportunities Threats Store expansions in UK Intense price competition Expanding product offerings High regulatory oversight WEAKNESSES Declining Reputation Boots is only presented in UK. Therefore there can be an issue if the company wants to have growth in the retailing Health Beauty Division sector. OPPORTUNITY Online sales are a great opportunity for future growth. Staff which works at Boots are essential buyers, administrators, systems designers, finance workers and so on all are part of the whole team that must work together to make things operate smoothly and efficiently Boots alternative business, investing in properties can have major growth in the future. THREATS As a result there needs to be investment related to environmental and green issues. Boots operations have become a topic on various issues like environmental, planning and other factors. Conclusion It is important to recognize that sustainable development is a journey of continual improvement. The processes and tools we have developed are under continual review and refinement. Some of our priorities for the immediate future include: Extending and adapting the risk assessment model for use in other business functions. Developing product sustainability benchmarking Building sustainable development criteria into brand and departmental key performance indicators. Understanding the climate change impacts of products. Developing strategies for consumer information on sustainable development issues. In short Boots UKs views sustainable development as a Holy Grail given the scale of the challenge, the complexity of our business and the pace of change. But we know that it is a key differential for Boots UK, that we are leading the way on many of the issues, and it is no less than what is expected of us by our customers and wider society. Journals/Magazines European Journal of Marketing (Emerald Group Publishing) Campaign ( Haymarket Publishing) Admap ( World Advertising Research Centre) Revolution ( Haynet) Journal of Consumer Behaviour ( Academy of Marketing Science) Marketing Intelligence and Planning (Emerald Group Publishing) Marketing Business (The Chartered Institute of Marketing Magazine) Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science ( Academy of Marketing Science) Marketing Week (Centure Communications Ltd) Websites http://www.boots-UK/Media/PDFs/CSR/2BCE_AWARDS_Paper_v3_general_release.pdf http://www.boots.com/en/Help/About-Boots.com/ http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt.PDF http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PEST_analysis http://www.businesspme.com/uk/articles/marketing/6/Types-of-marketing-strategies.html http://www.chicagoexec.net/chicago.nsf http://www.boots-uk.com/Our_Group/Alliance_Boots_Board.aspx http://strategy-guide.blogspot.com/2006/03/mckinsey-growth-pyramid The Strategic Marketing Process

Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich

Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, published in 2001 by Barbara Ehrenreich, is a book in which the author goes undercover and investigates the lives of the working poor by living and working in similar conditions. The book demonstrates fairly well two social paradigms, namely conflict theory (inspired by Marx and Weber) and structural-functionalism (inspired by Talcott Parsons). Conflict theory is clearly demonstrated throughout the book-social order based on inequality, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. There is also evidence of structural-functionalism, though it is not the best fit. Structural-functionalism is defined as a society in which there are groups of people organized into levels that enable individuals in this society to find stability, order and meaning (Kimmel, Aronson, and Dennis 2011). Ehrenreich shows that there are certainly levels within society, however, because of the inequalities that are present, the individuals in the working poor are unable to find stability or order because they are running a never-ending race so to speak. These inequalities have many effects on society at large (both wealthy and those in poverty), as well as the families within the working poor. The economic inequality in our culture has many probable causes, but they all affect society as a whole, regardless of your class or status. These effects include things such as trust/social cohesion, crime/deviance, and population health (especially that of the working poor). There is a correlation between income inequality in a society and general mistrust, demonstrated by a U.S. General Survey (Uslaner and Brown 2002). One economist, a Joseph Stiglitz (2012), argues that this inequality has also led to distrust of businesses and the government. Crime is also a correlated factor in societies with a bigger economic gap. Several studies have been done that show a significant increase in homicides, both in the U.S. and worldwide, in societies that have a large margin between the rich and the poor (Martin, Wilson, and Vasdev 2001). Homicides are generally the most common measure of violent crime due to the fact that statistics are reported worldwide. There are also numerous consequence s for population health in societies with a larger economic inequality. Researchers have found that these societies have a slightly lower life expectancy, and a higher incidence of social and health problems like incarceration rates, teenage births, mental illness, obesity, education and others (Wilkinson and Pickett 2009). It has also been shown that this inequality and social stratification can be linked to to anxiety, depression, drug abuse, and other stress-related disorders (Booth 2010). It is because of this constantly present inequality that I believe Ehrenreichs book most accurately represents conflict theory. At one point in the book, Ehrenreich remarks, Maybe, it occurs to me, that Im getting a tiny glimpse of what it would be like to be black (p. 100). This is a slightly good point because, while we as a society view class as an achieved status, oftentimes it is fixed and ascribed much like race. Of the consequences brought about by this societal inequality and conflict, the working poor themselves experience the majority. Throughout Nickel and Dimed we are shown that there are many hidden costs to being poor, and oftentimes those in poverty are stuck in a rut with no way out because of them. The working poor have to live day-to-day in hotels accumulating costs, where is would normally be cheaper to rent an apartment if they could simply afford the security deposit and starting utilities. Without a semi-permanent shelter and rising debt, the working poor are us ually forced to buy less healthy, more expensive meals because they dont have the luxury of the appliances needed to cook and store food. Being poor is often a self-fulfilling prophecy, and those who believe they are stuck in poverty for the rest of their days are often likely to do just that. In another part of the book, Ehrenreich and other maids are watching a training video on how to clean rooms and vacuum. The video itself is slightly demeaning, almost as if made to be watched by young children. In one part of the video, the man giving instructions says See, I am the vacuum cleaner (p. 74). This sort of paints a picture in the readers head as to how the company views and treats its employees: like they are mindless robots whose only purpose is to serve the business. To the rich, that is basically what they are. The rich view the working poor as a group in society that is made to be taken advantage of, very similar to Karl Marx view of the proletariat. In their eyes it fulfills the structural-functionalism paradigm of society-as many say, someone has to do it. Unfortunately this is not the case, because the theory calls for all individuals in society to have stability and order in their lives. As evidenced by Ehrenreichs investigation into the working poor, the last th ing the working poor have is stability, therefore this theory is not an entirely accurate representation of our culture. Instead there is the ever-present conflict between the rich and working class. It is shown by both Ehrenreichs book and in the real world that the working poor are blocked from advancing in society by many different obstacles. These obstacles are things like housing, transportation, and other basic necessities (Ehrenreich 2001). For instance, the working poor often do not have a permanent residence or family to stay with while they save money, and cannot afford a large deposit for an apartment. This means they have to settle with weekly hotel rooms, which end up being more expensive, yet are the only affordable option because they dont require large down payments. Transportation is another common factor; if one is a member of the working poor they likely do not have their own car and have to rely on public transportation. Depending on the location it is do-able, but public transportation in our society is still not widely-available in every city. One study shows that single mothers who were able to work out a carpool or something similar with their peers were m uch less likely to require government aid (Eden and Lein 1997). Food and clothing are also problems; without savings it is much harder to buy uniforms and such for jobs. The working poor also have to deal with odd work schedules, often working all times of the day and never having consistent hours. Not only does this mean it is harder to save up money, but being able to spend so little time at home also puts the working poor in a position where it is difficult to find the time to cook for themselves, and are often left with the choice of unhealthy fast food. Working odd hours also leaves parents helpless when it comes to childcare; while there are many options for childcare including free programs and social networking with peers, working at all hours of the night means you might not always have a babysitter lined up. Obviously this has negative consequences for both the children and the parents. Ehrenreichs book shows quite well how the conflict theory can apply to our society and the ever-growing gap between the rich and the working poor. In recent years people seem to be taking more notice of the working poor, but the gap is still as large as ever. In her evaluation at the end of the book, Ehrenreich states, The working poor, as they are approvingly termed, are in fact the major philanthropists of our society. They neglect their own children so that the children of others will be cared for; they live in substandard housing so that other homes will be shiny and perfect; they endure privation so that inflation will be low and stock prices high. To be a member of the working poor is to be an anonymous donor, a nameless benefactor I agree with the author in the sense that the working poor are definitely taking one for the team so to say. They carry out the menial labor that is required in our society, but not everyone wants to do. Unfortunately because we dont live in a utopia, they suffer for it. They make great sacrifice by doing jobs they often know dont lead to advancement in society, because they know that it has to be done by someone. The conflict theory applies to both Ehrenreichs book and our society in the real world-there are numerous inequalities in the workforce, and the allocation of resources for individuals in our society is distributed unfairly.

Eastern European Conclusions :: Russian Government Essays

Eastern European Conclusions The year 1989 represents a paradox of the modern history. Not long ago the USSR was the biggest fear of the whole world. The Soviet Union exemplified an enormous political, economical, and military power. The revolution of 1917 gave birth to a giant child. That creation walked the earth very fast, and, by the end of 1960, it enforced communist structures all over the world. China, Cuba, Poland, Czechoslovakia illustrate ramifications of the system. In 1989 the child suddenly vanished. The German reunification, the rejection of the communist rules by the liberal Hungarian government, and the Romanian revolution, which solved with the execution of Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife, speak about the instability of that time. It was the end of a historical epoch. Ten years have passed since those days. I still remember learning to write using the Latin alphabet instead of the Cyrillic, the Popular Front movement in Moldova, and the impressive demonstrations and rebellions showed on television. I was just a young child. Everybody was happy and excited. New bright times were supposed to come, and they did, but not for everybody. People soon found that the new discovered capitalism meant a drop in living standards, rising unemployment, reduced social benefits, and growing inequality. This started the period of transition, but life would improve... Life did improve. Hungary, Poland, and the Baltic countries proved that capitalism meant a brighter future and a better life. The statistics regarding the economical condition of Hungary show that the country obtained immense achievements and important developments in the political and economical spheres of life. (Nations, Online) The situation of the Baltic countries is not much different from those in the Western Europe. What happened to the rest of the post-soviet countries? Why is the present situation in Eastern Europe so deplorable? Corruption affects all level of society, but it has the worst effects when it comes from the top. The whole political and economical structure of the former USSR is influenced by this social malady. The analysts are looking for a drug to treat the disease, but this virus adapts with an incredible speed. Everybody is corrupt. Such a statement sounds very paradoxical, but it is very close to reality. "The American headlines about corruption in Russia are revolving around two separate and so far unrelated allegations. One is that Yeltsin and his daughters,

Legal Advice - Aqua Sciences, Inc. Essay -- Business Law

Aqua Sciences Inc. is a Miami-Beach based company that develops innovative water technologies and brings the water everywhere â€Å"that human beings live.† This company creates new technologies that extract water from the moisture in the air. Thus, the water can be found everywhere, even in low humidity conditions. The newest technology equipment already includes Emergency Water Plant – mobile enclosed self-sustaining unit that can produce 2,600 gallons of water per day without additional power (Aqua, 2012). The major initiative the Aqua Sciences Inc. plans to do is to produce new Micro Water Plants, Rooftop Oasis, and Water Farms. Micro Water Plant will capture the solar heat through the solar panels and use the solar energy for pumps and fans. Rooftop Oasis will be the movable water plants for private residences or commercial buildings. Water Farm will be a large scale water facility that will be able to deliver 100,000 gallons of water and more per day. All of these tree initiatives plan to be distributed in and outside of the United States. Aqua Sciences, as any other businesses in the same area, has to operate under many strict laws. Administrative law is the law relating to the powers and procedures of administrative agencies. In the case of Aqua Sciences’ initiatives, the most relevant laws would be those of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In 1970’s, the EPA received the authority for setting standards, giving permits, coordinated water quality programs, and ensured that the states enforced the national standards (Kochtcheeva, 2009). Under the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) signed in 1974, the Water Farm and Micro Water Plant projects of Aqua Sciences would be considered as public water systems.... ...age, D. W. (2010). Managers and the legal environment:2010 custom edition (6th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Federal Water Pollution Control Act. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/laws_regulations/docs/fedwaterpollutioncontrolact.pdf Goldscheider, R. (2002). Licensing Best Practices : The LESI Guide to Strategic Issues and Contemporary Realities. Wiley. Kochtcheeva, L. V. (2009). Administrative Discretion and Environmental Regulation: Agency Substantive Rules and Court Decisions in U.S. Air and Water Quality Policies. Review Of Policy Research, 26(3), 241-265. doi:10.1111/j.1541-1338.2009.00381.x License. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/license New Water System Capacity Development Planning Manual. (2003). Retrieved from http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/drinkingwater/docs/CDPlngManual403.pdf

The World Bank and The IMF: Twins or Rivals? Essay -- Economy Economic

The World Bank and The IMF: Twins or Rivals? Both institutions, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, were established more than fifty years ago; and the foundations of both were expected to play roles in stabilizing the frustrated global economy and aiding post-war European countries as well as other developing countries for economic progress. In the first three decades, both institutions had their own respective functions and extensively engaged in different economic and financial activities. In general, the World Bank primarily concentrated on making long term loans to finance infrastructural projects in developing countries, as the IMF mainly provided economic consultation as well as short-term loans to both developed and developing countries (Driscoll). However, the distinctive differences started disappearing since the beginning of 1970s, as both began to involve in more and more similar economic activities. As such, these overlapping activities blurred the functions between the two institutions, in which ca se a restructuring reform might be required to avoid potential conflicts. Although both organizations were not identical twins as they were born in the first place, the relationship between them was very close. According to the World Bank’s article of agreement, â€Å"in order for a country to be able to become a member of the Bank, it must be a member of the Fund† (Polak 1). There are two reasons behind this rule: First, it can prevent free ridership that could possibly enables members of one organization to misuse their rights in the world monetary market. Second, it is widely believed that a good lending of the World Bank heavily depended on a country’s stable monetary market, which can be secured by... ...hirty years. Today, although they are facing certain critiques for some of their inconsistent policies that are not accepted by some economists, both are striving for a common goal to achieve the establishment of the stability in the world economy as well as the entire global economic wealth. Works Cited Driscoll, David. D. â€Å"The IMF and The World Bank: How Do They Differ?† Aug. 1996. 23 Nov. 2002. Moffitt, Michael. The World’s Money. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1995. Naim, Moises. â€Å"Fad and Fashions in Economic Reforms: Washington Consensus or Washington Confusion?† 26 Oct. 1999. 20 Nov. 2002. Polak, Jacques J. The World Bank and The IMF: A Changing Relationship. Washington D.C.: The Brookings Institution, 1994.

Psychology 300 Final Exam

Final Exam 1 PSY/300 Final Exam: PSY/300 (Weeks 1-5) Multiple Choice1. Erik Erikson argues that an understanding of an individual's behavior requires consideration of: A) Biological events B) Psychological experience C) Cultural and historical context D) all of the above 2.The aim of biopsychology (also referred to as behavioral neuroscience) is to: A) Link soma and somette in order to understand how emotions manifest themselves behaviorally B) Investigate the physical basis of psychological phenomena such as motivation, emotion, and stress C) Understand the complex interactions of the nervous system D) Study how thoughts and feelings influence an individual’s biological reactions 3.The first laboratory in Psychology was founded in Leipzig, Germany, in 1879 by: A) Sigmund Freud B) Wilhelm Wundt C) William James D) Rene Descartes 4. The approach to psychology which involved devising a method for uncovering the basic elements of consciousness and the way they combine with each o ther into ideas was known as A) Structuralism B) Behaviorialism Final Exam 2 PSY/300 C) Functionalism D) Elementarism 5. Which field of psychology argues that one's perception of the pieces will be influenced when seeing them as parts of the whole?A) Evolutionary B) Perceptual C) Empirical D) Gestalt 6. A hypothesis is best characterized as: A) A procedure that precedes a theoretical framework B) Any phenomenon that can change from one situation to another C) A systematic way of organizing and explaining observations D) A tentative belief about the relationship between two or more variables 7. To ensure that I am a good researcher, I gave the same questionnaire to the same participants at three different points in time. I hope to get ssentially the same answers. If I do, then I can conclude that my experiment has: A) Internal validity B) External validity C) Inter-rater reliability D) test-retest reliability 8. When it comes to the ethics of animal research, which one of the followi ng is NOT an issue? A) Some animals are cuter than others B) Whether animals have rights Final Exam 3 PSY/300 C) To what extent humans can use other creatures to solve human problems D) That animals cannot give informed consent 9.Information is sent to the brain via the sensory or _____ neurons. A) Afferent B) Motor C) Transient D) Inter 10. Axons are responsible for A) Receiving information from other cells B) Transmitting information to other neurons C) Increasing the transmission speed of messages D) Determining how that particular neuron will manipulate input 11. There are two types of neurotransmitters. They are: A) Inhibitory and synaptic B) Modulating and excitatory C) Inhibitory and excitatory D) Modulating and synaptic 12.The part of the cerebral cortex that is involved in the sense of touch and feeling one’s own body in space is the: A) Parietal lobe B) Occipital lobe C) Temporal lobe D) Frontal lobe Final Exam 4 PSY/300 13. Which of the following is NOT a basic pri nciple of sensation and perception? A) Sensation and perception require strong enough impulses to surpass minimal thresholds B) Sensation and perception are active processes C) There is no one-to-one correspondence between physical and psychological reality D) Sensation and perception are adaptive 4. What kind of learning can be achieved through classical conditioning? A) Learning that an event occurred B) Learning that people have certain patterns of behavior C) Learning that two events are related D) Learning that a behavior produces a particular result 15. As you drive down the street, a leaf hits your windshield. You know that it is not going to break the windshield and yet you blink anyway. In classical conditioning, blinking to an object that is about to hit you in the face is a/an: A) CS B) CR C) UCS D) UCR 16.You recently noticed that eating sour candy causes extra salivation as your body reacts to the sour taste. You love sour candy and eat it often. The other day you purch ased a new bag of sour candy and as you were looking at the bag, you noticed that you were salivating. The sour candy is a: A) CS B) CR C) UCS Final Exam 5 PSY/300 D) UCR 17. The purpose of Watson's experiment involving little Albert was to determine if: A) Infants are innately capable of learning fear B) Phobias do exist C) Babies are just as susceptible as adults to fears D) Emotional responses can be learned 8. An important distinction between operant and classical conditioning is that: A) Classical conditioning can be used to extinguish an undesirable response while operant conditioning tends to be incapable of doing so B) In classical conditioning responses are elicited while in operant conditioning they are emitted C) Classical conditioning works best with mammals and operant conditioning works best with birds and rodents D) Classical conditioning requires an experimenter and operant conditioning does not 9. The theory of motivation that states that people are motivated by wis hes and fears is A) The cognitive approach B) The psychodynamic approach C) The biological approach D) None of the above 20. ERG theory condenses Maslow's hierarchy of needs into three distinct levels: A) Elementary, reproductive and goal realization B) Elementary, relatedness, and growth C) Existence, relatedness, and growth D) Existence, reproductive, and goal realization Final Exam 6 PSY/300 21.The part of the brain that is responsible for registering the emotional significance of objects is the A) Hypothalamus B) Limbic system C) Cortex D) Amygdala 22. Which one of the following describes a person who is fixated in the latent stage? A) person with problems committing to a relationship B) Person who is uninterested in sex C) A smoker D) Person over 40 who has never moved out of their parents' home 23. Which of the following refers to setting goals, evaluating performance, and adjusting behavior to achieve these goals in the context of ongoing feedback?A) goal-establishment B) out come-management C) potential-realization D) Self-regulation 24. Which of the following factors in the Five Factor Model is believed to be the least heritable? A) Agreeableness B) Neuroticism C) Extraversion D) Openness Final Exam 7 PSY/300 25. The very last developmental crisis adult’s face, according to Erikson at least, is: A) Intimacy versus isolation B) Integrity versus despair C) Generativity versus stagnation D) Acceptance versus despondence 26.Piaget argued all of the following EXCEPT: A) Children’s thought processes are creative but constrained by physical realities and brain development B) Children experience the same stages in the same order C) Children are motivated to make sense of what they experience, integrating what they know D) Cognitive efficiency is influenced by children’s knowledge base 27. According to the psychodynamic viewpoint on moral development, children initially are relatively: A) Evil B) Narcissistic C) good D) Saintly 8. When dete rmining a diagnosis for treating mental disorders, the different axes refer to: A) The symptoms, personality disturbances, medical conditions, and environmental stressors B) The severity of the disorder and the extent to which it will interfere with daily life C) The domain of life which will be most disrupted by the disorder, such as work, school, or relationships D) The types of emotional, physical, or social disruption that can be expected from a particular disorder Final Exam 8 PSY/300 29.Which of the following is an umbrella term for a number of psychotic disorders that involve disturbances in nearly every dimension of human physiology, including thought, perception, behavior, language, communication, and emotion? A) Schizophrenia B) Personality disorder C) Mood disorder D) Dissociative disorder 30. Which personality disorder is marked by extremely unstable interpersonal relationships, dramatic mood swings, an unstable sense of identity, intense fears of separation and abandonm ent, manipulativeness, and impulsive behavior?A) Narcissistic B) Antisocial C) Borderline D) Histrionic 31. Systematic desensitization is based on the idea that A) Relaxation training can aid people with schizophrenia B) Physical contact with other people is essential for contact comfort C) Through early experiences people learn to fear social interactions D) Through classical conditioning people have associated fear with previously neutral stimuli 32. Antipsychotic medications reduce symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations by _____ activity within the brain. A) Increasing epinephrine B) Inhibiting serotonin C) Inhibiting dopamineFinal Exam 9 PSY/300 D) Increasing glutamate 33. The goal of antidepressant medications such as SSRIs is to: A) Keep serotonin acting longer in the synapses of the brain? B) Keep people from making irrational associations between ideas C) Reduce body weight and make people feel better about them D) Reduce anxiety that leads to depression 34. Character istics that are attributed to people based on their membership in a specific group, and that are often over-generalized, inaccurate, and resistant to new information are called: A) Prejudices B) Biases C) Stereotypes D) Discrimination 5. Cognitive bias in social cognition is thought to be the result of: A) Heuristics that can lead people awry B) Schemas and attributions being influenced by wishes, needs, and desires C) People frequently lacking the time to make accurate attributions D) all of the above 36. The relationship between personality and self-schemas can be seen in a number of ways. Which one of the following is NOT true of that relationship?A) People who feel disappointment, dissatisfaction, shame, and embarrassment have a discrepancy between actual and ideal selves B) People who feel anxiety, fear, resentment, guilt, self-contempt, or uneasiness have a discrepancy between actual and ought selves C) People who experience feelings of failure, social rejection, isolation, an d a lack of Final Exam 10 PSY/300 accomplishment have a discrepancy between ideal and ought selves D) All of the above are true of the relationship between personality and self-schemas 37.Companionate love involves: A) Wild emotions, intense physiological arousal, and absorption in another person B) Deep affection, friendship, and emotional intimacy C) Acquaintance cordiality, friendship, and societal responsibility D) Selflessness, altruism, and reciprocal giving 38. Behaving in a way that helps another person with no apparent gain, or with potential cost, to oneself is known as: A) Selfless gratification B) Ego protection C) Ethical hedonism D) Altruism 39. Which of the following is a drawback of antianxiety medications?A) They can cause physiological dependence. B) There is a high relapse rate when the drugs are discontinued. C) They can cause psychological dependence. D) All of the above. 40. The three broad classes of psychopathology distinguished by psychodynamic theorists are : A) anxiety disorders, personality disorders, somatoform disorders B) organic disorders, developmental disorders, experiential disorders C) cognitive dysfunctions, behavioral abnormalities, interpersonal maladies D) personality disorders, neuroses, psychoses Final Exam 11 PSY/300

Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds” Essay

In Amy Tan’s short story â€Å"Two Kinds† we see the strained relationship between a Chinese immigrant mother and a first-generation American daughter. Throughout the text, Jing-mei’s mother continually pushes her to become a prodigy. She is so obsessive of her daughter’s excellence, that she does not see the emotional damage she creates. Jing-mei reacts negatively to the pressure. She becomes indifferent, angry, excited and hopeful; her emotions fluctuate, because she is in a perpetual struggle between her identity and the identity her mother tries to create for her. No one wins this tug-of-war; it only ends in anger and disappointment. Jing-mei sets out to become the direct opposite of what her mother wants. It just goes to show that forcefulness doesn’t work in any situation. In the beginning of the story, Jing-mei tries to do everything right. She goes along with her mother’s nearly impossible tests, tries to become Shirley Temple’s double and generally maintains a good attitude about her mother’s constant prompting. â€Å"In all of my imaginings I was filled with a sense that I would soon become perfect,† she said. Jing-mei tried to convince herself that she could become what her mother wanted her to be. Despite the attempts made by Jing-mei, she always seems to fall short of her mother’s expectations. Her mother relentlessly pushes her, because she wants her daughter to be more successful than she is. She feels that in America, anything is possible if you try hard and practice. This is true for many things; however, becoming an overnight prodigy is not one of them. It doesn’t take Jing-mei long to realize that she will never fulfill her mother’s demands. She is hurt because she feels that her mother does not accept her for the person that she is. Her mother’s failed hopes and obvious disenchantments crush Jing-mei emotionally. Out of her pain, she purposely projects a personality that her mother disapproves of. Her temperament becomes antagonistic and argumentative, where it is was once considerate and peaceable. She intentionally says things like â€Å"I wish I’d never been born,† in efforts to hurt her mother, as she was wounded. Despite the volatile relationship, poor attitude and numerous disappointments, Jing-mei’s mother ploughs on, even more zealously. She is convinced that she can make the average girl into an extraordinary sensation. As the years pass by, the dreams of Jing-mei’s mother fade away. Jing-mei leads an average life, making average mistakes and basically being the average woman. Her mother finally gives up hope. She offers the piano to Jing-mei, in an effort that I believe, is to symbolize that she is letting go. It could be a peace offering, or it could just be that she finally succumbs to the realization that her daughter will always be just Jing-mei. The piano is almost like a trophy, it says â€Å"OK, you’ve won.† After Jing-mei wins she is comfortable enough to play the piano–the piece of furniture that tormented her. She is at peace playing â€Å"Pleading Child.† At a glance she notices that the other half of the song is â€Å"Perfectly Contented.† At the final stage in the story, that is exactly how she feels, perfectly contented.