Odyssey Response Paper - 1240 Words

True wisdom is an understanding or insight into human nature, and knowing how we should act based on our nature. The Odyssey is a story that has many examples of true wisdom in it. The story does this by following the progression of Odysseus, a Greek war hero, growing in wisdom over the course of his journey. Odysseus undergoes many hardships and struggles, and through these he grows in wisdom. At the end of his journey Odysseus has many problems at his home, where he hasn’t been in twenty years, and there he uses his wisdom to solve these problems correctly. Homer’s first line in the Odyssey introduces Odysseus as a man who is never at a loss. â€Å"This is the story of a man, one who was never at a loss† (p. 1). This line is ironic because throughout the story Odysseus is in fact at a loss. The reason this is the case is because Odysseus, who is a very clever man, lacks wisdom. This is evident through the many poor decisions he made, showing that he hadnâ€℠¢t truly understood human nature, until he learned from the mistakes of him and his friends. â€Å"Next they wanted to make haste and drive the kids and lambs out of the pens and get under sail. But I would not listen-indeed it would have been much better if I had† (p. 110). Here, Odysseus is too rash and he makes a bad decision which results in death, but he learns from it and recognizes the danger of pride on fallen human nature. However he was a very cunning man, which is shown in many of his travels, by his ability he is able toShow MoreRelatedThe Odyssey Response Paper1880 Words   |  8 PagesTrue wisdom, according to the Odyssey, is having the ability to reflect on your experiences and tradition, and then doing what ought to be done in similar situations based on the virtues you learned and gained through these insights. The Odyssey portrays a man’s journey toward and growth in true wisdom through his better knowledge of human nature. He undergoes many differen t trials on his journey back to his home and family, and it is during these trials that Odysseus has insights into human natureRead MoreThe Odyssey By Robert Fagles926 Words   |  4 Pagesof the Odyssey delineates a journey as both a transformative and life-changing experience that does not necessitate physical travel. Such characters as Odysseus, Telemachus, Penelope, and Athena have undergone physical, imaginative, spiritual, and emotional travel, which has had a telling influence on their lives. The journeys have played a critical role in shaping, transforming, and developing the characters. This paper will detail the journeys undertaken by various characters in the Odyssey. 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Skinner’sRead MoreFoils for Odysseus1448 Words   |  6 PagesCLAS 342 Paper Assignment #2 Character Foils for Odysseus The Odyssey is the epic that has been read time and time again, by varying ages, digging its way into our hearts, becoming an instant classic. Odysseus and the adventures of his homecoming create a much different tale than Homer’s other work, the Iliad, provided. The epic is not about bloodthirsty men trying to get their hands on kleos anymore; it is about the homecoming of a man who uses his wits, not his weapon. In the Odyssey, the charactersRead MoreOf Mice and Men2671 Words   |  11 Pagesreading Of Mice and Men, we will pause to make some observations. These observations are intended to improve your ability to see and interpret key ideas and events in the story. Write your responses to these questions on a separate sheet of paper as you read. It’s fine to type your responses if you prefer. Responses to each question should be thorough, not just a few words or single sentence. 1. Generate a list of five words that describe Lenny. After making the list, choose the one word you thinkRead MoreEssay on Jason vs Odysseus937 Words   |  4 Pagesantiquity, Jason and Odysseus have much in common and just as much not. It has been said that The Voyage of the Argo, written centuries past The Odyssey, is an imitation or some form of plagiarism of the primary epic poem of ancient Greece. I like the other train of thought; it is more an acknowledgement or tip of the hat, so to speak, specifically to The Odyssey. Both tales center on a hero and a fantastic voyage. Jason was less the virtuous demi-God we see in Odysseus. At first glance, he appeared anRead MoreThe Odyssey By Homer1337 Words   |  6 PagesTaylor Michael CLAS342 Paper #2 November 28, 2014 The Odyssey is a work by Homer, written to take place ten years after the fall of Troy. In the Iliad Odysseus was not a crucial character, but this particular text follows him around and details his experience after the war. To give some background, He has yet to return to Ithaca in the beginning of the text, away from his wife now for the duration of the battles as well as these ten years following. While he was gone, his palace was overthrown byRead MoreEssay on Role of Penelope in Homers Odyssey788 Words   |  4 PagesThe Role of Penelope in Homers Odyssey The character of Penelope in Homers Odyssey has served as an archetype of femininity proper. Her physical attributes, while comely by even the most demanding standards, are veiled. Her intellectual attributes are veiled too. She seems more often than not to wear a veil of tears (for her man) or a veil of silence (for her own wishes), or ineptitude (in her dealings with her son). She is certainly no Helen. She is not flaunting or whore-ish. She is not

Case Study Metro Run A Heavy Bus System Essay - 1528 Words

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Mr. Evans stated that he has personally meet with staff to discuss issues, listen to concerns, provide encouragement and share that employees are appreciated. These are difficult times for everyone; however, Metro will be a better organization on the other side. Mr. Evans expressed his appreciation for the dialogue with the AAC. He stated that he is sensitive to the issues face by customers, committed to making the system better, and will remain on the job until it is done. It is important that the system has ample lighting and elevators work for all customers including those with disabilities. Mr. Evans encourageShow MoreRelatedtraffic problem Essay2258 Words   |  10 Pages40 5to 45 MMR 30 to 50 35 to 45 25 to 55 Passenger car unit (PCU) is used to measure heterogeneous traffic volume and variation. One car is converted into 1 PCU; 1 taxi into 1 PCU, 1 rickshaw into 0.8 PCU, 1 two-wheeler into 0.5 PCU and 1 bus into 3 PCU. 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Current Organizational Trends

Question: Describe how you will integrate current organizational trends into your role as a leader ? Answer: Personal leadership qualities identified in week 1 Self-confidence- I carry immense self-confidence and I perform my tasks with full assurance. I well understand that being confused can hamper my patients and also can make me weak on by job, this makes me additionally confident at work ('Nursing News', 2004) Positivity- Within my personality I carry tremendous amount of positivity and this makes me think and perceives things in a different way Communication- I am not only a good speaker but also a good listener. I lend my ears to the patients and also to seniors as well as to my co-workers which make me extra good when it comes to communication (Tappen, Weiss Whitehead, 2001) Of course there are several traits that I still need to develop my personality for attaining a better and additionally good career. They are as follows: Weak at emotional intelligence- I have a very low level of emotional intelligence and stability. Building up this trait will provide me the ability to know and understand as well as manage my emotions, and also of those people and patients who are around me all the time (Marriner-Tomey, 2009). No empathy- I must know how to know and understand other person's situation and condition. It will permit me to create the bond of trust, and will give me insight into things that others might feel or think. How personal leadership quality are practiced in nursing Nursing is a very critical element in recognizing the quality of the care within the hospital and also the nature of the patient outcomes. 24*7 nursing care also is one amongst distinctive hallmarks for inpatient care within several hospitals. Being into this field my role as a nurse will include proper clinical nursing practices and consultation plus follow-up plus patient education as well as prevention of any illness (Fagin, 2000). All this has also improved the availability of proper health-care systems and services, also reduced symptoms for chronic diseases, enhanced cost-effectiveness as well as developed customers' experiences from the health-care systems and services. In past years, the nursing profession has also been particularly concerned about the nature of transformation occurring in this care sector. Enhancing numbers of the hospitals are also restructuring their firms, staffing, as well as services. Redesign plus reengineering even have become principal basic strategi es of the 1990s for several institutions plus systems. And because redesign initiatives nowadays are being undertaken for several causes, above half of efforts are now being driven by requirement to reduce the entire operating costs, plus to have focused upon transformation of the work processes as well as redesign of the roles plus jobs. If I want to sustain longer in this field, I must try to abide by all the rules and regulation of the organization and also must try to be an employee who would give something extra to the firm. Also due to vast competition only thing that can work as a competitive advantage in this industry is the nature and attitude of service providers like doctors and nurses towards the patients. Thus, I need to develop and maintain this propaganda seriously (Davies, 2002). Examples how leadership qualities have been influenced in past There were factors that influenced the students leadership in past. There are few aspirations that have pushed me towards such style of leadership Rising expectation- The enhancing expectations of co-workers, seniors and also the patients has forced me towards carrying and maintain such leadership (Tracy, 2014). Individual responsibility and accountability for growth plus development- Being in nursing field I need to deal with health care issues daily and this tends me to attain greater responsibility and thus inspires me to follow such leadership Additionally educated co-workers- In health care sector no one illiterate and having no knowledge regarding health and safety are allowed to work and such educated surrounding tends me to follow this particular style comprising of extra skills and knowledge Competition for the talent: In nursing field people compete for immense talent as well as a vital selling point is quality of the nurses and doctors and also their attitude plus nature towards patients. Thus, I to maintain my position try to match properly the propaganda (Marquis Huston, 2009). Need to comply with industrys requirements- This sector needs all its staffs to comply with proper rules and regulations and also expects them to be perfect in every field where they work and show their skills. This enforces me to maintain a proper leadership quality so that I can give my best to the patients as well as to my work. Which leadership style the student most closely identifies The student most closely identifies Laissez-fairestyle of leadership. She gives her team members many opportunities and also sets them free to do their work in their own way. As self-confidence is the strongest part of her personality also she would further try to understand that it is very essential for any nurse's skills of leadership. She will evaluate what more is needed to approach each and every patient with full confidence and also competent attitude. Processes student will take to maintain or redefine their own leadership style The student must try to implement the changes and then maintain my leadership. For this will follow below-mentioned steps to implement the changes Identify myself as a proper leader- Being in nursing field she must tend to view her role as the deferential to the doctor's and all other practitioners. She should ensure that she properly understands plus embraces real role that leadership plays within her career (Kelly, 2008). Demonstrate confidence and have courage- Being into healthcare field she will always work with courage and without any fear. If she wants to be a good leader, she must will to undertake all types of risks. Being a nurse her leadership totally depends upon her capability to take such risks. Playing safe would never develop her into a leader in the nursing field. Communicate clearly plus consistently-Whether she will be talking to the patients, doctors or even to the family members and also to co-nurses, she should try to be totally mindful of the way in which she communicates (Kelly, 2004). Be a good listener- Though this is my strong part yet she might further try to develop and maintain the skill. She must always try first to listen and then respond straightforwardly. Processes student will take to maintain or redefine their role as a leader in the nursing profession Pay attention towards professional growth and development-she will attend some classes, courses as well as seminars that will help me go beyond things that she requires taking for maintaining my nursing license. She would also encourage all the other nurses that she supervises for growing professionally. Also she will even advocate classes that might interest the staffs Manage the time properly-The nurse will always try to prioritize my tasks and also her responsibilities shrewdly. Lead by the example- She must give her best to the job and must try to gain as much knowledge as she can. So that other nurses could take note as well as mimic my demeanor, skills plus leadership. Find the mentor for self- She would ask a co-worker whom she admires, to train and provide me some coaching both theoretical and also practical. Also she can observe other nurses who work with her and can try to learn something good from them (Giuliani Kurson, 2002). References Davies, P. (2002).Nursing. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Fagin, C. (2000).Essays on nursing leadership. New York: Springer. Giuliani, R., Kurson, K. (2002).Leadership. New York: Hyperion. Kelly, P. (2004).Essentials of nursing leadership management. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Learning. Kelly, P. (2008).Nursing leadership management. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning. Marquis, B., Huston, C. (2009).Leadership roles and management functions in nursing. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Marriner-Tomey, A. (2009).Guide to nursing management and leadership. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby Elsevier. Nursing News. (2004).Nursing Leadership,17(2), 10-15. doi:10.12927/cjnl.2004.16351 Tappen, R., Weiss, S., Whitehead, D. (2001).Essentials of nursing leadership and management. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Co. Tracy, B. (2014).Leadership. New York: American Management Association.

Strategic Change Management KPMG Company

Executive Summary Strategic Change Management has become a strategic role of the management. Various business organizations have come to appreciate the need for change and have designed various methods and approaches of managing change. KPMG is one such organization. It has downed on the management that the market competition requires one to embrace change and ensure that it is creative in order to be in a position to manage market competition.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Strategic Change Management KPMG Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The firm has brought in all the stakeholders into one community and each given its role to play in the process of change management and implementation strategies. The model that this firm would use in implementing change is Kurt Lewin Model of unfreeze, change and then freeze. Value based organization is the approach to monitor the implementation of change. The st rategies must be implemented within appropriate time to yield good results. Introduction Change is one of the most important factors that an organization must take into consideration when drawing their strategic goals and objectives. Daft (2009, p. 37) simply says that Change is constant. This statement is intriguing yet it is the best definition of change from a philosophical point of view. Change and constant are two extremes under a normal dictionary definition. However, from an analytical perspective, change is constant. This scholar argues that change brings nothing new. It only enhances what is already in existence. McCarthy and Eastman (2010, p. 23) say, â€Å"The overarching purpose of change management is to accelerate the speed at which people move successfully through the change process so that anticipated benefits are achieved faster.† As such, change should not be viewed as a shift from what is the norm. The only issue is that it brings new methodologies of handi ng the daily activities. In his book, The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning, Henry Mintzberg (1994), the former leader of the Strategic Management Society, reprimanded himself and others for their sightless adherence to the strategic forecast practice. His disputation rests with the exploration of the authoritative, scientific explanation to the future. He demonstrates how planning can asphyxiate obligation, constrict an organization’s dream, make change unfeasible, and lead to the politicization of an organization. His point is based on the principle that â€Å"†¦ analysis is not synthesis [and therefore], strategic planning is not strategy formulation† (p. 321). According to this scholar, many managers would agree that change is one of the defining external factors that have huge impact on the organization. The management is always faced with various factors that would demand change in the organization.Advertising Looking for case study on business econo mics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As a starting point, Griffin (2000) classifies the word management as: â€Å"A set of activities (including planning and decision-making, organizing, leading, and controlling) directed at an organization’s resources (human, financial, physical, and informational) with the aim of achieving organizational goals in an efficient and effective manner† (p. 6). In the definition, several key concepts are used. Foremost, it is comprehended that management applies â€Å"uniformly to public, private, nonprofit, and religious organizations.† Murphy (2002) was of the view that â€Å"†¦ management is an organizational phenomenon and not exclusive to the world of profit organizations† (p. 7). KPMG is one of the leading consulting firms in the world. This American firm has grown and it currently covers several countries in North and South America, Asia, Europe and Africa. The recent entry into Africa, which is considered as the emerging markets, and some parts of Asia, was motivated by the increasing need for consulting firms as many of the businesses in these regions required guidance in a market that has increasingly gotten competitive. Change is one of the major reasons that are making firms in the corporate world seek guidance. KPMG as a firm has change as one of the factors it has to deal with in order to ensure that it remains relevant in this industry. It must be in a position to demonstrate to the corporate world that it is the master of what it teaches. Strategic change management to KPMG is not just important to demonstrate to others its prowess, but also to help it beat the market competition and increase its market share both at home and international markets. The need for strategic change management at KPMG has been fanned by the unpredictability of the market. The market is so unpredictably and change is the agent for this. Because of this, the management of KPMG has come to realize that it may not be in a position to survive in this market if it fails to adopt changes that are brought about by the environmental forces. Stakeholders of KPMG who are Involved in Change Management DeAnne, Gary, Hyde, and Tipping, (2004, p. 1) note, â€Å"Any transformation of significance will create people issues.† KPMG is an American firm that was a culmination of a merger of different consulting firms in 1987. These firms merged upon the realization of the fact that they had a common goal, which could best be achieved by coming together as a unit. Stakeholders of this firm are the agents of change.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Strategic Change Management KPMG Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Their positions in the firm would define their role in the strategic change management within this firm. In a given firm such as KPMG, there are always three categories of people when it comes to change management. The first category is the initiators of change. These individuals would come up with creative ideas of how to approach some issues within the firm that would result in change. The second group is the implementers of change. They take instruction on the change strategies as defined by the initiators. This scholar defines the last group in as â€Å"the recipients of change.† This group has no role in the initiation or implementation of change. However, they feel the effect of change, either positively or negatively depending on the prevailing circumstances. KPMG has all the three categories of people among its stakeholders. The stakeholders of this firm in the above-mentioned groups can be analyzed as followers. Initiators of Change These people are the agents of change. They come up with creative ideas that can be transformed into new strategies. Some of the initiators of change at KPMG are the following categories of office holders. The Top Management The top management of KPMG has the biggest role to play in the strategic change management. Goolnik (2006, p. 10) observes that, â€Å"a clear vision should be in place at the most senior level(s) so that staff can gain understanding of why change is important and necessary.† They are the most important individuals in the firm in as far as policy generation and implementation is concerned. They are expected to understand the prevailing market forces and determine when change may be needed in the organization. They are in a better position to understand some of the changing policies in the external business environment of this firm and initiate the same within the firm. As Wilson (1992, p. 14) notes, it is not necessary that every change that a firm implements must be original to it. A firm may borrow some changes from other firms that have successfully implemented them. The top management of this firm therefore has the role of identifyin g these new strategies and initiating their implementation within the firm. They are therefore the first initiators of change. The Human Resource Management has the greatest role to play in this regard. Modern Human Resource Management (HRM) is radically different from the human relations movement in the 1920s or from the personnel management practiced decades ago (Carell, Elbert, Hatfield, 1995, p. 12). Today HRM is used to refer to the philosophy, policies, procedures, and practices related to the management of people within an organization (French, 1998). French continues by stating that: It is now generally accepted that human resources management encompasses a dynamic, organization-wide perspective that is action oriented and based on theory and research from many disciplines and is necessarily interrelated with strategic planning. More and more it is recognized that HRM must be an integral part of the strategic planning of the top executive team of the organization (p. 5).Adve rtising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Research and Development Unit This is the most important unit when it comes to creativity and innovativeness of the firm. They have the responsibility of scanning the business environment and understanding the forces that are prevailing in the market. They then would determine which of the strategies would best suite the firm in managing market competition. They are expected to come up with creative ideas of how KPMG as a consulting firm can reach out to its customers with better services in the increasingly competitive business environment. They would advise the top management accordingly on how the firm should approach strategic change management issues. General Employees General employees of KPMG are also important agents of change. KPMG has been keen to allow all the team members, irrespective of the position they hold, to contribute to factors that affect the organization. The firm recognizes their role in the normal running of this firm and therefore appreciates the need to in corporate them on strategic management plans of the firm. They can therefore make their contribution on how they feel some issue should be addressed within the firm, which may pass as a change strategy. The shift of the office from the farm to the industrial unit floor can be appreciated in the model of Toffler’s, The Third Wave (Toffler, 1991). In The Third Wave, Toffler notes if you stride back and look at the main activities of the global societies, there are three major classes or effects in the proceedings of societies. â€Å"†¦ flexible manufacturing, niche markets, the spread of part-time work, and the degasification of the media† (Toffler, 1990) Fayol’s points that â€Å"all organizations, regardless of mission or culture, are joined to one another by the universal process that is designed to focus the energy of an organization in order to accomplish a common purpose†. The Government The government plays a very important role in strategic cha nge management of any firm within the country. According to Taborda (2011, p. 78), although the government may not be seen to be playing direct roles in the process of defining the path taken by the firm, it always has a great impact on the same. A firm like KPMG cannot operate in a vacuum. It operates within a country with a government, which has its policies of how such firms should operate. These government policies change with the changing environmental factors. When the government changes its policies and such changes have effect on KPMG, then this firm would have very little but to implement the changes as specified by the government. Customers For a long time, customers have always been on the receiving end of change. They would always wait to be presented with products, some of which were not suiting their needs. However, the current marketplace is very different. Customers are more knowledgeable and more demanding. Marketing has moved from the traditional inward out approac h to outward in. firm must therefore develop products that have the capacity to meet the changing needs of customers. Customers have therefore moved from the recipients of change to initiators of the same. Implementers of Change These individuals would affect the changes as suggested by the initiators of change. As Anderson (2011, p. 16) says, in most companies, KPMG included, the initiators of change are always part of the implementers of the same. The Management McGregor (1957) in his typical book, The Human Side of Enterprise, stated: â€Å"Management is severely hampered today in its attempts to innovate with respect to the human side of enterprise by the inadequacy of conventional organization theory (p. 245). The management plays a very important role in the implementation of change within the organization. Given their role of co-coordinating and controlling, this unit has the duty of explaining change to the employees and directing them on how these change strategies should be addressed. As such, they have the responsibility of understanding the strategies before explaining them to the employees. They are also the financiers of the policies of the organization. They have a role of ensuring that proper finance is allocated to the implementation of the strategies. General Employees Sharma (2008, p. 26) says that the employees have the greatest role to play in the implementation of change strategies. They are the implementers of the firm’s strategies. They have a duty to ensure that they understand the organizational objectives. They should therefore know how to intertwine the change strategies and the general goals and objectives of the firm. They would receive the policies from the management and implement them in a manner that would generate maximum benefits to the firm’s customers and shareholders. The Recipient of Change As explained above, these individuals are neither the initiators nor implementers of change. Recipients of change may not necessarily involve those individuals that have no role in the initiation or implementation of change. According to this scholar, both the initiators and implementers of change may also pass as the recipients of the same if they are affected by this change, which is always the case. As such, all the above stakeholders may be considered as recipients of change under different contexts. The management would be the recipient of change if the same affects the general growth of the firm either positively or negatively. The employees would be recipients if the process would result in benefit increment or change of position held in the firm. Customers would definitely be the recipients through the benefits they would receive from the changed strategies of the firm. The competitors would be recipients if the change would also force them to redefine their own strategies. The government would be the recipient if the change would result in a downward or upward adjustment of the tax they r eceive from the firm. The organization as a whole would also be considered a recipient of change. This is because the organization would be subject to change in the production levels and styles and the general new product proposition it would assume in the market. The structures would also feel the effect of change. In every organization, there are various structures that are always put in place to serve various tasks, for instance, the structures put in place at the sales unit. The structures may need to be restricted to reflect new picture of the firm. Generally, the entire system would have to be restructured. The new design would have to redefine the relationship of the stakeholders in the organization and the new roles that they would play. In the implementation process however, care should be taken to avoid chaos at all the stages. Chaos can be the most destructive factor in change management. Chaos as defined in an older dictionary is â€Å"A condition of utter disorder and confusion, as the unformed primal state of the universe† (Funk and Wagnalls, 1940, p. 208). In a more recent attempt to define the concept, Coveney and Highfield term it as â€Å"Unpredictable and apparently random behavior in dynamic systems† (1995, p. 425). In the latter definition, we can see a loosening of the fixed order of the world that was embedded in the first definition. Such scientists laid the foundation as Newton who accepted a fixed-order world as the ideal of objective knowledge (Prigogine, 1996, p.2). A tenet of the Industrial Age was that some grand design of the universe that needed to be discovered existed. However, current writers and thinkers in the area of systems thinking and Chaos Theory argue that no such fixed design exists. In fact, writers like Prigogine (1996) now define chaos as â€Å"the behavior of systems in which close trajectories separate exponentially in time† (p. 201). It is therefore the roles of everyone to understand the n eed for change, and cooperate in the process of its implementation. This would ensure smooth process of implementation. Strategies Available for Change Management Government Office for the South West (2004, p. 43) states, â€Å"It is worth recalling what we are trying to achieve.† It should be clear to the team why change is important and what the same would achieve. There are giant American companies that were brought to their feet either due to the failure to adopt changes that were needed, or implemented the same, but in a wrong way. Whichever the case, the underlying fact is that change is fixed factor in any organization whose implementation should be done in a conscious manner that would make the firm remain competitive in the market. Rogers Adopters Theory provides the best available strategies that are available for change management. The categories are as follows: Innovators This strategy requires individuals who have great desires for new ideas. It requires audacity and the willingness to pay for the consequences of the change. When implemented, the firm would implement changes as soon as they are availed in the business environment. This strategy would be the best for KPMG, but the consequences may outweigh the benefits. As such, many firms shy away from it because of the possible negative consequences. The popularity of this strategy is rated at 2.5 percent. Early adopters Early adoption theory would involve embracing change early enough to be able to reap maximally from it, but after analyzing the consequences that are involved. Early adoption is good, but as innovators, a firm may not have reference to other firms which had implemented the strategy before. As such, many firms would shy away from it for the fear of the unknown. However, given the nature of KPMG, this would be the best strategy that should be employed by this firm in the process of managing change. Early majority The early majority would adopt change before the average membe rs have, but will take precautions by keenly monitoring how the innovators and early adapters were affected by the change. Although very popular, this strategy is dangerous to an innovative company like KPMG because by the time it would be implementing the change, it might be too late to be competitive in the market. Late majority Late majority are individuals who appreciate that change is necessary, but would want to evade any negative consequences of the same. They would therefore wait for others to implement change and confirm that the consequences are positive. They prefer going through the trodden path. This strategy may not work for KPMG because this industry is very dynamic and by taking this approach, it would always be several steps behind market standards. Laggards Kratschmer (2011, p. 19) describe this category of individuals as tradition keepers. They would want to maintain status quo, and because of this, they would fight any change in the organization. This may not be considered a strategy for change management, but passes as one because it seeks to fight the same. Those who hold this strategy would always be suspicious of change and all the change agents. This is the worst of the strategies of change management. Stakeholders Role in the Implementation of Change Management Strategy Sirkin, Keenan, and Jackson (2005 p. 2) say, â€Å"Managing change is tough, but part of the problem is that there is little agreement on what factors most influence transformation initiatives.† As stated above, the best strategy would be the early adoption. Various stakeholders would have different roles in this strategy. The management has the duty to understand the concept put forth in the specific change item in order to create awareness of the same among employees. The management is also responsible for funding the entire process of the implementation of the change. The employees should be flexible enough to adjust to issues concerning change management. Th ey have the responsibility of positively responding to change and ensuring that the policies of change are well taken and are appropriately implemented. The government, though may not have direct responsibility to the firm, should ensure that the business environment is kept safe. System of Involving the Stakeholders in Planning of Strategic Change A system refers to a collection of different units or subsystems, which work as a unit to accomplish a given objective. KPMG as an organization is a system made up of different stakeholders each with different duties all aimed at ensuring the firm’s strategic goals and objectives are achieved. The diagram below shows the stakeholders in this system, as well as how they are related. As shown in the above diagram, the system involves all the members of the organization in their various capacities. In this system, change would be effected from the top management, and the lower cadre employees would be doing the implementation activit ies. The system should be well coordinated in a way that no unit will clash with the other in the process of implementation of change strategies. The management of KPMG must clearly set the overall goals and objectives of the firm. This should be made known to all members of the organization. The overall objective would be to create a positive differential change to customers. The management would therefore create a system that would act as a wheel. The management (both top and mid level management) would form systems, while the junior employees would form subsystems. In this wheel, the management should transfer a desirable rotation to the employees that would make them (the employees) rotate the customers in favor of the organization. This is demonstrated in the diagram below. All members would share the new objectives, which would redefine the mission of the firm, in the firm. As seen in the case study, the last and very important part is the implementation of the shared mission . The management should identify various teams and assign them different roles that would help accomplish the objective of the organization. The management should consider developing units within the firm, with each unit having their own specific duties. The stakeholders should fit into the units, with each unit having specified role to play in the overall policy implementation process. The management can also consider having each specific stakeholder assigned his or her own role within the firm to be achieved within a specified period. Resistance to Change In many occasions, change would meet a lot of resistance from those who want to maintain status quo. They would ensure that all efforts are directed towards derailing change. Change can be resisted in a number of ways. The first type of resistance to change may involve adoption of the laggard approach to change. Such an individual would try to cling to the traditional ways of operation as much as is possible. Another approach may involve refusal to cooperate in the process of working as a system to implement change. The management can also resist change by failing to advocate for the same to the employees. They can also resist change by failing to allocate enough finance for the same. The best way to manage any form of resistance is to make every member of the organization understand the need for, and the urgency with which change is needed. The management should ensure that all stakeholders are brought on board in the process of implementing change. They should be allowed to share their views and fears about change so that the concerned authorities may address it. Plans for Implementation of Change Management Strategies Appropriate Model for Change A number of models for change that are used by various organizations, given different scenarios exist. Some of the most popular models of change include ADKAR Model for change, Stephen Covey Seven Habits Model, Kubler Ross Stages of Change and Kurt Lewin’ s Strategy of Unfreeze-Change-Refreeze. These strategies are suitable in different scenario. They have their own advantages and disadvantages that makes each most suitable in different applications. Given the scenario of KPM, the best model would be Kurt Lewin’s three staged Model of Change Management of Unfreeze, Change, and then Freeze. Unfreeze is the first stage where the firm would need to appreciate that given the current market forces, there is need for change. As such, every member of the organization prepares psychologically for a possible change. After unfreezing, the next step is change. The members, having accepted the need for change, would embrace the same and adopt new strategies brought about by change. The freezing stage, also known as refreezing, involves establishing stability after the adoption of change. Plan for the Implementation of the Model KPMG has a healthy business environment. It must choose the best strategy that would best suit all the stakehold ers in the implementation of the above-mentioned model of change. Value Based organization would be the best strategy for this firm. The first principle in this strategy is to embrace community spirit. All the stakeholders should view themselves as members of a larger community. The community should embrace open and honest communication and there should be agreement in the values of the organization. The organizational structure should be flexible to allow for adjustments in the process of implementation. Measures for the Implementation of Change Model There are measures that should be put in place to ensure that the implementation of change model is successful. The first measure is that there should be a clear procedure of monitoring change. Baekdal, Hansen, Todbjerg and Mikkelsen (2006, p. 7) say, â€Å"All models are guidelines. You should always evaluate the relevance of each individual step vs. your situation and your project. Large projects often demands detailed analysis and documentation, while small projects can be finished with much lesser work.† The concerned individuals should know the basis of objectives and goals of the organization. With this, they should assess the effect of change against what was expected. The second measure is that the implementing parties should have a clear timeline set for the achievement of various objectives. There should be regular meetings to review the success of the organization. Another measure is that the management should set short-term manageable objectives to be achieved within a given timeline. A mechanism through which objectives would be measured should exist. This way, it would be easy for the management to determine if the implementation process is effective, or if some changes might be necessary. Above all, the stakeholders should all be made to appreciate the need for change and the potential benefits that may accrue from the same. Conclusion In a business set up, the top management is always unde r a constant challenge of planning how to manage change. Strategic change management has become one of the strategic duties of a firm. It is considered strategic because it affects the entire firm from the top management to the junior most employees, and all the departments of the firm. Change management is considered as strategic because, just like strategic goals and objectives, change should be initiated by the top management of the organization and channeled to other employees of the organization. Older members of the society, especially those that have already gotten used to a certain way of doing things may not find it easy to shed their normal ways of approaching their duties. They are used to the normal methods and fear that they may not be in a position to adapt to these changes fast enough and as such would be seen as incompetent. KPMG has the duty to implement change management strategies that would help it manage market competition. Change must involve all the stakeholde rs in the organization for success to be achieved. KPMG must incorporate all its stakeholders and assign them different roles in the process of implementing change. Kurt Lewin’s three staged Model of Change Management of Unfreeze, Change, and then Freeze is the best strategy of implementing change in this organization. With a positive attitude towards change management among the stakeholders, KPMG will always be a step ahead of competition in the market. List of References Anderson, M 2011, Bottom-Line Organization Development: Implementing and Evaluating Strategic Change for Lasting Value, Elsevier, Burlington. Baekdal, T, Hansen, K, Todbjerg L Mikkelsen, H 2006, â€Å"Handle change management projects more effectively† Change Management Handbook, Vol. 1, no. 27, pp 7-57. Coveney, P Highfield, 1995, Frontiers of Complexity: The Search for Order in a Chaotic World, Fawcett Columbine, New York. Daft, R 2009, Organization Theory and Design, Cengage Learning, New York. DeAnne, A, Gary, N, Hyde, P, Tipping, A 2004, Ten Guiding Principles Of Change Management, Booz Company, New York. Fayol, H. (1949). General and Industrial Management. London: Pitman. Goolnik, G 2006, â€Å"Effective Change Management Strategies for Embedding Online Learning within Higher Education and Enabling the Effective Continuing Professional Development of its Academic Staff†, Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE, Vol. 7, no. 1, pp 10-78 Government Office for the South West 2004, â€Å"Resource Efficiency and Corporate Responsibility: Managing Change, How to Manage Change in an Organization†, Envirowise and Government Office for South West, Vol. 3, no. 11, pp 10-27. Griffin, R 2002, Management, Houghton Mifflin, Massachusetts. Kratschmer, P 2011, Organizational Culture is Highly Resistant to Change: Discuss, GRIN Verlag, New York. McCarthy, C Eastman, D 2010, â€Å"Change Management Strategies for an Effective EMR Implementation,† Healthc are Information and Management Systems Society, Vol. 1, no. 39, pp 20-41. McGregor, D 1985, The Human Side of Enterprise, McGraw-Hill, New York. Mintzberg, H 1994, The Rise and Fall of Strategic Management, The Free Press, New York. Murphy, R 2000, Strategic Management vs Strategic Leadership: Untying the Gordian knot. Published Proceedings, Academy of Administrative Sciences and Business Conference, Vol. 2, no. 2, pp 89-112. Prigogine, I 1996, The End of Certainty: Time, Chaos, and the New Laws of Nature, The Free Press, New York. Sharma, R 2008, Change Management, Tata McGraw-Hill Education, New Delhi. Sirkin, H Keenan, P Jackson, A 2005, â€Å"The Hard Side of Change Management†, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 3, no. 4, pp 1-18. Taborda, L 2011, Enterprise Release Management: Agile Delivery of a Strategic Change Portfolio, Artech House, New York. Toffler, A 1991, Power shift, Bantam, New York. This case study on Strategic Change Management KPMG Company was written and submitted by user Landry Barton to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Mexican Independence from Spain Essays

Mexican Independence from Spain Essays Mexican Independence from Spain Paper Mexican Independence from Spain Paper Mexican Independence from Spain In the late 18th century, the Spanish monarchy decided to improve the defenses of its empire because of its many military losses in Europe. Because of this, the Spanish Crown was forced to increase revenues. Between 1765 and 1771, Spain sent Jose de Galvez on an official tour of inspection of New Spain. He restructured the current taxes and their collection methods.. In 1778, Spain, attempting to increase its own revenues, lifted restrictions on colonial trade. This allowed more commerce for the colonists and allowed for more trade between the privileged of New Spain and the other Spanish colonies in America. Since the Spanish monarchy was so determined to improve defenses, it was forced to enlarge the existing colonial militias into armies. The Mexican people were disappointed with the many tax and administrative changes. The Criollos also did not like the fact that they had not been given any of the new administrative positions. Most of the Mexicans felt that they had been prospering under the old system. When the people protested and when riots broke out against the attempts at instituting reforms, they were dissipated through force. This caused Mexicans to become even more upset. They also had a new economic freedom and began to think that they could benefit more if they ran their own economic system apart from Spain. The Spanish Crown also began to limit the powers of the Catholic Church. It was viewed as a political rival because it had begun to amass large amounts of land and wealth in the colony. The Spanish government ignored the fact that the church did not actually have as much money as it seemed to. Much of its â€Å"wealth† was being loaned to colonists. In 1767, the Spanish Crown expelled the Jesuits from both new and old Spain and confiscated the wealth of the religious order. Even worse in the eyes of the Mexicans was in 1804 when the Spanish monarchy took land and wealth from the Catholic Church. These actions caused the church to reclaim all loans. This greatly affected the middle class, which was made up mostly by the colonial born whites known as the Criollos, and the mixed blooded Spanish or Indian Mestizos. The priests were also greatly affected by the Consolidation decree causing an upset of both the colonists and the priests, and convincing many to start to support Mexican Independence. The initial causes of the American Revolution were similar in that the colonists felt oppressed by their parent country of England. They felt that the monarchy they once knew as their savior could no longer provide for the best interests of the colonies and that it was taking advantage of them by imposing taxes upon them and using other means to earn revenue they it didn’t rightfully deserve. The Proclamation of 1763 restricted colonists from settling the area east of the Appalachian Mountains. This restriction angered colonists who were looking for land to call their own. This was followed by the Currency Act of 1764, then the Sugar Act of the same year, and finally, the Stamp Act of 1765. All of these acts, and subsequent ones, were used as revenue measures by England to regain the large amounts of wealth lost during the previous war. The colonists were not protesting taxes that were intended primarily to regulate state. They were protesting those designed simply to raise money. Unlike in Mexico’s case, there had been over fifty years of salutary neglect causing the new regulations to seriously alarm and upset the colonists. However, similarly, both the Mexican colonists and the American ones were upset by these unexpected economic costs that largely, and, seemingly, adversely affected them. According to Brune Leone’s The Mexican War of Independence the Criollo resentment in particular had greatly weakened the relations between New Spain and its mother country by the start of the 19th century. Another large factor in spurring the independence movement was the influence of the Enlightenment taking place in Europe. This was a large factor working for American Independence as well. Many Criollos in New Spain began to read the works of the Enlightenment writers and then began to question the benefits and reasons for their colonial relationship with Spain. The Mexican colonists were also affected by the examples of the American Revolution and the French Revolution. All of the aforementioned factors contributed to the independence movement of Mexico. However, the main steps towards independence came because of Napoleon’s invasion of Spain in 1808. The monarchy was greatly weakened when Napoleon gave the crown to his brother causing the people of Madrid to revolt. With Spain’s back turned, the leaders of New Spain began to argue amongst themselves. The viceroy was forced to allow the Criollos to participate in administration. Then, a group of Peninsulares, those who had been placed in many of the administrative positions, did not like that the Criollos were gaining any influence in the government. They staged a coup d’etat and overthrew the viceregal government. Shortly before dawn on September 16, 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla made a monumentous decision that revolutionized the course of Mexican history. Within hours, Hidalgo, a Catholic priest in the village of Dolores, ordered the arrest of Dolores native Spaniards. Then Hidalgo rang the church bell as he customarily did to call the indians to mass. The message that Hidalgo gave to the indians and mestizos called them to retaliate against the hated Gachupines, or native Spaniards, who had exploited and oppressed Mexicans for ten generations. Although a movement toward Mexican independence had already been in progress since Napoleons conquest of Spain, Hidalgos passionate declaration was a swift, unpremeditated decision on his part. Mexicanos, Viva Mexico! (Mexicans, long live Mexico! ) Hidalgo told the Mexicans who were the members of New Spains lowest caste. He urged the exploited and embittered Mexicans to recover the lands that were stolen from their forefathers. That he was calling these people to revolution was a radical change from the original revolution plot devised by the Criollos, or Mexican-born Spaniards. On September 1 6, 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a priest who had become familiar with the ideas of the Enlightenment, began a revolt in hopes of freeing Mexico from the Spanish colonial government and its Peninsulares. Hidalgo wanted an immediate abolition of slavery and the end of taxes on Native Americans. Tens of thousands of Native Americans near Mexico City joined thousands of Mestizos in their uprising because they had been suffering from rising food prices and their constantly declining wages. Gathering adherents like a snowball rolling downhill, this mob-army numbered several hundred when it captured San Miguel (today San Miguel de Allende), 6,000 when it entered Celaya, 20,000 when it rolled into Guanajuato, 50,000 when it overran Valladolid and 82,000 as it engulfed Toluca and menaced Mexico City. Few Criollos joined this rebellion because of the violence and destruction. Many sided with the offering of stability from the Peninsulares instead. Groups of Criollos across Mexico had been plotting to overthrow the authority of Gachupines who, because of their Spanish birth, had legal and social priority over the Mexican born Criollos. When Joseph Bonaparte replaced King Ferdinand as the leader of Spain, the Criollos recognized a prime opportunity for Mexican sovereignity. The nucleus of this movement was a group of intellectuals in Queretaro led by the Corregidor of Queretaro (state official), his wife and a group of army officers distinguished by the adventurous Ignacio Allende. The Criollos plan for revolution did not originally focus on the manpower of the Mexicans. Instead, the Criollos sought to avoid military confrontation by convincing Criollo army officers to sever their allegiance to the Gachupines. By claiming loyalty to the defeated King Ferdinand, the Criollos aimed to establish Mexico as an independent nation within King Ferdinands Spanish empire. The Gachupines who claimed authority under Bonapartes rule would be driven out of Mexico. Hidalgo had close ties with this group. Approaching sixty years of age, Hidalgo was beloved and greatly respected by Mexicans. Once the dean of the College of San Nicolas at Valladolid in Michoacan (now Morelia), Hidalgo was a well-educated, courageous humanitarian. He was sympathetic to the Indians, which was unusual amongst Mexican clergymen. Against Gachupin law, Hidalgo taught Indians to plant olives, mulberries and grapevines and to manufacture pottery and leather. His actions irritated the Spanish viceroy who, as a punitive measure, cut down Hidalgos trees and vines. Rebel forces fought royalist forces near Mexico City. Many inexperienced soldiers deserted the force, however, which had suffered large losses even though the royalists did retreat. By January of 1811, the remainder of Hidalgo’s army was defeated near Guadalajara. Hidalgo himself was caught when he fled to the north in March of that year. He was executed on July 30, 1811. Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon was the next priest to lead in the way of independence. He also called for racial and social equality. He was a better military commander than Hidalgo and under him large amounts of territory was captured. He declared Mexican an independent nation in 1813. However, royalist forces still controlled Mexico city. Morelo’s continued to fight until 1815 when Morelos was captured and executed. The Spanish revolution of 1820 changed the rebellion in Mexico. It restored the more liberal constitution of 1812 and emphasized representative government and individual liberty. The Mexican leaders were dismayed by these liberal political tendencies in Spain, but their biggest concern was the instability of Spain. Iturbide met Guerrero in 1821 and they signed an agreement to combine their forces to bring about Mexico’s independence. Their plan was called the Plan of Iguala. It guaranteed that Mexico would become an independent country and be ruled as a limited monarchy, that the Roman Catholic Church would be the state church, and that the Criollos would have the same rights as the Peninsulares. The viceroy did not oppose Iturbide and was thus forced to resign. The last viceroy of New Spain arrived in Mexico in July of 1821 and was made to accept the Treaty of Cordoba. This marked the formal beginning of Mexican independence. Iturbide became emperor of Mexico. He held that position until 1823 when he was overthrown by military revolt. A republic was then proclaimed and Guadalupe Victoria became the first president. Mexico was not prepared for creating a new republic. Social stability and the economy had been destroyed because of civil war. There was no one who had the political experience to unite the nation together. Deciding the actual role of the federal government needed time and debate. In 1824, the first constitution was ratified. It allowed state legislators the power to elect both the president and the vice president. This resulted in a series of weak presidents that were forced to attempt to create as effective government as possible. The American and Mexican revolutions were very similar in their initial reasons for beginning their struggle for independence. The actual revolutions were also less than fifty years apart. Both the American and Mexican revolutionaries lacked the great deal of military force that their mother countries had. Their combatants were supposedly far superior military wise, but they were defeated in both conquests for independence. When Mexico first gained its independence, however, it began as a monarchy. America had more of sound beginning on paper, but also had many problems in establishing a government best suited for the people, that would be accepted by them. Both America and Mexico suffered economically right after their true declarations of independence. Besides the military aspects, the American and Mexican independence were incredibly similar in the reasons for seeking independence and the first outcomes after independence. Bibliography: Galicia, Angie. â€Å"Don Miguel Hidalgo, Father of Mexico’s Independence† inside-mexico. com/laentrevista2. htm Paz, Octavio, â€Å"Exit from the Labyrinth, The Hidalgo Revolt† Sisk, Cynthia. â€Å"Hidalgo y Castilla, Miguel. Historic Text Archive† http://historicaltextarchive. com/sections. php? op=viewarticleartid=551 Stein, Conrad R. â€Å"The Mexican War of Independence (The Story of Mexico). † Oct 31, 2007 Wilmington, DE: SR â€Å"The Wars of Independence in Spanish America. † Books, 2000. Works cited: Galicia, Angie. â€Å"Don Miguel Hidalgo, Father of Mexico’s Independence† inside-mexico. com/laentrevista2. htm Stein, Conrad R. â€Å"The Mexican War of Independence (The Story of Mexico). † Oct 31, 2007 Wilmington, DE: SR â€Å"The Wars of Independence in Spanish America. † Books, 2000.

Supreme Court Justice Selection Criteria

Supreme Court Justice Selection Criteria Who selects United States Supreme Court justices and by what criteria are their qualifications evaluated? The President of the United States nominates prospective justices, who must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate before being seated on the court. The Constitution lists no official qualifications for becoming a Supreme Court justice. While presidents typically nominate people who generally share their own political and ideological views, the justices’ are in no way obligated to reflect the president’s views in their decisions on cases brought before the court. The president nominates an individual to the Supreme Court when an opening occurs.Typically, the president picks someone from their own party.The president usually picks someone who agrees with their judicial philosophy of either judicial restraint or judicial activism.The president might also choose someone of a varied background in order to bring a greater degree of balance to the court.The Senate confirms the presidential appointment with a majority vote.While it is not a requirement, the nominee typically testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee before being confirmed by the full Senate.Rarely is a Supreme Court nominee forced to withdraw. Currently, of the more than 150 people nominated to the Supreme Court, only 30 - including one who was nominated for promotion to Chief Justice - have either declined their own nomination, been rejected by the Senate, or had their nomination withdrawn by the president. The latest nominee to be rejected by the Senate was Harriet Miers i n 2005. The President's Selections Filling vacancies on the Supreme Court of the United States (often abbreviated as SCOTUS) is one of the more significant actions a president can take. The U.S. presidents successful nominees will sit on the U.S. Supreme Court for years and sometimes decades after the presidents retirement from political office. Compared to the appointments the president makes to his (or her- currently all U.S. presidents have been male although that surely will change in the future) Cabinet positions, the president has a great deal of latitude in selecting justices. Most presidents have valued a reputation for selecting quality judges, and typically the president reserves the final selection for himself rather than delegating it to his subordinates or political allies. Perceived Motivations Several legal scholars and political scientists have studied the selection process in depth, and find that each president makes his choices based a set of criteria. In 1980, William E. Hulbary and Thomas G. Walker looked at the motivations behind presidential nominees to the Supreme Court between 1879 and 1967. They found that the most common criteria used by the presidents to select Supreme Court nominees fell into three categories: traditional, political, and professional. Traditional Criteria acceptable political philosophy (according to Hulbary and Walker, 93% of the presidential nominees between 1789–1967 were based on this criterion)geographical balance (70%)the right age- appointees in their mid-50s, old enough to have proven records and yet young enough to serve a decade or more on the court (15%)religious representation (15%) Political Criteria members of his own political party (90%)placate certain political interests or improve the political climate for the presidents policies or personal political fortune (17%)political payoffs for groups or individuals who have been crucial to the presidents career (25%)cronyism, people with whom the president has a close political or personal relationship (33%) Professional Qualifications Criteria individuals with distinguished credentials as practitioners or scholars of law (66%)superior records of public service (60%)prior judicial experience (50%) Later scholarly research has necessarily added gender and ethnicity to the balance choices, and the political philosophy today often hinges on how the nominee feels about the Constitution. But the main categories are still clearly in evidence. Kahn, for example, categorizes the criteria into Representational (race, gender, political party, religion, geography); Doctrinal (selection based on someone who matches the political views of the president); and Professional (intelligence, experience, temperament). Rejecting the Traditional Criteria Interestingly, the best performing justices- based on Blaustein and Mersky, the seminal 1972 ranking of Supreme Court justices- were those that were chosen by a president who did not share the nominees philosophical persuasion. For example, James Madison appointed Joseph Story and Herbert Hoover selected Benjamin Cardozo. Rejecting other traditional requirements also resulted in some great choices: justices Marshall, Harlan, Hughes, Brandeis, Stone, Cardozo, and Frankfurter were all chosen despite the fact that people on the SCOTUS were already in those regions. Justices Bushrod Washington, Joseph Story, John Campbell, and William Douglas were too young, and L.Q.C. Lamar was too old to fit the  right age criteria. Herbert Hoover appointed the Jewish Cardozo despite there already being a Jewish member of the court- Brandeis; and Truman replaced the vacant Catholic position with the Protestant Tom Clark. The Scalia Complication The death of long-time Associate Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016 set off a chain of events that would leave the Supreme Court facing the complicated situation of tied votes for over a year. In March 2016, the month after Scalia’s death, President Barack Obama nominated D.C. Circuit Judge Merrick Garland to replace him. The Republican-controlled Senate, however, argued that Scalia’s replacement should be appointed by the next president to be elected in November 2016. Controlling the committee system calendar, Senate Republicans succeeded in preventing hearings on Garland’s nomination from being scheduled. As a result, Garland’s nomination remained before the Senate longer than any other Supreme Court nomination, expiring with the end of the 114th Congress and President Obama’s final term in January 2017. On January 31, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated federal appeals court Judge Neil Gorsuch to replace Scalia. After being confirmed by a Senate vote of 54 to 45, Justice Gorsuch was sworn in on April 10, 2017. In total, Scalia’s seat remained vacant for 422 days, making it the second longest Supreme Court vacancy since the end of the Civil War. Updated by Robert Longley Sources Blaustein AP, and Mersky RM. 1972. Rating Supreme Court Justices. American Bar Association Journal 58(11):1183-1189.Hulbary WE, and Walker TG. 1980. The Supreme Court Selection Process: Presidential Motivations and Judicial Performance. The Western Political Quarterly 33(2):185-196.Kahn MA. 1995. The Appointment of a Supreme Court Justice: A Political Process from Beginning to End. Presidential Studies Quarterly 25(1):25-41.Segal JA, and Cover AD. 2014. Ideological Values and the Votes of U.S. Supreme Court Justices. American Political Science Review 83(2):557-565.Segal JA, Epstein L, Cameron CM, and Spaeth HJ. 1995. Ideological Values and the Votes of U.S. Supreme Court Justices Revisited. The Journal of Politics 57(3):812-823.

Nursing leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nursing leadership - Essay Example The perception of nursing is fundamentally described as the execution of clinical practices for the motive of facilitating every individual to enhance well as recover from different difficulties relating to their health. The major aim of nursing is to promote health along with growth and also to prevent the individuals from any sort of disease or injury. However, the other purposes of nursing include assisting speedy recovery of the individuals or the patients, facilitating independence in terms of health, complying with the needs of the patients and most importantly enhancing the well being of the individuals (Royal College of Nursing, 2003). Apart from the purposes, the notion of nursing entails certain significant responsibilities. It can be stated in the similar context that the responsibilities include performing physical examinations of the individuals or the patients, delivering health education along with counseling and managing care in association with different healthcare p rofessionals (Meleis, 2011). In this discussion, the significance, effectiveness as well as the applicability of nursing leadership on patient and staff outcomes in contemporary clinical practice contexts will be taken into concern. Discussion The term ‘leadership’ is principally described as a comprehensive procedure of recognizing a specific aim as well as motivating other people to perform deliberate activities for the purpose of attaining the desired objectives. Moreover, the notion of leadership is also defined as a method in which an individual broadly influences a collection of people or individuals in order to accomplish the common objectives (Northouse, 2009). The aspect of nursing leadership is defined as those activities which are usually performed by a nurse practitioner for enhancing the health as well as the safety of the individuals or the patients. The different leadership capabilities of a nursing leader comprise frequently consulting with the patients about their health, appropriately administering their treatments, making valuable decisions and coping up with the problems which arises within the team members or multidisciplinary colleagues. In relation to the aspect of leadership, it has been apparently observed that the various qualities of an effectual nursing leader encompass courage, integrity, initiative and most significantly possessing the capability to manage stress. Additionally, the other characteristics of a nursing leader are making effective communication with the team members or the multidisciplinary colleagues, incorporating new as well as creating innovative ideas, making deliberate work planning and encouraging staff participation within the background of healthcare settings (Frankel, 2008). The term ‘applicability’ is generally described as relevant or appropriate which may be applied in order to attain any significant response. Furthermore, the term can also be defined as a premeditated activity o f applying any sort of sensible applications for a particular purpose. The application of different methods as well as logical planning schemes can ultimately support the organizations along with their leaders to attain the preferred objectives successfully. The objectives may include attaining considerable market share, enhancing the profitability and accomplishing a significant competitive position over the chief market contenders (Medina, 2002). Conversely, the term ‘effectiveness’ is primarily described as the capability of accomplishing a desired result by the implementation of various policies or procedures. The term also depicts the extent towards which the goals are attained and the degree towards which the targeted difficulties are solved (Waldt, 2004). The significance, applicability as well as the effectiveness of nursing leadership on patient and staff outcomes in contemporary clinical practice context relates to the important fact that a ‘clinical nur se leader’ plays an imperative part in enhancing the hea

Discussion Board Post Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion Board Post Response - Essay Example For instance, many of the employees look demoralized in their activities as they feel devalued as their contributions in terms of input to the budget formulation does not matter (Zelman, McCue and Glick, 2009)). There is however one issue in particular I am interested in and would want you to clarify. Does your organization has a specific way of collecting employees, supervisors, and lower-level managers ideas or contributions to the budget? Does it happen during weekly meetings or do the employees forward their contributions or input to their supervisors who then forward it to the top managers? Martusciello, your post was interesting and I learnt a lot from your research. I had not imagined that a change in staffing matrix could be reason enough to deviate from a budget as you have noted in your post. It is true that when cases where some of the staff resigns or are on leave puts the management in a hard situation whereby they have to hire new employees temporarily. This according to Zelman, McCue and Glick (2009) translates to additional expenses as such expenditure in terms of salaries for the temporary staff is not initially planned. I also agree that unplanned situations such as an influx or surge in the number of patients could cause deviation from a budget. Your organization did the right thing to employ the additional eleven nurses to float to units. I am interested to know, did the surge in patients affect the nurses in any way in terms of burnout and elevated stress levels? Zelman, W., McCue, M., & Glick, N. (2009).Financial management of health care organizations: An introduction to fundamental tools, concepts, and applications(3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Jossey-Bass. Retrieved from the Walden Library

Literacy and illiteracy in UAE Essay Example for Free

Literacy and illiteracy in UAE Essay Education is one of the most basic factors for the uplifting of man’s basic level of understanding. The Middle East has suffered the most in terms of illiteracy of its nationals. UAE which is the most promising country in terms of infrastructure and economy of the Middle East has laid out certain strategic developments for the future. The United Arab Emirates had a very high illiteracy rate in the new millennium and it was estimated to be over 22%. The first of the country’s strategy was to recognize the problem’s complexity which is exactly done by UAE and has released a mammoth capital of $2 billion for the same cause. The government of UAE has strategized the situation well and has kept their primary focus on educating the teachers and professors on proper education techniques and making them learn about following proper accreditation guidelines. The project has already been launched by sending hundred school principals to various countries for gaining experience on teaching methods used by international developed countries The part of strategizing is having the pilot testing programs, which exactly is being done by the government of UAE in ten public schools, where right from the level of education to the insight on infrastructure will be given a complete overhaul. UAE has targeted 100% literacy rates in 2015 and for achieving this target the strategies that are being are not only for children but also emphasis has been given on adult education. The following will shed light on the government’s intention of educating illiterate adults of the country: ‘Thousands of nationals pursuing formal learning at 86 adult education centers across the country. Many of them are above 50 years of age. A large number of graduates from these evening schools have enrolled for higher education at various universities’ (Courtesy: Team KT, â€Å"UAE targets total literacy†. 16 March 2008 . Retrieved on November 29, 2008 from http://www. khaleejtimes. com/DisplayArticleNew. asp? xfile=data/theuae/2008/March/theuae_March498. xmlsection=theuaecol=) The country is doing well in its planning and its implementation and the stratagem to the problem if illiteracy has been very seriously executed. Reference: 1) Team KT, â€Å"UAE targets total literacy†. 16 March 2008. http://www. khaleejtimes. com/DisplayArticleNew. asp? xfile=data/theuae/2008/March/theuae_March498. xmlsection=theuaecol 2) Andy Sambidge, â€Å"UAE education chief reveals $2bn strategy†. 17 November 2008. http://www. arabianbusiness. com/538482-uae-education-chief-reveals-2bn-strategy

Denying Medical Value Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tens of thousands of patients are denied of medical cannabis that could benefit from its therapeutic use. Not only does it help ease the pain of many agonizing diseases, but it also contributes to the prevention of some illnesses. It can also replace harmful antibiotics that we use now. An abundance of arguments have been made on this issue, but I feel as though most of them are a bit far-fetched and can be retaliated with legitimate responses, which will be further explained later in this essay. So far, twelve states have legalized marijuana for medicinal uses. These states include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. The earliest to pass this law was in 1996, and with much reason.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Medicinal marijuana can provide multiple types of pain relief. First, it was proved to relieve asthma attacks and improve breathing. Also, its active ingredient, THC, reduces vomiting and nausea caused by chemotherapy. It relieves the muscle pain and spasticity that comes from multiple sclerosis, and may also help some of these unfortunate patients with bladder control and relieve tremor. The leading cause of blindness in the United States is caused by glaucoma, which is when the pressure inside one’s eyeball has increased. Marijuana, when smoked, reduces this pressure, making it a significant amount better to deal with. Medicinal cannabis also strongly improv...

Philosophy of Space and Time Essay

At the end of the nineteenth century, physicists were looking back at an era of progress unrivaled in known history. Classical, or Newtonian, physics explained the motion of objects in space and on earth, Kepler’s laws accurately predicted planetary motion, and Maxwell’s electromagnetic unified electricity and magnetism theory and predicted, correctly, that electromagnetic waves behaved exactly like light; paving the way for the recognition that light itself was an electromagnetic wave. It appeared that the world was explained. It was not to be. Two revolutionary theories were introduced that changed forever the way in which scientists and lay people alike view the universe. These were the Theory of Relativity and Quantum Physics (Giancoli 730) . Physicists at the turn of the century assumed that any wave must travel through some medium. This assumption required there to be some transparent substance in space that would allow light to propagate through it, much like a ripple on the water. They knew that this could not be air, since light traveled from stars to the earth through the emptiness of space. Another medium had to be responsible. This medium was named the Ether and it was thought to exist in all space. They understood that the ether had a zero density, since it was very difficult to detect (Giancoli 731). Two physicists in the 1880’s, Michelson and Morley, designed a clever experiment that they thought would determine the speed of the Earth in orbit around the sun. They anticipated being able to measure the speed of light in different orientations. They anticipated that the speed would vary with the orientation of the light wave to the ether. What they discovered was that the speed was constant. They believed there experiment was a failure. What their experiment showed, although they did not accept it, was that the ether did not exist. In 1905 Albert Einstein proposed a theory that reconciled this and other issues. This theory would change how scientists and lay people viewed space, time, mass, and energy (Giancoli 730). Einstein’s equation relating mass and energy, E = MC2, is easily recognizable. It brings together matter and energy as different forms of the same substance. This would imply that mass could be converted directly to energy, and vice versa. This radical departure from classical physics had several implications, both for scientists and for our culture. For scientists, the theory of relativity established the ultimate speed limit. The speed of light in a vacuum, c, is as fast as anything can go (Giancoli 748). Culturally, the discovery of relativity and quantum physics made possible such things as nuclear power, nuclear weapons, and medical imagery such as MRI Scans, CAT Scans, and PET scans. The advent of nuclear weapons changed our society. Nuclear attacks were a common theme in Hollywood films. Citizens built there own bomb shelters, argued the pros and cons of the nuclear power industry, and have enjoyed the advances in medicine. Indeed, our society now takes for granted these advances, and assumes that there will be a continued rapid advance as our knowledge base improves. Cosmology, or the study of the universe, has benefited from the theory of relativity. Many phenomenons, such as black holes, are only describable in terms of relativity and quantum physics. The advent of space telescopes, radio telescopes, and optical telescopes that detect emissions outside of the visible spectrum have shown the world the images of a universe unlike the one that was believed to exist just a hundred years ago (Giancoli 914-942). The search for extra-terrestrial life was instigated with the federal governments backing. The private citizens embraced this search, of 3 so much so that when the government quit funding SETI, individual citizens continued to support it. The discovery of relativity, quantum physics, and the new nature of cosmology has changed not only the scientific community but society as a whole. SETI, CAT scans, an Einstein’s name are household terms. The changes in perception of the world around us really cannot be overstated.

Black House Chapter Ten

10 AS THE CRUISER with Tom Lund behind the wheel noses down Third Street to Chase roof-rack lights decorously dark, siren off Dale takes out his wallet and begins digging through the mess in the back: business cards people have given him, a few dog-eared photographs, little licks of folded-over notebook paper. On one of the latter he finds what he wants. â€Å"Whatcha doin', boss?† Tom asks. â€Å"None of your beeswax. Just drive the car.† Dale grabs the phone from its spot on the console, grimaces and wipes off the residue of someone's powdered doughnut, then, without much hope, dials the number of Jack Sawyer's cell phone. He starts to smile when the phone is answered on the fourth ring, but the smile metamorphoses into a frown of puzzlement. He knows that voice and should recognize it, but â€Å"Hello?† says the person who has apparently answered Jack's cell phone. â€Å"Speak now, whoever you are, or forever hold your peace.† Then Dale knows. Would have known immediately if he had been at home or in his office, but in this context â€Å"Henry?† he says, knowing he sounds stupid but not able to help it. â€Å"Uncle Henry, is that you?† Jack is piloting his truck across the Tamarack Bridge when the cell phone in his pants pocket starts its annoying little tweet. He takes it out and taps the back of Henry's hand with it. â€Å"Deal with this,† he says. â€Å"Cell phones give you brain cancer.† â€Å"Which is okay for me but not for you.† â€Å"More or less, yeah.† â€Å"That's what I love about you, Jack,† Henry says, and opens the phone with a nonchalant flick of the wrist. â€Å"Hello?† And, after a pause: â€Å"Speak now, whoever you are, or forever hold your peace.† Jack glances at him, then back at the road. They're coming up on Roy's Store, where the early shopper gets the best greens. â€Å"Yes, Dale. It is indeed your esteemed † Henry listens, frowning a little bit and smiling a little bit. â€Å"I'm in Jack's truck, with Jack,† he says. â€Å"George Rathbun isn't working this morning because KDCU is covering the Summer Marathon over in La Riv â€Å" He listens some more, then says: â€Å"If it's a Nokia which is what it feels like and sounds like then it's digital rather than analog. Wait.† He looks at Jack. â€Å"Your cell,† he says. â€Å"It's a Nokia?† â€Å"Yes, but why â€Å" â€Å"Because digital phones are supposedly harder to snoop,† Henry says, and goes back to the phone. â€Å"It's a digital, and I'll put him on. I'm sure Jack can explain everything.† Henry hands him the telephone, folds his hands primly in his lap, and looks out the window exactly as he would if surveying the scenery. And maybe he is, Jack thinks. Maybe in some weird fruit-bat way, he really is. He pulls over to the shoulder on Highway 93. He doesn't like the cell phone to begin with twenty-first-century slave bracelets, he thinks them but he absolutely loathes driving while talking on one. Besides, Irma Freneau isn't going anywhere this morning. â€Å"Dale?† he says. â€Å"Where are you?† Dale asks, and Jack knows at once that the Fisherman has been busy elsewhere, too. As long as it's not another dead kid, he thinks. Not that, not yet, please. â€Å"How come you're with Henry? Is Fred Marshall there, too?† Jack tells him about the change in plan, and is about to go on when Dale breaks in. â€Å"Whatever you're doing, I want you to get your ass out to a place called Ed's Eats and Dawgs, near Goltz's. Henry can help you find it. The Fisherman called the station, Jack. He called 911. Told us Irma Freneau's body is out there. Well, not in so many words, but he did say she.† Dale is not quite babbling, but almost. Jack notes this as any good clinician would note the symptoms of a patient. â€Å"I need you, Jack. I really â€Å" â€Å"That's where we were headed anyway,† Jack says quietly, although they are going absolutely nowhere at this moment, just sitting on the shoulder while the occasional car blips past on 93. â€Å"What?† Hoping that Dale and Henry are right about the virtues of digital technology, Jack tells French Landing's police chief about his morning delivery, aware that Henry, although still looking out the window, is listening sharply. He tells Dale that Ty Marshall's cap was on top of the box with the feathers and Irma's foot inside it. â€Å"Holy . . .† Dale says, sounding out of breath. â€Å"Holy shit.† â€Å"Tell me what you've done,† Jack says, and Dale does. It sounds pretty good so far, at least but Jack doesn't like the part about Arnold Hrabowski. The Mad Hungarian has impressed him as the sort of fellow who will never be able to behave like a real cop, no matter how hard he tries. Back in L.A., they used to call the Arnie Hrabowskis of the world Mayberry RFDs. â€Å"Dale, what about the phone at the 7-Eleven?† â€Å"It's a pay phone,† Dale says, as if speaking to a child. â€Å"Yes, but there could be fingerprints,† Jack says. â€Å"I mean, there are going to be billions of fingerprints, but forensics can isolate the freshest. Easily. He might have worn gloves, but maybe not. If he's leaving messages and calling cards as well as writing to the parents, he's gone Stage Two. Killing isn't enough for him anymore. He wants to play you now. Play with you. Maybe he even wants to be caught and stopped, like Son of Sam.† â€Å"The phone. Fresh fingerprints on the phone.† Dale sounds badly humiliated, and Jack's heart goes out to him. â€Å"Jack, I can't do this. I'm lost.† This is something to which Jack chooses not to speak. Instead he says, â€Å"Who've you got who can see to the phone?† â€Å"Dit Jesperson and Bobby Dulac, I guess.† Bobby, Jack thinks, is entirely too good to waste for long at the 7-Eleven outside town. â€Å"Just have them crisscross the phone with yellow tape and talk to the guy on duty. Then they can come on out to the site.† â€Å"Okay.† Dale hesitates, then asks a question. The defeat in it, the sense of almost complete abrogation, makes Jack sad. â€Å"Anything else?† â€Å"Have you called the State Police? County? Does that FBI guy know? The one who thinks he looks like Tommy Lee Jones?† Dale snorts. â€Å"Uh . . . actually, I'd decided to sit on notification for a little while.† â€Å"Good,† Jack says, and the savage satisfaction in his voice causes Henry to turn from his blind regard of the countryside and regard his friend instead, eyebrows raised. Let us rise up again on wings as eagles, as the Reverend Lance Hovdahl, French Landing's Lutheran pastor, might say and fly down the black ribbon of Highway 93, back toward town. We reach Route 35 and turn right. Closer and to our right is the overgrown lane that leads not to a dragon's hidden gold or secret dwarf mines but to that peculiarly unpleasant black house. A little farther on, we can see the futuristic dome shape of Goltz's (well . . . it seemed futuristic in the seventies, at least). All our landmarks are in place, including the rubbly, weedy path that shoots off from the main road to the left. This is the track that leads to the remains of Ed Gilbertson's erstwhile palace of guilty pleasures. Let us flutter onto the telephone line just across from this track. Hot gossip tickles our birdy feet: Paula Hrabowski's friend Myrtle Harrington passing on the news of the dead body (or bodies) at Ed's to Richie Bumstead, who will in turn pass it on to Beezer St. Pierre, grieving father and spiritual leader of the Thunder Five. This passage of voices through the wire probably shouldn't please us, but it does. Gossip is no doubt nasty stuff, but it does energize the human spirit. Now, from the west comes the cruiser with Tom Lund at the wheel and Dale Gilbertson in the shotgun seat. And from the east comes Jack's burgundy-colored Ram pickup. They reach the turnoff to Ed's at the same time. Jack motions for Dale to go first, then follows him. We take wing, fly above and then ahead of them. We roost on the rusty Esso gas pump to watch developments. Jack drives slowly down the lane to the half-collapsed building that stands in a scruff of high weeds and goldenrod. He's looking for any sign of passage, and sees only the fresh tracks made by Dale and Tom's police car. â€Å"We've got the place to ourselves,† he informs Henry. â€Å"Yes, but for how long?† Not very would have been Jack's answer, had he bothered to give one. Instead, he pulls up next to Dale's car and gets out. Henry rolls down his window but stays put, as ordered. Ed's was once a simple wooden building about the length of a Burlington Northern boxcar and with a boxcar's flat roof. At the south end, you could buy sof'-serve ice cream from one of three windows. At the north end you could get your nasty hot dog or your even nastier order of fish and chips to go. In the middle was a small sit-down restaurant featuring a counter and red-top stools. Now the south end has entirely collapsed, probably from the weight of snow. All the windows have been broken in. There's some graffiti So-and-so chugs cock, we fucked Patty Jarvis untill she howelled, TROY LUVS MARYANN but not as much as Jack might have expected. All but one of the stools have been looted. Crickets are conversing in the grass. They're loud, but not as loud as the flies inside the ruined restaurant. There are lots of flies in there, a regular fly convention in progress. And â€Å"Do you smell it?† Dale asks him. Jack nods. Of course he does. He's smelled it already today, but now it's worse. Because there's more of Irma out here to send up a stink. Much more than what would fit into a single shoe box. Tom Lund has produced a handkerchief and is mopping his broad, distressed face. It's warm, but not warm enough to account for the sweat streaming off his face and brow. And his skin is pasty. â€Å"Officer Lund,† Jack says. â€Å"Huh!† Tom jumps and looks rather wildly around at Jack. â€Å"You may have to vomit. If you feel you must, do it over there.† Jack points to an overgrown track, even more ancient and ill-defined than the one leading in from the main road. This one seems to meander in the direction of Goltz's. â€Å"I'll be okay,† Tom says. â€Å"I know you will. But if you need to unload, don't do it on what may turn out to be evidence.† â€Å"I want you to start stringing yellow tape around the entire building,† Dale tells his officer. â€Å"Jack? A word?† Dale puts a hand on Jack's forearm and starts walking back toward the truck. Although he's got a good many things on his mind, Jack notices how strong that hand is. And no tremble in it. Not yet, anyway. â€Å"What is it?† Jack asks impatiently when they're standing near the passenger window of the truck. â€Å"We want a look before the whole world gets here, don't we? Wasn't that the idea, or am I â€Å" â€Å"You need to get the foot, Jack,† Dale says. And then: â€Å"Hello, Uncle Henry, you look spiff.† â€Å"Thanks,† Henry says. â€Å"What are you talking about?† Jack asks. â€Å"That foot is evidence.† Dale nods. â€Å"I think it ought to be evidence found here, though. Unless, of course, you relish the idea of spending twenty-four hours or so answering questions in Madison.† Jack opens his mouth to tell Dale not to waste what little time they have with arrant idiocies, then closes it again. It suddenly occurs to him how his possession of that foot might look to minor-league smarties like Detectives Brown and Black. Maybe even to a major-league smarty like John Redding of the FBI. Brilliant cop retires at an impossibly young age, and to the impossibly bucolic town of French Landing, Wisconsin. He has plenty of scratch, but the source of income is blurry, to say the least. And oh, look at this, all at once there's a serial killer operating in the neighborhood. Maybe the brilliant cop has got a loose screw. Maybe he's like those firemen who enjoy the pretty flames so much they get into the arson game themselves. Certainly Dale's Color Posse would have to wonder why the Fisherman would send an early retiree like Jack a victim's body part. And the hat, Jack thinks. Don't forget Ty's baseball cap. All at once he knows how Dale felt when Jack told him that the phone at the 7-Eleven had to be cordoned off. Exactly. â€Å"Oh man,† he says. â€Å"You're right.† He looks at Tom Lund, industriously running yellow POLICE LINE tape while butterflies dance around his shoulders and the flies continue their drunken buzzing from the shadows of Ed's Eats. â€Å"What about him?† â€Å"Tom will keep his mouth shut,† Dale says, and on that Jack decides to trust him. He wouldn't, had it been the Hungarian. â€Å"I owe you one,† Jack says. â€Å"Yep,† Henry agrees from his place in the passenger seat. â€Å"Even a blind man could see he owes you one.† â€Å"Shut up, Uncle Henry,† Dale says. â€Å"Yes, mon capitaine.† â€Å"What about the cap?† Jack asks. â€Å"If we find anything else of Ty Marshall's . . .† Dale pauses, then swallows. â€Å"Or Ty himself, we'll leave it. If not, you keep it for the time being.† â€Å"I think maybe you just saved me a lot of major irritation,† Jack says, leading Dale to the back of the truck. He opens the stainless steel box behind the cab, which he hasn't bothered to lock for the run out here, and takes out one of the trash-can liners. From inside it comes the slosh of water and the clink of a few remaining ice cubes. â€Å"The next time you get feeling dumb, you might remind yourself of that.† Dale ignores this completely. â€Å"Ohgod,† he says, making it one word. He's looking at the Baggie that has just emerged from the trash-can liner. There are beads of water clinging to the transparent sides. â€Å"The smell of it!† Henry says with undeniable distress. â€Å"Oh, the poor child!† â€Å"You can smell it even through the plastic?† Jack asks. â€Å"Yes indeed. And coming from there.† Henry points at the ruined restaurant and then produces his cigarettes. â€Å"If I'd known, I would have brought a jar of Vicks and an El Producto.† In any case, there's no need to walk the Baggie with the gruesome artifact inside it past Tom Lund, who has now disappeared behind the ruins with his reel of yellow tape. â€Å"Go on in,† Dale instructs Jack quietly. â€Å"Get a look and take care of the thing in that Baggie if you find . . . you know . . . her. I want to speak to Tom.† Jack steps through the warped, doorless doorway into the thickening stench. Outside, he can hear Dale instructing Tom to send Pam Stevens and Danny Tcheda back down to the end of the access road as soon as they arrive, where they will serve as passport control. The interior of Ed's Eats will probably be bright by afternoon, but now it is shadowy, lit mostly by crazed, crisscrossing rays of sun. Galaxies of dust spin lazily through them. Jack steps carefully, wishing he had a flashlight, not wanting to go back and get one from the cruiser until he's taken care of the foot. (He thinks of this as â€Å"redeployment.†) There are human tracks through the dust, trash, and drifts of old gray feathers. The tracks are man-sized. Weaving in and out of them are a dog's paw-prints. Off to his left, Jack spies a neat little pile of droppings. He steps around the rusty remains of an overturned gas grill and follows both sets of tracks around the filthy counter. Outside, the second French Landing cruiser is rolling up. In here, in this darker world, the sound of the flies has become a soft roar and the stench . . . the stench . . . Jack fishes a handkerchief from his pocket and places it over his nose as he follows the tracks into the kitchen. Here the pawprints multiply and the human footprints disappear completely. Jack thinks grimly of the circle of beaten-down grass he made in the field of that other world, a circle with no path of beaten-down grass leading to it. Lying against the far wall near a pool of dried blood is what remains of Irma Freneau. The mop of her filthy strawberry-blond hair mercifully obscures her face. Above her on a rusty piece of tin that probably once served as a heat shield for the deep-fat fryers, two words have been written with what Jack feels sure was a black Sharpie marker: Hello boys â€Å"Ah, fuck,† Dale Gilbertson says from almost directly behind him, and Jack nearly screams. Outside, the snafu starts almost immediately. Halfway back down the access road, Danny and Pam (not in the least disappointed to have been assigned guard duty once they have actually seen the slumped ruin of Ed's and smelled the aroma drifting from it) nearly have a head-on with an old International Harvester pickup that is bucketing toward Ed's at a good forty miles an hour. Luckily, Pam swings the cruiser to the right and the driver of the pickup Teddy Runkleman swings left. The vehicles miss each other by inches and swerve into the grass on either side of this poor excuse for a road. The pickup's rusty bumper thumps against a small birch. Pam and Danny get out of their unit, hearts pumping, adrenaline spurting. Four men come spilling out of the pickup's cab like clowns out of the little car in the circus. Mrs. Morton would recognize them all as regulars at Roy's Store. Layabouts, she would call them. â€Å"What in the name of God are you doing?† Danny Tcheda roars. His hand drops to the butt of his gun and then falls away a bit reluctantly. He's getting a headache. The men (Runkleman is the only one the officers know by name, although between them they recognize the faces of the other three) are goggle-eyed with excitement. â€Å"How many ja find?† one of them spits. Pam can actually see the spittle spraying out in the morning air, a sight she could have done without. â€Å"How many'd the bastid kill?† Pam and Danny exchange a single dismayed look. And before they can reply, holy God, here comes an old Chevrolet Bel Air with another four or five men inside it. No, one of them is a woman. They pull up and spill out, also like clowns from the little car. But we're the real clowns, Pam thinks. Us. Pam and Danny are surrounded by eight semihysterical men and one semihysterical woman, all of them throwing questions. â€Å"Hell, I'm going up there and see for myself!† Teddy Runkleman shouts, almost jubilantly, and Danny realizes the situation is on the verge of spinning out of control. If these fools get the rest of the way up the access road, Dale will first tear him a new asshole and then salt it down. â€Å"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, ALL OF YOU!† he bawls, and actually draws his gun. It's a first for him, and he hates the weight of it in his hand these are ordinary people, after all, not bad guys but it gets their attention. â€Å"This is a crime scene,† Pam says, finally able to speak in a normal tone of voice. They mutter and look at one another; worst fears confirmed. She steps to the driver of the Chevrolet. â€Å"Who are you, sir? A Saknessum? You look like a Saknessum.† â€Å"Freddy,† he admits. â€Å"Well, you get back in your vehicle, Freddy Saknessum, and the rest of you who came with him also get in, and you back the hell right out of here. Don't bother trying to turn around, you'll just get stuck.† â€Å"But † the woman begins. Pam thinks she's a Sanger, a clan of fools if ever there was one. â€Å"Stow it and go,† Pam tells her. â€Å"And you right behind him,† Danny tells Teddy Runkleman. He just hopes to Christ no more will come along, or they'll end up trying to manage a parade in reverse. He doesn't know how the news got out, and at this moment can't afford to care. â€Å"Unless you want a summons for interfering with a police investigation. That can get you five years.† He has no idea if there is such a charge, but it gets them moving even better than the sight of his pistol. The Chevrolet backs out, rear end wagging from side to side like a dog's tail. Runkleman's pickup goes next, with two of the men standing up in back and peering over the cab, trying to catch sight of the old restaurant's roof, at least. Their curiosity lends them a look of unpleasant vacuity. The P.D. unit comes last, herding the old car and older truck like a corgi herding sheep, roof-rack lights now pulsing. Pam is forced to ride mostly on the brake, and as she drives she lets loose a low-pitched stream of words her mother never taught her. â€Å"Do you kiss your kids good-night with that mouth?† Danny asks, not without admiration. â€Å"Shut up,† she says. Then: â€Å"You got any aspirin?† â€Å"I was going to ask you the same thing,† Danny says. They get back out to the main road just in time. Three more vehicles are coming from the direction of French Landing, two from the direction of Centralia and Arden. A siren rises in the warming air. Another cruiser, the third in what was supposed to be an unobtrusive line, is coming along, passing the lookie-loos from town. â€Å"Oh man.† Danny sounds close to tears. â€Å"Oh man, oh man, oh man. It's gonna be a carnival, and I bet the staties still don't know. They'll have kittens. Dale is gonna have kittens.† â€Å"It'll be all right,† Pam says. â€Å"Calm down. We'll just pull across the road and park. Also stick your gun back in the fucking holster.† â€Å"Yes, Mother.† He stows his piece as Pam swings across the access road, pulling back to let the third cruiser through, then pulling forward again to block the way. â€Å"Yeah, maybe we caught it in time to put a lid on it.† â€Å"Course we did.† They relax a little. Both of them have forgotten the old stretch of road that runs between Ed's and Goltz's, but there are plenty of folks in town who know about it. Beezer St. Pierre and his boys, for instance. And while Wendell Green does not, guys like him always seem able to find the back way. They've got an instinct for it.