Of mice and men Film Essay

â€Å"Of mice and men† is a very touching film of hopes dreams and friendship. Adapted from the novel by John Steinbeck. The film is about two friends, Lennie and George, with a dream of great times with their own land and house. But there is a another story intertwined with theirs, about what people think of women. The two stories together will hold you in an array of emotions from joy to sorrow, and pride to guilt. This film if full of brilliant acting and meaningful uses of light and props. Of the two stories we will look at the one about women. We open the film with a man sitting in the shadows. Little light is coming in through the slits in the wood he is leaning on. He looks depressed and upset and bows his head as if he’s trying to recall his memories of what went wrong to lead to this depression. And then we are suddenly in a field with early evening light filling a beautiful landscape, the main focus of our attention is of the woman running across the picture, she’s white with brown hair wearing a torn red dress. As she runs we can see she’s trying to run away form something or somebody, she’s crying and the only sound we hear is her distressed breathing like she wants to cry but is holding the tears back. She looks like she has been attacked, although the dress is torn we only see a petty coat and not any flesh so this suggests that it might not have been sexual. But we can’t really say for sure. The red dress represents passion so this says it could be sexual. We the see the two main characters running so we now think that they are connected to this. We never see this woman again in the whole of the story. The next woman we find is first only known as ‘Curly’s wife’. She first comes into the story when she enters the bunkhouse where Lennie and George have only just arrived and are unpacking. She’s wearing a flowery dress which could be seen as innocent as it is cool colours and doesn’t reveal much of her figure. Her hair is also in a very feminine style again to show innocence. â€Å"I’m looking for curly† she says, almost as if she needs an excuse for being there. But also at the same time using it in an almost flirty sort of way trying to see how the new boys will react. â€Å"He was in here a minute ago, but he left† George replies cutting off that conversation. He hasn’t stopped staring at her since she entered but not in a flattering way. We know he is a cautious person and he is almost looking at her trying to spot any type of threat. Especially as when Curly was in here he wasn’t particularly nice. So his wife, even if she isn’t like him in character, can still get him into trouble. â€Å"Well I guess I better look some place else† she says turning to face the door, only not to leave, just so the light shines on her from outside, showing off her figure. We now know that this girl is just one big flirt and George can see that. He wants her to leave as it’s the only thing that can happen to stop this tension, he can’t leave with Lennie as they have no excuse to. Eventually after some more flirty lines she leaves. Through this scene we have been introduced to the only other woman in the film and we know she’s a flirt and danger even if her image suggest otherwise at times. The camera reinforces this along with what she does. It starts with full body shots at the beginning of the scene and as she gets more flirtatious the shots concentrate on her upper body, then just her face, the attention is on her a lot of the time. The next scene with Curly’s wife is in a barn as George takes a mule in. As he calls out for the stable buck she answers instead and comes half way over to some bags of hay. She’s in another flowery dress, again trying to portray innocence be we know that she is anything but innocent. This time she is also holding a book, possibly a story or maybe a diary, either suggest that maybe she isn’t as much of the tart as we first thought and that she enjoys reading. Once again she tries to start a conversation, but George is still cautious of her and ignores her, concentrating on the mule. So to try to entice him she starts to once again flirt, as she sits on the bags of hay she leans back a little defining her chest. Her dress has ridden up revealing quite a bit of her leg, she pats the seat next to her trying to get him to come over. But still he just ignores her so she shouts. â€Å"come over here and talk to me!† he gets up and walks over to her. She calms down now she has her way. So she flirts to get her way most of the time but what we really want to know is if she really after a conversation or whether she only wants a cheap thrill like she has implied. All we have seen of her is her flirting and even now as he’s come over to talk she is leaning against a pole like a lap dancer, asking about whether he has a sweetheart back home. We can almost certainly say that she is only after one thing. But then some thing happens that maybe changes our perspective of her. Her husband comes in. He ask what’s going on and she says â€Å"nothing† â€Å"I wasn’t talking to you.† he replies â€Å"get back in the house.† â€Å"you don’t own me curly.† She says he now comes close to her and says in a way that seems like he might hit her â€Å"I said go†. And so she does. In this brief 2 minute talk we can see her relationship with her husband isn’t a good one but he had just caught her with another man so maybe he can justify his anger. In this scene we have seen that Curly’s wife is as we thought very flirty but that her relationship with her husband might cause this. She next walks into shot again in a flowery dress with a book as Lennie and George are hard at work in a field. In the scene before this Lennie and Curly have a fight. Lennie ends up with a bruised and scratched face and Curly gets a broken hand. â€Å"Hi.† she says, this is given a glance but they don’t reply or give any recognition. â€Å"sure is hot out here to day.† She try’s again to get conversation going. But again they don’t care and keep on working. So she try’s again. â€Å"I said it sure is hot out here.† â€Å"why don’t you go back to your house we don’t want no trouble.† Says George in a way that says I know I cant force you but I don’t want you here. This is of course because of what Curly did. She is taken aback by this, she is used to being ignored but not told to leave by anyone other than her husband. â€Å"I just want some one to talk to.† She says. â€Å"you got a husband, go talk to him† George replies. â€Å"yeah I got a husband.† She says almost in a disappointed way. She then asks how Curly got his hand broken. To which George lies and says he got his hand caught in a machine. But this doesn’t fool her so seeking an answer she asks Lennie who she knows won’t have the mental capacity to make up a lie. â€Å"how did you get those scratches on your face?† she asks. Lennie looks to George and then looks away saying, â€Å"he got it caught in a machine.† He answers. â€Å"is that so?† She says with a look that is trying to work out how Lennie thinks. Almost as if she is concerned for him. She then quietly leaves. In this scene we begin to see that she isn’t stupid she can work things out. Also that she doesn’t like Curly and being married to him. The possibility that all she wants is some one to talk to is again present. In her penultimate scene we change our whole opinion of Curly’s wife. Its set at night as Lennie and George are returning to the bunk house. Most of the other men are still in town spending their money in a whore house on girls and drink. Just as they are about to enter the bunk house Curly’s wife comes out of the shadows looking upset and as if she has been crying. â€Å"is curly back yet?† she asks. â€Å"no.† says George knowing that Curly could very well be with another woman right now. She then says how Curly broke her records and we finally see a frail side of her caused by the fact her husband is now out possibly with another woman, he doesn’t even talk to his wife, he doesn’t even leave her with some measly records to listen to. We are shoved into feeling sorry for this poor girl and guilty that we thought she was just after a cheap thrill, when all she really wanted was someone to talk too. We get to see the woman’s frail side in this scene and we finally see her true motivation for the way she is, we see that she is very hurt and is just good at putting a brave face on things. In her last scene Curly’s wife walks into a barn where Lennie has just accidentally killed a puppy. As she comes over he hides away and says how she would get him in trouble. â€Å"what’s wrong with me?† she shouts at him as he rejects her company. Lennie doesn’t see her as a sex object and so he doesn’t see any danger in her although he is slightly attracted to her. So he opens up a little to her and in turn she opens up and finally we see her shed this mask that only shows her body and the fact that she is just a woman and should be treated as just some object. But now Lennie is sitting there talking to her as an equal and this is the sort of interaction with other people that she has tried to get through out the whole film. We find out as she opens up that she wanted to be an actress and she had plans to go to the theatre or Broadway and be an actress. Lennie is going on about tending the rabbits and not really listening but still Curly’s wife doesn’t care and talks about her dreams still. Eventually they do start listening to each other, and they find a common like for soft things. She lets him feel her hair, and then we see her open up in another way. Usually Curly is only interested in one thing, quick sex to satisfy him with no feelings involved, but here with Lennie she is being appreciated with close touch. She likes the fact he is being gentle and soft only after the simple pleasure of being able to stroke her hair. But he is a child in a strong mans body and he doesn’t let go of her hair when she asks him to stop as he gets a little rough, and she screams, he grabs her and gags her, he only wants her to stop shouting but as he lays her back down we see that he has broken her neck. She lies silently in a pool of light on the hay as Lennie runs in fear. For a brief second we saw this beautiful woman blossom and show her true self and now she is gone. Though this film we see a progressing way in how men picture women. In the bunk house scene all we see is a flirty woman, and we are focused on her body. In the second scene we get another showing of this but at the end we see her giving in to her husband and maybe a suggestion of how he treats her. Next we see her being ignored by the boys, they consider her trouble even thought its not directly her fault, also we see a bit of her intelligence and that she isn’t that stupid. Then finally we see her frailty and that she is not just a pair of breasts on legs, she has feeling as well as a mind and emotions. We can conclude that because of the way men see her, causes her to flirt as it’s the only way to get any attention. Because she doesn’t get the conversation and interaction from Curly she turns else where and flirting is the only way to get that interaction she wants. In the last scene we see her mind, her dreams, opinions and thoughts. we see the side of her that has been ignored by every one just because she’s a woman. Through the whole film we don’t even get to know her name. But with Lennie these barriers are broken as he doesn’t understand them and so she can open up and talk to this person. Even though he might not be listening he isn’t blocking her out because she a woman and she gets the interaction that she wants and that she has been searching for. Then finally she dies and we are left with a memory of a woman that showed her mind to us and how she was no longer just a body to be looked at by men. But for a brief moment considered as an individual person.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 18 THE FUNERAL

I SPRINTED DOWN THE STAIRS AND THREW THE DOOR open. It was Jacob, of course. Even blind, Alice wasn't slow. He was standing about six feet back from the door, his nose wrinkled in distaste, but his face otherwise smoothmasklike. He didn't fool me; I could see the faint trembling of his hands. Hostility rolled off of him in waves. It brought back that awful afternoon when he'd chosen Sam over me, and I felt my chin jerk up defensively in response. Jacob's Rabbit idled by the curb with Jared behind the wheel and Embry in the passenger seat. I understood what this meant: they were afraid to let him come here alone. It made me sad, and a little annoyed. The Cullens weren't like that. â€Å"Hey,† I finally said when he didn't speak. Jake pursed his lips, still hanging back from the door. His eyes flickered across the front of the house. I ground my teeth. â€Å"She's not here. Do you need something?† He hesitated. â€Å"You're alone?† â€Å"Yes.† I sighed. â€Å"Can I talk to you a minute?† â€Å"Of course you can, Jacob. Come on in.† Jacob glanced over his shoulder at his friends in the car. I saw Embry shake his head just a tiny bit. For some reason, this bugged me to no end. My teeth clenched together again. â€Å"Chicken† I mumbled under my breath. Jake's eyes flashed back to me, his thick, black brows pushing into a furious angle over his deep-set eyes. His jaw set, and he marchedthere was no other way to describe the way he movedup the sidewalk and shrugged past me into the house. I locked gazes with first Jared and then EmbryI didn't like the hard way they eyed me; did they really think I would let anything hurt Jacobbefore I shut the door on them. Jacob was in the hall behind me, staring at the mess of blankets in the living room. â€Å"Slumber party?† he asked, his tone sarcastic. â€Å"Yeah,† I answered with the same level of acid. I didn't like Jacob when he acted this way. â€Å"What's it to you?† He wrinkled his nose again like he smelled something unpleasant. â€Å"Where's your ‘friend'?† I could hear the quotation marks in his tone. â€Å"She had some errands to run. Look, Jacob, what do you want?† Something about the room seemed to make him edgierhis long arms were quivering. He didn't answer my question. Instead he moved on to the kitchen, his restless eyes darting everywhere. I followed him. He paced back and forth along the short counter. â€Å"Hey,† I said, putting myself in his way. He stopped pacing and stared down at me. â€Å"What's your problem?† â€Å"I don't like having to be here.† That stung. I winced, and his eyes tightened. â€Å"Then I'm sorry you had to come,† I muttered. â€Å"Why don't you tell me what you need so you can leave?† â€Å"I just have to ask you a couple of questions. It shouldn't take long. We have to get back for the funeral.† â€Å"Okay. Get it over with then.† I was probably overdoing it with the antagonism, but I didn't want him to see how much this hurt. I knew I wasn't being fair. After all, I'd picked the bloodsucker over him last night. I'd hurt him first. He took a deep breath, and his trembling fingers were suddenly still. His face smoothed into a serene mask. â€Å"One of the Cullens is staying here with you,† he stated. â€Å"Yes. Alice Cullen.† He nodded thoughtfully. â€Å"How long is she here for?† â€Å"As long as she wants to be.† The belligerence was still there in my tone. â€Å"It's an open invitation.† â€Å"Do you think you could please explain to her about the other oneVictoria?† I paled. â€Å"I told her about that.† He nodded. â€Å"You should know that we can only watch our own lands with a Cullen here. You'll only be safe in La Push. I can't protect you here anymore.† â€Å"Okay,† I said in a small voice. He looked away then, out the back windows. He didn't continue. â€Å"Is that all?† He kept his eyes on the glass as he answered. â€Å"Just one more thing.† I waited, but he didn't continue. â€Å"Yes?† I finally prompted. â€Å"Are the rest of them coming back now?† he asked in a cool, quiet voice. It reminded me of Sam's always calm manner. Jacob was becoming more like Sam I wondered why that bothered me so much. Now I didn't speak. He looked back at my face with probing eyes. â€Å"Well?† he asked. He struggled to conceal the tension behind his serene expression. â€Å"No.† I said finally. Grudgingly. â€Å"They aren't coming back.† His expression didn't change. â€Å"Okay. That's all.† I glared at him, annoyance rekindled. â€Å"Well, run along now. Go tell Sam that the scary monsters aren't coming to get you.† â€Å"Okay,† he repeated, still calm. That seemed to be it. Jacob walked swiftly from the kitchen. I waited to hear the front door open, but I heard nothing. I could hear the clock over the stove ticking, and I marveled again at how quiet he'd become. What a disaster. How could I have alienated him so completely in such a short amount of time? Would he forgive me when Alice was gone? What if he didn't? I slumped against the counter and buried my face in my hands. How had I made such a mess of everything? But what could I have done differently? Even in hindsight, I couldn't think of any better way, any perfect course of action. â€Å"Bella ?† Jacob asked in a troubled voice. I pulled my face out of my hands to see Jacob hesitating in the kitchen doorway; he hadn't left when I'd thought. It was only when I saw the clear drops sparkling in my hands that I realized I was crying. Jacob's calm expression was gone; his face was anxious and unsure. He walked quickly back to stand in front of me, ducking his head so that his eyes were closer to being on the same level with mine. â€Å"Did it again, didn't I?† â€Å"Did what?† I asked, my voice cracking. â€Å"Broke my promise. Sorry.† â€Å"‘S'okay,† I mumbled. â€Å"I started it this time.† His face twisted. â€Å"I knew how you felt about them. It shouldn't have taken me by surprise like that.† I could see the revulsion in his eyes. I wanted to explain to him what Alice was really like, to defend her against the judgments he'd made, but something warned me that now was not the time. So I just said, â€Å"Sorry,† again. â€Å"Let's not worry about it, okay? She's just visiting, right? She'll leave, and things will go back to normal.† â€Å"Can't I be friends with you both at the same time?† I asked, my voice not hiding an ounce of the hurt I felt. He shook his head slowly. â€Å"No, I don't think you can.† I sniffed and stared at his big feet. â€Å"But you'll wait, right? You'll still be my friend, even though I love Alice, too?† I didn't look up, afraid to see what he'd think of that last part. It took him a minute to answer, so I was probably right not to look. â€Å"Yeah, I'll always be your friend,† he said gruffly. â€Å"No matter what you love.† â€Å"Promise?† â€Å"Promise.† I felt his arms wind around me, and I leaned against his chest, still sniffling. â€Å"This sucks.† â€Å"Yeah.† Then he sniffed my hair and said, â€Å"Ew.† â€Å"What?† I demanded. I looked up to see that his nose was wrinkled again. â€Å"Why does everyone keep doing that to me? I don't smell!† He smiled a little. â€Å"Yes, you doyou smell like them. Blech. Too sweetsickly sweet. And icy. It burns my nose.† â€Å"Really?† That was strange. Alice smelled unbelievably wonderful. To a human, anyway. â€Å"But why would Alice think I smelled, too, then?† That wiped his smile away. â€Å"Huh. Maybe I don't smell so good to her, either. Huh.† â€Å"Well, you both smell fine to me.† I rested my head against him again. I was going to miss him terribly when he walked out my door. It was a nasty catch-22on the one hand, I wanted Alice to stay forever. I was going to diemetaphoricallywhen she left me. But how was I supposed to go without seeing Jake for any length of time? What a mess, I thought again. â€Å"I'll miss you,† Jacob whispered, echoing my thoughts. â€Å"Every minute. I hope she leaves soon.† â€Å"It really doesn't have to be that way, Jake.† He sighed. â€Å"Yes, it really does. Bella. You love her. So I'd better not get anywhere near her. I'm not sure that I'm even-tempered enough to handle that. Sam would be mad if I broke the treaty, and†his voice turned sarcastic†you probably wouldn't like it too much if I killed your friend.† I recoiled from him when he said that, but he only tightened his arms, refusing to let me escape. â€Å"There's no point in avoiding the truth. That's the way things are, Bells.† â€Å"I do not like the way things are.† Jacob freed one arm so that he could cup his big brown hand under my chin and make me look at him. â€Å"Yeah. It was easier when we were both human, wasn't it?† I sighed. We stared at each other for a long moment. His hand smoldered against my skin. In my face, I knew there was nothing but wistful sadnessI didn't want to have to say goodbye now, no matter for how short a time. At first his face reflected mine, but then, as neither of us looked away, his expression changed. He released me, lifting his other hand to brush his fingertips along my cheek, trailing them down to my jaw. I could feel his fingers tremblenot with anger this time. He pressed his palm against my cheek, so that my face was trapped between his burning hands. â€Å"Bella,† he whispered. I was frozen. No! I hadn't made this decision yet. I didn't know if I could do this, and now I was out of time to think. But I would have been a fool if I thought rejecting him now would have no consequences. I stared back at him. He was not my Jacob, but he could be. His face was familiar and beloved. In so many real ways, I did love him. He was my comfort, my safe harbor. Right now, I could choose to have him belong to me. Alice was back for the moment, but that changed nothing. True love was forever lost. The prince was never coming back to kiss me awake from my enchanted sleep. I was not a princess, after all. So what was the fairy-tale protocol for other kisses? The mundane kind that didn't break any spells? Maybe it would be easylike holding his hand or having his arms around me. Maybe it would feel nice. Maybe it wouldn't feel like a betrayal. Besides, who was I betraying, anyway? Just myself. Keeping his eyes on mine, Jacob began to bend his face toward me. And I was still absolutely undecided. The shrill ring of the phone made us both jump, but it did not break his focus. He took his hand from under my chin and reached over me to grab the receiver, but still held my face securely with the hand against my cheek. His dark eyes did not free mine. I was too muddled to react, even to take advantage of the distraction. â€Å"Swan residence,† Jacob said, his husky voice low and intense. Someone answered, and Jacob altered in an instant. He straightened up, and his hand dropped from my face. His eyes went flat, his face blank, and I would have bet the measly remainder of my college f and that it was Alice. I recovered myself and held out my hand for the phone. Jacob ignored me. â€Å"He's not here,† Jacob said, and the words were menacing. There was some very short reply, a request for more information it seemed, because he added unwillingly, â€Å"He's at the funeral.† Then Jacob hung up the phone. â€Å"Filthy bloodsucker,† he muttered under his breath. The face he turned back to me was the bitter mask again. â€Å"Who did you just hang up on?† I gasped, infuriated. â€Å"In my house, and on my phone?† â€Å"Easy! He hung up on me!† â€Å"He? Who was it?!† He sneered the title. â€Å"Dr. Carlisle Cullen.† â€Å"Why didn't you let me talk to him?!† â€Å"He didn't ask for you,† Jacob said coldly. His face was smooth, expressionless, but his hands shook. â€Å"He asked where Charlie was and I told him. I don't think I broke any rules of etiquette.† â€Å"You listen to me, Jacob Black† But he obviously wasn't listening. He looked quickly over his shoulder, as if someone had called his name from the other room. His eyes went wide and his body stiff, then he started trembling. I listened too, automatically, but heard nothing. â€Å"Bye, Bells,† he spit out, and wheeled toward the front door. I ran after him. â€Å"What is it?† And then I ran into him, as he rocked back on his heels, cussing under his breath. He spun around again, knocking me sideways. I bobbled and fell to the floor, my legs tangled with his. â€Å"Shoot, ow!† I protested as he hurriedly jerked his legs free one at a time. I struggled to pull myself up as he darted for the back door; he suddenly froze again. Alice stood motionless at the foot of the stairs. â€Å"Bella,† she choked. I scrambled to my feet and lurched to her side. Her eyes were dazed and far away, her face drawn and whiter than bone. Her slim body trembled to an inner turmoil. â€Å"Alice, what's wrong?† I cried. I put my hands on her face, trying to calm her. Her eyes focused on mine abruptly, wide with pain. â€Å"Edward,† was all she whispered. My body reacted faster than my mind was able to catch up with the implications of her reply. I didn't at first understand why the room was spinning or where the hollow roar in my ears was coming from. My mind labored, unable to make sense of Alice's bleak face and how it could possibly relate to Edward, while my body was already swaying, seeking the relief of unconsciousness before the reality could hit me. The stairway tilted at the oddest angle. Jacob's furious voice was suddenly in my ear, hissing out a stream of profanities. I felt a vague disapproval. His new friends were clearly a bad influence. I was on the couch without understanding how I got there, and Jacob was still swearing. It felt like there was an earthquakethe couch was shaking under me. â€Å"What did you do to her?† he demanded. Alice ignored him. â€Å"Bella? Bella, snap out of it. We have to hurry.† â€Å"Stay back,† Jacob warned. â€Å"Calm down, Jacob Black,† Alice ordered. â€Å"You don't want to do that so close to her.† â€Å"I don't think I'll have any problem keeping my focus,† he retorted, but his voice sounded a little cooler. â€Å"Alice?† My voice was weak. â€Å"What happened?† I asked, even though I didn't want to hear. â€Å"I don't know,† she suddenly wailed. â€Å"What is he thinking?!† I labored to pull myself up despite the dizziness. I realized it was Jacob's arm I was gripping for balance. He was the one shaking, not the couch. Alice was pulling a small silver phone from her bag when my eyes relocated her. Her fingers dialed the numbers so fast they were a blur. â€Å"Rose, I need to talk to Carlisle now.† Her voice whipped through the words. â€Å"Fine, as soon as he's back. No, I'll be on a plane. Look, have you heard anything from Edward?† Alice paused now, listening with an expression that grew more appalled every second. Her mouth opened into a little O of horror, and the phone shook in her hand. â€Å"Why?† she gasped. â€Å"Why would you do that, Rosalie?† Whatever the answer was, it made her jaw tighten in anger. Her eyes flashed and narrowed. â€Å"Well, you're wrong on both counts, though, Rosalie, so that would be a problem, don't you think?† she asked acidly. â€Å"Yes, that's right. She's absolutely fineI was wrong It's a long story But you're wrong about that part, too, that's why I'm calling Yes, that's exactly what I saw.† Alice's voice was very hard and her lips were pulled back from her teeth. â€Å"It's a bit late for that, Rose. Save your remorse for someone who believes it.† Alice snapped the phone shut with a sharp twist of her fingers. Her eyes were tortured as she turned to face me. â€Å"Alice,† I blurted out quickly. I couldn't let her speak yet. I needed a few more seconds before she spoke and her words destroyed what was left of my life. â€Å"Alice, Carlisle is back, though. He called just before† She stared at me blankly. â€Å"How long ago?† she asked in a hollow voice. â€Å"Half a minute before you showed up.† â€Å"What did he say?† She really focused now, waiting for my answer. â€Å"I didn't talk to him.† My eyes flickered to Jacob. Alice turned her penetrating gaze on him. He flinched, but held his place next to me. He sit awkwardly, almost as if he were trying to shield me with his body. â€Å"He asked for Charlie, and I told him Charlie wasn't here,† Jacob muttered resentfully. â€Å"Is that everything?† Alice demanded, her voice like ice. â€Å"Then he hung up on me,† Jacob spit back. A tremor rolled down his spine, shaking me with it. â€Å"You told him Charlie was at the funeral,† I reminded him. Alice jerked her head back toward me â€Å"What were his exact words?† â€Å"He said, ‘He's not here,' and when Carlisle asked where Charlie was, Jacob said, ‘At the funeral.'† Alice moaned and sank to her knees. â€Å"Tell me Alice,† I whispered. â€Å"That wasn't Carlisle on the phone,† she said hopelessly. â€Å"Are you calling me a liar?† Jacob snarled from beside me. Alice ignored him, focusing on my bewildered face. â€Å"It was Edward.† The words were just a choked whisper. â€Å"He thinks you're dead.† My mind started to work again. These words weren't the ones I'd been afraid of, and the relief cleared my head. â€Å"Rosalie told him I killed myself, didn't she?† I said, sighing as I relaxed. â€Å"Yes,† Alice admitted, her eyes flashing hard again. â€Å"In her defense, she did believe it. They rely on my sight far too much for something that works so imperfectly. But for her to track him down to tell him this! Didn't she realize or care ?† Her voice faded away in horror. â€Å"And when Edward called here, he thought Jacob meant my funeral,† I realized. It stung to know how close I'd been, just inches away from his voice. My nails dug into Jacob's arm, but he didn't flinch. Alice looked at me strangely. â€Å"You're not upset,† she whispered. â€Å"Well, it's really rotten timing, but it will all get straightened out. The next time he calls, someone will tell him what really† I trailed off. Her gaze strangled the words in my throat. Why was she so panicked? Why was her face twisting now with pity and horror? What was it she had said to Rosalie on the phone just now? Something about what she'd seen and Rosalie's remorse; Rosalie would never feel remorse for anything that happened to me. But if she'd hurt her family, hurt her brother â€Å"Bella,† Alice whispered. â€Å"Edward won't call again. He believed her.† â€Å"I. Don't. Understand.† My mouth framed each word in silence. I couldn't push the air out to actually say the words that would make her explain what that meant. â€Å"He's going to Italy.† It took the length of one heartbeat for me to comprehend. When Edward's voice came back to me now, it was not the perfect imitation of my delusions. It was just the weak, flat tone of my memories. But the words alone were enough to shred through my chest and leave it gaping open. Words from a time when I would have bet everything that I owned or could borrow on that fact that he loved me. Well, I wasn't going to live without you, he'd said as we watched Romeo and Juliet die, here in this very room. But I wasn't sure how to do it I knew Emmett and Jasper would never help so I was thinking maybe I would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi You don't irritate them. Not unless you want to die. Not unless you want to die. â€Å"NO!† The half-shrieked denial was so loud after the whispered words, it made us all jump. I felt the blood rushing to my face as I realized what she'd seen. â€Å"No! No, no, no! He can't! He can't do that!† â€Å"He made up his mind as soon as your friend confirmed that it was too late to save you.† â€Å"But he he left! He didn't want me anymore! What difference does it make now? He knew I would die sometime!† â€Å"I don't think he ever planned to outlive you by long,† Alice said quietly. â€Å"How dare he!† I screamed. I was on my feet now, and Jacob rose uncertainly to put himself between Alice and me again. â€Å"Oh, get out of the way, Jacob!† I elbowed my way around his trembling body with desperate impatience. â€Å"What do we do?† I begged Alice. There had to be something. â€Å"Can't we call him? Can Carlisle?† She was shaking her head. â€Å"That was the first thing I tried. He left his phone in a trash can in Riosomeone answered it† she whispered. â€Å"You said before we had to hurry. Hurry how? Let's do it, whatever it is!† â€Å"Bella, II don't think I can ask you to† She trailed off in indecision. â€Å"Ask me!† I commanded. She put her hands on my shoulders, holding me in place, her fingers flexing sporadically to emphasize her words. â€Å"We may already be too late. I saw him going to the Volturi and asking to die.† We both cringed, and my eyes were suddenly blind. I blinked feverishly at the tears. â€Å"It all depends on what they choose. I can't see that till they make a decision. â€Å"But if they say no, and they mightAro is fond of Carlisle, and wouldn't want to offend himEdward has a backup plan. They're very protective of their city. If Edward does something to upset the peace, he thinks they'll act to stop him. And he's right. They will.† I stared at her with my jaw clenched in frustration. I'd heard nothing yet that would explain why we were still standing here. â€Å"So if they agree to grant his favor, we're too late. If they say no, and he comes up with a plan to offend them quickly enough, we're too late. If he gives into his more theatrical tendencies we might have time.† â€Å"Let's go!† â€Å"Listen, Bella! Whether we are in time or not, we will be in the heart of the Volturi city. I will be considered his accomplice if he is successful. You will be a human who not only knows too much, but also smells too good. There's a very good chance that they will eliminate us allthough in your case it won't be punishment so much as dinnertime.† â€Å"This is what's keeping us here?† I asked in disbelief. â€Å"I'll go alone if you're afraid.† I mentally tabulated what money was left in my account, and wondered if Alice would lend me the rest. â€Å"I'm only afraid of getting you killed.† I snorted in disgust. â€Å"I almost get myself killed on a daily basis! Tell me what I need to do!† â€Å"You write a note to Charlie. I'll call the airlines.† â€Å"Charlie,† I gasped. Not that my presence was protecting him, but could I leave him here alone to face â€Å"I'm not going to let anything happen to Charlie.† Jacob's low voice was gruff and angry. â€Å"Screw the treaty.† I glanced up at him, and he scowled at my panicked expression. â€Å"Hurry, Bella,† Alice interrupted urgently. I ran to the kitchen, yanking the drawers open and throwing the contents all over the floor as I searched for a pen. A smooth, brown hand held one out to me. â€Å"Thanks,† I mumbled, pulling the cap off with my teeth. He silently handed me the pad of paper we wrote phone messages on. I tore off the top sheet and threw it over my shoulder. Dad, I wrote. I'm with Alice. Edward's in trouble. You can ground me when I get back. I know it's a bad time. So sorry. Love you so much. Bella. â€Å"Don't go,† Jacob whispered. The anger was all gone now that Alice was out of sight. I wasn't about to waste time arguing with him. â€Å"Please, please, please take care of Charlie,† I said as I dashed back out to the front room. Alice was waiting in the doorway with a bag over her shoulder. â€Å"Get your walletyou'll need ID. Please tell me you have a passport. I don't have time to forge one.† I nodded and then raced up the stairs, my knees weak with gratitude that my mother had wanted to marry Phil on a beach in Mexico. Of course, like all her plans, it had fallen through. But not before I'd made all the practical arrangements I could for her. I tore through my room. I stuffed my old wallet, a clean T-shirt, and sweatpants into my backpack, and then threw my toothbrush on top. I hurled myself back down the stairs. The sense of deja vu was nearly stifling by this point. At least, unlike the last timewhen I'd run away from Forks to escape thirsty vampires rather than to find themI wouldn't have to say goodbye to Charlie in person. Jacob and Alice were locked in some kind of confrontation in front of the open door, standing so far apart you wouldn't assume at first that they were having a conversation. Neither one seemed to notice my noisy reappearance. â€Å"You might control yourself on occasion, but these leeches you're taking her to† Jacob was furiously accusing her. â€Å"Yes. You're right, dog.† Alice was snarling, too. â€Å"The Volturi are the very essence of our kindthey're the reason your hair stands on end when you smell me. They are the substance of your nightmares, the dread behind your instincts. I'm not unaware of that.† â€Å"And you take her to them like a bottle of wine for a party!† he shouted. â€Å"You think she'd be better off if I left her here alone, with Victoria stalking her?† â€Å"We can handle the redhead.† â€Å"Then why is she still hunting?† Jacob growled, and a shudder rippled through his torso. â€Å"Stop that!† I shouted at them both, wild with impatience. â€Å"Argue when we get back, let's go!† Alice turned for the car, disappearing in her haste. I hurried after her, pausing automatically to turn and lock the door. Jacob caught my arm with a shivering hand. â€Å"Please, Bella. I'm begging.† His dark eyes were glistening with tears. A lump filled my throat. â€Å"Jake, I have to† â€Å"You don't, though. You really don't. You could stay here with me. You could stay alive. For Charlie. For me.† The engine of Carlisle's Mercedes purred; the rhythm of the thrumming spiked when Alice revved it impatiently. I shook my head, tears spattering from my eyes with the sharp motion. I pulled my arm free, and he didn't fight me. â€Å"Don't die, Bella,† he choked out. â€Å"Don't go. Don't.† What if I never saw him again? The thought pushed me past the silent tears; a sob broke out from my chest. I threw my arms around his waist and hugged for one too-short moment, burying my tear-wet face against his chest. He put his big hand on the back of my hair, as if to hold me there. â€Å"Bye, Jake.† I pulled his hand from my hair, and kissed his palm. I couldn't bear to look at his face. â€Å"Sorry,† I whispered. Then I spun and raced for the car. The door on the passenger side was open and waiting. I threw my backpack over the headrest and slid in, slamming the door behind me. â€Å"Take care of Charlie!† I turned to shout out the window, but Jacob was nowhere in sight. As Alice stomped on the gas andwith the tires screeching like human screamsspun us around to face the road, I caught sight of a shred of white near the edge of the trees. A piece of a shoe.

Sony Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8250 words

Sony - Coursework Example The diverse product and brand line of Sony Corporation makes it one of the most versatile entertainment businesses in the world, aiming to satisfy a vast portion of the target market (Sony, 2014). Despite the fact that Sony Corporation’s research and development initiatives differ from that of other businesses in the industry. Unlike its competitors, Sony utilizes its research and development initiatives to diversify the product offering and at the same time, keep the business portfolio flexible in order to cover up the loss of one business from the profits of other businesses. Due to the environment established within the organization that promotes long-term commitment with the organizational goals and objectives, employees consider it an honor to serve the conglomerate for a longer period. The management at Sony Corporation is also responsible for supporting and motivating newly hired employees and interns to put their best efforts towards making the business the most successful business in the world (Global Data, 2014). The business structure of Sony Corporation stands on the different pillars termed as Strategic Business Unites (SBU), which is a multidivisional format of carrying out business practices in the modern world. By operating these SBUs, Sony Corporation aim at adopting a diversification strategy at corporate level and further divide the SBUs in 3 levels of business communication flow which are as following: These entire 6 SBUs of Sony Corporation have further sub-divisions that are responsible for taking care of different aspects of production and marketing of different products. It should be noticed here that each sub-division of Sony Corporation is interlinked from the viewpoint of shared products and services but the sub-divisions nothing in common with each other. The headquarter of the business in Tokyo is primarily responsible for looking after the financial and business level aspects of each SBU, but the SBUs

IS theories, are they emerged in IS disciplines or adopted from other Article

IS theories, are they emerged in IS disciplines or adopted from other disciplines - Article Example The field of Information System is dependent on knowledge and information concerning a world made up of physical systems, designed artifacts and human behavior (Gregory and Dennis, 2005, p.3). However, it is essential to ensure that only relevant knowledge is theorized, and in an integrated manner. Ideas may be retrieved from diverse disciplines; however this has to be done with an aim of focusing on the nature of information system and its uniqueness. A theory, according to Merriam-Webster (2004), can be said to be a hypothesis that is developed for the sake of an investigation. A discipline, on the other hand, may be referred to as a branch of learning or institution. This, however, does not mean that the disciplines are confined to only their areas of study. This supposition therefore means that Information Systems is by nature â€Å"single†. This, however, is not the case as Information System is regarded as â€Å"pluralistic† field. This is because it draws its kno wledge from other, different and more reputable disciplines. Some form of control should be established in each field to avoid cases where there’s no agreed upon area of teaching, practice or research. Such a case would result in incoherence and, low status for the discipline. A balance should be established to avoid total control or general incoherence of the discipline. Scoping Information System Applications in IT are now revolutionizing the way in which firms conduct their daily operations. Such changes have allowed researchers to contribute significantly towards helping the organizations to embrace thes changes. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) states that, the advances and changes in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) are revolutionizing economic activities just like electricity, steam engine or the railways in the past (OECD, 2001). The progress made in computer technologies has today led to the rise of diverse areas of appli cation. This has, therefore, contributed to an increase in the role of IS while expanding its scope. This makes ICT technologies present in numerous and diverse areas such as governments, health sector, etc. According to Avison and Fitzgerald (2003, p. xi), information systems are â€Å"†¦ the effective design, delivery, use and impact of information technology in the organizations and society†. This definition touches on one of the significant aspects of IS, that is the creation of IT applications. It also identifies the fact that a broader attention rather than just technology applies in ICT applications. IS discipline has moved from it technology centered focus to other areas that include management, technology, social and organization. Information System is not entirely about technology nor is it a management field like put by Webster and Watson (2002). Information system is distinguishable from these disciplines due to the incorporation of artifacts in machine-human systems. According to Lee: â€Å"Research in the information systems field examines more than just the technological system, or just the social system, or even the two side by side; in addition, it investigates the phenomena that emerge when the two interact.† (2001, p. iii) This, therefore, goes to show that information system is the discipline that combines the knowledge of humans with that of physical objects. One can draw relations between Information System

Is speed of growth important to facebook's success Essay

Is speed of growth important to facebook's success - Essay Example an Heiliger, vice president of technical operations at Facebook when he spoke to CNET News.coms Dan Farber in an interview on July of 2008 (CNET News.com 2008). Today, the statistic shows 300 million active users whom the 50% of that users are logging on to Facebook at any given day (http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics). What makes this social networking site so cool and engaging? What makes it so different from any other sites that has the same platform? What are the factors of its success? If speed of growth is the major factor of the Facebook’s success, there must be reasons then that this speedy growth is taking place. 1. User friendly interface – compared to other social networking media, Facefook is so much easier to use. According to Regnard Raquendan, (web and usability consultant), the key that holds the success of Facebook is its usability (http://webstandards.raquedan.com/?p=251). Its applications are very easy to learn, no wonder even older people find it easy to use. Its efficiency is quite remarkable; it performs actions fast, from friend recommendations to displaying of mutual friends. Its graphic design and layout is consistent. People are satisfied with its simplicity (Rquendan, 2008). 2. Strong links – in the world of technology, strong links means the capability to connect with other people and institutions easily or effortlessly. Strong links allow people to have direct communication with other people. In social point of view, these strong links are equivalent to families, close friends and colleagues. Weak links namely friends of friends, acquaintances, co-church members, and many others like these are also social links no matter what. In connection with Facebook, it is this power to connect people is the one that contributes to its success. It can easily link people together, and those who are not close to each other have now the opportunity to know each other better, and become true friends. It has the ability to

Work control and conflict in formal organizations Essay

Work control and conflict in formal organizations - Essay Example Using Edwards’ definition of labor markets, Company A is an Independent Primary Market (p.418). Employment is stable and job security high because there is never a lack of criminal offenders. There are possibilities of being promoted to a higher rank, or transferring to one of many other positions within the jail. Specific physical and educational requirements must be met and the pay is competitive. In 2004 Company A won a battle to decertify the existing Teamsters Union and form its own Guild in an attempt to secure a better bargaining position with the county. The conflicts at Company A are many and diverse. The line officers and administrative staff (the decision makers) have different views on inmate and officer safety concerns, work hours and conditions and types of initiatives the officers are permitted to take regarding inmate discipline or operating procedures. Teams of personnel who work well together are being assigned separate posts, and there is no longer the feeling of camaraderie that was the norm a few years ago. On a daily basis, the work environment at Company A exemplifies several of Dalton’s descriptions of conflict (p. 153). The new administration, in its attempt to exert control and in an honest effort to improve efficiency, holds many meetings to develop new policies, techniques, and work standards. Whether to return to prior norms or to antagonize management, line officers frequently and deliberately create situations so that these new ideas will fail. The main reason for this worker behavior is that, with few exceptions, management style at Company A tends toward the Initiating Structure Leadership style (Pool, p. 272) and technical control (Edwards, p. 415). The result is micro management. Leaders utilizing the Initiating Structure Leadership style as defined by Pool organize and define the relationships of the group and dictate how the work is to be

Target market and branding (Bayer Aspirin case) Essay

Target market and branding (Bayer Aspirin case) - Essay Example ne and hence it is always advisable to consult the doctor before beginning the regime Target Market A target market refers to a group which a certain organization has decided to fashion its marketing campaign to address (J & V. 2012). A well established target market is the initial strategy to a marketing strategy. Target markets are usually separated by noticeable and distinguishable aspects. These aspects include geographical segmentation, psychographic segmentation, product related segmentation, and behavioral segmentation. In addition to these segmentations, market researchers are searching for methods to identify defined target groups which are smaller and better. There are four main strategies outlined by marketers for the purpose of satisfying the target market. These include undifferentiated marketing, differentiated marketing, niche marketing and concentrated marketing (J & V. 2012). The target group for Bayer Aspirin is a set of all people suffering from pain related issues of from all ages. In addition, its target group includes patients suffering or with suspected heart attack. Selecting a target market is extremely beneficial to any business as it enables the business organization to direct its products or services to those consumers with high potentials for the growth of sales, product interest and brand loyalty (J & V. 2012). First, it helps in identifying growth potential. A small group of consumers usually afford the firm with a great opportunity to increase sales. Irrespective of size, a target market usually captures those customers that are most likely to increase their sales of the organizations, products over time. Secondly, selecting a target market helps in building interests in the product. Customers in a target market always share different... Marketing plays a particularly significant role in managing a developing organization. It involves communicating the values of products or services to potential customers. Generally, marketing is the overall strategies as well as functions of promoting the products and services to the customers. In addition, marketing helps to manage customer relationships in a way that benefits the organization as well as its shareholders (JFP, 2009). Marketing, as a science assists in choosing target markets through market segmentation and market analysis. Moreover, it does that through understanding the consumer behavior and through the provision of superior consumer value. There are five leading marketing concepts which a firm can choose to carry out their business. These include the product concept, the production concept, the holistic marketing concept, the selling concept and the marketing concept.In conclusion, it is clear that marketing plays a very vital role in promoting products or services of any business organization. Bayer Aspirin needs to be marketed in order for its sales, to increase. Through marketing and identifying the target market, Bayer Aspirin can attract many customers.Branding of Bayer Aspirin has also played a tremendously significant role in increasing the sales of the organization. Images on the packets of Bayer Aspirin give customers a good impression hence attracting customers as well as building customer loyalty. Through continuous marketing and branding, the Bayer Aspirin will attract more customers in the near future

Environmental Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Environmental Law - Essay Example The term ‘takings’ has significant role in the environmental law as the term elucidates that those species who are catalogued endangered under the provision of ESA are protected and it does not allow individuals to harm them or take them along. The ‘taking’ terminology suggests that taking those species away. The harming issue has been remained under the great debate that either under the ESA acts harming is allowed or not. Several law cases have been filed and culprits got away from them as they came under the harming category. This process carried till 1999, when finally ESA came with the clear cut definition of harming and declared it as an essential part of the act too. According to the new provision of ESA 1999, any individual found harming the species would have to face the law (Steven 58). There are serious punishments regulated in case of ESA violations. Great amount of $50,000 and a year in prison are the highest amount of penalty to the culprit. Th e renowned takings law case of Great Oregon v. Babbitt 1994 is one of the major examples of the cases that were resolved by the Supreme Court. The case arose on the issue of harming species and invalidation of ESA takings. The appeal was done by Sweet Home regarding this matter. The case went through prior consideration of the court and collected all the relevant evidence in this regard. Upon inspection and examination of circumstances rampant, the court concluded that actually killings and injuries of rare species took place which is a violation of ESA. At that time specific definition of ‘harm’ was not given by ESA and ambiguity on this matter remained, but U.S Supreme Court made things crystal clear by giving this important historic ruling (Steven 74-85). Success and Failure of NEPA The National Environmental Policy Act NEPA is one of the most important established environmental laws of the United States. The main agenda of NEPA is to safe, preserve and conserve spec ies prevailing everywhere in the country. The protection of environment is foremost important task of NEPA. The inauguration of NEPA has been criticized significantly all over the United States as its implications and application is not considered resourceful and powerful in the country. There are numerous success and failure stories of NEPA. The involvement of people in NEPA programs is tremendous. The awareness element has been established among the people and people have started to take it very seriously. By the help of volunteers, awareness measures among regions have been started too. The outcomes achieved till date present a promising picture (Vallero 67). The Forest Service funded Vegetation Management Project was launched successfully by NEPA so that issues regarding the forest health would be eradicated. The vegetation concerns were also present in Crooked River which was addressed by the implementation of this project. The Rural Development Community Facilities Program pro posed that building of hostel for students would be beneficiary for individuals and college too. NEPA took over this proposal and built the apartments in order to facilitate students. NEPA has been providing services to the defence sector of the United States too. Their services are highly regarded as they made precise plans for the successful inauguration of defence endeavours. The Energy Conservation

Ulster Solemn League and Covenant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ulster Solemn League and Covenant - Essay Example The Ulster unionists in 1912 believed that their situation was difficult although not completely lost. The leading Ulster unionists came to the conclusion that the Solemn League and Covenant and then the Ulster Volunteer Force were essential elements of preventing Home Rule leading to an independent Irish Republic dominated by Roman Catholics, their worst nightmare come true.1 The drawing - up of the Solemn League and Covenant amply demonstrated the general fear of the Ulster Protestants towards the Home Rule Act as passed by the British Parliament would be introduced throughout Ireland in 1912. The act was designed to provide Ireland with a high degree of autonomy, the Ulster unionists fearing it would sooner rather than later make Ireland an independent nation.2 The Ulster unionists did not want the granting of home rule for Ulster even if it was given to the rest of Ireland, as they wished to maintain their allegiance to the British crown. On the 28 September 1912, quickly dubbed Ulster Day, the solemn league and covenant was signed by more than 450,000 unionist supporters on the first day. The covenant publicly declared the Ulster unionist determination to stay loyal to the Crown and vehemently opposed the enforcement of home rule for Ireland as a whole.3 The Home Rule Act was primarily intended to give an Irish Parliament control over its internal affairs only' leaving it part of the United Kingdom. It would give the Irish autonomy whilst leaving defence, trade, and foreign to be run from London. The province of Ulster was made up of nine counties in the north-eastern part of Ireland with a Protestant majority. Another major factor was that Ulster had maintained its trade superiority over the rest of the Ireland. The unionists therefore, argued that Ulster needed to maintain its British and Protestant identity and the best way to do so were to remain loyal to the crown (the unionists are also refereed to as Loyalists). The moderate Irish nationalist leader was John Redmond the strongest advocate of Home Rule, and naturally enough argued that Ulster was included in Home Rule so that its heavy industry and generally successful commercial activities particularly in Belfast could be shared with the rest of Ireland. The Roman Catholics, who formed a majority of the Irish peoples, supported the autonomy that Home Rule would have granted them. Only a very small minority of Irish Roman Catholics supported the concept of a united Irish Republic completely free of British control and influence.4 The introduction of the Ulster Covenant, masterminded by Sir James Craig was subsequently signed by the vast majority of unionists they openly proclaimed their loyalty to the crown and were assisted by the Conservatives who worked behind the scenes to block or at least water down Home Rule legislation. The controversy over David Lloyd George's Peoples Budget of 1909 had the unforeseen consequence of inadvertently delaying the legislation for Irish Home Rule whilst the Parliament Act was passed to curb the power of the House of Lords. The crisis over the Peoples Budget gave the opponents of Home Rule in Ulster particular the opportunity as well as the time to organise resistance to its adoption. They were helped considerably by the Conservativ

Privacy and Misuse of Private Information Essay

Privacy and Misuse of Private Information - Essay Example More specifically, the essay will address whether Clive can prevent publication of information regarding him, based on the law on breach of confidence and protection of personal information. Privacy and misuse of Private Information According to Crone et al (2002, p 93), the enactment of the law on breach of confidence and protection of personal information resulted from the need to protect personal secrets. In the recent years, people have used the law to prevent the publication of confidential information, especially in the mass media. In Clive’s case, the Daily Scandal wants to publish information about him. An action for breach of confidence can be the most appropriate to prevent against publication of personal information. Clive can easily obtain an injunction restraining the publication of information regarding cheating on his wife and attending the notorious club. He should take legal action, in which the court will apply an action called ‘blanket ban’ that prevents the magazine from publishing the photos. Under the law of breach of confidence, the Clive can prove several facts to prevent the daily scandal from publishing the information. One of these facts can be showing that the information contains adequate quality of confidence. The daily scandal has threatened to publish secret information about Clive, without his authority. ... This gives Clive the opportunity to take an action against them on the basis of ‘imputed confidential relationship.’ The court will grant the action of injunction since the differences between Clive and wife have not featured in the public domain (Aplin 2007, p 145). Tanya (2007, p 334) asserts that a person has the right to prevent the publication of this information since it does not affect the public in any way. Under this law, the media should not publish information about a person if the information does not touch on the public. Matters regarding marital unfaithfulness can be considered to be private. As such, they should not be made public; the information only refers to Clive and his wife. The media do not have an obligation to make public Clive’s personal information. Aplin observes that the law states that secrecy should not be exposed; instead, Clive and wife should be allowed to settle their differences using the due court process. Publicizing the wrong s of Clive will only worsen the relationship with his wife. As such, he can be in a position to deter the daily scandal from publicizing his photos and other information about him (Aplin 2007, p 150). He has the right to prevent the newspaper from publishing information regarding him since the information cannot be considered to be of public interest. Therefore, the ‘daily scandal’ cannot defend itself on grounds of ‘iniquity.’ The court does not intervene in the publication of public information concerning an iniquity (Stanley, 2009). In this case, the information concerning Clive attending the club and cheating on his wife cannot be regarded to be of public interest. Based on this, the daily scandal does not have an obligation to expose Clive’s conduct. Thus, they should not publicize the

Country Analysis Essay Example for Free

Country Analysis Essay India is the third largest economy in the world as regards to its purchasing power. If effective measures are taken it can be the third largest economy after the US and China. Although India has much potential in terms of economic advancement there are vital issues that need to be addressed for instance overpopulation, environmental degradation, ethnic and religious strife as well as extensive poverty. This paper will provide general information about the country for instance it’s political, economic, social and culture organization, economic and trade indicators, specific reasons why its market is attractive, potential and pitfalls in international management, and contemporary issues that may support-impede international management. A brief history. India is located in the southern Asia and it borders the Arabian Sea as well as the Bay of Bengal. It is between Burma and Pakistan. Its early history dates back to the 19th century when Britain had the political control of all the Indian land. During the first and the second world wars the Indian soldiers played a significant role. The Indians resisted the British control over their land and this led to their independence in 1947. Significant leaders that led in the non violent resistance include Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. (www. state. gov). The region was divided into two comprising of the secular Indian state and the Muslim state of Pakistan. The two countries went into war in 1971 and the Eastern Pakistan became a separate nation of Bangladesh. The state of Kashmir is however a cause of dispute between the two countries up to date. Political organization. India declared itself a republic in January 1950 and it set a constitution that would guide its undertakings. The constitution was keen in ensuring justice, liberty and equality. It was also made flexible enough to incorporate the social as well as economic changes should they arise. In ensuring democracy prevailed it first held its general elections in 1952 and since then election are held after every five years. India is a Union that comprises of 28 States and seven centrally administered Union Territories. (www. state. gov). Every one above eighteen years of age and is an Indian citizen has the right to vote according to the provisions of the constitution. Fundamental Rights of every Indian citizen include the freedom of speech, expression, belief, assembly and association, migration, and choice of occupation or trade. Discrimination on grounds of race, religion, creed or sex is consequently avoided through the above provisions. India has a form of parliamentary democracy, it has a bicameral parliament and the sovereignty rests ultimately with the people. The elected officials in the parliament are responsible in making important decisions regarding the country. India has a Council of States which consists of not more than 250 members. 12 members are nominated by the President of India while the rest are elected. The vice president oversees the Council of States which is also known as Rajya Sabha. An important aspect regarding the Council of States is that it is not subject to dissolution and a third of its members retire at the end of every second year. Nominated members have a special knowledge in areas for instance literature, science, arts as well as in social services. There is also the Lok Sabha or House of the People which consists of 545 members. 530 of these are directly elected from the 25 States and 13 are from the seven Union Territories. Two of the members are nominated by the President and they act as representatives of the Anglo-Indian community. The President of India is also the Head of the State and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. (www. state. gov). He is elected by an electoral college composed of members of both the Houses of Parliament that is the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha and the legislatures of the nation’s constituent States. The President holds office for five years term but he can be re-elected. However, the President does not on his own initiative exercise any constitutional powers. The Council of Ministers which is headed by the Prime Minister is the one responsible for that. Election of the vice president is between the members of both houses and the one with majority support in the Lok Sabha becomes the prime minister. The prime minister advises the president on the ministers to appoint and as long as the minister has support from the parliament he can continue to enjoy his term in the office. The judiciary is independent of the executive and it has the role of safe guarding the constitution of the land. The Supreme Court is the highest judicial tribunal but each state has its own high court. The current head of state who is also the president is Mrs Pratibha Devisingh Patil and the head of government or the prime minister is Manmohan Singh. (www. state. gov). Economic. The GDP or the purchasing power parity as at 2007 was at $2. 965 trillion while the GDP per capita was at $2,700. The composition of the GDP according to the sectors was as follows; agriculture contributed to 16. 6%, industry 28. 4% and the services sector was 55%. The labor force was 516. 4 million with agriculture registering the highest percentage at 60% the service sector was second at 28% and industry contributed 12%. The unemployment rate in 2007 was 7. 2% and the population below poverty line was 25%. The inflation rate or the consumer prices in 2007 was 5. 9%. The government budget was as follows; revenues were $145. 2 billion while expenditures were at $182. 4 billion. The public debt both the federal and state debt accounted to 58. 8% of GDP. Agricultural products that are produced in India include rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry and fish. Relevant industries include textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery and software. (CIA). In terms of trade India has been fluctuating for instance from 2005 to 2008 goods and services in terms of the percentage of GDP has shifted from 20. 2, 22. 7, 21. 2 to 20. 6. Likewise the inflation in this period was 4. 2, 6. 2, 6. 4 and 5. 2. Australian trade relationship in 2007 was as follows; exports to India accounted to a tune of 5. 5% of the total share recording a growth of 5. 4. Imports from India were 0. 8% of the total share which was a 14% total growth. In total the trade accounted for 3% of the total share with a growth of 6. 5%. Major exports to Australia include non monetary gold, coal, copper, ore and wool. India imports pearls and gems, electric plants, jewels and medicaments. The services exported to India from Australia include education related as well as personal travel and they attribute to 3. 8% of the total share while the imports are 0. 9% of the total share and the include computer services and personal travel. Other export destinations include the US which account for 15. 4%, United Arab Emirates 9. 5% and China 6. 4%. (CIA). India can increase its GDP by increasing the production of the goods and services that it has a competitive advantage in. The population as at July 2008 according to CIA was at 1,147,995,898. The age structure was as follows 0-14 years attributed to 31. 5% of the total population with 189,238,487 males and 172,168,306 females. 15-64 years were 63. 3% of the total population of which there were 374,157,581 males and 352,868,003 were females. Those aged 65 years and over comprised of 5. 2% of the total population with 28,285,796 males and 31,277,725 females. The population growth rate is 1. 578% with a birth rate of 22. 22 births/1,000 and a death rate of 6. 4 deaths/1,000 population. The total infant mortality rate was 32. 31 deaths/1,000 live births with males comprising 36. 94 deaths/1,000 live births as females comprised of 27. 12 deaths/1,000. Life expectancy at birth for the total population is 69. 25 years and males register a life expectancy of 66. 87 years as that of females is 71. 9 years. The total fertility rate is 2. 76 children born per woman. (CIA). Among the significant activities that have an impact in the country’s economy is agriculture which is both traditional as well as modern. The service sector and modern industries also have a significant impact on the country’s economy. A large proportion of the labor force is in the agriculture and this is risky as the sector is prone to many fluctuations in the market. To make India attractive to foreigners as an effort of boosting its economy the government has reduced unnecessary controls that would hinder foreign trade and investment. Allowing foreign investment on key areas like the telecommunications will be critical in promoting economic advancement in India. For the sensitive sectors like agriculture imposition of tariffs has the effect of reducing the number of people venturing in it. The country’s economy has registered a 7% growth within a decade and it has been able to reduce the poverty levels. In 2006 it was able to achieve an economic growth of 8. 5%. The high population can be of positive effects to the economy in the sense that it can be exploited as potential labor that is an important factor of production. By using the educated labor force it has risen to become a major exporter of software services as well as software workers. Through the economic expansion the country has been able to reduce its federal deficit at a remarkable rate. However the strong growth blended with easy accessibility to credit as well as a booming real estate precipitated inflation that was a cause of inflation. To control the inflation the central bank applied monetary policies like hiking the interest rates to slow down the credit growth. Social and culture organization India’s culture is unique although it is very diverse for instance there are over 40 languages. Indians are very friendly and this is good as it can have a positive effect on the manner at which they relate with foreigners. They are also very respectful to all and employers have good relationships with their employees. India is a resourceful country especially as it is known to provide its expertise regarding the construction of cement plants to the airports as well as to the railway systems. It has programs geared to ensuring that developing countries are provided for with feasibility and detailed technical evaluation studies. The program is effective in the sense that it provides support in training personnel in areas like agriculture as well as small scale industries. India is also very committed to ensuring that it promotes unity between the developed as well as the developing countries towards the new economic order. (www. dfat. gov. au). India has been firm in its stand of not interfering with internal affairs of other countries or nations. It however advocates for the adherence of the dignity of human beings. Regarding its position on disarmament it is highly committed to ensuring that the horrors of terrorism do not cause harm or destruction to mankind. To this effect it has joined other countries in banning nuclear weapons. Potential and pitfalls in international management and solutions. Major pitfalls in the country’s economy include the lack of privatization of government owned industries as that would increase efficiency and accountability. The populist pressures from the government are a major reason behind the lack of privatization of state owned industries. Major steps should also be taken so that the number of people living below the poverty line is reduced. The issue of unemployment is also an important one that should be well addressed. Encouraging people to be self employed as well as providing the appropriate tools will be a step forward in eradicating unemployment. Another critical issue that should be well addressed is the issue of a balanced rural urban divide. There is a problem in India where by approximately 70% of the population live in the rural areas or villages and this affects the pace by which rural urban growth takes place. (Panda and Gupta, 2004). A balanced development is what will see the Indian economy thrive. To be successful in business it will be appropriate to enhance the education system in India. This will be a step forward in ensuring that there is improved skill development. It is also critical to focus on skills development, improved governance as well as forging partnership in the private as well as public sector in the provision of infrastructures. Water is very essential and its scarcity ought to be effectively addressed. The biggest challenge that India faces is the population growth which will have a stressful impact on the countries infrastructures. There is an urgent need to control the population growth as an effort of trying to reduce the adverse effects that it would bring to the economy. To promote sustained growth economic reforms ought to be put in place so that the challenges can be well addressed. Fiscal discipline will be vital. International business is affected negatively by the fluctuations in the markets. The government ought to focus on those sectors that the economy is worst fairing in like health as well as in education. To further address the issue of unemployment it is critical to reform the labor laws so that more job opportunities are created. (Phansalkar S. 2005). Although agriculture plays an important role in the countries economy there is need to reduce over dependence. Reorganizing it in a manner that will promote the introduction of new technologies that would reduce the over reliance on climate for instance irrigation would also be vital. In an effort to reform the financial sector it will be appropriate to privatize some public sector banks as such a move will encourage efficiency and effectiveness. (Leung K and White S, 2004). To attract and retain Australian investors in India it has to ensure that its political system does not jeopardize with the investors activities. There have been cases where other foreign investors like US companies have preferred to close down instead of fighting in courts over legal requirement issues. Enhancing the structural systems will be a necessary step if investors are to be preserved in the country. Irrational tax policies as well as other forms of trade barriers need to be addressed as they act as a disincentive to trade and investment. (timesofindia. indiatimes. com). Advancing the level at which the infrastructure is being developed by increasing the finances put aside for the same will be critical in encouraging Australian investors. Enhancing the political reforms geared towards improving stability, privatization and deregulation as well as land reforms. An Australian based company can find the Indian market attractive or one with many opportunities. India is modernizing its infrastructure especially the transportation sector like the airports. This implies that there will be huge opportunities in infrastructure development like in roads, constructions, power plants, nuclear plants and air modernization. There is a considerable stable political environment that will not have adverse effects on businesses in India. (Phansalkar S. 2005). It also has a stable currency and the market is one of the biggest democratic markets with a huge middle class and this will be necessary for the company as it will provides for labor as well as potential market. The skilled labor can be tapped or exploited to provide labor for the foreign based company. There are minimal restrictions of entry to the Indian markets and the Australian based company will not face many challenges when trying to venture. References: CIA. The World Fact Book. India. Retrieved on 31st May 2008 from https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in. html Kwok Leung and Steven White. 2004. Handbook of Asian Management. Birkhauser Publishers. Panda and Gupta. 2004. Mapping Cultural Diversity within India: A Meta-analysis of Some Recent Studies. Global Business Review. 5: 27-49 Phansalkar S. 2005. Opportunities And Strategies In Indian Business: Preparing for a Global India. Sage Publishers. India. Recent economic indicators. Retrieved on 31st May 2008 from http://www. dfat. gov. au/geo/fs/inia. pdf Swaminathan S Anklesaria Aiyar. 2001. What makes MNCs quit India? Retrieved on 31st May 2008 from http://timesofindia. indiatimes. com/articleshow/1602986123. cms Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. 2007 Background Note: India. Retrieved on 31st May 2008 from http://www. state. gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3454. htm

Women Awareness Of Emancipation Sociology Essay

Women Awareness Of Emancipation Sociology Essay The questionnaires were distributed in different regions in order to target a large number of women with different types of lifestyles. The reason was to get different views from women from different horizons having different backgrounds. Women from different age groups have their own opinion on women emancipation, and each segment needed to taken into consideration. This difference in opinion is mainly due to the gap between different generations as facilities offered to them were not same. Youngsters were more easily accessible for the survey and were more interested in giving some of their time. They were more common to the term Emancipation of Women. The interviewees were met at their workplace, on university campus and at their home mainly. Women awareness of Emancipation There was a high rate of positive response in the overall result. As illustrated above 68 % of the respondents were aware of emancipation. This shows that emancipation affects lives of many Mauritian women. Emancipated women show some confidence and are less submissive. Youngest women were more aware of emancipation; this was proved by their high rate of positive response (81% for 18-25 age group and 87% for the 26-35 age group). Those who knew more about emancipation were mainly those who have been to school or those who are working, or women having an active social life. These women appear more confident and less submissive. Although their numbers were lower, the elder women gave mainly negative answers. In fact, the 46-over group age gave more than 50% of negative replies in their answers. This is so as the elderly do not see that emancipation has an impact on their lives itself. They are already grown up enough to change their life styles. Some of them said that they devote their time in looking after their offspring rather than doing things for themselves. All women who knew about emancipation were able to tell that it has brought many changes in the way women are living today. As illustrated above, 67 % of women believed that emancipation had an impact on women and only 33 % were against this particular view. Those who answered yes are mostly responding in accordance about what they are achieving in their lives through as an emancipated woman. So women were asked to describe this emancipation in a word or short phrase. The most used words to characterise emancipation are given below: Women are foreseen as a decision maker in the family. Whereas long ago they had only to agree to the will of their husbands, 13.6% of interviewers think women now take part in all important decisions like, what stuff to buy, or decision like having a baby or not. Women emancipation has also bring along with it equality between women and man. This is why 17.6% of women interrogated believed that they had equal rights as man. Indeed, nowadays, according to the equal and opportunities act, specify that no discrimination should be made between men and women. With 22.4% of women answering that emancipation made them independent, this was the highest rate obtained for the survey. Women feel that emancipation brought them freedom of movements and actions. They are now able to launch themselves in any field they want and make their own decisions. 8.8% of women think that emancipation gave rise to new laws protecting women rights. And these laws have been made by act of parliaments and enforced by courts. So any person, who is found trespassing the right of a woman, can be sued in court and risk fines and imprisonment. Women have now evaluated according to 5.6% of replies obtained in the survey. This evolution can be noticed by women now dressing them differently but also act differently in the society. Women are now well known and express their views. Where long ago they had no social life, today women are able to participate and animate social groups. In order to support the women emancipation, women education should not be neglected as it was long ago, where mainly boys were sent to school, while girls had to stay at home and do household jobs. But nowadays, more and more women are able to go to school, and the stereotypes of the past seem to have faded away. From results of the survey, we noticed that every woman interviewed went to school, and many even went through tertiary education. Results are illustrated in the graphs below: Most women questioned were able to say that the quality of education being offered to girls at school has increased. This quality may be quantified by the fact that girls work better than boys at school. The table below illustrates values obtained from the Central Statistic Office. Year 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Primary Completion 70.7 70.1 69.2 73.8 71.5 Male% 65.3 66.1 64.5 68.6 66.1 Female % 76.3 74.0 74.0 79.2 77.2 Certificate of Primary Education Pass Rate 66.2 67.4 68.1 68.5 68.6 Male % 60.1 62.1 62.3 63.1 62.7 Female % 72.7 73.2 74.5 74.4 74.9 For several years, we notice that girls work better than boys. This is due to the fact that equal chances are offered to both sexes. When questioned about the facilities offered to boys and girls, respondents replied that both sexes are offered same treatment. The level of education involving women can also be illustrated by the fact that most respondents in the survey are well qualified women. More than one quarter of them has reached at least HSC level. However it can be noticed that female are more concerned about education and their future success nowadays due to the fact that they do not want to depend on any one. Career prospect has become the priority of almost all women. The high level of education of women will therefore channel them for equal chances as men at work. They will have the possibility even to rule other men as they are qualified enough to do the job. Women are no more only housewives, while their husbands go to work to feed the family. There is growing motivation in women to have a job and be independent. The majority of the respondent agreed that in major sectors of the industry, women are offered same chances as their male homologues. We can see women emerging in new sectors, and they are no longer present in the only sector which was mostly in industries. Long ago it would have been impossible because of stereotypes and prejudices which they will have to bear. According to the study, 35% which forms the majority earns Rs 10000 to 20000. It shows that these women are not working in industries and fields as in such work they will not be earning this income. This shows that women has been emancipated in the job sector as at first it was industrialisation which gives rise to emancipation. The emancipation of women has not only affected their life at work, but also their status in the family also changed. As shown above, 89% of answerers think that women position in the family has changed. This is so as nowadays women are not the only one doing the entire task at home as they are being helped by the husband. 52% even answered that these changes were significant. Women have same power and same rights as their husband, brothers, or even as a family leader. In the sample of people taken for the survey, we can see women participation as a decision maker at home in 71% of the replies. 21% even think that women are decision makers at home, because for them, generally, men only go to work, but its their wives who manage the budget for the month and even for the choices of equipments for the house. When women were asked on the survey what changes emancipation brought to their lives, the most frequent answer was being independent. 25% of women think they are more independent while other frequent replies were equality with men which came 20% of the time, and 18% think they are now decision makers. The most frequent answers have been selected and presented below. Feeling more independent, women can now do all kind of activities apart from work and household tasks. So women are more involved in social groups. 53% of women interrogated practice any kind of social activity. From results obtained from the survey, we notice that a slightly lower amount of women questioned being married. This value is smaller than if survey was done years before because of youngsters not getting married early in these days. They prefer a more liberal relationship before choosing whom to marry. The amount of forced marriage has decreased with women emancipation. Young ladies rights are more and more taken into consideration and they are able to choose between marriage and studies for example. However, we notice that women do not practice enough sport, as we can see that only one third of women questioned actually practiced a sport activity. The main reason for this low rate is mainly due to lack of time. After work women feel that they have no time for sport as some attend tertiary education after working hours. Sport has greatly contribute to revolutionise the status, image and even character of women, thus challenging a whole set of traditional and cultural attitudes about womens position and role in society. With the increasing globalisation of sport, advances made in training and in womens sport in general in Mauritius, encourage the development of new sports, increasing women involvement, and breaking down stereotypes. The impact of the Olympic Games in demonstrating the global participation of women in sport is highlighted. At every Olympic games, Mauritius had female representatives in the games. From the survey, respondents were more than 4/5 saying that practicing sport was a new way for emancipation as it opens new doors and provide several alternatives to women to sound the world the way they like. Women are now able to become as good as men in sport.

Explaining The Stages Of Communication Process Information Technology Essay

Explaining The Stages Of Communication Process Information Technology Essay A communication is a process which involves a sender, a receiver and the mes ­sage which is to be sent. There are some external things which might occur during this transfer, which could distort the message and prevent the receiver from receiving the original message that was meant by the sender. Apart from these externalities, both the sender and the receiver do some ­thing interest ­ing. The senders do not just give a universal message that is under ­standable by everybody. They encode it. They add certain things and state things in a certain way. On the other side, the receiver of the message has to decode, to a certain extent, what the sender meant to say. This includes the words as well as the tones and certain gestures and indications that are not ex ­pressed verbally. This often results in distortion of the message. Image Source: http://www.passia.org/seminars/2000/conflict/wanis-6.htmlConflict Resolution and Negotiations In Organisatons Message is what a communicator actually produces for transmission using spoken or written words, photographs, paintings, films, posters, etc. a great deal of skill and effort is required to formulate a message, the meaning of which should be understandable to the receiver. Actually the purpose of communication is to influence the receiver and get favourable responses so that appropriate decisions can be taken. The success of communication, therefore, depends on what we say and how we say it. A message can enhance or distort effective communication. For instance, in an interview your intention is to impress interviewer, but if you give answers whose meaning is not clear, the interviewer may perceive that you are incompetent for the job. (mbaknol.com, 2010) A channel is the vehicle through which a message is carried from the communicator to the receiver. There are many channels of communication i.e. written, spoken, verbal, non-verbal, mass media like TV, radio, newspapers, books, etc. Choosing the appropriate channel, which is most suitable for the message as well as the receiver, is a complicated task. Success and failure of communication depends on the selection of the right channel. (mbaknol.com, 2010) The receiver, at the other end of the communication, is the recipient of the message and must possess the same orientation as the communicator. If the receiver does not have the ability to listen, to read, to think, he will not be able to receive and decode the messages in the manner the communicator want him to. For effective communication, the receiver is the most important link in the communication process. (mbaknol.com, 2010) Decoding is the interpretation of the message by the receiver. Actually, the receiver looks for the meaning in the message, which is common to both the receiver and the communicator. (mbaknol.com, 2010) Feedback is the response or acknowledgement of receiver to the communicators message. The exchange is possible only if the receiver responds. In this way both participants in communication interact and constantly exchange roles. In face-to-face communication the receiver responds naturally, directly and immediately. This provides the communicator an opportunity to improve and make his communication effective. Feedback, thus, provides an opportunity to evaluate what is right or wrong about a particular communication. It helps to regulate the conversation among two or more individuals and also stimulates and reinforces an idea that is desired to be communicated. (mbaknol.com, 2010) Noise is an interruption that can creep in at any point of the communication process and make it ineffective. Environment is one major cause that interferes with message reception: like noises from the roadside, constant chattering of individuals outside the communication act, blaring loudspeaker, faulty transmission, etc. noise can occur in other forms also; poor handwriting, heavy accent or soft speech, communication in a poorly lit room, etc. in fact, these are barriers to effective communication. For smooth and effective communication, it is necessary to eliminate or reduce noise as far as possible. (mbaknol.com, 2010) Image Source: http://www.mbaknol.com/business-communication/elements-of-the-communication-process/ (mbaknol.com, 2010) WHAT ARE THE MAIN BARRIERS TO GOOD COMMUNICATION ? Communication is a process beginning with a sender who encodes the message and passes it through some channel to the receiver who decodes the message. Communication is fruitful if and only if the messages sent by the sender is interpreted with same meaning by the receiver. If any kind of disturbance blocks any step of communication, the message will be destroyed. Due to such disturbances, managers in an organisaton face severe problems. There are several barriers which affects the flow of communication in an organisaton. These barriers interrupt the flow of communication from the sender to the receiver, thus making communication ineffective. It is essential for managers to overcome these barriers. The main barriers of communication are summarized below. Language Inability to converse in a language that is known by both the sender and receiver is the greatest barrier to effective communication. When a person uses inappropriate words while conversing or writing, it could lead to misunderstanding between the sender and a receiver. Prejudice the sender may have already got pre set views and is not prepared to listen. Cultural differences The receiver may receive the message correctly worded but due to cultural differences take the message to have a different meaning. Complicated If the message is to long or technical, it may not be properly understood. Concentration. If the receiver has his/her mind on other matters, the message may not be properly understood. Emotions Your emotions could be a barrier to communication if you are engrossed in your emotions for some reason. In such cases, you tend to have trouble listening to others or understanding the message conveyed to you. A few of the emotional interferences include hostility, anger, resentfulness and fear. (Pillali, Accessed 2010). Lack of Subject Knowledge If a person who sends a message lacks subject knowledge then he may not be able to convey his message clearly. The receiver could misunderstand his message, and this could lead to a barrier to effective communication. (Pillali, Accessed 2010). Stress One of the major communication barriers faced by employees in most of the organisaton is stress. When a person is under immense stress, he may find it difficult to understand the message, leading to communication distortion. (Pillali, Accessed 2010). No matter how good the communication system in an organisation is, unfortunately barriers can and do often occur. This may be caused by a number of factors which can usually be summarised as being due to physical barriers, system design faults or attitudinal barriers. Physical barriers   are often due to the nature of the environment i.e. if staff are located in different buildings or on different sites. Likewise, poor or outdated equipment, particularly the failure of management to introduce new technology, may also cause problems. (Pillali, Accessed 2010). Staff shortages are another factor which frequently causes communication difficulties for an organisation. Whilst distractions like background noise, poor lighting or an environment which is too hot or cold can all affect peoples morale and concentration, which in turn interfere with effective communication. System design   faults refer to problems with the structures or systems in place in an organisation.   Examples might include an organisational structure which is unclear and therefore makes it confusing to know who to communicate with. Other examples could be inefficient or inappropriate information systems, a lack of supervision or training, and a lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities which can lead to staff being uncertain about what is expected of them. Attitudinal barriers   come about as a result of problems with staff in an organisation. These may be due to the factors such as poor management, lack of consultation with employees, personality conflicts which can result in people delaying or refusing to communicate, the personal attitudes of individual employees which may be due to lack of motivation or dissatisfaction at work, brought about by insufficient training to enable them to carry out particular tasks. WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF GRAPEVINE TO MANAGER? Grapevine is an informal communication network, which ignores formal channels of communication and spreads rumours and gossips at all levels of the business organisaton. Although every business-organisaton has its formal channels of communication, the informal channel of communication called grapevine also operates in it. It can be easily found that a large portion of the communication in almost every business house is not formal or pre-planned. The employees communicate through informal channels as they do their jobs. It is neither pre-planned nor deliberately motivated by the management. It is neither written nor documented or recorded. Therefore, it refers to any communication that takes place outside the prescribed and pre-planned channels of formal business communication. It is not set with the lines of organisatonal hierarchy. As it has no set rules and regulations, it is not confined to a particular direction. It just spreads like a grapevine. (mbaknol.com, 2010) Grapevine communication Image Source: http://www.mbaknol.com/business-communication/grapevine-communication-and-its-features/ Importance of Grapevine in business scenario: Though the structure of the grapevine is not so well defined, as that of the formal channels, it should not be taken for its weakness. The messages flowing through grapevine have greater speed than that of the messages flowing through the formal channels. The grapevine may carry equally vital message through it for the achievement and success of the organisaton. It is not correct to underestimate the grapevine by saying that the vital messages pass only through the authorized, formal channels. On the other hand, though the formal channels are systematic, pre-planned and documented, it is authority-laden. It can never be as speedy and spontaneous as the grapevine. The employees communicate through grapevine, not because they are compelled to communicate but because they earnestly want to communicate with their associates. (mbaknol.com, 2010) The method of formal written communication is slow and expensive method of information transmission. The grapevine, on the other hand, is non-expensive method and most-rapid oral method of transmitting the information to the maximum number of the communication receivers. The grapevine can flow wherever the participants wish it to flow, therefore, the manager can use the properly cultivated grapevine in dealing with the problems that require crossing the boundaries between the departments. Grapevine originates from the psychological need of the employees to talk about their jobs and their associates as the subject of their main interest. The absence of grapevine surely creates the dull, sick and unfriendly atmosphere in the business organisaton. Grapevine is also described as the barometer of public opinion in the organisaton. If the manager is sensitive to it, s/he can gather information about the ideas, opinions, attitudes and interests of the employees. The grapevine gives an opportunity to the employees to let off the suppressed air of anxiety, worries and frustration. When they talk about their associates, they get emotional relief. The fact that the employees talk about their associates or that they have the interest in their associates is a proof of the high morale. Thus, the grapevine not only promotes unity, integrity and solidarity of the organisaton but it also helps to raise the morale of the employee. (mbaknol.com, 2010)