Ben and jerry study case Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ben and jerry - Case Study Example Likewise, it bombed in expanding normal profit for shareholders’ value. From 5% in 1997, it had reached till the case writing to 9%, which was not a major jump forward on the shareholders’ cash. 2. Do you feel that, when all is said in done, it is feasible for a revenue driven organization to be focused on â€Å"improve the personal satisfaction of a wide community† and still boost investor esteem? Why or why not? It is workable for a revenue driven organization to stay devoted to the network cause and simultaneously record high income for the investors. Off late social issues of the networks where organizations have their workplaces have gotten important enough to give a brand name and picture to an organization that vows to offer elusive incentive to the encompassing networks. This immaterial worth acknowledges in time and changes into substantial outcomes later when open everywhere lean towards putting resources into its offers in view of the earned notoriety from the social work done to improve the standard of life of the encompassing networks. On the off chance that I were Henry Morgan, I would prescribe the Board to acknowledge the offer made by Unilever. Unilever is the main organization that is offering shareholders’ $36 in real money for each offer. Offering investors the money return for their interests in Ben $ Jerry’s gives them opportunity of putting resources into some other organization. Another organization, Meadowbrook Lane is offering $32, which is less in incentive to the offer made by Unilever. Other than that the proposition made by Unilever offers to incorporate some select individuals from B&J the executives in the coordinated division of Unilever’s solidified treats. An irreconcilable situation emerges over Unilever’s proposition to restrict social duties and interests, however this is the equivalent in the recommendations of Meadowbrook Lane and Dreyer’s Grand. 4. In the event that you are contemplating beginning another business, would social cognizance be a thought for you? Was there anything you learned in

The History of Feminism

The History of Feminism Free Online Research Papers The women's activist development in the United States started in 1948 in upstate New York. The first women’s rights show was in July nineteenth of that year. The ladies associated with the women's activist development were disparaged for battling for women’s rights yet it didn't prevent them from defending their convictions. One case of a lady ready to do whatever it took to pick up women’s rights was Susan B. Anthony. She was captured for endeavoring to cast a ballot in the presidential political decision in 1872. These first ladies who pushed women’s rights got known as the â€Å"first wave of feminists.† Their most noteworthy achievement was the section and sanction of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution allowing ladies the option to cast a ballot starting in 1920. Despite the fact that they prevailing with regards to picking up the option to cast a ballot, they didn't prevail with regards to changing women’s social and monetary positions. The early and center twentieth century women’s development in the end turned out to be considerably less amazing power for social change. The second flood of woman's rights developed in the 1960’s and went into full power in the 1970’s. The political activism including the war and the battle for the privileges of dark individuals of the 1960’s drove ladies to reevaluate their feebleness. Ladies were turning out to be increasingly mindful that they had acknowledged the misogynist mentalities and practices in customary sex jobs. Due to their acknowledgment, they started testing male predominance and were not, at this point cheerful in subordinate and accommodating jobs. Women's liberation in today’s society has a marginally unique importance with individuals than it has previously. Overviews show that despite the fact that ladies are underwriting women's activist positions, they don't really acknowledge the name of a women's activist. In 1987, 57% of ladies viewed themselves as women's activists and by 2001, the extent dropped to just 25%. Woman's rights as a brought together political reason has become undesirable since when complex issues are talked about people would prefer to take sides independently. There keeps on being a developing pace of acknowledgment of ladies in non-conventional jobs, for example, working instead of remaining at home and dealing with the house and family. Since the battle for women’s rights started, women's activists have supported the entry of the equivalent rights revision, governmental policy regarding minorities in society for ladies and minorities, bureaucratic enactment banning sex separation in train ing, more noteworthy portrayal of ladies in government and the privilege of a legitimate premature birth. Crossing point of Social Inequality The Matrix of Domination is utilized to show the different crossing points of social imbalance including sexual orientation, social class, race and ethnicity. It shows how a few social components can merge to make an aggregate effect on a person’s social standing. Sexual orientation jobs among African Americans have constantly incited discussion. Promoters of Black Nationalism contend that women's liberation diverts ladies from completely taking an interest in the African American battle and accept women's activist gatherings among them separate the dark network. Dark women's activists restrict this view and contend there is not something to be picked up by tolerating sexual orientation job divisions of the prevailing society. Local Americans stand apart as a special case to the man centric custom and thusly, most Native American ladies have opposed sexual orientation generalizations. Latina’s are generally considered either part of the Hispanic or women's activist deve lopments, barely ever both. They have been rejected from dynamic in the two social establishments that influence their every day lives: the congregation and the family. Fetus removal from a Global Perspective In 1973, the Supreme Court conceded ladies the option to end pregnancies in the United States. The court administering known as Roe v. Swim depended on a woman’s right to protection and the choice was praised by star decision gatherings and enormously censured by master life gatherings. The legitimization of fetus removal caused a lot of debate inside the star life bunches in light of their conviction that life starts at origination and they saw premature birth as a demonstration of homicide. The discussions following Roe v. Swim have consistently rotated around restricting or if nothing else constraining premature births. An enormous discussion started in 1971 when the territory of Missouri started requiring parental assent for minors wishing to have a fetus removal. Different discussions remember the mechanical advances for the clinical field like the â€Å"morning after pill† and premature birth inciting pills. Likewise, ultrasounds are currently utilized by speciali sts to end pregnancy as ahead of schedule as eight days after origination. Sociologists consider sexual orientation to be social class as the characterizing issues encompassing premature birth and state they are brought about by the distinctions over women’s position in the public eye. Women's activists who protect fetus removal rights commonly accept people are comparative and restrict all types of sexual segregation permitting ladies to be dynamic in the work power outside the home. Contradicting this view is the ace life advocates who generally accept people are on a very basic level unique and view ladies who work outside the home as damaging to society and their families. Like the United States, numerous European countries have changed premature birth laws starting in the 1970’s. Against fetus removal activists in Great Britain, France, Spain, Italy and Germany were propelled by the solid enemy of premature birth development in the United States and have gotten progressively candid. Despite the fact that numerous nations have sanctioned premature birth, a fourth of the considerable number of ladies on the planet live in nations where fetus removal is unlawful or just when her life is in danger and thusly, 40% of all premature births around the world (around 20 million every year) are performed illicitly. Research Papers on The History of Feminism19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Fifth HorsemanInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesQuebec and CanadaTrailblazing by Eric AndersonAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XAssess the significance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeHip-Hop is Art

A Bookworms Guide to Finding the Light; or, Why I Read Horror

A Bookworm’s Guide to Finding the Light; or, Why I Read Horror The current apocalypse in American politics got me started on reading horror. My whole life I’ve read voraciouslyâ€"but never horror. For one year, I read a book a day in an effort to find my way out of an all-encompassing griefâ€"and it worked. During that year of reading, I read almost every genre out there. I read fiction of every stripe and kind, and nonfiction essays, histories, and biographies. But I did not read any horror. Now I do read horrorâ€"and I love it. horror lifts me out of my numbed response to yet another strike against the soul of America; after all, screaming in terror is better than limp catatonia. Even better, reading horror has reignited my faith that that we can survive anything. We can even thrive, according to the horror tomes I love best, if we just keep fighting for something better.  By reading horror, I face the darkness to find the light. My top four favorites in horror are: The Stand by Stephen King, in which a government-crafted superflu, meant for biological warfare, is released upon the world, killing off 99% of the world’s population and leading to the complete breakdown of societal norms and conventions (to say the least); The House of Leaves  by Mark Z. Danielewski, a story told in many voices and styles, all relating to a manuscript detailing the life of Will Navidson (“Navy”), a man haunted by the labyrinth he discovers in the house he shares with his partner Karen and their two children; The Hunger by Alma Katsu, a super-creepy retelling of the real-life story of the 1840s Donner Party expedition that led to human cannibalism (Katsu revels in the details of it); and White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi, about a house that has imbibed the miseries of past occupants, and now inflicts its own misery on its currentâ€"and already rattledâ€"occupants, including twins Eliot and Miri. In every great book, there is growth, choice, change, and redemption.  Or at least the possibility of redemption. The same goes for great books of Horror. Spoiler Alert Baby Peter fights off the superflu in The Stand, giving humanity a chance to survive. Karen overcomes her own fears to save Navy from the labyrinth in The House of Leaves.  Not everyone gets eaten in The Hunger. One twin makes it out alive in White is for Witching. End Spoilers By reading horror, Ive found role models/protagonists facing odds that are both staggering and terrifying, and yet despite such terrible odds, the heroes keep on fighting. A few fighters fall by the wayside, but enough survive to take on and even beat back the powers of evil: They look deep into the darkness and find light. Or maybe find an alternative to light, something that might even be better than light. As Helen Oyeyemi writes in  White is for Witching,  â€œI’m not sure what’s really meant by happy and good. I would like…to be free. Now. Please begin.” I am free, thanks to reading horror, to accept that evil exists but that it can be battled against. Free to believe in a future for all of us. Free to face terrible realities. Free to express my inner warrior. And most importantly: I am free to be afraid. I should be afraid of  what the future holds. What I do with that fear is what counts. Fear is the dominant emotion in horror books, exhibited both by the characters and the reader. Every writer of horror comes up with different modes of first building up fear and then offering ways for their characters (and readers) to deal with that fear. As Danielewski  lays out in House of Leaves: “I will run from my fear, I will outdistance my fear, then I will hide from my fear, I will wait from my fear, I will let fear run past me, then I will follow my fear, I will track my fear…I will grab hold of my fear, I will sink my fingers into my fear, then I will bite my fear, I will tear the throat of my fear, I will break the neck of my fear, I will drink the blood of my fear, I will crush the bones of my fear, and I will savor my fear, I will swallow my fear, all of it, and then I will digest my fear until I can do nothing else but shit out my fear. In this way I will be made stronger.” Okay, got it. Books comfort me when I feel sad; send me to gorgeous faraway lands or fascinating long-ago times when I need escape; connect me with others when I am lonely; and guide  me  when  I am lost. Books of horror are now helping me deal with my fear for the future of our country and our planet by showing me what to do with fear, how to face it, and how to fight back for the values I hold dear. Bring it on, forces of evil. Never underestimate a book worm. Ive read great books of horror and now I know how to fight the darkness, and never give up on the light. The latest and greatest from the world of horror Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox.

Argumentative Essays on Female Discrimination

Argumentative Essays on Female Discrimination A lot of feministic organization and their female fans still deeply believe the fact, that women are discriminated and not given high level positions only because of their female sex. Is it really so? Well, to begin with, I daresay that the majority of feministic stories about female discrimination are myths. Men are already afraid to have a look at a beautiful woman – it could be judged as sexual harassment. If a woman is not given a job because she simply does not fit according to her education or personal qualities it is gender discrimination. If she is dragging a heavy bag, men will in the majority of cases not dare offering her help, which is natural, because regardless of feminism and stuff, men are physically stronger than women, since some females can treat it as disrespect. Do you really think that in such a situation women, who explain their disability to grow professionally due to gender discrimination, are right? It is not a question of being a man or a woman in the process of building a carrier. It is a question of being professional, wise, hardworking and active. And a great amount of women, occupying top management positions is an example of it. I think, that women can reach the same professional success as men, and, fortunately, our society is mature enough not to prevent them from doing it. The question is, do they all want to be lady bosses? I know a lot of examples, when women gave up their carriers because they all of a sudden realize that it was social program and not their natural wishes, which ruled them. And there are no mysterious female-hating males, who prevented them from becoming a Big Boss. I am a woman, and I have a right to say: dear ladies, don’t create something that does not exist in reality unless you want to have a new toy to play with.

Betraying and Lying in Othello by William Shakespeare

Betraying and lying have become the root of all evil today. People have made it an everyday thing to lie and betray people just because they like to see people broken in misery. People also lie and betray people because of jealousy they may have towards them. The tragedy of Othello explains why some people are not trustworthy. Just because some people feel like they are miserable, they try everything in their power to make the other individual miserable as well. Enemies come in different colors, shapes, and forms, making it difficult for you to pick out who the ones that is worth trusting. The author uses Characterization, conflict, and themes to tell about the deceitful ways a person has, and all the harm it causes to people to†¦show more content†¦Because of Delia’s assumptions, there were many people that started to believe that William Shakespeare did not write his own work, such as Christopher Marlowe, the Earl of Derby, the Earl of Rutland, the Earl of Oxford, and even Queen Elizabeth I (Mabillard). People believed that Shakespeare wasn’t real. They say that there was no evidence to show that a real person named William Shakespeare wrote the poems and plays Shakespeare became an actor in the company that produced the plays (Mabillard). There were no documents found to support Delia’s accusation about William Shakespeare’s work being written by someone else (Mabillard). There is also no evidence that said that the name used by this man who crafted the plays, sonnets, and poems was an alias (Mabillard). They looked into the lives of other author’s and playwrights and there was nothing to associate their works with Shakespeare’s work (Mabillard). The question about if Shakespeare is a real person, and if he wrote his own work still remains questionable today. That question may never be answered. Shakespeare had a major impact on the renaissance time period. Although William Shakespeare was born towards the end of the renaissance time period he was the first writer to bring the renaissance value into theaters (Lee). The renaissance time period was used to describe the ways Europeans moved away from the set ideas of the Middle Ages (Lee). During the Middles AgesShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Monstrous Jealousy In William Shakespeares Othello1271 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s â€Å"Othello†, illustrates four of themes in the play. One of the themes is extreme jealousy can make a person act like a monster. In the play, Shakespeare uses Othello, Roderigo, and Iago to prove the theme of Monstrous Jealousy by Othello slapping Desdemona in front of the Public of Venusians calling her cruel names and Developing evil schemes to kill Desdemona at night. Iago tells the lie to Othello about Cassio and Desdemona to and convincing Othello to believe in it. Roderi goRead MoreOthellos Tragic Flaws746 Words   |  3 PagesOthello’s tragic flaws Rodrigo Diaz 5/13/14 William Shakespeare wrote many plays in the 1600’s, lots of them were tragedies. William Shakespeare’s plays often had the downfall of a hero in it. In the play Othello: the tragic hero, Othello who is a larger than life character has earned a high rank in life as well as the military. He is a much respected man even though he is black. And has married a white woman named Desdemona. But when he makes the decision to make Casio Lieutenant instead ofRead More Feminine Roles in Othello Essay1310 Words   |  6 PagesRoles in Othello  Ã‚        Ã‚   A variety of roles have women in them in William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello. Let us in this essay examine the female characters and their roles.    One key role for the heroine of the drama, Desdemona, is to support the general. David Bevington in William Shakespeare: Four Tragedies states the hero’s dependence on Desdemona:    Othello’s most tortured speeches (3.4.57-77, 4.2.49-66) reveal the extent to which he equates the seemingly betraying womanRead MoreThe Bond Between Women in Williams Shakespeares Literautre 908 Words   |  4 Pageslifetime, this is due to the heavy reliance on emotional connects that they share. Desdemona and Emilia in Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare show this bond between women through Shakespeare’s use of foreshadowing. As Desdemona begins to realize her fate she tells her dear friend Emilia â€Å"Lay on my bed my wedding sheets† (4.3.108-110). Desdemona had begun to realize just how upset Othello was, although she did not know the reason as to why he was, she knew that he would end up killing herRead More Feminine Roles in Othello Essay1885 Words   |  8 PagesFeminine Roles in Othello  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   A variety of roles have women in them in William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello. Let us in this essay examine the female characters and their roles.    One key role for the heroine of the drama, Desdemona, is to support the general. David Bevington in William Shakespeare: Four Tragedies enlightens us about the hero’s dependence on Desdemona:    Othello’s most tortured speeches (3.4.57-77, 4.2.49-66) reveal the extent to which he equates theRead More Non-masculine Roles in Othello Essay2025 Words   |  9 PagesNon-masculine Roles in Othello  Ã‚        Ã‚   In William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello the three women characters have interesting roles. Through the dialogue and action other roles are stated or implied as applying to women.    In â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello† Valerie Wayne presents Desdemona’s reaction to Iago’s verbal expressions concerning women’s role as sexual objects:    Iago instead claims that four different kinds of women are sexually wanton: either theirRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare2299 Words   |  10 PagesWilliam Shakespeare, born in the mid sixteenth century, is a well-known poet and playwright from England. The topics of his plays range from history and comedy, all the way to tragedy, and focus on universal themes and relationships between characters to express these themes to the general public. Betrayal, incest, jealousy, and love are all common themes in his works. Although one of Shakespeare’s more popular tragic dramas, Othello, at first glance seems to mainly center around the characters OthelloRead MoreEverybody knows that the most enthralling stories have a good villain. A â€Å"good† villain refers to a2100 Words   |  9 Pagesknows that the most enthralling stories have a good villain. A â€Å"good† villain refers to a character who is ruthless, cunning, and an all-around mastermind who keeps the audience guessing. One of the most interesting villains is Iago from William Shakespeare’s Othello. Iago is a villain who has been analyzed for 500 years and still has no clear motivations for his evil acts. Fast forward a few centuries from the time Iago was created and take one of the most interesting characters from the CW’s televisionRead MoreHow Does Shakespeare Present the Character of Iago in Act I, and Prepare the Audience for His Part in Othello’s Downfall?2572 Words   |  11 Pages‘Othello’, also known as ‘The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice’ is a play written by William Shakespeare, somewhere between 1601 and 1604. It is a tragedy set in Venice and Cyprus, with a strong and respected soldier, Othello, playing the protagonist; although some critics argue that the play should have been named ‘Iago’ after the treacherous villain whose role is at least as important as the protagonist’s. The play is th e heart-rending tale of a black Venetian soldier, who is excellent at

The Impact of E-Business Free Essays

An E-Business strategy allows a typical business to take advantage of Internet technology to improve communications and increase productivity. An E-Business utilizes digital media such as email, data conferencing, e-commerce, and B2B to streamline business operations. These are made possible through a network infrastructure like Local Area Networks (LANs), Wireless communication, and the Internet. We will write a custom essay sample on The Impact of E-Business or any similar topic only for you Order Now Customer relationship can be improved due to fast response time and efficient business transactions. Through email, businesses can communicate with their customers instantaneously. This is important for sales, support, and marketing activities. E-commerce websites can also be utilized to sell products and perform business transactions in real-time. Customers can do their shopping online, pay electronically, and have their products delivered the next day. This reduces cost drastically because there are no more physical overheads such as shops, printed brochures and human cashiers. Collaboration with business partners is also strengthened through B2B exchanges. Using this technology, companies can partner with each other buy cheaper products placed directly from suppliers. At the same time, they can integrate and synchronize their individual business operations. One company might handle product design, while others manage procurement, shipping, and marketing. This translates directly to reduced cost and improved business efficiency. E-Business can also increase a company’s internal productivity. Using Local Area Networks (LANs) and Intranet, employees can share information faster and more efficient than traditional phone or paper communication. Various services such as email, file transfer, directory services, and knowledge management systems can increase productivity and reduce manual work. Wireless networking can also allow executives to be connected anywhere and anytime, so they can manage their business more effectively. A company can transform to become an E-Business by adopting Internet technology along with certain business considerations and decisions. The main strategy should be aligned with the main goal to reduce cost and increase the company’s productivity. The importance of the transition should always be highlighted, emphasizing these two benefits. The reason for this is because most people are resistant to change, especially those related to technology. They view these as a threat to their jobs, to the status quo, and to internal politics. Studies will have to be made that will show the return on investment (ROI) and how it will improve the business as a whole. A transition plan should also be made so that the adoption of the technology would be much easier and not drastic. User education and training is also an important aspect because it helps people understand the benefits they can get from the E-Business. Considerable investments will also have to be made in IT consulting, hardware, and software. IT companies and consultants will be hired for the the initial setup of the system, and training for the users who will comprise the IT department. This department would then have the expertise to continue the transition and implement technology-related changes. Computer hardware such as personal computers and network cables will be purchased and changes in the office layout will be implemented. New guidelines and protocols should be also created in order to maintain system integrity and security. The company will be exposed to new threats such as unauthorized access, viruses, worms, hackers, and spam. Because of this, security procedures such as Intrusion Detection and Disaster Recovery should be implemented. Computer and network policies should also be in place so that these risks will be minimized. How to cite The Impact of E-Business, Essay examples

Renters Insurance Essay Example

Renters Insurance Essay I chose to write my paper on renters insurance. I do not own the place where I live but I do own valuables that should be protected. I decided to contact an Allstate insurance agent for renter’s insurance options. I was informed that renters insurance is for anyone who rents a home, be it a house or an apartment. Renters insurance can protect your personal property against fire, theft and vandalism. Renters insurance does not just help provide coverage for everyday necessities like furniture and clothes. It also helps protect theft prone valuables like laptops and bikes, wherever taken. If something like a fire makes a home uninhabitable, renters insurance will cover the increase in costs of a place to live until it can be moved back into. RI will also replace personal belongings at replacement value, not just the depreciated value. RI can help provide protection in case of a liability lawsuit. This could occur in a situation where you are held responsible for, injury of another person or damage to another person’s property. Whether the incident occurred within your rented residence, or elsewhere. The amount of protection provided by RI depends on the coverage plan bought, how much coverage is bought, and which deductible is selected. Surprisingly the amount of protection provided by renters insurance is quite large. Had I not looked in to it I would have never known the full scope of coverage for this type of insurance and how beneficial and wise it can be to have renters insurance. We will write a custom essay sample on Renters Insurance specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Renters Insurance specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Renters Insurance specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Marketing Workflow Process How to Reduce Work By 30% to 50%

Marketing Workflow Process How to Reduce Work By 30% to 50% Have you ever hit a snag as you manage projects? Maybe some details got missed. You had to work on something at the last minute. You have way too much on your plate. It felt like a fire drill. And it felt disorganized. But what if you never had to feel that way again? Workflow process mapping for your marketing projects can help you: Reduce the amount of work within a project by 30-50%. (!!!) Start projects at the right times to help you nail every deadline. Collaborate + delegate more efficiently than ever before. Ready to get started? How To Boost A Marketing Workflow Process That Will Reduce Work By 30-50%Team Management Dashboard: Manage Your Team's Workload More Effectively  Than Ever Gain powerful insight into your team’s daily and weeks tasks in one dashboard. The Team Management Dashboard gives managers ultimate visibility into team member's priorities. You can pinpoint bottlenecks in workload, see project status, and set realistic goals for your entire team (without the endless status meetings.) With the  Team Management Dashboard from , you'll: Gain ultimate visibility into each team member's daily priorities, so you can focus on driving productivity and meeting your deadlines NOT scouring the calendar for project updates. Easily identify who has too much on their plate and who can take on more work, so you can get more done and keep team members happy. Know who’s falling behind (and who’s rockin’ it).  Get a snapshot of every team member’s progress with completed, overdue, and incomplete tasks, so you can set realistic goals for your team and address concerns faster. 1. Map Out Everything That Needs To Be Done Andrew S. Grove, former chairman and CEO at Intel, writes about the concept of removing unnecessary tasks from processes in his book, High Output Management. He calls this work simplification. And, to be honest, it's a very easy idea to grasp + implement. Andrew suggests: ...you first need to create a flow chart of the production process as it exists. Every single step must be shown on it; no step should be omitted in order to pretty things up on paper. To implement this advice, you could: Open Evernote and type every step in your process in a bulleted list. Grab a stack of Post-It notes + a Sharpie and wrote one step per sticky note. Find a notepad + a pencil and get everything on paper. At this point, you are looking for a raw list of every single step in a process. For example, here is a workflow process sample of all of the steps we consider as we write a blog post at : Note: This is a simple checklist in Evernote. It's not overcomplicated. Action item: Write down every step in your workflow  in chronological order. 2. Reduce The Number of Steps in Your Workflow In High Output Management, Andrew shares: Second, count the number of steps in the flow chart so that you know how many you started with.  Third, set a rough target for reduction of the number of steps. In the first round of simplification, our experience shows that you can reasonably expect a 30 to 50 percent reduction. To implement the actual simplification, you must question why each step is performed. Typically, you will find that many steps exist in your workflow for no good reason. Often they are there because of tradition or because formal procedure necessitates it, not for a practical reason. Putting this advice into practice for our blog post workflow example, I  targeted removing at least 5 of the 28 steps (highlighted in yellow): As you do this process for your own workflow, look for steps that: Fall into other processes and will happen regardless of including this as an actual task in your workflow. Examples for the blog post included emailing audience and responding to blog comments. Simply don't need to happen. For example, our social media graphics are the same as the graphics we design for blog content (our graphic designer, Ashton, just sizes them appropriately for each social media network). No one needs to review her work if we nail the initial review correctly, so this is a step that doesn't need to exist. Used to be helpful, but are now outdated.  We used to  define angles and peer review outlines at a time when we changed our standards of performance for blog content. These steps were helpful to  instill a culture change for every piece, but now the team knows the expectations. In this example, we can remove those two steps because we trust the team to complete their work effectively. Exist for  office bureaucracy. When you completely trust your team, there is no need for approvals. More eyeballs = slower, inefficient process. If you don't trust your team to ship quality work, improving your workflow is not the problem (and it won't be the solution). Action item: Remove unnecessary steps from your workflow. 3. Combine Steps Into Tasks In addition to removing steps from your workflow entirely, there is likely an opportunity to consolidate similar steps  together. This practice will help you remove some  clutter from your workflow,  simplify your process, and make delegating + communicating tasks a lot easier. For example, with the blog post workflow, I consolidated 23 steps into 13: Note that at this point, you'll want to clearly begin every task with a verb. As you delegate, this makes it clear what you expect the assignee to do before she marks the task as complete. Action item: Consolidate the steps into tasks  beginning with clear action verbs. 4. Give Each Task a Clear Definition of Done And since you'll be delegating, you may need to literally write out your expectations for each task. What does done look like before the assignee checks it off her to-do list? This simple process gives you the chance to clearly communicate expectations before you assign work. And as you share the definitions with your team, it gives your assignees a framework to reference as they execute so they can self-serve and answer the questions themselves (further improving their productivity  and autonomy). Action item: Write the definition of done for each task.  Clearly lay out your expectations. 5. Choose Who Will Complete Each Task You likely already know the folks who serve specific marketing roles within your business. Now, it's time to determine who among your team is best suited for each of the tasks. For our blog post workflow example, defining who does what  could look like this: Action item: Choose who will complete each specific task within your workflow. 6. Determine How Long it Will Take to Complete Each Task Now that you know who is doing what, you can have a simple conversation with each team member involved in the process. During this chat, show your assignee the workflow as a whole  and explain the definitions of done. Then, ask a simple question: How long will it take to complete this task? You will use this information to help you understand when to begin working on  the project so you can nail your deadlines. For example, this is what it may look like for the blog post workflow: This process helps you see where there are opportunities for multiple different team members to be working on different parts of the project at the same time (so you can ship faster). For example,  Ben can proofread and optimize as Ashton starts her designs. It also gives you some perspective into how much work a specific team member can realistically take on. And it will help you  understand how far in advance you should assign  the tasks to be due. Action item: Determine how long it will take to complete each task within your workflow. 7. Plan When Each Task Needs To Be Complete At this point,  review every task and think about the due date as: # days before publish I've found it helpful to start your review with the last task in your workflow. Why? Because you can realistically work backward  to understand when to start the project, taking into consideration every task, team member, and their time commitment. Ask yourself: How many days before publish (or launch) does the last task in my  workflow need to be complete? Is it one day? One week? From there,  determine how many days before publish the other tasks need to be complete. Keep in mind, there may be opportunity for different team members to complete tasks simultaneously (which will help you ship faster). This is an extremely  subjective part of the framework and will require a lot of good + realistic judgment on your part. So, here is an example of what this would look like for our blog post workflow example: In this example, I started my review with the last task in our workflow: Schedule blog post to publish. I like to see blog posts 100% complete two weeks before they publish. This gives us a bank of content and a framework of when we should realistically start working on content to keep that bank of completed content a reality. After I nailed down when the  last task needs to be complete, I worked my way "up" the task list and assigned X days before publish due dates to all of the tasks. Now I know in order to write a blog post up to our standards, we should start working on it 22 days before publish. Agile Sprint Planning Can Make This Even Easier Agile is a project management technique that is growing in popularity amongst marketing teams. It is particularly popular for its ability to accurately breakdown large projects into smaller chunks that are more likely to be accomplished on time. Part of the Agile process is collaboratively determining team velocity and the break down of tasks. Doing so collaboratively means the project is more likely to be completed on time as the individual who will be doing the work can give their estimations of how long it will actually take them to accomplish the tasks. Here's how it works:   Your team velocity is their overall capacity to accomplish work. This is typically calculated based team input and historical performance. It can be calculated using some basic math. Every task your team completes a holds a certain point value. Once every task of your project is broken down, team members will assign the task a point value on a scale of 1 to 3... 1 is the easiest to complete and takes the lest amount of time; 3 is the most difficult and takes the most amount of time. Task A: 1 point Task B: 2 points Task C: 2 points Task D: 3 points Project Velocity Total: 8   Let's say that previous projects that were an 8 point velocity  were delivered in a total of 3 days. Now you know exactly how many days to allocate for the work to be completed. Action item: Determine how many days before publish each task must be completed. I'm not gonna lie: My Evernote example is starting to look like a mess. That's where comes into play. 8. Delegate The Tasks: Notify + Remind + Collaborate At this point, your team knows the tasks they are responsible for completing + the definition of done for those tasks. So your next step is to clearly: Notify the assignee when you delegate  a task so she knows what to execute. Communicate the due date for that task (transitioning your plan of # days before publish into  clearly defined calendar dates). Remind the assignee again the day before a task is due to make certain the task gets complete. You can do this via email or instant message tools like Slack or HipChat. Or you can build the workflow you created into to automatically share this information without the manual busywork. ;) Recommended Reading: How to Make the Best Process With 11 Content Marketing Workflow Tips In your marketing calendar, open a new blog post. From here, select the task template icon and + New Template. Now you can add  all of the  process you just created into a reusable marketing workflow. Simply name your task template and hit Next. Then add each of your tasks, assign it to the team member, and add your # days before publish. Now you can apply + reuse that task template with a couple simple clicks, which works extremely well for recurring projects like the blog post example we've been using as a teaching aid throughout this  article. The moment you apply the task template, everyone who is assigned a task is notified by email and in their personal dashboard (which serves nicely as a daily to-do list). The day before a task is due, automatically emails the assignee to make sure the work gets done. Action item: Assign the tasks for your project, notify  each team member on the task due date, and remind each team member the day before  her task is due. (When you use , you just need to build your task template once and apply it to automatically do this without the manual busywork). 10. Track Team Progress Now you can follow the same process you learned from this article to create workflows for any project you choose to take on! Afterward, you'll likely want to know what's working  (and what's not) so you can improve your process. Lucky you- also has a feature called  the Team Performance Report. ^^^ This report helps you know your team's completion rate for all marketing tasks on your calendar. That includes: Tasks completed on time  (so you know your workflows are really working). Tasks completed past due (so maybe you need to tweak  minor # days before publish  somewhere because the work is getting done, just not when you expected). Tasks overdue (so you can see exactly what is NOT getting done and address snags with your team  quickly). You can also use burn charts to understand the amount of tasks you are assigning to your team and how many are overdue. This helps you spot trends + address snags before you miss any deadlines. With Team Reports, you can also see who is falling behind (and who's rockin' it). You'll click through to see even more information about each team member's performance with completed, overdue, and incomplete task reports. And that will help you tweak your workflows + set realistic goals + address concerns faster. Action item: Find the tool that helps you understand when tasks are completed on time, completed past due, and  overdue. How Will You Organize Your Marketing Workflow Process? The framework you  just learned has helped  the marketing team at get organized, work smarter, and boost our productivity. And hey, if you want to make it even easier on yourself... let us know! You can set up a demo below...

Research Paper on Corporation and Security of Staff Devices

Research Paper on Corporation and Security of Staff Devices Research Paper on Corporation and Security of Staff Devices Abstract In the past, people could only use computers owned and managed by a company, and no one would think of lugging in their personal computers (PC) to use in the company. However, today, many things have become quite different. Many employees use personal devices such as tablets, smart phones, and many other gadgets that promote efficacy in communication. The use of these handheld devices by the staffs within an organization has provided services as well as a constant connectivity to workers. Despite the merits of new technological devices in a corporation, they are presenting new threats to the corporate assets (Mitchell, 2004). Research Problem The employees’ personal devices are causing ongoing concern in most companies concerning information security. For example, there are sensitive corporate information which can easily be transported as well as lost by using these devices. However, the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) movement in most organizations has led to an increasing number of expensive security incidents. The main problem in this case is that most corporations are still relying on the staff personal devices such as personal laptop for business (Loader, Biggs, 2002). These ancient devices do not have the same security level than those of the company leading to serious security threats to corporate information. This research proposal will discuss on the use of personal devices within the corporate as well as the security issues associated with the use of these devices (Burke, 2006). The issue of security level has become very problematic to many organizations since the employees using these devices usually jeopardize company security through loss and theft, malware, spam, phishing and Bluetooth (Zachary, 2004). It is evident that the use of staff personal devices is growing rampantly and affecting the corporate of all sizes. Therefore, the organizations that allow their staff to bring in personal organization in the premises should ensure that there is proper security implemented to control these risks (Quigley, 2008). From the research collected in various organizations, it is indicated that about 93% of the staffs have mobile devices that connect to the corporate networks and 67% allow personal devices to connect to corporate networks. It is also evident that the staff personal devices are causing challenges especially for the corporate IT security department (Mitchell, 2004). Most of the companies that allowed personal devices to access their networks, it was reported that the employees used their own smart phones, tablets, and other devices to handle business information leading to security issues (Zdziarski, 2008). The most common challenge faced by the IT corporations include the secu rity breaches particularly regarding the corporate information, tracking and controlling access to corporate and private networks, and managing personal devices containing the corporate as well as personal data and applications (Relationship and Resource Management in Operations, Securities Institute Operations Management, 2003). Aim of the Research The research proposal will discuss the corporation reliance on staff using their personal laptop, smart phones for business purposes. The justification for focusing on this issue is that the employees’ personal devices seem not to possess the same security level like those of the company. The aim of this research paper is to contribute to the understanding of various risks issues that are brought upon by using personal devices within an organization (IFPO, 2010). Significance of the Research Most staff members often feel comfortable using their own devices as opposed to using the corporate machines. In the United States of America, about 46% of the businesses are today allowing their staffs to use personally owned PCs (Steinberg, 2007). Several researches in this sector, such as the information technology research and advisory company continue reporting that in the future, employers will require their employees to supply their own devices to be used for business purposes (Lee, Swartz, 2007). Today, the significance of using personal computers is mainly focuses on the factors of choice and convenience for employees as well as saving costs for the employers. Most corporations rely on the staffs’ personal devices because they cause a significant time shift in the working behavior of the employees (Keyes, 2010). However, some corporations that allow staffs to carry their personal devices in the company have become successful in certain respects (Winch, 2010). For ins tance, the devices enable employees to conveniently send and reply to emails at any time, and from any location. This particularly applies to situations where the staff members are taken to do a field research by the organization (Reddy, 2010). Personal devices have enabled catching up on emails to be quite easy and fitted with employee performance. By using the devices, employees quickly handle even the most challenging tasks by relying on the personal devices for communication while managers can obtain prompt responses to their enquiries as well (Keyes, 2002). The other benefit of using personal devices in corporate is that the users will find the devices to be always at hand as compared to big machines implemented within the organizations. Therefore, staff members tend to have ready access to the businesses, personal information as well as check on the organizations latest business figures. The ready access to information offers a greater choice in a way the staff members work (Mahmood Szewczak, 2010). Research Methodologies Mobility can bring both advantages as well as risks to the corporate. As the staff members bring their personal devices into the workplace, most organizations are motivated to encourage the use of these devices for business purposes because they increase employee productivity within the premises (Lucas, 2012). Personal devices especially the portable ones can give the employees access to the corporate resources and continuous collaboration with business partners. The other advantage of using these devices is that they reduce the IT costs by allowing employees to often pay for their own personal devices rather than rely on the ones provided by the company. Therefore, most companies save IT spending on the device purchases and communication services (Zdziarski, 2008). The research also showed that the use of personal devices for work has become very consistent across all the sampled companies (Winch, 2012). Little variation was seen in the number of businesses claiming that they have p ersonal devices on their corporate networks, from the smallest business, which is about 65 % to the largest 68%. Corporation reliance on employees using their personal laptops and smart phones would promote productivity as this allows flexibility and mobility (Wolowitz, Tharp, Rubin, 2010). However, over-reliance on employees’ personal gadgets would compromise the security of corporate data and information. Therefore, the corporate needs to recognize that when the employees connect mobile devices to the organizations systems, the devices must then be treated just like any IT equipment with appropriate security controls (Keyes, 2010). The security issues of these devices should be addressed by the corporate at the outset because the devices used may become a point of security weakness, which threatens to disclose business information. It is evident that most hackers have discovered that the staff members carrying their personal devices to the corporate may have linked both business and personal data within the system (Snoyer, 2004). Therefore, it would be easy for the hackers to get more and more information regarding the corporate. Given that personal devices platforms have not been natively designed to provide comprehensive security, hackers have a strong incentive of developing new techniques or create the mobile-centric malware for the devices (Zdziarski, 2008). Access to Data The access of data to this research proposal will be gained by using both the primary and secondary sources. The data will also be collected using interviews and questionnaires for the corporate who allow their workers to bring in their personal devices to the organization. Access to these data will not be conditional because many corporate have for many years endured security issues in regards to allowing the staff to bring in their personal devices to the organization (Burke, 2006). Ethical Issues In the research Employees can compromise the security of a corporation by abusing their personal devices in various ways (Schultz, 2006). For instance, they may use these devices for other functions other than the stipulated official purposes. Blogging and spending so much time on social networking sites are other forms of abuse that eat into staff working hours and bring unnecessary costs to the organization (Melky Harnest, 2010). These issues can be addressed by pre-programming the devices or network proxy for authentication and access control. Conclusion Employees who bring their personal computers within the corporate usually do this for personal convenience and they are privy to the fact that they are publicizing their preferences even to hackers. The number of organizations that allow their staff to use their personal devices such as smart phones and iPhones are at an all-time high because these companies tend to give the employees greater say over their used devices. Today, workers on the other hand are also driving the tablet sales and point to tablets as the preferred method of consuming content. Caution should be taken by the corporations and employees to ensure that corporate information is secured away from the reach of hackers. Visit our research paper writing service which will help you with writing a research paper on any topic and discipline. Just visit our writing company!

The Value of Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Value of Work - Essay Example I view hard work as a means to an end and it could be the only means available to everybody, rich or poor, young or old, educated or not. Coming from a Chinese descent, I had my own share of the difficulties in life. I have seen how my parents worked hard only to make sure that I will be able to go to college and finish my studies. They dreamed of keeping us out from poverty so that they did not just share their beliefs about working hard but they also worked hard to show the meaning of their words. China is known to be a country that has survived many difficulties through hard work and this somehow molded the perspective of the Chinese people regarding work and wealth. Wealth and success is always directly proportionate to hard work, that is, if we are speaking of honest gain alone. The Chinese are well-known for their thriftiness, that most are able to succeed financially, slowly but surely. Therefore, although it has not always been directly taught to us the value of money, it see med to have always been in our blood, our culture. The thriftiness of the Chinese is not a picture of stinginess rather of value, and the appreciation of its value and source. Money is not supposed to be wasted easily because it is not earned easily. It takes a lot of hard work to gain money so every drop of sweat is to be remembered when spending time comes. I may not understand fully well the reaction of the man being shocked by his stepson handing him some coins simply â€Å"because he did not like them jangling in his pocket† (Updike) but I guess I have a glimpse of the difficulties he has been through that he valued every cent as we, Chinese do. Cultural background largely affects my beliefs about work and is compounded by my observations, religion and educational background, both formal and informal. In our country, a lot of people work in the fields and farming is indeed difficult according to my observance because farmers usually work under the sun and even under the rain. Their jobs are not like those of low-paid employees like janitors, waiters, plumbers or carpenters who also have difficult jobs but are always under the protection of a roof when the sun is up or the rain is pouring hard. I can just imagine the sacrifice farmers spend in doing their responsibilities in order to live a decent life even if the financial value of their hard work is not much. Still, I respect them. I do not just equate work with financial success but I also look at its qualitative value. Some people may look down on people who earn low salaries but for me, I look up to them because they earn their bread decently. It is said that learning starts at home and family members are the first teachers. This is very true. I had my first education on work when my parents taught me to save in a piggy bank. Since both my parents are working, they did not have much time to spend with me. Therefore, in their little time that they are able to talk with me, they always tell me to save money because it is difficult to earn it. They also encouraged me to always behave and obey their instructions and as long as I do so, they give me extra coins to put in my bank. This developed me to discipline myself to obey and behave. I believe this has a very strong effect on my perspectives now about work. Although I did not earn money by sweeping the floor, wiping the table or washing the dishes, I was able to earn because of discipline. I consider it a

McDonald's Marketing Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

McDonald's Marketing Plan - Essay Example The researcher states that political factors are usually beyond the control of the organization. A business needs to prepare for the changes that might occur and take the necessary action required to remedy the situation. For example, some parts of the Middle East are unstable and McDonald being from Britain should be careful of what they say since it could hurt their business. Economic factors can affect the performance of the business. For example, the recent economic recession that led to the closure of multiple businesses and the laying off countless personnel. McDonald should put measures in place to shield itself from any future problems that might occur. Social factors can relate to the cultures, values, and beliefs of the society. It consists of the population’s demographics, which include size, gender, ethnicity, and education. It helps McDonald target their business services and products. McDonald Company embodies a broad spectrum of services, so it allows useful inf ormation to them. Developments in the technology world can affect business performance in both negative and positive ways. For example, the internet and consumer behaviors have changed towards the internet; this has negatively affected McDonald because there has been as a decrease in sales in their book section. It is because e-commerce has taken business away. However, the launch of online shopping has enabled McDonald`s to expand rapidly since all their products in one place, and it has become easy to navigate. It will be beneficial to McDonald`s because people in Europe love to shop, and a one-stop shop will be a crowd puller.

Relationship With The Media And Tourism

Relationship With The Media And Tourism According to statistics, there are aspects which affect our way of thinking much more than mass media alone. The information and advice we are fed daily from various sources can often be ignored by us, but the mass media influences us all greatly, therefore, it is important for us to define mass media. The term mass media was first used in the 1920s to denote a section of the media aimed at targeting the lager audience using outlets such as nationwide radio networks and mass circulation of newspapers and magazines, though some forms of mass media such as books and manuscripts had already been used successfully for centuries. Mass media includes Internet media such as podcasts, blogs, message boards and video. We now have the kind of exposure that is compares in scale to that which was once restricted only to a certain band of mass media producers. Such audience communication has been considered by various commentators as forming a mass society with special characteristics, in particular, atomization or the lack of social connections this makes it especially open to the influence of modern mass media techniques such as advertising and propaganda. Public media as a term is used much less and is defined as media whose mission is to server or engage a public. Mass media can be used for several purposes, these include: a. Advocacy, in business and social matters. This can include advertising, marketing, propaganda, public relations, and political communication. b. Entertainment, traditionally in the performing of music, acting and sports and more recently during the late 20th century via video and computer games. c. Public service announcements. What makes mass media so attractive? The tourism industry harnesses the mass media which in turn holds a form of mystique to the public. This is because the designed communication appeals to a wider demographic. Advances made in mass media technology aides the marketing and promotion of tourism. If it gets people talking then this is a sign of a good mass marketing drive. If it succeeds then not only does it mean that the advertising drive has worked well, but also that the organisation in charge will benefit by the much valued and sought after word-of-mouth method of advertising. 2) Types of Media It can be possible to divide the types of Media into 3 categories: Print Media, Electronic Media and New-age Media. à ¢- º Print Media à ¢-„ a. Book A book is a collection of sheets of paper, parchment or other material with a piece of text written on them, bound together along one edge within covers. A book is also a literary work or a main division of such a work. b. Magazine A magazine is a periodical publication containing a variety of articles, generally financed by advertising and/or purchase by readers. Magazines are typically published weekly, biweekly, monthly, bimonthly or quarterly, with a date on the cover that is in advance of the date it is actually published. They are often printed in color on coated paper, and are bound with a soft cover. Magazines can be classified as: General interest magazines (e.g. Frontline, India Today, The Week, The Sunday Indian etc) Special interest magazines (womens, sports, business, scuba diving, etc) c. Newspaper A newspaper is a publication containing news and information and advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called newsprint. It may be general or special interest, most often published daily or weekly. The first printed newspaper was published in 1605, and the form has thrived even in the face of competition from technologies such as radio and television. à ¢- º Electronic Media à ¢-„ a. Broadcast: radio television Television and radio programs are distributed through radio broadcasting over frequency bands that are highly regulated by the Federal Communications Commission. Such regulation includes determination of the width of the bands, range, licencing, types of receivers and transmitters used, and acceptable content. b. Film Film encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as the field in general. The name comes from the photographic film (also called filmstock), historically the primary medium for recording and displaying motion pictures. Many other terms exist motion pictures (or just pictures and picture), the silver screen, photoplays, the cinema, picture shows, flicks and commonly movies. c. Internet The Internet (also known simply as the Net or less precisely as the Web) is a more interactive medium of mass media, and can be briefly described as a network of networks. Specifically, it is the worldwide, publicly accessible network of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching using the standard Internet Protocol (IP). It consists of millions of smaller domestic, academic, business, and governmental networks, which together carry various information and services, such as electronic mail, online chat, file transfer, and the interlinked Web pages and other documents of the World Wide Web. à ¢- º New-age Media à ¢-„ a. Blogs (Web Logs) Blogging has become a huge form of media. A blog is a website, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. b. RSS feeds RSS is a format for syndicating news and the content of news-like sites, including major news sites like Wired, news-oriented community sites like Slashdot, and personal blogs. It is a family of Web feed formats used to publish frequently updated content such as blog entries, news headlines, and podcasts. c. Podcast A podcast is a series of digital-media files which are distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on portable media players and computers. The term podcast, like broadcast, can refer either to the series of content itself or to the method by which it is syndicated; the latter is also called podcasting. The host or author of a podcast is often called a podcaster. d. Mobile Mobile phones were introduced in Japan in 1979 but became a mass media only in 1998 when the first downloadable ringing tones were introduced in Finland. Soon most forms of media content were introduced on mobile phones, and today the total value of media consumed on mobile towers over that of internet content, and was worth over 31 billion dollars in 2007 (source Informa). 3) Role of the media in tourism The mass media plays a unique role in modern society. Its growth has accompanies an increase in the magnitude and the complexity of actions and engagements within society. With rapid social change, innovation in technology, an increase in personal income, standard of life and the decline of some traditional forms of control and authority. Although much debated, there is an association between the development of mass media and social change, even after years of study into the influence of the media. Many of the consequences whether beneficial or detrimental which are attributed to the mass media are almost without doubt due to other tendencies within society. Sociologists would rarely deny the significance of mass media and mass communications as a whole, as being a main feature in the construction and circulation of modern social understanding and imagery. The media play a crucial role in putting emerging destinations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia onto the global tourist map, helping to boost the local economies, according to the United Nations Tourism Organisation (UNTO) (http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=23983Cr=georgiaCr1=tourism). The vast majority of travel is decided upon by people who have never before travelled to that particular destination, and are therefore dependant on media reporting. Should a crisis occur, tourism can be seriously damaged. 4) Relationship with Media and Tourism It can not be ignored that the recent boom in tourism can be attributed to the media. Information is accessed using it and an education regarding the many interesting attractions to be found around the world. The internet is possibly the most popular source of information on destinations and the best way of reaching them. Through the Internet, information and various articles on a destination can be found which will give the traveller an advantage. They will also gain knowledge to determine which places best suit them and offer them the most. Using the internet is fairly easy and cheap to book. With online travel agencies, flights and trips can be booked simply by logging on to a particular website and making a choice from any of the tour packages the agency offers. 2. Effects of media on tourism The internet has for a long time been a key component and aide in the technology of travel. Surveys show that the trend is rising in numbers and indicate that travellers are doing their research and booking more and more of their travel online. Whist traditionally the realm of most major websites who were offering low airline fares with all the accompaniments are now in a position to offer even more. Social media now provides a completely new opportunity for interaction with its potential customers. It has become a global media platform which is at last, companies in all sectors are finding new way to: (http://38minutes.ning.com/profiles/blogs/can-social-media-make-an, Can Social Media make an impact on Travel and Tourism?) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ provide a greatly improved customer service à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ respond to customer needs in the marketplace à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ extend their real-world brands beyond current geographic restrictions These same things can occur in the world of travel and tourism! 1) Economy The tourism industry generates substantial economic benefits to host countries and tourists home countries. Particularly in developing countries, one of the first motivations for a region to promote itself as a tourism destination is the improvement made to its economy. Along with other factors, this massive economic development can bring both positive and negative consequences. (www.geointeractive.co.uk//economic%20impact%20of%20tourism.ppt, Globalisation and Tourism: Impact of Tourism) à ¢- ºNegative impact à ¢-„ There are numerous hidden costs relating to tourism, these can have a negative effect on the economy of the host community. Wealthy countries are better placed to profit from tourism rather than the poorer ones. In addition, the countries last developed will have the most urgent need for income, employment created by it and a general rise in living standards. These countries are less likely to realise these benefits due to large scale transfer of tourism revenues leaving the host country also the exclusion of local businesses and their products. a. Leakage The direct income for an area is the amount of tourist revenue that remains locally after taxes, profits and salaries are paid outside the area and after imports, these subtracted amounts are called leakage. Generally, in most all-inclusive package tours, around 80% of a travellers expenditure will go to the airline, hotels and other international companies, as opposed to local businesses and workers. In addition to this, significant amount of income actually retained at destination level can leave again through leakage. In Thailand, a study of leakage in tourism showed that an estimated 70% of all money spent by tourists actually left Thailand. There are two main ways that leakage occurs: Import leakage: This mostly occurs when tourists demand certain standards of foods, equipment and other products that the host country cannot supply. On average the import-related leakage for most developing countries to-date is between 40% and 50% of gross tourism earnings for small economies and between 10% and 20% for most advanced and diversified economies. Export leakage: Often, found in poorer developing countries, these are the only destinations that possess the necessary capital needed to invest in the construction of tourism infrastructure and its facilities. An outcome of this is an export leakage which will arise when overseas investors who finance the resorts and hotels take their profits back to country of origin. b. Enclave Tourism Local businesses sometimes see their opportunity to earn income from tourists severely reduced by the creation of all-inclusive holiday packages. When a tourist spends their entire stay at the same resort or cruise ship, which cater for all their needs and where they make all their purchases, there is little or no opportunity for local people to profit from tourism. All-inclusive hotels generate the largest amount of revenue but their impact on the economy is less per dollar of revenue than other forms of accommodation. All-inclusives also import more and employ fewer people per dollar of revenue than other hotels. The cruise ship industry provides another example of economic enclave tourism. In 1999 non-river cruises carried around 8.7 million international passengers. On some ships guests were encouraged to spend most of their time and money on board, more notably in the Caribbean. Guest opportunities to make purchases in certain ports are closely managed and restricted. c. Infrastructure cost Tourism development can cost the local government and local taxpayers a great deal of money. Developers may insist the government improve airports, roads and other infrastructure, along with tax breaks and other financial advantages, which can turn out to very expensive. Though the improvement of a countrys infrastructure can be deemed to be a necessity, when public resources are spent in such a way, it is often at the exposure of critical areas such as health and education. d. Increase in prices A tourist demands for services and goods will often cause price increases that react negatively on local residents whose income may not rise proportionately. Tourism development and the related rise in the demand of real estate may increase considerably along with a dramatic rise in building costs and land values, making basic daily requirements more difficult to attain. e. Economic dependence of the local community on tourism For a healthy economy diversification is a necessity. However, if a country or region becomes increasingly dependant for its economic survival upon one industry, it can put severe strain upon itself and the people involved to perform well. Developing countries, especially those without the ability to explore other resources have welcome tourism as a way to boost their economy. In Gambia, for example, 30% of workers depend directly or indirectly on tourism. Many small island states struggling to develop, percentages can range from 83% in the Maldives to 21% in the Seychelles and 34% in Jamaica. To rely solely on tourism carries a risk to those tourist-dependant economies. Economic recession, the impact of natural disasters such as tropical storms and changing patterns in tourism can all have a devastating effect. f. Seasonal character of jobs Problems that seasonal workers face include: job and income insecurity guarantee of employment difficulties in getting training employment-related medical benefits recognition of their experience working conditions and unsatisfactory and working conditions. à ¢- º Positive impact à ¢-„ a. Foreign exchange earnings Tourism expenditure will help generate income to the host economy which will stimulate the necessary investment for financial growth in various economic sectors. Some countries may accelerate growth by insisting that visitors bring in a certain amount of foreign currency for each day of the duration of their stay. A significant indicator of the role of international tourism is its generation of foreign exchange earnings. In 83% of countries, tourism is one of the leading five export categories this accounts for the main source of foreign exchange earnings for at least 38% of countries. b. Contribution to government revenues Taxes generated by direct contributions on incomes from tourism employment and businesses and direct levies made on tourist e.g. departure tax. Indirect contributions arrive via tax and duties charged on services and goods supplied to tourists. The TWO assumes that tourism and travels direct and indirect, and personal tax contribution globally was more than US$800 billion in 1998 this figure is expected to double by the year 2010. c. Employment generation International tourism and its rapid expansion has significantly increased employment. Eg. Hotel accommodation alone has provided around 11.3 million jobs worldwide during 1995. Tourism is able to create jobs directly via hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, souvenir sales and taxis amongst others, and indirectly via the supply of goods and services required tourist-related outlets and businesses. Tourism supports up to 7% of the global workforce. d. Stimulation of infrastructure investment Tourism can stimulate local government to make much needed infrastructure improvements, better water and sewage systems, roads, electricity, public transport and telephone amenities can all benefit from such investments. This will all invigorate, encourage, and improve the lives of residents and the tourist combined. e. Contribution to local economies The environment relies heavily on the assets of tourism revenues are often used amongst other in the economic value of protected areas. Other revenues are not so easily quantified, as not all of tourists spends is formally logged. Revenue is earned from tourism via informal labour such as street render, guides and drivers. A positive side to informal employment is that monies are generally recycled within the local economy this has a good multiplying effect as it is spend repeatedly over and over again its community. The WTO has estimated that tourism will probably generate an indirect contribution that will be equal to 100% of the direct total of tourism expenditure. 2) Culture There are concerns that the development of tourism could lead to some destinations losing their cultural identity if they cater for the presumed requirements of their tourists, in particular, the international market. This is based on the observations of other destinations having compromised their sense of identity. The experience of tourism can be somewhat different to the things people see and do when in a home environment, this includes the real life experience and lifestyle of the places and the people they may see during their visit. (http://www.gawler.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/5_Gawler_Impacts_Tourism.PDF, The Social Cultural Impacts of Tourism) à ¢- º Positive impact à ¢-„ Tourism is an opportunity for cultural exchange and more, creating an interaction within people of different lifestyles, aspirations and needs. Putting economic benefits aside, experiencing outside contact within various communities draws attention to the host community. People will always want to interact with other cultures and communities in the hope of learning of their traditions or possibly be confronted by new challenges and perspectives on life. It has been said that travel is a means to discover that things unknown or forgotten within ourselves. Tourism is obviously an experience driven industry the more you do it the more you want it. In addition local culture is a unique experience, along with the local personality, food and hospitality. The more one knows and learns about a destination, the more fulfilling the experience will be. Tourism is often used as a tool for raising awareness. The local branding of certain products and achievements can create regional identity, nationally and internationally. The needs and awareness of local issues can be raised by tourism. There is a global trend that aims towards investment in interpretation of natural and cultural resources. The attraction to natural and heritage icons often helps to fund numerous conservation project it also provides opportunities for the management of those sensitive and significant areas. A growing and important number of cultural celebrations have emerged which highlight many important events whilst paying homage to their ancestry. Cultural events can assert their identity which help and preserve local traditions for younger generations they also influence and inform visitors. In Australia main urban areas which tend to be multicultural and have developed their own very unique cultures. Many mostly regional areas are very much influenced by the food and the culture of their founders. Local food, crafts and personalities are always kept alive and kicking purely by tourism whilst raising funds for the greater community. Tourism can often boost the preservations and transmission of cultural and historical traditions. This will often help with conservation and the sustainable management of natural resources, the protection of local heritage, and a revival of indigenous cultures and arts and crafts. à ¢- ºNegative impact à ¢-„ Many impacts are socio-cultural and result in a lack of information, false impressions, poor communication and knowledge and misinformation. Negative perceptions and attitudes towards visitors and tourism in general can affect tourism and communities. Ill feelings towards tourism, delays/obstructions to tourism product development plus lack of council/authority support can prevent tourism from flourishing; perhaps these communities are not yet ready or even prepared for the onslaught of tourism. Problems with the economy or the environment can all too easily, rightly or wrongly, be blamed on tourism. Leaving the channels of communication open and with adequate consultation transparency and involvement at community level at all stages during the planning process can benefit communities in taking ownership of tourism. In some circumstances the word tourist has become a negative term; in fact, many travellers no longer consider themselves as tourists and prefer the term traveller. There is a clear change in attitude of both the traveller and communities to the concept of the visitor. This concept now gives strength to the fact that travellers are merely guests of the community and that their stay in that community is very much a privilege and not a right. 3. Media marketing in tourism industry 1) How Film and TV drama images promote the new destination Greater knowledge of a country can be gained from film and TV. The wildlife, fauna, culture and its people can result in the broadening of minds and general attitudes towards the country. An interest in the nation and its positive image can eventually lead to an actual visit to the country (Iwashita, 2006). Leisure activities such as watching films as well as traveling are ways to escape. Both provide temporary relief from the real world (Carl et al., 2007). Films can induce viewers to travel by the physical properties (scenery and landscape) and their associated theme, storylines, events and actors, shaping the audience feelings, emotion and attitudes towards places. Location and film experiences are enhanced in memories by associating them with the actors, events and setting (Iwashita 2006; Riley Van Doren, 1992). One of the effective strategies to induce film tourists is collaborative campaigns with the film industry (Grihault, 2003). England provides an excellent example of the way in which film and television has boosted the tourism industry. Approximately 28 million visitors visit Britain each year after viewing the country on the screen (Kim et al., 2008). VisitBritain has made various efforts to temp Indian film makers to use UK locations in Bollywood movies, even if locations are used as backdrops for other countries. Movie maps have also been widely used to promote film locations of the destination. Movie maps have been found to be successful as part of film tourism marketing campaigns (Hudson Ritchie, 2006b). They can be used to ease film tourist in identifying various locations where the film has taken place. A movie map has been produced by VisitBritain highlighting more than 200 filmed locations across the UK. These materials have quickly become Visit-Britain most successful printed product. Other marketing strategies have included guided film tours and walks. Such tours have relied heavily on film illustrations enabling the tourist to identify the landscapes and buildings that have been used in the making of the move. There should also be a website dedicated to film tourism that will provide film synopsis, links to film-related websites, the necessary relevant information about travel within the destination including tours, accommodation, food, shopping and the opportunity to learn about film destination, the language, history, religion, lifestyle and leisure. 2) How consumers make a decision on their destination Literature on tourism shows that the image of a destination will influence significantly the tourists choice of destination. Images of destinations play a significant role in influencing tourist decision-making process as the basis for tourists to make choice about where to visit (Gartner 1989; Echtner Ritchie 1991). The more favourable the image of the destination, the greater the likelihood of being selected as a destination choice (Chon 1990; Um 1993). Butler (1990) suggests that films can influence the travel preference of those who expose to the destination attributes and create a favourable destination image through their representation. To influence the choice of destinations, understanding of how decisions are made and which factors can influence them are regarded as the important pieces of information (Woodside Carr, 1988). There are plenty models explaining the tourist decision-making process which include important variables influencing tourist decisions. It has long been recognized that travel stimuli through marketing efforts and previous travel experience have played an important role in influencing destination choice. Non-touristic-directed stimuli such as films can also have strong influences on tourist decision-making (Iwashita, 2003). These stimuli have not yet been included in the tourist decision-making models as important variables. The power of film in portraying a positive destination image to induce tourist arrivals to a place is clearly shown in various research (e.g. Tooke Baker 1996; Iwashita 2006; Kim et al., 2008). Having reviewed the literature, it was found that film-induced tourism is relatively new in tourism research. Research on the impact of film on tourist decision-making is even lacking (Busby Klug 2001; Hudson Ritchie 2006b; Rewtrakunphaiboon 2008). 4. Media on tourism of countries 1) Impact of Film on Visitor Number Film-induced tourism has brought major economic benefits to local communities such as lasting tourist receipts. Film locations can be all-year, all-weather attractions which alleviates problems of seasonality in the tourism industry (Beeton, 2004). Riley et al. (1998) studied 12 films and found that the peak of the interest appear after the release of the film, approximately 50% increase in visitation at least five years later and the image is often retained for a long time. 2) How films and TV drama influence on tourism A further significant benefit of film tourism is the increase in cultural value to the location of the film. Numerous heritage sites have been used as film locations and in many cases have seen their popularity soar as a result, particularly after its release. Such sites acquire specific meaning through its film narration. Without film storylines, a castle or a stately home may not be indistinguishable form others (Busby Klug, 2001). Film locations worldwide now play a major role in deciding which country a tourist will visit. The American soap opera Sex and the City is one of the examples that have become such a big hit not only in the United States but around the world. Hundreds of shops, restaurants and bars that were featured in the film have become significant destinations and an added reason to visit New York. à ¢- º Specific Film and drama cases à ¢-„ a. The Piano, Lord of Ring, etc (New Zealand) New Zealand is one of the latest destinations to benefit from film-induced tourism. The movie, The Piano has provided many positive benefits form tourism within New Zealand. New Zealand was shown in its promotional posters which in turn aided and promoted international tourism advertising. The image of New Zealand has been enhanced further after being the backdrop to all three Lord of the Rings films. The New Zealand tourism website promotes itself as Home of Middle-earth. Amongst other popular films that were shot in New Zealand include The Last Samurai, Whale Rider and Perfect Strangers. Websites that link particular films to their film locations is a very effective promotional tool to induce tourists to the destination (Croy Walker, 2003). This promotion strategy has been used in New Zealand where Tourism New Zealand developed part of its website to specifically promote The Lord of the Rings and other film locations throughout the country. b. TV drama (South Korea) The Korean film named Stairway to Heaven, one of the popular television series in Asia, was shot in many clichà © places but the sentimental location is the merry-go-round at the Lotte World. After the release of the film, the merry-go-round at Lotte World has become the famous attraction among Asian tourists (Aran, 2007). Evidence shows that the emotional attachment that film-induced tourists have with the film is a recreation of the often stunning locations. In Winter Sonata, the evidence is shown and impression scene of two lovers holding hands whilst walking on a log. This famous log has now had to be destroyed and removed from the location due to an overwhelming number of visitors, some attempting to emulate the scene in the film. Film can enhance the destination image and increase the awareness of the host city. Previous research (Kim Richardson, 2003) suggests that those who are exposed to the film have more favourable destination image towards destinations featured through films than those who are not exposed to films. 5. Conclusion This report shows the relationship between the tourism and the media and its actual effect on tourism. It also gives an illuminating perception of film-induced tourism by revealing a lack of research in tourism and requesting further empirical studies into this aspect of tourism. It also shows the advantages to be had from film-induced tourism, opening up many locations to a wider audience and informing the tourism more than traditionally targeted tourism promotional campaigns. The marketing of film tourism has been used successfully in many of the leading film locations in United Kingdom, United States, Korea and New Zeal

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse EPILOGUE – CHOICE

JACOBBLACK â€Å"Jacob, do you think this is going to take too much longer?† Leah demanded. Impatient. Whiney. My teeth clenched together. Like anyone in the pack, Leah knew everything. She knew why I came here – to the very edge of the earth and sky and sea. To be alone. She knew that this was all I wanted. Just to be alone. But Leah was going to force her company on me, anyway. Besides being crazy annoyed, I did feel smug for a brief second. Because I didn't even have to think about controlling my temper. It was easy now, something I just did, natural. The red haze didn't wash over my eyes. The heat didn't shiver down my spine. My voice was calm when I answered. â€Å"Jump off a cliff, Leah.† I pointed to the one at my feet. â€Å"Really, kid.† She ignored me, throwing herself into a sprawl on the ground next to me. â€Å"You have no idea how hard this is for me.† â€Å"For you?† It took me a minute to believe she was serious. â€Å"You have to be the most self-absorbed person alive, Leah. I'd hate to shatter the dream world you livein – the one where the sun is orbiting the place where you stand – so I won't tell you how little I care what your problem is. Go. Away.† â€Å"Just look at this from my perspective for a minute, okay?† she continued as if I hadn't said anything. If she was trying to break my mood, it worked. I started laughing. The sound hurt in strange ways. â€Å"Stop snorting and pay attention,† she snapped. â€Å"If I pretend to listen, will you leave?† I asked, glancing over at the permanent scowl on her face. I wasn't sure if she had any other expressions anymore. I remembered back to when I used to think that Leah was pretty, maybe even beautiful. That was a long time ago. No one thought of her that way now. Except for Sam. He was never going to forgive himself. Like it was his fault that she'd turned into this bitter harpy. Her scowl heated up, as if she could guess what I was thinking. Probably could. â€Å"This is making me sick, Jacob. Can you imagine what this feels like to me? I don't even like Bella Swan. And you've got me grieving over this leech-lover like I'm in love with her, too. Can you see where that might be a little confusing? I dreamed about kissing her last night! What the hell am I supposed to do with that?† â€Å"Do I care?† â€Å"I can't stand being in your head anymore! Get over her already! She's going to marry that thing. He's going to try to change her into one of them! Time to move on, boy.† â€Å"Shut up,† I growled. It would be wrong to strike back. I knew that. I was biting my tongue. But she'd be sorry if she didn't walk away. Now. â€Å"He'll probably just kill her anyway,† Leah said. Sneering. â€Å"All the stories say that happens more often than not. Maybe a funeral will be better closure than a wedding. Ha.† This time I had to work. I closed my eyes and fought the hot taste in my mouth. I pushed and shoved against the slide of fire down my back, wrestling to keep my shape together while my body tried to shake apart. When I was in control again, I glowered at her. She was watching my hands as the tremors slowed. Smiling. Some joke. â€Å"If you're upset about gender confusion, Leah . . . ,† I said. Slow, emphasizing each word. â€Å"How do you think the rest of us like looking at Sam through your eyes? It's bad enough that Emily has to deal with your fixation. She doesn't need us guys panting after him, too.† Pissed as I was, I still felt guilty when I watched the spasm of pain shoot across her face. She scrambled to her feet – pausing only to spit in my direction – and ran for the trees, vibrating like a tuning fork. I laughed darkly. â€Å"You missed.† Sam was going to give me hell for that, but it was worth it. Leah wouldn't bug me anymore. And I'd do it again if I had the chance. Because her words were still there, scratching themselves into my brain, the pain of it so strong that I could hardly breathe. It didn't matter so much that Bella'd chosen someone else over me. That agony was nothing at all. That agony I could live with for the rest of my stupid, too long, stretched-out life. But it did matter that she was giving up everything – that she was letting her heart stop and her skin ice over and her mind twist into some crystallized predator's head. A monster. A stranger. I would have thought there was nothing worse than that, nothing more painful in the whole world. But, if he killed her . . . Again, I had to fight the rage. Maybe, if not for Leah, it would be good to let the heat change me into a creature who could deal with it better. A creature with instincts so much stronger than human emotions. An animal who couldn't feel pain in the same way. A different pain. Some variety, at least. But Leah was running now, and I didn't want to share her thoughts. I cussed her under my breath for taking away that escape, too. My hands were shaking in spite of me. What shook them? Anger? Agony? I wasn't sure what I was fightingnow. I had to believe that Bella would survive. But that required trust – a trust I didn't want to feel, a trust in that bloodsucker's ability to keep her alive. She would be different, and I wondered how that would affect me. Would it be the same as if she had died, to see her standing there like a stone? Like ice? When her scent burned in my nostrils and triggered the instinct to rip, to tear . . . How would that be? Could I want to kill her? Could I not want to kill one of them? I watched the swells roll toward the beach. They disappeared from sight under the edge of the cliff, but I heard them beat against the sand. I watched them until it was late, long after dark. Going home was probably a bad idea. But I was hungry, and I couldn't think of another plan. I made a face as I pulled my arm through the retarded sling and grabbed my crutches. If only Charlie hadn't seen me that day and spread the word of my â€Å"motorcycle accident.† Stupid props. I hated them. Going hungry started to look better when I walked in the house and got a look at my dad's face. He had something on his mind. It was easy to tell – he always overdid it. Acted all casual. He also talked too much. He was rambling about his day before I could get to the table. He never jabbered like this unless there was something that he didn't want to say. I ignored him as best I could, concentrating on the food. The faster I choked it down . . . â€Å". . . and Sue stopped by today.† My dad's voice was loud. Hard to ignore. As always. â€Å"Amazing woman. She's tougher than grizzlies, that one. I don't know how she deals with that daughter of hers, though. Now Sue, she would have made one hell of a wolf. Leah's more of a wolverine.† He chuckled at his own joke. He waited briefly for my response, but didn't seem to see my blank, bored-out-of-my-mind expression. Most days that bugged him. I wished he would shut up about Leah. I was trying not to think about her. â€Å"Seth's a lot easier. Of course, you were easier than your sisters, too, until . . . well, you have more to deal with than they did.† I sighed, long and deep, and stared out the window. Billy was quiet for a second too long. â€Å"We got a letter today.† I could tell that this was the subject he'd been avoiding. â€Å"A letter?† â€Å"A . . . wedding invitation.† Every muscle in my body locked into place. A feather of heat seemed to brush down my back. I held onto the table to keep my hands steady. Billy went on like he hadn't noticed. â€Å"There's a note inside that's addressed to you. I didn't read it.† He pulled a thick ivory envelope from where it was wedged between his leg and the side of his wheelchair. He laid it on the table between us. â€Å"You probably don't need to read it. Doesn't really matter what it says.† Stupid reverse psychology. I yanked the envelope off the table. It was some heavy, stiff paper. Expensive. Too fancy for Forks. The card inside was the same, too done- up and formal. Bella'd had nothing to do with this. There was no sign of her personal taste in the layers of see- through, petal-printed pages. I'd bet she didn't like it at all. I didn't read the words, not even to see the date. I didn't care. There was a piece of the thick ivory paper folded inhalf with my name handwritten in black ink on the back. I didn't recognize the handwriting, but it was as fancy as the rest of it. For half a second, I wondered if the bloodsucker was into gloating. I flipped it open. Jacob, I'm breaking the rules by sending you this. She was afraid of hurting you, and she didn't want to make you feel obligated in any way. But I know that, if things had gone the other way, I would have wanted the choice. I promise I will take care of her, Jacob. Thank you – for her – for everything. Edward â€Å"Jake, we only have the one table,† Billy said. He was staring at my left hand. My fingers were clamped down on the wood hard enough that it really was in danger. I loosened them one by one, concentrating on that action alone, and then clenched my hands together so I couldn't break anything. â€Å"Yeah, doesn't matter anyway,† Billy muttered. I got up from the table, shrugging out of my t-shirt as I stood. Hopefully Leah had gone home by now. â€Å"Not too late,† Billy mumbled as I punched the front door out of my way. I was running before I hit the trees, my clothes strewn out behind me like a trail of crumbs – as if I wanted to find my way back. It was almost too easy now to phase. I didn't have to think. My body already knew where I was going and, before I asked it to, it gave me what I wanted. I had four legs now, and I was flying. The trees blurred into a sea of black flowing around me. My muscles bunched and released in an effortless rhythm. I could run like this for days and I would not be tired. Maybe, this time, I wouldn't stop. But I wasn't alone. So sorry, Embry whispered in my head. I could see through his eyes. He was far away, to the north, but he had wheeled around and was racing to join me. I growled and pushed myself faster. Wait for us, Quil complained. He was closer, just starting out from the village. Leave me alone, I snarled. I could feel their worry in my head, try hard as I might to drown it in the sound of the wind and the forest. This was what I hated most – seeing myself through their eyes, worse now that their eyes were full of pity. They saw the hate, but they kept running after me. A new voice sounded in my head. Let him go. Sam's thought was soft, but still an order. Embry and Quil slowed to a walk. If only I could stop hearing, stop seeing what they saw. My head was so crowded, but the only way to be alone again was to be human, and I couldn't stand the pain. Phase back, Sam directed them. I'll pick you up, Embry. First one, then another awareness faded into silence. Only Sam was left. Thank you, I managed to think. Come home when you can. The words were faint, trailing off into blank emptiness as he left, too. And I was alone. So much better. Now I could hear the faint rustle of the matted leaves beneath my toenails, the whisper of an owl's wings above me, the ocean – far, far in the west – moaning against the beach. Hear this, and nothing more. Feel nothing but speed, nothing but the pull of muscle, sinew, and bone, working together in harmony as the miles disappeared behind me. If the silence in my head lasted, I would never go back. I wouldn't be the first one to choose this form over the other. Maybe, if I ran far enough away, I would never have to hear again. . . . I pushed my legs faster, letting Jacob Black disappear behind me.