Guiding students from cheating and plagiarism to honesty and integrity: Strategies for change Essay

In all academic institutions and related fields, it is required that all undertakings take place with one upholding academic integrity. Academic integrity is defined as the ethical policy or moral code of academia. The values include the aspects of avoiding plagiarism, avoiding cheating, being honest and rigorous in academic publishing and research as well as maintaining academic standards. These are the main aspects though the same will be presented in different formats by different institutions in their fight against any form of academic dishonesty (Bertram et al., 2008). Plagiarism is an integral part of academic integrity. It is demanded that all forms of plagiarism be avoided. Though still lacking clear definitions and clear rules, plagiarism is defined as the wrong appropriation as well as stealing and publicizing another writer’s ideas, thoughts, language or expression with the representation of the same as one’s own unique work. In the industry and academia, plagiarism is a major ethical offense that constitutes copyright infringement (Lancaster & Waryold, 2008). Plagiarism involves many aspects. The various components include the major one which is copying ideas or words from another without giving credit. Another plagiarism component is handing in someone else work as one’s own. Plagiarism also involves provision of incorrect information on a given source of quotation. Another aspect is failing to insert quotations on quotation marks. Plagiarism also involves the copying of many ideas or words from a given source making up majority of one’s work whether giving credit or not. Another component of plagiarism is the changing of words in a sentence but copying the sentence structure of the source without giving credit. Apart from academia, other components of plagiarism exist in art and journalism. It involves the use of video, image or pieces of music in some produced work without providing the appropriate citation or having received proper permission. Other aspects involve the scanning of a copyrighted image. The recreation of v isual work in a different medium is also considered as plagiarism. One is also said to plagiarize if they recreate some visual work in same medium. One is also not supposed to record video or audio with copyrighted video or music playing in the background or else it will be taken as plagiarism. The performance of another person’s copyrighted music in art is also labeled as plagiarism. Another component of plagiarism in art is composing pieces in music which borrow heavily from another person’s composition. With the rise of the internet, plagiarism on this platform has taken the form of content scraping which is the copying and pasting from blogs and websites (Lathrop & Foss, 2005). The most effective strategy to avoid plagiarism is to properly cite the sources. One needs to acknowledge that a part of their material is borrowed. One should then proceed to provide the appropriate audience with the necessary information to find the source. For art and journalism, the strategy to prevent the plagiarism of copyrighted items involves citing them in the proper way and confirming works usage permission. For the internet, to prevent copy-pasting, one of the strategy is to disable the right clicking option. The other is the placement of warning banners on copyrights on the web pages (Lathrop & Foss, 2005). To ensure academic integrity, there are various sources of assistance for students. One of the avenues is to ask for help from the course instructors. Students can also use graduate advisors or academic advisors in respective academic departments for assistance with any academic work. Faculty members can also provide assistance by approving any research assistance that will be accorded to the students. Some academic institutions also have academic resource centers to help students with research work (Lancaster & Waryold, 2008). References Bertram, G. T., In Ward, K., In Wolf-Wendel, L. E., & Association for the Study of Higher Education. (2008).  Academic integrity in the 21st century: A teaching and learning imperative. San Francisco, Calif: Jossey-Bass. Lancaster, J. M., & Waryold, D. M. (2008).  Student conduct practice: The complete guide for student affairs professionals. Sterling, Va: Stylus Pub. Lathrop, A., & Foss, K. (2005).  Guiding students from cheating and plagiarism to honesty and integrity: Strategies for change. Westport, Conn: Libraries Unlimited Source document

Cracker Jack Case Analysis

The primary reason for the Borden Foods to divert itself from snacks is to emphasis its efforts and resources in the growth of their whole-wheat meal segments. Because of this valuation they had and a growth plan they had they decided to announce sale of Cracker Jack in 1997. The management team of Broaden also recognized that with the increase in competition they have not been able to successfully grow the sales figure in past five years. Also because the Cracker Jack brand has various packaging options and has been maintaining a huge product line of 32 Stock-Keeping Units (SKUs). However, currently Broaden production facility had only 32 percent of space allocated to Cracker Jack Products and has been operating at 32% of its full capacity.Cracker Jack Management believed that the broadened distribution was the most important element of their new strategy. They believed that Broaden sales force and broker/distributor network currently in use should be replaced by a direct-store-deli very sales force. It was believed that a DSD sales force would provide product placement in the grocery DSD snack aisles, which is the highest velocity snack aisles in supermarkets. However, a DSD sales force is more resource intensive than Borden’s present sales and distribution network. Borden Foods management was neither prepared to make the investment required nor equipped to handle a DSD sales force for Cracker Jack given the resource demands of other business opportunities.Problem identification and root causeFrito-Lay is the market leader in the salty snack food production having something different in their products will get a competitive advantage. Cracker Jack as a brand has a 97% awareness with people from the ages of 15 to 60 and a 95% awareness amongst the caramel popcorn users. This was a very well known brand even with a very few advertisements. There are other several reasons which is explained below why Frito-Lay decided to acquire the Cracker Jack. Frito-Lay sales and distribution team were starting to do the research as soon as the Cracker Jack acquisition opportunity became public. It was a great opportunity to fit in Cracker Jack in the existing Frito-Lay sales and distribution infrastructure. The Cracker Jack name registers virtually universal awareness and Cracker Jack has respectable brand equity due largely to its heritage and generally favorable image  foundation.It is a recognized brand with a positive reputation that has lost its momentum in recent years but still has that chance of growing to the peaks. According to the results of Simulated Test Market , almost 50% of the consumers are not buying this product because of no advertisements, non-availability in the area and product quality or value. Here is the best opportunity to improve and re gain that 50 % market share by winning over these customers. This might be one of the major reasons why Frito-Lay decided to acquire the Cracker Jack. Additionally the new division of the sweet snacks can create opportunities for the Frito-Lay by using appropriate existing distribution networks and marketing channels for the new add on product. Addition of Cracker Jack is one of the example of marketing enhancement which will create the additional retail selling points, giving Frito-Lay distribution opportunity in both salty and confectionery.SWOT Analysis Strengths Strong and Reputed Brand Name More Numbers of likes compared to dislikes of the products Brand awareness of 97% amongst the 15-60 years old A 100 years history of existence Huge room for expansion or addition of new products as has 50 manufacturing and processing plants Have tools and infrastructure to work closely with 480,000 retail trade locations weekly. Opportunities Stimulated test market Brand Extension Flavor extension Sales through different channels like small and large scale business. Weakness CJ has too many products SKU numbersThe weak financial position of Cracker Jack which incurred lo sses in 1995 and 1996 CJ increased the price of the product to maintain their net income resulting the Frito-Lay to decrease to remain competitive.Threats Competition Lack of adaptability Internal Developmental costs High price than other.Evaluation of AlternativeCracker Jacks sales will represent a tiny part of the Frito-Lay’s business currently, however the chances are high to get the numbers high from this division if proper decisions are made. Frito-Lay is the leader in the US market concerning market share and sales volume. So they can use their advertising and marketing experience to uplift CJ. CJ should be marketed as a stackable treat which is healthy as of natural ingredients like popcorn. Marketing researchers should focus on the small children as the target market as well. By launching the different sizes and convenient packages to the customers so that they can grab it and go rather than having a box. The CJ should be made available to as many stores as possible b y utilizing the same direct store delivery channels. A careful analysis has to be done to change any features like gifts in each bag and the flavor of the CJ, because that is the major point of CJ and most of the customers are attracted because of that particular features.RecommendationIn my opinion the Borden Foods will sell the company for above 30 million dollars based on the assets it has and the goodwill for the year ending 1996. However the Frito-Lay should only pay around 25 million dollars for acquisitions of the company. Because of the Cracker Jack current market shares and the popularity there is much more work needed to be done so that the product can gain the similar amount of sales figures as other general Frito-Lay products does. Also the price of the product has to be lowered to remain competitive which is another factor for Frito-Lay.

Capital Structure of Public Limited Companies Dissertation

Capital Structure of Public Limited Companies - Dissertation Example Table of Content Chapter 1: Introduction 5 Motivation 5 Aims and Objectives 5 Significance of the study 6 Research Questions 7 Research method and data 8 Research Structure 8 Chapter 2: Literature review 9 Global Financial Market 9 History 9 Evaluation of UK capital market 12 Causes of current financial crisis 13 Capital market 15 Source of finance 15 Current capital structure of FTSE 100 companies 16 Advantages and disadvantages of high leverage 19 Theories of capital market structure 20 Chapter 3: Methodology and data analysis 26 36 Chapter 4: Research Findings 36 Impact of Capital Structure on Agency Costs 36 Impact of recent global financial crisis on the capital structure of UK companies 37 Chapter 5: Conclusion 39 Reference 42 Bibliography 47 Financial times. European debt crisis shakes markets again. May 23, 2011. Retrieved from: http://www.kyivpost.com/content/business/european-debt-crisis-shakes-markets-again-105100.html 48 Chapter 1: Introduction Motivation Capital structur e of firms is developed based on many internal and external factors which have substantial influence on it. Financial Crisis or Liquidity Crisis in 2007 in global financial market has had a major impact on the firms’ financial status across the world. ... Financial crisis leads to dr4amatiacally decrease in stock price of the firms. So, equity structure of the firms also changed during this recession period. Capital structure is the major part of overall financial structure and policies of firms. Companies develop financial structure and policies based on major external financial condition of the market where they operate business. Though there is many empirical studies and research on capital structures but it hard to assess the impact of financial crisis on it. Therefore, it this study, capital structure theories and empirical studies are analysed to assess the extent of impact of financial crisis on capital structure and reason for the impact. Aims and Objectives The primary aim of the study is to evaluate the capital structure of firms in the UK before the global economic crisis in the years around 2007 and after the financial crisis in the years 2011 or 2012. In order to achieve the above mentioned aim of the study, the following objectives have been considered: Review theories on capital structure in order to determine how it might change during a period of prolonged recession and liquidity crisis. Compare and contrast the capital structure of public UK companies in 2007 and in 2011/2012.Evaluate the extent to which any changes in capital structure are due to the ongoing global crisis. Aim of this paper is a detailed evaluation of the capital structure of firms in United Kingdom. Capital structure of the firms in before financial crisis will be compared with current revised capital structures of the firms. For this purpose, reasons for financial crisis need to be analysed along with history of it to assess its impact in earlier. Theoretically aim of the paper is to

How has the exclusionary rule affected policing Research Paper

How has the exclusionary rule affected policing - Research Paper Example This shows why the congress intents to make distinction as to the necessity for search warrant in the searching of private property in the enforcement of the prohibition act. Exclusionary Rule is a lawful principle in the United State under the law of the constitution. It holds that evidence gathered or analyzed in manipulation of the defendant’s constitutional rights is t times inadmissible for prosecution of a criminal in a law court. This rule can be an example of a prophylactic rule, which is formulated by the judiciary to safeguard a right of the constitution. I think this rule only protects the guilty. The exclusionary rule bars the government from making use o the evidence collected in the violation of the constitution of the United States. This rule is biased as it applies to proof got fro and irrational search or seizure in violation of the fourth amendment (Clancy, 2008). The fourth amendment prohibits or denounces searches and seizures as unreasonable in a manner in which will conserve individual rights and public interests. In addition, the Supreme Court states that under the fourth amendment to the constitution, police officers should get search warrants to carry out searches and seizures unless their actions fall within a few specifically and well-drawn exceptions. This rule is of the view that when an individual collects any evidence that is illegal, the court cannot accept it as proof against the suspect in question. In relation to policing, the exclusionary rule is best understood by incorporating the established laws and the economics phenomena: section bias, principal-agent problems, moral hazard, and violence through substitution. Effects of exclusionary rules on policing The fourth amendment on the exclusionary rules protects the â€Å"right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures,† and specifies procedural safeguards to that end. with this rule in pl ace, it means that the police force has no right to search people if they feel their security is threatened or unless it is in good faith. The police has very little it can do in case it is looking for evidence against a suspect. The police force can choose to ignore all suspicious happening in its area of operation though it is not in line with the oath of office to overlook public misconduct. This is because the rule is frustrating. The exclusionary rule has a beneficial influence on police. It creates genuine incentive for police departments to educate their members in the constitutional rights of suspected persons. All people have equal treatment. This is because a suspect can only be a criminal after proving guilty. This means that the law protects them from harassment. The police force is good at harassing individuals just because they are after evidence. By enacting the exclusionary rule, all police teams will learn to appreciate human space. Through training that all the pol ice forces will offer, there will be a good policing unit because every suspect will be handled like a worthy human being. Policing is a government unit with an obligation to provide internal security to the citizens. The use of exclusionary rule will help this governmental unit observe its finances. This is because an police misconduct attracts a fine. This means that if the police officers carry out an operation

ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS - Assignment Example The major advantage of using these energy sources is that they are not dangerous to the environment. 2. The use of renewable energy is relevant to Canada since it is also negatively impacted by forces such as environmental degradation particularly global warming as a result of the actions of people. The government in Canada can formulate policies that are oriented towards promoting the use of renewable energy such as solar power to replace fossil fuels that are responsible for causing global warming. Such policies can also enlighten the people in Canada about the importance of protecting the environment through minimising the amount of carbon foot print emitted into the atmosphere. 3. There have been major strides taken both at regional and international level with regards to policy formulation towards the aspect of environmental protection. For instance, the European Union has taken some steps directed towards the protection of the environment. The Lisbon Treaty is a good example that shows the region’s commitment to promoting a safe environment for all. However, policy formulation with regards to environmental protection should be of international nature since geographical boundaries are of little significance in terms of addressing this global problem. There should be consensus among all the countries across the globe about the correct course of action that can be taken in order to address the environmental problems caused by the use of different forms of energy particularly fossil fuels. 4. From my own perspective, I would recommend that governments in different regions adopt policies that are oriented towards the use of renewable energy since it is friendly to the environment. Such policies should be adopted at international level. I would also recommend that the government undertake campaigns that are meant to enlighten the people about the benefits of using renewable energy. Some people lack information about the advantages of using renewable

Ethiscal Situations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethiscal Situations - Essay Example If a promise is broken or not kept, the bonds of trust can quickly disappear. During this discussion I would be careful to be as polite as possible. There is a chance that the unkept promise is simply an oversight: the manager should have the opportunity to correct himself or provide an explanation for his behaviour. It is important in such a situation to remain polite and calm and not to throw around judgmental language. It is never right to take advantage of a new employee. Joining a work force can be an anxious period for a new worker and they should be supported by their colleagues, not manipulated or abused. Employees must work together for a common purpose and it is important that they trust one another. If, on the first day, an employee is taken advantage of, that goes to the core of the bond between employees. If I observed such a course of action unfolding, I would do everything in my power to bring it to the attention of management. It is unethical to take advantage of people for any reason, and it badly affects relationships in the workplace. It is important to treat all people with respect whether they are new employees or old. Such a course of behaviour almost certainly would reflect a deeply destructive culture in that particular workplace and should be addressed

Special interest tourism innovation package (marketing) Essay

Special interest tourism innovation package (marketing) - Essay Example The package will be a special offer on weekends where clients can get a 2-day body and mind treatment. On the first day, clients will receive transport through a luxurious, state-of-the-art limousine. Upon arrival, customers will undergo detoxifying treatment. Thereafter, they will be given healthy and nutritional drinks. All these activities will culminate into a luxurious and exquisite overnight stay. On the second day, customers get energising treatment, smoothing and transport back to their homes. The product package targets affluent members of society who work for long hours under high pressure environments. The product is supposed to bring comfort closer to them thus eliminating the need for taking long hour journeys to access this service. The package will cost approximately 350 pounds. The organisation is essentially a combination of various tourist attraction packages. (Barlon, 2006) It is basically a leisure spot with a calm ambience and serene environment. Its services fall under the following categories; Combining health and beauty; the organisation deals with important but neglected aspects of beauty. By offering people nutritional and healthy foods and drinks, they will be revitalising their body and mind. Detoxifying treatment is also a method that will accentuate one's beauty. Clients are given vegetables and fruits strictly. When the body gets rid of all toxic elements, then it is able to function normally. This positive reaction is displayed externally through glowing skin and a flat tummy. Therapy centres; the purpose of services offered under this section of the organisation is to make clients unwind and relax. It is a sort of past time activity. Other benefits that can be linked to this service include improved health since most of the activities will boost blood flow to the all parts of the body. Relaxation is quite important for people working in high stress environments. When the body is subjected to too much stress, it may react negatively. Some of the ways it could do this include increased blood pressure and overworking of the heart. Therapy provides a natural but sure way to ensure that one's body system revitalises and that they are able to function properly. Activities that fall under this section include hot stones therapy, reflexology and deep tissue message. Psychological remedies; the organisation also offers ways in which the mind can work better. The main service under this category is through yoga classes. Yoga helps clients get in touch with their spiritual side and also helps them to put focus back into their lives. This is administered through a yoga expert who conducts classes for interested parties. Idea generation Many Londoners rarely have time to travel outside the country. But this does not mean that they do not need to indulge in a little luxury. Most of them have the financial ability but may not have the time. (Barney, 1991) This package is meant to encourage local tourism. There is a need to make a package especially for locals. Tourism does not necessarily have to target people from other parts of the world. It can be tailored to suite local needs. A spa was specifically chosen for this business venture because many people in the region are getting more and more familiar with the product offering. It was seen that there are many hard working people in London. But there is a lot of hustle and bustle in the city.

Sexism and the Star System in Architecture Essay

Sexism and the Star System in Architecture - Essay Example This kind of discrimination, unfortunately, is quite common in the profession and continues up till this day and age; it is still a major dilemma. Here, it will be attempted to describe various elements of sexism as well as those who have overcome such barriers inherent in the field of architecture, which include—but are not limited to—sexism and the star system in architecture; womens’ roles in architecture and the ideal architect profile; how kingmakers in architecture are usually men; and what it would look like if a woman were to be a kingmaker in architecture. II. Sexism and the Star System in Architecture The star system has, for a long time, dominated the way that architecture is run. The star system in architecture dominates who are the most sought-after design gurus in the field. Unfortunately, many times this system has favored men more than women in a statistical sense. Denise Scott Brown’s article Room at the Top?: Sexism and the Star System in Architecture is found in Dana Arnold’s book: â€Å"[S]exism and the star system in architecture [exists because] ‘[s]tar [q]uality’ [is] a ‘mysterious amalgam of self-love, vivacity, star, and sexual promise†¦... III. Womens’ Roles in Architecture and The Ideal Architect Profile The reason one needs to get a good architect is paramount.   A good architect on the project lays the foundation for everything else. Ideally, one wants to choose an architect for the project who has character.   In the same way this architect’s character is, so shall your structure be. Women have been at the forefront of architecture for years, but have been relegated to the shadows. â€Å"For centuries, women have designed and built works of architecture around the globe. But when architecture officially became a profession requiring professional education and licensure, the doors were slammed shut to women†¦A less-than-welcoming educational environment and a hostile [and discriminatory] work environment awaited them.†2   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Women who are able to be professional in their field underscore the need for professionalism in the field of architecture. à ¢â‚¬Å"The absence of women from the profession of architecture remains, despite the various theories, very difficult to explain and slow to change. It demarcates a failure the profession has become adept at turning a blind eye to, despite the fact that it places architecture far behind the other professions with which architects frequently seek to align themselves.†3 One wants an architect who will be able to see the project through from inception to completion.   Therefore, this person is going to have to envision the project as well as bring it to fruition. Maya Lin designed the Vietnam War Veterans’ Memorial when she was a 21-year-old student. The memorial now serves as a reminder of those who fought in Vietnam and lost their lives as a result.

Harley Davidson Company Essay Example for Free

Harley Davidson Company Essay Harley Davidson Inc is a company that has been in existence for over 100 years. The company is made up of several other subsidiary companies such as the Harley Davidson Motor Company, Harley Davidson Financial Services and Buell Motorcycle Company. These companies work together in the motorcycle industry with the motor cycle companies dealing with the production and marketing of the motorcycles while the financial services deals with providing financial services to the customers and dealers of the company. Harley Davidson Company has undergone various challenges in its internal and external environment such as the World War I and II, the Great Depression and other internal challenges such as the labor strikes and change in ownership. An analysis of the company portrays several strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that the company faces. The company can use the findings of this analysis to develop a grand strategy that can help the company survive the future. The various stakeholders of the company are mostly the customers, the suppliers, dealers, employees, the shareholders and the management of the company. These are the people that are affected by the activities of the company and that also have expectations from the company. The company’s financial performance has been improving during the current financial year due to the restructuring changes that are ongoing. It has reported profits in its operations and also an increase in sales. The strategic issues that the company is facing have also challenged its performance. The shifts in the customers’ tastes and preferences for example have affected the sales of the company’s motorcycles. A grand strategy that focuses on growth through an increase in marketing and an improvement of the company’s product and manufacturing processes can help the company survive the current environment. 1.0 Introduction Companies strive to excel in all manner of situations and overcome the challenges that they face in order to succeed and become competitive. Harley Davidson Inc is once such company. It has been surviving for about 107 years since it was founded in 1903 (Harley-Davidson, n.d). The company has its headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and was founded by three brothers Arthur, Walter and William Davidson together with a partner, William Harley. The company consists of several subsidiary companies which operate in three continents. The companies include Harley-Davidson Motor Company (HDMC) which deals with the production of motor vehicles together with Buell Motorcycle Company (Buell) (Harley-Davidson, 2010). Harley-Davidson Inc also includes Harley Davidson Financial Services (HDFS) which provides financial services to the dealers and customers of HDMC’s products. It also provides insurance policies and programs to the companies and its customers. HDMC sells motorcycles, together with the accessories and spare parts which it also produces. Harley-Davidson is also involved in other activities such as racing and in the production of bicycles and motor vehicles. The company which has been in existence for years now has survived several political and economical challenges such as the World War 1, the Great Depression, the World War 2 and other company trials such as labor strikes and change in ownership. Despite the many challenges it has undergone over its existence the company has been able to survive. The company’s sales have gone off severally, its quality has also been affected but it has been able to regain both the sales and the quality of its products. It has remained tough in the manufacturing of motorcycles and this has made its brands the most sought after all over the world (Davidson, Thompson, Barger, 2006). The company has also faced competition from other companies based in the U.S and in other countries such as Japan but it has been able to retain and maintain its market share. Further more; the founders of the company were named American heroes through their innovation with the company receiving several awards for its involvement in the two World Wars and other racing events (United States Department of Labor, n.d). This paper discusses Harley Davidson Company providing a SWOT analysis of the company, a description of its internal and external environment, a financial assessment of the organization as well as summarizing the major strategic issues that have faced the company. It also discusses the next grand strategy that the company can undertake in the future to improve its performance. 2.0 Harley Davidson 2.1 History William Harley, Arthur Davidson and Walter Davidson pooled their resources in 1903 to produce their first practical motorcycle (Harley-Davidson, n.d). The three men were assisted by William A. Davidson on a part time basis and by 1905 they had produced eight machines and they hired their first employee then. William Davidson quit his job in 1907 at the Milwaukee Road railroad and joined the Motor Company (Harley-Davidson, n.d). The Harley Davidson Company was later incorporated in September 1907 with the stock of the firm being split into 4 among the four founders.   At that time the staff of the company had more than doubled from 18 employees in 1906. The size of the company had also doubled by then and dealer recruitment had begun targeting the New England Region. In 1908, the company was able to sell its first motorcycle for police duty in Detroit Police Department and a year later they started motorcycles spare parts. In 1912, the company started building its six storey headquarters at Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee (Harley-Davidson, n.d). The building would also become its main factory with a separate parts and accessories department. During the same year the company made its first sales outside the U.S when it started exporting motorcycles to Japan. Its dealership network also grew to become over 200 dealers. A few years later, the company formed a racing department with Engineer William S. Harley who was assisted by William Ottaway. It also started publishing its first magazine, The Enthusiast which became the first motorcycle magazine all over the world (Harley-Davidson, n.d). In 1917, when the World War I started, the company was asked by the military to produce motorcycles to be used during the war. The company produced over 20,000 motorcycles to be used specifically by the military for the war (Speed Ace, n.d). The involvement of the company in producing motorcycles for the military enabled it to survive the war. By 1920 the company had become the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world due to the number of motorcycles it produced and the size of its facilities. It was operating in over 67 countries and had over 2000 dealers all over the world (Harley-Davidson, n.d). In the year 1941 when the World War II started, the company suspended the production of civilian motorcycles and started producing more military motorcycles (Harley-Davidson, n.d). The company also developed specific models for the army and in 1943; the company received the first of its 4 Army –Navy Awards for its excellent performance while producing motorcycles for the army. The company had produced over 60,000 models for military use (Harley-Davidson, n.d). When the war ended, the company wasting no time it resumed the production of civilian motorcycles. In the year 1952, the company was charged with restrictive practices after they applied to the US Tariff Commission for a 40% tax to be imposed on the imported motorcycles (Speed Ace, n.d). In 1953, as the company was celebrating its 50th anniversary, an attractive logo was developed that would depict the engine that had brought the company that far (Harley-Davidson , n.d). During the same year, Hendee Manufacturing Company, the Indian Motorcycle Company in the U.S, went out of business leaving Harley Davidson as the sole U.S motorcycle manufacturer over the next 46 years. The year 1969 was not a great year for the company as the American Machine and Foundry (AMF) acquired the Motor Company and made some changes that affected the company for years to come (Masker, 2007). AMF worked to streamline the production activities of the company and reduced the workforce in a bid to reduce the costs of the company. These changes were beneficial to the company in the short term but they became very damaging to the future of the business and in its long term. The reduction in the workforce led to a labor strike that affected the performance of the company. Furthermore the changes that had been done led to a reduction in the quality of the motorcycles that were produced over the years. The sales of the company were affected and the company almost went bankrupt. It was during this time that the Japanese manufacturers caught up with the company with their better quality, technology and increased stock. The regime by AMF lasted until 1981 when the company was bought back by 13 senior executives who were led by Vaughn Beals and Willie G. Davidson. The group bought the company for about $80 million and they were they able to set up the company to its load of recovery (Masker, 2007). Soon after in 1986 the company was listed in the American Stock Exchange and started to trade publicly in the year 1969. A year later the company was listed in the New York Stock Exchange and it petitioned the International Trade Commission to terminate a five year tariff on heavy weight motor cycles. This was seen as a major step for the company as it boldly stated it was in a position to compete fairly in the market. In 1993 the company celebrated its 90th anniversary with over 100,000 people parading their motorcycles in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Harley-Davidson, n.d). The company also purchased a minority interest in Buell Motorcycle Company which was manufacturing American sport motorcycles. In 1998 the company opened a new assembly facility that was to be the first of its kind outside the United States. The facility was opened in Manaus Brazil when the company was celebrating its 95th Anniversary and at the same time it bought the remaining interests in Buell Motorcycle Company of 49% (Harley-Davidson, n.d). The company has continued to expand its production facilities in Milwaukee, Tomahawk, Wisconsin, and New York and in Pennsylvania (Davidson, Thompson, Barger, 2006). The company has also been developing more products and improving its products with the latest technology. The company has also developed a Harley Davidson Museum which showcases the motorcycles that the company has developed over the years and other historical items that the company has maintained in its archives. The museum building cost the company over $75 million and is situated in Milwaukee (Rovito, 2006). 2.2 SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis is a framework that is used to audit an organization and its external environment. The results of the analysis help in the planning of any strategic decisions towards the future of the company. The analysis involves identifying the internal and external factors that favor the organization and that also form an unfavorable environment (Stahl Grigsby, 1997). The strengths of the company include those attributes that help the company to achieve its objectives while the weaknesses are the internal attributes that derail the achievement of the company’s objective and that also harm the company. The opportunities that are in the external environment include conditions that help the company to achieve the objectives. The threats on the other hand, include the conditions that are in the external environment and that challenge the company and affect it in a way that it may not be in a position to achieve its objectives. (a)  Ã‚   Strengths The Harley Davidson Company has several strengths that make it very competitive and profitable. The company has been in existence for over 100 years, and during this time it has established brand loyalty with its customers for its products. This is the major strength of the company as the products of the company are viewed as a culture and not just products. Most of the customers of the company are male and are in the middle-aged age bracket. They normally use the motorcycles for recreational purposes rather than for transport. The main qualities that the customers look for in the company’s product are the brand quality and the style. The company is able to provide these qualities and hence maintain its customers. The computer switching costs are high and once a customer buys a product from the company, they get trapped in buying more of the company’s products. The complementary products that come with the motorcycles also encourage the consumer loyalty. Once a customer purchases a Harley motorcycle, they proceed to buy accessories such as jackets and bandanas from the company. The company has also expanded its operations in different regions within the United States and also in other countries outside the United States. Some of the production plants are located in areas such as York, Kansas City, Tomahawk, and Milwaukee among others (Harley-Davidson, Inc., 2009). The different manufacturing plants have helped in reducing the costs especially in transport. The company has also diversified its activities and acquired several companies in different industries. The company acquired Buell Motorcycle Company which was also in the production of Motorcycles in East Troy, Wisconsin (Wheelen Hunger, 2002 ). It also acquired the company Eagle Mark in 1995 which was providing financial services to manufacturers of leisure products as well as their dealers and customers. The company acquired Eagle Mark so that it would provide retail financing to its customers, insurance and contracts for servicing. Eagle Mark Company has also been offering planning services on behalf of the North American Dealers in motorcycle floor planning. The two companies have been working together complementing each others activities. The diversification of the company in the motorcycles, related products and the financial services has helped the company to diverse its risks in the industry and in business. Over the years the company has maintained strong relationships with its suppliers. The strong relationship with the suppliers has given the company access to resources that it needs in its production processes as well as the design and development of its products. It has then been able to increase the quality of its goods and improve the features of the brands in a bid to remain competitive. The production process is also reduced in terms of time as the suppliers are able to deliver the suppliers on time reducing the lead time. This leads to a reduction in costs and saves time for the company. The company operates its business in three continents and in various countries all over the world. However it has not been able to increase its foreign sales which are mostly carried out outside the U.S. (b)  Ã‚   Weaknesses The major weaknesses that the company has experienced within its internal operations include the weak marketing strategies that it has applied especially in its foreign markets. The company has experienced low foreign sales over the years as compared to its competitors. In 2009, the international sales only made up 33% of the total unit sales of the company (Pravda.Ru, 2009). The number of dealers in international markets are also very few and this has contributed partly to the low market sales of the company’s products as most of the customers in the market can not access the company’s products through this dealers. The labor conflicts that the company has experienced in some of its plants over the years have been affecting the performance of the company. Dissatisfied workers of the company have held strikes that have contributed to losses for the company as it has had to shut down the production plants during these times. The company has also had to lay off workers during the strikes in a bid to cut down its operation costs as a result of the strikes in other production plants. The labor conflicts have also reduced the investor confidence in the company as the prices of the company’s shares have been affected. (c)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Opportunities The external environment of the company has several opportunities that can benefit the company and improve its performance and market share. The shifts in the trends in the customers’ preferences and tastes in the market are producing an opportunity that the company can exploit to its advantage. The customers’ preferences and tastes have changed especially among the young and hip crowd of customers who the company was once targeting as its sole customers. These customers have shifted their preferences to sporty motorcycles for their recreational purposes. Harley-Davidson Company does not engage in the production of sporty motorcycles; however the increased demand for these kinds of motorcycles is providing an opportunity for the company to develop them and target this new market. The company can grab this opportunity and develop these sporty motorcycles and hence gain from the high demand. The need to restructure the company’s business structure after the company’s subsidiaries have experienced a decrease in performance is providing an opportunity for the company to concentrate in its brands and grow. The new structure of the company will ensure that all the resources of the product are put into good use to help develop the company and expand its operations into other markets. The company will also be able to focus on the development of the products and also develop new products that can help increases the market share in different parts of the world. (d)  Ã‚   Threats The company has faced several threats in the market that have undermined its performance. One of the major threats that the company has faced include the competition in the market. The company has faced a lot of competition from other international companies and manufacturers especially in the heavy weight motorcycles market. Some of the major competitors include Yamaha, Suzuki, and Honda among others. The increased competition has led to decreased sales of the company’s products especially in the foreign markets. The competition between these companies is based on the price, quality, and features of the products, the preferences of customers and the reliability of the products among other factors. The switching costs for the manufacturers in the industry are also quite low. With the increased growth in demand and the potential of the market, new competitors are entering the market and increasing the competition. The existence of substitute goods such as cars for transport and other recreational activities has also threatened the existence of the company and the sales. Consumers have a wide variety of products to substitute the motorcycles with and the increase of competitors is also leading to an increase in more brands in the market. This poses a big threat to the future of the company in the market of its products. The changes in customers’ demographics are also threatening the business in terms of sales. The percentage of males who have been purchasing the company’s products especially the motorcycles is declining. The percentages of women who are purchasing the products are however increasing. During the years 2003 and 2004 the percentage of sales that were purchased by men made up 89% with the rest being female. While in the years 2005 and 2007, the percentages had reduced to 88% among the male customers and 12% among the female customers (Harley-Davidson, n.d). The ages of the customers who have been purchasing the products of the company have also been increasing. By 2008 the median age of the customers had risen to 47 from 45 in the year 2004.

Importance of ERP in the Banking Sector

Importance of ERP in the Banking Sector Banking industry has progressed greatly and still growing exponentially covering entire range of transactions and products under widespread umbrella. When all such activities are carried out by a bank, it is known as Core banking. Other main reasons apart from financial drivers, for opting for core banking system are Globalization, booming IT industry and consolidation of industries. Today banking sector is feeling limited of their present systems due to consolidation of industries and continuous increasing demand from customers as well as data management pressure. Therefore most of the banks are focussing on growth rather than cost reduction. Benefits and Prospects of ERP for Banking Industry Banking Sector has huge potential for applications of ERP due to its vast data oriented nature. ERP offers extensive integration among various modules. It integrates information, users and various processes for better productivity. It helps in decision making which includes decision for strategic, tactical and operational planning and uses various technologies which help in saving time, reducing cost, and effective communication. It provides solution for various things which include cash accounting, payment processing, security of cash and cash management. ERP systems also help in analysing financial condition of an enterprise, account management and preparation of financial reports and statements. All the back office systems and financial system can be integrated using ERP systems. Helps in effective cash flow by simplifying processing of outgoing and incoming payments. It also offers facility for sharing various processes of banks with customers, vendors and partners. Reporting, planning and analysis of bank assets are combined in one process, and everything is available on single platform. Provides tools which monitor every transaction in real time and other important range of services. An ERP system is also responsible for strengthening the logistical capability which includes handling of non-banking goods and services and handling of bank notes. MEETING TODAYS CHALLENGES Banking sector is facing tougher competition and demands rapid change. Moreover regulatory and legal requirements want information to be accurate and most important of all, it should be timely. Transparency is also a common requirement. Successful banks are more flexible and effective in this aspect. They have boosted the profitability of their banks and controlled their costs even in such environment. In order to achieve the goals banks should evaluate an IT investment so that they can provide fast return and also reduce the heavy operating costs. At present banks have following needs: IT structures should be flexible and allow speedy adjustments in the business procedures. Efficient business procedures and IT structures that are comparatively less complex Employees should be in a position to access tools, solutions and personalized data at any time and from anywhere Core technology should not be harmed while integrating new processes and functions. Integration should be easy and simple. In order to meet all the demands and increase the transparency level, ERP should increase the efficiency and moreover it should improve the Integrations between the existing technology and various business processes. ERP solutions should also provide a secure access and definitely it should be readily available to all the people from organizations and also to the partner, customer and the vendor. Cash Management Teller Operations Position Management Technical architecture Open source software CASE STUDY-IDBI BANK IDBI Bank was established in 1964 by the Government of India. IDBI became commercial bank in 2004 with a network of more than 700 branches and approximately 1200 ATMs IDBI AND CORE BANKING After the drastic change in top management in January 2001, the bank felt a need to improve the technology platform so that bank can transform itself in order to fulfil the challenges in the future. Inadequate network forced IDBI to adopt a technology platform which enabled IDBI to communicate with its customers with the help of many delivery channels. Scalability Complete integrated solution was the need of the hour. IDBI initially used centrally system from Kindle but it was proving to be inefficient to meet new objectives, so it was changed. Pre-requisite of IDBI- Agility of the Business and Time to market IDBI required a system that would provide bank the flexibility apart from quick and easy solution to launch various products easily. They required the solution that gave them a time to market and which can provide faster core banking solution. Key driver for the bank was to achieve business agility which was technology driven. Choosing a Vendor-Solution Overview (Deployment Architecture- Appendix fig 2) Finacle by Infosys was finally deployed after a detailed evolution of different solutions. It was deployed for corporate and retail banking, e-business and consumer operations. Another important point in IDBIs successful implementation was the time taken for implementation. It was done across entire bank in a record time of five and half months. This gave IDBI critical time to market advantage which they badly needed and moreover they were in a position to roll out products at a much faster rate than before. Like for e.g. Welcome Kit was introduced-concept consisting of the deliverables that customers generally expect on day 1 which includes cheque book and phone banking and e-banking details. This reduced the time taken to open an account which initially took at least 6-7 days. Advantages of Finacle (Functional Architecture- Appendix fig. 3) Main differentiator was latest technology. Various types including straight through processing, 24*7 banking, E-Xtensibility tool kit were deployed by Finacle. With the help of Finacle which proved to be a right choice IDBI brought down their End of Day processing time by more than 79%. After Implementation of Finacle Capabilty of handling 3 lakhs transactions in a day from 8 lakhs customer accounts IDBI became 3rd largest pvt.bank in terms of distribution of branch networks. Retail banking sector of IDBI has grown to many folds after deployment of Finacle. It also helped in rolling out of new products and services quickly. New products include the debit cards, gift cards and family accounts. Finacle offers customers a unified view of their relationship with bank which helps in achieving customer satisfaction. Helped in process centralisation. Challenges faced by the Vendor To cope up with the dynamic and ever-changing business processes and consumer needs To be in-line with the regulatory guidelines To assist the banking service with regular up gradation. Integration with Legacy Systems Integration of ERP Modules of different vendors or versions and E-Business Applications. IDBI decided for restructuring in 2008 for various business units which were customer focussed. Restructuring was done to streamline the business processes and improve the quality of customer service. Robust system was required so that all the managers can easily monitor earnings from each branch and also from each of its products which will help in increasing the profitability of the firm and also to maintain the growth. Problems before ERP IDBI was not in a condition to evaluate profitability of each segment of business at different level like customer and branch level. It was important for IDBIs future growth to assess the performance of their business units products which was not possible. IDBI Bank goes with Oracle Apps Implementation Process was basically carried out in 2 phases:- Performance Management System was deployed in 2008 which included modules of Oracle like Transfer Pricing Profitability Manager Financial Services Profitability Analytics All these systems helped the bank to better analyse the performance of individual business unit and take necessary action if in case it was not achieving the desired profits. Oracle Consulting was engaged in 2009 to deploy Oracle Risk Manager Oracle Hyperion Planning Integrated Approach Delivers Greater Control Oracle Transfer Pricing NII contribution can be measured from assets liabilities with the help of oracle transfer pricing. It also allowed the staff to dissect NII contributions assets and liabilities. Oracle Profitability Manager For allocation of costs which is related to banks line of business and other branches, Oracle profitability manager was used. Effect:- Since the data is coming from the single source, Earning reports which used to take two to three days, can now be produced within one or two hours. Oracle Financial Services and Oracle Profitability Analytics (Appendix figure 4) Information regarding profitability was delivered over internet using Oracle Financial Services Profitability Analytics. Now staff was in a position to analyse different trends, variances and the rankings across lines of business and products. With the help of the system there was a better access to important information which allowed Senior managers and other decision makers to accurately measure the performance of their portfolios and also their responsibility areas on a continuous basis It helped in improving decision making quality which eventually increased the overall profits of the bank Capability to Evaluate Performance of Employees Performance assessments can also be done on individual members of staff by the Oracle solution. Moreover it can be done at the group level also which enables IDBI to develop an appropriate reward system. It also helps in evaluating the contributions which are made at different levels. Automated Liquidity and Rate Risk Measurements Oracle Risk Manager To assess the liquidity and interest rate risks which are calculated on day to day basis, IDBI Bank used Oracle Risk Manager. It helped IDBI to select the best place to allocate their funds. It also helped various analysts and other bank managers to measure the effect of interest and also the impact on NII or economic value. Effect:- Advance analysis of assets and liabilities Helped in generating key info such as the avg.cost and financial return across various products, which ultimately helped in making better decisions. With the help of Oracle Risk Manager, IDBI became the 1st PSU bank which generated reports on asset liability management on daily basis. Streamlined Budgeting and Planning Oracle Hyperion Planning (Appendix- Figure 6,7,8) To create budgets and for rolling forecasts Oracle Hyperion Planning was used, which were basically linked to the profit and loss models and with the balance sheet as well. Sales targets can be fixed for individual branch and for individual product. Managers can then measure branch performances after analysing variances across every area. Effect:- To assess all areas, there was a common language Business targets were set with the help of same metrics which was used to measure performance and budget can be planned accordingly. Resources were better allocated in line with their objectives since managers were in a position to easily determine what exactly is happening at particular branch. Why Oracle? Functionality provided by Oracles solution and Oracles previous experience in applying ERP in other top banks. Solutions offered by Oracles different modules were appropriate from their business point of view Expertise of the implementation team of Oracle, previous experience, Flexibility of the Oracle system, Cost allocation principles of the bank convinced IDBI that based on their knowledge and skills they should engage Oracle again. Major Achievements of Oracle Due to dedicated resources and efficient coordination among the implementation team of Oracle, the aggressive project deadlines were met and implementation was successfully completed. Past Experience also helped Oracle team in implementation due to which testing, integration and data extraction went well. CONCLUSION Over the years, implementation of ERP has helped banking sector in a huge way. Integration of data has helped banks to analyze financial condition, account management and also helped in preparation of financial reports and statements. It has also provided solution for many things including cash management, cash security, cash accounting and payment processing. The need of the hour is to perform core banking activities and increase the quality of customer service by integrating its various components and avoid data redundancy. Industries look for ERP solution that can provide a common technology platform with capabilities of analyzing business data. They expect to meet the global business requirements, with simultaneously adhering to the country specific necessities. Thus there is a significant improvement in IDBI after new solutions and restructuring. The bank can now handle almost 3lakhs transactions. It also helped IDBI to launch various new products and services. Rate of customer satisfaction also increased. There was a remarkable change in the revenue and the overall profit of the organization.

Paediatric Nursing Teaching Session: Reflection and Analysis

Paediatric Nursing Teaching Session: Reflection and Analysis Critically analysing a teaching session which has been undertaken in practice for a child or young person. This reflective essay explores and analyses a teaching session carried out with a young person within a paediatric nursing setting, in order to evaluate positive aspects of the session, skills involved and skills developed on the part of the nurse during the session, the effectiveness of the session, and the ways in which this activity could have been improved to better meet the needs of the client. The client chosen is a 13 year old girl with Type 1 Diabetes, who, having made the decision to become independent in her glycaemic control and in managing her condition, was admitted to the children’s ward after a hypoglycaemic episode. The focus of the session was on re-educating the client in good practice in self-administration of insulin. Up until the period shortly before her admission, her mother had been administering BD insulin injections before school and in the evening. The client, who shall be called Sheila for the purposes of this essay (the name has been changed to protect confidentiality), had asserted her independence and demanded to be allowed to carry out our own injections, unsupervised, but after the hypoglycaemic episode, the question was raised whether or not she was able to draw up the correct dose. Therefore, the session was set up to allow Sheila to revisit the correct procedure for drawing up and delivering the correct dose of insulin in the correct manner. Confidentiality has been maintained throughout this essay by anonymising the personnel involved, and by ensuring no identifying details are used at any point. The importance of the teaching role within paediatric nursing will be discussed in the light of this activity and experience, and some recommendations for good practice will be drawn from this. The client chosen provides an interesting case because this is a young person who can be viewed as being in transition, between childhood and the onset of adolescence, asserting more maturity and independence in her management of her chronic condition, and so needing to be treated and interacted with in ways more similar to those usually used with adults. This presents a challenge for the paediatric nurse, because one key aspect of educating for health is to engage with the client on the appropriate level, and to avoid alienating the client (Agnew, 2005). This is a fundamental component of all nursing care, acting as both the human face of medicine and as a teacher or coach who acts to â€Å"take what is foreign and fearful to the patient and make it familiar and thus less frightening† (Benner, 1984 p 77). Approaching a young person such as Sheila requires skill in terms of using typical teaching approaches but adapting them to meet her individual needs as a person, according to her own perception of who she is and her levels of independence. Benner (1984) suggests that there is a need to use tone of voice, humour, and the nurse’s own attitudes in meeting these needs. Knowles et al (2006) state that â€Å"evidence-based, structured education is recommended for all people with diabetes; tailored to meet their personal needs and learning styles† (p 322). In this instance, planning the session required the nurse to draw upon knowledge of teaching processes and principles gleaned from her own study and research, clinical knowledge about the skill to be taught, and personal attributes which would (it was hoped), avoid patronising the client or alienating her(see Appendix for teaching plan). However, this author anticipated that there would always be some distance between nurse and client, because the nurse, no matter how skilled or capable in communication, might still represent an older authority figure to whom they might not necessarily Ã¢â‚¬Ë œrelate’ very well. Understanding this, the approach to the session was clearly and consistently hinged upon basic principles of learning, incorporating aspects of adult learning in order to attempt to be more appropriate for Sheila’s learning needs. There is some debate about the differences between learning in children and adult learning, or whether there are, indeed, any differences (Rogers, 1996). Because of the significant health impact of Type 1 Diabetes on individuals, and consequently, on society and the state’s healthcare systems and resources, it was thought important to include in this session some of the rationales for good glycaemic control and prevention of the longer term consequences of the disease. Type 1 Diabetes, is a disorder in which beta cells of the Islets of Langerhans located within the pancreas fail to produce insulin as required by the body to regulate blood glucose, resulting in high levels of circulating glucose(Watkins, 2003). The longer-term consequences of the disorder include atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (Luscher et al, 2003); diabetic retinopathy (Cohen Ayello, 2005; Guthrie and Guthrie, 2004); peripheral vascular disease, intermittent claudication and foot ulcers foot ulcers caused by impaired circulation and peripheral neuropathy(Bielby 2006; Edmonds and Foster, 2006; Lipsky et al, 2006; Guthrie and Guthrie, 2004; Bloomgard en, 2005; Soedmah-Muthu, 2006); renal disease and renal failure (Castner and Douglas, 2005); and gastrointestinal complications (Guthrie and Guthrie, 2004). In preparation for the session, the nurse engaged in some background research, ensured that her knowledge was up to date, and reviewed the key national policy document, the National Service Framework for Diabetes published by the Department of health which underlines the need for good, ongoing health promotion and education for those with the condition (DH, 2002). Reading of research and professional literature also highlighted a wealth of information on the specifics of health promotion and education within diabetes, much of which is very applicable in this instance as it focuses on self-management of the condition (Cooper et al, 2003). While these support the transmission of information between health professional and client, so that the client becomes knowledgeable about their disorder and its management (Fox and Kilvert, 2003), there is also evidence which supports health education that actively incorporates and engages the client as a partner in the learning process as well as t he control of their condition (Davis et al, 2000) Therefore, the session was planned to initially determine Sheila’s level of knowledge and understanding, her current competence in the skill, and her ability to describe the underlying principles of the procedure. As Rogers (2002) states, â€Å"it is necessary to adapt our methods of teaching adults to the range of educational skills they possess.† (p 76). Horner et al (2000) also underline the need to improve the readability of teaching materials, and some were identified during the course of this session as being in need of improvement. Therefore, this element of the session also determined her level of understanding, reading ability and whether or not she had any difficulties such as dyslexia. It was discovered that Sheila had an above-average reading level, no special educational needs and no specific requirements other than that she was spoken to as an adult, as she reiterated on a number of occasions that she was not ‘a kid’. The learning approach taken was what Hinchliff (2004) describes as a constructivist approach, which, based on cognitive and humanistic learning theories, places the most importance on â€Å"self awareness, and the individual’s understanding of the processes involved in his or her own learning† (p 65). Hinchliff (2004) discusses Bloom’s (1972) learning domains, and this teaching session was designed to affect all three domains, cognitive, psychomotor, and affective. In relation to the cognitive domain, the aim was to reinforce and introduce knowledge. Psychomotor skills relate to the practical ability to administer insulin, and affective domain refers to the initiation of a process of attitude formation, wherein the nurse was hoping to help Sheila form a positive, proactive attitude to self-management of her condition. Further reading uncovered information on tailored educational programmes for children with diabetes to encourage appropriate self-care and management of their condition, based on pre-existing adult courses which exist in the UK but are of limited value for children (Knowles et al, 2006). Knowles et al (2006) carried out a study to adapt the adult Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating (DAFNE) course to design a skills training course, for children aged 11–16 yr, focusing on self-management skills within an intensive insulin regime. While this kind of approach would have been ideal for Sheila, a little research into facilities available local to the client showed no provision of this kind, or similar, targeted at her age group, which this author believed was a failing of local provision. This is a key point in the lifespan of a young person with a chronic condition, and at the least such young people need age-appropriate health education activities (Knowles et al, 2006). However, th is study has yet to be validated by a planned larger multicentre trial (Knowles et al, 2006). Viklund et al (2007) carried out a six month randomised controlled trial of a patient education empowerment programme, with teenagers with diabetes, but found after their trial that this empowerment programme made no difference on outcomes related to glycaemic control or empowerment. Their conclusion was that there should continue to be parental involvement in educational programmes and in management of self-care and ongoing control in diabetes in teenagers (Viklund et al, 2007). This might suggest that this session should have included some parental involvement, or should have made reference to ongoing parental involvement, because it supports anecdotal evidence that the author has gleaned from practice, wherein nurses rarely ‘trust’ teenagers to manage their diabetes appropriately themselves. Murphy et al (2007) describe a ‘family-centred’ diabetes education programme which was successfully integrated into paediatric diabetes care in one location, with pot ential benefits on parental involvement and glycaemic control. In all three of these cited studies, multidisciplinary involvement was a feature of the programme (Knowles et al, 2006; Murphy et al, 2007; Viklund et al, 2007). This suggests that there should be programmes which provide ongoing, family-oriented support, but this author still feels that the particular needs of teenagers may need something else, something indefinable as yet, but something which still supports their sense of self and emerging adult identity, fosters independence but also helps ensure proper management of the condition. This takes us to the issue of resources, and the lack of them, but if there were more, good quality research in this area, it might provide the leverage for more resources to be mobilised to meet the needs of this client group. Sheila evaluated the session well, but the author was left with the feeling that there was no certainty that the client would take on this new learning and that her glycaemic control would improve. Having addressed issues from the point of view of diabetes, and of the needs of teenagers with this condition, the author can only conclude that the session was well designed and incorporated patient-centred, established educational techniques, but that these techniques are not necessarily the optimal way to educate and support teenagers with Type 1 Diabetes. The literature has shed a light on some potential approaches to this, but the evidence is still insufficient to fully change practice. However, Sheila was able to demonstrate correct technique, discuss the rationale for the technique, and discuss with some confidence her management and control of her condition, and the prevention of longer-term complications. A more multidisciplinary approach would perhaps be needed to address the emo tional and psychological elements of her learning and development needs in the future. References Agnew, T (2005) Words of wisdom. Nursing Standard 20(6),pp24-26 Anderson, B. (2005) The art of empowerment : stories and strategies for diabetes educators New York: American Diabetes Association. Anthony, S., Odgers, T. Kelly, W. (2004) Health promotion and health education about diabetes mellitus. Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health. 124 (2) 70-3 Benner, P. (1984) From Novice to Expert: Excellence and Power in Clinical Nursing Practice London: Addison-Wesley Publishers. Bielby, A. (2006) Understanding foot ulceration in patients with diabetes. Nursing Standard. 20(32). pp. 57-67. Bloomgarden, Z.T. (2006) Cardiovascular Disease Diabetes Care 20 (5) 1160-1166. Castner, D. Douglas, C. (2006) Now onstage: chronic kidney disease. Nursing. 35(12). pp. 58-64. Cohen, A. Ayello, E. (2005) Diabetes has taken a toll on your patients vision: how can you help?. Nursing. 35(5). pp. 44-7. Cooper, H.C., Booth, K. and Gill, G. (2003) Patients’ perspectives on diabetes health care education. Health Education Research 18 (2) 191-206. Court, S. and Lamb, B. (1997) Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes London: John Wiley. DAFNE Study Group (2002) Training in flexible, intensive insulin management to enable dietary freedom in people with type 1 diabetes: dose adjustment for normal eating (DAFNE) randomised controlled trial. British Medical Journal 325:746–9 Davies, K. (2006) What is effective intervention? Using theories of health promotion. British Journal of Nursing15 (5) 252-256. Department of Health (2002) National Service Framework for Diabetes Available from www.doh.gov.uk Accessed 25-7-08. Edmonds, M. Foster, A. (2006) Diabetic foot ulcers. BMJ. 332(7538). pp. 407-10. Fox, C. and Kilvert, A. (2003) Intensive education for lifestyle change in diabetes. BMJ 327 1120-1121. Guthrie, R.A. Guthrie, D.W. (2004) Pathophysiology of Diabetes Mellitus. Critical Care Nursing Quarterly 27 (2) 113-125. Hinchliff, S. (Ed)(2004) The Practitioner as teacher 3rd Ed London: Balliere Tindall Knowles, J., Waller, H., Eiser, C. et al (2006) The development of an innovative education curriculum for 11–16 yr old children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) Pediatric Diabetes 7 (6) 322-328. Luscher, T.F., Creager, M.A., Beckman, J.A. and Cosentino, F. 2003 Diabetes and vascular disease: pathophysiology, clinical consequences and medical therapy: part II. Circulation 108 1655-1661. Murphy, H.R., Wadham, C., Rayman, G. and Skinner, T.C. (2007) Approaches to integrating paediatric diabetes care and structured education: experiences from the Families, Adolescents, and Childrens Teamwork Study (FACTS) Diabetic Medicine 24 (1) 1261-1268. Northam, E. Todd, S. Cameron, F. (2006) Interventions to promote optimal health outcomes in children with Type 1 diabetes are they effective? Diabetic Medicine. 23(2). pp. 113-21 Reece, I. Walker S.(2003) Teaching, Training and Learning. Tyne Weir: Business Education Publishers Ltd. Rogers, A. (2002) Teaching Adults 3rd Ed Buckinghamshire: OU Press Soedmah-Muthu, S.S., Fuller, J.H., Mulner, H.E. et al (2006) High risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with type 1 Diabetes in the UK. Diabetes Care 20 (4) 798-804. Viklund, G., Ortqvist, E. and Wikblad, K. (2007) Assessment of an empowerment education programme. A randomized study in teenagers with diabetes Diabetic Medicine 24 (5) 550-556. Watkins, P.J. (2003) ABC of Diabetes (Fifth edition). London: BMJ Publishing Group. Appendix Patient Education Plan Self-administration of Insulin Lesson Aims: To support Sheila to develop the skills and knowledge to demonstrate competence in the independent self-administration of Insulin. To reinforce health promotion principles and information regarding long-term management and control of her Diabetes and the prevention of later-life health complications. Learning Outcomes – at the end of the session the client should: Be able to describe, discuss and demonstrate the principles of correct drawing up of accurate doses of insulin as prescribed in her own regimen. Be able to competently self-administer insulin with correct technique, and describe the rationale for this technique Be able to discuss ongoing glycaemic control and prevention of later life complications of Diabets. Activity Method and Rationale Determine Sheila’s current level of knowledge. Determine Sheila’s reading level and identify any specific learning needs or difficulties (eg dyslexia) Discussion This allows for the identification of Sheila’s needs, and allows the nurse to set the tone and establish a relationship with Sheila. Provision can be made for specific needs such as augmented or specialist reading materials. Sheila to demonstrate drawing up technique Nurse to demonstrate drawing up technique Demonstration/discussion with supporting information/leaflets. Drawing comparisons between the two techniques should allow the client to identify whether her own practice matches that of the nurse/teacher. Discussion of this will draw out underlying knowledge and principles. Written information will reinforce learning. Review and demonstrate correct administration technique Discussion/Demonstration Discussion allows the nurse to identify gaps in knowledge and skill and address these in a responsive, flexible manner. Review knowledge of disease management and prevention of complications and identify further learning needs Discussion Provide a rationale and potential motivation to maintain good glycaemic control. Plan to meet further learning needs either immediately or in future sessions, perhaps involving the multi-disciplinary team. Gain client feedback To evaluate effectiveness of teaching session in client’s own words.

The Adventures Of Huckleberry :: essays research papers

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, Huck considers himself to be an ignorant fool, and an over all bad person that should be looked down upon. However, through out his story, without ever realizing it, Huck manages to live through many incredible advetures, and commit unselfish acts that would consider him to be a true hero. It could even be taken to the extent that Huck Finn lived a more down to earth version of Homer ¡Ã‚ ¯s Odyssey. After all, they are both stories of a reliable person going through the biggest adventures of their lives, while facing certain types of monsters, while using their cleverness in order to escape many obstacles. Tho only main difference in this is the fact that while Odysseus faced more mythical challenges, Huck braved through the challenges of his modern society, and the types of people in it. But even so, one could easily say that Huckleberry Finn made almost the exact same journey as Odysseus, with a slightly modern twist added to it. To start, both characters have reasonings behind their journeys as to why they start it. Odysseus began his sea bound adventure because of the fact that he was allowed his freedom from Calypso, who has been holding him captive in hopes of turning him into her husband. So Odysseus is allowed to set sail back to his homeland. Huck set out his adventure because he was attempting to escape from his drunken Pap, who was holding him captive in order to get money. Huck manages to escape on a raft, and set sail. At the end of Huck ¡Ã‚ ¯s adventure, he does in fact end up in what will be his home. The two scenario ¡Ã‚ ¯s are similar for many reasons. For example, both Huck and Odysseus are being held captive for one reason or another. Calypso wanting Odysseus for a husband is just like Pap wanting Huck for his money. To add on to this point, both of them manage to escape throught the use of a raft. The only difference there is the fact that Odysseus is setting sail through the seas, while Huck takes on his adventure through the Mississsippi River. Next in comparison between the two stories would be the use of monsters ¡Ã‚ ± used throught out the adventures. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is forced into fights and challenges that largely deal with monsters, such as the Cyclops, which is a giant, single red eyed beast with the body of a human.

Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson :: Snow Falling Cedars David Guterson

Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson gives readers an idea of what it was like to be Japanese in the 1940’s and 50’s. In our nation at that time, much of the population felt that Japanese and Japanese Americans could not be trusted. Americans did not like the immigrants coming here and taking jobs that were once theirs. Last, of course, the evacuation and containment of the Japanese and even Japanese American citizens made it clear that America did not trust them. Prejudice against Japanese and Japanese Americans was most prominent in the western states, more specifically California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and Nevada. These also happen to be the states most populated by people of Japanese descent. The disproportion can be seen in a poll taken in December of 1942 by the American Institute of Public Opinion. When asked â€Å"Do you think the Japanese who were moved inland from the Pacific Coast should be allowed to return to the Pacific Coast when the war is over?† Seventeen percent nationally said they â€Å"Would allow none to return,† whether they were citizens or not. In the western states, nearly twice as many felt this way, an astonishing 31 percent (Merrick 207). This data does not show, however, whether the inlanders were less prejudiced or merely wanted to send the Japanese back to the West. It seems the war was an excuse to lock these people away for a while. Discrimination existed long before the wa r began with a swift attack on Pearl Harbor. Interestingly, Hawaii had few racial problems, despite being at the site of the devastation. People often fear what they do not understand. Why did Germans and Italians not experience such distinct discrimination? European culture is fairly similar to American culture; it is, after all, where most of American culture and inhabitants came from. The Japanese, on the other hand, have severely different customs than the United States, customs that must have been hard for people to understand or value. Many White people saw the quiet reserve of the Japanese descendants as an indication of a cold, heartless, unfeeling person. To Caucasians, dark faces with slanted eyes were something they could not understand; and therefore, could not trust. Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson :: Snow Falling Cedars David Guterson Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson gives readers an idea of what it was like to be Japanese in the 1940’s and 50’s. In our nation at that time, much of the population felt that Japanese and Japanese Americans could not be trusted. Americans did not like the immigrants coming here and taking jobs that were once theirs. Last, of course, the evacuation and containment of the Japanese and even Japanese American citizens made it clear that America did not trust them. Prejudice against Japanese and Japanese Americans was most prominent in the western states, more specifically California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and Nevada. These also happen to be the states most populated by people of Japanese descent. The disproportion can be seen in a poll taken in December of 1942 by the American Institute of Public Opinion. When asked â€Å"Do you think the Japanese who were moved inland from the Pacific Coast should be allowed to return to the Pacific Coast when the war is over?† Seventeen percent nationally said they â€Å"Would allow none to return,† whether they were citizens or not. In the western states, nearly twice as many felt this way, an astonishing 31 percent (Merrick 207). This data does not show, however, whether the inlanders were less prejudiced or merely wanted to send the Japanese back to the West. It seems the war was an excuse to lock these people away for a while. Discrimination existed long before the wa r began with a swift attack on Pearl Harbor. Interestingly, Hawaii had few racial problems, despite being at the site of the devastation. People often fear what they do not understand. Why did Germans and Italians not experience such distinct discrimination? European culture is fairly similar to American culture; it is, after all, where most of American culture and inhabitants came from. The Japanese, on the other hand, have severely different customs than the United States, customs that must have been hard for people to understand or value. Many White people saw the quiet reserve of the Japanese descendants as an indication of a cold, heartless, unfeeling person. To Caucasians, dark faces with slanted eyes were something they could not understand; and therefore, could not trust.

Mary Shelley Essay

   I don’t think the reader feels sorry for Victor because if he hadn’t have rejected the monster in the first place he wouldn’t have been in that situation. In the era the book was written, people were beginning to question God’s existence. Should God be the only creator of life? Should the power of science be able to create people? We found out the answer to this in Frankenstein. Victor tried to create the monster using scientific knowledge and succeeded. However, the end result of the monster was horrific. He was lonely, had no friends, and resorted to killing people. This proves science can not create life and make them fit into the human race. Only God can achieve this and that’s the way it should stay. I think the reader sympathizes for the monster because the monster didn’t choose to live, Victor did it for him and he only needed somebody to love. ‘I collected the instruments of life around me that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet. ‘ This quote shows he was searching for something to bring the monster to life, and that it was his decision to do this. At different stages in the story, Victor and the monster are both altruistic and egotistic. To start with, Victor is very altruistic. Whilst developing the monster he was very focused and in some way addicted to his creation. He became increasingly tired and unhealthy as he wasn’t looking after himself properly. ‘Sometimes I grew alarmed at the wreck I perceived. ‘ This shows he didn’t even realise how he was treating himself, and he was ‘alarmed’ when he realised. This proves he started off to be very altruistic, thinking of others before himself. At the same time he could be egotistic. He didn’t think of the monster’s feelings, and just focused on achieving his goal, not thinking of the consequences there were to come. Victor claims he was doing it to be ‘useful to my fellow beings. ‘ His mother actually sparked the idea and fame and fortune drove him. So he ended up doing it for himself. The monster starts off to be altruistic as he befriends the family and helps them and generally doesn’t focus on just himself. He makes adult suggestions unlike Victor who has stubborn childish responses. Victor could have offered friendship and love, but does the complete opposite making him extremely egotistic. However as the story continues it all changes dramatically and Victor and the monster almost swap places. Eager to love and to be loved, the creature is not born evil. Society makes the monster become egotistical. As society keeps on rejecting him, he becomes more and more egotistic and doesn’t really care what anyone else thinks anymore. The monster wanted what Frankenstein and so many other humans had and took for granted – a place to belong. Loneliness and isolation motivated the monster to turn to destruction. However, this was through no fault of his own. Victor was the first one to reject him therefore, it’s mainly his fault. When this starts to happen, I think the reader feels sorry for the monster, as he had no other choice but to do this, and become egotistic. On the other hand, Victor becomes more altruistic and begins to think of others. When the monster starts to kill people close to him, I think he realises he needs to do something. Victor does decide to make the creature a bride which was very altruistic, but turns against the idea. Elizabeth, Victor Frankenstein’s foster sister, plays a crucial part of Frankenstein. Since Victor’s mother died, Elizabeth played the ‘mother’ role and was adored. ‘Everyone loved Elizabeth. ‘ At many points in the story Victor is saved by the love of Elizabeth. On Frankenstein’s wedding day, his creature, the monster kills Elizabeth. Her beauty and innocence are greatly emphasized which takes away a lot of sympathy for the monster. When Frankenstein’s father knows that she was killed, he dies a few days later. ‘What then became of me? I know not; I lost sensation, and chains and darkness were the only objects that pressed upon me. ‘ This shows Victor doesn’t want to live anymore and doesn’t take any notice of the world around him. He didn’t have anything to live for, except to get revenge on the monster he’d created. ‘How I have lived I hardly know; many times have I stretched my failing limbs upon the sandy plain and prayed for death. But revenge kept me alive. ‘ So Victor decides to find the monster and searches for him. He tracks the monster ever northwards into the ice. He then freezes to death and dies, and when the monster finds this out he kills himself. At this point you sympathize for mainly Victor as he never got his revenge but also the monster, as he had such a horrific, lonely life. To conclude there are many different times in which the reader feels antipathy and mainly sympathy for the monster in Frankenstein, which shows he wasn’t treated well at all.

Rizal, My Hero

Rizal, my Hero! â€Å"A hero is a man who is afraid to run away – (English Proverb)†. Indeed, a man who has a brave heart would not choose to run away but instead give the good fight he can give. Truly, Rizal deserves to be the hero of this Country. Like what Zaide wrote â€Å"He (Rizal) was not quarrelsome by nature, but he never ran away from a fight†. Every hero has its own exemplary deeds but for me, Rizal, is one of the best Heros because of his patriotic services in his country.From his writings to his good communications with other people, foreign or Filipino, he proved to be the best man living in his time and until now. I was so amazed by his bravery that though he already knows that what he plans to do would might lose his head. I so can’t imagine that I will do such exemplary thing to my fellowmen like what Rizal did especially to Dapitan when he was an exile. I consider him my hero because I was deeply touched by his writings, through his writi ngs I was awakened by some of his noble thoughts.Though he is not revolutionary in nature he knows what to do to make this country free from Spanish tyranny and I consider that he is not imprudent because I know he already think what might happen and if that never happen he would accept it. I admire of how he handle things, somehow. Rizal is the hero of the poor Filipino that is hungry for freedom while he’s my hero because he thought me to be the best that I can be. Though he is intelligent in nature and I am not that so, I was inspired to excel in any ways that I can be as what his theme in his poem â€Å"To the Filipino Youth†, â€Å"Grow, O Timid Flower†.He is a remarkable one and I am not, but through reading and discovering more of him I learned that he did not consider himself as a very noble person but he did what he can do in this country. I learned that you don’t have to look over what you can’t do in this country but look what you can do in this country. A simple good deed to your fellow men is truly remarkable already. I may not be like him that has done many things in this country, through him if he is not a Filipino I might not know what the importance of being a Filipino Youth is.Like what he said â€Å"†¦the years of the youth should be employed in something nobler and lofty for the very reason that youth is noble and lofty†¦ † When I was a kid when my teacher asked â€Å"Who is our national hero? † , â€Å"of course, it’s Jose Rizal† but I don’t have a deeper knowledge about him. Now that I am a fully grown youth, I was able to know through his life what I must and what I can do. Rizal is an example of a noble youth. I might not be as nobler as he but using him as an example, I can also leave a legacy to my family and relative and most of all to other Filipino Youth. Without education and liberty, which are the soil and the sun of man, no reform is possible; no mea sure can give the result desired – (Indolence of the Filipinos-La Solidaridad)†. I find education really important as what he thought of it. And I would do the best that I can to excel and not just to pass and to be also exemplary in the eyes of every Filipino. Rizal is really my hero because he thought me of being a brave youth, facing challenges and make things that is most important in my very eye and would benefit my fellow men. How remarkably he is!

The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 21

When she opened her eyes, Elena found herself in someone's attic. Its wide wooden floorboards and low rafters were thick with dust, and the long room was crowded with objects: a hammock, sleds, skis, boxes with words like Xmas or toddler toys or B's winter clothes scribbled on them in black marker. Oilcloths were draped over larger objects that might be furniture, chairs and tables, by their shapes. At the far end of the room an old mattress lay on the floor, with an oilcloth crumpled at one end, as if someone sleeping there had been using it as a makeshift blanket and had shoved it off when they rose. Faint traces of pale light showed around the edges of a smal shuttered window at the nearer end of the attic. There was a soft rustling, as if mice were going about their private business behind the shelter of the stored furniture. It was al weirdly familiar. She looked back toward the far end of the attic and saw, without the faintest sense of surprise, that Damon was now sitting on the old mattress, his long black-clad legs drawn up, his elbows resting on his knees. He was managing to give the appearance of lounging graceful y despite his awkward position. â€Å"The places where we meet are getting less and less elegant,† she told him dryly. Damon laughed and held up his hands in denial. â€Å"You pick the locations, princess,† he said. â€Å"This is your show. I'm just along for the ride.† He paused thoughtful y. â€Å"Okay, that's not entirely true,† he confessed. â€Å"But you do pick the locations. Where are we, anyway?† â€Å"You don't know?† Elena said with mock indignation. â€Å"This is a very special place for us, Damon! Ful of memories! You brought me here right after I became a vampire, remember?† He looked around. â€Å"Oh, yes. The attic of the house where the teacher was staying. Convenient at the time, but you're right – an elegant setting suits us both much better. May I suggest a nice palace next time?† He patted the mattress next to him. Elena, crossing the floor toward him, took a moment to marvel at how realistic and detailed her dream was. Each step she took sent tiny puffs of dust up from the floor. There was a slight scent of mildew: She couldn't remember ever having smel ed anything in a dream before these visions of Damon. When she sat down, the mildew smel got stronger. She nestled close to Damon anyway, resting her head on his shoulder, and his leather jacket creaked as he put his arm around her. Elena closed her eyes and sighed. She felt safe and secure within his embrace, feelings she had never associated with Damon, but they were good ones. â€Å"I miss you, Damon,† she said. â€Å"Please come back to me.† Damon leaned his cheek against her head, and she breathed in the smel of him. Leather and soap and the strange but pleasant woodsy scent that was Damon's own. â€Å"I'm right here,† he said. â€Å"Not real y,† Elena said, and her eyes fil ed with tears again. She wiped them roughly away with the backs of her hands. â€Å"It feels like I've been doing nothing but crying lately,† she said. â€Å"When I'm here with you I feel safer, though. But it's just a dream. It won't last, this feeling.† Damon stiffened. â€Å"Safer?† he said, and there was a strained note in his voice. â€Å"You aren't safe when you're not with me? Isn't my little brother looking after you properly?† â€Å"Oh, Damon, you can't imagine,† Elena said. â€Å"Stefan†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She took a deep breath, put her head in her hands, and began to sob. â€Å"What is it? What's happened?† asked Damon sharply. When Elena didn't answer, just continued to cry, he took her hands and tugged them gently but firmly away from her face. â€Å"Elena,† he said. â€Å"Look at me. Has something happened to Stefan?† â€Å"No,† said Elena through her tears. â€Å"Wel , yes, sort of†¦ I don't real y know what's happened to him, but he's changed.† Damon was looking at her intently, his nightblack eyes fixed on hers, and Elena made an effort to pul herself together. She hated acting like this, so weak and pathetic, sobbing on someone's shoulder instead of cool y formulating a solution to the problem at hand. She didn't want Damon, even a dream Damon who was just part of her subconscious, seeing her like this. She sniffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Damon delved into an inner pocket of his leather jacket and handed her a neatly folded white handkerchief. Elena stared at it, then at him, and he shrugged. â€Å"I'm an oldfashioned gentleman, sometimes,† he said, straight-faced. â€Å"Hundreds of years of linen handkerchiefs. Some habits are hard to break.† Elena blew her nose and wiped her cheeks. She didn't quite know what to do with the soggy handkerchief – it seemed gross to hand it back to Damon – so she just held on to it, twisting it between her hands as she thought. â€Å"Now tel me about what's going on. What's wrong with Stefan? What happened to him?† Damon commanded. â€Å"Wel†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena said slowly, â€Å"I don't know what's wrong with Stefan, and I don't know if anything happened to change him that you don't already know about. Maybe he's just reacting to your†¦ you know.† It suddenly seemed weird to refer to Damon's death when he was sitting next to her – impolite somehow – but Damon nodded at her to go on. â€Å"It's been hard on him. And he's been even more tense and weird for the last couple of days. Then, earlier this evening, I was visiting my parents in the cemetery†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She told Damon about Stefan's attack on Caleb. â€Å"The worst part is that I never suspected this side of Stefan existed,† she finished. â€Å"I can't think of any real reason he had to attack Caleb – he just claimed that Caleb wanted me, and that he was dangerous, but Caleb hadn't done anything – and Stefan seemed so irrational, and so violent. He was like another person.† Elena's eyes were fil ing with tears again, and Damon pul ed her closer, stroking her hair and gently peppering her face with soft kisses. Elena closed her eyes and gradual y relaxed into his arms. Damon held her more firmly, and his kisses got slower and deeper. Then he was cradling her head with his strong, gentle hands and kissing her mouth. â€Å"Oh, Damon,† she murmured. This was more vivid than any dream she'd ever had. His lips were soft and warm, with just a little roughness to them, and it felt like she was fal ing into him. â€Å"Wait.† He kissed her more insistently but, when she pul ed away, let her go. â€Å"Wait,† Elena repeated, sitting up straight. Somehow she had lain back until she was half reclining across the musty old mattress with Damon, her legs entangled with his. She moved away from him, toward the edge of the mattress. â€Å"Damon, whatever's going on with Stefan scares me. But that doesn't mean†¦ Damon, I'm stil in love with Stefan.† â€Å"You love me, too, you know,† Damon said lightly. His dark eyes narrowed. â€Å"You're not getting rid of me that easily, princess.† â€Å"I do love you,† Elena said. Her eyes were dry now. She thought she might be al cried out, at least for the moment. Her voice was quite steady as she added, â€Å"I'l always love you, I guess. But you're dead.† And Stefan is my true love, if I had to choose between you, she thought, but did not say. What was the point? â€Å"I'm sorry, Damon,† she went on, â€Å"but you're gone. And I'l always love Stefan, but suddenly I'm afraid of him, of what he might do. I don't know what's going to happen to us. I thought things would be easy now that we're home again, but awful things are stil happening.† Damon sighed and lay back on the mattress. He stared up at the ceiling in silence for a moment. â€Å"Listen,† he said final y, lacing his fingers across his chest. â€Å"You've always underestimated Stefan's potential for violence.† â€Å"He's not violent,† Elena said hotly. â€Å"He doesn't even drink human blood.† â€Å"He doesn't drink human blood because he doesn't want to be violent. He doesn't want to hurt anyone. But Elena† – Damon reached out and took her hand – â€Å"my little brother's got a temper. I know that if anyone does.† Elena shivered. She knew that, back when they were humans, Stefan and Damon had kil ed each other in a fit of rage over what they thought was Katherine's death. Katherine's blood had been in both their systems, and they had risen again as vampires that night. Their anger and jealousy over a lost love had destroyed them both. â€Å"However,† Damon continued, â€Å"much as it pains me to admit it, Stefan would never hurt you, and wouldn't hurt anyone else without a real reason. Not without the kind of reason you would approve of. Not these days. He might have a temper, but he's also got a conscience.† He smirked a little and added, â€Å"An annoying, self-righteous kind of conscience, of course, but it's there. And he loves you, Elena. You're the whole world to him.† â€Å"Maybe you're right,† Elena said. â€Å"I'm scared, though. And I wish you were there with me.† She looked at him, as sleepy and confiding as a tired child now. â€Å"Damon, I wish you weren't dead. I miss you. Please come back to me.† Damon smiled and kissed her softly. But then he pul ed away and Elena could feel the dream changing. She tried to cling to the moment, but it faded and Damon was lost to her again. â€Å"Please be careful, Damon,† said Sage, worry lines marring his bronzed forehead. It wasn't often that the muscular Keeper of the Gates looked worried – or spoke only one language at a time – but ever since Damon had staggered back from death and out of the ashes, Sage had spoken softly and clearly to him in English, treating the vampire as if he were likely to shatter at any minute. â€Å"I usual y am careful,† said Damon, leaning against the wal of what they cal ed, for want of a better term, the mystical elevator. â€Å"Unless I'm being heart-stoppingly brave, of course.† The words were right, but to Damon's own ears, his voice sounded off: hoarse and hesitant. Sage seemed to hear the wrongness there, too, and his handsome face furrowed in a frown. â€Å"You can stay longer if you want.† Damon leaned back against the plain white wal . â€Å"I have to go,† he said wearily, for what felt like the mil ionth time. â€Å"She's in danger. But thank you for everything, Sage.† He wouldn't be here now without Sage. The powerful vampire had cleaned Damon up, given him clothes – stylish black clothes in the right size – and fed him blood and rich Black Magic wine until Damon had been hauled back from the edge of death and realized who he was again. But†¦ Damon didn't feel like himself. There was a strange empty ache inside him, as if he'd left something behind, buried deep under the ash. Sage was stil frowning, staring at him with grave concern. Damon pul ed himself together and gave Sage a sudden bril iant smile. â€Å"Wish me luck,† he said. The smile helped: The other vampire's face relaxed. â€Å"Bonne chance, mon ami,† he said. â€Å"I wish you the very best of luck.† Bilingual again, Damon thought. I must be looking better. â€Å"Fel ‘s Church,† he said into the empty air. â€Å"The United States, the mortal realm. Somewhere I can hide.† He raised a hand in solemn salute to Sage and pushed the elevator's single button. Elena woke up in darkness. She ran a quick and automatic mental check: smooth, fabric-softener-scented cotton sheets, dim light from the window past the foot of her bed on the right, the faint sound of Robert snoring in his and Aunt Judith's bedroom at the other end of the hal . Her own old familiar room. Home again. She heaved a deep sigh. She didn't feel quite as mired in despair as she had when she climbed into bed; things were dark, but she could admit there was a possibility they might someday get better again. But her eyes and throat felt raw from crying. She missed Damon so much. A floorboard creaked. Elena stiffened. She knew that creak. It was the high, complaining whine the floorboard over near her window gave if you stepped right in the middle of it. Someone was in her room. Elena lay very stil , running through the possibilities. Stefan would have announced himself as soon as he heard her sigh. Was it Margaret, quietly wandering in to crawl into bed with Elena? â€Å"Margaret?† she asked softly. There was no answer. Her ears straining, Elena thought she could make out the sound of slow, heavy breathing. Suddenly the lamp on her desk was switched on, and Elena was temporarily dazzled by the bright light. She could see only the silhouette of a dark figure. Then her vision cleared. And at the foot of her bed, a half smile on his chiseled face, dark eyes wary, as if he was unsure of his welcome, stood a figure dressed al in black. Damon.