Amsterdam Company Essay Example for Free

Amsterdam Company Essay Question 2 Presented below is information related to Rembrandt Inc.s inventory. (per unit)SkisBootsParkas Historical Cost273.79152.7576.37 Selling Price312.70208.95106.27 Cost to distribute27.3811.533.60 Current replacement cost292.52151.3173.49 Normal profit margin46.1141.7930.62 Determine the following: Question 3 Matlock Company uses a perpetual inventory system. Its beginning inventory consists of 67 units that cost $40 each. During June, the company purchased 202 units at $40 each, returned 8 units for credit, and sold 168 units at $67 each. Journalize the June transactions. Question 4 Amsterdam Company uses a periodic inventory system. For April, when the company sold 700 units, the following information is available. Compute the April 30 inventory and the April cost of goods sold using the average cost method. Question 5 Amsterdam Company uses a periodic inventory system. For April, when the company sold 600 units, the following information is available. Compute the April 30 inventory and the April cost of goods sold using the FIFO method. Question 6 (FIFO, LIFO, Average Cost Inventory) Esplanade Company was formed on December 1, 2011. The following information is available from Esplanades inventory records for Product BAP. PurchasesUnitsUnit Cost January 1, 2012(beginning inventory)7628.00 January 5, 20121,5249.00 January 25, 20121,65110.00 February 16, 20121,06111.00 March 26, 201276212.00 A physical inventory on March 31, 2012, shows 2,032 units on hand. Prepare schedules to compute the ending inventory at March 31, 2012, under each of the following inventory methods. Assume Esplanade Company uses the periodic inventory method. Question 7 Floyd Corporation has the following four items in its ending inventory. Determine the final lower of cost or market inventory value for each item. Question 8 Kumar Inc. uses a perpetual inventory system. At January 1, 2013, inventory was $320,786 at both cost and market value. At December 31, 2013, the inventory was $428,714 at cost and $403,231 at market value. Prepare the necessary December 31 entry under: Question 9 Boyne Inc. had beginning inventory of $15,000 at cost and $25,000 at retail. Net purchases were $150,000 at cost and $212,500 at retail. Net markups were $12,500; net markdowns were $8,750; and sales were $196,250. Compute ending inventory at cost using the conventional retail method. Question 10 (Gross Profit Method) Astaire Company uses the gross profit method to estimate inventory for monthly reporting purposes. Presented below is information for the month of  May. Question 11 Previn Brothers Inc. purchased land at a price of $30,400. Closing costs were $1,820. An old building was removed at a cost of $14,850. What amount should be recorded as the cost of the land? Question 12 Garcia Corporation purchased a truck by issuing an $108,000, 4-year, zero-interest-bearing note to Equinox Inc. The market rate of interest for obligations of this nature is 10%. Prepare the journal entry to record the purchase of this truck. Question 13 Mohave Inc. purchased land, building, and equipment from Laguna Corporation for a cash payment of $352,800. The estimated fair values of the assets are land $67,200, building $246,400, and equipment $89,600. At what amounts should each of the three assets be recorded? Question 14 Fielder Company obtained land by issuing 2,000 shares of its $12 par value common stock. The land was recently appraised at $103,700. The common stock is actively traded at $50 per share. Prepare the journal entry to record the acquisition of the land. Question 15 Navajo Corporation traded a used truck (cost $23,600, accumulated depreciation $21,240) for a small computer worth $4,366. Navajo also paid $1,180 in the transaction. Prepare the journal entry to record the exchange. Question 16 Mehta Company traded a used welding machine (cost $10,080, accumulated depreciation $3,360) for office equipment with an estimated fair value of $5,600. Mehta also paid $3,360 cash in the transaction. Prepare the journal entry to record the exchange. Question 17 Depreciation is normally computed on the basis of the nearest A). full month and to the nearest dollar. B). day and to the nearest cent. C). day and to the nearest dollar. D). full month and to the nearest cent. Question 18 Fernandez Corporation purchased a truck at the beginning of 2012 for $54,180. The truck is estimated to have a salvage value of $2,580 and a useful life of 206,400 miles. It was driven 29,670 miles in 2012 and 39,990 miles in 2013. Compute depreciation expense for 2012 and 2013. Question 19 Lockhard Company purchased machinery on January 1, 2012, for $79,200. The machinery is estimated to have a salvage value of $7,920 after a useful life of 8 years. (a) Compute 2012 depreciation expense using the double-declining balance method. (b) Compute 2012 depreciation expense using the double-declining balance method assuming the machinery was purchased on October 1, 2012. Question 20 Jurassic Company owns machinery that cost $1,145,700 and has accumulated depreciation of $458,280. The expected future net cash flows from the use of the asset are expected to be $636,500. The fair value of the equipment is $509,200. Prepare the journal entry, if any, to record the impairment loss. Question 21 Everly Corporation acquires a coal mine at a cost of $501,600. Intangible development costs total $125,400. After extraction has occurred, Everly must restore the property (estimated fair value of the obligation is $100,320), after which it can be sold for $200,640. Everly estimates that 5,016 tons of coal can be extracted. If 878 tons are extracted the first year, prepare the journal entry to record depletion. Question 22 Francis Corporation purchased an asset at a cost of $58,200 on March 1, 2012. The asset has a useful life of 8 years and a salvage value of $5,820. For tax purposes, the MACRS class life is 5 years. Compute tax depreciation for each year 2012–2017. Question 23 Celine Dion Corporation purchases a patent from Salmon Company on January 1, 2012, for $50,820. The patent has a remaining legal life of 16 years. Celine Dion feels the patent will be useful for 10 years. Prepare Celine Dions journal entries to record the purchase of the patent and 2012 amortization. Question 24 Karen Austin Corporation has capitalized software costs of $768,500, and sales of this product the first year totaled $390,630. Karen Austin anticipates earning $911,470 in additional future revenues from this product, which is estimated to have an economic life of 4 years. Compute the amount of software cost amortization for the first year. (a) Compute the amount of software cost amortization for the first year using the percent of revenue approach. (b) Compute the amount of software cost amortization for the first year using the straight-line approach. Question 25 Jeff Beck is a farmer who owns land which borders on the right-of-way of the Northern Railroad. On August 10, 2012, due to the admitted negligence of the Railroad, hay on the farm was set on fire and burned. Beck had had a dispute with the Railroad for several years concerning the ownership of a small parcel of land. The representative of the Railroad has offered to assign any rights which the Railroad may have in the land to Beck in exchange for a release of his right to reimbursement for the loss he has sustained from the fire. Beck appears inclined to accept the Railroads offer. The Railroads 2012 financial statements should include the following related to the incident: A). recognition of a loss only. B). creation of a liability only. C). disclosure in note form only. D). recognition of a loss and creation of a liability for the value of the land. Question 26 Roley Corporation uses a periodic inventory system and the gross method of accounting for purchase discounts. On July 1, Roley purchased $66,000 of inventory, terms 2/10, n/30, FOB shipping point. Roley paid freight costs of $1,210. On July 3, Roley returned damaged goods and received credit of $6,600. On July 10, Roley paid for the goods. Prepare all necessary journal entries for Roley. Question 27 Takemoto Corporation borrowed $93,000 on November 1, 2012, by signing a $95,093, 3-month, zero-interest-bearing note. Prepare Takemotos November 1, 2012, entry; the December 31, 2012, annual adjusting entry; and the February 1, 2013, entry. (For multiple debit/credit en tries, list amounts from largest to smallest, e.g. 10, 8, 6. Round all answers to 0 decimal places, e.g. 11,150.) Question 28 Whiteside Corporation issues $629,000 of 9% bonds, due in 14 years, with interest payable semiannually. At the time of issue, the annual market rate for such bonds is 10%. Compute the issue price of the bonds.(Use the present value tables in the text. Question 29 Indiana Jones Company enters into a 6-year lease of equipment on January 1, 2012, which requires 6 annual payments of $37,560 each, beginning January 1, 2012. In addition, the lessee guarantees a residual value of $20,870 at lease-end. The equipment has a useful life of 6 years. Assume that for Lost Ark Company, the lessor, collectibility is reasonably predictable, there are no important uncertainties concerning costs, and the carrying amount of the machinery is $191,722. Prepare Lost Arks January 1, 2012, journal entries. Question 30 On January 1, 2012, Irwin Animation sold a truck to Peete Finance for $26,050 and immediately leased it back. The truck was carried on Irwins books at $20,800. The term of the lease is 5 years, and title transfers to Irwin at lease-end. The lease requires five equal rental payments of $7,048 at the end of each year. The appropriate rate of interest is 11%, and the truck has a useful life of 5 years with no salvage value. Prepare Irwins 2012 journal entries.

Effect of Health Inequalities

Effect of Health Inequalities Grace Delavin What are the contemporary issues in health care and its impact on the national and international healthcare policy? What are the rationale or justification for policy intervention solution to address contemporary health issues in the international issues on education and training, tax benefits and payment to caregivers, respite care and financial support and provision of pension credits for caregiving? Abstract Disparities in ethnic and racial minority in connection to quality health care are prevalent but not extensive. This assessment brings in assessing an analysing the health care disparities and how it impact the health care policy in national and international level in addressing education and training, tax benefits and payments to caregivers, respite care, business regulations combining work and care giving and also financial support and provision credits for care giving. The findings bought about the major impact have on in achieving quality health care services to ethnic and minority people. Introduction The name for health inequalities indicate the population definite distinction in the existence of disease or illness, health issues, nature of health care assistance that prevails from different ethnic class. Inequalities show lack of ability within the health care scheme and thus reports for unneeded cost. There are lots of factors that accord to ethnic, socioeconomic inequalities, racial as well as lacking approach to health care, low aspect of care, community countenance such as difficulty and violence and also personal attitude. These circumstances are sometimes correlated with not well provided tribal and ethnic minority troops, individuals that experienced monetary difficulty, those people who are living in far flung areas or communities were in medical services is not accessible. And also individuals residing in rural and urban areas that experience health inequalities. Even though there are continuing endeavour to lessen health inequalities, tribal and ethnic minority troops inequalities in health still remained. Even when salary, access to care and insurance are accounted for, inequality continue. Poor performance on a scope health gauge such as life expectancy, infant’s death, pervasiveness of diseases or illnesses and insurance scope affirm inequalities between minority troop’s community and their white fellow. For instance, babies born by black mother are 1.5 to 3 times more prone to die than those born by mother of other ethnicities. Cancer is one of the major cause of deaths for more tribal and ethnic minority troops. African American men are more feasible to die from prostate cancer than whites and also Hispanic woman are more likely to die from cancer of the cervix. Indians, African Americans Alaska natives are more likely to have diabetes than whites. Life Probability and all total health for most Americans had improved for the recent years. Due to the improved target on the advances in medicines and medical technology as well as in the preventive aspects of illnesses. While most of the Americans now are living healthier and longer, still inequalities exist. For most number of tribal and ethnic minority troops attaining good health is hard to achieve because often it is associated with individual’s race, gender and economic status. Policy makers are answering to these issues through introduction of legislations with the aim of eradicating health inequalities. Disparities in Access to Healthcare Evaluate the impact the contemporary issue on national and international healthcare policy in your case study. Discuss and critically analyse the rationale or justifications for putting into place each of the below listed types of policy intervention solutions globally to address the contemporary health issues education and training tax benefits and payments to caregivers respite care business regulations combining work and care giving tax benefits and payments to caregivers There are many reasons for disparities in access to healthcare like: Lack of insurance coverage -Not having health coverage, patients are more inclined to delayed health care, more prone to go not having desired medical care, and more inclined to go not having the prescribed drug. Even if clinicians and policy makers are more familiar of tribal and ethnic minority troops inequalities in the kind of medical care, there is insufficient accord on mediation that should be attempted in reducing such disparities. The most common widely developed action by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) directed towards changing consumer attitude by supporting them to health professionals or doctors for their health screening or analysis. Also the private and public sectors that force to promote the cultural capability of health care providers, develop the ethnic and minority tribal troops’ equality of the health manpower and to gather and supervise data to be use in health services by the tribal and ethnic minority troops. These access are all sign ificant factors in eradicating tribal and minority inequalities in care importantly those who have scope in insurance. Lack of a regular source of care-Not having an extensive connection in the health care services patients have higher dilemma in achieving quality care. This obstacles in achieving of quality health care services may lead to unexpected health demand, patients may likely to die at an early age and may have a poor health condition. Approach to health care strikes to total mental, social and physical condition, avoidance of disability and diseases, early apprehension and treatment of health status, promote quality of life, avertable death and life expectancy. Lack of financial resources-This financial obstacle directly alter patient’s welfare. Not able to manage the essential remedy on rising rate of minority people may result in delaying or preceding the recommended medical regimen and are less expected to receive precautionary services or persistent care for chronic health conditions or problems. Legal barriers-Approach to health care by small earnings migrant minorities can be interfered by legal boundary to public insurance plans. These scope regulation harbor adverse disparities in accessing to quality health care services. And through the unbalanced access to health scopes threaten the well-being and health of migrants. Structural barriers-These encompasses the area to travel which cover poor access of transportation, the inefficiency in scheduling suitable appointments immediately or during the convenient hours I health care facilities . And the long waiting time spent in the clinic waiting room. These factors affects patient’s strength and eagerness in obtaining the necessary care. Scarcity of providers-People living in rural areas and society with huge concern of minority populace is having problem in accessing to health care services. This issue can be bound due to the lack of medical care specialists and other needed diagnostic facilities. There is possible solution to this problem by altering the health education scheme so more physicians can be train to choose rural practice. Linguistic barriers-Differences in language impede approach to health care for minorities that are not efficient and proficient in English. Healthcare system and providers should to be culturally and linguistically capable when giving medical services. Enhanced understanding to the health system, belief and developmental needs of the patients is enforced clearly in order to provide reasonable approach to medical care for distinct populace. Such plan must allow that the health care provider and the tribal patients must bring their individual owned learning languages pattern and culture to their healthcare providers. Health literacy Narrowed patients literacy is an obstacle to medical treatment or diagnosis. Patient should know the approach of risk and the possibility in order to make a good decision or choices the treatment and with that to act as a genuine partners in the patient –doctor relationship. Interference of physician and patient may lead in helping to improve health care quality for large populace of patients with has low literacy rate or skills. This issue in health literacy are more obvious than in white people because of educational and socioeconomic factors. Lack of diversity in the health care workforce-A big reason for inequality in a workforce for accessing quality care are the cultural distinctions especially between white health providers and minority clients or patients. There are factors in determining greater access to diversity in the workforce such as accelerating cultural proficiency and expanding approach to a great health services. In doing it more effectively, health care promoters or providers should have a solid understanding why and how distinct system of beliefs, biases in culture, family structure, ethnic origin and other factors that influence the manner why people struggle illness, observe medical recommendation and react to treatment. There are ample deposition in New Zealand of compelling disparities in health among ethnic groups, socioeconomic groups and other people residing in distinct regions. According to surveys the populace apt to disparities and circumstances as Pacific, Maori, low income workers who had adversity in achieving health services in times of hours of work, elderly, migrants, rural and those with difficulty or poor in English language skills. The health setup itself afford to health disparities. In New Zealand, tribal integrity is a significant scope of medical disparities. Pacific people and Maori struggle low life expectancy rate and adverse medical circumstances across morbidity and mortality index compared to Europeans. And also socioeconomic deprivation such as education, housing, income and employment. Disparities in Maori and non-Maori are fascinating in equities in health. The Health status and socioeconomic stands identified three types of distinct tribal disparities. These are the gap, result of the gap and inclination of the gap. The government is committed in attaining quality of health care services in New Zealand and reducing or eliminating health disparities between groups of population. The Health Ministry have structures action for implementation and developing extensive strategies namely medical and disability backing benefit, economic and social purpose of health such as environmental, behavioural and other material resources. The effect of reaction of ill health on socioeconomic situation and the economic and social eliminating in health. In comparison with the disparities in international level for example Inequalities in health among European countries is increasing. It is fair increasing that universal approach to medical care is important in creating a balance distribution of medical care. Further action needs in directing the motivation of health-developing the working and living circumstances and policies in supporting clear behaviours in health. Health care kind and opportunity helps explain health inequalities. Barriers to medical care approach includes lack of benefits in insurance, cost in financial care, lack of instruction, geographical inequalities, literacy in health, discrimination, language inequality, socio-cultural assumption in assumption to life and use of care. The present economic situation may lead to increase in health inequalities by decline of social element in health, especially to those who have decreased accomplishments and savings. The loss of employment that will lead to difficult lifest yle and living conditions. Unemployment or career insecurity promote an increased stress level and health detrimental behaviours. The European countries is devoted to decreasing disparities in connection medical care and health result. The European states member have formed unified approach associating policies in education, environment and economic development. The European Commission had adopted a policy recently outlining strategic access to address medical disparities. The intention is to give support to the national regional and local government and other agencies to tackle medical disparities more efficiently. These strategies seek to increase awareness about the need to shortened medical inequalities and to contribute a framework for work among countries and stakeholders. Education and Training. Education and training can help inequalities from among the tribal groups and white people for instance taking care of patients can me be enhance through gathering and reporting significant data on patients education, ethnicity or race can decrease inequality by assimilating cultural analysis or education into the medical professions teaching or trainings, and the research can help in improving the health result through understanding sources of inequalities and encouraging interference. These interventions can lead in eliminating health care inequalities and provide initiative through determining quality development and creating inequalities solution. Like for example in academic medicine in United States had numerous significant roles in the society which includes administering special and health services, providing care for the uninsured and for the poor, cultivating medical professional through education and engaging in research. Respite Care. Aging population contributes to the increasing demand of medical care and health services with concurrence of greater difficulty of having lifelong diseases and retirements from the workforce. In order to meet the health care needs of the patients the human resource of the department of health promotes a scope of action through grant, payment and other program approach to expand and enhance the essential responsibility or care in the workforce, supporting physicians to indulge and to continue practicing their filed in the primary care, making complete physician’s service, managers, integrating the health workers in the community to health care delivery system, promoting efficient teams or groups of medical professionals and other specialists, strengthening health professionals competencies. These strategies will help diminish inequalities and help improve the health condition of the population and to augment the resources. Tax benefits and payment to caregivers. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 in the United States rise approach to care, generate more affordable health insurance, enhance Medicare and assure that people have more authority and security that medical or health insurance will be possible whenever needed. This act access to expand medical aid for families or adults that have low earnings. The human and health services in the US is bound for enforcing provisions to widen coverage, prevention, enhance the quality of health care services and patient reaction towards health care settings, assure safety of the patient, improve proficiency and liability and to work across in achieving a high valued health care. Business regulations combining work and care giving. Proponent of additional reforms recognize that they are lower than choice public approach. Additional reforms cannot be realise in a universal scope, greatly diminish administrative costs. The major advantage claimed for additional reforms is political growth. Minimising the reconstitution of the delivery of health care can promote the political chance of achievement. Health care regulations will provide high quality care, distinguished care can lead to high health aid. The need to freedom of preferred medical care, that is to control their choices in health care. Cares are affordable and Citisens will share the health benefits of care. Financial support and provision of pension credits for care giving. On top of inequality lots of employed or poor working individuals who have connection, but can’t manage to pay for occupation insurance. In order to anticipate the event for development it is essential to understand the concepts of insurance. Employer plan are only beneficial to those employee covered with the plan. For example, in Canada the old age security benefits is important in providing monthly pension once the person reached the required age. This is created in order to provide individual who are not designated to a pension with a yearly compensation during the definitive retirement age. Another plan is the CPP in Canada wherein it provides retirement premium for those that afford to the plan by paid occupation, this plan also grant benefits for disability and other health benefits. The diversity in caregiving rapport and employment chances is that numbers of reconstitutes may be needed to answer insurance issues or pensions issues in a broad manner. Conclusion Health inequalities negatively affect the population who have experienced higher difficulty to health on the ground of their gender identity, religion, racial or ethnic group, age, socioeconomic status, mental health, physical disability, geographical location and other factors that is linked to discrimination. Decreasing inequalities in health will give a chance for everyone to leave an improved and healthy life. Ad in order to achieve this the government must ensure a vita focus on communities that are greater risk. Minimise inequalities in approach to health care quality. Improve the prevention capacity workforce to identify and address inequalities. Support the research in order to identify efficient strategies to reduce inequalities in health. Assimilate and collect data in order to identify and address inequalities. And also the government can use the data in order to identify those population that are the greatest risk and to work with the community in implementing programs an d policies that addresses high preferences. Improve collaboration, designation and convenience for inviting leaders in the community in prevention. And enhance privacy guaranteed medical data compilation for population that is underserved to help in improving policies and programs. For the business owners and employers, they can provide scope in workplace avoidance like precautionary screenings. They can partner with resources in locality like libraries in enhancing employee’s efficiency and to select reliable information’s in health. For clinicians, insurers they can raise the communication and cultural proficiency of medical providers. Hire and train more competent staff form marginalised ethnic and racial minorities and those people with disabilities. Enhance regulation in quality of care. For universities and learning centres they can plan research in identifying new efficient policies and program mediation to decrease health inequalities. Established and implement techniques in order to reduce physical, health and conditions in the environment that may affect the absenteeism. For families they can participate in community achievement. Use the resources in the community to enhance their ability in reading, understanding and using the medical information. References: (www.ama-asn.org/resources/doc/ethics/ceja-2a09.pdf, n.d.) (www.content.healthaffairs.org/content/21/5/90.long, n.d.) (www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview.aspx/topicid, n.d.) (www.hhs.gov/strategic-plan/health-workforce.html, n.d.) (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1071163, n.d.) (www.rnzcgp.org.nz/assets/documents/standards-policy/health-inequities-position-statement.pdf, n.d.) (www.surgeongeneral.gov/initiatives/prevention/strategy/elimination-of-helth-disparities.html, n.d.) (www.uptodate.com/contents/literacy-and-patient-care, n.d.)

Service Recovery And Failure In Air Line Industry

Service Recovery And Failure In Air Line Industry Service recovery has taken over the whole world by storm. People hear the word service recovery and service failure over and over again. In the globalized world as people know it, the world seems to be getting smaller and yet it is expanding, the world is developing. Information can travel fast and easily, boundaries are being reduced gradually. This not only happen in the world generally but also in the business world specifically. By looking at this arising phenomenon, service recovery of companies in the management of business is getting more and more important for airline companies who are trying to explore the global market. The airline companies have to come up with the right strategy for different market in different countries. Without a good strategy in service recovery and the way how to decide complaints and resolved problems which called service failure, the airline companies will falter in the international market. While on the other hand, if an airline company has a good service recovery and can solved service failure, it will achieve success. The airlines industry involves a high degree of interaction between employees and consumers and so provides many opportunities for service failures to occur. The quality of service encounters is frequently determined by the action of front-line staff, whose experience and commitment may be limited and whose attitude may vary from one encounter to another. The inseparability of production and consumption means that failures occur at the point of consumption, providing little scope for correction without inconveniencing the passengers. However, failures, errors, mistakes, and complaints can frequently happen in the process of service delivery. A poor service or a service failure will result in dissatisfaction and this in turn will prompt a variety of responses which may include complaining, negative word-of-mouth and decisions not to repurchase. If it is impossible to avoid service failures and dissatisfaction, then it becomes increasingly important for organizations to understand how to manage such occurrences and minimize their adverse effects. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that effective service recovery will generate a range of positive passengers responses with complaint handling being seen as a key element in service recovery. This research paper an overview of existing research relating to service failure, service recovery in airlines industry. The Emirates Airlines was founded in 1985, but it didnt start to show up on Americans radar until 2005, when they began service to New Yorks JFK. They are the fastest-growing airline in the world, and today Emirates has a fleet of 138 aircraft and serves over 100 destinations in 61 countries across six continents. Their North American gateways are: New York, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur and Seoul. Their hub is Dubai (DXB), which is now the 15th busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic (40.9 million passengers in 2009). Literature review Service recovery and service failure in air line industry The service recovery and the service failure may directly influence each other. Generally, the service recovery in airline industry is concerned with the process of addressing service failures, which can be happened in that time when is the flight on the plane or before flight; more specifically, service recovery can be thought of as being concerned with the productive handling of complaints and includes all actions taken by a service provider in order to try to resolve the problem a passenger has with their organization. It is generally recognized that complaints are essential to institute a recovery effort. Without complaints, a firm may be unaware that problems exist and unable to appease unhappy passengers. Ennew and Schoefer (2006) stated that basic of service recovery strategy, which the model is used in airline industry as well, can be classified as: Apology: A first person apology rather than a corporate apology, and one which also acknowledges that a failure has occurred. Urgent reinstatement: Speed of action coupled with a gallant attempt to put things right even if it is not possible to correct the situation. Empathy: A sincere expression of feeling for the passengers plight. Symbolic atonement: A form of compensation that might include not charging for the service or offering future services free or discounted. Follow-up: An after-recovery call to ascertain that the consumer is satisfied with the recovery process. That service recovery also includes situations where the passenger has not expressed a complaint but the provider has recognized the failure and initiated a recovery procedure. Service recovery in airline industry refers to steps that are intended to identify and correct service failure. According Kuenzel, S and Katsaris, N, (2009), the necessity for service recovery is brought about by service failure. Service failure is defined as those situations when the service fails to live up to the passengers expectations or any service-related mishaps or problems that occur during a consumers experience of the firm. Service failure situations are especially inevitable in the airline industry due to the people factor nature of services, the high level of contact between employees and passengers due to the increasingly high demand of todays passengers. As one of the service industries, the airlines industry involves a high degree of personal interaction between staff, which are working in air company and passengers; miscommunication can lead to service failure. Responding effectively to consumer complaints can have a significant impact on satisfaction; repurchase intentions and the spread of word-of-mouth. However, in order to understand how best to deal with service failure and how best to handle complaints, it is essential to understand the way in which consumers react to service failure and how they respond to different approaches to service recovery. The service recovery in Emirates Airline Company, which is defined as all those actions taken by a service provider in order to try to resolve the problem that caused the service failure, aims not only to resolve the problems in order to minimize negative outcomes and retain passengers who are prefer this air company, but also to seek out and deal with service failures. After all, a good recovery, as well as reducing passengers negative emotions, also tries to increase the positive ones. While service recoverys effectiveness depends on several parameters, excellent recovery tactics can leave those passengers who experienced a service failure followed by successful service recovery with greater satisfaction than those who did not experience a service failure incident at all. However service recoverys major importance is owed to the fact that it affects passenger satisfaction and, as a consequence, passenger loyalty. Furthermore, a number of findings have shown that satisfaction with the service recovery directly affects a passengers intention to repurchase and to recommend the service provider. These relationships constitute the vital reasons why providers pay so much attention to service recovery because in financial terms loyal passengers can increase profits. (Kuenzel, S and Katsaris, N, 2009). The Emirates Airline Company believes that satisfaction plays a key role in the service industry and especially in the airline industry. As the airline industry has evolved, Emirates Airline has made great strides to define and understand satisfaction from the consumers perspective. The emphasis to comprehend what truly creates satisfied passengers has lead to an ever increasing body of literature surrounding satisfaction, how service providers create satisfied passengers and the effects that satisfaction has on businesses today. Competitive environment analysis is the factors which influence the air companys competitiveness in the market. It enables the airline company to understand its current competitors. The Emirates Airline, as air company is defined that the most important part in the value of service recovery and failure are consisted of professional staff which can be opened in a time for solving problems with passengers, improving passenger satisfaction, minimizing negatives emotions and making loyalty decisions for complaints. Methodology Service recovery and service failure in Emirates Airline Company For the past several years, many air line companies executives have ascribed to the widely circulated notion that a strong problem-recovery process is the key to enhancing passenger loyalty. Some claim to possess statistics that show a higher intent to return among passengers who experienced a problem followed by excellent resolution, compared to passengers who had a problem-free flight. The Emirates Airline has outperformed their rivals British Airways, Korean Airline and Delta Airline in a service quality report. This airline company is analyses the passenger experience from flight booking all the way through to check-in, baggage drop, boarding, plane conditions, in flight services such as food and beverage, entertainment and shopping, right through to disembarkation and final baggage claim. The Emirates Airline known that the service recovery builds passenger loyalty that brings passenger back from the brink of defection is putting a smile on a passengers face. A poor service reco very in structure of organization will result in dissatisfaction and this in turn will prompt a variety of responses which may include complaints, negative word-of-mouth and decisions not to repurchase. The effective service recovery will generate a range of positive passenger responses with complaint handling being seen as a key element in service recovery. Analyzing the structure inside of Emirates Airline as a large air company in the world and which model of organizations they used, I found that this company is provided and followed by service recovery strategies as an important element in service process. The service recovery strategies are consisted of eight components: 1. Act quickly (usually use as an apology) 2. Provide adequate explanations 3. Treat passengers fairly 4. Cultivate relationships with passengers 5. Learn from recovery experience 6. Learn from lost passengers as passengers 7. Fail-safe the service 8. Track complaints According this type of service recovery strategies, which was chosen by the Emirates Airline Company, I can say that this air company is tried to involves and to improve new methods of psychological behaviours in organizational process between employee and passenger, because it is interested in passengers positive recommendations about their air lines to family and friends are an important, cost-effective method of promotion which are suggested to make profit. The goals of service recovery strategies are consisted how to satisfy the passenger in during that time when the flight is on the board, identifies and corrects the problems in a time without negative effects and improves professional air staff to be helpful and friendly with passengers. The Emirates Airline company, as the biggest air company in the world, is recognized the service recovery as a significant determinant of passenger satisfaction and loyalty. The most common and frequently what they used in service recovery are: 1. apology 2. assistance 3. compensation The apology can be in two forms: verbal and writing. For example, in the Emirates Airline, I found the tactical way which the air staff used in the during flights time. If some kind of the drinks or some kind of the meals are finished in the during flight, and that time one of the passengers needs persistently, so air staff solve the problem by nicely and kindly form in offering to choose another drinks and meals which they have in menu. The writing form is used when the situation or problems are decided by official form from Emirates Airline management. The assistance is used in finding the luggage by air staff which are in the airports (local or international terminals). Emirates Airline is suggested to find luggage by modern technology as operational efficiency between operations and general system of technical supporting inside the airport where were going lost luggage. The compensation is frequent form of the service recovery, which can be financial form, its meant that the Emirates Airline is able to pay the compensation from the negative effects in during the flights time if the occurrences were happened without passengers fault. Another form of compensations are vouchers, free upgrades to gifts or loyalty miles, can also be defined against a complaint category and stored for each complaint. Vouchers can be auto-generated and points can be auto-credited into the members account. Tier upgrades can be provided as compensation, and tier downgrades or expiry of points can also be restricted for members. Why are the air staff so qualified and professional in the service recovery? The Emirates Airline Company invests much more time and money in training each new employee than many of its competitors. There are 18,179 employees work in the Emirates Airline who are qualify after 3 months of 13 indoctrination will receive 450 hours of training in their first year and 160 hours of training every year after. Training programs include methods of the communication with passengers in the board during the flights, how they can make service without negative effects just use the smile or literate speech which are based on the psychological principles. The motivation employees, train them, care about them, and make winners of them are successful steps in the service recovery. The Emirates Airline knows that if they treat their employees correctly, they will treat the passengers right. And if the passengers are treated right, they will come back. Effective service recovery is not just an after-thought but is rather an intentionally designed part of service delivery system that has been planned into the service design in support of the service recovery strategies. The Emirates Airline believes that the service recovery is one of the most important key factors differentiating business performance and success between competitors. Understanding the system of the service recovery in the Emirates Airline Company, how they can solve and decide situations with passengers before the flight, during the flights time, and after the flight without negative effects, I was analysing that this air company however has failures, mistakes and complaints which could be happened in the process of service delivery. The service failure occurs when the passengers do not get basic services from air company. The passengers consider centre of the service failure because they have been promised or contracted, either directly or implied and are basic to the whole service experience, for example, in the Emirates Airline, this is reservations air tickets which could be booked in official website or in the official agency. According statistical report which was established by the Emirates Airline, I could see which kind of service failures and complaints were happened in during flighting process, which are widespread and how this air com pany tried to minimized effects. The service failures, which were founded in the Emirates Airline Company: 1. Ethical problems (conflict of interests) 2. Personnel failures 3. Safety issues 4. Baggage handling 5. Ticketing matter 6. Doing work too slowly in-flight 7. Responses to service failure 8. Employee responses to customer needs and requests The most serious failure in the Emirates Airline was slow the service in-flight, the drink and the meal brought lately, the air staff were unhelpful and unfriendly because on the board were about 175 passengers who were flied on the long destinations. Other frequently mentioned problems related to agent operations which were provided booking and reservation air tickets. After according that statistic report, the Emirates Airline was developed absolutely new model of the service recovery strategies which were helped to solve and minimized the service failures in the organizational process and satisfied the passengers in-flight and on the ground. This air company was organized Service Recovery Management, that the functions are detection, analyzing and solving service failure without negative effects between organization and passengers. Finding à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ It is very difficult to exceed passengers expectations in service recovery. The Emirates Airline typically exceed passengers expectations in problem situations in only one of 10 problem occurrences. This air company are at least four times more likely to fail to satisfy a passenger in recovery efforts than they are to exceed expectations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ When the Emirates Airline resolves problems in a method that meets, but does not exceed expectations, satisfaction scores are significantly lower than when an experience is problem-free. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The only time satisfaction and loyalty are improved after a problem is when service has been outstanding throughout the entire experience. Outstanding problem resolution is seen as a part of a larger service culture within the air company, not as a stand-alone reaction. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Recovery efforts arguably represent a much greater cost compared to the type of service recovery and service failure. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Good training provides air staff with the skills and confidence to perform well. Giving them the opportunity to practice their customer service skills in a safe environment will help them to apply those skills in the sales environment. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Good service in the Emirates Airline is tightly linked to good sales. If service standards are poor, sales performance will inevitably be poor as well. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Satisfied, loyal air staff will take proper care of their passengers, resulting in high levels of passengers satisfaction and repeated successful sales. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ On the service recovery in Emirates Airline Company is influenced the elements as the air company will be successful in the organizational process: Environment Qualification staff Performance Motivation Conclusion This research paper has reported the main reasons of service failure within international airline company which is the Emirates Airline Company. The findings shown that service recovery excellence can only be achieved through passenger satisfaction, professional staff and loyalty as a result of senior management commitment. The paper has determined the air companys process of service recovery with respect to the main causes of service failure, in its goal to achieving passenger satisfaction. There are two component consisted service recovery. The first one is service failure and the second factor is satisfaction. In this structural model, I also mentioned about two predictors which can directly influence on service recovery. Qualification employees and loyalty directly impact on service recovery, that I explained earlier the way that how they can increasing high-level, be perfect in relationships with passengers of the Emirates Airline company in details. This research paper is confirmed previous assertions that passengers satisfaction and loyalty require high levels of management commitment, as well as frequent communication and indicated that for service recovery to be effective, it must be external (to the passengers) as well as internal (to the air company) so that internal improvement can be ensured. The Emirates Airline has to conduct surveys from time to time to get the uttermost feedback from employees and first time passengers as well. The Emirates Airline has to improve passengers satisfaction without negative effects after covering failure, tries to provider training programs for air staff, because the service recovery is so important for reputation air company. They should be more focus on the solving problems between air company and passengers by professional way because one of the weaknesses that a bid company faces is the decentralized organizational structure. So controlling the big company such as the Emirates Airline would be very difficult without having the centralized and good structure in the organization. For the huge air companies such as the Emirates Airline that is geographically apart, using the virtual organization in order to control the all aspect of the company is essential. In conclusion, for each air company, especially for large air companies, the service recovery is one the most important part in organization that can make the air company more successful because I can reach all the important success key such as passengers satisfaction and encourages of passengers and employees, better behavior, better communication and highest service quality through the air company. Once a air company decides how it wants its members to behave, what attitudes it wants to encourage, and what it wants its members to accomplish, it can then design its structure and encourage the development of the cultural values and norm to obtain these desired attitudes, behaviors, and goals.

Is Canada a Post-Industrial Country? Essay -- Economics, History

The term post-industrialism refers to a transition from one form of society to another; the original society being an industrial society, mainly dominated by forms of specialized physical labour, and the latter being a service and knowledge dominated format. An industrial society has many unique and definitive characteristics that separate it from a post-industrial one. Some of these characteristics include the heavy use of machinery in large factories; the use of fossil fuels to power the machinery; the specialization of jobs allowing for increased productivity, which led to urban expansion. In regards to class dynamics, there are/were few people at the† top†, who own the factors of production, and many front-line, blue-collar workers at the â€Å"bottom.† The huge gaps in income, status, and control between these two groups produced an imbalance of power; considered a negative aspect of industrialism. With Industrialism, work is specialized, and it has been said that these workers were alienated from the goods they helped produce as a result. In contrast, a post-industrial society marks a shift from a society based on the mass production of goods to one that hinges on the provision of services. In this type of society, capital switches from bodies and heavy machinery to knowledge, as with knowledge comes creativity, a force seemingly responsible for economic growth in a post-industrial society. As far as creativity is concerned, it can flow from the skills of an engineer, a scientist, an artist, etc. Much emphasis is placed on the upgrading of human capital and of attaining some form of specialized education. This type of knowledge-based economy logically offers more opportunity to those with a high-level education, creat... ...s Canada created in this post-industrial era. Are the jobs a small amount of high-end and high-paid service jobs that require large investments in human capital or are they low-end service jobs that require minimal education and training? Works Cited Krahn, H., Lowe, G. Hughes, K. (2008). Work, Industry & Canadian Society. (5th ed.) Toronto, ON: Nelson Education Ltd. HRSDC Labour statistics Division. (2009). The Canadian Labour Market at a Glance 2007. Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada. HRSDC Labour Statistics Division. (2007). Looking Ahead: A Ten-Year Outlook for the Canadian Labour Market (2006 – 2015). Ottawa, ON: Retrieved from http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/publications_resources/research/categories/labour_market_e/sp_615_10_06/supply Critoph, Ursule. Et al. (2010). Sociology of Work and Industry. Alberta, CA: Athabasca University.

You are the SBD (Strategic Business Department) director for a company :: Business and Management Studies

You are the SBD (Strategic Business Department) director for a company operating in the entertainment industry  · Introduction We are currently deciding to set up a subsidiary company which shall enter the fast food industry. This report will give a step by step detailed look upon what is to be done, to accomplish such a mission.  · Establishing Objectives Our main objectives are to be inline with those of the parent company, these are: o Obtaining a market share of 15% during the first 3 years of operation o Cost cutting exercise shall increase o To be customer oriented o To reach a 5% return on investment o To avoid a price war with the existing operator o To provide a high quality service, and o To be a market leader.  · Planning the strategies When planning the setting of the strategies, this process would be divided into two parts. First we shall conduct the research and secondly formulate the strategies form the research obtained. To obtain good strategies for the organisation it is very important to set up a good research team, as the strategies shall base themselves upon the research. A SWOT analysis is an important factor to research, these are the strengths and weaknesses, as well as the opportunities and threats. o It has a parent company, it has recruited the top management o Greenpeace societies might be at a disadvantage o It is shaped towards the fast food industry, having new technology, thus being at advancement over competitors. o Would have to face setup costs, cause of the present competitors. The PESTLE should also be conducted, these consist of: Political aspects, Economic aspects, Socio-cultural aspects, Technological aspects, Employment aspects, and Legal aspects. o Political – Malta currently joined the European Union thus we shall abide by the common laws. o Economic – the Maltese population consume quite a high percentage of fast food, thus we have a good landing in the market. o Socio-cultural – nowadays a lot of families have both parents working thus, lunch or dinner is a quick meal or a meal grabbed from a take away. o Technological – up to date computerized systems will be installed thus creating an upscale form competitors. o Employment – our fast food organisation shall have top management employed within. o Legal – legal issues shall be reviewed regarding recycling and littering. The strategies of the organisation shall be to extract healthy eating and inform our customers, to target young children with their parents, we shall be investing in latest technology and most importantly we shall be setting a lot of promotion.

Succubus on Top CHAPTER 16

I rang Bastien's doorbell for the third time and then glared peevishly at the house. Where the hell was he? I was a little earlier than our agreed meeting time but not significantly. I gave the door a petulant kick as I imagined Bastien â€Å"held up† in the arms of some panting housewife. â€Å"He's not here,† said a cool voice nearby. I looked over and saw Dana standing there, a small leashed dog by her feet. It looked like the product of a tragic accident at the cottonball factory. â€Å"Nice dog,† I said. â€Å"My sister's. I'm taking care of him for a few days. You want to walk with us?† No, but I had promised myself the other day that I would pick Dana's brain to figure out how I might aid Bastien, and this seemed as good an opportunity as any. Besides, he'd kill me if he knew I'd passed up a chance for â€Å"reconnaissance.† I fell into step beside Dana and the fluff ball, congratulating myself for the hundredth time on being smart enough to choose cats over dogs. Tutu – yes, that was his name – pranced along daintily, small tongue hanging out. His beady black eyes peered everywhere as he trotted merrily, but otherwise seemed oblivious to the wet sidewalk dirtying his tiny white feet. â€Å"How's your rally going?† I asked after we'd exhausted dog topics. â€Å"Excellent. I'm surprised you haven't heard about it in the news. We're getting a lot of press.† â€Å"Haven't paid that much attention to the news.† She told me the date and time. â€Å"Think you can make it?† â€Å"I think I'm working that day,† I said automatically. Dana gave me a knowing look. â€Å"Tabitha, I get the impression you're not entirely settled on that issue.† You think? I looked away, again fighting the mental battle of speaking my mind versus causing trouble for Bastien. I finally opted for something that sounded vaguely like the truth. â€Å"I just think†¦there's a lot of different ways to look at it, that's all.† â€Å"It's okay to be unsure, you know.† That was astonishing, coming from her. â€Å"Is it?† â€Å"Of course. That's why groups like the CPFV exist. To help you see the truth of an issue.† I repressed a snort. I'd thought for a moment she might startle me with a display of open-mindedness. I let the silence collect again. â€Å"So,† she began after a moment, â€Å"what do you believe then?† â€Å"Er, on what? Homosexuality? Or homosexual marriage?† â€Å"Either.† My opinion was simply that people wanted who they wanted, end of story. There was no regulating love or saying it was wrong. But Dana's views on that were religiously based, and I of all people knew better than to argue the right or wrong of faith. â€Å"I'm just not sure people choose who they're attracted to,† I explained, not exactly attacking her question head-on. â€Å"So, I guess, it seems weird to me to talk about ‘helping' or ‘changing' people who can't really do anything about their natures, regardless of whether that nature is right or wrong.† â€Å"So you think homosexuality is inborn?† That sweet voice couldn't entirely hide her scornful surprise. â€Å"For some people. I think there are those who engage in†¦uh, same-sex activities for the fun of it, but for others, it's biological.† I had a feeling Dana wouldn't describe same-sex activities as fun, but I still felt better at having voiced my opinions. â€Å"You express yourself very well,† she admitted. â€Å"Even if I don't necessarily agree with you.† I laughed out loud, and she looked at me strangely. â€Å"No, I didn't think you would.† We grew quiet again, and I remembered I was supposed to be sounding her out on what she found romantic for Bastien. â€Å"I wish I could choose who I was attracted to,† I said out of the blue, bringing up personal matters in a manner that was out of character for both Tabitha Hunter and Georgina Kincaid. Dana seemed appropriately startled. â€Å"Things aren't going so well with your boyfriend? What was his name? Sven?† â€Å"Seth,† I corrected, feeling only a little bad at dragging him into the cover story. Things with Seth were actually beautiful at the moment, but for the sake of appearances, I kept lying. â€Å"He's okay, I guess, and I like him†¦but he's not very, you know, romantic. â€Å" â€Å"Ah,† she said neutrally. â€Å"Am I crazy? Is that too much to ask? Maybe I should focus on other things.† â€Å"What do you consider romantic?† â€Å"I don't know. Little touches and flourishes here and there. Gestures to show how important you are, how much the other person cares about you.† Irises, smiley-face pancakes. â€Å"What do you think it is?† She shrugged. We were rounding the corner back to Bastien's now. â€Å"I've come to see romance as not quite so important anymore,† she admitted. â€Å"Neither Bill nor I have time for it.† â€Å"Oh.† â€Å"That's not a bad thing. I'd say, more important than superficial flourishes is being able to connect with someone. To talk openly with them and share yourself. To know they're feeling what you're feeling.† â€Å"Oh,† I said again, surprised. Her comments almost made sense. In some ways, they were a variation of Seth's views on honesty in a relationship. Biting my lip, I plunged on. â€Å"And what about†¦you know, attraction and sex appeal?† She gave me a sidelong glance. â€Å"What about it?† I shrugged. â€Å"I don't always feel it around him.† Liar, liar, pants on fire. â€Å"Do I have the wrong ideas about it? What do you think is sexy?† Her answer took a long time in coming. â€Å"I don't know.† Bastien stood by his front door as we approached. He waved a hand in greeting. â€Å"Hello, ladies.† He looked pleasantly astonished to see us together – and getting along. Dana thanked me for the company and returned to her own home after refusing Bastien's automatic invitation to come inside and stay a while. Once she was gone and we were in the car headed to my photo shoot, I gave him the scoop on our talk. â€Å"She doesn't know what's sexy?† he exclaimed. â€Å"She's practically begging for me to ravage her. Hmph. And Bill's not romantic. Well, no surprise there. You think she was lying about saying it wasn't important? Sort of a defense mechanism?† â€Å"I don't know. Possibly. But even if she does miss romance, I think too many over-the-top gestures would throw up a flag. She isn't stupid. Profound conversation might be the way to go.† â€Å"Then the cooking thing is a good idea. Lots of talking there.† â€Å"I guess.† I didn't tell him that I had doubts about the efficacy of that method. Honestly, I wasn't sure what he could do anymore. We'd decided to pull out all the stops for my pictures. He drove us downtown to the Hotel Andra, one of the nicest local spreads, despite its plain exterior. Through some charm I didn't know about, he'd even managed to book us the hotel's one-of-a-kind Monarch Suite on practically no notice. It had more room than we could possibly need, but its true selling point – for me – was an utterly sumptuous, utterly sexy bed. Enclosed in its own romantically lit alcove, it had a deep, royal purple spread and a headboard of gleaming, black wood. The whole effect was dark and sensuous. We shape-shifted out of Mitch and Tabitha upon clearing the door. â€Å"This bed alone,† declared Bastien, â€Å"will sell these pictures. Well, that and your naked flesh. But really, it's a tough call.† He raided the mini-bar and made us improvised Grand Marnier martinis, which I gulped down with surprising eagerness. Suddenly, facing these pictures seemed a lot more daunting than I'd originally believed. â€Å"Nothing to it,† he said, sensing my nervousness. â€Å"Put on something sexy and sprawl on the bed.† I hadn't brought anything in particular to wear, for once willingly opting for shape-shifting. I started with a basic black nightgown. Super short, super low-cut. It seemed like a safe bet. Bastien positioned me on the bed, lying back in a sort of languid pose. He mussed my hair and requested a lazy pout. â€Å"The point here, Fleur ,is to make it look like if you don't get fucked again soon, you're going to be very, very upset. Men go for that.† My apprehension melted away as Bastien took over, directing my postures and expressions, snapping away with his digital camera. We ran the gamut. Some shots I did completely naked, hiding nothing. For others, we found the suggestion of nudity could almost be more provocative. The way the slipped strap of a chemise could nearly reveal a breast. The way a sheer bra and panty set could cover and yet not cover. Nor did we give all of them the just-got-fucked look. In some, I was very elegant, unbelievably perfect in every possible way, not a strand of hair out of place. In others, however, we played up the messy, wild look – â€Å"unplanned,† as Seth would say. We also didn't limit ourselves to the bed, as gorgeous as it was. I posed by windows, by a sofa, by the bathtub, in the bathtub. Both of us, as was requisite for our jobs, had pretty good imaginations for what was sexy and alluring. Nonetheless, we had brought along a few lingerie catalogs and adult magazines for inspiration. We would take breaks to plan, both of us frowning and giving each new pose serious thought. All in all, it was an exhausting endeavor, but Bastien's energy never flagged as he guided me through it all with a professional ease. And honestly, after a certain point, I didn't need his coaching. I knew I was sexy, and it was easy to play that up, especially knowing that Seth would view all of this. When the incubus had filled up the memory card, we finally called it quits. Sprawling on the bed beside me, he called room service and ordered us some professional martinis, since we'd run out of Grand Marnier. They arrived, and we luxuriated in a well-deserved rest, sipping our drinks. â€Å"Thanks Bas,† I told him, touching his arm. â€Å"You're a good friend.† â€Å"Easy to be one when the subject matter is so nice to look at. You're going to have a bitch of a time getting these printed, though. Take them to a store, and you won't get them back.† I'd already thought of that. â€Å"Hugh has a snazzy, state-of-the-art printer. I'll do it there.† I considered. â€Å"Although, he might keep a few too.† â€Å"I wouldn't blame him.† Bastien set his drink down and rolled over to regard me affectionately, face almost serious for a change. â€Å"You're a beautiful woman, Fleur ,and that means something when you can perfectly control your appearance. It's not your physical side – as nice as it is. It's something in here.† He tapped my breastbone. â€Å"Something warm and sensual and lovely that shines out. I'd know you in any body, in any place. â€Å" I curled up against him, happy. â€Å"I'm glad you're here. Even if it's because of the Barton and Dana mess. We're going to fix that for you, you know. I promise. I'm not letting them ship you off somewhere horrible.† A faint, playful smile curled his lips. Affection shone in his dark eyes, affection that was no doubt mirrored in my face. Suddenly, he leaned over and kissed me. Whoa. It wasn't a friendly kiss either, not the kind we so regularly planted on each other's lips in a careless way. This was a deep kiss, an erotic kiss. His lips felt like velvet, his tongue slowly sliding over mine. I was so floored by what was happening that for a moment I couldn't do anything except sink into that kiss and let it send shockwaves through my body. My senses returned to me, and I broke away, sitting up. â€Å"What the hell are you doing?† He sat up as well, as surprised by my reaction as I had been by what triggered it. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"You kissed me. I mean, really kissed me.† He grinned, sensual and provocative. I shivered. When incubi targeted you with that charm, it was bewildering, even for a succubus. â€Å"What's wrong with it? You mean more to me than anyone else in the world. This is a natural step for us. We should have been doing it a long time ago.† I shook my head, backing away. â€Å"I like the way we've always been.† â€Å"Only because you haven't tried anything else. Look, I'm not asking you to run off into the sunset here. We're friends. I know that, and I like that. But you've said it yourself – sleeping with people you don't care about is wearying.† â€Å"Yeah, but†¦I don't think this is necessarily the answer.† â€Å"Then what is the answer?† he demanded. â€Å"Sleeping – or rather not sleeping – with a mortal you do care about?† I climbed out of bed. â€Å"That was harsh. And it's unrelated. I don't want us to be anything more than friends, Bastien. Sex,ll mess things up.† He stayed on the bed, watching me pace. â€Å"Sex will fix a lot of things. It's about time we got some satisfaction that wasn't all business. It'll be therapeutic for both of us. We need it.† I turned away, staring out the window without seeing. â€Å"I don't need it.† â€Å"Don't you?† Only the voice that asked me that wasn't Bastien's. It was Seth's. I spun around, eyes wide. â€Å"Stop that! Change back right now!† Bastien – as Seth – lay back easily against the pillows. He wore jeans and a Whitesnake T-shirt, just as Seth might have. His hair was unkempt. He'd even perfected that cute, distracted smile. â€Å"What's the problem, Thetis?† I stormed up to the bed, wanting to give him the full force of my fury even as I longed to run away. â€Å"This isn't funny! Change back now.† Sitting up again, he slid to the edge of the bed. â€Å"Come on, how have you not seen this coming? This is the perfect solution to all your problems.† â€Å"No, it's not. It's really not.† He stood up and walked toward me, not touching me but coming close enough to make my heart race. I stood rooted, unable to move. â€Å"Of course it is. If you ever want to get Seth out of your system, this is the way to do it. You spend all this time pining for him, wondering what it'd be like to touch him and be with him. Well, this is your chance. This is the only safe way, your chance to do everything you want without hurting him. Do this now, and you could save yourself a lot of grief in the future. â€Å" I shook my head, as my mouth apparently couldn't move now either. Too many conflicting feelings. The entire scene was unreal. Mind blowing. I was still shocked by Bastien's audacity in doing it in the first place. I knew he was rash and bold, but this was crossing the line, even for him. On the other hand, Bastien had mimicked Seth down to the last detail, and seeing him had the effect it always did on me. Everything was the same. Cute and flawless. More intoxicating still was the truth of Bastien's offer. I really could do what I wanted here. It was wrong on so many levels, but I couldn't deny the pull. The perfect temptation. â€Å"I won't cheat on Seth.† â€Å"What's cheating between you guys? You do it all the time.† â€Å"Then I'm not going to be one of your conquests,† I snapped. â€Å"Fine.† He shape-shifted the shirt away so I saw only lovely, bare chest now. He drew my hands forward, resting them on his skin. I discovered it was almost entirely smooth; there were just a few soft and silky golden hairs. â€Å"You do the conquering.† â€Å"I'm not doing any conquering.† â€Å"All right. Then take your hands away.† I stared at where my hands lay on his chest. On Seth's chest. He was warm. My hands matched him almost perfectly. We both had light, barely tanned, golden skin. Take your hands away. That's all I had to do. I just had to move my hands, step away, and leave this ridiculous game behind. I was only a hair's breadth from normality†¦yet I couldn't seem to move away. I knew it wasn't Seth, but the illusion was so powerful, I could easily imagine that this was exactly how it would feel to touch him. Without thinking, I ran my fingers down his chest, down to his stomach. Seth was no bodybuilder, but he was lean and trim from swimming and running. I had seen him in boxers before; the strong muscles were firm and exactly where they should be. Again, a perfect illusion. My hands had brushed this same part of Seth in bed before, but I never allowed myself to sensually explore him, the way I could now. I moved my fingers further, tracing the lines and contours. For his part, he didn't say or do anything. But whenever I looked up, those brown eyes were on me, brimming with heat. They made my body respond with a heat of its own. Would Seth look at me the same way if we were together like this? Somehow, I expected the answer would be yes. I knew Seth viewed sex as a serious matter, despite his characters' casual attitudes. He would treat such an encounter seriously. Also – although I had no proof – I thought Seth would be just as cautious as Bastien was being now, letting me take the lead. Nothing aggressive. My hands slid farther, down to the edge of his jeans where blue flannel boxers barely peeped out. I ran my fingers under the edge, arousing myself further with this dangerous game. Being this close to hitherto forbidden territory was heady. My scouting fingers started to tremble. Never, never would I have let things reach this point with Seth. Not with both of us pressed together. Not with both of us in so little clothing. My common sense would have long since kicked in before something dangerous might happen. But Bastien was right: nothing dangerous could happen tonight. At least not physically. I looked back up. His own breath had quickened. The space between us sizzled. He was so like Seth, I realized. So very much like him. It would be so easy. Easy to pretend. I leaned up and kissed him, again tasting those soft lips, pushing my tongue past them so I could fully savor him. His hands moved around my back, touching silk and bare skin. I was in the same outfit I wore for the last picture: another chemise, this time with a revealing top of ivory lace and a rose-pink silk skirt. I pushed into that kiss, letting it burn me. He kept his hands carefully neutral the whole time, not taking liberties, instead letting me dictate the terms. Reaching around, I grabbed a hold of his hands and moved them over me. I wanted to know what it was like to have him – Seth – touching me. I moved them down to my backside, then over to the sides of my thighs, urging him to push the chemise up. He did, letting silk gather up in his fingers as it slid up, up over my breasts and then over my head. I exhaled as those hands traveled up my body, every part of my skin electric and alive as I stood completely naked now. â€Å"Lay down,† I said, surprised at the rough note in my voice. He obliged, and I crawled onto the bed after him, straddling his hips with my legs so I leaned over him, letting my hair brush his chest as it had that night at Terry and Andrea's. Seth. I had Seth. And I could do anything I wanted. I kissed him again, harder than I had before, as if my mouth realized this could stop at any moment and had to get as much as it could right now. Pulling back slightly, I placed his hands back on me. â€Å"Don't stop touching me.† I returned to his lips, crushing his in return, letting my teeth nibble that soft flesh. All the while his hands roved over me as I'd commanded, coming to rest under my breasts so that he could cup them and stroke them. His fingers trailed to the nipples, which were already standing erect, brushing them lightly at first and then squeezing with greater intensity. I cried out, my own savage urges stoked, and I moved my lips to his neck. My mouth worked fiercely against that tender skin, pressing and biting, as though by leaving a mark I could somehow brand Seth as mine forever. Breaking away at last, I raised myself up slightly on my knees and moved his hand between my legs. He stroked me without being told to, letting his fingers slide over my clitoris, building up the mounting, scorching sensation in my lower body. His fingers moved easily, aided by my own wetness. Greater and greater that swelling ecstasy grew until it was almost agony, but I stopped him before I peaked and could find release. Frantically, I tore at his jeans and boxers, getting them off as fast as I could. I sighed shakily, looking at that long, perfect hardness as though it could keep me alive when nothing else could. I moved myself back down and ground myself against him, rubbing myself against that hardness, letting it finish the job his fingers had started. I came almost instantly, having been already on the edge, and before those spasms could even begin fading, I slid him inside of me, letting him fill me up entirely until it seemed there was nothing left of me in my own body, only him. He was still letting me take charge here, but he wasn't unaffected. His breath came heavy and hard now, his own lips parting slightly with desire, eyes begging me to do more. As for me†¦I was losing myself. I didn't care about anything else but him inside me, as close as I'd ever been able to get to Seth. It still seemed like something had to give, something had to stop us. But it didn't. I became more than a conqueror. I was a ravager, taking what I wanted with no thought of the consequences. I rode on top of him, bringing myself down hard each time, willing him to pierce right through me. My hands held him down as I thrust, not that he was trying to get away. My breasts shook as our bodies moved together, the nipples still hard and sensitive. I heard the slap of skin on skin each time I moved down, forming a rhythm with our ragged breathing. I was drowning in Seth, in his sweat and in his touch. I was liquid and golden, merged into him. My body ached, unable to get enough of him, and I moved harder still. I knew exactly which angle I needed to make myself come, and I didn't even try to hold back the waves and waves of pulsing bliss that racked my body. Small crackles of energy passed between us occasionally – not the usual absorption that occurred with a victim, but the inevitable sharing that happened between an incubus and succubus, two creatures whose bodies were made to collect the power of life. I needed to consume Seth, take as much of him as I could. I had no other purpose. Time passed. My body took its pleasure greedily and often. I said his name over and over, sometimes whispering it, sometimes screaming it, until finally exhausted, I couldn't move anymore. I stopped, nearly collapsing against him. Barely able to work my lungs anymore, I struggled to get the air I needed. He was still inside me, still ready, but I had nearly rubbed myself raw. My throat was dry and painful. Sweat formed a slick coating on me, and I hung over him panting and desperate, an animal who had just sated her hunger with no concern for who lay beneath. He watched me intently, running a careful hand over my damp cheek. Then, at some unspoken signal between us, he flipped me over onto my back to at last finish himself off. Gripping my ankles and putting them over his shoulders, he knelt before me and pushed back inside. A soft whimper passed over my lips. I was jelly now, unable to do anything but lay there and let him have his way with me. My arms spread out carelessly over my head, fingers brushing the black headboard, and I closed my eyes, just letting myself feel Seth taking me now. I was weak and spent, but it still felt wonderful. I opened my eyes and watched him working hard against my body, at last able to give in to his own pleasure. He'd held back for so long for my benefit, waiting until I had satiated my lust. Now he was the greedy one, ravaging me in the way he wanted. At last, he climaxed with a small groan, closing his eyes briefly, holding himself against me as he came into me. When he finished, he slumped forward and pulled out, lying beside me. We stayed like that for several moments, and then he pulled me roughly to him so we spooned, the back of my body pressed against the front of him. Both of us still breathed in heavy, torn gasps as our hearts gradually slowed. I let my cheek rest against his arm. I still shook all over from sex with Seth, with the feel of Seth inside of me and the way he had broken my body with that devastating ecstasy. Then, as one hand tightened on me and his other ran gently over my hair, I noticed something. He didn't smell right. I don't mean to imply that he smelled bad. He didn't. He just didn't smell like Seth. The sweat wasn't the same. There was no fleeting smell of apple, leather, and musk, no unique Seth scent. He smelled like Bastien. He was Bastien, I reminded myself sternly, and with that, the illusion shattered, the spell broke. I wasn't with Seth, no matter how perfect the shape. I was with my friend the incubus. â€Å"Change back,† I whispered. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Change back to yourself.† He didn't ask why, and a moment later, I rested in Bastien's arms. It wasn't Seth, I realized with a dull and terrible emptiness, but it was the truth. We said no more after that, staying in bed together for the rest of the night. Sleep never came for me, however. I lay awake the whole time, staring off into the shadows.

Leadership and Organization Behavior Essay

There are many business organizations that are started on various occasions, but only a few turn out to be successful organizations. The success or failure of an organization can mostly be associated with leadership. Leaders make a very big impact in the organization. The importance of leadership is recognized when the organization is going through some moments like crisis or serious changes, depending on how the issue will be handled. We can not just assume that leadership in the organization is shown at the top management, but even to the lower levels in the organization. Despite the importance of leadership, there has been no agreement on the definition of leadership in the organization. However, leadership can be defined as a means used to coarse people in the organization, without applying force, to work towards the attainment of the organizational goals, by motivating them. Non coercive method implies the leaders should make the people to follow them on a voluntary basis (Glasser, 2008). A leader influences a particular group to work towards achieving particular goals. Leadership does not depend on a formal authority or the title, but rather they carry out their tasks by applying leadership attributes such as; values, believes, knowledge, character, ethic and skills. The position of a manager, supervisor, leader etc give them the authority to accomplish certain goals and tasks in the organization, the power of manager lead or supervisor to accomplish organization goals does not make them leaders but simply they make themselves bosses. Leadership makes the followers want to make higher goals. Selfless services and honorable characters to the organization form the basis of good leadership. Respected leaders concentrate on what they know (such as jobs tasks and human nature), what they are (such as character and believes) and what they do (such as motivating implementing and providing directions. ). The qualities of a leader influence the followers to follow him. Followers want to be guided by the people whom they respect and have clear sense of directions. Leaders must be ethical in order to gain respect from their followers. Sense of directions among the leaders is achieved through conveying a strong vision of future (Glasser, 2008). Employee satisfaction in an organization can be predicted by the level of confidence and trust in the top leadership and effective communication. Effective communication helps to win organization confidence and trust which occurs through making the employees to become aware and understand the overall strategies of the organization, assisting the employees understand their roles which can contribute to the achievement of organizational goals and objectives and the information sharing between the employees and the leaders on how the organization is performing and how their departments are doing relative to the strategic goals of the organization. Therefore a leader must be able to communicate the vision of the organization and must be trustworthy. Good leaders need to concentrate the three attributes of leadership i. e. what they are, what they know and what they do. These attributes can be achieved by following the leadership principles. According to principles of leadership a leader is supposed to know himself and seek room for self improvement. A leader can know himself if he understands the principles of leadership. Seeking room for self improvement means that the leaders have to continuously strengthen their attributes. This can be achieved through interaction with others, reflection, self study and formal classes. Secondly the leaders must be technically proficient. Leaders are required to have a solid familiarity with their follower’s tasks and know their job (Nelson & Quick, 2007). Leaders must seek and take responsibilities of their action. They must such ways in which to guide their organization to achieve new heights. When things in the organization goes wrong leaders are not supposed to blame their followers or their fellow leaders but rather they should analyze the situation and come up with corrective response and be prepared to move into the next challenge. Leaders should make timely and sound decisions by use of good strategies of decision making solving problems and planning tools. Good leaders should set good role models by setting examples to others. They must see what they are expected to do not only hearing the changes they want to see. Leaders should know their people and care for their well being. They should know the human nature and take the responsibility for caring for their followers. Leaders are supposed to establish good communication with their followers. Communicating is a key responsibility in making sure that tasks are accomplished, supervised and understood. Team building and development of team spirit assist the leaders in employing their sections, organization, department etc to their fullest capabilities. Leaders should have an honest understanding of leadership attributes. They must also understand that determination of whether a leader is successful or not lies on the followers and not upon themselves. Followers are likely to get inspired if they lack confidence or trust in their leaders. Leaders are supposed to convince and set good example to their followers in order to become successful and be followed. Leaders lead through a two way communication between them and their followers sometimes communication between these two parties is non verbal. An example is when a leader sets a good example to the follower. The leader in this case does not necessarily require asking the follower on what to do about what himself is not willing to do. The way and how the leaders communicate with their followers improve or harm the relationship between them. Leaders are supposed to understand their followers in order to apply their leadership skills different followers would require different leadership styles. This means that a new employee may require more guidance and supervision than an experienced one. Also non motivated workers would require more motivation than motivated workers. Therefore the leader must understand the human nature through establishing the follower’s emotions, motivation and needs. Leader’s requiring to develop strategies on the possible cause of action for different situations (Nelson & Quick, 2007). The success of any leadership is determined in the degree in which the leaders are able to motivate the others. Motivation among the employees leads to work satisfaction. An organization may incur big losses if it looses its employees and therefore the key function of the leaders and the managers should be motivating the right people to remain and join the organization. Motivation directly affects the out put of an organization and this concerns both the quality and the quantity. The leaders and managers therefore need to understand how to motivate the followers according to the roles they play (Miner, 2005). The survival of an organization is determined by the motivation of the employees. On the other hand reinforcement focuses on the maintenance of motivation. The basic assumption in motivation are that the positive behavior among the followers that resulted to rewarding will be repeated and therefore negative behavior that resulted to negative consequences are less likely to be repeated. Certain behavior can be intensified and strengthened through reinforcement. Rewards and punishment are applied depending on whether certain behaviors occurred or did not occur. The role of the leaders is to strengthen the positive behavior through reinforcement (Miner, 2005). The employees and the leaders working in an organization have different characteristics. Leaders must learn how to manage the employee in their organization. The leadership skills that are acquired in schools are not sufficient to lead and manage the employees. Therefore training is important in order to ensure that individual objectives are aligned with organization objectives. To achieve this skills and knowledge are imparted to individuals. Goal setting on the other hand helps in defining the organization, give the direction to be followed and avoid chaos. Setting of organizational goals can help the leaders to motivate the employees by communicating what the organization have planned to achieve and through providing basis for recognition, success and achievements (Nelson & Quick, 2007). Goal setting helps in effectiveness of recruiting the followers. Team building results to many potential benefits which include; consensus building brain storming, looking at the problem from different perspective, trial and error, expert knowledge etc. employees are more encouraged to bring their work at the conference table and therefore they are likely to work harder. Leaders must ensure that there is an attitude of respect and tolerance for the ideas of the team member in the organization culture. The employees feel free in sharing their ideas with the team members when they help each other to succeed. Effective leadership helps in the success of the organizations. If there is no good leadership the organization may move too slow, become stagnant or even loose their direction. Timely decision making ensures that the running of organization is going on well. Leaders must ensure that decision making are correct, complete and involves all the stakeholders for the success of the organization (Nelson & Quick, 2007).