Is an invitation to treat an offer? Discuss? Essay

Answer: Section 2(a), Contracts Act 1950 provides that ‘when one person signifies to another his willingness to do or to abstain from doing anything, with a view to obtaining the assent of that other to the act or abstinence, he is said to make a proposal’. Case: M N Guha Majumder v R E Donough [1974] 2 MLJ 114 Facts: Property owned by the defendant was advertised for sale, and written offers to purchase were invited. The plaintiff viewed the property on two occasions. During the interval between the two occasions the plaintiff was in communication with the defendant’s agent, and it was alleged that the defendant had accepted the plaintiff’s offer to purchase the property for RM70,000. There had been on the occasion of the second visit to the property some discussion on the mode of payment. There was also no clear agreement on the sale of orchid plants which the defendant wished to sell separately, although the matter was discussed between the parties. The defendant denied that he had decided to go on with the sale. The defendant was anxious, however, to effect a quick sale as he was desirous of leaving Kuching permanently for Johor bharu. Issue: Whether there was a contract inexistence between the plaintiff and the defendant at the material time. Held: 1. The law does not impute an intention to enter   into such a legal relationship as that of vendor and purchaser where the circumstances and the conduct of the parties negative any intention of the kind. 2. The evidence indicated that the parties did not intend to be immediately bound. They had not the necessary animus contrahendi (means intention to contract). What passed was only a negotiation from beginning to end. Whether an advertisement is an offer or an invitation to treat depends on the intention of the parties in each case. The courts have held that  advertisements of bilateral contracts are not offers whereas advertisements of unilateral contracts are construed to be offers. In the case of Majumder v Attorney-General of Sarawak, the Federal Court held that an advertisement in the newspaper for the post of a doctor was an invitation to treat. When an auctioneer invites bids, he is merely making an ‘invitation to treat’, and when a bidder makes a bid, he is making an offer. The contract, i.e. the sale, is only made when the auctioneer announces its completion by the fall of the hammer. Similarly, a display of goods in a shop is an invitation to treat. An offer to buy is made when the customer puts the articles in a basket provided by the shop or takes the item off the shelf. The contract is only made at the cashier’s desk when the customer pays for the items. However, if it is clear in the circumstances that a party intends their words or conduct to constitute an offer, then the courts will be prepare to construe it as such. For example, in Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co. Ltd [1893] 1 QB 256, the advertisement of a unilateral contract was held to be an offer. Case: Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co. Ltd [1893] 1 QB 256 Facts: Carbolic Smoke Ball Co. Ltd. Advertised that they would offer  £1,000 to anyone who still succumbed to influenza after using a certain remedy for a fixed period. The plaintiff duly used it but, nevertheless, contracted influenza. The plaintiff then sued for the money. Held: The plaintiff was entitled to the  £1,000 as she had accepted the offer made to the world at large. To summarize, an invitation to treat is not an offer, but rather is an offer to consider offers. Instances which are generally regarded as invitations to treat include: -Auctions; -Advertisement of tenders; -Catalogues; -Price lists; and -Goods displayed in shop windows and shelves.

Psychological Terror in “the Minister’s Black Veil”

I think that, as a general rule, humans love to categorize things. We like to organize things. We like things to fit into our neat, little organized view of reality, whether it’s a can of soup we buy, a movie we watch, or a person we meet. Everything needs to fit into some sort of category and if it doesn’t fit, we create a category for it to fit into. Categories give us certain expectations about the thing we are dealing with. Stories are no exception to this idea. For example, a romance novel should be romantic, obviously; but we would assume that it also contains some sort of conflict for the hero or heroine to overcome, which eventually leads him or her to their true love, or some sort of happiness at the end. But what effect do these expectations have on our interpretation of a story? Since my goal with this essay is to attempt to categorize the â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil† by Nathaniel Hawthorne, I will need to investigate what characteristics are present, in hopes that these characteristics will lead me to some sort of definitive answer about the genre of this story. First, we must look at the elements of the story; tone and diction are very important when trying to categorize a story. The tone of the story is somewhat gloomy, and quite isolated. We are drawn into this small town’s world, as they become increasingly terrified of Minister Hooper and his strange veil. And the way the congregation of Hooper’s church see the veil when he first wears it makes it seem as though it was something much more sinister than a â€Å"simple piece of crape† (938). As he preaches about â€Å"secret sin, and those mysteries which we hide from our nearest and dearest† (938), no one can see his face, and thus everyone feels as though Hooper is looking at them, directing his sermon at them: Each member of the congregation, the most innocent girl, and the man of hardened breast, felt as if the preacher had crept upon them, behind his awful veil, and discovered their hoarded iniquity of deed or thought. Many spread their clasped hands on their bosoms. There was nothing terrible in what Mr. Hooper said, at least, no violence; and yet, with every tremor of his melancholy voice, the hearers quaked. 938 The congregation is so unsettled by this strange addition to the Minister’s visage that they cannot stop thinking about it during his sermon; â€Å"[s]o sensible were the audience of some unwonted attribute in their minister, that they longed for a breath of wind to blow aside the veil, almost believing that a stranger’s visage would be discovered, though the form, gesture, and voice were those of Mr. Hooper† (938). No one is immune to the terror that this black piece of crape invokes. The entire town is on edge and speculative as to what the veil means. And the words used to describe the veil and its effects are definitely indicative of this fear; â€Å"terrible thing† (939); â€Å"ghostlike† (939); â€Å"horrible† (940); â€Å"gloom† (940); â€Å"dismal shade† (941). This piece of fabric has separated Hooper from his beloved congregation. While they thought him a happy and benevolent man before, they now feel fear and distrust when they see him. One lady of his congregation remarks, â€Å"I would not be alone with him for the world. I wonder that he is not afraid to be alone with himself† (939). But Hooper is not immune to the sinister effects of the veil. At the wedding he officiates later the same day, he sees his reflection, and what he sees terrifies him: At that instant, catching a glimpse of his figure in the looking-glass, the black veil involved his own spirit in the horror with which it overwhelmed all others. His frame shuddered, his lips grew white, he spilt the untasted wine upon the carpet, and rushed forth into the darkness. For the Earth, too, had on her Black Veil. 940 If we take â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil† as a horror story, it leads us to certain conclusions about the nature of the veil and Hooper’s refusal to take it off. If horror is something that centers upon the horrifying or macabre, especially concerning the supernatural, one can see that this story could belong. Hooper never divulges the exact nature of the veil, and we are left to speculate about what it could possibly mean. Several possibilities present themselves if we think of this story as a horror story; it could be that the veil is covering Hooper’s face to be a constant reminder to his congregation and all who see him of secret sin. It seems that the idea that he could possibly know someone’s secret sin is terrifying to the townspeople. Indeed, this veil does give Hooper â€Å"awful power over souls that were in agony for sin† (943). Sinners fear him, because they feel that the black veil is a reference to their own personal secret sins. And the veil gives him an association with the dead and ghostly qualities; after the girl’s funeral at the beginning of the story, one woman remarks that she thought she saw Hooper walking hand in hand with the ghost of the dead girl. Such things would not have been imagined if he had never donned the veil. But however terrifying the veil is, I think this story lacks any visceral or shocking scenes. The idea of the veil hiding sins, the image of it on Hooper’s face is incredibly creepy, to be sure. But I think horror stories especially rely on the supernatural and the unknown to make them unsettling. And while this story does use the veil as an unknown, and it is unsettling, I think that the part of the story that really gets to me is the psychological torment and uneasiness that the veil casts not only on the townspeople, but on Hooper himself. Let us take the definition of a psychological story as something that focuses on the mental and emotional aspects of the characters. The terror in this story, then, is largely in the way that this simple piece of fabric gets under everyone’s skin. It isn’t a horrifying object in and of itself, and I think that is what draws me away from thinking of this as a horror story. This black piece of crape is enough to turn people against Hooper. They avoid him, stop inviting him over for dinner, picture him capable of all sorts of acts that they never would have thought him capable of prior to the veil. And imagine Hooper’s existence. He has vowed to wear the veil until death! No one knows why, although when explaining to Elizabeth why the veil must always be kept on, he says that â€Å"I, perhaps, like most other mortals, have sorrows dark enough to be typified by a black veil† (941). What sorrows these are, we never find out. This again plays a large role in the psychological aspect of the story: we never know exactly what drove Hooper to end his days with the black veil on his face. Perhaps it is related to the girl that died at the beginning of the story; he first wears the veil the same day as her funeral, and in Perkins footnote to â€Å"The Black Veil†, Hawthorne is shown to have made reference in his own footnotes to Joseph Moody, a clergyman in New England who accidentally killed a friend of his in his childhood. After his friend`s death, Moody wore a black veil until his own death (Perkins and Perkins, 937). Perhaps Hawthorne`s reason for detailing this true story with â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil† is a clue; if we take Hooper’s black veil as a sign of his own personal sin, and he is wearing the veil as a reminder to himself that he is a sinner, and can only be redeemed after death, then all of the effects that the veil has on the townspeople are unintentional. I think that this idea is very plausible. Hooper was generally thought to be a pushover by his congregation, who thought that it must be a phase that he would get over and take the veil off. But Hooper’s strange dedication to the veil does seem to indicate some sort of personal attachment to the idea of secret sin. Perhaps he did have something to do with the girl’s death, or was in a relationship with her before she died. Either way, the presence of the veil seems to indicate that he feels guilty about something, and feels that it is necessary to always live behind this veil as a result of that guilt. That it has an effect on other people is secondary; or at best preventative: maybe Hooper is attempting to thwart other’s sins by making public that he has his own. (1487) Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel. â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil. † The American Tradition in Literature. Ed. George Perkins and Barbara Perkins. 12th Ed. Vol. 1. Toronto: McGraw Hill, 2009. 937 – 945. Perkins, George, and Barbara Perkins. Footnote 1 to â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil†. The American Tradition in Literature. Ed. George Perkins and Barbara Perkins. 12th Ed. Vol. 1. Toronto: McGraw Hill, 2009. 937 – 945.

Education in Japan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Education in Japan - Research Paper Example In some cases, reformers have explicitly pointed to education system to have an important link to the creation of more efficient and effective learning environments. However, some of these studies also point towards an increase in psychological problems and many societal issues among Japanese children today. Numbers of studies have proved strong relation between extraordinary high standard of education system and activities of private schools and psychological problems in students of elementary schools in Japan. (Fullan, 35) As long as a child is in Junior High School in Japan, he can only attend the school which is located near their home. (Stevenson, Azuma and Hakuta, 210) Though, senior high schools can be attended anywhere within a city: this leads to a competition between schools, every student becomes willing to go to the best school and every school looks to get the best students of the city. More than 25% of senior high schools in Japanese cities are owned privately, that shows the degree of the competition at higher levels schooling in Japan. This is the time, when Japanese parents are ready to pay substantial amounts of money to make their children get admission in the best school. According to a survey, 1,073 students of private schools of Japan were observed. Out of them about 67% studied visual and arts subjects such as music, painting, abacus and calligraphy. About 25% of these students attended 3-4 times/ week, and rest of the students about 18% attended these classes 5 or more times in a week. Results showed that increasing attendance of these classes produced dizziness, alteration in sleep pattern and several other psycho physiological problems. Such results warn educationalists and parents both of adverse effects of these extracurricular activities. (Matsumoto, K. Kaku, R. Nakagawa, K and Kaneko,

The economics of broadway Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The economics of broadway - Essay Example The purpose of this paper is to agree with this statement "the economics of broadway are harsh and unforgiving because it is virtually impossible to raise substantially the productivity of performance.yet a long run,especially a musical,can minimize the potential for financial problem". High Prices of tickets:The price of tickets in at broadway theatre in recent times is known to be on the high side.And due to the high cost of tickets,people now decide to go to the theatre fewer times compared to before.They are only prepared to pay for the high cost of tickets when there is a hit performance.And visiting the theatre has now become an event rather than a habit.This tantamounts to the drop in productivity of performance. Price Discrimination:One point supporting this notion is that economics of Broadway is harsh is the issue of price discrimination in the theatre.These involve the non- uniformity in prices of tickets.Different seats qualities do have different prices to them.Also discount prices which are targetted at customers with low willingness to pay,result in prices that differ from the uniform set price. Selling of tickets at half-prices on the day of performance at a discount booth is seen as a damaged good that further discriminates among self-selecting customers.

Approach Used for Teaching English Grammar Essay

Approach Used for Teaching English Grammar - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that while talking about English grammar, we must also know the importance of the use of proper English grammar in our daily life. Doff found that â€Å"by learning, grammar students can express meanings in the form of phrases, clauses, and sentences†. Appropriate use of grammar using the prescribed set of rules helps us in a lot of ways while performing various activities. â€Å"Teaching grammar is of significant importance in the early stages of a child’s schooling†. Grammar is of critical importance because of its enormous use in many fields of life. Clark found that â€Å"teaching basics of grammar helps learners a lot in different situations†. Some of the situations where use of proper grammar is of crucial importance are as follows: use of correct grammar during an interview, proper usage while creating a resume for a job application, it’s also important while writing a website’s content, profes sional articles and journals also require correct grammar, academic essays must also be written using suitable grammar, and while writing emails to a certified company from another professional company. These were some of the basic usages of proper English grammar techniques in the activities of our daily life. Teaching grammar to the children of a primary school is a very can be an intimidating task for two main reasons. The first reason is that there are so many tones and gradations of the English language for children to learn and the second reason is that understanding and learning all of the prescribed rules of English grammar can be a boring task for the children. Nevertheless, teaching English grammar to the primary school’s children can be done in an attractive way so that children don’t get bored and show more interest towards learning proper English grammar which will definitely help them a lot in their future.

Final Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Final Reflection - Essay Example It is explicitly clear that the world has changed massively from a focus on industry towards a more crisp focus on information (Fadel and Trilling, 2009). Information is readily available to everyone, everywhere in the planet at any given time thanks to the internet. I will focus on making sure that learners are taught how to sort through the barrage of information that exists so as to find the useful information applicable to their particular situations. Additionally, I will make information technology be the critical focus of the teaching and learning process. In terms of making information technology a central focus in my classrooms, I will make sure that all learners in my class have a computer with access to the internet. Accessibility to a computer with the internet will enable my students find information relevant to our classroom and also up to date. Along the line of helping my students sift through bulk information from the internet, I will guide them towards finding and using credible sited such as Google scholar and slide share. I will also help them to discriminate between useful information from useless information by teaching how to engage critically in all facets of their schooling. Indeed, the journey as been tedious, bringing me into realms of 21st- century education that I had never imagined. For instance, the concept of preparing students to meet new challenges that are still unknown and preparing them for jobs that still do not exist opened up my mind to think critically. Going forward, I think the journey is going to be much tougher than the one I have experienced. It is easier to say that we are in the information age, and that we have to base our society on information and expertise but that alone does not cut it. A lot of thinking is required to come up with innovative ways to prepare our student to be both proactive and adept problem solvers. Stakeholders in business and technology, among other

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 26

Report - Essay Example However, in the recent past, the sales and fortunes of the Ace manufacturing company has been on the low side. In terms of ranking and order or merit, Ace manufacturing company lost its prestigious position and dropped to the third position. In the conventional sense and ordinary world, the drop would inspire curiosity and the urge to get to know what might have happened wrong to occasion the sudden drop (Sand, Tsitouras, Dimitrakopoulos & Chatzigiannakis, 2014). Thus, as a prospective researcher and an external consultant, it becomes an issue of interest to try to gauge what might have happened wrongly in the course of time and in theli8ne of operations of the company. Thus, this report would present a synopsis and a possible chronology of what might have happened to cause Ace manufacturing company to drop from its prime position as a leading distributor and manufacturer of the leading electronic wares in the country (Papasolomou, Thrassou, Vrontis & Sabova, 2014). Accordingly, it is important to note and mention that this report was drafted and considered after the executives of Ace manufacturing company sought to decipher and realize the root cause of the problem. The problem or the issue being the reason as to why the Ace manufacturing company had recorded a dip into the number of sales and subsequent revenues or proceeds which it would have otherwise recorded or realized under different circumstances and situation. In principle, this logic and argument points to the direction that this is a aim of being self-critical on the part of the management of the Ace manufacturing company in order to try to understand and contextualize the reason as to why their sales and revenues must have dipped in the recent past (Lee, 2014). Therefore, it was imperative on their part to invoke our services as a central research institute to

Problem Set Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Problem Set - Assignment Example The old formula works better. Two people who took the old formula felt relief in less than 20 minutes, compared to none who took the new formula. Also, the worst result – near 120 minutes - was the new formula. The average time for the new formula to relieve a headache is lower than the average time for the old formula. I would conclude that people taking the new formula will tend to feel relief about 20 minutes sooner than those taking the old formula. The number of patients in the two groups is not the same so there is no fair way to compare the two formulas. A baseball fan likes to keep track of statistics for the local high school baseball team. One of the statistics she recorded is the proportion of hits obtained by each player based on the number of times at bat as shown in the table below. Which of the following graphs gives the best display of the distribution of the proportion of hits in that it allows the baseball fan to describe the shape, center, and spread of the variable, proportion of hits? Reasons: For item No. 6: The percentage of scores having 30 or below is about half of the lower 25% as the box both for section 1 and 2 as shown in their respective boxplot. For item No. 7 The same as in No. 6. Since 80 is the median score the upper 50% are having scores 80 and above for both sections. For item No. 8 The best presentation is plotting the percentage of hits to the number of players who made it. Graph C best represents the trend. It tells how many students make the highest percentage hits, and so on and so forth.

A Secret Gift Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Secret Gift - Essay Example Interested people were required to write and submit reports telling the benefactor about their economic problems. According to Gup, the primary aim of the gift was to reduce the pain and suffering of poor Cantonians who were bracing themselves for the harshest festive season which most of them had never experienced (34). Eventually, 150 families benefitted from $5 each instead of the earlier planned $10 for 75 families due to the overwhelming response from the needy audience. According to Chambers, Gup was touched by the narrations of suffering amid undying hope of the Cantonians as captured in the letters, which he came across in suitcase that belonged to his grandfather almost eight decades earlier (85). At first, the investigative journalist was keen on uncovering the experiences behind the letters; this led him to scan through the documents and piece up the information by interviewing the authors’ descendants across the country. From the interviews involving hundreds of respondents, Gup has reestablished the role played by Mr B. Virdot’s when the country was reeling in economic meltdown. A substantial number of people could not afford to put bread on the table, while others had run out of coal and clothing among other vital necessities. Gup’s investigations show that his grandfather’s role had substantial impacts on the beneficiaries’ lives when life was practically unbearable. Taylor argues that as a journalist, Gup releases an expose of the sorrows and happiness of the tens of families who were strange to Sam Stone, but whose fortunes were basically the result of Mr Stone’s very complicated life of secrecy, philanthropy and equity (18). Gup reveals deeply hidden facts about Stone’s life; from his humble, abusive childhood experiences to his rather criminal life of evading capture by American authorities for lacking the required immigration documents. Mr Stone’s life in the alien country may have played an

Analysis of Durkheims The Elementary Forms of Religious Essay Example for Free

Analysis of Durkheims The Elementary Forms of Religious Essay As described in Durkheim’s The Elementary Forms of Religious Life, a totem is apparent in every society. A totem is a symbolic figure of some creature, being, or thing that represents the sanctity and principle of god. Essentially, a totem is a profane, ordinary object that has been deemed by society to have some holy, sacred characteristics. With this being said, the object itself does not have any holy or sacred qualities; rather it is merely the representation of the totem that holds these characteristics. For example, if a society’s totem is a turtle then an actual turtle would merely be a turtle, but when the turtle is presented as a totemic emblem then this symbolic representation of the turtle is sacred. Durkheim argues that, because the totem is a socially constructed representation of god then the totem itself represents society as well. Durkheim makes this assumption evidently clear by stating that â€Å"the god of the clan, the totemic principle, can therefore be nothing else than the clan itself, personified and represented to the imagination under the visible form of the animal or vegetable which serves as totem. From this, one can conclude that Durkheim viewed the worship of totem as worshipping society. Durkheim goes on to make the argument that god and society are â€Å"equivalent. † God is an outside, figurative force that holds the people worshiping it to certain manners and actions. The act of worshipping said god or totem is an indication that the follow ers, believers, or worshipers are dependent upon this force to determine the actions they partake in, the behaviors they exhibit and so on. God and religion exist in order to keep people â€Å"in line† via ritualized activities and setting moral and ethical guidelines that people abide by. Society, in and of itself, possesses the same qualities. The norms and values of a society, which for the most part have been incorporated into the moral and ethical guidelines laid out in the society’s religion, are followed whether or not they are in line with the individuals intrinsic nature. Because of this characteristic, society is itself an outside force that people are dependent on, whether or not they acknowledge it. Lastly, Durkheim acknowledges that these ritualized activities and shared moral values foster the social solidarity and cohesion of society. By partaking in shared activities, whether it be the Islamic ritual of praying to Allah multiple times a day, the American tradition of singing of the national anthem before the first pitch of a baseball game, or the Catholic ritual of aking communion, we are acknowledging that we belong to a group or society. Common activities help establish what Durkheim refers to as â€Å"collective consciousness†, that is a specified set of beliefs and values that are common to members of a given society or group. Praying to the same god or praising the same society, which according to Durkheim are one in the same, encourages the development and maintenance of a collectively held set of morals, values, ethics, and belief s.

The Role Of Theory And Practice Facilitated By Reflection Nursing Essay

The Role Of Theory And Practice Facilitated By Reflection Nursing Essay Question Dewey (1938) stated that all genuine education comes through experience. Certainly, in practice-based professions such as the health care professions, clinical experience should be the basis for learning. To extract learning from experience, we need to create meaning from our experiences as we interact with and react to, them. We cannot allow any experience to be taken for granted; once we do so, actions become routine and habitual, we stop noticing and enter into a rut (Stuart 2007). Critically discuss this quotation by focusing on the complexity of learning in practice, the complexity of supervisory process and the end goal of creating a competent practitioner. Table of Contents Introduction It is in the interest of both the university and the clinical areas to ensure that newly qualified nurses are perfectly competent to take on the responsibilities of their new jobs. The big question is; which area should play the best part in ensuring that this feat is accomplished? Conversely, could it be a perfect balance between the two domains? Considering the changing face of nursing education to keep up with modern times, it is also useful to contemplate the challenges that students and educators, both academic and clinical are faced with. In order to establish if the goal of producing a competent practitioner is reached, it is important to determine what exactly constitutes a competent practitioner. As a final thought the concept of competency shall be pondered to see if it is sufficient to produce competent professionals when todays employers demand high standards and excellency of care. The changing nature of nursing Countless times nursing has been referred to as both an art and a science. Clearly, this is to delineate that it is a combination of both academical knowledge and practice skill. Through the years nursing education has shifted from hospital training (skills) to higher education (academic) namely university baccalaureates, masters and also doctorates (Wilson, 2008). Jarvis (2005) explains that this change is occurring because nursing is undergoing a process of professionalization (professionalism). Another important change is that, whereas the student nurses before were all young recruits nowadays the classroom is a mixture of ages either due to mature students entering nursing or due to continuing education (Jarvis, 2005). These adult learners may thus have different learning needs. The fact that nursing has distanced itself from the medical model, in favour of a holistic, patient centered approach, it has also inevitably changed the way nurse education is planned and delivered nowad ays. Alongside the study of anatomy and physiology, nurse educators had to include the nursing process and humanistic subjects like the concept of care, psychology, sociology and ethics. Meurier, Vincent Parmar (1997) maintain that this process was necessary for nursing to become an autonomous profession that has research underpinning its practice. Evidence based practice became a means of gaining credibility with both clients and other professions. Greater autonomy has been given to nurses locally by the issuing of the nursing warrant. However, autonomy also translates into increased accountability. Patients abroad are now personally suing individual nurses when they are thought to be personally responsible for errors. Never before has it been more important to produce competent, efficient and effective nurses in order to avoid costly litigations and avoidable patient suffering and harm. The emphasis is now on which type of learning is best at producing competent nurses, theoretical, academic or possibly a mixture of both. The great debate One of the main objectives of this assignment is to critically discuss the quote provided. In this quote Dewey is said to put great emphasis on the role that experiences plays in providing a genuine education. Experience is defined in the Longman (2010) dictionary as knowledge or skill that you gain from doing a job or activity. Experience is an important component of practice development (Lyneham, Parkinson Denholm, 2009). However, nursing is not only about doing but also about thinking. In the quote provided, Deweys seems to be subjective when he omits to recognize the role that theory plays in the learning process. However Dewey, in his own book states that the belief that all genuine education comes about through experience does not mean that all experiences are genuinely or equally educative (Dewey, 1998, p. 13). Knowles, Holton III, Swanson, (2005) believed that many Deweys ideas were misinterpreted through the years and emphasised the importance of direct quoting. Hence, to evaluate properly Deweys quote, one must assess it in the whole context not just a short quote. Peplau (1988, p. 13) asserts that the art and science aspects of nursing should always be kept interconnected if not inseparable. This statement suggests that experience and academical knowledge, should complement each other in order to achieve optimal learning. The clinical environment is a rich learning ground full of learning opportunities. On the other hand, this knowledge can be in a tacit f orm and hard to translate into words. Eraut (2004) maintains that when these situations arise, the practitioner needs to find alternate ways of unlocking and sharing this knowledge. Reflection, which is widely taught in nursing curriculae nowadays may be a means of articulating knowledge that is embedded in practice (McBrien, 2006). Thus, this is an example of theory complimenting experiential learning. Furthermore, without nursing developing its own theoretical body of knowledge the quest for professionalization would have been unreachable. In order to advance the nursing profession and provide the tools to increase the body of knowledge, critical thinking and research modules have been added to the nursing curriculae. This enabled nursing to move away from the dominancy of other professions and empowered nurses to be able to make their own competent decisions based on well researched evidence. Clinical experience includes also the practicing of skills, which are primarily learnt through role modelling strategies and perfected through repetition thus increasing competence. Consequently, habitualisation runs the danger of becoming a ritualistic practice when it is taken for granted and done without thought (Stuart, 2007). Heath and Freshwater (2000) regard proficiency in skill, achieved through repetitive practice as positive. They explain that nurses will require less thought whilst performing procedures and their attention may be dedicated to answering the patients questions or observing his behaviour. However, practice without reflection truly risks becoming a rigid, habitualised and ritualistic vicious circle. Experience is not just about performing skills well and in good timing. It is also an opportunity to be faced with different clinical situations and challenges that equip the nurse with the necessary knowledge to deal with similar situations in the future. A report compiled by the Department of Health (1999) entitled Making a difference outlined that many newly qualified nurses lacked the necessary skills to function as confident and competent practitioners in their new professional roles. Therefore, although nurses might possess the academical knowledge to pass their final exams, they lacked the experience to operate confidently on the wards. Another shortfall was that newly qualified nurses were observed to lack the critical thinking skills necessary to function in the increasingly complex clinical environment (Aronson, Rosa, Anfinson Light, 1997). Many argue that this is the result of the shift from hospital based training to university centered education, creating the theory pra ctice gap phenomenon (Evans, 2009). In the following paragraphs, the theory practice gap and means of reducing it shall be discussed. Theory- Practice Gap In the past, nurses had more clinical hours than study hours as part of their nurse education. Furthermore, the students of the past were counted as part of the nursing compliment. This may explain why they found the transition from a student to qualified nurse less problematic. However, this kind of training sucked the students into a circle of ritualistic practice concentrating on efficiency rather than effectiveness. In contrast todays student is provided with all the theoretical knowledge to ensure that practice is guided by evidence thus shifting the balance onto effectiveness. Wilson (2008) explains that teaching should not just be the imparting of facts but that students must learn how to adapt this information to each unique clinical setting. Therefore, it is empirical to bridge the gap between what is known and what is practiced. The gap between theory and practice is not something of the present and will persist through the ages. Haigh (2009) considers this gap to be important as it portrays nursing as a vibrant and dynamic profession (p. 1). Notwithstanding this, the theory practice gap has inspired theorists to introduce learning models in the clinical environment and mostly included the participation of a clinical supervisor (Beinart, 2004 and Lynch, Hancox, Happell, Parker, 2008). Furthermore, no model has managed to eradicate the theory practice gap (Baxter, 2007). Whichever model may be used, the importance of having a clinical supervisor with exceptional qualities must not be overlooked. An advantage of the local nursing scene is that although the Institute of Nursing has now become a faculty, its basis is still within the general hospital. The significance of this is not only that the two domains are not physically separated, but that also academical staff and other resources such as the library are easily accessible. However other measures are also necessary in order to amalgamate theory and practice. The areas of reflection and clinical supervision as a means of reducing the gap shall be discussed in the following paragraphs. Reflection and learning Schà ¶n (1983) in his book regarding the reflective practitioner states that reflective practice enables a person to learn from both his actions and experiences. Jarvis (2005) maintains that the role of a teacher may include facilitating reflective practice for practitioners in order to crystallize the ideas generated in practice. Moreover, Schà ¶n established that nurses reflect upon their actions and through this, knowledge about practice is generated as opposed to just the application of knowledge to practice. Rolfe (1997) supports this statement by asserting that reflective practice is a systematic and thoughtful process that allows nurses going about their daily work to make sense of their practices. Reflection is a means of identifying areas that need improvement. However, reflection should also take place in instances that went well to identify the key principles that contributed to success. Surgerman, Doherty, Garvey and Gass (2000) point out that if reflection is taken awa y from practice, the practitioner might not be able to learn from these experiences. Unfortunately staff shortages and the overcrowding of wards often leave little time for nurses to think (Weaver, Warren Delaney, 2005). However, this should not be an excuse not to engage reflective practice. Reflection on action may be more suitable and should be greatly encouraged amongst supervisees as a means of making sense of practices being undertaken. This form of reflection was also used by Florence Nightingale as a means of generating knowledge from practice and the start of evidence based practice (McDonald, 2001). Another way would be to organise group reflections. The group may include a mixture of supervisors and supervisees in order to facilitate discussion and the sharing of knowledge (Lee, 2009). The process of reflection is also very useful in helping students and qualified staff alike to develop critical thinking skills. Further on, a problem solving attitude may be instilled, which is a valuable tool for the nurses in their career (Jarvis, 2005) thus leading to t he development of a competent practitioner. The generation of ideas from reflection is not sufficient. The greatest challenge is to put these ideas into practice. Clinical supervisors can be an asset in helping students to engage reflective practice whilst helping them articulating and implementing the ideas generated. Clinical supervision Wong and Lee (2000) define the roles of clinical supervision as to help students develop their clinical skills, help to bridge theory and practice and assist students with their socialisation into nursing. McBrien (2006) states that clinical supervision acts as an extension of classroom teaching. In other words, the clinical supervisor works alongside the university to maximize the educational activity gained from the ward experience. In the wards, the supervisor, helps to safely monitor students, whilst they practice what they have learned in the classroom thus bridging the afore mentioned gap. Supervisors may teach supervisees by being good role models, and help novice students acquire knowledge through emulating their behaviour. As supervisees progress the supervisor must then give greater freedom to the student whilst challenging their practices in order to develop their reflective and critical thinking skills. Supervisors must be well prepared and supported (Lynch, Hancox, Happe ll, Parker, 2008). Furthermore, their practices have to be grounded in evidence as supervisees at this stage will healthily challenge what the supervisor is imparting. Supervision takes up different forms in different hands depending on the intent and emphasis of the supervisor (Johns 1996, p.1142). Staff shortages, overcrowding and high patient turnover may result in ward nurses looking at students in an inappropriate manner, especially if supervision was forced on them. Consequently, they may look at students as a burden, an extra duty or a waste of their free time. Moreover, they may view them as an extra pair of hands which can be easily manipulated to do their every bidding. McBrien (2006) warns that faced with such negative attitude student nurses may be inclined to abandon their learning objectives in order to fit in. Furthermore, nurses may be hostile and uncooperative towards their colleagues who are trained clinical supervisors who take on students for supervision in their wards. The clinical supervisor thus has an important role in creating an environment conducive to learning on the wards. This should include measures to make students feel welcome and accepted by the rest of the ward staff in order to safeguard the students self esteem and potential for learning (Franke, Garssen, Huijer Abu-Saad, 1995). Moreover, good relationship is of utmost importance in obtaining the desired goals in the supervisory process. The relationship between the supervisor and the supervisee is the key for successful clinical supervision (Lynch, Hancox, Happell, Parker, 2008 and Sloan, 1999). The above points strongly indicate that clinical supervisors have to be willing and dedicated to undertake the teaching role in the ward. Supervisors must undergo specialised training. However, in order to move a further step, full collaboration with the academic body has to be in place. Sloan (1999) stated that on-going training for supervisors helps them to construct their own supervision models, to develop interpersonal skills and facilitate supervisory support besides others. One training module is not enough to last a life-time, hence update courses and meetings should be held yearly. By this means not only knowledge is updated but also an opportunity for the sharing of ideas is provided. Introducing regular meetings with the academic supervisor ensures not only a bridging of the theory practice gap but also that the desired student goals are made clear and achievable. Unfortunately, the number of nursing students by far outnumbers the amount of clinical supervisors who have been formally trained. This lack of supervisors may be the result of the absence of a good reward system such as monetary or professional. Alternatively, the quality of supervision might deteriorate with its introduction. This can be due to applicants applying for the rewards, rather than a keen interest in supervision. In this event, a rigid vetting process and performance appraisal should be introduced. The concept of collaborative learning has been explored by Jeffries (2005) as a means of compensating for the lack of supervisors. The main advantages were an increased sense of teamwork, student bonding and richer discussions. However, Evans (2009) points out those students who are less eager to participate may hide within these groups thus limiting the development of their potential. Moreover, large groups may contribute to certain students getting away with not performing d uties that they might consider not to their liking (Evans, 2009). An important role that the clinical supervisor must play, which is sometimes overlooked is the development of self awareness. Heath and Freshwater (2000) maintain that the supervisor must help the student to develop an awareness of self, and an acceptance of responsibility for ones own actions. Thus the supervisor must instil the concept of accountability, which greatly contributes to the development of a competent practitioner. Todd Freshwater (1999) assert that through this process the supervisee becomes less dependent on the clinical practitioner because an internal supervisor is developed. Hence, the supervisee develops a professional conscience whilst becoming more capable to assume more responsibility for ones own learning. When this is achieved, the seed of life-long learning is planted ensuring that the supervisee will continue to self direct learning even after graduation. Jarvis (2005) states that if this had to be universal for all students, continuing education programme s could be drastically reduced. Competent practitioners Weaver, Warren and Delaney (2005) explain that nursing care affects a range of health care outcomes namely; mortality, morbidity and costs. For this reason, an emphasis is now being placed on high quality care, avoidance of errors, cost effectiveness and elimination of wastages. A competent practitioner is someone who is able to conduct tasks safely on their own. Moreover, competency is defined by the Nursing Council of New Zealand, (2008, p.12) as, the combination of skills, knowledge, attitudes, values and abilities that underpin effective performance as a nurse. Conversely, Lofmark, Smide, Wikblad, (2006) state that competency must be achieved in all areas and not just in clinical and technical skills. Furthermore, it is difficult to find a person who is competent in all areas. Having stated all this, a doubt arises, whether being a competent practitioner is enough to meet these growing healthcare demands. Nurses are faced daily with items that are out of stock, staff shortages and unexpected and unplanned occurrences. In these situations, knowledge and standard practice are not sufficient to meet healthcare demands. Heath and Freshwater (2000) explain that a nurse that goes beyond the competent phase not only can demonstrate greater technical proficiency but is also able to correct and adapt her actions according to the unfolding situations. Benner (1984) asserts that for competent practice to become proficient, a qualitative change must occur. Benner, Tanner, Chesla, (2009) believe that some nurses may never develop beyond the competent stage. Given the complex clinical situations that every single nurse is faced daily on the wards, this transition should be avidly cultivated. Improvisations and solutions must be effected in order to ensure that patients still receive good quality care. Drawing up on past experiences, knowledge new or old and utilizing reflection and problem solving skills are a means of coming up with new solutions. The clinical supervisor is an invaluable asset in helping the supervisee to make this transition. This can be done by being a role model, providing meaningful experiences that can be utilized in future practice as well as supporting the supervisees in developing their own problem solving skills. A universal responsibility Although an emphasis has been made that the clinical supervisors should be formally trained, every single nurse in the clinical setting should take an interest in the education of student nurses. These same students will in the future become nursing colleagues and further on nursing administrators and lecturers. Making sure that they receive the best possible education is a means of safeguarding the future of nursing. On a more egoistical note, these same students will be the nurses in the wards taking care of us and our loved ones. Therefore, ensuring that they develop their full potential is a guarantee of receiving excellent quality care to the highest standards. Conclusion It has been established that experience and theoretical knowledge both play a pivotal role in the formation of competent practitioners. The phenomenon of the theory practice divide occurs, when academical knowledge is not successfully adapted into the working environment to achieve meaningful practice. In order to bridge these gaps important assets were identified namely clinical supervision, experience and the use of reflection. Clinical supervision is a challenging area of nursing that should involve specific training and utmost dedication. Collaboration with the academical supervisors ensures that the goal of achieving competent practitioners is achieved. However, exceptional practice should be the ultimate goal that should be shared by all clinical practitioners in order to safeguard the future of nursing.

Personal Narrative- The Wrong Crowd of Friends :: Personal Narrative Essays

Personal Narrative- The Wrong Crowd of Friends It was a cold October afternoon in 1996, and I raced down the stairs and out the front door, in an attempt to avoid my mother's questions of where I was going, with whom, and when I'd be back. I saw my friend Kolin pull up in his rusted, broken-down gray van, and the side door opened as Mark jumped out and motioned for me to come. I was just about to get in when my mother called from the front doorway. She wanted to talk to me, but I didn't want to talk to her, so I hopped in pretending I hadn't heard her and told Kolin to drive off. When we were out of my neighborhood I asked where we were going and Kolin said we were going to Dre's apartment first; afterwards we would take the Metro down to Northwest because he had to meet up with some people for a drug deal. Mark began to roll a joint and he said, "Look, I scored some KB off this idiot high-school kid who thought it was swag. It's my treat ladies." We rolled up to Dre's apartment, drank a little and hot-boxed the van. As we sat there smoking, Kolin, Mark, and Dre began to talk about the recent events. "That party last Friday was fucking stupid. I can't believe they gave you shit at the door," said Kolin. "Yeah it was almost a messy situation, but they backed off," replied Mark. "Who cares man, I got sixty-five for the stereo in that house. And the way I see it, it was all fair," remarked Dre. At this they all burst out laughing and even I joined in for a chuckle. The "KB" was in effect, and our spirits were raised, not to mention our "senses of humor." I leaned back and sat there smiling as they continued to reminisce about their other excursions. I loved to hear about it all, and it was fun learning about drugs and theft, and other things you could put into practice without "really" hurting anyone. I was unknowingly getting an education in "street smarts," and how to "rip people off." I enjoyed learning about it because it all seemed so fun and easy, and only the benefits, such as money, seemed tangible to me, not the consequences of my actions.

Ethical Analysis of a Nursing Case Study Essay -- Health

Ethical Analysis of a Nursing Case Study `Ethics' is defined as ."..the basis on which people...decide that certain actions are right or wrong and whether one ought to do something or has a right to something"(Rumbold, 1986). In relating `ethics' to nursing care, "Nursing decisions affect people... nurses have the power to good or harm to their patients" (Bandman et al, 2002). In this essay, the author will also identify the most important ethical principles and concepts of Evan's case, will outline the different stages of one's approach to ethical decision-making by utilising the "DECIDE Model for Ethical Decision-Making" founded by Thompson et al (2000) and will make a decision on the best course of action to take as a nurse in this situation. In "Defining the Problem", the first stage of one's approach to ethical decision-making, the key facts are that Evan is a married man committed to a psychiatric unit who contracted HIV after a homosexual affair without the knowledge of his wife, Claire. He refuses that his wife and family be told of his illness. The stakeholders involved directly are: Evan, who does not want his family to find out about his illness or affair; his nurse, who is under increased strain worrying about the burden of, perhaps, having to break the confidentiality entrusted in him; Claire, is the most direct stakeholder as she may have contracted HIV; Evan's partner during the affair is also at risk of contracting HIV and his subsequent partners are also at risk; the other members of staff, are in constant worry over Evan which means that they cannot concentrate fully on their other patients; Evan's family is also involved directly as they are worried about his well-being. There are also stakeholders indire. .. .... (2002) Nursing Ethics: Through the Life Span. 4th ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Edwards, S.D. (1996) Nursing Ethics: A Principle-Based Approach. 1st ed. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. http://www.ethicsweb.ca/guide/ Mill, J.S. (1861) Utilitarianism. Cited in Price, J.A. (2000) Philosophy through The Ages. 1st ed. Australia: Wadsworth. Rumbold, G. (2000) Ethics in Nursing Practice. 3rd ed. Edinburgh: Bailliere Tindall. Tadd, W. (2004) Ethical and Professional Issues in Nursing. 1st ed. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Thompson, I.E., Melia, K.M., Boyd, K.M. (2003) Nursing Ethics. 4th ed. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. UKCC (United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting) (1992) Code of Professional Conduct for the Nurse, Midwife and Health Visitor, 3rd ed. London: UKCC

The 19th Century Novel Essay -- English Literature

The 19th Century Novel A Novel is defined as a long story about fictitious characters, written in prose as opposed to poetry. Novels were first written in the 18th Century so by the 19th Century, the novel, often in serialised form was an established form of entertainment which was also helped by the increased adult literacy rate over the whole of the 1800s. The idea of the novel had changed from being purely for the amusement of women to being available to a wider audience, covering a wider variety of issues. It was also over this century that it began to be increasingly acceptable, if not usual to write novels with an underlying moral tone, particularly towards social standards among the lower classes. Another theme of many 19th Century novels was the creation and depiction of strong and great female characters, many through the new generation of female writers. Walter Scott, born in Scotland in 1771 was famous for his escapist literature such as ‘Waverley’ (1814) and ‘Ivanhoe’ (1819), both of these escapist in their setting further back in the past (1745 and Norman Times respectively). Scott had been a poet until he turned to novel writing having been outsold by Lord Byron's poetry. ‘Ivanhoe’, a historical romance is credited as being meticulously researched and seemed to make the novel genre acceptable for men. He attracted a wide range of people through setting it in Scotland and delving into the past, capturing early Victorian’s imaginations with his eight hundred year old characters, seeking refuge in the past and firing their imaginations. ‘Ivanhoe’ famously sold ten thousand copies within its first two weeks and led to a gothic revival, most famously Sir Charles Barry’s Houses of Parliament i... ...long struggle. Both ‘Jude the Obscure’ and ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ were highly criticised at his time of writing, the brutality of his stories shocking the Victorian Public. However, he remains popular due to the strength of his stories and characters. Beyond the six authors that I have touched upon, the 19th Century literature collection is vast, many surviving and others falling into obscurity. Although the early 20th Century writers felt revolutionary in their casting off of the old Victorian novel style, I feel that the 19th Century Novelists were equally revolutionary in what they did for the novel. They created similar novel genres to what exists today and entertained and often shocked an uptight century. They introduced the art of observance and intricacy to the novel form and have formed the basis for the inspiration of novelists ever since.

Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 16-18

16 HOWARD Howard Phillips, the owner of H.P.'s Cafe, had just settled down in the study of his stone cottage when he looked out the window and saw something moving through the trees. Howard had spent most of his adult life trying to prove three theories he had formulated in college: one, that before man had walked the Earth there had been a powerful race of intelligent beings who had achieved a high level of civilization, then for some unknown reason had disappeared; two, that the remnants of their civilization still existed underground or under the ocean, and through extreme cunning and guile had escaped detection by man; and three, that they were planning to return as masters of the planet in a very unfriendly way. What lurked in the woods outside Howard Phillips's cottage was the first physical evidence of his theories that he had ever encountered. He was at once elated and terrified. Like the child who is delighted by the idea of Santa Claus, then cries and cowers behind its mother when confronted with the corpulent red-suited reality of a department-store Santa, Howard Phillips was not fully prepared for a physical manifestation of what he had long believed extant. He was a scholar, not an adventurer. He preferred his experiences to come secondhand, through books. Howard's idea of adventure was trying whole wheat toast with his daily ham and eggs instead of the usual white bread. He stared out the window at the creature moving in the moonlight. It was very much like the creatures he had read about in ancient manuscripts: bipedal like a man, but with long, apelike arms; reptilian. Howard could see scales reflecting in the moonlight. The one inconsistency that bothered him was its size. In the manuscripts, these creatures, who were said to be kept as slaves by the Old Ones, had always been small in stature, no more than a few feet tall. This one was enormous – four, maybe five meters tall. The creature stopped for moment, then turned slowly and looked directly at Howard's window. Howard resisted the urge to dive to the floor and so stood staring straight into the eyes of the nightmare. The creature's eyes were the size of car headlamps and they glowed a faint orange around slotted, feline pupils. Long, pointed scales lay back against its head, giving the impression of ears. They stood there, staring at each other, the creature and the man, neither moving, until Howard could bear it no longer. He grabbed the curtains and pulled them shut, almost ripping them from the rod in the process. Outside he could hear the sound of laughter. When he dared to peak through the gap in the curtains, the creature was gone. Why hadn't he been more scientific in his observation? Why hadn't he run for his camera? For all his work at putting together clues from arcane grimoirs to prove the existence of the Old Ones, people had labeled him a crackpot. One photograph would have convinced them. But he had missed his chance. Or had he? Suddenly it occurred to Howard that the creature had seen him. Why should the Old Ones be so careful not to be discovered for so long, then walk in the moonlight as if out for a Sunday stroll? Perhaps it had not moved on at all but was circling the house to do away with the witness. First he thought of weapons. He had none in the house. Many of the old books in his library had spells for protection, but he had no idea where to start looking. Besides, the verge of panic was not the ideal mental state in which to do research. He might still be able to bolt to his old Jaguar and escape. Then again, he might bolt into the claws of the creature. All these thoughts passed through his mind in a second. The phone. He snatched the phone from his desk and dialed. It seemed forever for the dial to spin, but finally there was a ring and a woman's voice at the other end. â€Å"Nine-one-one, emergency,† she said. â€Å"Yes, I wish to report a lurker in the woods.† â€Å"What is your name, sir?† â€Å"Howard Phillips.† â€Å"And what is the address you are calling from?† â€Å"Five-oh-nine Cambridge Street, in Pine Cove.† â€Å"Are you in any immediate danger?† â€Å"Well, yes, that is why I called.† â€Å"You say you have a prowler. Is he attempting to enter the house?† â€Å"Not yet.† â€Å"You have seen the prowler?† â€Å"Yes, outside my window, in the woods.† â€Å"Can you describe him?† â€Å"He is an abomination of such abysmal hideousness that the mere recollection of this monstrosity perambulating in the dark outside my domicile fills me with the preternatural chill of the charnel house.† â€Å"That would be about how tall?† Howard paused to think. Obviously the law enforcement system was not prepared to deal with perversions from the transcosmic gulfs of the nethermost craters of the underworld. Yet he needed assistance. â€Å"The fiend stands two meters,† he said. â€Å"Could you see what he was wearing?† Again Howard considered the truth and rejected it. â€Å"Jeans, I believe. And a leather jacket.† â€Å"Could you tell if he was armed?† â€Å"Armed? I should say so. The beast is armed with monstrous claws and a toothed maw of the most villainous predator.† â€Å"Calm down, sir. I am dispatching a unit to your home. Make sure the doors are locked. Stay calm, I'll stay on the line until the officers arrive.† â€Å"How long will that be?† â€Å"About twenty minutes.† â€Å"Young woman, in twenty minutes I shall be little more than a shredded memory!† Howard hung up the phone. It had to be escape, then. He took his greatcoat and car keys from the foyer and stood leaning against the front door. Slowly he slipped the lock and grabbed the door handle. â€Å"On three, then,† he said to himself. â€Å"One.† He turned the door handle. â€Å"Two.† He bent, preparing to run. â€Å"Three!† He didn't move. â€Å"All right, then. Steel yourself, Howard.† He started the count again. â€Å"One.† Perhaps the beast was not outside. â€Å"Two.† If it was a slave creature, it wasn't dangerous at all. â€Å"Three!† He did not move. Howard repeated the process of counting, over and over, each time measuring the fear in his heart against the danger that lurked outside. Finally, disgusted with his own cowardliness, he threw the door open, and bolted into the dark. 17 BILLY Billy Winston was on the final stretch of the nightly audit at the Rooms-R-Us Motel. His fingers danced across the calculator like a spastic Fred Astaire. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could log onto the computer and become Roxanne. Only thirty-seven of the motel's one hundred rooms were rented tonight, so he was going to finish early. He couldn't wait. He needed Roxanne's ego boost after being ditched by The Breeze the night before. He hit the total button with a flourish, as if he had just played the final note of a piano concerto, then wrote the figure into the ledger and slammed the book. Billy was alone in the motel. The only sound was the hum of the fluorescent lights. From the windows by his desk he had a 180-degree view of the highway and the parking lot, but there was nothing to see. At that time of night a car or two passed every half hour or so. Just as well. He didn't like distractions while he was being Roxanne. Billy pushed a stool up to the front counter behind the computer. He typed in his access code and logged on. WITKSAS: HOW'S YOUR DOG, SWEETIE? SEND: PNCVCAL The Rooms-R-Us Motel chain maintained a computer network for making reservations at their motels all over the world. From any location a desk clerk could contact any of the two hundred motels in the chain by simply entering a seven-letter code. Billy had just sent a message to the night auditor in Wichita, Kansas. He started at the green phosphorescent screen, waiting for an answer. PNCVCAL: ROXANNE! MY DOG IS LONELY. HELP ME, BABY. WITKSAS Wichita was on line. Billy punched up a reply. WITKSAS: MAYBE HE NEEDS A LITTLE DISCIPLINE. I COULD SMOTHER HIM IF YOU WANT. SEND: PNCVCAL There was a pause while Billy waited. PNCVCAL: YOU WANT TO HOLD HIS POOR FUZZY FACE BETWEEN YOUR MELONS UNTIL HE BEGS? IS THAT IT? WITKSAS Billy thought for a moment. This was why they loved him. He couldn't just throw them an answer they could get from any sleazebeast. Roxanne was a goddess. WITKSAS: YES. AND BEAT HIM SOFTLY ON THE EARS. BAD DOG. BAD DOG. SEND: PNCVCAL Again Billy waited for the response. A message appeared on the screen. WHERE ARE YOU DARLING? I MISS YOU. TULSOKL. It was his lover from Tulsa. Roxanne could handle two or three at once, but she wasn't in the mood for it right now. She was feeling a little crampy. Billy adjusted his crotch, his panties were riding up a bit. He typed two messages. WITKSAS: GO PET YOUR DOGGIE FOR A WHILE. AUNTIE ROXANNE WILL CHECK ON YOU IN A WHILE. SEND: PNCVCAL TULSOKL: TOOK AN EVENING OFF TO SHOP FOR SOMETHING LACY TO WEAR FOR YOU. I HOPE YOU DON'T FIND IT TOO SHOCKING. SEND: PNCVCAL While he was waiting for a response from Oklahoma, Billy dug into his gym bag for his red high heels. He liked to hook the stiletto heels into the rungs of the stool while he talked to his lovers. When he glanced up, he thought he saw something moving out in the parking lot. Probably just a guest getting something from the car. PNCVCAL: YOU SWEET LITTLE THING, YOU COULD NEVER SHOCK ME. TELL ME WHAT YOU BOUGHT. TULSOKL Billy started to type in a modest description of a lace teddy he had seen in a catalog. To the guy in Tulsa, Roxanne was a shy little flower; to Wichita she was a dominatrix. The desk clerk in Seattle saw her as a leather-clad biker chick. The old man in Arizona thought she was a struggling single mother of two, barely making it on a desk clerk's salary. He always wanted to send her money. There were ten of them in all. Roxanne gave them what they needed. They loved her. Billy heard the double doors of the lobby open, but he did not look up. He finished typing his message and pressed the SEND button. â€Å"Can I help you,† he said mechanically, still not looking up. â€Å"You betcha,† a voice said. Two huge reptilian hands clacked down on the counter about four feet on each side of Billy. He looked up into the open mouth of the demon coming at his face. Billy pushed back from the keyboard. His heel caught in the rung of the stool and he went over backward as the giant maw snapped shut above him. Billy let loose a long, sirenlike scream and began scrambling on his hands and knees behind the counter toward the back office. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw the demon crawling over the counter after him. Once in the office, Billy leapt to his feet and slammed the door. As he turned to run out the back door, he heard the door fly open and slam against the wall. The back door of the office led into a long corridor of rooms. Billy pounded on the doors as he passed. No one opened a door, but there were angry shouts from inside the rooms. Billy turned and saw the demon filling the far end of the corridor. It was in a crouch, moving down the corridor on all fours, crawling awkward and batlike in the confined space. Billy dug in his pocket for his pass key, found it, and ran down the hallway and around the corner. Making the corner, he twisted his ankle. White pain shot up his leg, and he cried out. He limped to the closest door. The images of women in horror movies who twisted their ankles and feebly fell into the clutches of the monster raced through his head. Damn high heels. He fumbled the key into the lock while looking back down the hallway. The door opened and Billy fell into the room just as the monster rounded the corner behind him. He kicked the stiletto heel off his good foot, vaulted up and hopped across the empty room to the sliding glass door. The safety bar was set. He fell to his knees and began clawing at it. The only light in the room was coming from the hallway, and suddenly that was eclipsed. The monster was working its way through the doorway. â€Å"What the fuck are you!† Billy screamed. The monster stopped just inside the room. Even crouching over, its shoulders hit the ceiling. Billy cowered by the sliding door, still clawing under the curtains at the safety bar. The monster looked around the room, its huge head turning back and forth like a searchlight. To Billy's amazement, it reached around and turned on the lights. It seemed to be studying the bed. â€Å"Does that have Magic Fingers?† it said. â€Å"What!† Billy said. It came out a scream. â€Å"That bed has Magic Fingers, right?† Billy pulled the safety bar loose and hurled it at the monster. The heavy steel bar hit the monster in the face and rattled to the floor. The monster showed no reaction. Billy reached for the latch on the door and started to pull it open. The monster scuttled forward, reached over Billy's head, and pushed the door shut with one clawed finger. Billy yanked on the door but it was held fast. He collapsed under the monster with a long, agonizing wail. â€Å"Give me a quarter,† the monster said. Billy looked up into the huge lizard face. The monster's grin was nearly two feet wide. â€Å"Give me a quarter!† it repeated. Billy dug into his pocket, came out with a handful of change, and timidly held it up to the monster. Still holding the door shut with one hand, the monster reached down with the other and plucked a quarter from Billy's hand with two claws, using them like chopsticks. â€Å"Thanks,† it said. â€Å"I love Magic Fingers.† The demon let go of the door. â€Å"You can go now,† it said. Before he could think about it, Billy threw the door open and dove through. He was climbing to his feet when something caught him by the leg from behind and dragged him back into the room. â€Å"I was just kidding. You can't go.† The monster held Billy upside down by his leg while it dropped the quarter into the little metal box on the nightstand. Billy flailed in the air, screaming and clawing at the demon, ripping his fingernails against its scales. The monster took Billy into its arms like a teddy bear and lay back on the bed. Its feet hung off the end and nearly touched the dresser on the opposite wall. Billy could not scream; there was no breath for a scream. The monster let go with one arm and placed one long claw at Billy's ear. â€Å"Don't you just love Magic Fingers?† it said. Then it drove the claw though Billy's brain. 18 RACHEL After Merle died and Rachel observed a respectable period of mourning, which was precisely the same amount of time it took the courts to transfer Merle's property to her, she sold the Cessna and the trailer, bought herself a Volkswagen van, and on the advice of the women at the shelter, headed for Berkeley. In Berkeley, they insisted, she would find a community of women who could help her stay off the wheel of abuse. They were right. The women in Berkeley welcomed Rachel with open arms. They helped her find a place to live, enrolled her in exercise and self-actualization courses, taught her to defend herself, nurture herself, and most important, to respect herself. She lost weight and grew strong. She thrived. Within a year she took the remainder of her inheritance and bought a lease on a small studio adjacent to the University of California campus and began teaching high-intensity aerobics. She soon gained a reputation as a tough, domineering bitch of an instructor. There was a waiting list to get into her classes. The fat little girl had come into her own as a beautiful and powerful woman. Rachel taught six classes a day, putting herself through the rigors of each workout along with her students. After a few months of that regimen, she fell ill, waking one morning to find that she had just enough strength to call the women in her classes to cancel, and no more. One of her students, a statuesque, gray-haired woman in her forties named Bella, appeared at Rachel's door a few hours later. Once through the door Bella began giving orders. â€Å"Take off your clothes and get back in bed. I'll bring you some tea in a moment.† Her voice was deep and strong, yet somehow soothing. Rachel did as she was told. â€Å"I don't know what you think you've done to deserve the punishment you are giving yourself, Rachel,† Bella said, â€Å"but it has to stop.† Bella sat on the edge of Rachel's bed and watched while Rachel drank the tea. â€Å"Now lie on your stomach and relax.† Bella applied fragrant oil to Rachel's back and began rubbing, first with long, slow strokes that spread the oil, then gradually digging her fingers into the muscles until Rachel thought she would cry out in pain. When the message was finished, Rachel felt even more exhausted than before. She fell into a deep sleep. When Rachel awoke, Bella repeated the process, forcing Rachel to drink the bitter tea, then kneading her muscles until they ached. Again, Rachel slept. When Rachel awoke the fourth time, Bella again served her the tea, but this time she had Rachel lie on her back to receive her massage. Bella's hands played gently over her body, lingering between her legs and on her breasts. Through the drugged haze of the tea, Rachel noticed that the older woman was almost naked and had rubbed her own body with the same fragrant oils that she used on Rachel. It didn't occur to Rachel to resist. Since Bella had come through the door, she had been giving orders and Rachel had obeyed. In the dim light of Rachel's little apartment they became lovers. It had been two years since Rachel had been with a man. Trading soft caresses with Bella, she didn't care if she was ever again. When Rachel was back on her feet, Bella introduced her to a group of women who met at Bella's house once a week to perform ceremonies and rituals. Among these women Rachel learned about a new power she carried within herself, the power of the Goddess. Bella tutored her in the machinations of white magic and soon Rachel was leading the coven in rituals, while Bella looked on like a proud mother. â€Å"Modulate your voice,† Bella told her. â€Å"No matter what you are saying it should sound like a chant to the Goddess. The coven should be taken with the chant. That is the meaning of enchantment, my dear.† Rachel gave up her apartment and moved into Bella's restored Victorian house near the U.C. campus. For the first time in her life, she felt truly happy. Of course, it didn't last. One afternoon she came home to find Bella in bed with a bald and bewhiskered professor of music. Rachel was livid. She threatened the professor with a fireplace poker and chased him, half-naked, into the street. He exited clutching his tweed jacket and corduroy slacks in front of him. â€Å"You said you loved me!† Rachel screamed at Bella. â€Å"I do love you, dear.† Bella did not seem the least bit upset. Her voice was deep and modulated like a chant. â€Å"This was about power, not love.† â€Å"If I wasn't filling your needs, you should have said something.† â€Å"You are the most wonderful lover I have known, dear Rachel. But Dr. Mendenhall holds the mortgage on our house. That loan is interest free, in case you hadn't noticed.† â€Å"You whore!† â€Å"Aren't we all, dear?† â€Å"I'm not.† â€Å"You are. I am. The Goddess is. We all have our price. Be it love, or money, or power, Rachel. Why do you think the women in your exercise classes put themselves through so much pain?† â€Å"You're changing the subject.† â€Å"Answer me,† Bella demanded. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"They want a sound body. They want a strong vessel to carry a strong spirit.† â€Å"They don't give a rat's ass about a strong spirit. They want a tight ass so men will want them. They will deny it to the death, but it's true. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you will realize your own power.† â€Å"You're sick. This goes against everything you've ever taught me.† â€Å"This is the most important thing I ever will teach you, so listen! Know your price, Rachel.† â€Å"No.† â€Å"You think I'm some cheap slut, do you? You think you're above selling yourself? How much rent have you ever paid here?† â€Å"I offered. You said it didn't matter. I loved you.† â€Å"That's your price, then.† â€Å"It's not. It's love.† â€Å"Sold!† Bella climbed out of bed and strode across the room, her long gray hair flying behind her. She took her robe from the closet, threw it around herself, and tied the sash. â€Å"Love me for what I am, Rachel. Just as I love you for what you are. Nothing has changed. Dr. Mendenhall will be back, whimpering like a puppy. If it will make you feel better, you can be the one that takes him. Maybe we can do it together.† â€Å"You're sick. How could you even suggest such a thing?† â€Å"Rachel, as long as you see men as human beings, we are going to have a problem. They are inferior beings, incapable of love. How could a few moments of animal friction with a subhuman affect us? What we have between us?† â€Å"You sound like a man caught with his pants down.† Bella sighed. â€Å"I don't want you around the others until you calm down. There's some money in my jewelry box. Why don't you take it and go down to Esalen for a week or so. Think this over. You'll feel better when you get back.† â€Å"What about the others?† Rachel asked. â€Å"How do you think they'll feel when they find out that all the magic, all the spiritualism you preach, is just so much bullshit?† â€Å"Everything is true. They follow me because they admire my power. This is part of that power. I haven't betrayed anyone.† â€Å"You've betrayed me.† â€Å"If you feel that way, then perhaps you'd better leave.† Bella went into the bathroom and began drawing a bath. Rachel followed her. â€Å"Why should I leave? I could just tell them. I know as much as you do now. I could lead them.† â€Å"Dear Rachel.† Bella was adding oils to her bath and not looking up. â€Å"Didn't you learn anything from killing your husband? Destruction is a man's way.† Rachel was stunned. She had told Bella about the accident but not that she had caused it. She had told no one. Bella looked up at her at last. â€Å"You can stay if you wish. I still love you.† â€Å"I'll go.† â€Å"I'm sorry, Rachel. I thought you were more highly evolved.† Bella slipped out of her robe and into her bath. Rachel stood in the doorway staring down at her. â€Å"I love you,† she said. â€Å"I know you do, dear. Now, go pack your things.† Rachel couldn't bear the idea of staying in Berkeley. Everywhere she went she encountered reminders of Bella. She loaded up her van and spent a month driving around California, looking for a place where she might fit in. Then, one morning while reading the paper over breakfast, she spotted a column called â€Å"California Facts.† It was a simple list of figures that informed readers of obscure facts such as which California county produces the most pistachios (Sacramento), where one had the best chance of having one's car stolen (North Hollywood), and tucked amid a mlange of seemingly insignificant demographics, which California town had the highest per capita percentage of divorced women (Pine Cove). Rachel had found her destination. Now, five years later, she was firmly set in the community, respected by the women and feared and lusted after by the men. She had moved slowly, recruiting into her coven only women who sought her out – mostly women who were on the verge of leaving their husbands and who needed something to shore them up during the divorce process. Rachel provided them with the support they required, and in return they gave her their loyalty. Just six months ago she initiated the thirteenth and final member of the coven. At last she was able to perform the rituals that she had worked so hard to learn from Bella. For years they seemed ineffective, and Rachel attributed their failure to not having a full coven. Now she was starting to suspect that the Earth magic they were trying to perform just did not work – that there was no real power to be had. She could lead the coven to attempt anything, and on her command they would do it. That was a power of sorts. She could extract favors from men with no more than a seductive glance and in that, there was a power. But none of it was enough. She wanted the magic to work. She wanted real power. Catch had sensed Rachel's lust for power in the Head of the Slug that afternoon, recognizing in her what he had seen in his ruthless masters before Travis. That night, while Rachel lay in the dark of her cabin, contemplating her own impotence, the demon came to her. She had locked the door that night, more out of habit than need, as there was very little crime in Pine Cove. Around nine she heard someone try the doorknob and she sat upright in bed. â€Å"Who is it?† As if in answer, the door bent slowly inward and the doorjamb cracked, then splintered away. The door opened, but there was no one behind it. Rachel pulled the quilt up around her chin and scooted up into the corner of the bed. â€Å"Who is it?† A voice growled out of the darkness, â€Å"Don't be afraid. I will not hurt you.† The moon was bright. If someone was there, she should have been able to see his silhouette in the doorway, but strain as she might, she saw nothing. â€Å"Who are you? What do you want?† â€Å"No – what do you want?† the voice said. Rachel was truly frightened; the voice was coming from an empty spot not two feet away from her bed. â€Å"I asked you first,† she said. â€Å"Who are you?† â€Å"Ooooooooooo, I am the ghost of Christmas past.† Rachel poked herself in the leg with her thumbnail to make sure she was not dreaming. She wasn't. She found herself speaking to the disembodied voice in spite of herself. â€Å"Christmas is months away.† â€Å"I know. I lied. I'm not the ghost of Christmas past. I saw that in a movie once.† â€Å"Who are you!† Rachel was near hysteria. â€Å"I am all your dreams come true.† Someone must have planted a speaker somewhere in the house. Rachel's fear turned to anger. She leapt from bed to find the offending device. Two steps out of bed she ran into something and fell to the floor. Something that felt like claws wrapped around her waist. She felt herself being lifted and put back on the bed. Panic seized her. She began to scream as her bladder let go. â€Å"Stop it!† The voice drowned her screams and rattled the windows of the cabin. â€Å"I don't have time for this.† Rachel cowered on the bed. She was panting and felt herself getting light-headed. She started to sink back into unconsciousness, but something caught her by the hair and yanked her back. Her mind searched for a touchstone in reality. A ghost – it was a ghost. Did she believe in ghosts? Perhaps it was time to start. Maybe it was him, returned for revenge. â€Å"Merle, is that you?† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"I'm sorry, Merle, I had to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Who is Merle?† â€Å"You're not Merle?† â€Å"Never heard of him.† â€Å"Then, who – what in the hell are you?† â€Å"I am the defeat of your enemies. I am the power you crave. I am, live and direct from hell, the demon Catch! Ta-da!† There was a clicking on the floor like a tap-dancing step. â€Å"You're an Earth spirit?† â€Å"Er, uh, yes, an Earth spirit. That's me, Catch, the Earth spirit.† â€Å"But I didn't think the ritual worked.† â€Å"Ritual?† â€Å"We tried to call you up at the meeting last week, but I didn't think it worked because I didn't draw the circle of power with a virgin blade that had been quenched in blood.† â€Å"What did you use?† â€Å"A nail file.† There was a pause. Had she offended the Earth spirit? Here was the first evidence that her magic could work and she had blown it by compromising the materials called for in the ritual. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she said, â€Å"but it's not easy to find a blade that's been quenched in blood.† â€Å"It's okay.† â€Å"If I had known, I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No really, it's okay.† â€Å"Are you offended, Great Spirit?† â€Å"I am about to bestow the greatest power in the world upon a woman who draws circles in the dirt with nail files. I don't know. Give me a minute.† â€Å"Then you will grant harmony to the hearts of the women in the coven?† â€Å"What the fuck are you talking about?† the voice said. â€Å"That is why we summoned you, O Spirit – to bring us harmony.† â€Å"Oh, yeah, harmony. But there is a condition.† â€Å"Tell me what you require of me, O Spirit.† â€Å"I will return to you later, witch. If I find what I am looking for, I will need you to renounce the Creator and perform a ritual. In return you will be given the command of a power that can rule the Earth. Will you do this?† Rachel could not believe what she was hearing. Accepting that her magic worked was a huge step, yet she was speaking to the evidence. But to be offered the power to rule the world? She wasn't sure her career in exercise instruction had prepared her for this. â€Å"Speak, woman! Or would you rather spend your life collecting gobs of hair from shower drains and fingernail parings from ashtrays?† â€Å"How do you know about that?† â€Å"I was destroying pagans when Charlemagne was alive. Now, answer; there is a hunger rising in me and I must go.† â€Å"Destroying pagans? I thought the Earth spirits were benevolent.† â€Å"We have our moments. Now, will you renounce the Creator?† â€Å"Renounce the Goddess, I don't know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Not the Goddess! The Creator!† â€Å"But the Goddess†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Wrong. The Creator, the All-Powerful. Help me out here, babe – I'm not allowed to say his name.† â€Å"You mean the Christian God?† â€Å"Bingo! Will you renounce him?† â€Å"I did that a long time ago.† â€Å"Good. Wait here. I will be back.† Rachel searched for a last word, but nothing came. She heard a rustling in the leaves outside and ran to the door. In the moonlight she could see the shapes of cattle standing in the nearby pasture and something moving among them. Something that was growing larger as it moved away toward town.

The Effect of Communication Theories in Business Introduction

The effect of communication theories in business Introduction Communication has existed since the beginning of human beings, but people didn’t pay attention to it until the 20th century, especially into the 21st century along with the communication technologies development. Nowadays, there have many communication theories. Among of these theories, interpersonal communication (IC) and organizational communication (OC) are the most commonly-used theories applied in business to help us resolve problems. IC, as a kind of device that organizers usually use to communicate with their employees, more emphasizes individuals interacting face-to-face than OC. It can help us understand how and why people think and behave. However, IC is hardly defined in its own area of study, yet often occurs within other environment like organizations (â€Å"Interpersonal communication,† In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2011). OC, as a subfield of communication, mainly looks at human communication within or among organizations, which is the most basic and central part in business management (Simon, 1998). It relates to the achievement of organizational goals and the formation of organizational culture. Meanwhile, OC is also the most common management behavior which is carried out under certain circumstance and is influenced by organizational culture. The behavior culture of enterprises determines the behavior characteristics and communication ways and styles of employees; the material culture determines the condition of communication technology, communication mediums and channels of companies (â€Å"Organizational Communication†, In Baidu, The Free Encyclopedia, 2011 ). Interpersonal Communication and Organizational Communication in Business In the process of actual application in business, OC is often considered as one field of IC and IC as one means of OC on the contrary. These two communication theories seemingly serve different objects, people versus organizations. Actually, individuals are the common objects of communication. Communication scholars define OC different from IC, only because it always exists in an organization, and sometimes represents one department or one class. So we could see both of them usually work together in one organization. For example, the enterprise culture of General Electric (GE) Company highlights the â€Å"people-oriented† business philosophy. In GE Company, employees are given enough concern and respect, and are encouraged to express their opinions and display their creativity directly. This kind of outspoken communication style of GE makes managers gain more new ideas and opinions to impel company developing. Moreover, for the management coordination, the ex-CEO of GE, Jack Welch, came up with â€Å"boundaryless concept† in the field of organizational communication. GE Company would clear obstacles among all departments like engineering, production and marketing departments and make information totally transparent and free accessible. Under the guidance of such communication theories, GE could use internal information with the most efficiency and achieve the resources sharing on the largest extent (In Scientology Volunteer Minister, 2009). In this case, we hardly tell which communication theory is applied in certain part, yet we easily find the two theories complement and serve each other. The application of communication theories in organization Use to cope with internal problems Communication, as one kind of enterprises culture, has attracted more attention of companies and is treated as the key point of strategic management by leadership. The â€Å"Three Withouts† phenomenon Mr. Yu (2008) came up with in one speech, as the following, is the most direct and understandable explanation of the problems existed in organizations. Lack of Communication with Superiors. Generally speaking, there are many things managers have to think about so that they cannot communicate with employees efficiently in time (Shiwei Yu, 2008). At this time employees are supposed to report actively to superiors, yet most of them have no courage to talk with superiors. There have two performances in this situation. The one performance is that people dare not or are not willing to communicate with superiors when they have good ideas, because either they are overconfident and have no interest any more after several negations by leaders, or they lack of confidence and are afraid of criticism. The other one is that individuals do not report to managers when they find potential problems existed in work. The reason can be concluded that people who are over-dependent on leadership always follow their leaders and have no question to them. Actually, whichever kind of employees is irresponsible for work. In fact, even though we are just the employees, we should consider issues in the sight of the enterprise rather than individuals and adjust our attitude from â€Å"responsible for leadership† to â€Å"responsible for enterprise†. Lack of Communication between Departments. In the most companies, it has been the main problem that different departments hardly communicate sincerely with each other and have no sense of mutual support and positive cooperation (Shiwei Yu, 2008). To resolve the problem, enterprise should firstly review whether the department position of it is reasonable, and then establish the relation mode of â€Å"suppliers and customers† among the all departments, consequently foster the sense of service for different department, so that employees can communicate with sincerity and make efforts together to achieve the goal of enterprise. Virtually, the whole process of resolution is the process of OP applying. Lack of Communication with Subordinates Superiors involved in other business seldom talk with employees, let alone instruct and advice their work, which is responsible for the phenomenon that increasing companies spend over one month in recruiting and training new staff, yet don’t have one day to communicate with their employees(Shiwei Yu). The reason could be conclude as the following two sides: Managers prefer enjoy the feel at high stand to communicate with employees personally. We have to acknowledge that there exist such managers who are arbitrary and hardly accept opinions from the inferiors. If they invariably ignore the subordinate advice and views, it would only discourage the enthusiasm and responsibility of staff. Certainly, there have a latent yet inevitable reason that managers are afraid of being transcended by the subordinate. In addition, it is also an important problem that superiors communicate with inferiors without skills. For the leadership, effective communication not only promotes work smoothly, but also helps to establish their image. Furthermore, as the managers, they have rights and obligations to communicate with inferiors actively as well as know and develop capability and responsibility of employees, just like Toyota Motor Corporation CEO spends two thirds time in chatting with engineers and dealers, while the Boeing Company CEO invites the senior managers to share their exciting stories, and the leadership of Ericsson helps employees make personal development plans every year (Communication Case Study, 2009). Use to cope with external problems Nowadays many companies have the experiences using communications theories to help themselves alleviate crisis and maintain their stable development. Facing crises from exterior factors, companies should first think about how to coordinate each department and communicate with consumers (â€Å"Communication Theories†, In MBAlib, The MBA Encyclopedia, 2010)? What we need to know is that consumers are inclined to the attitude companies express to event rather than the fact itself that is happened. Clients could forgive your mistakes, yet not accept your ignorance. So when the problems occurred, enterprises should first respond and express the determination to deal with them. That is to say, communication is the principal method to resolve problems. The â€Å"Sudan I† event KFC suffered is a wonderful example to support the statement. On March 15th 2005, all KFC outlets in China were found using banned dye Sudan I, the cancer-causing colorant in the sauce of New Orleans roast chicken wings and chicken hamburgers. And then many consumers sued KFC and asked it for their injury compensation. As we know, KFC has been successful in China since it first stepped in the Chinese market in 1987; however this event made KFC loss a large number of customers in a short time. According to a survey, the loss rate of clients of KFC raised to unprecedented 50% in over half stores. Facing a series of emergencies, KFC responded in first time, at that night of event exposure. All KFC outlets stopped selling New Orleans roast chicken wings and chicken hamburgers at the next day, destroyed all rest sauce and posted bulletins in all stores for apology. Each department was connected. Meanwhile, the managers of KFC actively contacted with the victims and accounted for the event as well as the results of survey to eliminate doubts of the public. From the example, we could find the application of communication theories is used in every details of the process of event resolving. First of all, just because of the effective organizational communication taken, all departments and outlets could act in concert to calm the storm immediately. Furthermore, the manager even communicated with customers in person in order to express their apology and sincerity. So IC could be applied more among individuals to achieve what we want. How to ameliorate business communication As we all know, the effective communication between managers and employees depends on the negotiability and share of information in internal organization and is responsible for improving the work efficiency and enhancing decision scientificity and rationality. So how to ameliorate business communication ? The aspect of interpersonal communication 1. Adjust the attitude of communication Along with the information network and communication technology advancement in modern society, the ways of communication between individuals become more various and richer than ever before. On the surface, the connection is indeed increasingly frequent and intimate, yet what is the fact? Most communication has been driven by material benefits. So communicators in business should make much account of not only the process of systematized information communication, but the spiritual communication (HRoot, 2010). 2. Learn to listen Tracey once suggested that the managers of human resource should spend 65% in listening, 25% in speaking and 10% in reading and writing (2006). Thus we could see the significance of listening for communication. More important, only by listening can we detect the others’ heart and logical thinking, communicate with them better and finally attain the objective. 3. Put emphases on nonverbal expression Nonverbal information includes expression, pronunciation and intonation, gesture and so on. Actually this kind of communication more easily touches people than language performance. So weather you send or receive messages, you should notice the power and effect of nonverbal expression. The aspect of organizational organization 1. Speech with confidence Speech is a quite fundamental and common part of OC. For most people, talking is considered as a normal activity, yet speech often make individuals nervous and overwhelmed. However, we often could be asked for speech in formal occasions, even though just several sentences. When we make a speech in a formal occasion, we should keep our speech tempo slow enough and volume loud enough to make ourselves heard by everyone. Meanwhile, we should realize that appropriate words, image and posture are helpful for people understanding (HRoot, 2010). 2. Organize effective conference Conference as one kind of formal communication is indispensable part of OC. The elaborate plan and explicit theme are the primary guarantee to accomplish the goal of meeting. Moreover, when you chair a meeting, you should notice weather the atmosphere is accustomed to listening or communicating, thereby mastering initiative in the activity of communication. Conclusion American famous futurist (1999), John Naisbitt, said â€Å"The competition of future is the competition of management. The focus of management competition lies in the effective communication among the staff of each social organization and the organizations themselves. This sentence simply and accurately points out the essentials and significance of IC and OC for enterprise management. From the above discussion about communication theories, we could see that communication has been an effective tool for modern management. Only through effective IC, the ideas and suggestion from employees could be taken seriously; only by effective OC could the performance of organizational members be appraised a nd recognized. In one organization, whether IC or OC is all to share and utilize resources better, consequently maintain the sustainable development. Reference Homans, G. C. (2002). â€Å"Introducing Communication Theory†. American Journal of Sociology 63 (6): 597–606. Retrieved February 20 , 2010 from Academic Search Premier EBSCO database. Communication Theories. (2010, December 19). In MBAlib, The MBA Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 20, 2011, from http://wiki. mbalib. com/wiki/%E6%B2%9F%E9%80%9A Organization Communication. (2011, January 22). In Baidu, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 20, 2011, from http://www. baidu. com/FORUM_POST_900001_900005_858561_0. HTM Interpersonal Communication. 2011, February 16). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 22, 2011, from http://en. wikipedia. org/w/index. php? title=Interpersonal_communication&oldid=414279842 Communication. (2010). In Scientology Volunteer Ministers: Online Training. Retrieved February 22, 2011, from http://www. volunteerministers. org/solutions/communication. html? source=gaw&gclid=CNbK_tjlu6YCFQJvbAodOlWgHw Shiwei Yu. (2006). †Commu nication skills in modern enterprises † in Huacheng Wang, Introduction of Enterprises Management (b), Higher Education Press. Retrieve February 24,2011, from Science Direct database. Charles, S. W. (1998). â€Å"Stumbling Toward Identity: The Emergence of Organizational Communication as a Field of Study† in McPhee and Tompkins, Organizational Communication: Traditional Themes and New Directions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Retrieved February 28, 2011 from EBSCO Host database. Communication Case Study, In Tangguokuaixun, Retrieved March 1, 2011, from http://info. tjkx. com/news/00001346EB/2004-10-21/03984BC948. html The problems of Organizational Communication. (2010, March 31). In MBAlib, The MBA Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 4, 2011, from http://wiki. mbalib. com/wiki/%E7%BB%84%E7%BB%87%E6%B2%9F%E9%80%9 Tracey, W. R. (2006), â€Å"The management of Human Resource† ,In William R. Tracey, The key skills(4th). Retrieved March 4, 2011, from EBSCO Host database. Management communication. (2010). In HRoot, The free website. Retrieved March 4, 2011, from http://www. hroot. com/contents/4/120726. html Naisbitt,J. (1999). Communication Theories: Perspectives, processes, and contexts, 9th edition. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth. Retrieved February 22, 2011, from EBSCO Host database.