Monday, May 18, 2020

Matrix impact and implementation plan - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 2855 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Essay any type Did you like this example? Instructions Begin by copying and pasting the solutions you generated for Enerstasis Task 4 Exercise into the first column of the Impact Matrix. Add as many rows to the matrix as needed to include all of your solutions. You may find that some solutions overlap; combine or modify them as needed and describe the changes you made in your Footnotes/Explanation. If you eliminate any solutions, cross them out using the strike-through function (on the menu bar, select Format and then Fonts to find this feature). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Matrix impact and implementation plan" essay for you Create order Do not completely delete any of these solutions. Just make sure to explain your reason for striking through/crossing them out in the footnotes. Continue by copying and pasting the causes you came up with into the first row of the matrix (so that each one will head its own column). Add as many columns to the matrix as needed to include all your causes. Complete the matrix by putting an X in each box where implementing the solution would substantially affect the cause. Some solutions will only affect one cause, whereas others will have far-reaching effects. Cross out specific solutions if they are impractical, if they would cause more problems than they would solve, if you combine them with others, or if they are unnecessary (e.g., all the effects they would have are already addressed by other solutions). In the last column of the matrix, number the solutions in the order of the extent of their impact. This should be determined by the number of causes they would resolve and th eir likely negative consequences. After completing the matrix, document any notes or explanations for the ordering in Footnotes/Explanations. To complete part 2, develop your plan to implement solutions. Consider the impact of the solutions, and then, think about the difficulty of implementing the solutions and any interdependencies among solutions (i.e., do some steps need to come before others?). Order the solutions from first to last, based on these factors. You can implement more than one solution at the same time, but not more than three. Describe your implementation plan in paragraph form in part 2 of this template. This should include your suggested steps, their order, and any concerns or points to consider for implementation. Part 1: Impact Matrix Note: If you cross out solutions or causes because they have been adequately addressed by another solution, or because they are impractical or would do more harm than good, cross out the text (use the strike-through function) or change the font color. Add a footnote (bottom of matrix) indicating why you have eliminated them. Cause 1 Cause 2 Cause 3 Cause 4 Cause 5 Cause 6 Cause 7 Cause 8 Cause 9 Cause 10 Cause 11 Degree of Impact List your causes across this row The production line is not set up to handle custom orders Li doesnt order parts on a timely basis Policy (no custom orders) is not enforced Incentives in Sales Department are flawed Combined with # 11 Poor Customer service HR-Leadership Development Siloed departments and poor interdepartmental communication HR policy on Promotion Combined with cause 11 HR policy on Orientating HR policy Recruitment/Selection HR policy Management skills/and incentives List your solutions down this numbered column 1 Assess equipment functionality for tracking units completed x x 3 2 Modify equipment for maximum productivity x 3 Review the last 30 customized orders to see if there is a pattern x x x 2 Develop a menu of standardized customization elements x x x 2 5 Process them in runs of 1000 on a weekly basis to generate surplus parts x x 5 6 Develop an improved calendar to determine when units will be completed to provide better feedback to sales department x x x x 3 7 Prior to beginning production identify, type, quantity of parts needed for that shifts production using an inventory system x x 2 8 Budget in inventory time as part of a check -out list for end of day work so that additional parts can be ordered x x 2 9 Develop a daily dashboard so that staff can assess their progress at completing units x x x x X x 4 10 Incentivize production workers when units are completed timely X X X x X x 2 11 Establish a post-production meeting between engineering and production to discuss defects and to provide feedback to engineering using minutes as a measure and implementation of changes in the menus of customization x x x 4 12 Develop the role of a supply leader whose responsibility is to order supplies and complete inventory tracking x x x x x 5 13 No customization policy Throw that policy out Its stupid and not customer friendly x x x 4 14 Set up focus groups with the oldest (most frequently renewed contract) and biggest (generates largest volume of work) Find out what they want and what is the menu of customized items x X x 3 15 Develop an interview process with those customers who have chosen not to renew their contracts and have gone to competitors and find out if customization was involved x 1 16 Incorporate the above information from (15) into the customer service focus group x x 1 17 Provide feedback to staff on results of focus study x x 2 18 Change incentive program in sales department to include contract renewal, retention statistics, timely delivery, customer satisfaction, x x 2 19. Develop a customer service rating which allowed customers evaluate customers on a 1 -5 scale and provide incentives on all 5 customer service experience x 3 20.Interview a sampling of current customers using new tool x 2 21 Interview a sampling of customers who have chosen to not renew their contract to find out why and what the competition offered and if customization was an influence x x 22 Develop an incentive for production line staff for every unit completed shipped and received in a timely manner to share in division wide incentive x x x 2 23 After collating interviews; provide feedback to department x x 24 Develop a training program for sales staff to meet customer needs re customization options x x x x 3 25 Develop a values -based evaluation program to adequately reflect the values of Enterstasis wants to provide to its customers and to employees, stockholders, others X x 3 26 Management training class on change management, x x 1 27 Executive training re diversity t raining, motivational leadership, change management x x 3 28. As part of the HR program -invest in manager training, selection and support 29. These values can drive everyday manager interactions These values need to be en-cultured into staff x 2 30 Managers need to help employees align their activities with the companys values by using the values to anchor and give meaning to work tasks X x x 2 31In HR education cited above include cultural diversity x x x x x 2 32In HR education include conflict resolution and a policy perhaps on what to do x X x x 1 33 HR education how to inspire excellence x 3 34 Set direction and guidelines for the Division x X x x 3 35 Develop goals for department that also reflect values x X x 4 36 Have routine staff meetings and communicate these goals x X x 1 37 Involve staff in developing goals for division x X x 4 38 Ron Turner needs to go to Malaysia and see things for himself. His background is manufacturing so he should give his perspective to Reuben King x 3 39 Henry Ron need to develop an improved relationship with Reuben King to understand the personnel issues in Malaysia x 3 40 As part of the reworking the customer service program, and perhaps prod/eng processes as well develop criteria for prioritizing orders x x X x 3 41 Quality Control is key when it comes to ensuring customizations, and customers are being taken care of properly x x X x 1 42 HR Evaluate and develop policy to regarding hiring friends for administrative level X X x X x x 2 43 Cultural diversity training for all management positions should be required will help break up the cultural conflicts ensuing the organization x x x x x x 2 44Departments need to be re-organized to all cross functional teams like engin eering/production and put in tune with the overall goals of the organization in order to work in an efficient manner x x 2 45 Promotions should be based on qualifiers of meeting and exceeding job expectations without requiring supervisor approval x x x x 4 46 Meet with a representative of the Malaysian government -discuss your dilemma and ask for suggestions on how to recruit highly qualified Malaysian x 1 47 Aggressively market at arenas where skilled Malaysians may be i.e. university. x x 1 48 Depending on skill sets of qualified Malaysian candidates offer internships in areas of study x x x 4 49 Offer scholarships or loan forgiveness to attract Malaysian candidates x x 1 50 Do a HR training on how the personality profiles each employee interact w/ one another x x x 1 51 Have a Malaysian national at Chicago office x x 2 52 Potlucks, parties featuring Malaysian food to be served in Chicago 53 American food and traditions served in Malaysia Develop social activities that embrace cultural differences between USA Malaysia x 1 54 Offer alternate work week in Malaysia to allow devout Muslims to attend mosque on Friday or allow prayers x 1 55 Communicate in Chicago that the work week is different so that there is a different level of expectation in terms of business communication x x 1 56 Address cultural diversity in code of Conduct and have zero tolerance for prejudice x x 1 57 HR training on customer service x x x x x 1 Footnotes/Explanation: We have color-coded our interventions into 4 major groups yellow for customers, violet for operations, gold for employees and green for governmental compliance. Our vision is that Mr. Lefler would actually develop team around the colors to carry out these plans. #s 1-6 are all solutions derived from cause 1 #s 3-4 solutions are both due to the c auses of 1, 3, and 7. #s 7-11 are solutions originally derived from cause 2, which has also been affected by a few other causes according to the matrix above. #s 13-17 are solutions which have originated from cause 3, but can also highly affect cause 5 with being able to control the issue of poor customer service. #s 18-22 are solutions which have stemmed from cause 4 on the, but have also been affected by cause 5. #s 23-24 are solutions used to solve the issues with cause 5, however after further review these two solutions could also help with cause 6 and 11. #s 25-41 are all solutions for cause 6; however 26 and 27 are detachments for solution 28-39 which are all people causes affecting Enerstasis. In order to better break down the issues the solutions need to be able to pinpoint exact causes hence the various detachments. #s 32, 34-37 are solutions for causes 6, 7, and 11. #s 42-44 is the solutions for cause 7 Cause 8 and cause 4 can be enveloped with caus e 11 thus creating an umbrella effect on the HR section in order to ensure all polices are being acknowledged by the HR management with the best interest of the organization in mind when setting division goals. #s 45 and 49 are solutions which tie into cause 9, while 46-48, and 50-57 all tie into cause 10 and 11. It is cause 11 which has developed the most solutions to changing the current culture at Enerstasis. Once the people/leadership is changed within the organization with the solutions listed above then the rest will follow. The management issues tend to affect everything issue addressed above, and without good leadership being the foundation of this organization everything else will come crashing down. Part 2: Implementation Plan To begin changing the culture, one must fist assess how ready the culture is ready to change. Resistance to change can be overcome when leaders are able to communicate why the change is necessary. Leaders need to clearly communicate h ow the changes will benefit the employees and the company. Leaders need to also communicate the goals and the direction of the department. An essential element of change management is overcoming resistance to the change. During this pre-implementation phase leadership needs to develop the informal networks and help convert them to support the initiatives Administration has envisioned. This informal leadership is essential to the effectiveness of the culture change. In Competing by Design, Nadler discusses the influence of Power: Problem : Power that the best practices involve managing political dynamics which entails getting support of the key power groups which is the informal organizations. Developing strong relations within the informal organizations which will build in stability. This is crucial as the most difficult element is to maintain stability in the midst of great change. It was unclear from the materials provided whether or not there is a Human Resource Director or a functional HR department This role is mission critical as many of the interventions stem out of training and changes in HR policy. This is another critical step that needs to be accomplished prior to beginning the implementation plan. Another individual that is essential prior to implementation is the appointment of a project co-coordinator. This person would report directly to Henry during this project implementation. We recommend that this person be someone from within the organization presently to assist with the informal organization. Being an insider will help overcome some of the inertia found as a result of any change management. Executive training needs to occur first in order to help lead the charge. Executives need to have the tools to bring about the necessary culture change Developing core values in conjunction with staff is going to be necessary to sustain long-term change. Once leadership has the tools they need to create change, the first changes need to be intentional so as to demonstrate concern for staff during tumultuous times. Staff needs to be convinced that these changes are to their benefit, so changes that have little cost such as changing work hours in Malaysia to allow people to go to Mosque, or shifting work week are the types of changes that put employees quality of life first. Also changing the HR promotion policy is another easy win. Increasing staff engagement is going to be essential in order to develop loyalty while change begins The executive team needs to have quick wins such as number 3 above and then develop the infrastructure for long-term sustained change. Once staff is engaged, begin to look at customer engagement, and identify what are the easy wins for customers and that may begin with customer survey. It has been said that administration can only focus on 3 things simultaneously James Pappas So the focus I would use would be employee engagement, customer engagement, and production improvement To identify which element s are related to employee engagement, customer engagement and production improvement we color coded the elements. Production improvement is a violet, Customer engagement is yellow and employee engagement is orange. Governmental compliance and is pervasive through all interventions and we highlighted it green to identify the elements effected by external culture. We recommend developing 3 teams with an oversight or steering committee. The oversight or steering committee is responsible for primary meeting all governmental constraints and to ensure that the teams are moving forward. Additionally, these teams need to appoint a team leader, who will own this process for the long haul No just for the implementation phase but to ensure that these tasks do not break down after the consultant leaves the project. Each team must have representative from both the Malaysia and Chicago office Each team needs to complete their own assessment and identify what they will need in terms of people, supplies and resources (space, time) In particular each team needs to identify what are the pitfalls or unintended consequences to the change. Once these teams have been established, review all of the metrics described in Task 2 and make sure everyone understands metrics and definitions Once there is agreement around the metrics, developing the dashboard or how these metrics will be displayed is essential to keeping all of the groups honest and focused. All teams need to follow the pattern of PDCA which is plan, do, check, and act. Doing small tests of change gives the team the ability to test out the ideas and modify them as necessary All teams should have timelines and report to steering committee monthly till all implementation items are completed The timeline of a year is reasonable for completion of the entire project with reports to the steering committee occurring monthly for the 1st Quarter and then quarterly and then an annual review. The project co-coordinator besides making sure that each team is functioning well and completing tasks must also help develop the transition plan from project to something that is absorbed into the culture. The danger is that if these changes are seen as a phase they will not have the staying power that is required and the company will quickly within 5 years be back to the present situation. Sources: Gallup Great Manager training Class Posts Dr. James Pappas, VP of Quality Patient Safety Reliability at Loma Linda University Medical Center Organizational Assessment Perspectives on the measurement of Organizational Behavior and the Quality of Work Life by Edward Lawler III, David Nadler, Cortland Cammann, John Wiley Sons, NY p495 -605 The Turnaround Managers Handbook, by Richard S. Sloma, The Free Press- Division of Macmillian, p42 203 Competing by Design., by Nadler, David A. and Michael L. New York: Oxford, 1997. Print. P 183, 186, 187, 195, 201

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Prevalence Of Eating Disorders - 1051 Words

Though eating disorders are inextricably linked to genetics, the environment also largely determines them. Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and most recently Binge eating are three central types of eating disorders cited in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Eating Disorders (DSM-5, 2015). The prevalence of eating disorders is fundamentally a result of Western cultures construction of thinness as an ideal form of beauty. Eating disorders are often discounted as a myth of white privilege. Those in developing countries suffer from malnourishment; so the notion that people willingly restrict their diet is inconceivable to them. However, developing an eating disorder is simply one way of dealing with an issue (actually avoiding) that may†¦show more content†¦With the right support and guidance, each of us encompasses the power to restore positive self-schemas. Although a small percentage of the population are cited as having had an eating disorder, majority of the population has been perplexed with their body image. Our aspiration to be perfect is exploited to sell products and reap profits in the commercial industry. For example, infomercials on cosmetic surgery encourage men and women at a high price to engage in dangerous weight loss practices to receive immediate results. These include liposuction, tummy tucks, or extreme muscle enhancements advertisements. Here, marketers seek to exploit your insecurities and provide you with solutions (at a steep price). The cost is not only financial, but a deathly one. For instance, clients with Anorexia Nervosa starve themselves until they are skin and bones and those with Bulimia Nervosa purge and vomit to compensate. If binge eating behaviours are common among adolescents, how do psychologists distinguish between a person who indulges and one with a clinical disorder? For instance, those who engage in four to seven episodes of inappropriate compensatory behaviours perk week would be diagnosed with a moderate form of binge eating disorder (3, 2015). I consider myself someone who binge eats a few times a month, but I don’t believe I fit into the mild quota either. I typically binge eat when I am feeling

South Korea s 1998 Sunshine Policy - 1785 Words

South Korea’s 1998 â€Å"Sunshine Policy† was intended to alleviate historical strain and improve political communication with North Korea. By encouraging collaboration and providing economic support, South Korean President Kim Dae Jung hoped to rebuild broken connections with North Korea with the end goal of peaceful co-existence. In response to this new foreign policy and prospect of reunification, many South Korean directors took matters into their own hands and started to experiment with films that featured both North and South Korean characters. Two such directors were Kang Je-gyu and Park Chan-wook, who both used military films to express their opinions on joint North and South Korea relations. Since the two countries have historically been separate, the interesting challenge that Directors Je-gyu and Chan-wook had to face was how to incorporate both parties using filmic aspects of misà ©-en-scene. For example, should both characters appear in the same shots and frames? Should the South Korean characters get more screen time than their North Korean counterparts? In order to address this challenge, the directors had to consider the three manifestations of space: liminality, interstitiality, and marginality. In his Betwixt and Between: The Liminal Period in Rites de Passage, Victor Turner, the father of interpretive anthropology, loosely defines these terms in the context of two separate communities. A ‘liminal individual’ does not occupy a space in either community, anShow MoreRelatedTension on the Korean Peninsula – South Korean Policy Towards North Korea3457 Words   |  14 Pages North Korea, formally known as the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a relic of the Cold War and the world’s last remaining totalitarian Stalinist dictatorship. 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Night World The Chosen Chapter 12 Free Essays

The voice was shrill, almost hysterical. Unbalanced, Rashel thought dazedly, looking around. The sound of her secret being yelled out loud stunned her. We will write a custom essay sample on Night World : The Chosen Chapter 12 or any similar topic only for you Order Now But just for an instant. The next moment she was moving swiftly between the rows of girls, looking for†¦ â€Å"Nyala!† â€Å"I know why you’re here!† Nyala sat up tensely. She looked just as she had when Rashel had seen her last, cocoa skin, queenly head, wide haunted eyes. She was even dressed in the same dark clothes she’d been wearing the night they caught Quinn. â€Å"You’re here because you were in on it all along! You pretend to be a vampire hunter-â€Å" â€Å"Shut up!† Rashel said desperately. Nyala was shouting loud enough to be heard on the other side of the door. She knelt on Nyala’s bed. â€Å"I’m not pretending, Nyala.† â€Å"Then how come you’re free and we’re all chained up? You’re on their side! You call yourself the Cat-â€Å" Rashel clamped a hand over her mouth. â€Å"Listen to me,† she hissed. Her heart was pounding. All the girls around her were staring and she expected to hear the cellar door open at any moment. â€Å"Nyala, listen. I know you don’t like me or trust me-but you’ve got to stop yelling that. We may only have one chance to get out of here.† Nyala’s chest was heaving. Her eyes, the color of dark plums, stared into Rashel’s. â€Å"I am a vampire hunter,† Rashel whispered, willing Nyala to believe it. â€Å"I made a mistake letting that vampire go that night†¦ I admit it. But I’ve been trying ever since to put things right. I got captured on purpose so I could find out what was going on here-and now I’m going to try to get all these girls free.† She spoke slowly and distinctly, hoping Nyala could sense the truth of her words. â€Å"But, Nyala, if the Night People find out I’m a vampire hunter-much less the Cat-they are going to take me out and kill me right this minute. And then I don’t think the rest of you have a chance.† She stopped to breathe. â€Å"I know it’s hard to trust me. But please, please try. Do you think you can do that?† A long pause. Nyala’s eyes searched hers. Then, at last, Nyala nodded. Rashel took her hand off Nyala’s mouth. She sat back on the bed and they stared at each other. â€Å"Thank you,† Rashel said. â€Å"I’m going to need your help.† Then she shook her head. â€Å"But how did you get here? How did you find the club?† â€Å"I didn’t find any club. I went back to that street with the warehouses on Wednesday. I thought maybe the vampire might come back. And then-somebody grabbed me from behind.† â€Å"Oh, Nyala.† Wednesday night, Rashel thought. The night Daphne saw Ivan carry in a new girl and put her on a cot. That girl was Nyala. Rashel put a hand to her head. â€Å"Nyala-I almost saved you. I was there the next night-when Daphne fell out of the truck. Do you remember that? If I had only known†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Nyala wasn’t listening. â€Å"Then there was this whisper in my mind, telling me to sleep. And I couldn’t move-I couldn’t move my arms or my legs. But I wasn’t asleep. And then he carried me into a warehouse and he bit me.† Her voice was detached, almost pleasant. But her eyes froze Rashel in place. â€Å"He bit me in the neck and I knew I was going to die, just like my sister. I could feel the blood coming out. I wanted to scream but I couldn’t move. I couldn’t do anything.† She smiled oddly at Rashel. â€Å"I’ll tell you a secret. It’s still there, the bite. You can’t see it, but it’s still there.† She turned her head to show a smooth unblemished neck. â€Å"Oh, God, Nyala.† Rashel had felt awkward trying to make gestures of comfort with Daphne, but now she didn’t think. She just grabbed Nyala and hugged her hard. â€Å"Listen to me,† she said fiercely. â€Å"I know how you feel. I mean-no, I don’t know, because it hasn’t happened to me. But I’m sorry. And I know how you felt when you lost your sister.† She leaned back and looked at Nyala, almost shaking her. â€Å"But we have to keep fighting. That’s what’s important right now. We can’t let them win. Right?† â€Å"Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Nyala looked slowly around her bed, then up at Rashel. â€Å"Yes, that’s right.† Her eyes seemed to sharpen and focus. â€Å"I’m making a plan to get out of here. And you have to stay calm and help me.† â€Å"Yes.† Nyala sounded more definite this time. Then she smiled almost serenely and whispered, â€Å"And we’ll get our revenge.† â€Å"Yeah.† Rashel pressed her hand. â€Å"Somehow, we will. I promise you.† She walked back to her cot feeling eyes on her, although nobody asked any questions. Her own eyes were stinging. What had happened to Nyala was her fault. The girl had already been on the edge, and because of Rashel, she’d gotten herself caught and attacked by a vampire. And now†¦ Now Rashel was worried about Nyala’s sanity, even if they did manage to get off the island. She’s right about one thing, though, Rashel thought. Revenge. It’s the only way to wipe out the things that have been done to these girls. The fire in her chest was back-as if there were coals where her throat and heart ought to be. She let it harden her and burn away any stray thoughts of mercy for Quinn. Strange how she kept having thoughts of him, long after she’d made the resolution to kill him. â€Å"Is she okay?† Daphne said worriedly. â€Å"I remember her from the warehouse.† â€Å"I know.† Rashel took the lockpick and sat on Daphne’s cot. She began to work at Daphne’s shackles. â€Å"I don’t know if she’s okay. The vampires haven’t been living in harmony with her.† She glanced bitterly at Fayth, who just looked back gravely and steadily. â€Å"Nobody thinks all the Night People are good,† Fayth said. â€Å"Or all the humans. We don’t approve of violence. We want to stop it all.† â€Å"Well, sometimes it takes violence to stop violence,† Rashel said shortly. Fayth didn’t answer. â€Å"But why was she calling you a cat?† Daphne asked. Rashel could feel Fayth’s gaze on her. â€Å"The Cat. It’s the name of a vampire hunter, one who’s killed a lot of vampires.† Daphne’s dark blue eyes widened slightly. â€Å"Is it you?† Rashel sprung a lock. Somehow, with these two girls staring at her, she didn’t feel quite so brash as she had a moment ago. She didn’t feel terribly proud of being the Cat. Without looking up, she said, â€Å"Yes.† Then she glanced behind her at Fayth. Fayth said nothing. â€Å"There’s going to be more killing before this is all done,† Rashel said. â€Å"And I can’t think of anybody who deserves it more than the vampires who brought us here. So you let me take care of that, and we won’t argue about it. All right?† She sprung the other lock on Daphne’s shackles. Daphne immediately stretched her legs luxuriously, then swung them to the floor. Fayth just nodded slowly. â€Å"All right, then. Listen. The first thing we’ve got to do is get these girls organized.† Rashel moved to work on Fayth’s chains. â€Å"You’re both good talkers. I want the two of you to go around and talk to them individually. I want to know who’s going to be able to help us and who’s still under mind control. I want to know who’s going to be a problem. And I especially want to know who has any experience with boats.† â€Å"Boats?† Fayth said. â€Å"No place on this island is safe. We have to get off. There are four boats in the harbor right now- if we can just find somebody to handle them.† She looked from Daphne to Fayth. â€Å"I want you to bring me back at least two sensible girls who have some chance of not sinking a powerboat. Got it?† Daphne and Fayth glanced at each other. They nodded. â€Å"Right, boss,† Daphne murmured, and they started off. Rashel sat, weighing a chain in her hand and thinking. There was no need to tell Daphne-yet-that she didn’t plan to ship out with the boats. Half an hour later Daphne and Fayth stood before her beaming. At least Daphne was beaming; Fayth was wearing that grave smile that was starting to drive Rashel crazy. â€Å"Allow me to introduce Annelise,† Daphne said, leading Rashel to a cot. â€Å"Originally a native of Denmark. She’s done the race circuit in Antigua-whatever that means. Anyway, she says she can handle a boat.† The girl in the cot was one of the oldest there, eighteen or nineteen. She was blond, long-legged, and built like a Valkyrie. Rashel liked her at once. â€Å"And this is Keiko over here,† Fayth said in her simple way. â€Å"She’s young, but she says she grew up around boats.† This one Rashel wasn’t so sure about. She was tiny, with hair like black silk and a rosette mouth. She looked like a collector’s doll. â€Å"How old are you?† â€Å"Thirteen,† Keiko said softly. â€Å"But I was born on Nantucket. My parents have a Ciera Sunbridge. I think I can do what you’re asking-it’s just the navigation that worries me.† â€Å"There isn’t anybody else,† Daphne stage-whispered in Rashel’s ear. â€Å"So my advice is we trust the kid.† â€Å"I think the navigation will be straight west,† Rashel said. She smiled reassuringly at Keiko. â€Å"Anyway, even the open ocean will be safer than here.† She gestured to Daphne and Fayth to come back to their corner. â€Å"Okay. Good job. You’re right about trusting the kid; I don’t think we have any other choice. We definitely need two boats for all these girls. What else did you find out?† â€Å"Well, the ones that are still under mind control are the ones that came with us,† Daphne said. â€Å"Juanita and Missy. And the one that might cause trouble is your buddy Nyala. She’s not completely hinged, if you know what I mean.† Rashel nodded. â€Å"The mind control may be a problem-how long did it take to wear off the others, Fayth?† â€Å"A day or so after they came in. But that’s not the only problem, Rashel. Annelise and Keiko think they can handle the boats-but not tonight. Not until tomorrow.† â€Å"We can’t wait until tomorrow,† Rashel said impatiently. â€Å"That’s cutting it way too fine.† â€Å"I don’t think we have a choice. Rashel, all these girls are tranquilized. Drugged.† Rashel blinked. â€Å"How-?† She shut her eyes. â€Å"Oh.† â€Å"The food,† Fayth said, as Rashel nodded in resignation. â€Å"I realized right off that there was something in it. I think most of the girls know-and they’d rather be tranquilized than think about what’s happening to them.† Rashel rubbed her forehead wearily. No wonder the girls hadn’t asked her any questions. No wonder they weren’t all screaming their heads off. They were doped to the gills. â€Å"From now on we’ve got to keep them from eating,† she said. â€Å"They need clear heads if we’re going to escape.† She looked at Fayth. â€Å"Okay. We wait. But that’s going to make everything more dangerous. How often do they bring food in here?† â€Å"Twice a day. Late morning and around eight at night. And then they take us to the bathroom two by two.† â€Å"Who does it?† â€Å"Rudi. Sometimes he has another werewolf with him.† Daphne bit her lip anxiously. â€Å"Are we equipped for werewolves?† Rashel smiled. Holding her knife, she pulled the decorative knob at the end of the sheath. It came off, revealing a metal blade. She reversed the knob and stuck it in the end of the sheath, so the blade stuck out like a bayonet. The hard wooden sheath itself was now a weapon. â€Å"The blade is silver-coated steel,† she said in satisfaction. â€Å"We are equipped for werewolves.† â€Å"You see?† Daphne said to Fayth. â€Å"This girl thinks of everything.† Rashel put the knife away. â€Å"All right. Let’s talk to everybody again. I want to explain my plan. When we do this tomorrow night, it’s going to take cooperation and precision.† And, she thought, a lot of luck. â€Å"Chow time!† Rudi walked between the rows of cots, tossing packages from a plastic bag to either side of him. He looked, Rashel thought, exactly like a trainer throwing herring to seals. She scanned the aisle behind him. No other werewolf at the door. Good. It had been a long night and a longer day. The girls were dizzy from lack of food, keyed up, and getting more tense with each untranquilized hour. A couple of them couldn’t seem to shake their first impression of Rashel-which had come from Nya-la’s yelling. â€Å"Eat up, girlies. Got to keep up your strength.† A slightly warm foil package hit Rashel’s lap, another hit the mattress. Same thing as brunch-hot dogs of the kind you get at a convenience store. Smeared with mustard and drugs. The girls had been surviving on the grapefruit juice he’d poured for them. As Rudi turned to throw a package to Juanita, Rashel rose smoothly from her cot. In one motion she leaped and came down right on target. â€Å"Don’t make a sound,† she said in Rudi’s ear. â€Å"And don’t even think about changing.† She had his arm twisted behind his back and the silver knife to his throat. Rudi didn’t seem to know how he’d gotten there. There were hot dogs all over the floor. â€Å"Now,† Rashel said. â€Å"Let’s talk about jujitsu. This is what you call a proper hold. Resistance to it will cause serious pain and quite possibly a fractured joint. Are you getting this, Rudi?† Rudi wiggled a little and Rashel exerted pressure upward on his knuckles. Rudi yelped and danced on his toes. â€Å"Hush! What I want to know is, where is the other werewolf?† â€Å"Guarding the dock.† â€Å"Who else is on the dock?† â€Å"I-nobody.† â€Å"Is there anybody on the stairs or in the kitchen? Don’t lie to me, Rudi, or I’ll get annoyed.† â€Å"No. They’re all in the gathering room.† Rashel nodded at Daphne. Daphne jumped out of her bed. â€Å"Remember-quick and quiet everybody,† she said, like a cheerleader who’d been promoted to drill sergeant. Rashel felt Rudi boggle as every girl in the room kicked off her covers and stood up free. â€Å"What the-what the-â€Å" â€Å"Now, Rudi.† Keeping his elbow trapped against her, Rashel exerted pressure again, moving him easily in the direction she wanted. â€Å"You go first. You’re going to unlock the top door for us.† â€Å"Annelise and Keiko in front,† Daphne said. â€Å"Missy right here. Let’s go.† â€Å"I can’t unlock it. I can’t. They’ll kill me,† Rudi muttered, as Rashel moved him up the stairs. â€Å"Rudi, look at these young women.† Rashel swung him around so he had a good view of the prisoners behind him. They stood in one tense, dear-eyed, lightly breathing mass. â€Å"Rudi, if you don’t unlock that door, I am going to tie you up and leave you alone with them†¦ and this silver knife. I promise, whatever the vampires do to you won’t be worse.† Rudi stared at the girls, who stared back at him. All ages, all sizes, united. â€Å"I’ll unlock the door.† â€Å"Good boy.† He fumbled getting the door open. When it was done, Rashel pushed him through first, looking tensely around. If there were vampires here, she had to change tactics fast. The kitchen was empty-and music was blasting from somewhere inside the house. Rashel gave a quick savage grin. It was a lucky break she wouldn’t have dared to pray for. The music might just save these girls’ lives. She pulled Rudi out of the way and nodded to Daphne. Daphne stood at the head of the stairs, silently waving the girls out. Fayth led the way with the Valkyrie Annelise and the tiny Keiko behind her. The other girls hurried past, and Rashel was proud of how quiet they were. â€Å"Now,† she whispered, pushing Rudi back into the stairwell. â€Å"One last question. Who’s throwing the bloodfeast?† Rudi shook his head. â€Å"Who hired you? Who bought the slaves? Who’s the client, Rudi?† â€Å"I don’t know! I’m telling you! Nobody knows who hired us. It was all done on the phone!† Rashel hesitated. She wanted to keep questioning him-but right now the important thing was to get the girls off the island. Daphne was still waiting in the kitchen, watching Rashel. Rashel looked at her and then helplessly at Rudi’s bushy brown head. She should kill him. It was the only smart thing to do, and it was what she’d planned to do. He was a conspirator in the plan to brutally murder twenty-four teenage girls-and he enjoyed it. But Daphne was watching. And Fayth would give her that look if she heard Rashel had done him in. Rashel let out her breath. â€Å"Sleep tight,† she said, and hit Rudi on the head with the hilt of her knife. He slumped unconscious and she shut the cellar door on him. She turned quickly to Daphne. â€Å"Let’s go.† Daphne almost skipped ahead of her. They went out the back door and picked up the hiking path. Rashel moved swiftly, loping across the beaten-down wild grass. She caught up to the string of girls. â€Å"That’s it, Missy,† she whispered. â€Å"Nice and quiet. Nyala, you’re limping; does your leg hurt? A little faster, everybody.† She made her way up to the front. â€Å"Okay, Annelise and Keiko. When we get there, I’ll take care of the guard. Then you know what to do.† â€Å"Find which boats we can handle. Destroy whatever we can on the others and set them adrift. Then each take half the girls and head west,† Annelise said. â€Å"Right. If you can’t make it to land, do your best and then call the Coast Guard.† â€Å"But not right away,† Keiko put in. â€Å"Lots of islanders use ship-to-shore radio instead of telephones. The vampires may be monitoring it.† Rashel squeezed her shoulder. â€Å"Smart girl. I knew you were right for the job. And remember, if you do call the Coast Guard, don’t give the right name of the boat and don’t mention this island.† It was perfectly possible that there were Night People in the Coast Guard. They were almost at the bottom of the cliff, and so far no alarms had sounded. Rashel scanned the moving group again, then became aware that Daphne was behind her. â€Å"Everything okay?† â€Å"So far,† Daphne said breathlessly. She added, â€Å"You’re good at this, you know. Encouraging them and all.† Rashel shook her head. â€Å"I’m just trying to keep them together until they’re not my problem anymore.† Daphne smiled. â€Å"I think that’s what I just said.† The wharf was below them, the boats bobbing quietly. The ocean was calm and glassy. Silver moonlight gave the scene a postcard look. Ye Olde Quaint Marina, Rashel thought. She loped to the front again. â€Å"Stay behind me all of you.† She added to Daphne, â€Å"I’ll show you what I’m good at.† A few feet of rocks and sand and she was on the wharf. Eyes on the shack, knife ready, she moved silently. She wanted to take care of the werewolf without noise, if possible. Then a dark shape came hustling out of the shack into the moonlight. It took one look at Rashel and threw back its head to howl. How to cite Night World : The Chosen Chapter 12, Essay examples

Pricing Strategy free essay sample

What a product or services is worth to the customer. 2. Pricing decision is usually viewed as a way to recover cost, but we need to take the customer into the account/ consideration. The price could be higher than customers are willing to pay for that product. 3. The major factors affecting price are: a. Marketing Strategy b. Customer perceived Value c. Competition d. Cost 4. Role of Marketing Strategy in Pricing a. Price should be consistent with the pricing strategy. . Target market decision affects price because prices can vary widely over segments c. First-degree price discrimination: Charging different prices to segments according to their price elasticity or sensitivity. d. Price Bands or Tiers: Price Variations within a category e. Reason for having the price Variance: i. Customers become loyal to certain products or suppliers and so they tend to rate price lower than other factors such as reliability and speed of delivery ii. We will write a custom essay sample on Pricing Strategy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Some industries the price visibility is low, that is the price charged is less transparent than it is at supermarkets or other retailers, where the price is marked on the item. iii. Competitive intensity can vary among segments. The larger the number of suppliers the narrower the price band because more competition implies greater convergence on a standard price iv. Some categories have large numbers of product Variants because many options are available or because the supplier wants to fill the channel and keep competitors from getting shelf space. . Perceived Value a. This is a measure of how much a customer is willing to pay for a product or service. b. Reservation Price: The most someone is willing to pay for a product (or the price at which the product is eliminated from the customer’s budget). Every customer, whether consumer or business, has a psychological concept of such a price c. Three possible Relationships among perceived value, Price and Costs i. Perceived valueg t; Pricegt; Cost. VALUE PRICING) 1. Set price is below what the customer would be willing to pay for the product. 2. Example: Mazda Miata, Introduced in 1990. BMW Z3 and Porsche Boxer. 3. Usually this happens because the manager doesn’t have enough information. ii. Pricegt;Perceived Valuegt;Cost 1. Manager set price higher than the target market is willing to pay 2. Bad deal for customer, unless company has monopoly, iii. Pricegt;Costgt;Perceived Value 1. Failure.