Critical Appriciation of the Two Minuets Hate in 1984

Write a critical appreciation of pages 16-18 â€Å"in its second†¦ uttering a prayer†. How does the two minutes hate contribute to your understanding of the nightmare world in which Winston lives? The two minutes hate is almost a celebration of a cult, a sort of gathering of religious fanatics to honour their ruler, Big Brother. Orwell uses it to show the expressions of anarchy amongst the ‘leaping and shouting' people and how this would be their only chance to express their human feelings in the nightmare society in which they are forced to live. Winston's dystopian world is displayed in Orwell's unsympathetic parody of the two minutes silence in commemoration of WWII and epitomises the ‘frenzy' of emotions, the terror and violent culture that Winston has to tolerate. His elaborate view of religious or political fanatics scrutinises these kinds of obsessions and demonstrates how it can over-power a person's life. Control is one of the main components of the two minutes hate. The people are helpless, they are ‘like that of a landed fish' in the robotic machine that is Big Brother. They cannot escape from ‘the voice' that ‘continued inexorably' and there is no escapism to be had in the ‘frenzy' of voices yelling at the screen. This reflects a nightmare that is inescapable until we awake. Winston longs to awaken in a society capable of love, without suffering, but it seems he knows that can never arise. The world for Winston is a steady destruction of all good virtues and basic human rights that they are so cruelly being denied, which is shown so clearly through this extract. Winston finds it ‘impossible to avoid joining in'. This reflects the lack of control he has in all elements of his nightmarish life. The sheer violence of the episode overwhelms Winston's mentality and creates an isolation of his mind to the rest of the ‘sheep' and is inescapable. He has the power to rebel, although he submits to a ‘hideous ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness, a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces in with a sledge hammer'. This juxtaposition of hideousness and ecstasy shows Winston's abhorrence is all towards the party and Big Brother instead of the loathed Goldstein. In Winston's conscious mind he changes into a ‘grimacing, screaming lunatic' and is capable of switching his hate ‘from one object to another'. These images are distinctive of a dystopian novel and relates to the time of obsession and paranoia that was experienced during World War II, when the novel was written. Winston's hate develops into an ‘inescapable' sexual lust for ‘the black haired girl'. He describes his desire to ‘flog her to death' and how it would be a ‘beautiful' sight. This contradiction is Winston's flicker of rebellion against the ‘sinister enchanter' that is Big Brother. This introduces the theme of love versus hate, which is explored throughout the rest of the novel. The pointlessness of the hate strikes Winston as we see Winston's weakness; he has a perplexed mind that cannot comprehend the point to the rage inflicted upon Goldstein. The fickleness of the Party members distresses Winston ‘the sandy haired woman shouting what sounded like â€Å"my Saviour†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ as he seems to realise the stupidity of the ‘frenzy'. Orwell contradicts the whole of the Party's endeavour to create a ‘perfect' world and stamp out all feelings, as ‘his heart went out to the lonely, derided, heretic on the screen'. Winston is conveying how he is himself a ‘heretic' and rebelling against the beloved Big Brother which we see later in the novel also as Winston recognizes his rebellious potential. This shows his refusal of living ‘in a world of lies'. This ‘world' epitomises the depression of Winston's nightmare and the society he exists in and at this point, Winston becomes ‘at one with the people about him', his mind is distorted ‘and all that was said of Goldstein seemed to him to be true'. Winston's seemingly only flaw it that subconsciously he switches his thoughts from one side to another and it is only ‘the black haired girl' who lays bare his real personality and sets him straight. The two minutes hate represents Orwell's character and his novel as a whole as we see his hate for the outward expression of human feelings and his ultimate desire for control. We find his detestation of religious extremists on course throughout the novel, which replicates its dark and dystopian themes. He has channelled his hate in to his work and through what may indeed be a representation of the author himself, Winston's Character. Every element of hope is lost for Winston during the two minutes hate. This raises our understanding of an embodiment of a nightmare world that hopelessly celebrates a religious cult and its inescapable anarchy, which will ultimately have its revenge on Winston's mutinous mind.

Movie the Bucket List

The Bucket List is a movie all about two men who live their lives as if they are going to be gone tomorrow. It’s a movie about two men with cancer that share a hospital room from both having cancer. When finding out they do not have much longer to live, decide that they are going to pursue a bucket list that one of the men had made. The two men Edward and Carter are complete opposites. Carter is a mechanic that has been married for forty-five years and has two children. Edward has tons of money and has been divorced four times, with a daughter that no longer talks to him. He owns the hospital that the two men end up in with the motto he stands by â€Å"Two beds to a room, no exceptions. † This motto is what caused him ending up in a room with Carter which he did not like at all at first. The one thing that brings them together is knowing they have to live their lives up and do what they have always wanted to do before dying. They became best friends unexpectedly and did more in their last few months before dying then some people can say they have done in their entire lifetime. You should always live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow. Not in the sense that you should be miserable thinking your never going to be able to see the next day, but you should make your life the best it can be. This is what I have learned from The Bucket List, that you need to live each moment like it is your last. Some people never get the chance to find out when they will die and they do not always get to accomplish things in their life that they would like to do. However, some people would not like to know the date that they will no longer be around. Dieing is scary, and when you know when your going to, some people take it hard and instead of making the best of it, they get depressed and do nothing else with their life. This movie in a sense shows you need to make the best of it. Making a bucket list would be a good idea, so you know what you would like to get accomplished before you do â€Å"kick the bucket. † Making your life as joyful, fun and enjoyable as you can is important. The Bucket List was not made just to be about two men that are dying from cancer, but to set an example to live your life to its highest potential. Yes, the men do have cancer and are not going to live for years, but they get to accomplish what they would like to do. They go to Egypt, traveling the world, skydiving, race fast cars and eventually Edward meets up with his daughter again and granddaughter. Do not hold grudges with anyone, because you never know when something might happen and you do not have a chance to fix it. When you get a chance to do something fun, do it. Travel the country, see places and things you have never seen. Do not just lay around dying trying to comfort everyone around you when at the time you cannot even find it in you to comfort yourself. Cancer, of course is sad, painful and a tragic experience no one wants to have to deal with in their family. But the hidden meaning in the movie would be that even though you know your going to die, do not just lay around waiting for it to happen. You can still find it in yourself to have a little more fun. I do not believe I have found as much joy in my life as I would like. My childhood has been great and my family is more amazing than I would be able to ask for. However, I am only eighteen, I would like to get married, have children of my own, finish college, and travel the world. If I was to pass today, I would not think that my life would have been complete. There is still huge areas of my life that I would like to go through before I never get the chance to again. These two men make a great bucket list, one that has some things I would personally like to accomplish as well. My life has brought joy to my family, I know my parents were ecstatic when I was born, but I want to bring joy to my own family. My kids, my husband, hopefully even my grandchildren, will eventually be brought joy by myself. This is something I could only hope to have happen. The Bucket List, although is a sad movie, has its joyful and funny moments. It sets a life example to get out and do some exciting things with your life. And a deadline is the perfect way to get your butt out to do them.

Women of Different Eras

Shops was a woman of Ancient Greece that history sees as a mystery. Her life is a mystery because not much is known about her or her poems that she wrote because only bits and pieces are left of her works. During this period, women were not known to be well educated individuals like Shops, only men. Women were to be caretakers of the house and bear the man's children. Shops went â€Å"against the grain† and made a name for herself as a well-known lyric poetess, which means her poetry was made Into songs and played with a musical Instrument called a lyre.Furthermore, Shops poems were connected to emotions and feelings from her heart when she wrote. It did not matter If she wrote her poems to a woman or a man. Society took this and ran with her emotions and labeled Shops as a lesbian. Society is still the same then as it is now, speculating that a person is gay or lesbian because they only have â€Å"girlfriends†. It is still called stereotyping. It was not taken into con sideration that Shops was married and had a daughter. Also no evidence was presented to prove this allegation.On the other hand, Muralist did not have such a time being stereotyped because he was not labeled like Shops. Like Shops, Muralist was a mystery because her real name was not known. During the Hein Period, â€Å"real names of noblewomen were not usually known; Muralist Skibob was actually the author's nickname in court circles In The Tale of Genii† (Anta, 2008, Para. 7). Women of the Hein period also had a social position to uphold for the sake of family, something In Ancient Greece would not even been heard. A woman would not be seen outside the house or for that matter even give her point of view on a situation.Noblewomen from Japan and women from Ancient Greece had another difference in their time periods. Ancient Greece women did not have law that required them to have their face covered if they were not in the presence of their own family. The noblewomen were to be a mystery to the men they were to marry, even if it was an arranged marriage between the fathers of the families. In Ancient Greece the fathers also arranged their daughter's weddings to an ideal suitor. Another similarity that both eras have is polygamy for the men in their marriages. The men of Japan had many wives and their wives would live with her parents.In Ancient Greece the men also had many wives, but would ravel from house to house to be with the different wives. Mural was considered the first famous novelist In Japan. Like Shops she wrote with her heart her stories In her novel â€Å"The Tale of Cancel†. It took Mural several years to finish her masterpiece. An educated woman in Japan was believed to be studied and knew Japan prose which is a form of writing they were also more popular with the women of the courts than the men. Even though Shops and Muralist were from different time periods, both ladies were successful authors of poems and novels.

Undertake a review of the current literature to identify the key

Undertake a of the current to identify the key determinants of capital structure since the global financial crisis - Literature review Example Undertake a review of the current literature to identify the key determinants of capital structure since the global financial crisis It is duly considered to be an important aspect and every organisation is required to consider it in order to make sure that the operations are conducted in an efficient manner. Moreover, Miller (2003) signified that capital structure impose direct impact in the mission and also in the operations of an organisation. A proper assessment and maintenance of capital will eventually facilitate in managing the financial operations of an organisation effectively (Miller, 2003). With this concern, this paper intends to discuss about identifying the major determinants of the capital structure impacting business organisations since the worldwide financial crisis. Literature Review Capital Structure is an Important Facilitator for Financial Decisions According to Baker & Wurgler (2002), capital structure plays a decisive role in making effective financial decisions. The authors affirmed that management of business organisations utilise capital structure in making better exploitation of accessib le financial recourses. It also assists in having a proper assessment and estimating their shares in the business markets. Additionally, the management with the assistance of capital structure is capable to determine the quantity of leverage that it possesses in the marketplace and also in comparison with other organisations. (Mahmud & et. al., 2009; Baker & Wurgler, 2002). Baker & Martin (2011) noted that capital structure is an important instrument of making effective decisions in relation to various significant aspects that include dividend decisions, management decision making along with financial decisions among others. According to Baker & Martin (2011), three important theories of capital structure encompass the ‘market timing theory’, the ‘trade-off theory’ and the ‘pecking order theory’. In this regard, the ‘trade-off theory’ is a model on the basis of which tax benefits and liabilities are calculated to maintain a stable balance of financial considerations of business organisations. The ‘pecking order theory’ provides important and valuable information, aiding in identifying problems, so that the management of organisations can adopt appropriate measures to mitigate such problems. The ‘market timing theory’ is a model, which assists management of business organisations in ascertaining the appropriate time of issuing shares in the market. In this regard, Baker & Martin (2011) have also implied that management of business organisations with the assistance of these theories will be facilitated with the opportunity of making effective investment decisions and attaining superior competitive position (Baker & Martin, 2011; Laugi & Sorin, 2009). Determinants of Capital Structure since the Global Financial Crisis According to Bauer (2004), the capital structure of business organisations mainly comprise various vital factors such as size, tangibility, profitability, industry classif ication, tax and growth opportunity among others. It can be affirmed that these vital factors associated with the notion of capital structure impose considerable impact upon the financial transactions along with the operations of an organisation in an immerse manner. Additionally, the

Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Report - Assignment Example The four year court battle resulted into a hefty $1.5bn dollar penalty to the affected regulators in the US, UK and Switzerland. It is against this backdrop of failures by such financial institutions entrusted with this critical role that this report is compiled. The scope of this report is to try and quantify the effect of risk attitude on company performance indicators and the impact this may have on their perceived change of attitude (Shotter, 2012). To achieve this goal, Chief executive officers (CEOs) of large financial institutions in the City of London were asked to fill in a questionnaire aimed at assessing their attitude towards risks. The so called large financial institutions were those listed in The Financial Times as so, based on the size of their workforce. Data Primary data was collected from 100 CEOs where their responses on the questionnaire were scored out of 30 -one being the most conservative towards risks and 30 being the highest risk assessment. Baseline informa tion provided the secondary data for the same set of financial institutions, gathered from two articles published in 2007 and in 2009 that had measured the risks in these same institutions. Data on three additional variables was also collected in order to assess the volatility in performance of the companies. Table 1 summarizes the variables of interest for this analysis. Table 1: Variables description Variable Description RISKATT_AFTER CEOs questionnaire score RISKATT_BEFORE Baseline data from publications MAX_SHARE The maximum share price of the company in the last 30 days MIN_SHARE The minimum share price of the company in the last 30 days SD_SHARE The standard deviation of the share prices of the company in the last 30 days Objectives With this information, we sought to answer the following objectives: 1) To assess the change of CEOs attitude towards risk before and after the UBS bank scandal 2) To quantify the correlation (if any) between the companies’ risk attitudes an d their volatility. Methodology In seeking to meet the above set objectives, statistical analysis tools were applied. In particular SPSS statistical software version 20 was used for the analysis. Moreover, the nature of the data was taken into account in choosing the methodology to use. For instance, for the first objective, we wished to assess the difference in risk assessment before and after the UBS bank scandal. The data was collected from the same companies hence forming dependent pairs. For this objective therefore, an appropriate test was the paired t-test. For the second objective, an extra variable coded as the SHARE_RANGE was derived by getting the range in the company’s share price for the past 30 days. This was to be used as a predictor for a regression model. Scatter plot matrices as well as Pearson’s correlation estimates were obtained as a guide to assessing the linear relation between the variables of interest and where appropriate, linear regression mo dels were fit and the necessary diagnostics performed. Results Results of performing a paired t-test on the companies’ score on risk assessment before and after the UBS bank scandal are summarized in the following section. To begin with, a

Sex Addiction Among Teenagers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Sex Addiction Among Teenagers - Essay Example indicated that they had been sexually abused, and 72% said that they were physically abused as children3. Families with fixed and repressed attitudes about sex, or families mired and/or dissociated are susceptible to producing sex addicts. Often these addictions have a component in general, in which the addict is satisfying the frustrated or repressed sexual desires of a sexual abuser (during early childhood), of a parent or of another ancestor. Signs of Sexual Addiction As with any addiction or compulsive behavior like alcoholism or drug addiction, there are warning signs for sex addiction too. The following includes many of the warning signs that are visible in teenagers dealing with sexual addiction4: Frequently telling sexual jokes or making sexual comments or innuendos Engaging in sexual activity-especially with several partners Spending considerable time in activities that could lead to sexual activity such as cruising for potential partners or spending hours online in chat rooms trying to hook up with others Visiting pornographic websites or looking at pornographic magazines, books, or videos Neglecting obligations such as work, school, or family in pursuit of sexual activity Continuing to engage in illicit sexual behavior despite the negative consequences related to such activities Escalating the scope or frequency of sexual activity to achieve a desired effect, such as more frequent visits to Web sites or sex with more partners Frequently isolating themselves from parents and friends and not informing others of their whereabouts Getting angry if someone shows concern or questions them about sex or their use of pornography Feeling irritable when unable to engage...According to the fact sheet, Marketing Sex to Children6, released by Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood7, there is a massive bombardment of sexual content and messages upon children: Setting aside TV, movies, and music, which may be controlled to a large extent, one most important and probably the biggest source of sexual content, which lies uninhibited, is the Internet. It caters to teenagers' desires by providing endless information on sex as well as a constant supply of people willing to discuss sex. With their identities remaining unknown, teens find it safer to search for information on sex. Links to porn content comes to them automatically through porn spam on their e-mail inbox or by being compelled to click on a link to a porn site. These sites conjure up a highly twisted image of normal relationships before their immature minds. In fact, pornography is directly related to sexual abuse, rape, and sexual violence. Excessive exposure to "hard-core" pornography tends to desensitize teens to "soft" porn and taking recourse to highly compromising images of bondage, rape, sadomasochism, torture, group sex and violence. AGI, Teenage pregnancy: overall trends and state-by-state information, New York: AGI, 1999, Table 1; and Henshaw SK, U.S. Teenage pregnancy statistics with comparative statistics for women aged 20- 24, New York: AGI, 1999, p. 5.

Differences between bourbon, scotch, and whiskey Research Paper

Differences between bourbon, scotch, and whiskey - Research Paper Example With the increased popularity, there was major attention from the Scottish parliament which led to major taxes on malt and the end products by the 17th century. These taxes led to the distillers to go underground for their operations. Even so, the business was high. The name ‘Whisky’ has been derived from the word gaelic uisge (usky, which went on to be mispronounced as whisky) – meaning ‘water of life’ (Heart of Scotland). Scotch Whisky is renowned for the fact that they are made only in Scotland. Whisky that is made in Scotland alone have the patented right to be referred to as ‘Scotch’. Also, the Scotch Whiskies are single malt and these are known for the smoothness and the style of distillation. The development process of Scotch Whisky is labor oriented and generally involves a high level of craftsmanship for the development of the end product (Whiskey.com). Whiskey links back to the migration of Moors in Western Europe however Bourbon Whiskey is relatively a much more recent version of Whiskey. This originates from Pennsylvania and the key ingredient here is ‘rye’. The drink started using corn as the primary ingredient once the brewery was moved to Kentucky. This was the birth of bourbon. It is important to realize that all bourbons are whiskeys however not all whiskeys are bourbons (Denison). There are a number of different variations that are used for the production of Bourbon. Of these the most commonly sold in United States includes sixty to seventy percent corn mash. However in most of the processes a little rye is added as well, as it provides the distinct flavor and spice. One of the most well known brands across the world, i.e. Jack Daniels has always been confused with bourbon; however there is a vast difference in the ingredients and the development process . The main differences is owing to the fact that Jack D aniels is charcoal filtered and goes through sugar – maple charcoal prior to the barreling process

Strategic Tourism Planing case study of city Brighton Essay

Strategic Tourism Planing case study of city Brighton - Essay Example 2. The purpose of the study is to find out the sustainable tourism plans of the city of Brighton & Hove. A tourism plan according to Stynes, D. & O’Halloran, C. (1987) must look at all the tourism resources, organization, markets within the region. It should also include economic, environmental, social, and institutional aspects of tourism development. The tourism plans of the city therefore must address all these issues. In analyzing the goals and objectives of the city plan, it is important to see if the plans serves the broader purpose, such as does it contribute to a broader tax base, how does it increase employment opportunities, expand recreational facilities, better educational programs, and how does it improve the quality of life. Destination places, like any economic product, has a life cycle and goes through several stages. It is like stages of cancer that comes in several stages wherein the fourth stage is the final blow – the termination of the life cycle. The first stage is the discovery stage wherein a number tourists come to a place seeking for â€Å"unspoiled† destination. The social impact at this stage is generally small and the residents welcome the tourists with positive attitudes. [BFSC} On the second stage, is the launching, wherein the host community is now ready to welcome the increasing number of tourists. The host community has started to provide facilities. Business starts first from a family base structure, but later on develops to a wider range as outsiders develop their business interests. Business develops into a mass market and novelty declines. Stage 3 is the stagnation wherein the market is saturated , the quality of services is no longer good, and there are signs of environmental degradation of the tourist destination. It is the worrying stage. (BFSC) Stage 4 marks the decline of tourism, and falling profits leads to withdrawal of business in the

American Society and Politics Nowadays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

American Society and Politics Nowadays - Essay Example Those supporting stricter policies assert that illegal immigrants perpetuate poverty because they undermine benefits and wages stipulated for unskilled labor. When the laws are lenient, liberals and business owners in construction, food processing and hotel industries conspire to ignore the process of enforcing immigration law. In politics, an influx of immigrants is a crucial boost to the forces that facilitated their entry into the country. As an example, in the 2012 elections, there were over 12 million Latinos that cast votes (Kerwin, Chishti & Bergeron 69). According to statistics, that figure represents 10 percent of the body of voters in the US and is capable of changing the political landscape. Census forecasts indicate that the Latino electorate alonSe is estimated to reach 29 million voters in 2016, which sets in motion the scramble for both the Democratic and Republican parties to court them and other smaller immigrant groups (Kerwin, Chishti & Bergeron 74). However, when the immigration is not controlled, some unintended consequences may include higher crime rates, drug trafficking and the threat of terrorism. Therefore, this still leaves the debate for either stricter or lenient immigration policies.

South Asia Region Essay Example for Free

South Asia Region Essay South Asia, which consists of the nations of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, is ethnically diverse, with more than 2,000 ethnic entities with populations ranging from hundreds of millions to small tribal groups. South Asia has been invaded and settled by many ethnic groups over the centuries including various Dravidian, Indo-Aryan and Iranian groups and amalgamation of Dravidian, Indo-Aryan and native societies has produced composite cultures with many common traditions and beliefs. But, the traditions of different ethnic groups in South Asia have diverged throughout earlier times, sometimes giving rise to strong local traditions such as the distinct South Indian culture. Other ethnic groups, successively streaming in later mainly from Central Asia and Iran, e.g. Sakas, Kushans, Huns etc. influenced pre-existing South Asian cultures. Among the last of these new arrivals were the Arabs followed by the Turks, the Pashtuns and the Moghuls. However, Arab influence remained relatively limited in comparison to that of the Turks, Pashtuns and Moghuls, who brought in much cultural influence and contributed to the birth of Urdu, a syncretic language of combined Indo-Persian heritage, which is widely spoken today. Ethnic Englishmen and other Britons are now practically absent after their two centuries long colonial presence, although they have left an imprint of western culture in the elite society. Languages See also: Languages of South Asia The largest spoken language in this region is now HindustÄ nÄ «, its speakers numbering almost 422 million;[75] the second largest spoken language is Bengali, with about 210 million speakers.[76] Urdu is also a major language spoken in the subcontinent, especially in Pakistan and India, and is similar linguistically to Hindi; Hindi and Urdu together make up HindustÄ nÄ «. Although Hindi is spoken in some states of India, many people are not aware of the fact that most of the Indians speak local languages and are not familiar with Hindi. Other languages of this region fall into a few major linguistic groups: the Dravidian languages and the Indo-Aryan languages, a sub-branch of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. The other great sub-branch of Indo-Iranian, the Iranian languages, also have significant minority representation in South Asia, with Pashto and Balochi being widely spoken along the northwestern fringes of the region, in modern-day Pakistan. Many Tibeto-Burman ethnic groups, who are speakers of their language-group, are found in northeast India, Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan. Other small groups, speaking Austro-Asiatic languages, are also present in South Asia. English is another language which dominates South Asia, especially as a medium of advanced education and government administration. Most of South Asia writes using various abugidas of BrÄ hmÄ « origin while languages such as Urdu, Pashto, and Sindhi use derivatives of the Perso-Arabic script. Not all languages in South Asia follow this strict dichotomy though. For example, Kashmiri is written in both the Perso-Arabic script and in the Devanagari script. The same can be said for Punjabi, which is written in both Shahmukhi and GurmukhÄ «. Dhivehi is written in a script called TÄ na that shows characteristics of both the Arabic alphabet and of an abugida. Religions Further information: Religion in Bangladesh, Religion in Bhutan, Religion in India, Religion in Nepal, Religion in Pakistan, and Religion in Sri Lanka Hindu priest saluting the sun in the Ganges, Varanasi, India   Jama Masjid, the main mosque in Delhi, India. About 64% of the South Asia population is Hindu, 33% is Muslim, 2% is Buddhist and 1% is Christians.[74] In South Asia Hinduism and Islam and in some of its countries Buddhism are the dominant religions. Other Indian religions and Christianity are practiced by significant number of people. Historically, fusion of Indo-Aryan Vedic religion with native South Asian non-Vedic Shramana traditions and other Dravidian and local tribal beliefs gave rise to the ancient religions of Hinduism and Jainism. As a consequence, these two religions share many similar cultural practices, festivals and traditions. Arabs brought the Abrahamic religion of Islam to South Asia, first in the present day Kerala, Sri Lanka and the Maldive Islands and later in Sindh, Balochistan and much of Punjab. Subsequently, Muslim Turks/Pashtuns/Moghuls furthered it not only among the Punjabi and Kashmiri people but also throughout the Indo-Gangetic plains and farther east, and deep south up to the Deccan.Afghanistan[1]Islam (99%), Hinduism, Sikhism and Christianity (1%) Bangladesh[77]Islam (89.5%), Hinduism (9.5%), Buddhism (0.7%), Christianity (0.3%) British Indian Ocean Territory[78]Christianity (45.55%), Hinduism (38.55%), Islam (9.25%), Others (6.65%) Bhutan[79]Buddhism (75%), Hinduism (25%) Burma[80]Theravada Buddhism (89%), Islam (4%), Christianity (Baptist and Roman Catholic) (4%), Animism (1%), Others (including Hinduism) (2%) India[79][81]Hinduism (80.5%), Islam (13.4%), Christianity (2.3%), Sikhism (1.9%), Buddhism (0.8%), Jainism (0.4%), Others (0.6%) Maldives[82]Sunni Islam (100%) (One must be a Sunni Muslim to be a citizen on the Maldives[83][84]) Nepal[85]Hinduism (80.6%), Buddhism (10.7%), Islam (4.2%), Kirat (1.5%) Pakistan[86]Islam (96.28%), Hinduism (1.85%), Christianity (1.59%), Ahmaddiyya (0.22%) Sri Lanka[87]Theravada Buddhism (70.19%), Hinduism (12.61%), ), Islam (9.71%), Christianity ( 7.45%). Economy Further information: Economy of Bangladesh, Economy of India, Economy of Nepal, Economy of Pakistan, and Economy of Sri Lanka South Asia is the poorest region on the earth after Sub-Saharan Africa. Three South Asian nations — Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal — are characterized as least developed country. Poverty is commonly spread within this region. According to the poverty data of World Bank, more than 40% of the population in the region lived on less than the International Poverty Line of $1.25 per day in 2005, compared to 50% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa.[88] Sri Lanka has the highest GDP per capita in the region, while Afghanistan has the lowest. India is the largest economy in the region (US$ 1.90 trillion) and makes up almost 82% of the South Asian economy; it is the worlds 11th largest in nominal terms and 3rd largest by purchasing power adjusted exchange rates. Pakistan has the next largest economy and the 5th highest GDP per capita in the region,[89] followed by Bangladesh. According to a World Bank report in 2007, South Asia is the least integrated region in the world; trade between South Asian states is only 2% of the regions combined GDP, compared to 20% in East Asia. The Economist has blamed this on Indian neglect of its neighbors.[90] [edit] Governance India[91] and Pakistan[92][93] are the dominant political powers in the region. India is by far the largest country in the area covering around three-fourths the land area of the subcontinent.[94] It also has the largest population of around three times the combined population of the 6 other countries in the subcontinent.[95] India is also the most populous democracy in the world[96] and is a nuclear power. The second largest country in the subcontinent in terms of area and population is Pakistan and has traditionally maintained the balance of power in the region due to its strategic relationships with nearby Arab states[97] and neighboring China.[98] Pakistan is the 6th[99] most populous country in the world and is also a nuclear power. Bangladesh is the third largest populous country in the region. The single largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations is Pakistan.[100] Diplomacy among the countries of South Asia has been mainly driven by populist politics, with the center stage taken by India-Pakistan conflict ever since their independence in 1947, and then the creation of Bangladesh under tense circumstances in 1971. While the elite rulers of Pakistan chose the USA led bloc during the cold war era, India formed the Non-Aligned Movement. The political situation in Sri Lanka has been dominated by an increasingly assertive Sinhalese nationalism, and the emergence of a Tamil separatist movement under LTTE, which was suppressed recently. Burmas politics is dominated by a military Junta, which has sidelined the democratic forces led by Aung San Suu Kyi. [edit] Health and nutrition There are 421 million MPI-poor people in eight Indian states alone Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal while there are 410 million in the 26 poorest African countries combined.[101] Roughly 42% of Indian children under age 5 suffer from malnutrition.[102] According to the World Bank, 70% of the South Asian population and about 75% of South Asias poor live in rural areas and most rely on agriculture for their livelihood.[103] According to the Global Hunger Index, South Asia has one of the highest child malnutrition rates in the world.[104] In a latest report published by UNICEF in 2008 on global hunger shows that the actual number of child deaths was around 2.1 million.[105] As of 2008 India is ranked 66th on the global hunger index.[citation needed] The 2006 report stated that the low status of women in South Asian countries and their lack of nutritional knowledge are important determinants of high prevalence of underweight children in the region. Corruption and the lack of initiative on the part of the government has been one of the major problems associated with nutrition in India. Illiteracy in villages has been found to be one of the major issues that need more government attention. The report mentioned that, although there has been a reduction in malnutrition due to the Green Revolution in South Asia, there is concern that South Asia has inadequate feeding and caring practices for young children.[106]

Mechanisms of V.cholerae Cytolysin (VCC)

Mechanisms of V.cholerae Cytolysin (VCC) V.cholerae cytolysin (VCC) is a pore-forming toxin secreted by many pathogenic strains of the Gram-negative bacteria V.cholerae the causative pathogen of diarrheal disease cholera. VCC display potent cytotoxic activity against the erythrocytes and mammalian cells. It is also reported to possess enterotoxin activity in terms of inducing bloody fluid accumulation in the rabbit ileal loops. Based on these observations, VCC has been believed as a potential virulence factor of V.cholerae. VCC, in particular, secreted by the pathogenic strain lacking ‘cholera toxin’, the primary virulence factor of V.cholerae that responsible for inducing the massive dehydrating diarrhea disease during V.cholerae infection. VCC is encoded by the hlyA gene present in V.cholerae chromosome two. VCC toxin is synthesized as a ~ 81 kDa protein, called Pre-Pro-VCC. During the secretion of toxin, the N-terminal signal peptide composed of 25-residue is removed to generate a nonfunctional precursor form of the VCC molecule, named as Pro-VCC. Following, ~ 15 kDa N-terminal sequences from Pro-VCC is proteolytically deleted that resulting the formation of the functional mature form of the toxin. Proteolytic activation of the toxin is mediated by the HA/protease, which display the major extracellular proteolytic activity of V.cholerae. Conversion from Pro-VCC into the mature state of the VCC can also be obtained in vitro by other proteases like trypsin, chymotrypsin, and subtilisin. It has been reported that the activation of the Pro-VCC can be resulted by the proteolytic activity of the proteases present on the surface of the target host cell membrane as well. Functional mature form of the toxin has been displaying to induce lysis of the erythrocytes and other eukaryotic cells by generating the heptameric oligomeric pore structure of 1-2 nm diameters. The functional membrane permeabilization ability of the toxin could also be resembled in the membrane lipid bilayer of the synthetic liposomes. Along with its membrane permeabilization activity, VCC toxin also displayed a prominent lectin-like activity by binding to the complex glycoproteins and glycolipids with the terminal ÃŽ ²1-galactosyl component. VCC is characterized as a member of ÃŽ ²-PFTs and reported that the toxin follow the overall scheme of the generalized ÃŽ ²-PFT mode of action. Structural Features of VCC VCC is secreted as a water-soluble monomeric form of the toxin, which after the removal of the N-terminal Pro-domain gets converted into the mature functional form of the molecule. VCC induces lysis of its target cells by generating heptameric oligomeric pores on the membrane. The high-resolution structure of the water-soluble, monomeric precursor state Pro-VCC toxin has been determined. Heptameric transmembrane structure of the VCC has also been determine recently. Many previous studies confirmed that the VCC is a ÃŽ ²-PFTs family member, and the toxin employed pore-forming activity by generating the transmembrane heptameric ÃŽ ²-barrel pores on the target cell membrane. Consistent with the ÃŽ ²-PFTs tramsmembrane pore structure, pore complex of VCC represent a mushroom-shaped organization, which can be divided into two parts: (a) transmembrane b-barrel structural, and (b) membrane interacting rim domain. Structural analysis of the VCC molecule highlights many unique features which are not reported in the archetypical member of ÃŽ ²-PFTs family. Consistent with the structural of archetypical ÃŽ ²-PFTs, VCC harbors a central cytolysin domain that constitutes the core structure of the mushroom-shaped oligomeric transmembrane pore structure. The cytolysin domain contains the pore-forming stem-loop of the toxin. Apart from cytolysin domain, VCC structure also contains three additional structural domain which are not commonly documented in any other member of b-PFTs family: an N-terminal Pro-domain in the inactive Pro-VCC precursor state of the toxin, and two lectin-like domain name ÃŽ ²-Trefoil domain and ÃŽ ²-Prism lectin-like domain at the C-terminal side of the cytolysin domain. Cytolysin domain The VCC molecular structure contains 325 amino acid long cytolysin domain that structurally similar with the cytolysin domains present in the member of ÃŽ ²-PFTs like S. aureus ÃŽ ±-hemolysin. Cytolysin domain of the VCC during the membrane pore-formation process inserts its ‘pre-stem’ region into the lipid bilayer and generates ÃŽ ²-barrel structure on the membrane and provides the central scaffold of the pore structure. VCC generate mushroom-shaped oligomeric transmembrane pore structures that can be classify into two major parts: (a) transmembrane region that make the ÃŽ ²-barrel pore structure, and, (b) membrane interacting rim-domain that interact with the membrane surface. The membrane inserted ÃŽ ²-barrel structure of the VCC pore structure is composed solely of the central cytolysin domain of the toxin. Notably, the majority of the rim-domain is also generated by the cytolysin domain. Cytolysin domain of the toxin harbors the 42-residue long ‘pore-forming loop’ loop that involve in the formation of the transmembrane ÃŽ ²-barrel pore structure. In the water soluble monomeric form of the toxin, this region remains completely folded against the cytolysin domain, in the form of a so named ‘pre-stem’ motif. During the process of the functional pore-formation, the ‘pre-stem’ loop from each of the participating protomers undergoes enormous structure recognition to obtain a so-called ‘stem’ configuration, and inserted into the lipid bilayer of the membrane. Stem region from each of the protomers contributes two ÃŽ ²-strands towards the formation of the stem region of the heptameric ÃŽ ²-barrel pore structure. Heptameric oligomer highlights that the stem regions make the extensive interaction between the neighboring protomers and hence contribute towards the robust stability of the transmembrane oligomeric assembly. Apart from the pore-forming stem-loop segment, other part of the cytolysin domain contains the membrane-proximal rim-domain of the transmembrane pore structure. Structural analysis of the ÃŽ ²-PFTs pore, suggests that the membrane-proximal rim-domain work as the structure motif for transmembrane pores. Rim-domain acts as structural scaffolds that mediate interaction of the protein with the lipid head-group of the target membrane lipid bilayer. Cytolysin domain of the VCC contributes towards the interaction of the toxin with the lipid head-group of the membrane. Pro-domain As mentioned previously, VCC toxin is secreted by yet bacteria as the water-soluble inactive precursor state called Pro-VCC. The high resolution three-dimensional structure of Pro-VCC molecule shown the presence of ~ 15 kDa Pro-domain, which make contact to the N-terminal of the core cytolysin domain through a 29-residue long flexible linker.The linker region harbors ~ amino acid long structural motif that act as the cleavage site(s) for a group of proteases. Proteolytic removal of the Pro-domain at this linker sequence resulted in the generation of a mature form of the toxin. The presence of the Pro-domain in the precursor form of the toxin has been reported to be critical for the efficient secretion and the appropriate folding of the VCC molecule. One earlier study has been reported that the recombinant V.cholerae cells, containing the deleted variant of hlyA gene lacking the sequence for the Pro-domain, unable to secrete the protein outside the bacterial cells. In vitro denaturati on/renaturation, assay have demonstrated that without the Pro-domain VCC fails to refold back to its active conformation, whereas Pro-VCC can obtain proper refolding. Recent study on Pro-domain, suggested that the presence of Pro-domain increase the unfolding property of the Pro-VCC molecule in response to many denaturing conditions, whereas mature active form of the toxin display considerable resistant towards the unfolding of the toxin. Overall, these studies suggested, the Pro-domain show an intramolecular chaperone-like activity in term of providing significant level of structural plasticity in the VCC structure, which probably essential for the efficient secretion of the toxin in its precursor from across the bacterial membrane. However, it’s not clear so far how the presence of the Pro-domain keep the protein in its precursor form. ÃŽ ²-Trefoil lectin-like domain: VCC harbors a ÃŽ ²-Trefoil lectin-like domain (~ 15 kDa) at the C-terminal edge of the center cytolysin domain. This ÃŽ ²-Trefoil lectin-like domain is also present in related cytolysin from Vibrionaceae bacteria, but not present in the archetypical ÃŽ ²-PFTs protein for example S. aureus ÃŽ ±-hemolysin. The ÃŽ ²-Trefoil lectin-like domain is associated with the cytolysin domain through a short linker sequence constitute of Gly-Gly-Arg-Pro. The ÃŽ ²-Trefoil lectin-like domain of VCC display structural similar to the carbohydrate-interacting domain of the plant toxin ricin, and featured the presence of the QXW conserved carbohydrate-interacting motif (s) observed in the archetypical ÃŽ ²-Trefoil lectin domains of carbohydrate binding lectins. However, the carbohydrate binding propensity of the ÃŽ ²-Trefoil domain of VCC has not been elucidated. Also, the implications of the ÃŽ ²-Trefoil domain in the structure-function mechanism of the VCC need to be explored in future. ÃŽ ²-Prism lectin-like domain: The VCC harbors an additional ~ 15 kDa domain that is linked to the C-terminal of the ÃŽ ²-Trefoil domain through the long linker sequence.This domain is not present in any other member of the ÃŽ ²-PFTs family, including the cytolysin secreted by V.vulnificus and Aeromonas hydrophilia.The C-terminal domain of the VCC display structural similarity to several ÃŽ ²-Prism lectins including jacalin and Maclura pomifera agglutinin (MAP). VCC ÃŽ ²-Prism lectin-like domain possess a binding pocket similar to the carbohydrate-binding site of the jacalin and MPA lectins. Recently, we have conclusively established the role of ÃŽ ²-Prism domain in the lectin activity of the toxin. In the absence of the ÃŽ ²-Prism domain, VCC toxin did not show lectin activity towards ÃŽ ²-1 galactosyls terminated glycoconjugates. We have identified the critical site within the ÃŽ ²-Prism domain which responsible for the lectin activity of the toxin. We reported that the amino acid tried (composed of Asp617, Tyr6 54, and Tyr679) located within the putative carbohydrate-interacting pocket generate the crucial element for the VCC lectin activity. Overall, it has been established that the ÃŽ ²-Prism domain of the VCC act as structural scaffold playing a critical role in the lectin-like activity of the toxin. During the process of functional pore-formation in the lipid bilayer of the target host membrane, VCC molecule undergoes enormous structural reorganization. The ÃŽ ²-Prism domain of the VCC obtained two different positions with respect to the core cytolysin domain, in the monomeric precursor form (Pro-VCC) and the transmembrane pore structure. In monomeric water-soluble inactive precursor Pro-VCC, the ÃŽ ²-Prism domain positioned on the opposite side of the Pro-domain on top of the pre-stem region, whereas in the transmembrane pore structure it is relocated in the place of the Pro-domain. This structural rearrangement of the ÃŽ ²-Prism domain is mandatory for the membrane insertion, and the functional oligomeric pore-formation procedure. In the absence of such structural reorganization of the ÃŽ ²-Prism domain, it would be located in such a way that would generate steric hindrance between the contributing protomers and subsequently block the oligomerization of the toxin. Also, without such reorganization of the ÃŽ ²-Prism domain, the pre-stem loop would not be able to unfold for the membrane insertion of the toxin. Overall it appears that the ÃŽ ²-Prism domain-mediated lectin activity of the toxin might act as a triggering mechanism to allow such structural reorganization of the ÃŽ ²-Prism domain with respect to core cytolysin domain. Our study suggested that the presence of the ÃŽ ²-Prism domain in VCC molecule is critical for the efficient membrane pore-formation of the toxin. The ÃŽ ²-Prism domain truncated variant of the toxin display abortived membrane pore-formation. However, in the absence of ÃŽ ²-Prims domain, VCC molecule could generate membrane-associate oli gomers but does not show any functional membrane pore-forming activity. Structural reorganizations during oligomeric pore-formation: Structural analysis of the water-soluble monomeric form and the transmembrane oligomeric structure of VCC reveal that the VCC molecule undergoes structural reorganization within the toxin monomer during the process of the oligomeric transmembrane pore-forming procedure. The most critical structural change is the unfolding the ‘pre-stem’ region from the cytolysin domain, and its insertion into the lipid bilayer to generate ‘stem’ configuration. In the water soluble monomeric structure of Pro-VCC, the ‘pre-stem’ region remains packed between the b-Prism domain and the cytolysin domain of the toxin. Hence, the movement of ÃŽ ²-Prism domain is essential for the conversion of ‘pre-stem’ to the ‘stem’ region of the toxin. During the formation of the functional pore-formation of the toxin on the membrane, the ÃŽ ²-Prism domain of the toxin reorients with respect to the central cytolysin domain by almost 180o angle, and attends the location where the Pro-domain was located in the Pro-VCC molecule structure. This reorganization of the ÃŽ ²-Prism domain of the VCC represents the second most critical structural change involved in the membrane pore-formation of the VCC toxin. The structural change in the position of the ÃŽ ²-Prism allows the ‘pre-stem’ to undergo the reorganization for the following membrane insertion and the functional heptameric pore-formation process. Structural Features of the VCC ÃŽ ²-Barrel Pore Earlier study based on the Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterized the transmembrane oligomer of VCC as typical ring-like structures with the inner diameter of almost 1-2 nm. Inhibitions in the cell cytotoxic ability by the osmoprotectants of defined molecular sizes have also advised similar pre diameter for VCC oligomer pore. Single channel conductance measurement by using the VCC oligomeric pore generated in the synthetic lipid bilayer suggested that VCC produce anion-selective diffusion channels. This analysis also indicated that the VCC pore is having asymmetric pore geometry: larger opening in the ‘cis-side’ than in the ‘trans-side’ with a narrow region at the central part of the human. The high-resolution structure of the VCC oligomer suggests ‘cup-shaped’ lumen geometry of the pore. Analysis of the oligomeric pore structure also suggests that the narrow constriction near the central of the pore lumen is generated by the aroma tic ring of a tryptophan residue contributed by each of the participating protomers during heptameric pore-formation. Mechanism of Membrane Pore-formation The functional pore-formation of the ÃŽ ²-PFTs involve on the membrane lipid bilayer of the target cells involves three distinct steps: (i) interaction of the water-soluble monomeric form of the toxin towards the target cell membrane; (ii) self-assembly of the membrane-associated monomeric toxin to generate the intermediate ‘pre-pore’ oligomeric assembly on the membrane surface; (iii) conversion from the transient ‘pre-pore’ oligomeric assembly to the functional transmembrane pore structure. During the process of the pore-formation, the pore-forming ‘stem-loop’ of the toxin inserted into the membrane lipid bilayer and generates the transmembrane ÃŽ ²-barrel structure. Many structural studies reported that the member of ÃŽ ²-PFTs follow the similar way of pore-formation on the membrane. However, each member of the ÃŽ ²-PFTs family differs from each other in the definite step towards the pore-formation process. Membrane interaction step displays e normous range of variation in term of receptor specificity, the role of different lipid component and presence of specific carbohydrate receptor on the membrane. Notably, the molecular mechanism that involve the discrete steps for the functional pore-formation are not properly elucidate for most of the ÃŽ ²-PFTs members. The pore-formation on the membrane by VCC can resemble in the synthetic lipid bilayer liposomes indicating that the membrane association step does not critically required any particular non-lipid components. However, the membrane pore-formation is reported more efficient in the biomembrane as compared to that in the synthetic lipid bilayer of the liposomes, indicating the role of extra molecule present on the cell membrane plays significant role in the pore-formation process. For example, erythrocytes are more susceptible compared to the liposome. Notably, VCC toxin displays a different level of hemolytic activity towards the erythrocytes of the different species. R abbit erythrocytes are found to exhibit more sensitive as compared to the human erythrocytes. Earlier studies have suggested the role of many cell surface receptor proteins (e.g., glycophorin B on the human erythrocytes) as a potential receptor molecule for the VCC toxin. VCC displayed potent lectin-like activity towards the interacting with the cell membrane. However, the specific receptor for the VCC has not been identified. The formation of the transmembrane oligomeric pore structure can be induced in the presence of the synthetic lipid bilayer liposomes. A previous study suggested that the binding of the VCC molecule with the liposomes driven mostly by global amphiphilicity of the monomeric state of the toxin. However, the self-assembly of the toxin and membrane pore-formation has been observed more specific events required the specific components of the membrane. More importantly, the presence of the cholesterol in the lipid bilayer of the membrane has been reported to play cri tical role in the membrane pore-formation of the toxin. In our recent study, we identified the specific lipid-binding structure motif present within the cytolysin domain of the toxin. However, our study suggested that the specific motif is responsible for the lipid association in general not specific towards the cholesterol presence in the lipid bilayer of the membrane. In the pore-formation process of the VCC, the ‘pore-forming loop’ of the toxin unfolds and insert into the membrane toward the generation of the functional pore-formation. It is reported that the trapping of the pore-forming stem-loop in its pres-stem configuration through engineered disulfide linkage could arrest the toxin in its pre-pore oligomeric assembly. Also, a VCC variant without the pre-stem loop is found to remain arrest in the pre-pore oligomer on the membrane surface. Overall these studies suggested that the VCC follows the archetypical ÃŽ ²-PFTs mechanism of pore-formation. A previous study indicated that the membrane interaction of the VCC precedes membrane oligomerization. Many environmental factors also affect the binding and oligomerization events of the toxin. For example, membrane association can occur even at a low temperature of 4 oC while the membrane oligomerization and functional pore-formation blocked under the similar condition. This observation clearly indicated that the association of the toxin with the target cell membrane is distinct step from its subsequent oligomerization and pore-formation steps.

Motivation Theories: Maslows Hierarchy

Motivation Theories: Maslows Hierarchy It is interesting to learn more about motivation because it has a long way to grow a business. First of all, motivation can be explained in simple terms as desire or willingness to do something; enthusiasm: keep staff up to date and maintain interest and motivation (Oxford dictionaries online, 2012). Motivation can be defined as Motivation is a reflection of the reasons why people do things. All behavior is therefore based on choice-people choose to do things that they do (Richard, 2007, p553). Moreover, Cole states that Motivation is the term used to describe those processes, both instinctive and rational, by which people seek to satisfy the basic drives, perceived needs and personal goals, which trigger human behavior. (Cole, 1995, p119).The motivation is one of the employer needs which encourage him to be more loyal and work with more enthusiasm. Motivation theories Maslows Hierarchy Maslows theory relates motivation to a hierarchy of needs with basic needs at the bottom and higher needs at the top as in Figure 1. The first level is the physiological needs such as food, housing and clothingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦is it enough to allow you to enjoy life. The second level is safety needs it is needs for stable environment relatively free from threats and it is security that your job is safe and secure that your working condition are safe. The fourth level is love and belonging it is being recognized for doing your job well, for example a feeling of belonging with your colleagues they support you and communicate with you. The fifth level is self-actualisation it is being promoted and more responsibility also given the chance and the scope to develop new ideas. ( Richard,2007,p557, from class) Maslow argued that there was a relationship between the different classes, the needs at the bottom of the hierarchy are basic and they need to be satisfied before a person can move on to the next level. For example an individual has not eaten; he or she feels hungry and as a response he or she eats and diminishes feelings of hunger so he or she cannot work well before this need is satisfied. Maslows theory became an early useful framework for discussions about what people needs may experience ate work also the ways in which their motivation can help them to meet managers. One criticism of this theory is that systematic movement up the hierarchy does not seem to be a consistent form of behaviour for many people. Figure 1: Hierarchy of needs (GOOGLE) Taylors Scientific Taylors motivation theory is created in 1911 and this theory is called a scientific management theory, thats mean a relation between science and management at the organization of work. According to Taylors research motivation thinks that money is the first thing which motivates people to work. But give to the employers some promotion and time to think about them self can help them to improve and work more seriously. Taylor believed that monetary reward was an important motivating factor. This is known as piece work. He lined how much money a person earned to how much the produced in a day. Their output was linked to a piece rate if people worked hard and produced a lot that day they would earn a lot of money, if they didnt work hard and didnt produce much they would not earn a lot of money that day. (From class) There are some problems with Taylors approach. He treats people as machine rather than as humans. He assumes that people are only interested in getting money from work in fact people want other things from work, a service of achievement, friendships with colleagues and work fulfills more than just monetary needs. Elton Mayo Elton Mayo (1880-1949) participated in Human relations Movement. He contributed with the social research performed at the Hawthorne plant of the Western Electric Company in Chicago, USA, between 1927 and 1932, and named the Hawthorne Studies. Elton Mayo is considered as the founder of the human relations movement. He was working on some studies concerning fatigue; accidents and labor turnover at work when he was approached by executives of the Western Electric Company for advice. The studies were conducted over several years in a number of different stages, as follows: first stage (1924-1927). This was carried out by the companys own staff under the direction of Messrs Pennock and Dickson. This stage was performed with respect to the effects of lighting on output. One group, had a consistent level of lighting, the other group had its lighting varied. The experimental group productivity increase even when the lighting was reduced to a low level. Stage two (1927-1929) is to make more d etailed study of the effects of differing physical conditions on productivity. In this research the separated six women working in the relay assembly section from the rest and they give them rest pauses and lunch times different in timing and in length. The result was that their productivity increased in better and worse conditions. The women productivity increased because they were the center of attention.(Cole,2004,p33) Mayo suggested that motivation at work was promoted by such factors as: -a good communication with the employer -a good teamwork which the employer feel relaxed -showing interest in others -ask the other before to make a decision -ensuring the wellbeing of other -ensuring work is interesting and non-repetitive Mayo believe that motivation encourage employer to work more and to choose their position in the work. 1-4 Herzberg Herzberg concentrated on satisfaction and dissatisfaction at work. His theory is sometimes called the two-factor theory which divided into: -Motivators factors or satisfiers for example: work itself, responsibility, achievement. -Hygiene factors or dissatisfies for example salary, company policy, working conditions.(Cole,2004,p37) The factors of motivators are all related to the actual content of the work place and job responsibilities. The hygiene factors are good or adequate will not in themselves make the person satisfied, by ensuring that they are indeed adequate. In other part, where these aspects are bad, extreme dissatisfaction was reported by all respondents. The work of Herzberg has tended to encourage attention to such as factors as: Suitable supervision which encourages the labor force rather than restricts it. Job enlargement programs, job enrichment and job satisfaction which can often be increased through work restructuring. The setting and achieving of targets and objectives. In order to manage the two-factor approach to motivation effectively, attention in the following areas: -A management style, attitude and approach to staff, trust and honesty, limitations or technology concerned in the work itself. -General factors of status, believed in, given opportunities for change and development of the organization. -staff has a good relationship between each other that is facilities the successful of the activities within organization.(Pettinger,2007,p560) David McClelland McClelland (1961) and his colleagues have examined how people think and their work led them to identify three categories of human need which are: Need for affiliation: to develop and maintain interpersonal relationships. Need for achievement : to show successful task results and take personal responsibility Need for power: to be able to influence and control others and to shape events. (Boddy,2002,p399) McClelland secluded need for achievement as a main human motive, and one that is influenced strongly by personality and by environment. Humans with a high need of achievement seem to have characteristics such as: their need for achievement is consistent, they seek tasks in which they can exercise personal responsibility, they prefer tasks which present a challenge without being too difficult and which they see as within their mastery and they want feedback on their results. Also they are less concerned about their social or affiliation needs. McClelland realized that the need for achievement is affected by education, childhood experiences and culture background. Therefore designing helping programmes can help increase the achievement motive in employees at work place. Using motivation theories in business It is important when doing investigative work, especially about motivation, that we remember that the existing theories on human behavior are just that theories. Theories are there to be challenged. Over a period of time, theories come and go. Just because you read one theory does not mean to say it is exactly what happens or that is how humans behave. As time passes and we gain new knowledge, theories may become totally discredited. The identification of the fact that business organisations employ people because of the contribution they make to production. In return for that contribution, people receive money in the form of a wage or salary.The successful of business start from the motivation theory for example if a firm can motive its employees after that it can improve employee morale and increase productivity then the business will be enhance. (bized, 2012). Motivation within the institution is when leaders encourage their subordinates to accomplish their tasks and provide a sui table environment in which they feel able to work. Employees give of themselves to change the work environment, considering each as an employee in order to ensure the proper functioning of the company so that its resources are fully optimized. Ensure that the tasks well paid because employees are a Family Company that is why they are the first team success, in order to generate intense harmony between all members of the institution to create its own culture the company. This allows the institution to stand very well on the socio-economic and financial institution made à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹him guaranteed future periods, since everyone is projected to a plane that is the health of the firm as the short, medium and long term. (Memoire online, 2012) The successful of business start from the motivation theory for example if a firm can motive its employees after that it can improve employee morale and increase productivity then the business will be enhance as in figure2: Figure2 (Madura,2007) A firm may not be able to motivate some employees, regardless of its efforts or the methods used to motivate them. If not form of motivation is effective, the threat of being fired may serve as a last resort to motivate these employees. Firms can enhance job satisfaction and therefore motivate employees by providing: an adequate compensation program, which aligns compensation with performance; job security; employee involvement programs and a flexible work schedule. A firms decisions regarding the motivation concepts summarized here affect its performance, if a firm can motivate its employees, it can improve employee morale and increase productivity. While there are many motivation theories, the proper form of motivation varies with the firms characteristics and may even vary among employees.(Madura,2007) Example of company using a motivation theories Case study: Kelloggs Kelloggs created in 1898 from W.K. Kellogg, and his brother, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and this company produced the delicious recipe for Kelloggs Corn Flakes. In 2006, The Kellogg Company celebrated its 100-year commitment to nutrition, health and quality. In this time e Kellogg Company is the worlds leading producer of breakfast cereals. Its products are manufactured in 18 countries and sold in more than 180 countries also it has been a leader in health and nutrition. The most important of success the company it return from adapt the motivation theory. Kelloggs culture supports its role as a good employer. Employees are encouraged to speak positively about each other when focusing on their strength. The creating of a great place to work for Kelloggs is supported by the motivation theory. First of all Kelloggs adapt the motivation theory of Maslow by every employee is motivated to work through each of 5 levels and its positive effects for each employee and the company for instance: In physiological needs: Kelloggs offers competitive salaries this helps people to acquire the basic needs for living. Also Kelloggs gives people a childcare vouchers, cash alternatives to company cars and discounted life assurance schemes. These things help workers to be motivated and to be loyal to the company. In safety needs: Kelloggs securities the safety of all employees. The company is responsible to give a safe and healthy work environment to prevent accidents. Kelloggs also offers employees a range of working patterns. For example some may want to work part-time others may want career breaks or undertake homeworking. This will be a variety of options for the employees in a healthy work-life balance. In social needs: Kelloggs operates weekly group huddles. These provide opportunities for employees to receive information on any part of the business, including sales data and company products. Kelloggs positively recognizes and rewards staff achievements. In self-actualization: Kelloggs supplies employees with the possibility to take stimulating responsibilities and on challenging. This is helpful to the employees to develop and improve. For example: Laura Bryant joined Kelloggs in 2002 after fished her university. She joined the Field Sales team initially that help her to visit five to ten supermarkets a day to develop relationships at a local level. After two years she was promoted to Customer Marketing Manager at Head Office. This helped to increase her profile as she wanted to move into marketing. By encouraging from her manager, Laura made the transition from Sales to Marketing as Assistant Brand Manager on Rice Krispies and Frosties. In 2009 she was promoted again to manage the marketing plan for Special K and she is now Brand Manager for Kelloggs Cornflakes. The company has helped motivate her to raise the hierarchy of needs and achieve her career ambitions. In the second part Kelloggs adapt the motivation of Taylor for example many employees are motivated by cash alternatives which include the opportunity to buy and sell their holiday days. Also Taylors theory breaks down jobs into specialist tasks through the division of labor and this is corresponds to large companies like Kelloggs. Also the staffs of the company are encouraged to be creative and use their imagination to contribute towards change. In the third part, Kelloggs apply the motivation theory of Mayo in keeps a two-way dialogue with employees through its communication programs. This is helpful to allow the workforce. Kelloggs has kind of dialogue recording for communication like this one: Here at Kelloggs listening is a central premise of the way we work. We believe that our employees have some of the best ideas and that a successful company is one that listens to the grass roots feedback and acts on it. Any employee can raise an issue or a suggestion via their rep who will raise it at one of their monthly meetings. (Sue Platt, HR Director) The Kelloggs suggestion box scheme helps to improve productivity and making business a great place to work. Also Kelloggs helps to generate ideas and has an initiative called Snap, Crackle and Save an employee suggestion scheme to save costs within the supply chain. For example a lot of ideas have been put forward over the last couple of years. One idea suggested that one thickness of cardboard could be used for packaging in all manufacturing plants in Europe. This saved around  £250,000 per year. Kelloggs helps personal development planning for employees which includes provisions such as study leave as part of staff development. This reinforces staff commitment and their sense of being treated well. In the fourth part, Kelloggs adapt the motivation theory of Herzberg by developed a number of motivating factors. For example this company has a Fit for Life program offering to the employees access to fitness centers, annual fitness assessments by healthcare specialists every spring and free health checks. It also provides a summer hours from May to September so if employees have worked a lot of hours they can adjust their working hours to balance their work against family or lifestyle commitments. This motivation is related to Herzberg because in the workplace he want to give individuals job satisfaction These include, for example, promotion or recognition for effort and performance also the level of responsibility of the job. . Herzberg believed that businesses needed to ensure hygiene factors were minimised in order to enable motivators to have their full effect, because hygiene factors make the employees in the work place feel unhappy. This motivation from Herzberg helps Kellogg s to build a business that delivers consistently strong results. For example: Home working, part-time working, flextime and job sharing. Subsidized access to local facilities or on-site gyms Parental leave, career breaks, time off for depends and paternity and maternity. This an example of employee works with Kelloggs: Claire Duckworth works in the Consumer Insight team at Kelloggs. She takes part in Latin American ballroom dancing competitively with her partner. They are ranked 7th in England in the over-35 category. Flexible working at Kelloggs enables her to travel to events and provides her with the opportunity to pursue her hobby at a serious level. This opportunity to adjust her working life to accommodate her personal ambitions makes Claire feel respected and supported. Also the Kelloggs sales team meets every Friday morning to share success stories of the week. Analyze This case study illustrates the range of different motivation measures in practice at Kelloggs. It demonstrates that highly motivated employees can improve efficiency, output and quality for a business. Kelloggs is able to make work a more profitable and competitive business also more exciting and interesting experience for employees whilst creating a more productive. Conclusion: The importance of Motivation Theory Motivation at work is the taste that the subject has to do, the extent to which it involves, perseverance, continuity of effort he agrees. Motivation resulting from the satisfaction, it is important to specify certain criteria which are:  · The work itself,  · The economic level it provides,  · Relations in which he bathes. Operation depends as much on human motivational balance and satisfaction of the tension on the search for new tensions, thus some form of imbalance, for example, when a project (cognitive or social) is the subject humans often developed another action project, he tries to carry and so on. Arguably enhancing cognitive and social activities is their own creation and not in an external object. Turning your dissertation into a 2:1 Turning your dissertation into a 2:1 Title: Dissertation Copy Writing. How to turn your dissertation from a 2:2 to a 2:1 When you are given your first piece of coursework as an undergraduate, you are also given (or should be) a copy of the marking criteria which will be applied when your work is assessed. Although by the time you reach the point of writing a dissertation you will be approaching the culmination of a course of study, the same basic judgements will be made. Of course, there is always a margin allowed for tutors and lecturers to apply their own judgement, it is never simply a ‘numbers game’, and the dissertation you present will always be marked by more than one person, but basically the same criteria will be applied at whatever level you are working. So, how do you raise your dissertation from the mediocrity which is represented by a 2:2, to the degree of excellence represented by a 2:1? Essentially, the difference in terms of actual marks is often minute: a 2:2 would normally be the result of a mark between 50% and 59%, whereas a 2:1 represents a mark between 60% and 69%. Look at the borders here, not the maximum of each: the difference between a 2:2 and a 2:1 could be as little as 2%. In reality, however, this is rarely the case. Your work will be marked interpretively and therefore in order to be sure of upping that grade, you need a comfortable difference not a borderline one. Approach this logically and you will see that you need to consider how your work can be improved in each of the applicable criteria in order to raise your grade and you should think about this from the outset. Before you begin your dissertation, look carefully at the marking criteria and note where the differences between a 2:2 and a 2:1 lie. You’ll notice that the criteria for either a 2:2 or 2:1, requires the following: Understanding of the question Identifying the major themes The ability to develop a well-structured argument The inclusion of supplementary evidence from primary texts, correctly referenced A strong conclusion A bibliography using the referencing style of your academic institution. Having probably been in academic life for some time before attempting a dissertation you should be thinking ‘this is all pretty standard’ and if you are not, then that 2:1 is just a dream because the way to turn a 2:2 into a 2:1 is down to your ability to recognise just where each of these basic requirements needs to be expanded. In general, the key differences between a 2:2 and a 2:1 exist in the depth of research and the quality of analysis. That being the case you should focus on your level of research and your analytical ability to improve your grade. Also, this ability to research and analyse must be linked seamlessly to your argument. To earn a 2:1 you must make your points cogently and show that you have expanded your reading beyond the merely required towards the comprehensive. A good way of doing this is to look at the bibliographies of a primary text because you will then be using a credible source to develop your research base. From here, you can begin to analyse, i.e. literally take apart and comment critically on the evidence so that it informs your dissertation argument and never at any point appears separate from the central themes. A 2:1 dissertation reflects a much deeper level of thought than a 2:2, which is why it is the minimum requirement of most respected universities in order to carry out post-graduate research. However, even within the 2:1 there are divisions of which you should be aware in order that you are sure of your 2:1, rather than hoping just to scrape through. In other words, you need to be aiming for a mark in the region of 65% to 69%. To achieve this, you need to demonstrate: that you can not only develop an argument but that you have anticipated some of the possible challenges to it that your reading goes beyond the basic in both collation and coherence that your analysis has added to your argument and developed your thinking that you have produced a conclusion that does more than just summarise your argument but also provides a genuine synthesis of wide-ranging yet focussed thought. Remember, that the award of a 2:1 grade reflects on the level of excellence of the academic institution to which you belong as much as you so it will not be given lightly but that, of course, is what makes it worth having, isn’t it? How to turn your dissertation from a 2:1 to a First Class In order to preserve their quality benchmark, most universities strictly limit the number of First Class degrees that they award and this is reflected in the assessment of a First Class dissertation. When you think about it, you wouldn’t really want it any other way because the expansion of the number would devalue the inherent status that achieving a First Class degree carries and the key to this is the ability to research and write a First Class dissertation. For this reason, if for no other, you need to work not only harder to achieve a First Class dissertation grade but also in a very specific way. Let’s examine precisely how by taking the structuring of a First Class dissertation step by step. You will have at your disposal a marking scheme with which by the stage in your academic career when you are required to write a dissertation, you should be very familiar. You need, now, to look at this more closely, even analytically, than you have ever done before, so that you isolate the features which separate the wider excellence of the 2:1 from the specific excellence of the First. Looking closely at the marking levels, you will instantly see that it would be theoretically possible to achieve a First Class dissertation grade by gaining a mark that is anything over 70%. In practice, however, you will more often than not be literally competing for a First against your fellow students because the university might often decide in abstract how many Firsts it ultimately intends to award and your dissertation is a crucial part of this. Therefore, you must ensure that your dissertation stands out from the rest and rather than just edging into the 70s reaches closer to 80%. The basics should not need to be stated if you are aiming at the highest level with your dissertation so let’s take it has read that you will write well, argue coherently, reference appropriately and correctly and provide a convincing conclusion; even to get a 2:2 you would need all of these to be present. Therefore, it is not on that you should focus for a First but on other factors, not called for in the lower levels, even the 2:1: this extra something is rooted in the demonstration of research abilities beyond the obvious and the ability to find the original in the familiar. In other words, a First Class dissertation will display not only wide reading but also an innovative approach to both the interpretation of the research and its application. Your thoughts need to be both critical and original and whilst the first of these may be familiar, the second will be less so because in all probability you will not have been required to display originality until now. Indeed, you m ay have been actively discouraged from allowing your own thoughts to enter into your work, as most academic work encourages you to take an objective view rather than a subjective one. You now need to forget that to some extent and begin to allow your personal perspective to enter your work. Of course, you still need to present a balanced argument, well supported by strong evidence in the form of wide and yet focussed reading, but you must now also add to this the evident ability to detect and develop a nuance so that it becomes a uniquely significant imperative in your work that separates it from the work of others. Above all, to obtain a First Class grade for your dissertation, you need to display a scholarly approach, together with an individualistic but grounded and viable methodology which includes evidence of innovation and independent thinking. This is of course a very difficult task, especially if you are working in a very familiar field. Most of the original lines of approach may appear to have been developed already but this will not be the case. There is not a single topic on which the last word has been said and if you can find and develop an original line of thought which you can support with a strong argument and comprehensive research, then that prized First Class dissertation is within your grasp, all you have to do is go for it! How to turn your dissertation from a First Class to an Upper First Class The one word with which you need to engage in order to achieve an Upper First Class dissertation is originality. Everything else that you need to accomplish should be second nature to you at this level and what you want now is to demonstrate how your thinking will add to the body of thought on the subject. Indeed, the development of a First Class dissertation to an Upper First Class dissertation may be said to rest if not exactly solely then certainly heavily upon this aspect of your work. One of the main reasons for this, is that the vast majority of Upper First Class dissertations are later developed into theses for post graduate research, may indeed already be part of it, and as the excellence of a university’s research, from its staff as well as students, is the way in which it is ultimately judged in the academic world, it is clear that this grade will not be freely awarded. Therefore, if you are hoping to achieve this level, you will need considerable intellectual insigh t combined with an innovative approach. Clearly, the fundamental basis of an Upper First Class dissertation is wide ranging research but you should approach this from the first with an eye to discovering a new approach, something that has not been explored before and that further research will help to develop into a significant contribution to the topic you are studying. This is both challenging and exciting as you have the chance to contribute to a topic for which your attraction has been demonstrated by your having chosen to study it in the first place and reached the level that you have. Also, as has already been mentioned, what you identify as areas of possible future research in this dissertation may well be the basis for further study and you should incorporate this into your dissertation as a fundamental part of its structure throughout, if you are going to achieve an Upper First Class grade, which in most cases will require you to gain over 80% as your final mark. As research is so vital at this level, it is worth taking a little time to explain how you should go about it when preparing your Upper First Class dissertation. As with the research for lower grades, you should, of course, first consult the primary sources. Every field has its experts and in your search for innovation, you should not overlook the established. However, whilst you are assembling evidence from what has been said, the Upper First Class dissertation student will be looking just as vitally for what has been omitted. Ask yourself the following as you read: What is this expert saying? Does this expert cover the topic comprehensively? Are there any areas of particular interest to me which are absent? Can my research develop this further? Has anyone else covered the thinking which I believe to be original? By breaking down your research into this critical approach, you are beginning to work in the way that is needed to obtain an Upper First Class grade for your dissertation. It should also be remarked that the level of fluid and cohesive argument that you will need to produce in order to achieve an Upper First Class grade for your dissertation must be beyond reproach. There must, of course, be no errors in either the presentation or the structure and careful proof-reading is essential. Also, you must in no way sacrifice the logical and reasoned coherence of your argument to the quest for originality. There is little point in exploring a nuance you have discovered if your basic argument is flawed. Therefore, before you expand your writing and research ensure that you have covered the basics of the topic. Remember that ultimately what is required to achieve an Upper First Class grade for your dissertation is innovative thought coupled with a well-argued central discussion. The conclusions you draw are also a fundamental part of an Upper First Class dissertation as is a comprehensive bibliography so don’t leave either your conclusion or your bibliogr aphy until the last minute. Give both the importance they deserve in your dissertation and you will leave your assessor with the desired impression: that they have read an Upper First Class piece of work which is, of course, precisely what you want and which, by following this brief guide, you will have every chance of achieving.

Media Analysis of Coverage of One Event Essay examples -- Compare Cont

Media Analysis of Coverage of One Event In various articles written about Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco’s visit to Cuba, the emphases are placed on different points, as the event is described from various angles. The Cuban newspaper Granma goes into more depth about Blanco and her entourage’s activities during their visit to Cuba, as well as giving a more detailed background of pertinent information about United States-Cuba relations, in the context of the embargo. La Nueva Cuba approaches the event from a different angle by providing more specifics about how this particular transaction will take place. There is also a brief compare and contrast of the ways that the United States and other nations choose to deal with Cuba, especially in matters of financing purchases. The Daily Advertiser chooses yet another facet of the issue to focus on. Because it is a Louisiana paper, it has a more domestically-oriented agenda. As a result, the article centers on Louisiana and Blanco, rather than Cuba and the United States as a whole. None of these reports reflect particularly badly on either Cuba or the United States, though each reporter’s preference is shown by the particular scope through which the respective pieces are written. The title of the Granma report is â€Å"Louisiana se acerca mas a Cuba,† a very curious title which creates a feeling of intimacy between the two entities. A mechanical analysis reveals the purposeful use of a reflexive verb only for Louisiana, rather than for both Louisiana and Cuba (i.e. â€Å"Louisiana y Cuba se acercan†). This depicts Louisiana as the active participant of the two, the one that is taking the initiative to align itself closer to Cuba. This way of describing the situation makes sense conside... ...is a smaller regional paper that is more concerned with domestic affairs than international relations. An examination of three articles from different sources but about the same event reveals the different ways of manifesting what is of great or negligible importance, how an entity chooses to present itself, or how the government prefers to have itself portrayed. The various angles chosen to approach the issue, as well as the use of supporting details illustrates the personal preference of the reporter and his or her reflection of each nation, state, or person featured in the report. Although these three articles from the Lafayette Daily Advertiser, Cuba’s conservative Granma, or the more liberal La Nueva Cuba do not exhibit criticism for either the US or Cuba, they showcase subtle opinions about the newly established trade agreement between Cuba and Louisiana.

Behavior Changes of MDMA :: Illegal Drugs Medical Psychology Ecstasy Essays

Behavior Changes of MDMA The secondary effects on behavior are expressed in several ways that differ from one person to the next. These effects can range from memory impairment and anxiety, to depression and mood swings. They are a direct result of the chemical changes within the body that occur when someone uses ecstasy. I will discuss the range of effects in more detail, with explanations that get to the root causes for each. One of the major behavior changes, after the effects of the drug have worn off, is a symptom of the reduced levels of serotonin in the brain. As ecstasy infiltrates the brain tissues, its effects cause the brain to produce copious amounts of serotonin. Following such an extreme release of this neurotransmitter, the brain goes through of period of time in which it has a below normal level of serotonin. This reduced level creates elevated levels of anxiety in users, and can often result in panic attacks that persist for several months following the use of the drug. However, it is important to note that, according to a study from the European Journal of Pharmacology (Gurtman, et al, 2002); "whether such effects are a direct result of MDMA use†¦ is, at present, uncertain." This admission goes to show that correlation doesn't mean causation, and that until further research can be done we can only speculate about the relationship between the two. Another side effect, that is reported to be affected by the levels of serotonin in the brain, is that of memory functioning. Several different areas of memory are included in this assertion, including cognitive capacity, recall over time, and planning ability. It is suggested that heavy users, when compared to a control group, have a harder time with primary areas of brain functioning that relate to memory. In a study conducted at the University of Cologne, in Germany (Gouzoulis- Mayfrank, et. al, 2004), research indicates that, "findings of relatively low memory performance associated with heavy ecstasy use have been relatively consistent across different studies and user populations." This assertion is fairly recent in the literature, which would suggest that the findings have taken note of the broad range of studies that came before it. With that said, it's hard to ignore the idea that a drug that induces such euphoric effects on the mindset of an

Case Study †Cooperating and Communicating Across Cultures Essay

Cooperating and communicating across cultures are the key issues in this case study. Jim, an American employee, joined the German team well prepared with the knowledge of German culture and their language; however, he wasn’t expecting the length and details the meeting session went. He became increasingly impatient, and consequently lost the respect of his fellow team members by â€Å"hardly paying attention† to the process. The Germans used a three-day meeting as a way to lay the foundation for the structure of the entire product launch. By not understanding the importance of the initial meetings in the process, Jim never truly understood the way the team was working, that is by analyzing the problem, and addressing the issues then dividing the work and moving forward with the team leader checking and controlling the outcome. The German team had worked together for at least 10 years and so they knew the company procedures very well, but Jim clearly did not. A key organizational issue Jim exhibited is not showing respect for the Germans’ methods and failing to align himself with the culture more rather than removing himself from the process and complaining. Fundamentally, Jim wanted to outline the problem, adjust and confer during the process but the Germans had different ideas. This was a result of different culture for doing things. Each side saw the others’ method of operating as wrong rather than as a possible new and different way to address a product launch. Klaus, a German employee, had similar issues arriving in America and learning that the project would be put together as a work in progress rather than carefully thought out prior to execution of a plan. This is a cultural difference both sides experienced, which could have been prevented by an introduction to work methods before Jim/Klaus started with their new team. Outlining the process and roles of each person would help the visitor learn the culture. The interests of both the Germans and Americans were aligned; however, there was an unwillingness to review the possibility of adapting the best methods from each culture to work together for the benefit of all. References: Hitt, Miller & Colella (2011). Organizational Behavior, 3rd Edition: John Wiley & Sons Alston, Jon (June, 2005). Japanese Business Culture and Practices: A Guide to Twenty -First Century Japanese Business. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse, Inc. http://en.articlesgratuits.com/what-is-organizational-culture-id1515.php

Chapter 20 The First Task

Harry got up on Sunday morning and dressed so inattentively that it was a while before he realized he was trying to pull his hat onto his foot instead of his sock. When he'd finally got all his clothes on the right parts of his body, he hurried off to find Hermione, locating her at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, where she was eating breakfast with Ginny. Feeling too queasy to eat, Harry waited until Hermione had swallowed her last spoonful of porridge, then dragged her out onto the grounds. There, he told her all about the dragons, and about everything Sirius had said, while they took another long walk around the lake. Alarmed as she was by Sirius's warnings about Karkaroff, Hermione still thought that the dragons were the more pressing problem. â€Å"Let's just try and keep you alive until Tuesday evening,† she said desperately, â€Å"and then we can worry about Karkaroff.† They walked three times around the lake, trying all the way to think of a simple spell that would subdue a dragon. Nothing whatsoever occurred to them, so they retired to the library instead. Here, Harry pulled down every book he could find on dragons, and both of them set to work searching through the large pile. â€Å"Talon-clipping by charms†¦treating scale-rot†¦' This is no good, this is for nutters like Hagrid who want to keep them healthy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Dragons are extremely difficult to slay, owing to the ancient magic that imbues their thick hides, which none but the most powerful spells can penetrate†¦' But Sirius said a simple one would do it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Let's try some simple spellbooks, then,† said Harry, throwing aside Men Who Love Dragons Too Much. He returned to the table with a pile of spellbooks, set them down, and began to flick through each in turn, Hermione whispering nonstop at his elbow. â€Å"Well, there are Switching Spells†¦but what's the point of Switching it? Unless you swapped its fangs for wine-gums or something that would make it less dangerous†¦.The trouble is, like that book said, not much is going to get through a dragon's hide†¦.I'd say Transfigure it, but something that big, you really haven't got a hope, I doubt even Professor McGonagall†¦unless you're supposed to put the spell on yourself? Maybe to give yourself extra powers? But they're not simple spells, I mean, we haven't done any of those in class, I only know about them because I've been doing O.W.L. practice papers†¦.† â€Å"Hermione,† Harry said, through gritted teeth, â€Å"will you shut up for a bit, please? I m trying to concentrate.† But all that happened, when Hermione fell silent, was that Harry's brain filled with a sort of blank buzzing, which didn't seem to allow room for concentration. He stared hopelessly down the index of Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed. Instant scalping†¦but dragons had no hair†¦pepper breath†¦that would probably increase a dragon's firepower†¦horn tongue†¦just what he needed, to give it an extra weapon†¦ â€Å"Oh no, he's back again, why can't he read on his stupid ship?† said Hermione irritably as Viktor Krum slouched in, cast a surly look over at the pair of them, and settled himself in a distant corner with a pile of books. â€Å"Come on, Harry, we'll go back to the common room†¦his fan club'll be here in a moment, twittering away†¦.† And sure enough, as they left the library, a gang of girls tiptoed past them, one of them wearing a Bulgaria scarf tied around her waist. Harry barely slept that night. When he awoke on Monday morning, he seriously considered for the first time ever just running away from Hogwarts. But as he looked around the Great Hall at breakfast time, and thought about what leaving the castle would mean, he knew he couldn't do it. It was the only place he had ever been happy†¦well, he supposed he must have been happy with his parents too, but he couldn't remember that. Somehow, the knowledge that he would rather be here and facing a dragon than back on Privet Drive with Dudley was good to know; it made him feel slightly calmer. He finished his bacon with difficulty (his throat wasn't working too well), and as he and Hermione got up, he saw Cedric Diggory leaving the Hufflepuff table. Cedric still didn't know about the dragons†¦the only champion who didn't, if Harry was right in thinking that Maxime and Karkaroff would have told Fleur and Krum†¦. â€Å"Hermione, I'll see you in the greenhouses,† Harry said, coming to his decision as he watched Cedric leaving the Hall. â€Å"Go on, I'll catch you up.† â€Å"Harry, you'll be late, the bell's about to ring -â€Å" â€Å"I'll catch you up, okay?† By the time Harry reached the bottom of the marble staircase, Cedric was at the top. He was with a load of sixth-year friends. Harry didn't want to talk to Cedric in front of them; they were among those who had been quoting Rita Skeeter's article at him every time he went near them. He followed Cedric at a distance and saw that he was heading toward the Charms corridor. This gave Harry an idea. Pausing at a distance from them, he pulled out his wand, and took careful aim. â€Å"Diffindo!† Cedric's bag split. Parchment, quills, and books spilled out of it onto the floor. Several bottles of ink smashed. â€Å"Don't bother,† said Cedric in an exasperated voice as his friends bent down to help him. â€Å"Tell Flitwick I'm coming, go on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This was exactly what Harry had been hoping for. He slipped his wand back into his robes, waited until Cedric's friends had disappeared into their classroom, and hurried up the corridor, which was now empty of everyone but himself and Cedric. â€Å"Hi,† said Cedric, picking up a copy of A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration that was now splattered with ink. â€Å"My bag just split†¦brand-new and all†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Cedric,† said Harry, â€Å"the first task is dragons.† â€Å"What?† said Cedric, looking up. â€Å"Dragons,† said Harry, speaking quickly, in case Professor Flitwick came out to see where Cedric had got to. â€Å"They've got four, one for each of us, and we've got to get past them.† Cedric stared at him. Harry saw some of the panic he'd been feeling since Saturday night flickering in Cedric's gray eyes. â€Å"Are you sure?† Cedric said in a hushed voice. â€Å"Dead sure,† said Harry. â€Å"I've seen them.† â€Å"But how did you find out? We're not supposed to know†¦.† â€Å"Never mind,† said Harry quickly – he knew Hagrid would be in trouble if he told the truth. â€Å"But I'm not the only one who knows. Fleur and Krum will know by now – Maxime and Karkaroff both saw the dragons too.† Cedric straightened up, his arms full of inky quills, parchment, and books, his ripped bag dangling off one shoulder. He stared at Harry, and there was a puzzled, almost suspicious look in his eyes. â€Å"Why are you telling me?† he asked. Harry looked at him in disbelief. He was sure Cedric wouldn't have asked that if he had seen the dragons himself. Harry wouldn't have let his worst enemy face those monsters unprepared – well, perhaps Malfoy or Snape†¦. â€Å"It's just†¦fair, isn't it?† he said to Cedric. â€Å"We all know now†¦we're on an even footing, aren't we?† Cedric was still hooking at him in a slightly suspicious way when Harry heard a familiar clunking noise behind him. He turned around and saw Mad-Eye Moody emerging from a nearby classroom. â€Å"Come with me, Potter,† he growled. â€Å"Diggory, off you go.† Harry stared apprehensively at Moody. Had he overheard them? â€Å"Er – Professor, I'm supposed to be in Herbology -â€Å" â€Å"Never mind that, Potter. In my office, please†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry followed him, wondering what was going to happen to him now. What if Moody wanted to know how he'd found out about the dragons? Would Moody go to Dumbledore and tell on Hagrid, or just turn Harry into a ferret? Well, it might be easier to get past a dragon if he were a ferret, Harry thought dully, he'd be smaller, much less easy to see from a height of fifty feet†¦. He followed Moody into his office. Moody closed the door behind them and turned to look at Harry, his magical eye fixed upon him as well as the normal one. â€Å"That was a very decent thing you just did, Potter,† Moody said quietly. Harry didn't know what to say; this wasn't the reaction he had expected at all. â€Å"Sit down,† said Moody, and Harry sat, looking around. He had visited this office under two of its previous occupants. In Professor Lockhart's day, the walls had been plastered with beaming, winking pictures of Professor Lockhart himself. When Lupin had lived here, you were more likely to come across a specimen of some fascinating new Dark creature he had procured for them to study in class. Now, however, the office was full of a number of exceptionally odd objects that Harry supposed Moody had used in the days when he had been an Auror. On his desk stood what looked hike a large, cracked, glass spinning top; Harry recognized it at once as a Sneakoscope, because he owned one himself, though it was much smaller than Moody's. In the corner on a small table stood an object that looked something like an extra-squiggly, golden television aerial. It was humming slightly. What appeared to be a mirror hung opposite Harry on the wall, but it was not reflecting the room. Shadowy figures were moving around inside it, none of them clearly in focus. â€Å"Like my Dark Detectors, do you?† said Moody, who was watching Harry closely. â€Å"What's that?† Harry asked, pointing at the squiggly golden aerial. â€Å"Secrecy Sensor. Vibrates when it detects concealment and lies†¦no use here, of course, too much interference – students in every direction lying about why they haven't done their homework. Been humming ever since I got here. I had to disable my Sneakoscope because it wouldn't stop whistling. It's extra-sensitive, picks up stuff about a mile around. Of course, it could be picking up more than kid stuff,† he added in a growl. â€Å"And what's the mirror for?† â€Å"Oh that's my Foe-Glass. See them out there, skulking around? I'm not really in trouble until I see the whites of their eyes. That's when I open my trunk.† He let out a short, harsh laugh, and pointed to the large trunk under the window. It had seven keyholes in a row. Harry wondered what was in there, until Moody's next question brought him sharply back to earth. â€Å"So†¦found out about the dragons, have you?† Harry hesitated. He'd been afraid of this – but he hadn't told Cedric, and he certainly wasn't going to tell Moody, that Hagrid had broken the rules. â€Å"It's all right,† said Moody, sitting down and stretching out his wooden leg with a groan. â€Å"Cheating's a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and always has been.† â€Å"I didn't cheat,† said Harry sharply. â€Å"It was – a sort of accident that I found out.† Moody grinned. â€Å"I wasn't accusing you, laddie. I've been telling Dumbledore from the start, he can be as high-minded as he likes, but you can bet old Karkaroff and Maxime won't be. They'll have told their champions everything they can. They want to win. They want to beat Dumbledore. They'd like to prove he's only human.† Moody gave another harsh laugh, and his magical eye swiveled around so fast it made Harry feel queasy to watch it. â€Å"So†¦got any ideas how you're going to get past your dragon yet?† said Moody. â€Å"No,† said Harry. â€Å"Well, I'm not going to tell you,† said Moody gruffly. â€Å"I don't show favoritism, me. I'm just going to give you some good, general advice. And the first bit is – play to your strengths.† â€Å"I haven't got any,† said Harry, before he could stop himself. â€Å"Excuse me,† growled Moody, â€Å"you've got strengths if I say you've got them. Think now. What are you best at?† Harry tried to concentrate. What was he best at? Well, that was easy, really – â€Å"Quidditch,† he said dully, â€Å"and a fat lot of help -â€Å" â€Å"That's right,† said Moody, staring at him very hard, his magical eye barely moving at all. â€Å"You're a damn good flier from what I've heard.† â€Å"Yeah, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry stared at him. â€Å"I'm not allowed a broom, I've only got my wand†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"My second piece of general advice,† said Moody loudly, interrupting him, â€Å"is to use a nice, simple spell that will enable you to get what you need.† Harry looked at him blankly. What did he need? â€Å"Come on, boy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  whispered Moody. â€Å"Put them together†¦it's not that difficult†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And it clicked. He was best at flying. He needed to pass the dragon in the air. For that, he needed his Firebolt. And for his Fire-bolt, he needed – â€Å"Hermione,† Harry whispered, when he had sped into greenhouse three minutes later, uttering a hurried apology to Professor Sprout as he passed her. â€Å"Hermione – I need you to help me.† â€Å"What d'you think I've been trying to do, Harry?† she whispered back, her eyes round with anxiety over the top of the quivering Flutterby Bush she was pruning. â€Å"Hermione, I need to learn how to do a Summoning Charm properly by tomorrow afternoon.† And so they practiced. They didn't have lunch, but headed for a free classroom, where Harry tried with all his might to make various objects fly across the room toward him. He was still having problems. The books and quills kept losing heart halfway across the room and dropping hike stones to the floor. â€Å"Concentrate, Harry, concentrate†¦.† â€Å"What d'you think I'm trying to do?† said Harry angrily. â€Å"A great big dragon keeps popping up in my head for some reason†¦Okay, try again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He wanted to skip Divination to keep practicing, but Hermione refused point-blank to skive off Arithmancy, and there was no point in staying without her. He therefore had to endure over an hour of Professor Trelawney, who spent half the lesson telling everyone that the position of Mars with relation to Saturn at that moment meant that people born in July were in great danger of sudden, violent deaths. â€Å"Well, that's good,† said Harry loudly, his temper getting the better of him, â€Å"just as long as it's not drawn-out. I don't want to suffer.† Ron looked for a moment as though he was going to laugh; he certainly caught Harry's eye for the first time in days, but Harry was still feeling too resentful toward Ron to care. He spent the rest of the lesson trying to attract small objects toward him under the table with his wand. He managed to make a fly zoom straight into his hand, though he wasn't entirely sure that was his prowess at Summoning Charms – perhaps the fly was just stupid. He forced down some dinner after Divination, then returned to the empty classroom with Hermione, using the Invisibility Cloak to avoid the teachers. They kept practicing until past midnight. They would have stayed longer, but Peeves turned up and, pretending to think that Harry wanted things thrown at him, started chucking chairs across the room. Harry and Hermione left in a hurry before the noise attracted Filch, and went back to the Gryffindor common room, which was now mercifully empty. At two o'clock in the morning, Harry stood near the fireplace, surrounded by heaps of objects: books, quills, several upturned chairs, an old set of Gobstones, and Neville's toad, Trevor. Only in the last hour had Harry really got the hang of the Summoning Charm. â€Å"That's better, Harry, that's loads better,† Hermione said, looking exhausted but very pleased. â€Å"Well, now we know what to do next time I can't manage a spell,† Harry said, throwing a rune dictionary back to Hermione, so he could try again, â€Å"threaten me with a dragon. Right†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He raised his wand once more. â€Å"Accio Dictionary!† The heavy book soared out of Hermione's hand, flew across the room, and Harry caught it. â€Å"Harry, I really think you've got it!† said Hermione delightedly. â€Å"Just as long as it works tomorrow,† Harry said. â€Å"The Firebolt's going to be much farther away than the stuff in here, it's going to be in the castle, and I'm going to be out there on the grounds†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"That doesn't matter,† said Hermione firmly.† Just as long as you're concentrating really, really hard on it, it'll come. Harry, we'd better get some sleep†¦you're going to need it.† Harry had been focusing so hard on learning the Summoning Charm that evening that some of his blind panic had heft him. It returned in full measure, however, on the following morning. The atmosphere in the school was one of great tension and excitement. Lessons were to stop at midday, giving all the students time to get down to the dragons' enclosure – though of course, they didn't yet know what they would find there. Harry felt oddly separate from everyone around him, whether they were wishing him good luck or hissing â€Å"We'll have a box of tissues ready, Potter† as he passed. It was a state of nervousness so advanced that he wondered whether he mightn't just lose his head when they tried to lead him out to his dragon, and start trying to curse everyone in sight. Time was behaving in a more peculiar fashion than ever, rushing past in great dollops, so that one moment he seemed to be sitting down in his first lesson, History of Magic, and the next, walking into lunch†¦and then (where had the morning gone? the last of the dragon-free hours?), Professor McGonagall was hurrying over to him in the Great Hall. Lots of people were watching. â€Å"Potter, the champions have to come down onto the grounds now†¦.You have to get ready for your first task.† â€Å"Okay,† said Harry, standing up, his fork falling onto his plate with a clatter. â€Å"Good luck, Harry,† Hermione whispered. â€Å"You'll be fine!† â€Å"Yeah,† said Harry in a voice that was most unlike his own. He heft the Great Hall with Professor McGonagall. She didn't seem herself either; in fact, she looked nearly as anxious as Hermione. As she walked him down the stone steps and out into the cold November afternoon, she put her hand on his shoulder. â€Å"Now, don't panic,† she said, â€Å"just keep a cool head†¦.We've got wizards standing by to control the situation if it gets out of hand†¦.The main thing is just to do your best, and nobody will think any the worse of you†¦.Are you all right?† â€Å"Yes,† Harry heard himself say. â€Å"Yes, I'm fine.† She was leading him toward the place where the dragons were, around the edge of the forest, but when they approached the clump of trees behind which the enclosure would be clearly visible, Harry saw that a tent had been erected, its entrance facing them, screening the dragons from view. â€Å"You're to go in here with the other champions,† said Professor McGonagall, in a rather shaky sort of voice, â€Å"and wait for your turn, Potter. Mr. Bagman is in there†¦he'll be telling you the – the procedure†¦. Good luck.† â€Å"Thanks,† said Harry, in a flat, distant voice. She left him at the entrance of the tent. Harry went inside. Fleur Delacour was sitting in a corner on a how wooden stool. She didn't look nearly as composed as usual, but rather pale and clammy. Viktor Krum looked even surlier than usual, which Harry supposed was his way of showing nerves. Cedric was pacing up and down. When Harry entered, Cedric gave him a small smile, which Harry returned, feeling the muscles in his face working rather hard, as though they had forgotten how to do it. â€Å"Harry! Good-o!† said Bagman happily, looking around at him. â€Å"Come in, come in, make yourself at home!† Bagman looked somehow like a slightly overblown cartoon figure, standing amid all the pale-faced champions. He was wearing his old Wasp robes again. â€Å"Well, now we're all here – time to fill you in!† said Bagman brightly. â€Å"When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag† – he held up a small sack of purple silk and shook it at them – â€Å"from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are different – er – varieties, you see. And I have to tell you something else too†¦ah, yes†¦your task is to collect the golden egg!† Harry glanced around. Cedric had nodded once, to show that he understood Bagman's words, and then started pacing around the tent again; he looked slightly green. Fleur Delacour and Krum hadn't reacted at all. Perhaps they thought they might be sick if they opened their mouths; that was certainly how Harry felt. But they, at least, had volunteered for this†¦ And in no time at all, hundreds upon hundreds of pairs of feet could be heard passing the tent, their owners talking excitedly, laughing, joking†¦.Harry felt as separate from the crowd as though they were a different species. And then – it seemed like about a second later to Harry – Bagman was opening the neck of the purple silk sack. â€Å"Ladies first,† he said, offering it to Fleur Delacour. She put a shaking hand inside the bag and drew out a tiny, perfect model of a dragon – a Welsh Green. It had the number two around its neck And Harry knew, by the fact that Fleur showed no sign of surprise, but rather a determined resignation, that he had been right: Madame Maxime had told her what was coming. The same held true for Krum. He pulled out the scarlet Chinese Fireball. It had a number three around its neck. He didn't even blink, just sat back down and stared at the ground. Cedric put his hand into the bag, and out came the blueish-gray Swedish Short-Snout, the number one tied around its neck. Knowing what was left, Harry put his hand into the silk bag and pulled out the Hungarian Horntail, and the number four. It stretched its wings as he looked down at it, and bared its minuscule fangs. â€Å"Well, there you are!† said Bagman. â€Å"You have each pulled out the dragon you will face, and the numbers refer to the order in which you are to take on the dragons, do you see? Now, I'm going to have to leave you in a moment, because I'm commentating. Mr. Diggory, you're first, just go out into the enclosure when you hear a whistle, all right? Now†¦Harry†¦could I have a quick word? Outside?† â€Å"Er†¦yes,† said Harry blankly, and he got up and went out of the tent with Bagman, who walked him a short distance away, into the trees, and then turned to him with a fatherly expression on his face. â€Å"Feeling all right, Harry? Anything I can get you?† â€Å"What?† said Harry. â€Å"I – no, nothing.† â€Å"Got a plan?† said Bagman, lowering his voice conspiratorially. â€Å"Because I don't mind sharing a few pointers, if you'd like them, you know. I mean,† Bagman continued, lowering his voice still further, â€Å"you're the underdog here, Harry†¦.Anything I can do to help†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No,† said Harry so quickly he knew he had sounded rude, â€Å"no – I – I know what I'm going to do, thanks.† â€Å"Nobody would know, Harry,† said Bagman, winking at him. â€Å"No, I'm fine,† said Harry, wondering why he kept telling people this, and wondering whether he had ever been less fine. â€Å"I've got a plan worked out, I -â€Å" A whistle had blown somewhere. â€Å"Good lord, I've got to run!† said Bagman in alarm, and he hurried off. Harry walked back to the tent and saw Cedric emerging from it, greener than ever. Harry tried to wish him luck as he walked past, but all that came out of his mouth was a sort of hoarse grunt. Harry went back inside to Fleur and Krum. Seconds hater, they heard the roar of the crowd, which meant Cedric had entered the enclosure and was now face-to-face with the living counterpart of his model†¦. It was worse than Harry could ever have imagined, sitting there and listening. The crowd screamed†¦yelled†¦gasped like a single many-headed entity, as Cedric did whatever he was doing to get past the Swedish Short-Snout. Krum was still staring at the ground. Fleur had now taken to retracing Cedric's steps, around and around the tent. And Bagman's commentary made everything much, much worse†¦.Horrible pictures formed in Harry's mind as he heard: â€Å"Oooh, narrow miss there, very narrow†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"He's taking risks, this one!†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ Clever move – pity it didn't work!† And then, after about fifteen minutes, Harry heard the deafening roar that could mean only one thing: Cedric had gotten past his dragon and captured the golden egg. â€Å"Very good indeed!† Bagman was shouting. â€Å"And now the marks from the judges!† But he didn't shout out the marks; Harry supposed the judges were holding them up and showing them to the crowd. â€Å"One down, three to go!† Bagman yelled as the whistle blew again. â€Å"Miss Delacour, if you please!† Fleur was trembling from head to foot; Harry felt more warmly toward her than he had done so far as she heft the tent with her head held high and her hand clutching her wand. He and Krum were left alone, at opposite sides of the tent, avoiding each other's gaze. The same process started again†¦.†Oh I'm not sure that was wise!† they could hear Bagman shouting gleefully. â€Å"Oh†¦nearly! Careful now†¦good lord, I thought she'd had it then!† Ten minutes later, Harry heard the crowd erupt into applause once more†¦.Fleur must have been successful too. A pause, while Fleur's marks were being shown†¦more clapping†¦then, for the third time, the whistle. â€Å"And here comes Mr. Krum!† cried Bagman, and Krum slouched out, leaving Harry quite alone. He felt much more aware of his body than usual; very aware of the way his heart was pumping fast, and his fingers tingling with fear†¦yet at the same time, he seemed to be outside himself, seeing the walls of the tent, and hearing the crowd, as though from far away. â€Å"Very daring!† Bagman was yelling, and Harry heard the Chinese Fireball emit a horrible, roaring shriek, while the crowd drew its collective breath. â€Å"That's some nerve he's showing – and – yes, he's got the egg!† Applause shattered the wintery air like breaking glass; Krum had finished – it would be Harry's turn any moment. He stood up, noticing dimly that his legs seemed to be made of marshmallow. He waited. And then he heard the whistle blow. He walked out through the entrance of the tent, the panic rising into a crescendo inside him. And now he was walking past the trees, through a gap in the enclosure fence. He saw everything in front of him as though it was a very highly colored dream. There were hundreds and hundreds of faces staring down at him from stands that had been magicked there since he'd last stood on this spot. And there was the Horntail, at the other end of the enclosure, crouched low over her clutch of eggs, her wings half-furled, her evil, yellow eyes upon him, a monstrous, scaly, black lizard, thrashing her spiked tail, heaving yard-long gouge marks in the hard ground. The crowd was making a great deal of noise, but whether friendly or not, Harry didn't know or care. It was time to do what he had to do†¦to focus his mind, entirely and absolutely, upon the thing that was his only chance. He raised his wand. â€Å"Accio Firebolt!† he shouted. Harry waited, every fiber of him hoping, praying†¦.If it hadn't worked†¦if it wasn't coming†¦He seemed to be looking at everything around him through some sort of shimmering, transparent barrier, like a heat haze, which made the enclosure and the hundreds of faces around him swim strangely†¦. And then he heard it, speeding through the air behind him; he turned and saw his Firebolt hurtling toward him around the edge of the woods, soaring into the enclosure, and stopping dead in midair beside him, waiting for him to mount. The crowd was making even more noise†¦.Bagman was shouting something†¦but Harry's ears were not working properly anymore†¦listening wasn't important†¦. He swung his leg over the broom and kicked off from the ground. And a second later, something miraculous happened†¦. As he soared upward, as the wind rushed through his hair, as the crowd's faces became mere flesh-colored pinpnicks below, and the Horntail shrank to the size of a dog, he realized that he had left not only the ground behind, but also his fear†¦.He was back where he belonged†¦. This was just another Quidditch match, that was all†¦just another Quidditch match, and that Horntail was just another ugly opposing team†¦. He looked down at the clutch of eggs and spotted the gold one, gleaming against its cement-colored fellows, residing safely between the dragon's front legs. â€Å"Okay,† Harry told himself, â€Å"diversionary tactics†¦let's go†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He dived. The Horntail's head followed him; he knew what it was going to do and pulled out of the dive just in time; a jet of fire had been released exactly where he would have been had he not swerved away†¦but Harry didn't care†¦that was no more than dodging a Bludger†¦. â€Å"Great Scott, he can fly!† yelled Bagman as the crowd shrieked and gasped. â€Å"Are you watching this, Mr. Krum?† Harry soared higher in a circle; the Horntail was still following his progress; its head revolving on its long neck – if he kept this up, it would be nicely dizzy – but better not push it too long, or it would be breathing fire again – Harry plummeted just as the Horntail opened its mouth, but this time he was less lucky – he missed the flames, but the tail came whipping up to meet him instead, and as he swerved to the left, one of the long spikes grazed his shoulder, ripping his robes – He could feel it stinging, he could hear screaming and groans from the crowd, but the cut didn't seem to be deep†¦.Now he zoomed around the back of the Horntail, and a possibility occurred to him†¦. The Horntail didn't seem to want to take off, she was too protective of her eggs. Though she writhed and twisted, furling and unfurling her wings and keeping those fearsome yellow eyes on Harry, she was afraid to move too far from them†¦but he had to persuade her to do it, or he'd never get near them†¦.The trick was to do it carefully, gradually†¦. He began to fly, first this way, then the other, not near enough to make her breathe fire to stave him off, but still posing a sufficient threat to ensure she kept her eyes on him. Her head swayed this way and that, watching him out of those vertical pupils, her fangs bared†¦. He flew higher. The Horntail's head rose with him, her neck now stretched to its fullest extent, still swaying, hike a snake before its charmer†¦. Harry rose a few more feet, and she let out a roar of exasperation. He was like a fly to her, a fly she was longing to swat; her tail thrashed again, but he was too high to reach now†¦.She shot fire into the air, which he dodged†¦.Her jaws opened wide†¦. â€Å"Come on,† Harry hissed, swerving tantalizingly above her, â€Å"come on, come and get me†¦up you get now†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And then she reared, spreading her great, black, leathery wings at last, as wide as those of a small airplane – and Harry dived. Before the dragon knew what he had done, or where he had disappeared to, he was speeding toward the ground as fast as he could go, toward the eggs now unprotected by her clawed front legs – he had taken his hands off his Firebolt – he had seized the golden egg – And with a huge spurt of speed, he was off, he was soaring out over the stands, the heavy egg safely under his uninjured arm, and it was as though somebody had just turned the volume back up – for the first time, he became properly aware of the noise of the crowd, which was screaming and applauding as loudly as the Irish supporters at the World Cup – â€Å"Look at that!† Bagman was yelling. â€Å"Will you look at that! Our youngest champion is quickest to get his egg! Well, this is going to shorten the odds on Mr. Potter!† Harry saw the dragon keepers rushing forward to subdue the Horntail, and, over at the entrance to the enclosure, Professor McGonagall, Professor Moody, and Hagrid hurrying to meet him, all of them waving him toward them, their smiles evident even from this distance. He flew back over the stands, the noise of the crowd pounding his eardrums, and came in smoothly to land, his heart lighter than it had been in weeks†¦.He had got through the first task, he had survived†¦. â€Å"That was excellent, Potter!† cried Professor McGonagall as he got off the Firebolt – which from her was extravagant praise. He noticed that her hand shook as she pointed at his shoulder. â€Å"You'll need to see Madam Pomfrey before the judges give out your score†¦.Over there, she's had to mop up Diggory already†¦.† â€Å"Yeh did it, Harry!† said Hagrid hoarsely. â€Å"Yeh did it! An' agains' the Horntail an' all, an' yeh know Charlie said that was the wors' -â€Å" â€Å"Thanks, Hagrid,† said Harry loudly, so that Hagrid wouldn't blunder on and reveal that he had shown Harry the dragons beforehand. Professor Moody looked very pleased too; his magical eye was dancing in its socket. â€Å"Nice and easy does the trick, Potter,† he growled. â€Å"Right then, Potter, the first aid tent, please†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Professor McGonagall. Harry walked out of the enclosure, still panting, and saw Madam Pomfrey standing at the mouth of a second tent, looking worried. â€Å"Dragons!† she said, in a disgusted tone, pulling Harry inside. The tent was divided into cubicles; he could make out Cedric's shadow through the canvas, but Cedric didn't seem to be badly injured; he was sitting up, at least. Madam Pomfrey examined Harry's shoulder, talking furiously all the while. â€Å"Last year dementors, this year dragons, what are they going to bring into this school next? You're very lucky†¦this is quite shallow†¦it'll need cleaning before I heal it up, though†¦.† She cleaned the cut with a dab of some purple liquid that smoked and stung, but then poked his shoulder with her wand, and he felt it heal instantly. â€Å"Now, just sit quietly for a minute – sit! And then you can go and get your score.† She bustled out of the tent and he heard her go next door and say, â€Å"How does it feel now, Diggory?† Harry didn't want to sit still. He was too full of adrenaline. He got to his feet, wanting to see what was going on outside, but before he'd reached the mouth of the tent, two people had come darting inside – Hermione, followed closely by Ron. â€Å"Harry, you were brilliant!† Hermione said squeakily. There were fingernail marks on her face where she had been clutching it in fear. â€Å"You were amazing! You really were!† But Harry was looking at Ron, who was very white and staring at Harry as though he were a ghost. â€Å"Harry,† he said, very seriously, â€Å"whoever put your name in that goblet – I – I reckon they're trying to do you in!† It was as though the last few weeks had never happened – as though Harry were meeting Ron for the first time, right after he'd been made champion. â€Å"Caught on, have you?† said Harry coldly. â€Å"Took you long enough.† Hermione stood nervously between them, looking from one to the other. Ron opened his mouth uncertainly. Harry knew Ron was about to apologize and suddenly he found he didn't need to hear it. â€Å"It's okay,† he said, before Ron could get the words out. â€Å"Forget it.† â€Å"No,† said Ron, â€Å"I shouldn't've -â€Å" â€Å"Forget it, â€Å"Harry said. Ron grinned nervously at him, and Harry grinned back. Hermione burst into tears. â€Å"There's nothing to cry about!† Harry told her, bewildered. â€Å"You two are so stupid!† she shouted, stamping her foot on the ground, tears splashing down her front. Then, before either of them could stop her, she had given both of them a hug and dashed away, now positively howling. â€Å"Barking mad,† said Ron, shaking his head. â€Å"Harry, c'mon, they'll be putting up your scores†¦.† Picking up the golden egg and his Firebolt, feeling more elated than he would have believed possible an hour ago, Harry ducked out of the tent, Ron by his side, talking fast. â€Å"You were the best, you know, no competition. Cedric did this weird thing where he Transfigured a rock on the ground†¦turned it into a dog†¦he was trying to make the dragon go for the dog instead of him. Well, it was a pretty cool bit of Transfiguration, and it sort of worked, because he did get the egg, but he got burned as well – the dragon changed its mind halfway through and decided it would rather have him than the Labrador; he only just got away. And that Fleur girl tried this sort of charm, I think she was trying to put it into a trance – well, that kind of worked too, it went all sleepy, but then it snored, and this great jet of flame shot out, and her skirt caught fire – she put it out with a bit of water out of her wand. And Krum – you won't believe this, but he didn't even think of flying! He was probably the best after you, though. Hit it with some sort of spell right in the eye. Only thing is, it went trampling around in agony and squashed half the real eggs – they took marks off for that, he wasn't supposed to do any damage to them.† Ron drew breath as he and Harry reached the edge of the enclosure. Now that the Horntail had been taken away, Harry could see where the five judges were sitting – right at the other end, in raised seats draped in gold. â€Å"It's marks out of ten from each one,† Ron said, and Harry squinting up the field, saw the first judge – Madame Maxime – raise her wand in the air. What hooked like a long silver ribbon shot out of it, which twisted itself into a large figure eight. â€Å"Not bad!† said Ron as the crowd applauded. â€Å"I suppose she took marks off for your shoulder†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mr. Crouch came next. He shot a number nine into the air. â€Å"Looking good!† Ron yelled, thumping Harry on the back. Next, Dumbledore. He too put up a nine. The crowd was cheering harder than ever. Ludo Bagman – ten. â€Å"Ten?† said Harry in disbelief. â€Å"But†¦I got hurt†¦.What's he playing at?† â€Å"Harry, don't complain!† Ron yelled excitedly. And now Karkaroff raised his wand. He paused for a moment, and then a number shot out of his wand too – four. â€Å"What?† Ron bellowed furiously. â€Å"Four? You lousy, biased scum-bag, you gave Krum ten!† But Harry didn't care, he wouldn't have cared if Karkaroff had given him zero; Ron's indignation on his behalf was worth about a hundred points to him. He didn't tell Ron this, of course, but his heart felt lighter than air as he turned to leave the enclosure. And it wasn't just Ron†¦those weren't only Gryffindors cheering in the crowd. When it had come to it, when they had seen what he was facing, most of the school had been on his side as well as Cedric's†¦.He didn't care about the Slytherins, he could stand whatever they threw at him now. â€Å"You're tied in first place, Harry! You and Krum!† said Charlie Weasley, hurrying to meet them as they set off back toward the school. â€Å"Listen, I've got to run, I've got to go and send Mum an owl, I swore I'd tell her what happened – but that was unbelievable! Oh yeah – and they told me to tell you you've got to hang around for a few more minutes†¦.Bagman wants a word, back in the champions' tent.† Ron said he would wait, so Harry reentered the tent, which somehow looked quite different now: friendly and welcoming. He thought back to how he'd felt while dodging the Horntail, and compared it to the long wait before he'd walked out to face it†¦.There was no comparison; the wait had been immeasurably worse. Fleur, Cedric, and Krum all came in together. One side of Cedric's face was covered in a thick orange paste, which was presumably mending his burn. He grinned at Harry when he saw him. â€Å"Good one, Harry.† â€Å"And you,† said Harry, grinning back. â€Å"Well done, all of you!† said Ludo Bagman, bouncing into the tent and looking as pleased as though he personally had just got past a dragon. â€Å"Now, just a quick few words. You've got a nice long break before the second task, which will take place at half past nine on the morning of February the twenty-fourth – but we're giving you something to think about in the meantime! If you look down at those golden eggs you're all holding, you will see that they open†¦see the hinges there? You need to solve the clue inside the egg – because it will tell you what the second task is, and enable you to prepare for it! All clear? Sure? Well, off you go, then!† Harry left the tent, rejoined Ron, and they started to walk back around the edge of the forest, talking hard; Harry wanted to hear what the other champions had done in more detail. Then, as they rounded the clump of trees behind which Harry had first heard the dragons roar, a witch leapt out from behind them. It was Rita Skeeter. She was wearing acid-green robes today; the Quick-Quotes Quill in her hand blended perfectly against them. â€Å"Congratulations, Harry!† she said, beaming at him. â€Å"I wonder if you could give me a quick word? How you felt facing that dragon? How you feel now, about the fairness of the scoring?† â€Å"Yeah, you can have a word,† said Harry savagely. â€Å"Good-bye.† And he set off back to the castle with Ron.