You Dont Mind in French Ça MÉst Égal.

Ça mest à ©gal  is a common French expression that is pronounced sa meht aygahl. Literally, it means thats equal to me, but in use it actually means Its all the same to me or It doesnt matter to me or even Not to worry; Im easy. It is often  used in response to a choice between two or more options, whether they are stated or implied. And one other thing: Ça mest à ©gal  can be seen as flippant, depending on how the message is delivered. So take care with how you say this expression. Its All in the Telling If you say,  Ãƒâ€¡a  mest à ©gal  softly with a neutral expression or with a quick  bof, aka a Gallic shrug, you probably mean I dont feel strongly about it, Im not fussy, Im not bothered or I dont mind. If you say,  Ãƒâ€¡a  mest à ©gal  a little more strongly or with a flip wave of the hand and a touch of annoyance, you could mean I dont care or Its starting to get on my nerves. If you say, Ça  mest  complà ¨tement  Ãƒ ©gal, you could mean, I really dont care or I couldnt care less. All this will become clear when you scroll down to the list of possible synonyms for à §a mest à ©gal. Examples of a mestgal Here are some exchanges in everyday language using  Ãƒ §a mest  Ãƒ ©gal: Est-ce que tu veux une pomme ou une poire  ? Ça mest à ©gal. Do you want an apple or a pear? Either one. It doesnt matter to me.Dà ®ner en ville ou chez nous, à §a mest à ©gal.   Eating out or in, its all the same to me.Je veux partir à   midi. Ça mest à ©gal. I want to leave at noon. Its all the same to me (regarding the time we leave). Ça mest à ©gal  can be adapted  to  other grammatical persons by changing the  indirect object pronoun. For example: Ça test à ©gal ?  Ã‚  Its all the same to you?Ça nous est à ©gal.   Its all the same to us. Synonyms In ascending degrees of intensity, synonyms of  Ãƒ §a mest  Ãƒ ©gal  include: 1. In informal language, if you mean  I dont care, you could use, instead of à §a mest  Ãƒ ©gal,  the following expressions, which are regarded as slang or light street language: Je  men fiche.  /  Je men moque.  Ã‚  I dont care /  I dont give a d--n. 2. If you dont care, but the subject annoys you, you could use this very common familiar language: Ça  magace.   Thats getting on my nerves.Ça  membà ªte.   That  bothers me.Ça  mennuie. Im bothered / embarrassed / bored. 3. If you feel strongly about not caring, you could use more emphatic street  language. Be forewarned: These expressions can be vulgar. That said, if you visit France, you will likely hear this kind of language on the street, and its useful to know what it means and how to respond: Je men fous.   I dont give a d--n. / I dont give a f--k.Jen ai rien  Ãƒ   foutre.   I dont give a d--n. / I dont give a f--k. / Like I give a s--t. Additional Resources Expressions with à ªtreÇa and other indefinite demonstrative pronounsMost common French phrases

Personal Statement Of Industrial Design - 987 Words

USA is the place where one can find the most diversified universities. I have chosen this country to pursue my undergraduate degree as the major I aim to study is not offered by a lot of universities in my country (India). The major I intend to opt for is Industrial Design. Attention to fine detailing is the key factor for the success of any appealing product. As an industrial designer I dream of developing concepts and specifications that optimise the functionality, value and the overall appearance of products. Since my childhood I was a knowledge-seeking student and a swift learner. I did my schooling from Delhi Public School located in a cultural city named Vadodara. I achieved proficiency in 10th and 12th grade. But the education we†¦show more content†¦I never wrote diaries, instead expressed my feelings through my brush. Pablo Picasso has rightly quoted â€Å"The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.† Taking down running notes in the school was a tough job for me but sketching the classroom scene in the same notebook was just a cakewalk. Because of my fine detailing and technical skills, each and every student in the class made me draw diagrams and drawings in their notebooks. What we fail to notice is that there is beauty all around us, in different shapes, sizes, colours, textures etc. Studying the structure and colour of the things around me keeps me occupied every time. It didn’t take me long to realise that I could do wonders in suc h imaginative fields if provided with proper guidance, educational facilities and support. The guidance and support part was fulfilled by my family and teachers and your university will bring out the best in me as far as my education is concerned. (University name) being ranked among the top universities, offers the highest level of education. Your esteemed university has an excellent faculty, notable alumni, flexible course structure and most importantly a cordial atmosphere for international students. The thorough understanding and evaluation of the forefront of 3-D drawings, modelling and using design software will help me improve my ken in the field of design. The other important factor that strongly convinced me toShow MoreRelatedProposed Development By Responsible Property Development 1570 Words   |  7 Pages1.0 Executive Summary: The proposed development by ‘Responsible Property Development’ is focused on the connection between buildings, urban form and sustainability, with (SRI) socially responsible investment core to the design (Dixon et al, 2006). The development (Phase 1) is situated on the fringe of Manchester on a brownfield, high-density development with green buildings attracting attention within the real estate industry, befitting of the mixed income target market. 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Report Professional Issues Assignment - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss about the Report Professional Issues Assignment. Answers: Introduction Hullaballoo.com is a recognized and new online news business. Jimmy Olsen, a recent graduate from Griffith University IT joined the news company. Soon after he joined, Jimmy came to know that the story is something different from what is displayed for the rest of the world. Hullaballoo publishes news, most of which are false and self-made. Jimmy was much uncomfortable with this fact that he publishing fake news. At the same time, the job was important for him, so he could not afford to lose it; rather he thought of some other way. Analysis A dilemma is a complicated problem for which there is no simple and evident solution. The best way to deal with such kind of a complicated problem is to simplify it. This can be done by breaking the problem into several managerial factors. EDM or Ethical Decision Model is a all-purpose method for analysis of a complicated situation to disclose a solution. This EDM method involves three major steps. They are analysis, prioritisation and decision. Analysis of the Hullaballoo case study is done, based on several factors. Every moral and ethical problem or dilemma is a mixture of several extrinsic and intrinsic factors that are needed to be recognized as the necessity of the first step. These factors are as follows: Legal Factors Professional Factors Employment and Social Factors Personal Factors Intrinsic Factors The extrinsic factors are the legal, professional, employment and social and personal factors. The intrinsic factor is an individuals personal attributes. Legal factors Jimmy Olsen is uncomfortable with the job surroundings. He thought of taking steps but at the same time, he needed the job badly; so he was silent and was part of the wrong deed that Hullaballoo was doing. Supporting a wrong act is equal to doing that wrong act. Jimmy should have taken legal steps as soon as he came to know about the fraud case of Hullaballoo. He should have informed the police because after wards, if the fraud case comes in front of public, even Jimmy would be behind bars. He should have taken action in the first step as law always gets priority over the remaining since breaking any law will get into severe trouble, even in prison. Professional factors The commitment to Jimmys profession should get the first priority over the commitment he has to his employer or boss in the occurrence that his employer requires him to do anything unprofessional. Jimmy Olsen should be loyal to his work place. In this particular case, he is working for an online news business, where Jimmy is put to work customizing Hullaballoos website to get people to sign up for a free subscription and receive a daily newsletter or weekly digest. Since, being an ethical individual, it is his duty to stop publishing fake news and adding any kind of impurity to the news. When he is not doing so, he is being unethical to his society. Employment and Social factors The organisations or companies that remain in the bigger context of a society are nothing but a product of that society, so there will usually be agreement, at least in principle, between the models of the organisation and those of society. There will be some variations to this in the case of the organisations that remain at the verge of the society, that do not share its conventional models. Jimmy Olsen should consider the social and the employment factors. The social factor for Jimmy is that he is bound to do that unethical job because he has some financial issues. The employment factors that will effect Jimmy are recessions, job growth and the ability to look for other jobs. Personal factors A persons first lesson is always from his family. He can be one of the best person only by the lesson he gets from his family, friends. His upbringing will be a part of his moral development. Jimmy Olsen is feeling uncomfortable after he knew about the fraud case of Hullaballoo, which means his work ethics and moral development are on the right track. Personal factors are those factors that are acquired from the social constraint they are part of the foster or parent component. Personalities are an amalgamation of the factors, though the grade of each will vary with every individual. Strong-minded unconventional people will be affected by the parent or foster component. Intrinsic factors The intrinsic factors include the distinctive range of an individuals traits; their height of personal goals, moral development, their motivation, their status and position in the society, their self concept; intrinsic factors that were not obtained from their surroundings. Jimmy Olsens intrinsic factors are affecting his work ethics. Jimmy Olsen is put to work customizing Hullaballoos website to get people to sign up for a free subscription and receive a daily newsletter or weekly digest. His intrinsic factors include his characteristics, his objectives and his motivation. Prioritisation The making of a table or a list that shows each one of the factor in order of importance assists prioritisation. It can be helpful to include a column that outlines related matters beside each factor. The following table helps to understand the most important to the least important factor. S.no Factor Related Issue 1 Publishing fake news (Legal) Hullaballoo is publishing false and self-made news. 2 Positive publicity for clients (Legal) Hullaballoo is doing positive publicity for its clients to gain money 3 Negative publicity for clients Competitor (Legal) Hullaballoo is doing negative publicity for its clients competitors. 4 Unethical job (Professional) Publishing fake news in unprofessional 5 Being quiet (Professional) Jimmy Olsen is quiet in spite of knowing that it is a wrong deed 6 Insufficient money (Social and employment) Jimmy had some financial issues that stopped him from leaving the job. 7 No work experience (Social and employment) Jimmy was a fresh graduate so after leaving Hullaballoo, finding a job would had been difficult for him. 8 Recession (Social and employment) Jimmy had the fear that he might get stuck in recession and will not be able to find a new job. 9 Family (Personal) Jimmy wanted to get settled. 10 Bigger place (Personal) Jimmy wanted a bigger place to live in 11 Job satisfaction (Personal) Jimmy wanted to be satisfied with his job. 12 Gather work experience (Intrinsic) Jimmy wanted to gather work experience from Hullaballoo. 13 Director (Intrinsic) Jimmy wanted to become director Table 1: Priority List Decision According to the priority list provided, legal factor is present on the top priority list. Legal action should be taken as soon as possible. Jimmy Olsen should contact police in no less time because publishing fake and self-made news is nothing but a severe crime. Supporting this wrong deed is equal to doing this wrong deed. When Jimmy Olsen is not blowing the whistle, he is supporting this wrong act. The moment Hullaballoo will be exposed in front of the world, even Jimmy will be put behind bars for being a part of this fraud online news business. Hullaballoo is paid for positive publicity of its client and negative publicity of its clients competitor. Jimmy has noticed that some of the news stories make favorable mention of the same companies who buy advertising with them. He has learned that this practice is called Native Advertising where an advertisement pretends as a news story. Native advertising is largely a response to more and more people using ad blockers on their web brow sers. Therefore, the decision that should be taken is taking the help of law or legal authorities. Discussion The factors that affected the Hullaballoo case study are as follows: Legal Factors Professional Factors Social and Employment Factors Personal Factors Intrinsic Factors Legal Factor: Factors 1, 2 and 3 are the legal factors. The legal factor is the most important factor in this case study. An online news business, Hullaballoo is publishing false news or in other words, it is getting paid for positive publicity of its client and negative publicity of its clients competitor. Jimmy Olsen, a fresh graduate from Griffith University, finds out this truth after getting a job in that news business. Jimmy is quite uncomfortable in publishing fake news but at the same time, he needs this job because of his financial crisis. According to the analysis made in this case study, Jimmy should contact police and take help from legal authorities so that this wrong deed is stopped. Professional Factor: Factors 4 and 5 are the professional factors. Professional factor is on the second position in the priority list. Work ethics is very important in any kind of job. In this case, the whole job is unethical. According to the analysis made on the case study, Jimmy Olsen is not being professional with his job. He is supporting to the fact that Hullaballoo is publishing false news and doing negative publicity for its clients competitor and positive publicity for its client. One should be ethical towards his work, else that would be a severe problem for anyone. Social and Employment Factor: Factors 6. 7 and 8 are the social and employment factors. Social and employment factor is on the third position in the priority list. This factor refers to the society that affects the individual. The social factor for Jimmy Olsen is that he is bound to work in that unethical job environment because of his social life. His social factor refers to the fact he needs that particular job because of his family and financial issues. Employment factor is on the fourth position in the priority list. Recession is an important problem for employment factor. Jimmy Olsen is having second thoughts for leaving this job only because he might not get any other job on this profile. This factor mainly depends on recession and the ability to find new jobs. Jimmy Olsen is still working because of these reasons. Personal Factor: Factors 9, 10 and 11 are the personal factors. Personal factor refers to the personality and attributes that is grown since childhood from the lesson he got from his friends, family, peer group and relatives. This factor helps to develop work ethics and moral values of an individual. Jimmy Olsen is feeling uncomfortable because of his personal factor. His work ethics and moral development was making him uncomfortable. Intrinsic Factor: Factors 12 and 13 are the intrinsic factors. Intrinsic factor refers to an individuals personal traits and attributes. Jimmy Olsens range of personal traits, his motivation and his objectives are affecting his work environment. The personal traits are of a unique and distinctive range. The priority list provided in this case study is based on the most important to least important factors. According to the priority list, legal factor is on the top and intrinsic factor is in the bottom, which means legal factor is the most important factor and intrinsic factor is the least important factor. Legal factor means involving law and legal authority in the case. Involving police in this case is much needed as Hullaballoo is publishing fake news. The second important factor on the list is professional factor. Jimmy Olsen should be ethical towards his profession, which means he should not support publication of fake and false news. The third important factor in this given list is social factor. This factor refers to the society and the social background of Jimmy Olsen. Society plays a significant role in any individuals life and life style. When a person is not getting all the things he has desired in his life, he will not be satisfied. Same is happening with Jimmy. He is not able to leave that unethical work because of his social life, and his family. The fourth important factor on the priority list is the employment factor. Recession has become a major issue for modern society. People always have a fear to lose their jobs and even if they leave their jobs, will they be able to find to a new suitable job. Similar condition is with Jimmy Olsen. He is scared to leave his job as he is in an ethical dilemma that if he goes against his job, there is a chance he will lose his job and after leaving the job, will he be able to find another job. This moral dilemma and his necessity were stopping him to leave Hullaballoo. The fifth factor on the priority list is the personal factor. An individual gets his first lesson from his family, his friends, his peer group. Jimmy Olsen was feeling disturbed in his work because his moral upbringing was somewhat different from what he is facing in Hullaballoo. The final factor that is the intrinsic factor is somewhat similar to the intrinsic factor. This factor refers to an individuals attributes and traits. Jimmy Olsens personal traits and attributes are affecting his work environment. In spite of being uncomfortable, Jimmy was working in Hullaballoo for the social and employment factors. After analyzing the whole case study, legal factor is put on the top of the priority list. Unethical job is not permissible especially in the news world. Legal factor refers to the law and legal action taken against any illegal act. Hullaballoo is involved in tremendous illegal act. They are publishing false news. Therefore, legal factor must be kept in the first position in the priority list, even before professional and employment factors. Personal and intrinsic factors are kept in the bottom of the priority list as in work ethics, intrinsic factors are not considered. Personal factors are the last amongst the extrinsic factors. Conclusion Therefore, from the above discussion, it can be concluded that Jimmy Olsen is going through an ethical or moral dilemma. Hullaballoo.com is a recognized online news business but Jimmy came to know that they are publishing false and self made news. In spite of knowing that publishing false news is a wrong deed, Jimmy had to support them for his personal issues and necessities. The above report analyzes the case study with several extrinsic and intrinsic factors. The legal, professional, social and employment and personal factors are the extrinsic factors which further have classifications. There are thirteen different classifications given in the extrinsic and intrinsic factors. The report also analyzes the best solution that is to be taken in this particular case. Proper recommendations are further provided for this case study. Supporting a wrong deed is equal to doing such wrong deeds. Whistle should be blown publicly without getting scared, for fraud cases like Hullaballoo.

Symbolism in the Stranger Essay Example For Students

Symbolism in the Stranger Essay Examine Comus use of symbolism in part one of The Stranger. In your answer, you must discuss the connection between the symbolism and the character of Mersault.  In the chapter one of the novel, we can all see several uses of symbolism to portray the character Mersault. Because the narrator of the book itself is Mersault himself, who feels very little emotion or none at all. Because Mersault barely discuss about his emotions and feelings. Camus use of symbolism creates connection to the character of Mersault. Mersault has been discovered to be annoyed by heat, light and the sun. He finds these unbearable and a hindrance to him. When Mersault was walking to the church, he finds himself quite annoyed by the strong light and heat. He expresses that it was inhuman and oppressive. During this walk, Mersault was quite tired and annoyed. Strong heat and light is the symbol of his frustration. Same use of symbolism can be found on page 57 when Mersault is on the beach watching over the Arabs. We will write a custom essay on Symbolism in the Stranger specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now It reads, there was the same dazzling red glare all that heat was pressing down on me This took place after the Arabs brutally attacked and assaulted Raymond injuring him. Mersault held the gun and started to shoot the Arab because he was annoyed by the light reflecting from Arabs knife on his face. Shot the Arab once and again four more time with no remorse whatsoever. The book says that the light took control over Mersault and caused him to do the shooting. Mersault himself doesnt quite know why exactly he did the shooting of the Arab who was the brother of the Mistress, but he blames the light. Overpowering heat and the light also acts as a warning. Mersaults attitude also displays that he is an outcast of society. Besides the fact that he does not have emotions or feelings at all, he doesnt quite fit into the society because he himself prefers being a social outcast. On page 25, Mersault mentions about a hand towel in his office. Mersault liked washing hands during lunchtime since on that time, the hand towel is quite dry and it has to last all day. Mersault dislikes wiping hands on a soaked towel. This symbolizes that he puts himself away from everyone else. The soaked towel at his working place symbolizes the society. After many of the other workers wiping their hands on the same towel, it is soaked wet. Mersault prefers wiping his hands when its dry, before everybody else. He places himself from everybody else, he tries but he is different. He is not easily understood by others, which is also the reason why he is the outcast. And he keeps to himself almost all of the time. Mersaults lack of emotion is also shown in his response to his neighbors. When Raymond was talking about how he was beating up and harassing his girlfriend until she bled, Mersault showed no interest and reacted almost like it was nothing. He says, it didnt matter. This attitude towards such event is greatly different from others. Others may be disgusted and horrified by this incident and react to it, but to Mersault its nothing. Mersault just sits there and just listens to Raymond. Not all that would cause Mersault to do something, he just listens. When Salamanos dog went missing, Mersault again feels nothing change he didnt care anyway. Even after witnessing and overhearing Salamano weeping next door, Mersault seems to be not interested. Mersault lacks emotional feelings, which is not accepted by society.  The use of symbolism that this novel contains tells a lot about the void character of Mersault. The readers should be able to read between the lines in order to fully understand what these symbols are, and how that tells about Mersaults characteristics.

How Effective Communication improves employee performance

Introduction Communication is the act of passing messages from one person to another through a given medium. Communication in an organization is vital because it facilitates how decisions are passed from the top level management to the lowest level management. Communication is used to facilitate the delivery of guidelines and policies that necessitate the proper management of any given organization.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on How Effective Communication improves employee performance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, communication is a crucial process in any organizational operation. In this case, it determines how guidelines are followed. It also establishes new ways to manage the resources and the human power in the organization (Murphy Hildebrandt, 1988). This paper discusses communication and its impact on building relationships, professionalism, and motivating employees in an organization. Bui lding relationships with employees For effective communication to be achieved in an organization, the management should create good relationships with the employees and clients. Good relationships create a clear environment to make appropriate decisions. An organization deserves an excellent leader so that the decisions made are accurate. Therefore, the qualities of a leader are important in encouraging employees to perform their tasks. Leadership also helps to execute a plan to make decisions and pass them to employees. Effective communication plays a major role in improving the performance and morale of employees in any given organization. A leader should possess effective communication skills that he or she uses to pass a message to the followers. Communication skills are a necessary tool for a leader because people are influenced by the ability of the leader to express himself or herself to the people. A leader should communicate about the issues arising in an organization effec tively and give proper advice on how to meet the set goals and objectives (Roodman Roodman, 1973). A leader should possess management skill in the sense that the leader can manage human skills and talent. The leaders should inspire the followers to work towards achieving the goals. A manager should possess a good attitude to facilitate a respectable leadership of people. A leader should possess business skills in the execution of duties because they set how each decision plan is applied in the organization. Business skills help in the management of finances and how to draw viable plans that are of great help to the whole team. Harnessing business skills help the leader to assign and delegate duties and responsibilities to the subordinates.Advertising Looking for term paper on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More An excellent manager should create a working relationship with people within and outside the org anization. They should create friendship with all stakeholders so that people can approach the leaders for consultation (Adair, 2009). An example of a leader is Steve Jobs, the former CEO of the Apple Company. He built strong relationships with the employees. This empowered employees to develop innovative products. Creating a strong relationship with employees is of paramount importance as it helps the organization to operate well and effectively without many interruptions, which delay the operations. The creation of a good working environment through proper communication helps the employees to perform better as their concerns are heard and addressed. The employees feel recognized and motivated to work, and thus their performance is greatly improved. Communication channels should be improved in order for employees to contribute and be a part of the decision making process. Motivation Motivation is the drive that an employee has to achieve the goals of an organization. Motivation inc reases the efficiency of employees in any given organization. Motivating factors do not only have to be financial incentives. Therefore, non-monetary incentives may be offered to the employees to improve their performance. A good manager should improve the working conditions of employees in the workplace. Effective communication in the organization enables the leaders to know about the complaints from the subordinates. In addition, communication facilitates effective decision making because the employees contribute towards making appropriate decisions. When employees are trained in effective communication, they improve their communication in the workplace (DelPo, 2007). A leader should empower team members by setting attainable objectives for individuals and the whole team. A leader should ensure that team members have access to facilities and resources that help to attain the set goals and objectives. Rewarding employees who have effective communication encourages other employees t o improve on their communication processes (Nelson Quick, 2008). An example where motivation affected the performance of employees is the case of Wal-Mart. The company does not motivate its employees, and this has caused many strikes. The company has experienced lawsuits because employees have sought to get better working conditions. Wal-Mart is one of the world largest retailers.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on How Effective Communication improves employee performance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company is incorporated in the United States. In addition, the company operates international outlets in a number of countries worldwide. It is one of the largest employer in the world through its numerous facilities in the United States and other nations. An example of an entrepreneur who motivates the employees is Richard Branson, the president of the Virgin group of companies. Branson approaches each a ctivity of the company with a lot of smartness and manages to attain leading business goals. Branson has encouraged the employees to improve their performance to achieve the goals of the company. The company operates in several countries, and there are people from different cultures. Branson has been successful in managing people from the different cultures effectively. Richard has good communication skills because he can intermingle with people from different cultures. The company has achieved a lot of success because it has created a good relationship with customers globally. Developing professionalism Professionalism is the process of achieving goals of an organization according to the standards of the organization. It involves adhering to the standards of a certain work. Managers should be encouraged or trained to learn the emotions of their subordinates and the senior managers. Therefore, managers should have emotional intelligence in the workplace. They should apply this strat egy when interacting with various people in the organization. Passing information in an organization is crucial because it helps to increase the productivity of the firm. When decisions are to made in the firm, managers should know how such changes affect the work ethics of the employees. This is important because it helps to lower the possibility of encountering resistance by fellow employees when the changes are implemented. Communication is an integral part of management because it incorporates changes in the organization. Professionalism is evident when the management chooses to use modern forms of communication that are effective. Modern communication methods have improved the way people in an organization communicate and pass information. This is crucial because it establishes clear plans and goals for the organization. Information in the organization is critical because leaders and managers need to have a clear feedback of operations at the lowest level, and this helps in the continuation of services (KozÃŒ minÃŒ ski Cushman, 1993).Advertising Looking for term paper on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Feedback system will guide the employees on areas of weakness, and this helps them improve on the communication process. Providing feedback is important in solving the communication problems facing the workers. As a manager, one should formulate a good way to solve problems facing employees at the workplace. A leader may install suggestion boxes that act as information gathering tools in the organization. A leader may open a joint email where employees can send their suggestions and the leader should reply to mails. As a manager, one should exercise professionalism when passing information across the organization. This facilitates proper decision making and execution of plans and goals for the organization. This strategy ensures that the business is monitored, and the performance of employees is improved over time (Garber, 2008). Conclusion The power of communication cannot be ignored. Communication is an important process in an organization because it links various stakeholders. Pe ople understand the processes of an organization through communication. In addition, decisions are made through communication. The management of any organization should account for the economic importance of its workforce and the role that employees play in attaining organizational goals and objectives. This ensures that the performance of employees is improved. Motivation of employees may take the form of non-monetary incentives through recognition and offering training facilities. Communication can also be used to motivate employees. When communication is improved in an organization, the employees interact well. This helps to motivate employees, and the performance is improved. Therefore, managers should embrace good communication strategies to improve the performance. References Adair, J. E. (2009). Effective communication: The most important management skill of all. London: Pan Books. DelPo, A. (2007). The performance appraisal handbook: Legal practical rules for managers. Berk eley, Calif: NOLO. Garber, P. R. (2008). Performance feedback. Amherst, Mass: HRD Press. KozÃŒ minÃŒ ski, A. K., Cushman, D. P. (1993). Organizational communication and management: A global perspective. Albany: State University of New York Press. Murphy, H. A., Hildebrandt, H. W. (1988). Effective business communications. New York [etc.: McGraw-Hill. Nelson, D. L., Quick, J. C. (2008). Understanding organizational behavior. Mason, OH, USA: Thomson/South-Western. Roodman, H., Roodman, Z. (1973). Management of communication. Toronto [usw.: Methuen. This term paper on How Effective Communication improves employee performance was written and submitted by user Lucille Kinney to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Beattles and the Rolling Stones essays

The Beattles and the Rolling Stones essays For more than four decades, rock and roll music has been the most popular genre in the world. According to wikipedia.org, a free online encyclopedia, rock and roll music became a new musical style in America in 1950s. However, its popularity was not exploded in US but in England by the newborn rock and roll bands, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. During 1960s, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, which were definitely two of the most successful rock bands in British history, rocked the world with their own rock and roll music. Eventually, they became new icons in every teenagers life. Most people know both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones have a close relationship with drugs; however, they have differences in their music styles and their popularity. Without doubt, most people know both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones had a close relationship with drugs. The Beatles, whose members of the group were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey), were all addicted to drugs. According to an article from David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, the Beatles began taking drugs in 1964 while they had their first world concert in Denmark. They took drugs such as Phenmetrazine and LSD to stay awake during long performances. We can trace back some facts that the Beatles had made a record for making 5 concerts in only 3 days. Furthermore, many of the Beatles songs were related to drugs such as Strawberry Fields Foreve, Day Tripper, Yellow Submarine, and many more. The student newspaper for the University of Wisconsin, once said that the Beatles had proselytized the use of drugs so subtly that words and conceptions once only common to drug users are found in the sentences of teeny-booper s and statesmen alike (Daily Cardina, Dec. 3, 1968, p. 5, cited by David Noebel, The Legacy of John Lennon, p. 63). The Rolling Stones, on the other han...

Governmental Structure of Canada. Is the Canadian Prime Minister Too Research Paper

Governmental Structure of Canada. Is the Canadian Prime Minister Too Powerful - Research Paper Example Majority of the evidences sighted in various literary works point towards the fact that the Canadian prime minister has a lot of power and can influence the decisions of the government and the country of Canada. The fact that cannot be ignored is that the Canadian prime minister exercises a great deal of power especially when in the parliament his party enjoys the majority (Dickerson, Flanaganand O’Neill, 2009). There are obvious evidences of the Canadian prime minister not being too powerful but the majority facts are in the favor of him being powerful and dictating the rules and regulations governing the state resulting in the favor of prime-ministerial power. Governmental Structure of Canada Canada’s parliament is divided into three levels. The main governing body is the Queen of Elizabeth II and the Governor General (David Johnston currently) who acts on the behalf of the Queen to perform official functions as the Queen is not physically present in Canada. The secon d level is of the senate that is appointed on the prime minister’s recommendation and the third being the House of Commons consisting of the government members and the Opposition members. Queen Elizabeth II performs the ceremonial functions in Canada. All the political, executive and legislative powers are directed from the Queen .The Governor in General acts on behalf of Queen Elizabeth, he performs functions such as General elections declaration, closing and opening the Parliament and reads speeches from The Throne. The role of the Prime Minister who is the first amongst the parliament members and is the head of the government is to make and implement decisions pertaining to the policy of the government. He is designated to choose cabinet and its members for carrying out the various tasks of the country. No one person can handle all the tasks therefore cabinets are formed but the supreme authority is the prime minister himself. He can shuffle the cabinet members from one po rtfolio to another, can delete the cabinets and can add cabinets for whatever reason he thinks is right. This statement is strong evidence in favor of the Canadian President being a powerful governing body. The Cabinet and the Canadian prime minister speaks as one voice because conflicts amongst them can result in Cabinet members being demoted or dropped from the Parliament (Mallory, 1984). The legislature is a part of the government and has the duty of making the laws. It consists of the appointed as well as elected members, the Senate is appointed and the House of Commons is elected. Drawn from the House of Commons, the executive (the prime minister and the cabinet members) control the agenda in the House of Commons and they have the right to vote in order to turn the legislative that is proposed into practice (Malcolmson and Myers, 2009). Concluding the structure it could be said that there are three levels and the prime minister is the part of the second level and governs the th ird level that is the legislature. He is an important figure and works under the supervision of the Governor General who is acting figure in lieu of the Queen. Power in the Hands of the Canadian Prime Minister The Canadian Prime minister is the central figure in the Canadian politics and the law governing the state of Canada. He is behind all the progress that is currently under process

Forward the Foundation Chapter 2

2 But Seldon, while he did not forget Amaryl's warning, did not think of it with any great degree of concentration. His fortieth birthday came and went-with the usual psychological blow. Forty! He was not young any longer. Life no longer stretched before him as a vast uncharted field, its horizon lost in the distance. He had been on Trantor for eight years and the time had passed quickly. Another eight years and he would be nearly fifty. Old age would be looming. And he had not even made a decent beginning in psychohistory? Yugo Amaryl spoke brightly of laws and worked out his equations by making daring assumptions based on intuition. But how could one possibly test those assumptions? Psychohistory was not yet an experimental science. The complete study of psychohistory would require experiments that would involve worlds of people, centuries of time-and a total lack of ethical responsibility. It posed an impossible problem and he resented having to spend any time whatever on departmental tasks, so he walked home at the end of the day in a morose mood. Ordinarily he could always count on a walk through the campus to rouse his spirits. Streeling University was high-domed and the campus gave the feeling of being out in the open without the necessity of enduring the kind of weather he had experienced on his one (and only) visit to the Imperial Palace. There were trees, lawns, walks, almost as though he were on the campus of his old college on his home world of Helicon. The illusion of cloudiness had been arranged for the day with the sunlight (no sun, of course, just sunlight) appearing and disappearing at odd intervals. And it was a little cool, just a little. It seemed to Seldon that the cool days came a little more frequently than they used to. Was Trantor saving energy? Was it increasing inefficiency? Or (and he scowled inwardly as he thought it) was he getting old and was his blood getting thin? He placed his hands in his jacket pockets and hunched up his shoulders. Usually he did not bother guiding himself consciously. His body knew the way perfectly from his offices to his computer room and from there to his apartment and back. Generally he negotiated the path with his thoughts elsewhere, but today a sound penetrated his consciousness. A sound without meaning. â€Å"Jo†¦ Jo†¦ Jo†¦ Jo†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It was rather soft and distant, but it brought back a memory. Yes, Amaryl's warning. The demagogue. Was he here on campus? His legs swerved without Seldon's making a conscious decision and brought him over the low rise to the University Field, which was used for calisthenics, sports, and student oratory. In the middle of the Field was a moderate-sized crowd of students who were chanting enthusiastically. On a platform was someone he didn't recognize, someone with a loud voice and a swaying rhythm. It wasn't this man, Joranum, however. He had seen Joranum on holovision a number of times. Since Amaryl's warning, Seldon had paid close attention. Joranum was large and smiled with a kind of vicious camaraderie. He had thick sandy hair and light blue eyes. This speaker was small, if anything-thin, wide-mouthed, dark-haired, and loud. Seldon wasn't listening to the words, though he did hear the phrase â€Å"power from the one to the many† and the many-voiced shout in response. Fine, thought Seldon, but just how does he intend to bring this about-and is he serious? He was at the outskirts of the crowd now and looked around far someone he knew. He spotted Finangelos, a pre-math undergraduate. Not a bad young man, dark and woolly-haired. â€Å"Finangelos,† he called out. â€Å"Professor Seldon† said Finangelos after a moment of staring as though unable to recognize Seldon without a keyboard at his fingertips he trotted over. â€Å"Did you come to listen to this guy?† â€Å"I didn't come for any purpose but to find out what the noise was. Who is he?† â€Å"His name is Namarti, Professor. He's speaking for Jo-Jo.† â€Å"I hear that, † said Seldon as he listened to the chant again. It began each time the speaker made a telling point, apparently. â€Å"But who is this Namarti? I don't recognize the name. What department is he in?† â€Å"He's not a member of the University, Professor. He's one of Jo-Jo's men.† â€Å"If he's not a member of the University, he has no right to speak here without a permit. Does he have one, do you suppose?† â€Å"I wouldn't know, Professor.† â€Å"Well then, let's find out.† Seldon started into the crowd, but Finangelos caught his sleeve. â€Å"Don't start anything, Professor. He's got goons with him.† There were six young men behind the speaker, spaced rather widely, legs apart, arms folded, scowling. â€Å"Goons?† â€Å"For rough stuff, in case anyone tries anything funny.† â€Å"Then he's certainly not a member of the University and even a permit wouldn't cover what you call his ‘goons'. Finangelos, signal through to the University security officers. They should have been here by now without a signal.† â€Å"I guess they don't want trouble,† muttered Finangelos. â€Å"Please, Professor, don't try anything. If you want me to get the security officers, I will, but you just wait till they come.† â€Å"Maybe I can break this up before they come.† He began pushing his way through. It wasn't difficult. Some of those present recognized him and all could see the professorial shoulder patch. He reached the platform, placed his hands on it, and vaulted up the three feet with a small grunt. He thought, with chagrin, that he could have done it with one hand ten years before and without the grunt. He straightened up. The speaker had stopped talking and was looking at him with wary and ice-hard eyes. Seldon said calmly, â€Å"Your permit to address the students, sir.† â€Å"Who are you?† said the speaker. He said it loudly, his voice carrying. â€Å"I'm a member of the faculty of this University,† said Seldon, equally loudly. â€Å"Your permit, sir?† â€Å"I deny your right to question me on the matter.† The young men behind the speaker had gathered closer. â€Å"If you have none, I would advise you to leave the University grounds immediately.† â€Å"And if I don't?† â€Å"Well, for one thing, the University security officers are on their way.† He turned to the crowd. â€Å"Students,† he called out, â€Å"we have the right of free speech and freedom of assembly on this campus, but it can be taken away from us if we allow outsiders, without permits, to make unauthorized-â€Å" A heavy hand fell on his shoulder and he winced. He turned around and found it was one of the men Finangelos had referred to as â€Å"goons.† The man said, with a heavy accent whose provenance Seldon could not immediately identify, â€Å"Get out of here fast. â€Å" â€Å"What good will that do?† said Seldon. â€Å"The security officers will be here any minute.† â€Å"In that case,† said Namarti with a feral grin, â€Å"there'll be a riot. That doesn't scare us.† â€Å"Of course it wouldn't,† said Seldon. â€Å"You'd like it, but there won't be a riot. You'll all go quietly.† He turned again to the students and shrugged off the hand on his shoulder. â€Å"We'll see to that, won't we?† Someone in the crowd shouted, â€Å"That's Professor Seldon! He's all right! Don't pound him!† Seldon sensed ambivalence in the crowd. There would be some, he knew, who would welcome a dust-up with the University security officers, just on general principles. On the other hand, there had to be some who liked him personally and still others who did not know him but who would not want to see violence against a member of the faculty. A woman's voice rang out. â€Å"Watch out, Professor!† Seldon sighed and regarded the large young men he faced. He didn't know if he could do it, if his reflexes were quick enough, his muscles sturdy enough, even given his prowess at Twisting. One goon was approaching him, overconfidently of course. Not quickly, which gave Seldon a little of the time his aging body would need. The goon held out his arm confrontationally, which made it easier. Seldon seized the arm, whirled, and bent, arm up, and then down (with a grunt-why did he have to grunt?), and the goon went flying through the air, propelled partly by his own momentum. He landed with a thump on the outer edge of the platform, his right shoulder dislocated. There was a wild cry from the audience at this totally unexpected development. Instantly an institutional pride erupted. â€Å"Take them, Prof!† a lone voice shouted. Others took up the cry. Seldon smoothed back his hair, trying not to puff. With his foot he shoved the groaning fallen goon off the platform. â€Å"Anyone else?† he asked pleasantly. â€Å"Or will you leave quietly?† He faced Namarti and his five henchmen and as they paused irresolutely, Seldon said, â€Å"I warn you. The crowd is on my side now. If you try to rush me, they'll take you apart. Okay, who's next? Let's go. One at a time.† He had raised his voice with the last sentence and made small come-hither motions with his fingers. The crowd yelled its pleasure. Namarti stood there stolidly. Seldon leaped past him and caught his neck in the crook of his arm. Students were climbing onto the platform now, shouting â€Å"One at a time! One at a time!† and getting between the bodyguards and Seldon. Seldon increased the pressure on the other's windpipe and whispered in his ear, â€Å"There's a way to do this, Namarti, and I know how: I've practiced it for years. If you make a move and try to break away, I'll ruin your larynx so that you'll never talk above a whisper again. If you value your voice, do as I say. When I let up, you tell your bunch of bullies to leave. If you say anything else, they'll be the last words you'll say normally. And if you ever come back to this campus again, no more Mr. Nice Guy. I'll finish the job.† He released the pressure momentarily. Namarti said huskily, â€Å"All of you. Get out.† They retreated rapidly, helping their stricken comrade. When the University security officers arrived a few moments later, Seldon said, â€Å"Sorry, gentlemen. False alarm.† He left the Field and resumed his walk home with more than a little chagrin. He had revealed a side of himself he did not want to reveal. He was Hari Seldon, mathematician, not Hari Seldon, sadistic twister. Besides, he thought gloomily, Dors would hear of this. In fact, he'd better tell her himself, lest she hear a version that made the incident seem worse than it really was. She would not be pleased. 3 She wasn't. Dors was waiting for him at the door of their apartment in an easy stance, hand on one hip, looking very much as she had when he had first met her at this very University eight years before: slim, shapely, with curly reddish-gold hair-very beautiful in his eyes but not very beautiful in any objective sense, though he had never been able to assess her objectively after the first few days of their friendship. Dors Venabili! That's what he thought when he saw her calm face. There were many worlds, even many sectors on Trantor where it would have been common to call her Dors Seldon, but that, he always thought, would put the mark of ownership on her and he did not wish it, even though the custom was sanctioned by existence back into the vague mists of the pre-Imperial past. Dors said, softly and with a sad shake of her head that barely disturbed her loose curls, â€Å"I've heard, Hari. Just what am I going to do with you?† â€Å"A kiss would not be amiss.† â€Å"Well, perhaps, but only after we probe this a little. Come in.† The door closed behind them. â€Å"You know, dear, I have my course and my research. I'm still doing that dreadful history of the Kingdom of Trantor, which you tell me is essential to your own work. Shall I drop it all and take to wandering around with you, protecting you? It's still my job, you know. It's more than ever my job, now that you're making progress with psychohistory.† â€Å"Making progress? I wish I were. But you needn't protect me.† â€Å"Needn't I? I sent Raych out looking for you. After all, you were late and I was concerned. You usually tell me when you're going to be late. I'm sorry if that makes me sound as though I'm your keeper, Hari, but I am your keeper.† â€Å"Does it occur to you, Keeper Dors, that every once in a while I like to slip my leash?† â€Å"And if something happens to you, what do I tell Demerzel?† â€Å"Am I too late for dinner? Have we clicked for kitchen service?† â€Å"No. I was waiting for you. And as long as you're here, you click it. You're a great deal pickier than I am when it comes to food. And don't change the subject.† â€Å"Didn't Raych tell you that I was all right? So what's there to talk about?† â€Å"When he found you, you were in control of the situation and he got back here first, but not by much. I didn't hear any details. Tell me-What-were-you-doing?† Seldon shrugged. â€Å"There was an illegal gathering, Dors, and I broke it up. The University could have gotten a good deal of trouble it didn't need if I hadn't.† â€Å"And it was up to you to prevent it? Hari. you're not a Twister anymore. You're a -â€Å" He put in hastily, â€Å"An old man?† â€Å"For a Twister, yes. You're forty. How do you feel?† â€Å"Well-A little stiff.† â€Å"I can well imagine. And one of these days, when you try to pretend you're a young Heliconian athlete, you'll break a rib. Now tell me about it.† â€Å"Well, I told you how Amaryl warned me that Demerzel was in trouble because of the demagoguery of Jo-Jo Joranum.† â€Å"Jo-Jo. Yes, I know that much. What don't I know? What happened today?† â€Å"There was a rally at the Field. A Jo-Jo partisan named Namarti was addressing the crowd-â€Å" â€Å"Namarti is Gambol Deen Namarti, Joranum's right-hand man.† â€Å"Well, you know more about it than I do. In any case, he was addressing a large crowd and he had no permit and I think he was hoping there would be some sort of riot. They feed on these disorders and if he could close down the University even temporarily, he would charge Demerzel with the destruction of academic freedom. I gather they blame him for everything. So I stopped them. Sent them off without a riot.† â€Å"You sound proud.† â€Å"Why not? Not bad for a man of forty.† â€Å"Is that why you did it? To test your status at forty?† Seldon thoughtfully clicked the dinner menu. Then he said, â€Å"No. I really was concerned that the University would get into needless trouble. And I was concerned about Demerzel. I'm afraid that Yugo's tales of danger had impressed me more than I realized. That was stupid, Dors, because I know that Demerzel can take care of himself. I couldn't explain that to Yugo or to anyone but you.† He drew in a deep breath. â€Å"It's amazing what a pleasure it is that I can at least talk to you about it. You know and I know and Demerzel knows and no one else knows-at least, that I know of-that Demerzel is untouchable.† Dors touched a contact on a recessed wall panel and the dining section of their living quarters lit up with a soft peach-colored glow. Together, she and Hari walked to the table, which was already set with linen, crystal, and utensils. As they sat, the dinner began to arrive-there was never any long delay at this time of evening-and Seldon accepted it quite casually. He had long since grown accustomed to the social position that made it unnecessary for them to patronize the faculty dinners. Seldon savored the seasonings they had learned to enjoy during their stay at Mycogen-the only thing about that strange, male-dominated, religion-permeated, living-in-the-past sector they had not detested. Dors said softly, â€Å"How do you mean, ‘untouchable'?† â€Å"Come, dear, he can alter emotions. You haven't forgotten that. If Joranum really became dangerous, he could be†-he made a vague gesture with his hands- â€Å"altered: made to change his mind.† Dors looked uncomfortable and the meal proceeded in an unusual silence. It wasn't until it was over and the remains-dishes, cutlery, and all-swirled down the disposal chute in the center of the table (which then smoothly covered itself over) that she said, â€Å"I'm not sure I want to talk about this, Hari, but I can't let you be fooled by your own innocence.† â€Å"Innocence?† He frowned. â€Å"Yes. We've never talked about this. I never thought it would come up, but Demerzel has shortcomings. He is not untouchable, he may be harmed, and Joranum is indeed a danger to him.† â€Å"Are you serious?† â€Å"Of course I am. You don't understand robots-certainly not one as complex as Demerzel. And I do.†

It took a long time, but there is now a good standard of protection Essay

It took a long time, but there is now a good standard of protection against unfair standard contract terms imposed by one par - Essay Example In the past, one party to a contract could violate the contract by exploiting the loopholes in the English Law. But today, legal safeguards are in place to stem such practices (Gretchen 2000, p.67). UK has various statutes stating that when one of the parties to a contract disobeys the contract, the other is at liberty to seek legal redress. Contract law encompasses issues as whether a validly executed contract is in place, what it entails, whether the actions of a party amounts to contract violation, and the level of compensation that a victim of contract violation is entitled to. Historical development Standard clauses were in a contract conceived out of the need for discipline among parties in business practices; however, it was insignificant in pre-commercial practices (Howells, and Weatherill, 2005p.p.101). In ancient times, the largely primitive societies employed other methods of implementing the dedication of parties to an agreement. Before the advent of contract law, deals a nd promises between individuals were done through familial connections or under religious organizations. In the ancient system premised upon barter, transactions were self-enforcing since transactions would be deemed complete by both parties at once. In contrast, Blythe (2005, p.77) argued that many parties is such transactions would notice problems with the commodities after the transaction was complete, but these historical challenges have been usually arbitrated through property law. The lack of fair standard terms in contact law would complicate the issue, since clear rules guiding the promise such as the conduct of both parties was lacking. In the ancient English law, the then primitive society continued to employ notions of issues to do with property instead of a pledge (Gretchen 2000, p.67). In the society’s ancient forms of transactions involving informal contracts, familial connections helped in securing the credit in as much the same way as when a community or an et hnic group provided hostages for the period within which the debt was to be settled. Other types of security included promising a property such as land or giving away individuals as pawns (Bar 2004, p.54). Some credit options were basically commonly accepted across board: livestock, for example, would be assigned to a concierge whose services were paid with a fixed proportion of the animal’s young ones. The problems arising from the quantification of values of assets impacted the enforceability of the largely casual agreements, especially following the expansion of business transactions beyond familial connections in the second half of the twentieth century. These business activities eventually led the development of solid, enforceable, binding laws of contracts in the modern United Kingdom (Heidemann 2007, p.35). Modern statutes put in place enforceable promises, which basically went hand in hand with the expansion of the country’s market economy. In contrast though, cases of violations of standard terms of contract even after the enactment of the first major contract law in 1977 persisted. The Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977, which basically aimed to streamline the behaviour of parties in a contract were still rampant in the United Kingdom (Forte 1999, p.121). Legal safeguards The English law of contract has sections dealing with unfair standard terms

Critically evaluate the theories that attempt to explain why women Essay

Critically evaluate the theories that attempt to explain why women continue to suffer disadvantage in the employment relationship - Essay Example The majority of women are employed in low skilled jobs, and the manner of their dealings with employers is not subject to protections presented by competitive forces within the labour market. Majority of women at the work place are exposed to unfair dealings and outcomes with companies (Colgan & Ledwith 2002, p. 172). Their bargaining power is unequal compared to the firm due to lack of protection. This system works unfairly to women even as nonmarket mechanisms try to provide some form of protection to them. Since early 1800 there have always been legislations meant to protect female workers. This includes prohibition from working in certain occupations, hours of work and compulsory maternity leave. Consequently, firms responded by either substituting female labour or lowering their wages to cater for the costs. Critics observe that protective policies stand in the way of women in their bid to compete with men for high paying jobs (Brown et al 2009, p.151). The paper addresses a range of theories which have been put forward to explain the position women occupy in employment. These theories including radical feminism, Marxist feminism and liberal feminism share some things in common. Apart from postmodernists, labour market segmentation and human capital model the proponents assume human behaviour is determined biologically. On the contrary knowledge from social sciences asser ts that as much as people shape society, the society too shapes people. This is to say that the mainstream feminist theories consider women in employment relations in terms of sex as opposed to gender. This theory puts much emphasis on the need for human agency as opposed to social structure, in suggesting improvement and explaining women’s position. According to the theory it is vital that both individuals and legislation are subjected to change. However, the behavioural change among people is given much emphasis. The equality between man and women is

Emerging HRM issues in China

Emerging HRM issues in China The following essay will discuss some of the emerging HRM issues in China and analyse the implications for multi-national enterprises (MNEs). Initially, a brief overview of the Chinas economic landscape will be given and the role that China plays in the global environment will be highlighted. For the purposes of this essay, in-depth discussion and analysis will be on two of the main emerging issues which are the management of culture integration and HRM knowledge transfer in modern China and secondly, addressing the lack of skills and highlighting the importance of retention in China through modern HRM practices. Background information concerning current issues. Prior to the 1970s, much of the economic landscape in China was dominated by State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) (Liu, 2003). However, reforms concerning the economy, labour relations, ownership and other social systems in the late 1970s through to the 1980s opened the door to an increase in foreign investment, which mainly occurred through the joint ventures with domestic enterprises (Lewis, 2003). Since then, further reforms developed the opportunity for privately owned enterprises, and wholly foreign owned enterprises to exist in China. Due to these significant reforms, the last twenty to thirty years in China has seen its society shift in a number of ways, firstly, from the country being primarily rural farming and agricultural to urban and industrialised, secondly the economy itself shifting from being ‘rigid and centrally planned to very market orientated. Thirdly, the transition of domestic enterprises from being state owned allocations systems to representing private and collective forms of ownership. Next, there was an evident shift in the culture in China moving from being a socialist mentality dominated by Confucianism to a more diverse society with emerging capitalist values and greater openness to the global community (Wang Wang, 2006) These changes according to Selmer (2002) have meant that China has grown into an attractive and important market for international business and this attractiveness has been boosted by Chinas vast population and its entry into the World Trade Organisation. As China has become inevitably linked to the international economy, it increasingly faces the challenges of globalization which mean enterprises have to adapt to a new, fast-changing environment (Warner, 2008). As such, this type of significant growth for China may hold many implications for managers, because aided by the injection of technology and managerial expertise into Chinas economic development, China has experienced a significant economic leap forward with increased complexities in people management that have been strongly influenced by political factors, economic factors, and social systems, as well as national culture (Wang Wang, 2006) .   Managing culture integration and knowledge transfer. The first significant emerging HRM issue that will be discussed is the extent to which cultural differences in China influence the management behaviour of multi-national enterprises(MNEs) and moreover, the importance of cultural integration in a dynamic society. Firstly, organisational â€Å"culture† is defined as the norms, values and shared beliefs by employees and refers to individual behaviours which make up how work gets done in an organisation (Hill, 2007). Essentially, it is how a business outcome is achieved by the behaviours of people, and the drivers which produce desired behaviours. Beechler and Yang (1994) suggests that as the gap between the parent country culture and host country culture widens, the likelihood of the MNE conforming is reduced. However, other research by Gamble (2003) suggests that with a cultural gap, MNEs themselves conform to local customs and practices to bridge that gap. In regards to modern China, through analysis of companies such as Orica who have changed areas like recruiting practices to conform to Chinese cultural influences, it can be said that the latter HRM theory by Gamble (2003) holds true in China. Communist philosophies such as reliance on the government are also still prevalent in China and this combined with other Chinese cultural concepts such as and ‘guanxi and ‘danwei can be a siginificant barrier for MNEs trying to achieve business outcomes (Fan, 2002). Guanxi is a measure which reflects feelings in an interpersonal relationship, the moral obligation to maintain that relationship, and, the idea of being perceived as a morally correct whilst holding ones place in society (Fan, 2002). Whats important to note is that ‘guanxi influences business interactions such as employment represents and financial transactions and not just casual social interactions. The issue for MNEs here is that where in the home-country HR practices such as selection may have been based on knowledge, skills and competencies as well as pay and merit, ‘guanxi influences become a barrier to strategic recruitment and selection as local HR practices are guanxi-based and require th at relationships to be built ahead of time (Zhu, Thomson DeCieri, 2008). Another example of this barrier is that of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) which still heavily rely on state agencies to assign jobs from the labour market. This is due to historical and cultural roots which are derived from communist philosophies and relations of ‘guanxi built over a long period of time (Zhu, Thomson DeCieri, 2008). With such a diverse culture in China, cultural integration becomes a critical people issue for MNEs in China. This was made clear in a global survey conducted by Wang Nishiguchi (2007) that stated 67% of both Chinese and non-Chinese survey respondents agreed that cultural integration is the most important people issue and the most critical success factor for a MNEs in China. In regards to this, differences in culture between firms are also a major source of attrition, especially after mergers, and yet according to research and surveys, these differences are rarely investigated by MNEs. For example in mergers or acquisitions, companies may fail to even identify the nature of the â€Å"culture† that exists in the other company prior to merging (Wang Nishiguchi, 2007). Without defining the type of culture prevalent, it is impossible to deal properly with issues of cultural integration. In more recent times, a significant problem in China concerned company specific culture. For example, there are SOE workers that have communist philosophies that everyone is equal but when MNEs enter the scene, they are often perplexed that managers ask them to focus on customers or implement a system where top performers are rewarded while those falling behind are punished (Bacani Peavy-Sima, 2006). Many of these workers find it difficult to adjust to a culture where their performance is constantly graded against others and this is the modern dilemma for MNEs. Another example is that of Philippine company Jollibee Foods whom setup in China and experienced issues with cultural alignment. Philippine managers and employees were accustomed to a democratic environment and having the freedom to raise concerns with superiors but in China, the culture is more authoritaria n with a greater power distance between workers and superiors so it deemed acceptable for managers to be controlling and for workers not to raise immediate concerns (Bacani Peavy-Sima, 2006). MNEs also need to see some of the implications of failing to address cultural integration issues in China. The coexistence of traditional and reformed economic, institutional, and cultural systems in China has created strong resistance to change so consequently, problems arising for MNEs in human resource areas cover job design, leadership, motivation, performance and productivity improvement, and especially in organizational development through knowledge transfer (Wang Wang 2006). Knowledge transfer according to Saka-Helmhout (2009) refers the movement of knowledge, policies and practices from home countries to host countries and flow can be one-way from the parent to the subsidiary or two-ways between the parent and subsidiary. Employees in a home-country have many sources of power they can use to block the transfer of knowledge, for example, they assumingly have superior knowledge of the language and culture which can be used to promote local culture and restrict MNE impositions on them (Saka-Helmhout, 2009). It is also worthwhile mentioning that expatriates have the ability to facilitate, disseminate and transfer standardized MNE practices and knowledge into host countries. Research by Gamble (2003) suggests that companies with a high expatriate presence will abide by management practices of the MNE and be wary of traditional host country practices to close the cultural gap. This is primarily because expatriate managers play a control function role in area s such as setting overall strategy and transferring much of the administrative heritage. Expatriates also spread explicit knowledge through the adoption of employee handbooks, training manuals and standard operating procedures as well as valuable tacit knowledge of ways of managing the organisation (Taylor et al, 1996). An example of this is evident in the UK based ‘StoreCo who set up operations in China named ‘DecoStore to serve the local market. Expatriate managers for DecoStore participated in and oversaw the entire operation and this allowed for long term dialect with Chinese employees in which cultural values and expectations, on both sides, were negotiated and this set a platform for effective knowledge transfer. Essentially, DecoStore demonstrated that even a few expatriates can have a great impact as they initially operated with two UK expatriates (Gamble, 2003).. Implications of expatriates however are that in China, few expatriates can speak Mandarin and fewer can read it, consequently, some expatriates cannot talk directly to their staff, let alone read legislation in Chinese and this may have a detrimental impact on long term relations and business outcomes (Gamble, 2003). Lack of skilled labour resources and retention issues. The second major emerging HRM issue in China is the growing need for talented managers and the lack of skilled workers. For MNEs, this is stated as by far the biggest HRM challenge in China and this applies for locally owned businesses also (Bacani Peavy-Sima, 2006). According to the China Economic Review (2009), ‘the imbalance between business opportunities in China and qualified executives to manage them will get worse, before it gets better. In a recent survey of US-owned enterprises in China by ‘AmCham Shanghai, 37% of the companies said that recruiting talent was their biggest operational problem and this issue was greater than regulatory concerns, a lack of transparency, bureaucracy, or the infringement of intellectual-property rights which are all deemed as significant issues also (Bacani Peavy-Sima, 2006) . In another survey, 44% of executives at Chinese companies surveyed by ‘ The McKinsey Quarterly stated insufficient talent locally was the biggest barr ier to their global ambitions. With a population of`1.3 billion people, one would assume that labour resources are freely available and skills abundant in China but this is not the case currently and this is due to Chinas history. One reason historically is due to the ‘iron rice bowl approach of managing people in China prior to the reforms of the 1970s. Essentially, from a HR perspective, the ‘iron rice bowl approach involved cradle to grave welfare coverage, no layoff/firing policies, egalitarian pay systems, and group based rewards which coincided with lack of organizational autonomy and discretion due to the centrally planned economy at the time. (Wright, Mitsuhashi Chua, 1998). To add to this, the government controlled all resources and centralized the allocation of the material supplies, filling quotas assigned by the state, rather than improving productivity and quality. Consequently, there was no incentive for organisations to reduce costs, alter work processes for productivity or improve pro ducts. No incentive system in organizations meant that employees were not motivated and this had a detrimental impact on organisational competitiveness (Goodwall Warner, 1997). A second reason historically for the lack of skilled human capital in China was the absence of higher education in general and management training which is primarily linked to the ‘Cultural Revolution from (1966-76) where universities and educational institutions were closed and a whole generation of potential managers were lost (Wright et at, 1998). This action by those in power meant that the cohort of workers entering work came without the benefit of quality education and consequently, created human capital shortages. Therefore, a huge HR dilemma exists in that MNEs in China face a workforce supply that is synonymous with low skills, degraded motivation at both management and employee levels. To coincide with this, the growth of enterprises in China has exponentially increased demand for skills and motivated workers (Ke. et al, 2006). Another implication of these historical events are that many managers existing knowledge, skills and abilities have become obsolete and inadequate to cope with competitive business environments because of the state run systems and their lack of exposure to competitive markets. This is especially true for older managers, particularly in SOEs who hold no education beyond a high school diploma and have been appointed or promoted to existing positions because of cultural reasons or status (Lau Roffey, 2002). Under a market-oriented economy, there would be emphasis on performance, individual accountability and strategic decision making but this was not to be as these managers followed and implemented decisions made by state and local governments (Zhu Nyland, 2004). Evidently, there is a significant gap between organizations requirements and managers competencies and skills, especially in areas such as HR, marketing, and organizational analysis, which appear as relatively new concepts in China. Interestingly, organisations that successfully address the skills shortage in China stand out in a number of ways. According to Shen Edwards (2004), the most effective organisations have a clear strategic view of their labour talent needs four to five years ahead, segment their executives and identify gaps at all levels of the organization. They develop and adopt sophisticated external-recruiting techniques coupled with internal-development and training programs adapted to the local Chinese environment. As such, to address this issue, managers of MNEs in China might need to know more about simplifying products, that is, localise techniques that have worked elsewhere globally and look into finding low-capital solutions, managing strategic alliances and government relations. A higher level of cultural openness may be necessary as well. MNEs in China must therefore be prepared to recognize and address the differences between their talent needs in that country and in the rest of the wo rld which again highlights the importance of cultural integration. At telecommunications company Motorola, employees are provided with tailored offerings such as the ‘China Accelerated Management Program, for promising local managers; the ‘Motorola Management Foundation Program, to train new managers in such areas as problem solving and communication; and the ‘Motorola high-tech MBA program, a partnership with Arizona State University and Tsinghua University, which allows high-performing employees in China to earn an MBA (China Economic Review, 2009). Incentives like these also contribute to the retention of valuable skilled employees and essentially demonstrate that the MNE see â€Å"human capital† as a valuable resource, requiring investment and sound management in order to receive the best possible returns. Another example of an organisation retaining skilled talent is of Lenovo who promote young talent aggressively within, with three of its seven most senior executives are under 40 years old. (China Economic Review, 200 9. Ultimately, China proves to be a juggling act for MNEs that choose to invest into a market of extremes, with imbalances in supply and demand of skilled talent and exposure to frequently changing corporate and social domains that pose distinct challenges. Therefore, MNEs hoping to compete in China need to raise talent to the top of their agenda in order to create a sustainable source of competitive advantage. Essentially, the two of the major HRM issues occurring currently in China include culture integration issues and the problem of skilled labour shortages in contrast to rising labour demands. Ultimately, it can be said that the political and economical changes that have occurred in Chinas past has led to these significant issues and for the modern day HRM manager of an MNE in China, it is imperative not to not assume that home-country HRM practices can be applied to Chinese enterprises and ensure that the global implications of what they can learn in the Chinese context are applied. In a dynamic and ever-changing environment such as Chinas, MNEs must thoroughly analyse this environment in which they are in and look to set long term goals and address each issue through the amalgamation of Western HRM practices and Chinese HRM practices. References Bacani, C. Peavy-Sima, K. (2006), â€Å"The great buy-out: MA in China†, The Economist Intelligence Unit. Beechler, S. and Yang, J.Z. (1994) â€Å"The Transfer of Japanese-style Management to American Subsidiaries: Contingencies, Constraints, and Competencies†, Journal of International BusinessStudies, Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 467-91. China Economic Review, â€Å" How to address Chinas growing talent shortage†, (2009), viewed 17 Aug. 2009, . Fan, Y. (2002), â€Å"Questioning Guanxi: Definition, Classification and Implications, International Business Review, Vol. 11, No. 5, pp. 543-561. Gamble, J. (2003), â€Å"Transferring human resource practices from the United Kingdom to China: the limits and potential for convergence†, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 369-387. Goodall, K. Warner, M. (1997), â€Å"Human resources in Sino-foreign joint ventures: selected case studies in Shanghai, compared with Beijing†, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 8, No. 5, pp. 569-593. Hill, C.W.L. (2007), International Business Competing in the Global Marketplace, 6 th edn, McGraw-Hill, New York. Ke, J., Chermack, T., Lee, Y., Lin, J. (2006), â€Å"National human resource development in transitioning societies in the developing world: The Peoples Republic of China†, Advances inDeveloping Human Resources, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 28-45. Lau, A., Roffey, B. (2002). â€Å"Management education and development in China: A research note†, Labour and Management in Development Journal, Vol. 2, No. 10, pp. 3-10. Lewis, P. (2003), â€Å"New China old ways? A case study of the prospects for implementing human resource management practices in a Chinese state-owned enterprise†, Employee Relations, Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 42-60. Liu, S. (2003), â€Å"Cultures within culture: Unity and diversity of two generations of employees in state-owned enterprises†, Human Relations, Vol. 56, No. 4, pp. 387-417. Saka-Helmhout, A. (2009), â€Å"Agency-Based View of Learning within the Multinational Corporation†, Management Learning, Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 259-275. Selmer. J (2002), â€Å"Adjustment of Third Country National Expatriates in China†, Asia Pacific Business Review, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 101-117. Shen, J. V. Edwards, V. (2004), â€Å"Recruitment and selection in Chinese MNEs†, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 15, No. 5, pp. 814-835. Taylor, S., Beechler, S. Napier, N. (1996), â€Å"Toward an Integrative Model of Strategic International Human Resource Management†, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 959-985. Wang, B.X. Nishiguchi, N. (2007), â€Å" MA in emerging markets a focus on China The human capital challenge†, Mercer Human Resource Consulting, London. Wang, J. Wang, G.G. (2006), â€Å"Exploring National Human Resource Development: A Case of China Management Development in a Transitioning Context†, Human Resource Development Review, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 176-201. Warner. M (2008), â€Å"Reassessing human resource management ‘with Chinese characteristics: An overview†, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 19, No. 5, pp. 771-801. Zhu, C.J. Nyland, C. (2004), â€Å"Marketization and social protection reform: emerging HRM issues in China†, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 853-877. Zhu, C.J., Thomson, S.B. De Cieri, H. (2008), â€Å"A Retrospective and Prospective Analysis of HRM Research in Chinese Firms: Implications and Directions for Future Study†, Human Resource Management, Spring 2008, Vol. 47, No. 1, pp. 133-156.

Forward the Foundation Chapter 2

2 But Seldon, while he did not forget Amaryl's warning, did not think of it with any great degree of concentration. His fortieth birthday came and went-with the usual psychological blow. Forty! He was not young any longer. Life no longer stretched before him as a vast uncharted field, its horizon lost in the distance. He had been on Trantor for eight years and the time had passed quickly. Another eight years and he would be nearly fifty. Old age would be looming. And he had not even made a decent beginning in psychohistory? Yugo Amaryl spoke brightly of laws and worked out his equations by making daring assumptions based on intuition. But how could one possibly test those assumptions? Psychohistory was not yet an experimental science. The complete study of psychohistory would require experiments that would involve worlds of people, centuries of time-and a total lack of ethical responsibility. It posed an impossible problem and he resented having to spend any time whatever on departmental tasks, so he walked home at the end of the day in a morose mood. Ordinarily he could always count on a walk through the campus to rouse his spirits. Streeling University was high-domed and the campus gave the feeling of being out in the open without the necessity of enduring the kind of weather he had experienced on his one (and only) visit to the Imperial Palace. There were trees, lawns, walks, almost as though he were on the campus of his old college on his home world of Helicon. The illusion of cloudiness had been arranged for the day with the sunlight (no sun, of course, just sunlight) appearing and disappearing at odd intervals. And it was a little cool, just a little. It seemed to Seldon that the cool days came a little more frequently than they used to. Was Trantor saving energy? Was it increasing inefficiency? Or (and he scowled inwardly as he thought it) was he getting old and was his blood getting thin? He placed his hands in his jacket pockets and hunched up his shoulders. Usually he did not bother guiding himself consciously. His body knew the way perfectly from his offices to his computer room and from there to his apartment and back. Generally he negotiated the path with his thoughts elsewhere, but today a sound penetrated his consciousness. A sound without meaning. â€Å"Jo†¦ Jo†¦ Jo†¦ Jo†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It was rather soft and distant, but it brought back a memory. Yes, Amaryl's warning. The demagogue. Was he here on campus? His legs swerved without Seldon's making a conscious decision and brought him over the low rise to the University Field, which was used for calisthenics, sports, and student oratory. In the middle of the Field was a moderate-sized crowd of students who were chanting enthusiastically. On a platform was someone he didn't recognize, someone with a loud voice and a swaying rhythm. It wasn't this man, Joranum, however. He had seen Joranum on holovision a number of times. Since Amaryl's warning, Seldon had paid close attention. Joranum was large and smiled with a kind of vicious camaraderie. He had thick sandy hair and light blue eyes. This speaker was small, if anything-thin, wide-mouthed, dark-haired, and loud. Seldon wasn't listening to the words, though he did hear the phrase â€Å"power from the one to the many† and the many-voiced shout in response. Fine, thought Seldon, but just how does he intend to bring this about-and is he serious? He was at the outskirts of the crowd now and looked around far someone he knew. He spotted Finangelos, a pre-math undergraduate. Not a bad young man, dark and woolly-haired. â€Å"Finangelos,† he called out. â€Å"Professor Seldon† said Finangelos after a moment of staring as though unable to recognize Seldon without a keyboard at his fingertips he trotted over. â€Å"Did you come to listen to this guy?† â€Å"I didn't come for any purpose but to find out what the noise was. Who is he?† â€Å"His name is Namarti, Professor. He's speaking for Jo-Jo.† â€Å"I hear that, † said Seldon as he listened to the chant again. It began each time the speaker made a telling point, apparently. â€Å"But who is this Namarti? I don't recognize the name. What department is he in?† â€Å"He's not a member of the University, Professor. He's one of Jo-Jo's men.† â€Å"If he's not a member of the University, he has no right to speak here without a permit. Does he have one, do you suppose?† â€Å"I wouldn't know, Professor.† â€Å"Well then, let's find out.† Seldon started into the crowd, but Finangelos caught his sleeve. â€Å"Don't start anything, Professor. He's got goons with him.† There were six young men behind the speaker, spaced rather widely, legs apart, arms folded, scowling. â€Å"Goons?† â€Å"For rough stuff, in case anyone tries anything funny.† â€Å"Then he's certainly not a member of the University and even a permit wouldn't cover what you call his ‘goons'. Finangelos, signal through to the University security officers. They should have been here by now without a signal.† â€Å"I guess they don't want trouble,† muttered Finangelos. â€Å"Please, Professor, don't try anything. If you want me to get the security officers, I will, but you just wait till they come.† â€Å"Maybe I can break this up before they come.† He began pushing his way through. It wasn't difficult. Some of those present recognized him and all could see the professorial shoulder patch. He reached the platform, placed his hands on it, and vaulted up the three feet with a small grunt. He thought, with chagrin, that he could have done it with one hand ten years before and without the grunt. He straightened up. The speaker had stopped talking and was looking at him with wary and ice-hard eyes. Seldon said calmly, â€Å"Your permit to address the students, sir.† â€Å"Who are you?† said the speaker. He said it loudly, his voice carrying. â€Å"I'm a member of the faculty of this University,† said Seldon, equally loudly. â€Å"Your permit, sir?† â€Å"I deny your right to question me on the matter.† The young men behind the speaker had gathered closer. â€Å"If you have none, I would advise you to leave the University grounds immediately.† â€Å"And if I don't?† â€Å"Well, for one thing, the University security officers are on their way.† He turned to the crowd. â€Å"Students,† he called out, â€Å"we have the right of free speech and freedom of assembly on this campus, but it can be taken away from us if we allow outsiders, without permits, to make unauthorized-â€Å" A heavy hand fell on his shoulder and he winced. He turned around and found it was one of the men Finangelos had referred to as â€Å"goons.† The man said, with a heavy accent whose provenance Seldon could not immediately identify, â€Å"Get out of here fast. â€Å" â€Å"What good will that do?† said Seldon. â€Å"The security officers will be here any minute.† â€Å"In that case,† said Namarti with a feral grin, â€Å"there'll be a riot. That doesn't scare us.† â€Å"Of course it wouldn't,† said Seldon. â€Å"You'd like it, but there won't be a riot. You'll all go quietly.† He turned again to the students and shrugged off the hand on his shoulder. â€Å"We'll see to that, won't we?† Someone in the crowd shouted, â€Å"That's Professor Seldon! He's all right! Don't pound him!† Seldon sensed ambivalence in the crowd. There would be some, he knew, who would welcome a dust-up with the University security officers, just on general principles. On the other hand, there had to be some who liked him personally and still others who did not know him but who would not want to see violence against a member of the faculty. A woman's voice rang out. â€Å"Watch out, Professor!† Seldon sighed and regarded the large young men he faced. He didn't know if he could do it, if his reflexes were quick enough, his muscles sturdy enough, even given his prowess at Twisting. One goon was approaching him, overconfidently of course. Not quickly, which gave Seldon a little of the time his aging body would need. The goon held out his arm confrontationally, which made it easier. Seldon seized the arm, whirled, and bent, arm up, and then down (with a grunt-why did he have to grunt?), and the goon went flying through the air, propelled partly by his own momentum. He landed with a thump on the outer edge of the platform, his right shoulder dislocated. There was a wild cry from the audience at this totally unexpected development. Instantly an institutional pride erupted. â€Å"Take them, Prof!† a lone voice shouted. Others took up the cry. Seldon smoothed back his hair, trying not to puff. With his foot he shoved the groaning fallen goon off the platform. â€Å"Anyone else?† he asked pleasantly. â€Å"Or will you leave quietly?† He faced Namarti and his five henchmen and as they paused irresolutely, Seldon said, â€Å"I warn you. The crowd is on my side now. If you try to rush me, they'll take you apart. Okay, who's next? Let's go. One at a time.† He had raised his voice with the last sentence and made small come-hither motions with his fingers. The crowd yelled its pleasure. Namarti stood there stolidly. Seldon leaped past him and caught his neck in the crook of his arm. Students were climbing onto the platform now, shouting â€Å"One at a time! One at a time!† and getting between the bodyguards and Seldon. Seldon increased the pressure on the other's windpipe and whispered in his ear, â€Å"There's a way to do this, Namarti, and I know how: I've practiced it for years. If you make a move and try to break away, I'll ruin your larynx so that you'll never talk above a whisper again. If you value your voice, do as I say. When I let up, you tell your bunch of bullies to leave. If you say anything else, they'll be the last words you'll say normally. And if you ever come back to this campus again, no more Mr. Nice Guy. I'll finish the job.† He released the pressure momentarily. Namarti said huskily, â€Å"All of you. Get out.† They retreated rapidly, helping their stricken comrade. When the University security officers arrived a few moments later, Seldon said, â€Å"Sorry, gentlemen. False alarm.† He left the Field and resumed his walk home with more than a little chagrin. He had revealed a side of himself he did not want to reveal. He was Hari Seldon, mathematician, not Hari Seldon, sadistic twister. Besides, he thought gloomily, Dors would hear of this. In fact, he'd better tell her himself, lest she hear a version that made the incident seem worse than it really was. She would not be pleased. 3 She wasn't. Dors was waiting for him at the door of their apartment in an easy stance, hand on one hip, looking very much as she had when he had first met her at this very University eight years before: slim, shapely, with curly reddish-gold hair-very beautiful in his eyes but not very beautiful in any objective sense, though he had never been able to assess her objectively after the first few days of their friendship. Dors Venabili! That's what he thought when he saw her calm face. There were many worlds, even many sectors on Trantor where it would have been common to call her Dors Seldon, but that, he always thought, would put the mark of ownership on her and he did not wish it, even though the custom was sanctioned by existence back into the vague mists of the pre-Imperial past. Dors said, softly and with a sad shake of her head that barely disturbed her loose curls, â€Å"I've heard, Hari. Just what am I going to do with you?† â€Å"A kiss would not be amiss.† â€Å"Well, perhaps, but only after we probe this a little. Come in.† The door closed behind them. â€Å"You know, dear, I have my course and my research. I'm still doing that dreadful history of the Kingdom of Trantor, which you tell me is essential to your own work. Shall I drop it all and take to wandering around with you, protecting you? It's still my job, you know. It's more than ever my job, now that you're making progress with psychohistory.† â€Å"Making progress? I wish I were. But you needn't protect me.† â€Å"Needn't I? I sent Raych out looking for you. After all, you were late and I was concerned. You usually tell me when you're going to be late. I'm sorry if that makes me sound as though I'm your keeper, Hari, but I am your keeper.† â€Å"Does it occur to you, Keeper Dors, that every once in a while I like to slip my leash?† â€Å"And if something happens to you, what do I tell Demerzel?† â€Å"Am I too late for dinner? Have we clicked for kitchen service?† â€Å"No. I was waiting for you. And as long as you're here, you click it. You're a great deal pickier than I am when it comes to food. And don't change the subject.† â€Å"Didn't Raych tell you that I was all right? So what's there to talk about?† â€Å"When he found you, you were in control of the situation and he got back here first, but not by much. I didn't hear any details. Tell me-What-were-you-doing?† Seldon shrugged. â€Å"There was an illegal gathering, Dors, and I broke it up. The University could have gotten a good deal of trouble it didn't need if I hadn't.† â€Å"And it was up to you to prevent it? Hari. you're not a Twister anymore. You're a -â€Å" He put in hastily, â€Å"An old man?† â€Å"For a Twister, yes. You're forty. How do you feel?† â€Å"Well-A little stiff.† â€Å"I can well imagine. And one of these days, when you try to pretend you're a young Heliconian athlete, you'll break a rib. Now tell me about it.† â€Å"Well, I told you how Amaryl warned me that Demerzel was in trouble because of the demagoguery of Jo-Jo Joranum.† â€Å"Jo-Jo. Yes, I know that much. What don't I know? What happened today?† â€Å"There was a rally at the Field. A Jo-Jo partisan named Namarti was addressing the crowd-â€Å" â€Å"Namarti is Gambol Deen Namarti, Joranum's right-hand man.† â€Å"Well, you know more about it than I do. In any case, he was addressing a large crowd and he had no permit and I think he was hoping there would be some sort of riot. They feed on these disorders and if he could close down the University even temporarily, he would charge Demerzel with the destruction of academic freedom. I gather they blame him for everything. So I stopped them. Sent them off without a riot.† â€Å"You sound proud.† â€Å"Why not? Not bad for a man of forty.† â€Å"Is that why you did it? To test your status at forty?† Seldon thoughtfully clicked the dinner menu. Then he said, â€Å"No. I really was concerned that the University would get into needless trouble. And I was concerned about Demerzel. I'm afraid that Yugo's tales of danger had impressed me more than I realized. That was stupid, Dors, because I know that Demerzel can take care of himself. I couldn't explain that to Yugo or to anyone but you.† He drew in a deep breath. â€Å"It's amazing what a pleasure it is that I can at least talk to you about it. You know and I know and Demerzel knows and no one else knows-at least, that I know of-that Demerzel is untouchable.† Dors touched a contact on a recessed wall panel and the dining section of their living quarters lit up with a soft peach-colored glow. Together, she and Hari walked to the table, which was already set with linen, crystal, and utensils. As they sat, the dinner began to arrive-there was never any long delay at this time of evening-and Seldon accepted it quite casually. He had long since grown accustomed to the social position that made it unnecessary for them to patronize the faculty dinners. Seldon savored the seasonings they had learned to enjoy during their stay at Mycogen-the only thing about that strange, male-dominated, religion-permeated, living-in-the-past sector they had not detested. Dors said softly, â€Å"How do you mean, ‘untouchable'?† â€Å"Come, dear, he can alter emotions. You haven't forgotten that. If Joranum really became dangerous, he could be†-he made a vague gesture with his hands- â€Å"altered: made to change his mind.† Dors looked uncomfortable and the meal proceeded in an unusual silence. It wasn't until it was over and the remains-dishes, cutlery, and all-swirled down the disposal chute in the center of the table (which then smoothly covered itself over) that she said, â€Å"I'm not sure I want to talk about this, Hari, but I can't let you be fooled by your own innocence.† â€Å"Innocence?† He frowned. â€Å"Yes. We've never talked about this. I never thought it would come up, but Demerzel has shortcomings. He is not untouchable, he may be harmed, and Joranum is indeed a danger to him.† â€Å"Are you serious?† â€Å"Of course I am. You don't understand robots-certainly not one as complex as Demerzel. And I do.†