Expanding your business to China Essay

There are many advantages to expanding your business to China. Not only is China considered one of the largest economies in the world, it also has a vast emerging market that is still growing (Startup Overseas). Although China has embraced many Western Business ethics and practices, there are still numerous cross-cultural differences that can make it difficult to succeed without sufficient research and knowledge of the culture. Examples of these cross cultural differences include the Chinese’ attitude toward work and workplace, the labor laws, and how Chinese businesses collaborate with other organizations. More differences include how we market and sell a product, and how pricing differs between our two countries. Perhaps the most important differences are those of ethical positions, such as child labor and sexism. A Chinese worker’s attitude toward the job and the workplace depends on what position they have in an organization. China is considered a collectivist society, which means the majority of people within the society act in the interests of the group and not necessarily themselves (Geert Hofstede, 2010). The United States is considered an individualistic society and emphasizes the importance of the individual. This also applies to the way these countries do business. A collectivist business may have a team of workers contributing to satisfy all the customers, whereas an individualistic business may have several individual representatives who each have their own client list. Another difference in the workplace is how large an organization’s Power Distance is. Power distance is the acceptance that all individuals in the society are not equal (Geert Hofstede, 2010). China has a very large power distance, which means its’ workers accept the fact that there is a hierarchy within the organization, and they know their place within that organization. They expect power within the business to be distributed unequally. The United States has a lower Power Distance acceptance, which means that workers don’t accept that power is distributed unequally within the organization, and they expect to be treated as equals to even the people in the highest positions of the business. The Chinese also accept that decision making comes from the top, whereas in the U.S., everyone wants their suggestion and opinion to be heard, and they do not always accept decisions that are made within the organization. The  differences between Chinese and U.S. labor laws are subtle, but still worth mentioning. In China, a normal working week is 44 hours, with a maximum of 48 hours (only 4 hours of overtime is allotted). In the U.S., a normal working week is 40 hours, with overtime paid on any hours worked over that 40. Maternity leave is up to 3 months paid in China. In the U.S., Maternity leave is up to 12 months unpaid (at the company’s discretion). Surprisingly, women in China make 80.5% of what men in the same position make, whereas in the U.S., women only make 70% of what men make in the same position (Guo). In China, businesses tend to put an emphasis on personal relationships between business partners. An initial business meeting will consist of getting to know the personality and lifestyles of the one you are entering into a relationship with (Graf). Chinese business owners will want a loyal friendship when considering associations. This system of social networks and influential relationships that facilitate business and other dealings is called guanxi (Mah, 2012). In the United States, owners of a business as well as the workers within that organization strive to keep their personal and professional lives different. Though some partners end up being friends, and many workers build friendships outside of the workplace, it is not the intention at the start of a business relationship. Gift giving is also a large cultural difference. In the United States, if a gift is given at the start of a business meeting, or the start of an association, it can be seen as bribery or a way to make businesses feel obligated in working together. Chinese organizations are much more accepting of gifts although certain etiquettes must be followed in order for the gift to be given in good faith (Culture Crossing Guide). For example, gifts must be nicely wrapped and may not be opened right away unless prompted to do so. Also, do not give any gifts such as clocks, flowers, or cutting instruments as it is considered disrespectful. Negotiation style is a major difference between the United States and China. In China, social context, personal relations, and non-verbal behavior are very important in negotiation. There are usually many people from the  company who attend the meeting to discuss any topics that need negotiation. Americans value legal contracts and documents over personal relationships, and do not put as much stock in body language. American businesses usually only send one or two people do the negotiating on behalf of the entire company. For the purposes of this paper, let us assume that an American Company has seen great success with its toy product. This company is looking to expand its business to China. There is usually a demand for toys in any country and in China, 17.1% (roughly 223 million) of the nation’s population is under 14 years old (Central Intelligence Agency). Research also shows that the total retail sales of toys in China have increased by 14.2% since 2010 (HKTDC Research, 2014). The Design of this toy would have to be carefully rethought, particularly if it is a doll or Barbie type toy. The doll would have to be remanufactured to suit the needs of the children in China. Skin Color, Clothing, and accessories would all need to be redesigned. For example, although most girl-intended American Dolls wear pink, pink is considered a gender-neutral color in China. The color white is also associated with death and mourning, so any â€Å"wedding dress† dolls would need to be recolored to the traditional Chinese color of red (KaiWen, 2010). The clothing of the doll would probably have to become more modest. In looking at Chinese dolls, most are dressed in Geisha style robes. The United States dolls tend to show more â€Å"skin.† The packaging of the doll would also have to be translated to Chinese. The company would also need to avoid any symbolism that might offend Chinese parents or even the government, such as any American paraphernalia, like the flag, or anything with a religious context, like a cross. Imagine the price of this toy is $5.00. The value of a $1.00 is equal to 117.78 ( ¥). That would mean that the exchange rate on the toy would be $588.90. But with the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) factor, we know that China’s market exchange rate is .6 (World Bank, International Comparison Program Database, 2014). This means that China would actually pay 60% of what the United States would pay for the toy. The price of the toy would be  353.34  ¥. This price could be adjusted depending on competition in the Chinese market. The American company would also need to increase the price based on exporting costs. A sale price, or discounted price, in China is also different from what a sale price would be considered in the United States. In the U.S., if a product is on sale, the advertisement might say â€Å"10% off.† In China, they advertise the percentage of the price that you would pay for, in this example â€Å"90%† (Tyson, 2014). Good times for sales would be around National Chinese Holidays, such as the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), May Day, or the Mid-Autumn Festival. Several sales channels can be used to promote a product in China. Traditional avenues include major shopping centers, specialty stores, and franchise chains. There is also the internet platform and many sites such as Amazon or Baby.tmall.com. One of the best ways to break into the toy market in China is to have the toy include educational or technological aspects. This would help broaden the available channels of the toys to include museums, zoos, and electronic stores. This is very different from the United States, who tends to promote and market to the different genders. Most American toys are either for girls or for boys; there aren’t very many gender-neutral toys. Just like in the United States, China has import and trade regulations. Some of these regulations include import inspection (Regulations for the Administration of Inspection of Toy Imports and Exports), attention to the potential danger of toys, China Compulsory Certification (CCC), and standards such as plush toy fillings should be even and of an appropriate softness with no hard objects inside. It is also worth noting the Standardization Law of the People’s Republic of China, where four levels of standards are stipulated: national standards, industry standards, local standards, and enterprise standards. This company will have to adhere to all of these standard and regulations in order to export the toys from the United States to China. Another option for the company would be to open a factory in China, or use a preexisting Chinese toy factory to manufacture the toys and sell / distribute locally. In order to reach the more rural  areas of China, this company might consider making a deal with a Chinese company that already distributes to those small towns and rural areas. If this company does decide to open a factory in China, or utilize a preexisting factory, it will have to deal with ethical issues such as child labor, and sexism. Child labor has been a widely controversial issue for many years. The PRC Law on the Protection of Minors was first passed in 1991, and the newly revised Minors Protection Law entered the force in 2007. Many International rights documents have also been implemented by the UN (Library of Congress). Although the child labor conditions have been described as â€Å"improved† in China, there are actually no statistics or documentation to back it up. We still hear reports of Child Labor issues existing in China. As a company looking to do business in China, it is important to set certain standards within the organization that do not support and do penalize child labor. Although women in China make a higher percentage of what men make (80.5%) than what women in American make compared to men (70%), there is still a lot of sexism in the society and the culture of Chinese businesses. For example, women must always greet men first, and it is not acceptable for women to look men in the eye. Women are not allowed in higher or executive positions within the organization. Women are still expected to meet a nice man, get married, have children, and take care of the household. Not to mention the fact that having a son is extremely preferable to having a daughter in most Chinese families. While this behavior would be considered abhorrent (mostly) in Western cultures, foreign businesses may actually benefit from China’s oversight in regards to women. Foreign businesses may hire the talented women for executive positions that Chinese businesses have ignored or cast aside (Harris, 2010). While there are many differences between the Chinese culture and ethics from those of the United States, expanding a business in China can be mutually beneficial and successful. There is a balance between Chinese and American societies and laws that must be found, or all parties may be unhappy. Before growing your business to a foreign country, much research and planning must be done. Or, as the Chinese proverb says, â€Å"if a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.† Works Cited Central Intelligence Agency. (n.d.). The World Factbook: China. Retrieved from Central Intelligence Agency: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html Culture Crossing Guide. (n.d.). China. Retrieved from Culture Crossing Guide: http://guide.culturecrossing.net/basics_business_student.php?id=43 Geert Hofstede, G. J. (2010). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. New York: McGraw-Hill USA. Retrieved from The Hofstede Centre. Graf, R. (n.d.). 10 Major Cultural Differences Between China and the United States. Retrieved from Hubpages: http://hubpages.com/hub/10-Major-Cultural-Differences—China-and-the-UnitedStates Guo, B. (n.d.). China’s Labor Standards: Myths and Realities. Retrieved from academia.edu: http://www.academia.edu/165449/China_s_Labor_Standards_Myths_and_Realities Harris, D. (2010, 12 16). Sexism in Cina. A Good Thing for Foreign Business? Retrieved from China Law Blog: http://www.chinalawblog.com/2010/12/sexism_china_style_a_good_thing_for_foreign_busine ss.html HKTDC Research. (2014, 09 18). China’s Toy Market. Retrieved from HKTDC Research: http://chinatrade-research.hktdc.com/business-news/article/China-Consumer-Market/China-s-toymarket/ccm/en/1/1X000000/1X002MRF.htm KaiWen. (2010, 11 09). Ask the Chinese Girl. Retrieved from Blogspot: http://ask-a-chineseguy.blogspot.com/2010/11/colors-in-chinese-culture.html Library of Congress. (n.d.). Children’s Rights: China. Retrieved from Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/law/help/child-rights/china.php Mah, R. (2012, 11 23). Cultural Differences Between America and China. Retrieved from World-Class Business Etiquette: http://www.etiquetteoutreach.com/blog_new-york-etiquetteguide/bid/92662/Cultural-Differences-Between-America-and-China Startup Overseas. (n.d.). Expanding a Business in China. Retrieved from Startup Overseas: http://www.startupoverseas.co.uk/expanding-a-business-in-china# Tyson, K.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 8. Waiting For The Damn …

8. Waiting For The Damn Fight To Start Already â€Å"Jeez, Paul, don't you freaking have a home of your own?† Paul, lounging across my whole couch, watching some stupid baseball game on my crappy TV, just grinned at me and then – real slow – he lifted one Dorito from the bag in his lap and wedged it into his mouth in one piece. â€Å"You betterVe brought those with you.† Crunch. â€Å"Nope,† he said while chewing. â€Å"Your sister said to go ahead and help myself to anything I wanted.† I tried to make my voice sound like I wasn't about to punch him. â€Å"Is Rachel here now?† It didn't work. He heard where I was going and shoved the bag behind his back. The bag crackled as he smashed it into the cushion. The chips crunched into pieces. Paul's hands came up in fists, close to his face like a boxer. â€Å"Bring it, kid. I don't need Rachel to protect me.† I snorted. â€Å"Right. Like you wouldn't go crying to her first chance.† He laughed and relaxed into the sofa, dropping his hands. â€Å"I'm not going to go tattle to a girl. If you got in a lucky hit, that would be just between the two of us. And vice versa, right?† Nice of him to give me an invitation. I made my body slump like I'd given up. â€Å"Right.† His eyes shifted to the TV. I lunged. His nose made a very satisfying crunching sound of its own when my fist connected. He tried to grab me, but I danced out of the way before he could find a hold, the ruined bag of Doritos in my left hand. â€Å"You broke my nose, idiot.† â€Å"Just between us, right, Paul?† I went to put the chips away. When I turned around, Paul was repositioning his nose before it could set crooked. The blood had already stopped; it looked like it had no source as it trickled down his lips and off his chin. He cussed, wincing as he pulled at the cartilage. â€Å"You are such a pain, Jacob. I swear, I'd rather hang out with Leah.† â€Å"Ouch. Wow, I bet Leah's really going to love to hear that you want to spend some quality time with her. It'll just warm the cockles of her heart.† â€Å"You're going to forget I said that.† â€Å"Of course. I'm sure it won't slip out.† â€Å"Ugh,† he grunted, and then settled back into the couch, wiping the leftover blood on the collar of his t-shirt. â€Å"You're fast, kid.I'll give you that.† He turned his attention back to the fuzzy game. I stood there for a second, and then I stalked off to my room, muttering about alien abductions. Back in the day, you could count on Paul for a fight pretty much whenever. You didn't have to hit him then – any mild insult would do. It didn't take a lot to flip him out of control. Now, of course, when I really wanted a good snarling, ripping, break-the-trees-down match, he had to be all mellow. Wasn't it bad enough that yet another member of the pack had imprinted – because, really, that made four of ten now! When would it stop? Stupid myth was supposed to be rare, for crying out loud! All this mandatory love-at-first-sight was completely sickening! Did it have to be my sister? Did it have to be Paul? When Rachel'd come home from Washington State at the end of the summer semester – graduated early, the nerd – my biggest worry'd been that it would be hard keeping the secret around her. I wasn't used to covering things up in my own home. It made me real sympathetic to kids like Embry and Collin, whose parents didn't know they were werewolves. Embry's mom thought he was going through some kind of rebellious stage. He was permanently grounded for constantly sneaking out, but, of course, there wasn't much he could do about that. She'd check his room every night, and every night it would be empty again. She'd yell and he'd take it in silence, and then go through it all again the next day. We'd tried to talk Sam into giving Embry a break and letting his mom in on the gig, but Embry'd said he didn't mind. The secret was too important. So I'd been all geared up to be keeping that secret. And then, two days after Rachel got home, Paul ran into her on the beach. Bada bing, bada boom – true love! No secrets necessary when you found your other half, and all that imprinting werewolf garbage. Rachel got the whole story. And I got Paul as a brother-in-law someday. I knew Billy wasn't much thrilled about it, either. But he handled it better than I did. ‘Course, he did escape to the Clearwaters' more often than usual these days. I didn't see where that was so much better. No Paul, but plenty of Leah. I wondered – would a bullet through my temple actually kill me or just leave a really big mess for me to clean up? I threw myself down on the bed. I was tired – hadn't slept since my last patrol – but I knew I wasn't going to sleep. My head was too crazy. The thoughts bounced around inside my skull like a disoriented swarm of bees. Noisy. Now and then they stung. Must be hornets, not bees. Bees died after one sting. And the same thoughts were stinging me again and again. This waiting was driving me insane. It had been almost four weeks. I'd expected, one way or another, the news would have come by now. I'd sat up nights imagining what form it would take. Charlie sobbing on the phone – Bella and her husband lost in an accident. A plane crash? That would be hard to fake. Unless the leeches didn't mind killing a bunch of bystanders to authenticate it, and why would they? Maybe a small plane instead. They probably had one of those to spare. Or would the murderer come home alone, unsuccessful in his attempt to make her one of them? Or not even getting that far. Maybe he'd smashed her like a bag of chips in his drive to get some? Because her life was less important to him than his own pleasure†¦ The story would be so tragic – Bella lost in a horrible accident. Victim of a mugging gone wrong. Choking to death at dinner. A car accident, like my mom. So common. Happened all the time. Would he bring her home? Bury her here for Charlie? Closed-casket ceremony, of course. My mom's coffin had been nailed shut†¦ I could only hope that he'd come back here, within my reach. Maybe there would be no story at all. Maybe Charlie would call to ask my dad if he'd heard anything from Dr. Cullen, who just didn't show up to work one day. The house abandoned. No answer on any of the Cullens' phones. The mystery picked up by some second-rate news program, foul play suspected†¦ Maybe the big white house would burn to the ground, everyone trapped inside. Of course, they'd need bodies for that one. Eight humans of roughly the right size. Burned beyond recognition – beyond the help of dental records. Either of those would be tricky – for me, that is. It would be hard to find them if they didn't want to be found. Of course, I had forever to look. If you had forever, you could check out every single piece of straw in the haystack, one by one, to see if it was the needle. Right now, I wouldn't mind dismantling a haystack. At least that would be something to do. I hated knowing that I could be losing my chance. Giving the bloodsuckers the time to escape, if that was their plan. We could go tonight. We could kill every one of them that we could find. I liked that plan because I knew Edward well enough to know that, if I killed any one of his coven, I would get my chance at him, too. He'd come for revenge. And I'd give it to him – I wouldn't let my brothers take him down as a pack. It would be just him and me. May the better man win. But Sam wouldn't hear of it. We're not going to break the treaty. Let them make the breach. Just because we had no proof that the Cullens had done anything wrong. Yet. You had to add the yet, because we all knew it was inevitable. Bella was either coming back one of them, or not coming back. Either way, a human life had been lost. And that meant game on. In the other room, Paul brayed like a mule. Maybe he'd switched to a comedy. Maybe the commercial was funny. Whatever. It grated on my nerves. I thought about breaking his nose again. But it wasn't Paul I wanted to fight with. Not really. I tried to listen to other sounds, the wind in the trees, it wasn't the same, not through human ears. There were a million voices in the wind that I couldn't hear in this body. But these ears were sensitive enough. I could hear past the trees, to the road, the sounds of the cars coming around that last bend where you could finally see the beach – the vista of the islands and the rocks and the big blue ocean stretching to the horizon. The La Push cops liked to hang out right around there. Tourists never noticed the reduced speed limit sign on the other side of the road. I could hear the voices outside the souvenir shop on the beach. I could hear the cowbell clanging as the door opened and closed. I could hear Embry's mom at the cash register, printing out a receipt. I could hear the tide raking across the beach rocks. I could hear the kids squeal as the icy water rushed in too fast for them to get out of the way. I could hear the moms complain about the wet clothes. And I could hear a familiar voice†¦. I was listening so hard that the sudden burst of Paul's donkey laugh made me jump half off the bed. â€Å"Get out of my house,† I grumbled. Knowing he wouldn't pay any attention, I followed my own advice. I wrenched open my window and climbed out the back way so that I wouldn't see Paul again. It would be too tempting. I knew I would hit him again, and Rachel was going to be pissed enough already. She'd see the blood on his shirt, and she'd blame me right away without waiting for proof. Of course, she'd be right, but still. I paced down to the shore, my fists in my pockets. Nobody looked at me twice when I went through the dirt lot by First Beach. That was one nice thing about summer – no one cared if you wore nothing but shorts. I followed the familiar voice I'd heard and found Quil easy enough. He was on the south end of the crescent, avoiding the bigger part of the tourist crowd. He kept up a constant stream of warnings. â€Å"Keep out of the water, Claire. C'mon. No, don't. Oh! Nice, kid. Seriously, do you want Emily to yell at me? I'm not bringing you back to the beach again if you don't – Oh yeah? Don't – ugh. You think that's funny, do you? Hah! Who's laughing now, huh?† He had the giggling toddler by the ankle when I reached them. She had a bucket in one hand, and her jeans were drenched. He had a huge wet mark down the front of his t-shirt. â€Å"Five bucks on the baby girl,† I said. â€Å"Hey, Jake.† Claire squealed and threw her bucket at Quil's knees. â€Å"Down, down!† He set her carefully on her feet and she ran to me. She wrapped her arms around my leg. â€Å"UncaJay!† â€Å"How's it going, Claire?† She giggled. â€Å"Qwil aaaaawl wet now.† â€Å"I can see that. Where's your mama?† â€Å"Gone, gone, gone,† Claire sang, â€Å"Cwaire pway wid Qwil aaaawl day. Cwaire nebber gowin home.† She let go of me and ran to Quil. He scooped her up and slung her onto his shoulders. â€Å"Sounds like somebody's hit the terrible twos.† â€Å"Threes actually,† Quil corrected. â€Å"You missed the party. Princess theme. She made me wear a crown, and then Emily suggested they all try out her new play makeup on me.† â€Å"Wow, I'm really sorry I wasn't around to see that.† â€Å"Don't worry, Emily has pictures. Actually, I look pretty hot.† â€Å"You're such a patsy.† Quil shrugged. â€Å"Claire had a great time. That was the point.† I rolled my eyes. It was hard being around imprinted people. No matter what stage they were in – about to tie the knot like Sam or just a much-abused nanny like Quil – the peace and certainty they always radiated was downright puke-inducing. Claire squealed on his shoulders and pointed at the ground. â€Å"Pity wock, Qwil! For me, for me!† â€Å"Which one, kiddo? The red one?† â€Å"No wed!† Quil dropped to his knees – Claire screamed and pulled his hair like a horse's reigns. â€Å"This blue one?† â€Å"No, no, no†¦,† the little girl sang, thrilled with her new game. The weird part was, Quil was having just as much fun as she was. He didn't have that face on that so many of the tourist dads and moms were wearing – the when-is-nap-time? face. You never saw a real parent so jazzed to play whatever stupid kiddie sport their rugrat could think up. I'd seen Quil play peekaboo for an hour straight without getting bored. And I couldn't even make fun of him for it – I envied him too much. Though I did think it sucked that he had a good fourteen years of monkitude ahead of him until Claire was his age – for Quil, at least, it was a good thing werewolves didn't get older. But even all that time didn't seem to bother him much. â€Å"Quil, you ever think about dating?† I asked. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"No, no yewwo!† Claire crowed. â€Å"You know. A real girl. I mean, just for now, right? On your nights off babysitting duty.† Quil stared at me, his mouth hanging open. â€Å"Pity wock! Pity wock!† Claire screamed when he didn't offer her another choice. She smacked him on the head with her little fist. â€Å"Sorry, Claire-bear. How about this pretty purple one?† â€Å"No,† she giggled. â€Å"No poopoh.† â€Å"Give me a clue. I'm begging, kid.† Claire thought it over. â€Å"Gween,† she finally said. Quil stared at the rocks, studying them. He picked four rocks in different shades of green, and offered them to her. â€Å"Did I get it?'7 â€Å"Yay!† â€Å"Which one?† Vlaaaaw/obdem!!† She cupped her hands and he poured the small rocks into them. She laughed and immediately clunked him on the head with them. He winced theatrically and then got to his feet and started walking back up toward the parking lot. Probably worried about her getting cold in her wet clothes. He was worse than any paranoid, overprotective mother. â€Å"Sorry if I was being pushy before, man, about the girl thing,† I said. â€Å"Naw, that's cool,† Quil said. â€Å"It kind of took me by surprise is all. I hadn't thought about it.† â€Å"I bet she'd understand. You know, when she's grown up. She wouldn't get mad that you had a life while she was in diapers.† â€Å"No, I know. I'm sure she'd understand that.† He didn't say anything else. â€Å"But you won't do that, will you?† I guessed. â€Å"I can't see it,† he said in a low voice. â€Å"I can't imagine. I just don't†¦ see anyone that way. I don't notice girls anymore, you know. I don't see their faces.† â€Å"Put that together with the tiara and makeup, and maybe Claire will have a different kind of competition to worry about.† Quil laughed and made kissing noises at me. â€Å"You available this Friday, Jacob?† â€Å"You wish,† I said, and then I made a face. â€Å"Yeah, guess I am, though.† He hesitated a second and then said, â€Å"You ever think about dating?† I sighed. Guess I'd opened myself up for that one. â€Å"You know, Jake, maybe you should think about getting a life.† He didn't say it like a joke. His voice was sympathetic. That made it worse. â€Å"I don't see them, either, Quil. I don't see their faces.† Quil sighed, too. Far away, too low for anyone but just us two to hear it over the waves, a howl rose out of the forest. â€Å"Dang, that's Sam,† Quil said. His hands flew up to touch Claire, as if making sure she was still there. â€Å"I don't know where her mom's at!† Til see what it is. If we need you, HI let you know.† I raced through the words. They came out all slurred together. â€Å"Hey, why don't you take her up to the Clearwaters'? Sue and Billy can keep an eye on her if they need to. They might know what's going on, anyway.† â€Å"Okay – get outta here, Jake!† I took off running, not for the dirt path through the weedy hedge, but in the shortest line toward the forest. I hurdled the first line of driftwood and then ripped my way through the briars, still running. I felt the little tears as the thorns cut into my skin, but I ignored them. Their sting would be healed before I made the trees. I cut behind the store and darted across the highway. Somebody honked at me. Once in the safety of the trees, I ran faster, taking longer strides. People would stare if I was out in the open. Normal people couldn't run like this. Sometimes I thought it might be fun to enter a race – you know, like the Olympic trials or something. It would be cool to watch the expressions on those star athletes' faces when I blew by them. Only I was pretty sure the testing they did to make sure you weren't on steroids would probably turn up some really freaky crap in my blood. As soon as I was in the true forest, unbound by roads or houses, I skidded to a stop and kicked my shorts off. With quick, practiced moves, I rolled them up and tied them to the leather cord around my ankle. As I was still pulling the ends tight, I started shifting. The fire trembled down my spine, throwing tight spasms out along my arms and legs. It only took a second. The heat flooded through me, and I felt the silent shimmer that made me something else. I threw my heavy paws against the matted earth and stretched my back in one long, rolling extension. Phasing was very easy when I was centered like this. I didn't have issues with my temper anymore. Except when it got in the way. For one half second, I remembered the awful moment at that unspeakable joke of a wedding. I'd been so insane with fury that I couldn't make my body work right. I'd been trapped, shaking and burning, unable to make the change and kill the monster just a few feet away from me. It had been so confusing. Dying to kill him. Afraid to hurt her. My friends in the way. And then, when I was finally able to take the form I wanted, the order from my leader. The edict from the Alpha. If it had been just Embry and Quil there that night without Sam†¦ would I have been able to kill the murderer, then? I hated it when Sam laid down the law like that. I hated the feeling of having no choice. Of having to obey. And then I was conscious of an audience. I was not alone in my thoughts. So self-absorbed all the time,Leah thought. Yeah, no hypocrisy there, Leah,I thought back. Can it, guys,Sam told us. We fell silent, and I felt Leah's wince at the word guys. Touchy, like always. Sam pretended not to notice. Where's Quil andJared? Quit's got Claire. He's taking her to the Clearwaters'. Good. Sue will take her. Jared was going to Kim's,Embry thought. Good chance he didn't hear you. There was a low grumble through the pack. I moaned along with them. When Jared finally showed up, no doubt he'd still be thinking about Kim. And nobody wanted a replay of what they were up to right now. Sam sat back on his haunches and let another howl rip into the air. It was a signal and an order in one. The pack was gathered a few miles east of where I was. I loped through the thick forest toward them. Leah, Embry, and Paul all were working in toward them, too. Leah was close – soon I could hear her footfalls not far into the woods. We continued in a parallel line, choosing not to run together. Well, we're not waiting all day for him. He'll just have to catch up later. ‘Sup, boss?Paul wanted to know. We need to talk. Something's happened. I felt Sam's thoughts flicker to me – and not just Sam's, but Seth's and Collin's and Brady's as well. Collin and Brady – the new kids – had been running patrol with Sam today, so they would know whatever he knew. I didn't know why Seth was already out here, and in the know. It wasn't his turn. Seth, tell them what you heard. I sped up, wanting to be there. I heard Leah move faster, too. She hated being outrun. Being the fastest was the only edge she claimed. Claimthis, moron, she hissed, and then she really kicked it into gear. I dug my nails into the loam and shot myself forward. Sam didn't seem in the mood to put up with our usual crap. Jake, Leah, give it a rest. Neither of us slowed. Sam growled, but let it go. Seth? Charlie called around till he found Billy at my house. Yeah, I talked to him,Paul added. I felt a jolt go through me as Seth thought Charlie's name. This was it. The waiting was over. I ran faster, forcing myself to breathe, though my lungs felt kinda stiff all of a sudden. Which story would it be? So he's all flipped out. Guess Edward and Bella got home last week, and†¦ My chest eased up. She was alive. Or she wasn't dead dead, at least. I hadn't realized how much difference it would make to me. I'd been thinking of her as dead this whole time, and I only saw that now. I saw that I'd never believed that he would bring her back alive. It shouldn't matter, because I knew what was coming next. Yeah, bro, and here's the bad news. Charlie talked to her, said she sounded bad. She told him she's sick. Carlisle got on and told Charlie that Bella picked up some rare disease in South America. Said she's quarantined. Charlie's going crazy, 'cause even he's not allowed to see her. He says he doesn't care if he gets sick, but Carlisle wouldn't bend. No visitors. Told Charlie it was pretty serious, but that he's doing everything he can. Charlie's been stewing about it for days, but he only called Billy now. He said she sounded worse today. The mental silence when Seth finished was profound. We all understood. So she would die of this disease, as far as Charlie knew. Would they let him view the corpse? The pale, perfectly still, unbreathing white body? They couldn't let him touch the cold skin – he might notice how hard it was. They'd have to wait until she could hold still, could keep from killing Charlie and the other mourners. How long would that take? Would they bury her? Would she dig herself out, or would the bloodsuckers come for her? The others listened to my speculating in silence. I'd put a lot more thought into this than any of them. Leah and I entered the clearing at nearly the same time. She was sure her nose led the way, though. She dropped onto her haunches beside her brother while I trotted forward to stand at Sam's right hand. Paul circled and made room for me in my place. Beatcha again,Leah thought, but I barely heard her. I wondered why I was the only one on my feet. My fur stood up on my shoulders, bristling with impatience. Well, what are we waiting for?I asked. No one said anything, but I heard their feelings of hesitation. Oh, come on! The treaty's broken! We have no proof – maybe sheis sick†¦. OH, PLEASE! Okay, so the circumstantial evidence is pretty strong. Still†¦ Jacob.Sam's thought came slow, hesitant. Are you sure this is what you want? Is it really the right thing? We all know what she wanted. The treaty doesn't mention anything about victim preferences, Sam! Is she really a victim? Would you label her that way? Yes! Jake,Seth thought, they aren't our enemies. Shut up, kid! Just 'cause you've got some kind of sick hero worship thing going on with that bloodsucker, it doesn't change the law. They are our enemies. They are in our territory. We take them out. I don't care if you had fun fighting alongside Edward Cullen once upon a time. So what are you going to do when Bella fights with them, Jacob? Huh?Seth demanded. She's not Bella anymore. You gonna be the one to take her down? I couldn't stop myself from wincing. No, you're not. So, what? You gonna make one of us do it? And then hold a grudge against whoever it is forever? I wouldn't†¦ Sure you won't. You're not ready for this fight, Jacob. Instinct took over and I crouched forward, snarling at the gangly sand-colored wolf across the circle. Jacob!Sam cautioned. Seth, shut up for a second. Seth nodded his big head. Dang, what'd I miss? Quthought. He was running for the gathering place full-out. Heard about Charlie's call†¦. Were getting ready to go,I told him. Why don't you swing by Kim's and drag Jared out with your teeth? We're going to need everyone. Come straight here, Quil,Sam ordered. We've decided nothing yet. I growled. Jacob, I have to think about what's best for this pack. I have to choose the course that protects you all best. Times have changed since our ancestors made that treaty. I†¦ well, I don't honestly believe that the Cullens are a danger to us. And we know that they will not be here much longer. Surely once they've told their story, they will disappear. Our lives can return to normal. Normal? If we challenge them, Jacob, they will defend themselves well. Are you afraid? Are you so ready to losea brother? He paused. Or a sister? he tacked on as an afterthought. I'm not afraid to die. I know that, Jacob. It's one reason I question your judgment on this. I stared into his black eyes. Do you intend to honor our fathers' treaty or not? I honor my pack. I do what's best for them. Coward. His muzzle tensed, pulling back over his teeth. Enough, Jacob. You're overruled.Sam's mental voice changed, took on that strange double timbre that we could not disobey. The voice of the Alpha. He met the gaze of every wolf in the circle. The pack is not attacking the Cullens without provocation. The spirit of the treaty remains. They are nota danger to our people, nor are they a danger to the people of Forks. Bella Swan made an informed choice, and we are not going to punish our former allies for her choice. Hear, hear,Seth thought enthusiastically. thought I told you to shut it, Seth. Oops. Sorry, Sam. Jacob, where do you think you're going? I left the circle, moving toward the west so that I could turn my back on him. I'm going to tell my father goodbye. Apparently there was no purpose in me sticking around this long. Aw, Jake – don't do that again! Shut up, Seth,several voices thought together. We don't want you to leave,Sam told me, his thought softer than before. So force me to stay, Sam. Take away my will. Make me a slave. You know I won't do that Then there's nothing more to say. I ran away from them, trying very hard not to think about what was next. Instead, I concentrated on my memories of the long wolf months, of letting the humanity bleed out of me until I was more animal than man. Living in the moment, eating when hungry, sleeping when tired, drinking when thirsty, and running – running just to run. Simple desires, simple answers to those desires. Pain came in easily managed forms. The pain of hunger. The pain of cold ice under your paws. The pain of cutting claws when dinner got feisty. Each pain had a simple answer, a clear action to end that pain. Not like being human. Yet, as soon as I was in jogging distance of my house, I shifted back into my human body. I needed to be able to think in privacy. I untied my shorts and yanked them on, already running for the house. I'd done it. I'd hidden what I was thinking and now it was too late for Sam to stop me. He couldn't hear me now. Sam had made a very clear ruling. The pack would not attack the Cullens. Okay. He hadn't mentioned an individual acting alone. Nope, the pack wasn't attacking anyone today. But I was.

Heat Exchangers Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Heat Exchangers - Research Paper Example   At the center of the heat exchanger lies two plates that are pinned together by pressing them and welding them together. There is a module whose function is to carry fluids in and out of the whole system. This combination is very efficient in offering high operating temperatures, and high pressure a factor that is vital in the heat exchange process.   The heat exchanger is able to function well without any gaskets. This means that it is able to work under these extreme conditions without any risk of leaking the fluid during the heat exchange process. Normally different types of heat exchangers are combined to come up with a more effective, cost friendly and efficient unit of the heat exchanger and the plate and shell heat exchanger is just but one example. This means that the fluids enter at the opposite ends of the unit enabling them to flow into the center of the exchanger. As the fluids come close to each other, there is an exchange of heat between the fluids.   As the flu id passes through the exchanger it either lose or absorb heat due to latent heat.  According to the nature of the heat exchange process, plates and shell heat exchangers are classified as indirect contact heat exchangers. The exchange of heat takes place by direct mixing of hot and cold fluids allowing transfer of heat and mass to take place simultaneously in a direct contact heat exchanger and such a unit is applicable only where the two fluids are either harmless when in contact or are desirable.

Future of the Signal Corp Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Future of the Signal Corp - Research Paper Example However, implementation of the cyber offensive, defensive and network management remains a challenge to the department of defense. To support future force structure, there are fundamental strategies that the department of defense must set. Recognition of technological changes is important for successful implementation of the transformations. Signal soldiers should undertake their missions while considering the global arena’s upcoming technological challenges. The department of defense should adopt strategies that support successful implementation of the cyber offensive, defensive and network management. Adopted strategies should support reforms in accordance with the advancemnets in technology. Signal soldiers’ commanders should strive to attain six notable goals in the effort to adopt the requirements of micro-cyber transformation. First, there must be reforms in the operations of signal regiment. Second, there is necessity to upgrade the technological equipment applie d in the operations of signal regiments. Third, it is highly recommendable that there should be a change in the level of support provided to the signal regiment. Fourth, it is recommendable to update the process adopted in the purchase of necessary equipment. Modernization of the approach to training signal soldiers is the fifth concern. It is also recommendable to reduce the number of signal military specialization. Reforms should include combining signal soldiers from diverse occupational specialties to render them capable to undertake challenging missions while retaining the number. Signal soldiers should attain high level of competence in responding to demanding mission situations2. Implementation of the cyber offensive, defensive, and network management necessitates the establishment of tactical operations centers. Establishment of centers is significant to ensure successful mission command. Tactical operations center is important to enhance successful systems validation and co ordination of mission command. Training centers are essential in sensitization of signal soldiers of potential cyber threats that may hinder successful execution of their missions. Training centers are also important to sensitize soldiers on how to survive in cases of cyber attacks. Should cyber attacks threaten the network of signal soldiers, they shall have knowledge on how to respond to the situation. Trainers and army cyber commanders sensitize signal soldiers on survival in case of total failure of the entire communication system or in the absence of networks. Training at the center would advance signal soldiers’ knowledge on how they respond to and work without networks at accessible range. Successful implementation of the cyber offensive, defensive and network management requires suitable training of signal soldiers on how best to ensure protection of sensitive networks during their missions. The capability to secure and protect sensitive networks during missions is a vital success factor for signal soldiers during their missions. Knowledge on proper response mechanism is important to enhance soldiers’ success during missions. Training also focuses on enhanced cooperation between the intelligence and signal soldiers’ staffs to attend to any upcoming or arising threats during missions. Incorporating the role of intelligence and operations officers in enhancing the role of signal soldiers

Product and Pricing Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Product and Pricing Strategy - Essay Example te a variety of industrial and office-based computer and laptop solutions, along with state-of-the-art services, software collaborations and innovative accessories. EJ’s Innovations and More has a wide customer base for all of its electronic product offerings. This product will make full use of access to the existing customer base as they are all potential users of computers and laptops. Furthermore, they are already familiar with the brand name of EJ’s and have the trust relationship and faith in the product quality and service assurance of the company. With this product, the company is planning to target all computer and laptop users. The potential customers range from 14 year old girls and boys to aged, retired gentlemen and ladies. However, this plan outlines the target audience, described later, for this particular wave of marketing. The strategy of EJ’s Innovations and More is to offer customers a wide range of personal computers and laptops. These will be available in a variety of designs and colors, suiting the different needs and whims of the customer. They will be available in different varieties, starting with the basic computer or laptop, to the more advanced versions with greater memory capacity, RAM, accessories and additional features. The most important aspect of these computers will be that with registration, they will be ready for immediate use. They will work easily on all software platforms from other companies with minimal installation. To assist the customer, customer support teams will be available 6 days a week and helpline will be open 24/7 to answer any product related questions. The computers and laptops offered by the company will all carry the same brand promise of EJ’s which is one of complete innovation and convenience, designed to make the life of the customer easier and happier. The specific target audience of this plan includes the people aged between 40 to 70 years, especially those with some sort of impairments or

Should Parents Censor Textbooks for Children in Schools Research Paper

Should Parents Censor Textbooks for Children in Schools - Research Paper Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the American Library Association provides information about the first amendment along with comments and opinions. The site first gives the specific text of the first amendment which is as follows – â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances†. The above statement indicates a level of relative freedom for the citizens of the country with importance given to freedom of expression which can include literature and textbooks intended for schoolchildren. The above article further highlights the observation of the 1791 ruling of the Supreme Court which states that censorship of a society is a sign of weakness and can be seen as autocratic or authoritarian. What is to be mentioned here about the site i s that it does not provide any clarifications or any other opinions about these observations and statutes. But it does provide links to other sites like the Cornell Law University and other government sites that could provide further light on the topic. So, it can be seen as an introduction to the First Amendment with good links to other literature on the topic. These issues and opinions will now be reviewed with other available literature. The problem or the confusion with regard to freedom of expression and censorship is that the law does not specifically state or define the limits of these two topics. Hence the concept of censorship has to be viewed from other angles including philosophical and social views and individual court decisions.

Rotation of Auditors Improving Quality of Audits Essay

Rotation of Auditors Improving Quality of Audits - Essay Example Being faced by many of the threats the financial statements are deemed to provide true and fair view and audit of the financial statements depicts that whether the information provided in the financial statements are up to the standards upon which the financial statements are to be presented and issued. The quality of the audit is crucial for the integrity and reliability of the information provided and disclosed in the financial statements. With the continuous increase upon the integrity of the financial statements there are efforts made and put in to practice in order to provide high quality audit. Many of the legislations and regulations are formed to excel the quality of the audit so that the quality audit can enhance the integrity of the financial statements. There are many factors, which contributed towards the quality of the audit and their relation with the quality of financial statements, one of which is the rotation of the auditors. The independence of the auditors is one o f the major factor which reflects the quality of audit. The impact of the rotation of auditors upon the quality of audit ensuring auditor independence and how the factors affecting the auditors’ independence are tackled with rotation of audit is discussed. Importance of Audit Quality The quality of the audit is crucial for every user as the financial statements fulfilling the information requirement, which is different in every case. The importance of the transparency of information is critical as the users are dependent upon the provided information and that information is needed to be completely free of bias and should present the true and fair view of the company (Zabihollah, et al., 2003). The quality of the audit of the financial statements is decisive for every user as it is the quality of audit that depicts the dependency and reliability of the information provided in the financial statement. Regulations and Principals The importance of the audit is of utmost important as it elaborates the transparency and quality of the information that the company provides in its financial and non-financial statements (Anna & James, 2009). The information that is scrutinized in the audit process depicts the quality of the audit. The quality of audit is measured upon various techniques where the relation of the auditor is one of the major factors that result in the rotation of the auditors. The ethical implication of the audit and the principals provided by the international auditing and assurance standard board are issued in order to guide through the quality of audit. There are various legislations imposed in various countries where the rotation of the auditors is set as compulsory for the company. The importance of the audit is realized and various regulations were made and implemented. The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board has implemented laws that are mandatory to be followed where the rotation of the auditors are set to be followed by the companies . Corporate governance failure caused many of the scandals that gave rise to many of the regulations (Francine, 2011). In the corporate governance the best practice principals denotes the quality of audit to be enhanced when the rotation of the auditor is made after every three years. The corporate governance best practice is dedicated towards the operations of the company, which depicts the