Dell Company Background Essay

DELL is a multinational information technology corporation based in Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest technological corporations in the world, employing more than 96,000 people worldwide. Dell had 46,000 employees as of Jan. 30. About 22,200 of those, or 48.3 percent, were in the United States, while 23,800 people, or 51.7 percent, worked in other countries, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.[citation needed] Dell is listed on the Fortune 500 (2010). Fortune also lists Dell as the most admired company in its industry. Dell has grown by both organic and inorganic means since its inception—notable mergers and acquisitions including Alienware (2006) and Perot Systems (2009). As of 2009, the company sold personal computers, servers, data storage devices, network switches, software, and computer peripherals. Dell also sells HDTVs, cameras, printers, MP3 players and other electronics built by other manufacturers. The company is well known for its innovations in supply chain management and electronic commerce. On May 3, 2010, Fortune Magazine listed Dell as the 38th largest company in the United States and the 5th largest company in Texas by total revenue. It is the 2nd largest non-oil company in Texas (behind AT&T) and the largest company in the Austin area. DELL SWOT Analysis Strength †¢ Customer oriented marketing strategies. †¢ Well-Known for online selling of Computers. †¢ Listed in the fortune 500 companies as the 25th largest company. †¢ Dell Company employs more than 76000 thousand people. †¢ Provide quality PCs, Laptops and computer peripherals at low price. †¢ Low manufacturing cost. †¢ Dell offer computers with AMD and Dell processor. †¢ Dell has nine of manufacturing plants. †¢ Offer wide range of PC, Server, Laptops, Monitors and LCDs, Data storage devices, network switches and software. †¢ Dell built computer on customer provided specifications. †¢ Dell always keen to embed latest technology in its products. †¢ It has a reliable support and service. †¢ The company website at least receives 25 million visits. †¢ Efficient Inventory management. †¢ Dell became the first company in the information technology industry to establish a product-recycling goal. Weaknesses †¢Elimination of bonuses in 2006 to increase the company financial performance. †¢ Closure of Dell’s biggest call center in April, 2003 terminating 1100 employees. †¢ On January 8, 2009 Dell announced the closing of its manufacturing plant in Limerick, Ireland with the loss of 1,900 jobs and the shift of production to its plant in Poland. †¢ Dell not able to attract the students of schools and colleges, this segment earn only 5% of total revenues. †¢ Lot of criticism against the Dell’s claim of world’s most secured notebooks. †¢ Dell willingly discontinued the â€Å"world’s most secure laptops† advertisement after the declaration of the NAD investigation. †¢ Dell have no proprietary technology, the currently used technology by dell are shared by the other major competitors. †¢ Dell is dependent on its suppliers Opportunities †¢ India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are the untapped markets. †¢ Market penetration in education and Government markets. †¢ Cost reduction in latest technology. †¢ Partnership or acquiring of suppliers. †¢ Dell has opportunity to sell computer directly to retailers. Threats †¢ Fluctuation in currency outside US. †¢ Major competitors in the market. †¢ Most of the countries are hit by recession which may result in the reduction of revenues. †¢ Government Policies. †¢ Bargaining of Suppliers. †¢ Rapid change in technology obsoletes the product in small span of time. †¢ Aggressive marketing by competitors.

A Marketing Strategy

â€Å"Health is Wellness, Relieve Stress and Feel Better Today† is an adage that most people are adopting today to find relief from the stress and strains of a hard day in the workplace. More and more people are increasingly realizing the importance of exercise and mental well being in their daily lives. The growing number of people opting for memberships to health clubs and local gyms are an indicator of changing lifestyle and health awareness. Unwinding in the gym at the end of a stressful day is catching on. The fact that people are well informed about the ills of an unhealthy lifestyle and the repercussions that it may have on the body is one of the major factors contributing to the mushrooming of fitness and wellness services across the world. High stress levels at work and multi-tasking roles and responsibilities assumed by an individual are weaning away the energy levels and coping abilities. These are some of the other factors that have led people to join the fitness and wellness centers. Exercising can not only help maintain weight, avoid health problems that infect millions in the world today, relieve stress but also infuse a feel good and look good attitude. A positive outlook to life and high energy levels to do things better are some of the side effects of following a strict fitness routine. The term wellness indicates the willingness to manage stress, a good health score, and a positive attitude to life. Moreover the gym provides a platform for social interactions that bring up the motivational levels for daily exercising. The gyms and spas that were considered a luxury lifestyle yesterday have become a part of the lifestyle today. The extra cost is not an important factor to those who believe in the wellness of the inner self. The health and wellness industry is a billion dollar industry having a simple product that appeals to all – a healthy lifestyle. Executive Summary The high revenue earning potential of this industry has offset many enterprises to launch healthcare and wellness service centers across the globe. Small local gyms to luxurious health resorts have paved their success stories by enticing millions of clients with their personalized health and wellness programs. The changing dynamics of the industry has redefined the health and wellness concept. The industry now offers a total image change to its clients who want an overall improvement in their looks and physique. The Company Background Health to Wealth Associates is one such facility located in the heart of the Kansas City provides health solutions and fitness regimes for all age groups. The facility employs well-trained, certified staff with fitness equipment catering to the wide-ranging consumer needs.   The company has invested in attractive interiors and latest gym equipment in a wide spread out area where clients can feel the relaxing ambience of the place. The facility offers – Spa and massage services Personalized fitness programs with personal trainers Exercising in groups for higher motivational levels Diet and nutrition plans Gym equipment for cardio and weight training The company motto â€Å"Health is Wellness, Relieve Stress and Feel Better Today† relates easily to the consumers and has helped tremendously in gaining popularity and attracting more clients.   The company has witnessed an overall increase of 6% in revenue earnings in the past five years of operation. The company endeavors to open two more locations in the next five-year period as part of its expansion program. Great location, high quality service from well-trained staff and an aggressive market penetration strategy has given this company a competitive edge over the other players in the industry. Market SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis of the Health to Wealth Associates reveals the market dynamics that govern the industry trends. Strengths: Well-trained staff providing excellent customer service. The state of the art equipment catering to wide variety of client exercising requirements with personal trainers and fitness programs A well-designed spa with wide range of massages services with diet and nutritional counseling. Weaknesses: The facility can cater to only 30 clients at a time. The premium pricing of the services and membership fees as opposed to local gyms. Non-existent baby-sitting facilities for women with children. Opportunities: Plans for expansion with more outlets opening in different geographical areas. A well-planned brand positioning and awareness marketing strategy using advertising and publicity campaigns. Tie up with other leading nutritional supplements shops to entice the customers. Introduction of family-oriented fitness training programs to attract more customers Addition of baby-sitting facility or children’s play area. Threats: Local gyms and massage parlors offering services at cheaper rates. Entry of leading brands and outlets in the vicinity. Enrolling enough members at the onset. Getting a steady supply of qualified and well-trained employees. This SWOT analysis highlights the issues and concerns that face the company along with the competitive and operational advantages that will steer the company in its aggressive marketing and promotional strategy. Market Analysis A health and wellness center that offers holistic and healthy lifestyle and one that encompasses the three facets of health – physical, emotional, and spiritual is required for a successful venture. The rising attraction of consumers towards gyms and spas has inculcated a healthy lifestyle that has become synonymous with healthy profits in the industry. It has been observed that people are not averse to paying more for quality and personalized services in this sector. This is one of the most attractive elements of the industry – a high market demand and high revenue prospects. But the industry is capital-intensive. The high profile equipment and gadgets are essential capital investment items and cannot be compromised in terms of quality. The business requires substantial funds for start up though the returns are high. The key ingredients to running a successful venture is – Well-trained and certified employees to ensure quality service. An aggressive and effective advertising campaign to create consumer awareness and entice more clients. As part of its market expansion strategy Health to Wealth Associates plan to adopt the following strategy to penetrate the market segment: Employ health experts to counsel the needs and requirements of the clients. Rolling out membership schemes that provide the members with discounted services and free consultations. Introduction of guest passes that will enable non-members to enjoy the services of the facility based on their income. Promotional campaigns for healthier lifestyle using the company slogan â€Å"Health is Wellness, Relieve Stress and Feel Better Today.† Health and wellness workshops for promoting the client base. A web site promoting the services of the facility. Tie up with nutritional supplement provider as a strategy for client retention. Financial Projections The company has reported a 6% annual increase in revenues. Based on the last few years’ performance and the implementation of the above-mentioned strategies the company projects an annual increase of 10% in the revenues earned in the next five years. The company envisages an increase of 8% in the net profit in the next two years’ of operation. Conclusion The company should endeavor to capitalize on the growing fitness and wellness concept in the industry. Adopting changes in the service delivery, offering wide range of choices to the customer, and an aggressive advertising campaign to push the company’s products will lure the consumer senses. The essence of success in this industry lies in identification of niche markets, use of updated technology and strategic partnerships with influential and well-known brands in the industry. References: 1.   Living the Good Life – http://www.goodlifefitness.com/newsletter.aspx – accessed on 18th December,2007 2.   The ISPA 2004 Spa Industry Study – Executive Summary – accessed on 18th December, 2007 3.   How to Start a Gym – http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Start-a-Gym&id=749346 – accessed on 18th December, 2007 4.   The menu of Spa Experiences   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ accessed on 18th December, 2007 5.   Gym Business Plan – http://www.briangreens.com/gym-business/gym-business-plan/ – accessed on 18th December, 2007   

Angels Demons Chapter 7073

As soon as they’d arrived, Chinita and Glick had seen a veritable army of young men pour out of the Alpha Romeos and surround the church. Some had weapons drawn. One of them, a stiff older man, led a team up the front steps of the church. The soldiers drew guns and blew the locks off the front doors. Macri heard nothing and figured they must have had silencers. Then the soldiers entered. Chinita had recommended they sit tight and film from the shadows. After all, guns were guns, and they had a clear view of the action from the van. Glick had not argued. Now, across the piazza, men moved in and out of the church. They yelled to each other. Chinita adjusted her camera to follow a team as they searched the surrounding area. All of them, though dressed in civilian clothes, seemed to move with military precision. â€Å"Who do you think they are?† she asked. â€Å"Hell if I know.† Glick looked riveted. â€Å"You getting all this?† â€Å"Every frame.† Glick sounded smug. â€Å"Still think we should go back to Pope-Watch?† Chinita wasn’t sure what to say. There was obviously something going on here, but she had been in journalism long enough to know that there was often a very dull explanation for interesting events. â€Å"This could be nothing,† she said. â€Å"These guys could have gotten the same tip you got and are just checking it out. Could be a false alarm.† Glick grabbed her arm. â€Å"Over there! Focus.† He pointed back to the church. Chinita swung the camera back to the top of the stairs. â€Å"Hello there,† she said, training on the man now emerging from the church. â€Å"Who’s the dapper?† Chinita moved in for a close-up. â€Å"Haven’t seen him before.† She tightened in on the man’s face and smiled. â€Å"But I wouldn’t mind seeing him again.† Robert Langdon dashed down the stairs outside the church and into the middle of the piazza. It was getting dark now, the springtime sun setting late in southern Rome. The sun had dropped below the surrounding buildings, and shadows streaked the square. â€Å"Okay, Bernini,† he said aloud to himself. â€Å"Where the hell is your angel pointing?† He turned and examined the orientation of the church from which he had just come. He pictured the Chigi Chapel inside, and the sculpture of the angel inside that. Without hesitation he turned due west, into the glow of the impending sunset. Time was evaporating. â€Å"Southwest,† he said, scowling at the shops and apartments blocking his view. â€Å"The next marker is out there.† Racking his brain, Langdon pictured page after page of Italian art history. Although very familiar with Bernini’s work, Langdon knew the sculptor had been far too prolific for any nonspecialist to know all of it. Still, considering the relative fame of the first marker – Habakkuk and the Angel – Langdon hoped the second marker was a work he might know from memory. Earth, Air, Fire, Water, he thought. Earth they had found – inside the Chapel of the Earth – Habakkuk, the prophet who predicted the earth’s annihilation. Air is next. Langdon urged himself to think. A Bernini sculpture that has something to do with Air! He was drawing a total blank. Still he felt energized. I’m on the path of Illumination! It is still intact! Looking southwest, Langdon strained to see a spire or cathedral tower jutting up over the obstacles. He saw nothing. He needed a map. If they could figure out what churches were southwest of here, maybe one of them would spark Langdon’s memory. Air, he pressed. Air. Bernini. Sculpture. Air. Think! Langdon turned and headed back up the cathedral stairs. He was met beneath the scaffolding by Vittoria and Olivetti. â€Å"Southwest,† Langdon said, panting. â€Å"The next church is southwest of here.† Olivetti’s whisper was cold. â€Å"You sure this time?† Langdon didn’t bite. â€Å"We need a map. One that shows all the churches in Rome.† The commander studied him a moment, his expression never changing. Langdon checked his watch. â€Å"We only have half an hour.† Olivetti moved past Langdon down the stairs toward his car, parked directly in front of the cathedral. Langdon hoped he was going for a map. Vittoria looked excited. â€Å"So the angel’s pointing southwest? No idea which churches are southwest?† â€Å"I can’t see past the damn buildings.† Langdon turned and faced the square again. â€Å"And I don’t know Rome’s churches well enou – † He stopped. Vittoria looked startled. â€Å"What?† Langdon looked out at the piazza again. Having ascended the church stairs, he was now higher, and his view was better. He still couldn’t see anything, but he realized he was moving in the right direction. His eyes climbed the tower of rickety scaffolding above him. It rose six stories, almost to the top of the church’s rose window, far higher than the other buildings in the square. He knew in an instant where he was headed. Across the square, Chinita Macri and Gunther Glick sat glued to the windshield of the BBC van. â€Å"You getting this?† Gunther asked. Macri tightened her shot on the man now climbing the scaffolding. â€Å"He’s a little well dressed to be playing Spiderman if you ask me.† â€Å"And who’s Ms. Spidey?† Chinita glanced at the attractive woman beneath the scaffolding. â€Å"Bet you’d like to find out.† â€Å"Think I should call editorial?† â€Å"Not yet. Let’s watch. Better to have something in the can before we admit we abandoned conclave.† â€Å"You think somebody really killed one of the old farts in there?† Chinita clucked. â€Å"You’re definitely going to hell.† â€Å"And I’ll be taking the Pulitzer with me.† 71 The scaffolding seemed less stable the higher Langdon climbed. His view of Rome, however, got better with every step. He continued upward. He was breathing harder than he expected when he reached the upper tier. He pulled himself onto the last platform, brushed off the plaster, and stood up. The height did not bother him at all. In fact, it was invigorating. The view was staggering. Like an ocean on fire, the red-tiled rooftops of Rome spread out before him, glowing in the scarlet sunset. From that spot, for the first time in his life, Langdon saw beyond the pollution and traffic of Rome to its ancient roots – Citt di Dio – The city of God. Squinting into the sunset, Langdon scanned the rooftops for a church steeple or bell tower. But as he looked farther and farther toward the horizon, he saw nothing. There are hundreds of churches in Rome, he thought. There must be one southwest of here! If the church is even visible, he reminded himself. Hell, if the church is even still standing! Forcing his eyes to trace the line slowly, he attempted the search again. He knew, of course, that not all churches would have visible spires, especially smaller, out-of-the-way sanctuaries. Not to mention, Rome had changed dramatically since the 1600s when churches were by law the tallest buildings allowed. Now, as Langdon looked out, he saw apartment buildings, high-rises, TV towers. For the second time, Langdon’s eye reached the horizon without seeing anything. Not one single spire. In the distance, on the very edge of Rome, Michelangelo’s massive dome blotted the setting sun. St. Peter’s Basilica. Vatican City. Langdon found himself wondering how the cardinals were faring, and if the Swiss Guards’ search had turned up the antimatter. Something told him it hadn’t†¦ and wouldn’t. The poem was rattling through his head again. He considered it, carefully, line by line. From Santi’s earthly tomb with demon’s hole. They had found Santi’s tomb. ‘Cross Rome the mystic elements unfold. The mystic elements were Earth, Air, Fire, Water. The path of light is laid, the sacred test. The path of Illumination formed by Bernini’s sculptures. Let angels guide you on your lofty quest. The angel was pointing southwest†¦ â€Å"Front stairs!† Glick exclaimed, pointing wildly through the windshield of the BBC van. â€Å"Something’s going on!† Macri dropped her shot back down to the main entrance. Something was definitely going on. At the bottom of the stairs, the military-looking man had pulled one of the Alpha Romeos close to the stairs and opened the trunk. Now he was scanning the square as if checking for onlookers. For a moment, Macri thought the man had spotted them, but his eyes kept moving. Apparently satisfied, he pulled out a walkie-talkie and spoke into it. Almost instantly, it seemed an army emerged from the church. Like an American football team breaking from a huddle, the soldiers formed a straight line across the top of the stairs. Moving like a human wall, they began to descend. Behind them, almost entirely hidden by the wall, four soldiers seemed to be carrying something. Something heavy. Awkward. Glick leaned forward on the dashboard. â€Å"Are they stealing something from the church?† Chinita tightened her shot even more, using the telephoto to probe the wall of men, looking for an opening. One split second, she willed. A single frame. That’s all I need. But the men moved as one. Come on! Macri stayed with them, and it paid off. When the soldiers tried to lift the object into the trunk, Macri found her opening. Ironically, it was the older man who faltered. Only for an instant, but long enough. Macri had her frame. Actually, it was more like ten frames. â€Å"Call editorial,† Chinita said. â€Å"We’ve got a dead body.† Far away, at CERN, Maximilian Kohler maneuvered his wheelchair into Leonardo Vetra’s study. With mechanical efficiency, he began sifting through Vetra’s files. Not finding what he was after, Kohler moved to Vetra’s bedroom. The top drawer of his bedside table was locked. Kohler pried it open with a knife from the kitchen. Inside Kohler found exactly what he was looking for. 72 Langdon swung off the scaffolding and dropped back to the ground. He brushed the plaster dust from his clothes. Vittoria was there to greet him. â€Å"No luck?† she said. He shook his head. â€Å"They put the cardinal in the trunk.† Langdon looked over to the parked car where Olivetti and a group of soldiers now had a map spread out on the hood. â€Å"Are they looking southwest?† She nodded. â€Å"No churches. From here the first one you hit is St. Peter’s.† Langdon grunted. At least they were in agreement. He moved toward Olivetti. The soldiers parted to let him through. Olivetti looked up. â€Å"Nothing. But this doesn’t show every last church. Just the big ones. About fifty of them.† â€Å"Where are we?† Langdon asked. Olivetti pointed to Piazza del Popolo and traced a straight line exactly southwest. The line missed, by a substantial margin, the cluster of black squares indicating Rome’s major churches. Unfortunately, Rome’s major churches were also Rome’s older churches†¦ those that would have been around in the 1600s. â€Å"I’ve got some decisions to make,† Olivetti said. â€Å"Are you certain of the direction?† Langdon pictured the angel’s outstretched finger, the urgency rising in him again. â€Å"Yes, sir. Positive.† Olivetti shrugged and traced the straight line again. The path intersected the Margherita Bridge, Via Cola di Riezo, and passed through Piazza del Risorgimento, hitting no churches at all until it dead-ended abruptly at the center of St. Peter’s Square. â€Å"What’s wrong with St. Peter’s?† one of the soldiers said. He had a deep scar under his left eye. â€Å"It’s a church.† Langdon shook his head. â€Å"Needs to be a public place. Hardly seems public at the moment.† â€Å"But the line goes through St. Peter’s Square,† Vittoria added, looking over Langdon’s shoulder. â€Å"The square is public.† Langdon had already considered it. â€Å"No statues, though.† â€Å"Isn’t there a monolith in the middle?† She was right. There was an Egyptian monolith in St. Peter’s Square. Langdon looked out at the monolith in the piazza in front of them. The lofty pyramid. An odd coincidence, he thought. He shook it off. â€Å"The Vatican’s monolith is not by Bernini. It was brought in by Caligula. And it has nothing to do with Air.† There was another problem as well. â€Å"Besides, the poem says the elements are spread across Rome. St. Peter’s Square is in Vatican City. Not Rome.† â€Å"Depends who you ask,† a guard interjected. Langdon looked up. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Always a bone of contention. Most maps show St. Peter’s Square as part of Vatican City, but because it’s outside the walled city, Roman officials for centuries have claimed it as part of Rome.† â€Å"You’re kidding,† Langdon said. He had never known that. â€Å"I only mention it,† the guard continued, â€Å"because Commander Olivetti and Ms. Vetra were asking about a sculpture that had to do with Air.† Langdon was wide-eyed. â€Å"And you know of one in St. Peter’s Square?† â€Å"Not exactly. It’s not really a sculpture. Probably not relevant.† â€Å"Let’s hear it,† Olivetti pressed. The guard shrugged. â€Å"The only reason I know about it is because I’m usually on piazza duty. I know every corner of St. Peter’s Square.† â€Å"The sculpture,† Langdon urged. â€Å"What does it look like?† Langdon was starting to wonder if the Illuminati could really have been gutsy enough to position their second marker right outside St. Peter’s Church. â€Å"I patrol past it every day,† the guard said. â€Å"It’s in the center, directly where that line is pointing. That’s what made me think of it. As I said, it’s not really a sculpture. It’s more of a†¦ block.† Olivetti looked mad. â€Å"A block?† â€Å"Yes, sir. A marble block embedded in the square. At the base of the monolith. But the block is not a rectangle. It’s an ellipse. And the block is carved with the image of a billowing gust of wind.† He paused. â€Å"Air, I suppose, if you wanted to get scientific about it.† Langdon stared at the young soldier in amazement. â€Å"A relief!† he exclaimed suddenly. Everyone looked at him. â€Å"Relief,† Langdon said, â€Å"is the other half of sculpture!† Sculpture is the art of shaping figures in the round and also in relief. He had written the definition on chalkboards for years. Reliefs were essentially two-dimensional sculptures, like Abraham Lincoln’s profile on the penny. Bernini’s Chigi Chapel medallions were another perfect example. â€Å"Bassorelievo?† the guard asked, using the Italian art term. â€Å"Yes! Bas-relief!† Langdon rapped his knuckles on the hood. â€Å"I wasn’t thinking in those terms! That tile you’re talking about in St. Peter’s Square is called the West Ponente – the West Wind. It’s also known as Respiro di Dio.† â€Å"Breath of God?† â€Å"Yes! Air! And it was carved and put there by the original architect!† Vittoria looked confused. â€Å"But I thought Michelangelo designed St. Peter’s.† â€Å"Yes, the basilica!† Langdon exclaimed, triumph in his voice. â€Å"But St. Peter’s Square was designed by Bernini!† As the caravan of Alpha Romeos tore out of Piazza del Popolo, everyone was in too much of a hurry to notice the BBC van pulling out behind them. 73 Gunther Glick floored the BBC van’s accelerator and swerved through traffic as he tailed the four speeding Alpha Romeos across the Tiber River on Ponte Margherita. Normally Glick would have made an effort to maintain an inconspicuous distance, but today he could barely keep up. These guys were flying. Macri sat in her work area in the back of the van finishing a phone call with London. She hung up and yelled to Glick over the sound of the traffic. â€Å"You want the good news or bad news?† Glick frowned. Nothing was ever simple when dealing with the home office. â€Å"Bad news.† â€Å"Editorial is burned we abandoned our post.† â€Å"Surprise.† â€Å"They also think your tipster is a fraud.† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"And the boss just warned me that you’re a few crumpets short of a proper tea.† Glick scowled. â€Å"Great. And the good news?† â€Å"They agreed to look at the footage we just shot.† Glick felt his scowl soften into a grin. I guess we’ll see who’s short a few crumpets. â€Å"So fire it off.† â€Å"Can’t transmit until we stop and get a fixed cell read.† Glick gunned the van onto Via Cola di Rienzo. â€Å"Can’t stop now.† He tailed the Alpha Romeos through a hard left swerve around Piazza Risorgimento. Macri held on to her computer gear in back as everything slid. â€Å"Break my transmitter,† she warned, â€Å"and we’ll have to walk this footage to London.† â€Å"Sit tight, love. Something tells me we’re almost there.† Macri looked up. â€Å"Where?† Glick gazed out at the familiar dome now looming directly in front of them. He smiled. â€Å"Right back where we started.† The four Alpha Romeos slipped deftly into traffic surrounding St. Peter’s Square. They split up and spread out along the piazza perimeter, quietly unloading men at select points. The debarking guards moved into the throng of tourists and media vans on the edge of the square and instantly became invisible. Some of the guards entered the forest of pillars encompassing the colonnade. They too seemed to evaporate into the surroundings. As Langdon watched through the windshield, he sensed a noose tightening around St. Peter’s. In addition to the men Olivetti had just dispatched, the commander had radioed ahead to the Vatican and sent additional undercover guards to the center where Bernini’s West Ponente was located. As Langdon looked out at the wide-open spaces of St. Peter’s Square, a familiar question nagged. How does the Illuminati assassin plan to get away with this? How will he get a cardinal through all these people and kill him in plain view? Langdon checked his Mickey Mouse watch. It was 8:54 P.M. Six minutes. In the front seat, Olivetti turned and faced Langdon and Vittoria. â€Å"I want you two right on top of this Bernini brick or block or whatever the hell it is. Same drill. You’re tourists. Use the phone if you see anything.† Before Langdon could respond, Vittoria had his hand and was pulling him out of the car. The springtime sun was setting behind St. Peter’s Basilica, and a massive shadow spread, engulfing the piazza. Langdon felt an ominous chill as he and Vittoria moved into the cool, black umbra. Snaking through the crowd, Langdon found himself searching every face they passed, wondering if the killer was among them. Vittoria’s hand felt warm. As they crossed the open expanse of St. Peter’s Square, Langdon sensed Bernini’s sprawling piazza having the exact effect the artist had been commissioned to create – that of â€Å"humbling all those who entered.† Langdon certainly felt humbled at the moment. Humbled and hungry, he realized, surprised such a mundane thought could enter his head at a moment like this. â€Å"To the obelisk?† Vittoria asked. Langdon nodded, arching left across the piazza. â€Å"Time?† Vittoria asked, walking briskly, but casually. â€Å"Five of.† Vittoria said nothing, but Langdon felt her grip tighten. He was still carrying the gun. He hoped Vittoria would not decide she needed it. He could not imagine her whipping out a weapon in St. Peter’s Square and blowing away the kneecaps of some killer while the global media looked on. Then again, an incident like that would be nothing compared to the branding and murder of a cardinal out here. Air, Langdon thought. The second element of science. He tried to picture the brand. The method of murder. Again he scanned the sprawling expanse of granite beneath his feet – St. Peter’s Square – an open desert surrounded by Swiss Guard. If the Hassassin really dared attempt this, Langdon could not imagine how he would escape. In the center of the piazza rose Caligula’s 350-ton Egyptian obelisk. It stretched eighty-one feet skyward to the pyramidal apex onto which was affixed a hollow iron cross. Sufficiently high to catch the last of the evening sun, the cross shone as if magic†¦ purportedly containing relics of the cross on which Christ was crucified. Two fountains flanked the obelisk in perfect symmetry. Art historians knew the fountains marked the exact geometric focal points of Bernini’s elliptical piazza, but it was an architectural oddity Langdon had never really considered until today. It seemed Rome was suddenly filled with ellipses, pyramids, and startling geometry. As they neared the obelisk, Vittoria slowed. She exhaled heavily, as if coaxing Langdon to relax along with her. Langdon made the effort, lowering his shoulders and loosening his clenched jaw. Somewhere around the obelisk, boldly positioned outside the largest church in the world, was the second altar of science – Bernini’s West Ponente – an elliptical block in St. Peter’s Square. Gunther Glick watched from the shadows of the pillars surrounding St. Peter’s Square. On any other day the man in the tweed jacket and the woman in khaki shorts would not have interested him in the least. They appeared to be nothing but tourists enjoying the square. But today was not any other day. Today had been a day of phone tips, corpses, unmarked cars racing through Rome, and men in tweed jackets climbing scaffolding in search of God only knew what. Glick would stay with them. He looked out across the square and saw Macri. She was exactly where he had told her to go, on the far side of the couple, hovering on their flank. Macri carried her video camera casually, but despite her imitation of a bored member of the press, she stood out more than Glick would have liked. No other reporters were in this far corner of the square, and the acronym â€Å"BBC† stenciled on her camera was drawing some looks from tourists. The tape Macri had shot earlier of the naked body dumped in the trunk was playing at this very moment on the VCR transmitter back in the van. Glick knew the images were sailing over his head right now en route to London. He wondered what editorial would say. He wished he and Macri had reached the body sooner, before the army of plainclothed soldiers had intervened. The same army, he knew, had now fanned out and surrounded this piazza. Something big was about to happen. The media is the right arm of anarchy, the killer had said. Glick wondered if he had missed his chance for a big scoop. He looked out at the other media vans in the distance and watched Macri tailing the mysterious couple across the piazza. Something told Glick he was still in the game†¦ Angels Demons Chapter 7073 As soon as they’d arrived, Chinita and Glick had seen a veritable army of young men pour out of the Alpha Romeos and surround the church. Some had weapons drawn. One of them, a stiff older man, led a team up the front steps of the church. The soldiers drew guns and blew the locks off the front doors. Macri heard nothing and figured they must have had silencers. Then the soldiers entered. Chinita had recommended they sit tight and film from the shadows. After all, guns were guns, and they had a clear view of the action from the van. Glick had not argued. Now, across the piazza, men moved in and out of the church. They yelled to each other. Chinita adjusted her camera to follow a team as they searched the surrounding area. All of them, though dressed in civilian clothes, seemed to move with military precision. â€Å"Who do you think they are?† she asked. â€Å"Hell if I know.† Glick looked riveted. â€Å"You getting all this?† â€Å"Every frame.† Glick sounded smug. â€Å"Still think we should go back to Pope-Watch?† Chinita wasn’t sure what to say. There was obviously something going on here, but she had been in journalism long enough to know that there was often a very dull explanation for interesting events. â€Å"This could be nothing,† she said. â€Å"These guys could have gotten the same tip you got and are just checking it out. Could be a false alarm.† Glick grabbed her arm. â€Å"Over there! Focus.† He pointed back to the church. Chinita swung the camera back to the top of the stairs. â€Å"Hello there,† she said, training on the man now emerging from the church. â€Å"Who’s the dapper?† Chinita moved in for a close-up. â€Å"Haven’t seen him before.† She tightened in on the man’s face and smiled. â€Å"But I wouldn’t mind seeing him again.† Robert Langdon dashed down the stairs outside the church and into the middle of the piazza. It was getting dark now, the springtime sun setting late in southern Rome. The sun had dropped below the surrounding buildings, and shadows streaked the square. â€Å"Okay, Bernini,† he said aloud to himself. â€Å"Where the hell is your angel pointing?† He turned and examined the orientation of the church from which he had just come. He pictured the Chigi Chapel inside, and the sculpture of the angel inside that. Without hesitation he turned due west, into the glow of the impending sunset. Time was evaporating. â€Å"Southwest,† he said, scowling at the shops and apartments blocking his view. â€Å"The next marker is out there.† Racking his brain, Langdon pictured page after page of Italian art history. Although very familiar with Bernini’s work, Langdon knew the sculptor had been far too prolific for any nonspecialist to know all of it. Still, considering the relative fame of the first marker – Habakkuk and the Angel – Langdon hoped the second marker was a work he might know from memory. Earth, Air, Fire, Water, he thought. Earth they had found – inside the Chapel of the Earth – Habakkuk, the prophet who predicted the earth’s annihilation. Air is next. Langdon urged himself to think. A Bernini sculpture that has something to do with Air! He was drawing a total blank. Still he felt energized. I’m on the path of Illumination! It is still intact! Looking southwest, Langdon strained to see a spire or cathedral tower jutting up over the obstacles. He saw nothing. He needed a map. If they could figure out what churches were southwest of here, maybe one of them would spark Langdon’s memory. Air, he pressed. Air. Bernini. Sculpture. Air. Think! Langdon turned and headed back up the cathedral stairs. He was met beneath the scaffolding by Vittoria and Olivetti. â€Å"Southwest,† Langdon said, panting. â€Å"The next church is southwest of here.† Olivetti’s whisper was cold. â€Å"You sure this time?† Langdon didn’t bite. â€Å"We need a map. One that shows all the churches in Rome.† The commander studied him a moment, his expression never changing. Langdon checked his watch. â€Å"We only have half an hour.† Olivetti moved past Langdon down the stairs toward his car, parked directly in front of the cathedral. Langdon hoped he was going for a map. Vittoria looked excited. â€Å"So the angel’s pointing southwest? No idea which churches are southwest?† â€Å"I can’t see past the damn buildings.† Langdon turned and faced the square again. â€Å"And I don’t know Rome’s churches well enou – † He stopped. Vittoria looked startled. â€Å"What?† Langdon looked out at the piazza again. Having ascended the church stairs, he was now higher, and his view was better. He still couldn’t see anything, but he realized he was moving in the right direction. His eyes climbed the tower of rickety scaffolding above him. It rose six stories, almost to the top of the church’s rose window, far higher than the other buildings in the square. He knew in an instant where he was headed. Across the square, Chinita Macri and Gunther Glick sat glued to the windshield of the BBC van. â€Å"You getting this?† Gunther asked. Macri tightened her shot on the man now climbing the scaffolding. â€Å"He’s a little well dressed to be playing Spiderman if you ask me.† â€Å"And who’s Ms. Spidey?† Chinita glanced at the attractive woman beneath the scaffolding. â€Å"Bet you’d like to find out.† â€Å"Think I should call editorial?† â€Å"Not yet. Let’s watch. Better to have something in the can before we admit we abandoned conclave.† â€Å"You think somebody really killed one of the old farts in there?† Chinita clucked. â€Å"You’re definitely going to hell.† â€Å"And I’ll be taking the Pulitzer with me.† 71 The scaffolding seemed less stable the higher Langdon climbed. His view of Rome, however, got better with every step. He continued upward. He was breathing harder than he expected when he reached the upper tier. He pulled himself onto the last platform, brushed off the plaster, and stood up. The height did not bother him at all. In fact, it was invigorating. The view was staggering. Like an ocean on fire, the red-tiled rooftops of Rome spread out before him, glowing in the scarlet sunset. From that spot, for the first time in his life, Langdon saw beyond the pollution and traffic of Rome to its ancient roots – Citt di Dio – The city of God. Squinting into the sunset, Langdon scanned the rooftops for a church steeple or bell tower. But as he looked farther and farther toward the horizon, he saw nothing. There are hundreds of churches in Rome, he thought. There must be one southwest of here! If the church is even visible, he reminded himself. Hell, if the church is even still standing! Forcing his eyes to trace the line slowly, he attempted the search again. He knew, of course, that not all churches would have visible spires, especially smaller, out-of-the-way sanctuaries. Not to mention, Rome had changed dramatically since the 1600s when churches were by law the tallest buildings allowed. Now, as Langdon looked out, he saw apartment buildings, high-rises, TV towers. For the second time, Langdon’s eye reached the horizon without seeing anything. Not one single spire. In the distance, on the very edge of Rome, Michelangelo’s massive dome blotted the setting sun. St. Peter’s Basilica. Vatican City. Langdon found himself wondering how the cardinals were faring, and if the Swiss Guards’ search had turned up the antimatter. Something told him it hadn’t†¦ and wouldn’t. The poem was rattling through his head again. He considered it, carefully, line by line. From Santi’s earthly tomb with demon’s hole. They had found Santi’s tomb. ‘Cross Rome the mystic elements unfold. The mystic elements were Earth, Air, Fire, Water. The path of light is laid, the sacred test. The path of Illumination formed by Bernini’s sculptures. Let angels guide you on your lofty quest. The angel was pointing southwest†¦ â€Å"Front stairs!† Glick exclaimed, pointing wildly through the windshield of the BBC van. â€Å"Something’s going on!† Macri dropped her shot back down to the main entrance. Something was definitely going on. At the bottom of the stairs, the military-looking man had pulled one of the Alpha Romeos close to the stairs and opened the trunk. Now he was scanning the square as if checking for onlookers. For a moment, Macri thought the man had spotted them, but his eyes kept moving. Apparently satisfied, he pulled out a walkie-talkie and spoke into it. Almost instantly, it seemed an army emerged from the church. Like an American football team breaking from a huddle, the soldiers formed a straight line across the top of the stairs. Moving like a human wall, they began to descend. Behind them, almost entirely hidden by the wall, four soldiers seemed to be carrying something. Something heavy. Awkward. Glick leaned forward on the dashboard. â€Å"Are they stealing something from the church?† Chinita tightened her shot even more, using the telephoto to probe the wall of men, looking for an opening. One split second, she willed. A single frame. That’s all I need. But the men moved as one. Come on! Macri stayed with them, and it paid off. When the soldiers tried to lift the object into the trunk, Macri found her opening. Ironically, it was the older man who faltered. Only for an instant, but long enough. Macri had her frame. Actually, it was more like ten frames. â€Å"Call editorial,† Chinita said. â€Å"We’ve got a dead body.† Far away, at CERN, Maximilian Kohler maneuvered his wheelchair into Leonardo Vetra’s study. With mechanical efficiency, he began sifting through Vetra’s files. Not finding what he was after, Kohler moved to Vetra’s bedroom. The top drawer of his bedside table was locked. Kohler pried it open with a knife from the kitchen. Inside Kohler found exactly what he was looking for. 72 Langdon swung off the scaffolding and dropped back to the ground. He brushed the plaster dust from his clothes. Vittoria was there to greet him. â€Å"No luck?† she said. He shook his head. â€Å"They put the cardinal in the trunk.† Langdon looked over to the parked car where Olivetti and a group of soldiers now had a map spread out on the hood. â€Å"Are they looking southwest?† She nodded. â€Å"No churches. From here the first one you hit is St. Peter’s.† Langdon grunted. At least they were in agreement. He moved toward Olivetti. The soldiers parted to let him through. Olivetti looked up. â€Å"Nothing. But this doesn’t show every last church. Just the big ones. About fifty of them.† â€Å"Where are we?† Langdon asked. Olivetti pointed to Piazza del Popolo and traced a straight line exactly southwest. The line missed, by a substantial margin, the cluster of black squares indicating Rome’s major churches. Unfortunately, Rome’s major churches were also Rome’s older churches†¦ those that would have been around in the 1600s. â€Å"I’ve got some decisions to make,† Olivetti said. â€Å"Are you certain of the direction?† Langdon pictured the angel’s outstretched finger, the urgency rising in him again. â€Å"Yes, sir. Positive.† Olivetti shrugged and traced the straight line again. The path intersected the Margherita Bridge, Via Cola di Riezo, and passed through Piazza del Risorgimento, hitting no churches at all until it dead-ended abruptly at the center of St. Peter’s Square. â€Å"What’s wrong with St. Peter’s?† one of the soldiers said. He had a deep scar under his left eye. â€Å"It’s a church.† Langdon shook his head. â€Å"Needs to be a public place. Hardly seems public at the moment.† â€Å"But the line goes through St. Peter’s Square,† Vittoria added, looking over Langdon’s shoulder. â€Å"The square is public.† Langdon had already considered it. â€Å"No statues, though.† â€Å"Isn’t there a monolith in the middle?† She was right. There was an Egyptian monolith in St. Peter’s Square. Langdon looked out at the monolith in the piazza in front of them. The lofty pyramid. An odd coincidence, he thought. He shook it off. â€Å"The Vatican’s monolith is not by Bernini. It was brought in by Caligula. And it has nothing to do with Air.† There was another problem as well. â€Å"Besides, the poem says the elements are spread across Rome. St. Peter’s Square is in Vatican City. Not Rome.† â€Å"Depends who you ask,† a guard interjected. Langdon looked up. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Always a bone of contention. Most maps show St. Peter’s Square as part of Vatican City, but because it’s outside the walled city, Roman officials for centuries have claimed it as part of Rome.† â€Å"You’re kidding,† Langdon said. He had never known that. â€Å"I only mention it,† the guard continued, â€Å"because Commander Olivetti and Ms. Vetra were asking about a sculpture that had to do with Air.† Langdon was wide-eyed. â€Å"And you know of one in St. Peter’s Square?† â€Å"Not exactly. It’s not really a sculpture. Probably not relevant.† â€Å"Let’s hear it,† Olivetti pressed. The guard shrugged. â€Å"The only reason I know about it is because I’m usually on piazza duty. I know every corner of St. Peter’s Square.† â€Å"The sculpture,† Langdon urged. â€Å"What does it look like?† Langdon was starting to wonder if the Illuminati could really have been gutsy enough to position their second marker right outside St. Peter’s Church. â€Å"I patrol past it every day,† the guard said. â€Å"It’s in the center, directly where that line is pointing. That’s what made me think of it. As I said, it’s not really a sculpture. It’s more of a†¦ block.† Olivetti looked mad. â€Å"A block?† â€Å"Yes, sir. A marble block embedded in the square. At the base of the monolith. But the block is not a rectangle. It’s an ellipse. And the block is carved with the image of a billowing gust of wind.† He paused. â€Å"Air, I suppose, if you wanted to get scientific about it.† Langdon stared at the young soldier in amazement. â€Å"A relief!† he exclaimed suddenly. Everyone looked at him. â€Å"Relief,† Langdon said, â€Å"is the other half of sculpture!† Sculpture is the art of shaping figures in the round and also in relief. He had written the definition on chalkboards for years. Reliefs were essentially two-dimensional sculptures, like Abraham Lincoln’s profile on the penny. Bernini’s Chigi Chapel medallions were another perfect example. â€Å"Bassorelievo?† the guard asked, using the Italian art term. â€Å"Yes! Bas-relief!† Langdon rapped his knuckles on the hood. â€Å"I wasn’t thinking in those terms! That tile you’re talking about in St. Peter’s Square is called the West Ponente – the West Wind. It’s also known as Respiro di Dio.† â€Å"Breath of God?† â€Å"Yes! Air! And it was carved and put there by the original architect!† Vittoria looked confused. â€Å"But I thought Michelangelo designed St. Peter’s.† â€Å"Yes, the basilica!† Langdon exclaimed, triumph in his voice. â€Å"But St. Peter’s Square was designed by Bernini!† As the caravan of Alpha Romeos tore out of Piazza del Popolo, everyone was in too much of a hurry to notice the BBC van pulling out behind them. 73 Gunther Glick floored the BBC van’s accelerator and swerved through traffic as he tailed the four speeding Alpha Romeos across the Tiber River on Ponte Margherita. Normally Glick would have made an effort to maintain an inconspicuous distance, but today he could barely keep up. These guys were flying. Macri sat in her work area in the back of the van finishing a phone call with London. She hung up and yelled to Glick over the sound of the traffic. â€Å"You want the good news or bad news?† Glick frowned. Nothing was ever simple when dealing with the home office. â€Å"Bad news.† â€Å"Editorial is burned we abandoned our post.† â€Å"Surprise.† â€Å"They also think your tipster is a fraud.† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"And the boss just warned me that you’re a few crumpets short of a proper tea.† Glick scowled. â€Å"Great. And the good news?† â€Å"They agreed to look at the footage we just shot.† Glick felt his scowl soften into a grin. I guess we’ll see who’s short a few crumpets. â€Å"So fire it off.† â€Å"Can’t transmit until we stop and get a fixed cell read.† Glick gunned the van onto Via Cola di Rienzo. â€Å"Can’t stop now.† He tailed the Alpha Romeos through a hard left swerve around Piazza Risorgimento. Macri held on to her computer gear in back as everything slid. â€Å"Break my transmitter,† she warned, â€Å"and we’ll have to walk this footage to London.† â€Å"Sit tight, love. Something tells me we’re almost there.† Macri looked up. â€Å"Where?† Glick gazed out at the familiar dome now looming directly in front of them. He smiled. â€Å"Right back where we started.† The four Alpha Romeos slipped deftly into traffic surrounding St. Peter’s Square. They split up and spread out along the piazza perimeter, quietly unloading men at select points. The debarking guards moved into the throng of tourists and media vans on the edge of the square and instantly became invisible. Some of the guards entered the forest of pillars encompassing the colonnade. They too seemed to evaporate into the surroundings. As Langdon watched through the windshield, he sensed a noose tightening around St. Peter’s. In addition to the men Olivetti had just dispatched, the commander had radioed ahead to the Vatican and sent additional undercover guards to the center where Bernini’s West Ponente was located. As Langdon looked out at the wide-open spaces of St. Peter’s Square, a familiar question nagged. How does the Illuminati assassin plan to get away with this? How will he get a cardinal through all these people and kill him in plain view? Langdon checked his Mickey Mouse watch. It was 8:54 P.M. Six minutes. In the front seat, Olivetti turned and faced Langdon and Vittoria. â€Å"I want you two right on top of this Bernini brick or block or whatever the hell it is. Same drill. You’re tourists. Use the phone if you see anything.† Before Langdon could respond, Vittoria had his hand and was pulling him out of the car. The springtime sun was setting behind St. Peter’s Basilica, and a massive shadow spread, engulfing the piazza. Langdon felt an ominous chill as he and Vittoria moved into the cool, black umbra. Snaking through the crowd, Langdon found himself searching every face they passed, wondering if the killer was among them. Vittoria’s hand felt warm. As they crossed the open expanse of St. Peter’s Square, Langdon sensed Bernini’s sprawling piazza having the exact effect the artist had been commissioned to create – that of â€Å"humbling all those who entered.† Langdon certainly felt humbled at the moment. Humbled and hungry, he realized, surprised such a mundane thought could enter his head at a moment like this. â€Å"To the obelisk?† Vittoria asked. Langdon nodded, arching left across the piazza. â€Å"Time?† Vittoria asked, walking briskly, but casually. â€Å"Five of.† Vittoria said nothing, but Langdon felt her grip tighten. He was still carrying the gun. He hoped Vittoria would not decide she needed it. He could not imagine her whipping out a weapon in St. Peter’s Square and blowing away the kneecaps of some killer while the global media looked on. Then again, an incident like that would be nothing compared to the branding and murder of a cardinal out here. Air, Langdon thought. The second element of science. He tried to picture the brand. The method of murder. Again he scanned the sprawling expanse of granite beneath his feet – St. Peter’s Square – an open desert surrounded by Swiss Guard. If the Hassassin really dared attempt this, Langdon could not imagine how he would escape. In the center of the piazza rose Caligula’s 350-ton Egyptian obelisk. It stretched eighty-one feet skyward to the pyramidal apex onto which was affixed a hollow iron cross. Sufficiently high to catch the last of the evening sun, the cross shone as if magic†¦ purportedly containing relics of the cross on which Christ was crucified. Two fountains flanked the obelisk in perfect symmetry. Art historians knew the fountains marked the exact geometric focal points of Bernini’s elliptical piazza, but it was an architectural oddity Langdon had never really considered until today. It seemed Rome was suddenly filled with ellipses, pyramids, and startling geometry. As they neared the obelisk, Vittoria slowed. She exhaled heavily, as if coaxing Langdon to relax along with her. Langdon made the effort, lowering his shoulders and loosening his clenched jaw. Somewhere around the obelisk, boldly positioned outside the largest church in the world, was the second altar of science – Bernini’s West Ponente – an elliptical block in St. Peter’s Square. Gunther Glick watched from the shadows of the pillars surrounding St. Peter’s Square. On any other day the man in the tweed jacket and the woman in khaki shorts would not have interested him in the least. They appeared to be nothing but tourists enjoying the square. But today was not any other day. Today had been a day of phone tips, corpses, unmarked cars racing through Rome, and men in tweed jackets climbing scaffolding in search of God only knew what. Glick would stay with them. He looked out across the square and saw Macri. She was exactly where he had told her to go, on the far side of the couple, hovering on their flank. Macri carried her video camera casually, but despite her imitation of a bored member of the press, she stood out more than Glick would have liked. No other reporters were in this far corner of the square, and the acronym â€Å"BBC† stenciled on her camera was drawing some looks from tourists. The tape Macri had shot earlier of the naked body dumped in the trunk was playing at this very moment on the VCR transmitter back in the van. Glick knew the images were sailing over his head right now en route to London. He wondered what editorial would say. He wished he and Macri had reached the body sooner, before the army of plainclothed soldiers had intervened. The same army, he knew, had now fanned out and surrounded this piazza. Something big was about to happen. The media is the right arm of anarchy, the killer had said. Glick wondered if he had missed his chance for a big scoop. He looked out at the other media vans in the distance and watched Macri tailing the mysterious couple across the piazza. Something told Glick he was still in the game†¦

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Team as an Ideal Design of Job - Essay Example The paper will try examining issues that revolve around the work of the team and their significance in working with the managers. It is possible for managers to create a work unit by just bringing together many individuals with different skills. Before a manager designs a task that they need to be handled, it is always clear that they have a picture of the nature of the outcome they desire. They also have idea on which kind of input is required and what would be the process needed to realize the objective. It is through this understanding that the manger may decide to have a group of individuals to execute the work. This kind of approach has been associated with an authoritarian guidance by some manager. Workers who are involved in a process like this are always denied their autonomy and have very low worker interdependence. The study shows that the productivity of a work force is usually increased when workers have a high sense of interdependence as opposed to when workers are just pulled together to execute certain tasks. It is therefore right to say that team task design is a good design that managers can use to push for results to be gotten but only if the worker interdependence is enhanced. It should not be assumed that team interdependent is the sole mechanism that can be used by mangers to help in utilizing the team and produce successfully. There are some other ways through which teams can be used to realize the objective of an organization. A team as a unit requires some level of self direction and self management to realize certain objective. When teams have control of themselves, then they tend to engage in participatory approach of work, which also relieves the top management from micromanaging the teams and ever getting concerned with small matters that can be addressed at lower levels. It is imperative that mangers delegate duties to the juniors so that they may get

Interstate 405 freeway traffic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Interstate 405 freeway traffic - Essay Example will discuss how the selected part of the 405 freeway affects the urban experience, the current state of the 405 freeway and what steps should be taken to make the freeway both traffic free and environment friendly. The selection of the interstate 405 as the subject is significant simply because it is a heavily travelled thoroughfare by both freight haulers and commuters over its whole length. Additionally, the subject is of great importance because the 405 interstate freeways is the most congested and busiest freeway in the whole of the United States of America. The 405 freeway affects the urban experience by having an impact even on people who are outside California. Moreover, it has led to the development of a number of suburbs and cities along its path via the Los Angeles area. The 405 interstate is part of the express way and California freeway system. At 21 and 22 exits, the annual average daily traffic in 2008 reached 374000. This count was the highest in America (Santini, 2009). The 405 interstate commences at El Toro Y interchange in south eastern Irvine. Afterwards, it meanders northwest via Orange County to Los Angeles County’s Long Beach. It then follows the pacific coastâ₠¬â„¢ outline before it crosses the Santa Monica Mountains. Next, it goes north via San Fernando Valley, then ends with interstate 5 in Los Angeles’s mission district. The congestion problems of the interstate 405 are often legendary (Lomax, Pg.78). This has led to people joking that it was given number 405 simply because the traffic on it slows down to five or four miles per hour, or basically because the interstate 405 drivers need five or four hours to reach their destinations. 5mph average speeds are commonly recorded in the morning or afternoon commutes. Also, the interchanges associated with Santa Monica Freeway and Ventura Freeway rank among the most congested interchanges in America. Consequently, it takes a lot longer to manoeuvre through the whole of the Los Angeles area

The law of property task--tracing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The law of property task--tracing - Essay Example What this means is that, in equity, the remedy of tracing awards a proprietary right in the property to the beneficiary, so that he may be given priority in recovering it in case the defendant goes bankrupt, provided his property still exists and is distinguishable from the bankrupt individual’s other assets. This proprietary nature of the right was affirmed in Foskett v McKeown (2000). Tracing at law is much more restrictive as compared to tracing in equity as the beneficiary is not allowed to claim title to any additions in the value of the property that it may have acquired since the breach of trust and recovering the property may be close to impossible if it was mixed with another. In equity, tracing can lead to the property even if it is mixed and recover it for the wronged beneficiary, which allots great power in the hands of those who have been deprived. Moreover, the differences between tracing at law and equity are considered by some commentators as separate remedies altogether instead of limbs of the same principle. It is imperative to consider both regimes, and my discussion would reflect both the common law remedy and the remedy in equity. Tracing at Law At common law, any individual with a legal title in property may be able to resort to tracing in order to recover it. Thus, this legal title, may be traced all the way to the newest form the property has taken after exchanging hands (for e.g where a defendant has bought a watch with the original property, cash). This phenomenon was described as a matter of hardnosed property rights and distinguished from an action in damages2, hence, any identifiable property was considered traceable and returned to the original beneficiary. Thus, the legal title is traced from one person to all successive individuals that came along the way until finally reaching the person against whom the action could proceed, providing a means to the remedy (Trustee of the property of FC Jones v Jones [1996]). In this way , it is regarded by the courts not as a remedy unto itself but as a means to a remedy, as seen in Banque Belge pour L'Etranger v. Hambrouck [1921]3. The first step then to a successful tracing action is to identify the defendant who is now in possession of the property. In the above case, where money was being traced, the defendant was identified as the fraudulent cashier who had deposited the money in a bank and used it to pay for his expenses. It was held that the cash even though it had the potential of being mixed with other funds, was identifiable in the account and could be recovered by Banque Belge. Once the defendant is identified, the next step is to proceed with a remedy which could be one of the following depending on the form of property being traced. If the property in question, as in the above case of Hambrouck, pertains to funds, then an action to recover ‘money had and received’ may be brought (Lipkin Gorman v Karpnale [1991])4. In Karpnale, a compulsive gambler come partner of a law firm was eventually caught drawing money for gambling purposes from the company account. The money was traced to the gambling club which had exchanged it with chips. The House of Lords found that the money, although received in good faith, was recoverable by the solicitors from the gambling club which was presently in possession of it. There was also a failure of consideration observed at the hands of the gambling club

Civil War in Georgia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Civil War in Georgia - Essay Example There were reduced start-up costs for the civil war due to the accessibility of weapons from the Soviet and a ample number of volunteer fighters. In March 1992 and Kitovani was made the Minister of Defence- with this authority, Kitovani then organized the Abkhazia war in order to establish control over the transportation networks and valuable tourism industry of the province. In the end though, there was a total collapse of the informal and formal economy in 1993 which made it impossible to supply the troops effectively and that led to poor organization of military campaigns. Finally, Mkhedrioni and the National Guard were defeated whereas there was destruction of the economic assets they were fighting for. Due to the wars, Georgia lost control over a considerable part of its territory which remained an important difficulty for the nation's state building process as the government is not capable of controlling the smuggling business originating from the two regions. Georgia thus faces a dilemma- if it sets up customs points behind the lines of control, it would advance to identifying them as a border, which is politically unacceptable. On the other hand, if it would not do this, goods will continue to enter tax free into the nation and thus help crime networks and tainted state officials who are proving to be an obstacle in the state building process.

The characters of The Divine Wind Essay Example for Free

The characters of The Divine Wind Essay In the novel The Divine Wind, written by Gary Disher, the characters have to make important choices. With every character in the novel their choices are not always good and in some cases effect other characters in the novel a bad way. Different reasons and circumstances compel different choices. To see whether the choices made where good ones, we need to take a look at each choice specifically. Ida chose to leave her family and husband so she could return back to her homeland where her heart still was. Ida was very unhappy in Broome, and she longed for her life back in England. All throughout the novel there was a visibleline between the differences of Ida, her family and the people of Broome. Ida simply did not fit in. Alice chooses to end her relationship with Carl after she sees his true colours. Carl wants Alice to be moulded into a station wife and Alice does not want to repeat the same mistake as her mother by trying to be changed by a loved one. Also if Alice was to stay with Carl, she wouldnt have been able to fulfil her dream of becoming an army nurse. One of the Consequences of Ida leaving was it had sent Michael in state and his hurt had surfaced. as a result, he decides to take the lugger boat out ealry, despite how bad the weather was. this bad choice of Mikes injured his son and caused the death of his trustworthy head pearler and friend Zeke. Afterwards Michael admitts that he had mad the wrong decision in taking out the lugger boat and he grows a guilty conscience. Hart is forced to make many choices throughout the novel. although some of his choices were not seen as good by the ones that he loves. for example when he dismisses Mitsy and sides with his mother even though he is in love with Mitsy. This was a bad choice as it caused friction between the two. Mitsy then chooses Hart to persue a relationship with which then turns sexual. When Mitsy decides to take her mother and leave from the Penroses housefor them to be interned this also causes heat between Mitsy and Hart. Although looking forward into the future its what could have saved Mitsy and Harts friendship. The characters in the Divine Wind are forced to make important decisions. Their choices shape theie lives and also have an influence on the lives around them. Often these choices that the characters make are later redemmed by actions.

Background to the drama Essay Example for Free

Background to the drama Essay A View from a Bridge is a play inspired by Millers own background, in terms of plot and context. Miller grew up in America and was the son of two immigrants. In the late 1940s he became interested in the work and lives of the communities and Longshoremen of New Yorks Brooklyn Harbour, a place where he had in fact previously worked. Many of the workers were exploited by their bosses, underpaid and had only recently immigrated to the United States. It was during this time that a young lawyer friend of Millers mentioned a story hed recently heard of a longshoreman who had ratted to the Immigration Bureau on two brothers, his own relatives, who were living illegally in his very own home, in order to break up an engagement between one of them and his niece. Miller took this story combined with his upbringing and experiences on a recent trip to Sicily and provided the background to the drama A View from a Bridge. The play takes place in Brooklyn around 1950s. Catherine is an orphan who lives with her aunt and uncle, Beatrice and Eddie Carbone. Eddie agrees to Beatrices two relatives, Marco and Rodolpho, both of whom are illegal immigrants. Eddie, the plays protagonist, has a very particular view of the qualities of a man. When other characters dont conform to these masculine expectations it leads to hostility and aggression resulting in death. Our first impression of Eddie is that of a simple, average man. He comes across as a hardworking, friendly, kind and generous husband and uncle: especially as he is prepared to accept and welcome his wife Beatrices illegal immigrant cousins into his own home. However Eddie has a very strong point of view of the qualities of manliness, believing that a real man should be strong, tough and mean. The appearance of a man should be with dark features and big size. He thinks that a real man should be like him, the breadwinner who works hard, doing work that uses muscle and not much brain: I worked like a dog. He perhaps also thinks that a man would always look at a pretty woman in a sexual way rather than just another person; this is shown when he says there are bad men at Catherines workplace. Another quality which Eddie considers to manly is power. Eddies views on manliness are also based around the ideas of protecting your family and loved ones, providing for your family and keeping your pride and dignity. Eddie tries his very best to keep to these things as he feels very strongly of being a man. He shows this by showing concern when Catherine buys a new skirt. He says, Where you going all dressed up? and, Its too short aint it? He is concerned because he doesnt want her attracting too much attention from other men, like when he says, I dont like the looks theyre giving you in the candy store. This overprotectiveness leads to conflict on a small scale between him and Catherine as she says Eddie, I wish there was one guy you couldnt tell me things about! This dialogue shows that Eddie has been overprotective before and Catherine has realized it. She does not say it seriously but rather, a joke; however she is actually trying to express that hes being too overprotective. This power that Eddie considers to be manly also creates many other incidents on small scales and Eddie starts to show open hostility towards the other characters. Firstly when Rodolfo, Marco and Eddie are talking about oranges and lemons Eddie becomes very hostile when Rodolfo corrects him, Lemons are green. Eddie lashes out at Rodolfo when he corrects him about the colour of the lemon and becomes slightly aggressive I know lemons are green for Christs sake. Eddie becomes hostile and aggressive because he believes knowledge and being right, amongst other things, is where the power lies. Miller uses this to show how something as insignificant as a lemon can create hostility and aggression all because of a manly characteristic of wanting power and respect. Another example of Eddies pettiness is during a conversation about Marcos family back home in Italy. Eddie tries to suggest an affair with Marcos wife but Rodolfo again corrects him saying its more strict in our town We are able to see how Eddie is becoming aggressive through Millers stage directions. Eddie goes from being hostile and sarcastic (laughing) to aggressive (rises, pacing up and down) as a direct reaction to the immigrants differing culture. The stage directions often say a lot more about the characters then the actual script itself and also greatly contribute to the heightening of tension throughout. Not only do they describe the positions of the characters on set; they help the audience to identify with their feelings. Miller begins a scene with a simple conversation about a recent trip to Africa which Marco and Rodolfo had undergone through work. However, tension is still created, regardless of the triviality of the conversational subject, by Eddie, who, from a simple glance at Catherine, appears to be sceptical about whether the trip took place They went to Africa once. On a fishing boat. (Eddie glances at her. ) Its true, Eddie. Eddie then retreats to his rocker, a prop which Miller makes significant throughout the play as it acts as Eddies position of authority, as his throne when in his rocker, he feels very much at the helm of the household and Miller uses this in order to show how Eddie feels he has power yet a rocker is slightly unsuitable as it does not assume a fixed position The conversation then continues further, though it is clear from Millers use of stage directions that Eddie is disregarding anything Rodolfo says to him, and talking to Marco exclusively, creating an uneasy atmosphere and increasing the tension further.

Health Needs Of A Child Case Study Social Work Essay

Health Needs Of A Child Case Study Social Work Essay For the purpose of this essay I will write a critical analysis of a case study assessing the health needs of a child within a family. The case study is of a two parent family of a two year old girl. The family had transferred from another area. Their daughter was born prematurely at thirty one weeks. She didnt offer eye contact and had no voluntary speech. Full permission has been obtained to use the information in the case study. I used firstly Orems nursing model to assess the familys needs. Then a more appropriate framework Family Health Needs Assessment. The model is a behavioural model. Behavioural models are based on the hierarchy of human needs by Maslow (1993). The hierarchy starts at the bottom of a pyramid with essential needs, when these are met the person progresses up the pyramid until full potential is achieved (Maslow, 1993). Orems model is based on societies need for the client to be self caring (Henderson, 1990). Orems (2001) model has a continuum of self care abilities, the aim being to move along this continuum to self care or adapt to a diminishing self care in terminal or chronic ill cases. Orem (2001) states that the family and significant others in a persons life must be involved in their self care. It is a model which values individual responsibility, prevention and health education as key aspects of nursing intervention (Aggleton and Chalmers 2000). Orem lists the following key factors that influence health; 1. Adequate intake of air water and food. 2, Adequate excretion of waste. 3. A balance between activity and rest both mentally and physically. 4. Social interaction and solitude should be optimised. 5. The prevention or avoidance of hazards and danger. 6. The feeling of being and behaving normally leading to stress reduction. By being able to carry out self care in these areas the person fulfils what Orem (2001) calls their Universal Self Care Demands. If there is illness injury or disease the individual has self care demands in three extra areas (Orem, 2001). These are known as the Health Deviation Self Care Demands. i Structure. ii. Functioning. iii. Behaviour. Orem uses the Nursing Process starting with assessment of the family in order to discover their individual problems which are defined in terms of self care deficits (Orem, 2001). The first stage of Orems model identifies both the demands for and the ability to achieve, self care in an individual (Aggleton and Chalmers, 2000). I assessed the family the parents both worked dad is a chef and mum is a carer in a nursing home they are both supported by grandparents who lived across the street. Both were fit and well. The two year old daughter was causing her mother concern in that she was not speaking it was difficult to get her attention with very little eye contact. Using Orems list I asked questions about each of the six activities. The problems identified were related to the two year olds behaviour of pacing around the room not speaking no eye contact and slapping her hands one on top of the other. After gathering information I had to decide why there was a self care deficit. This was difficult using Orems which states the self care deficit should be linked to a lack of knowledge or of skills to a lack of motivation to achieve self care (Aggleton and Chalmers, 2000). These dont seem to apply to a two year old cared for by her parents. But clearly her behaviour was a cause for concern. I had now completed a good deal of paperwork a fault recognised by Fawcett et al (2004) in many instances it has led to nursing models being a bureaucratic chore (Fawcett et al,2004). A checklist method and standard care plans would have allowed for a quick assessment of the Universal self care demands (Kitson, 2001). The next stage is to plan and set goals (Salvage and Kershaw, 1990). The long term goal for each client would be the restoration of a balance between self care ability and self care needs (Salvage and Kershaw, 1990). The implementation of the care plan may involve activities to meet self care demands (Pearson et al, 2004). In addition members of the family, or significant others, may provide some care. Orem (2001) has identified six broad ways in which assistance can be given to implement a care plan. 1.Doing for or acting for another 2.Guiding and directing another. 3.Providing physical support. 4.Providing psychological support. 5.Providing an environment which supports development. 6.Teaching another. However each of these methods of helping requires compliance (Pearson et al 2004). Orems model demands that clients and their families are willing and able to adopt certain roles achieve self care (Aggleton and Chalmers 2000). 3) Evaluation Orem (2001) has suggested that the evaluation of care given should be measured in terms of the clients or families performance of self care. Using Orem we should set out goals in terms of what the family will achieve (Pearson et al, 2004). It was difficult to set goals babies who are born prematurely can suffer from learning difficulties and to investigate the two year olds behaviour was the goal. Orems model didnt seem to fit well with this families care. The major problem with nursing models concerns the relationship with the clients of the service. These are of two kinds. The employer for most nurses in the UK, the employer is the Government. The Government has aims and objectives for its health care system which is to use evidence based practice which may conflict with a particular nursing model or philosophy (Mckenna et al, 2008). Orems model is over fifty years old and is not evidence based. The problems mainly being centered on the daughters behavior the following framework was more appropriate for this family. An evidence based framework The Family Health Needs Assessment was introduced into the health visiting service in 2003 and is based on the Framework for the Assessment of children in need and their families (Department of Health et al, 2000). The Assessment Framework was intended to help practitioners to become child-centered (Horwath, 2010). The aim being to do an assessment of the familys health and parenting needs. A triangle is used as an illustration of the Framework the child being in the centre (Rose, 2009). The three sides of the triangle represent the key factors that influence the Childs health; child developmental needs, parenting capacity and family health and environmental factors. Each one has sub headings specific to the main heading. Childs Development Needs Health Education Emotional Behavioral Development Identity Family Social Relationships Social Presentation Self Care Skills Parenting Capacity Basic Care Ensuring Safety Emotional Warmth Stimulation Guidance Boundaries Stability Family health Family history functioning Wider family Housing Employment Income Familys Social Integration Community Resources The aim of the initial Family Health Needs Assessment (FHNA) is to undertake a full assessment of the familys health and parenting needs. The impact of parenting capacity, family health and environmental factors on the childs health and well-being is assessed to identify children and families who may require additional support to achieve the 5 outcomes identified in Every Child Matters (2004). Being healthy Staying Safe Enjoying and achieving Making a positive Contribution Achieving Economic well-being There is research evidence to suggest that low birth weight and prematurity indicates a greater risk of not achieving the 5 outcomes identified in Every Child Matters (2004). Then a family health plan can be developed to include the familys needs as agreed in partnership with the parent/carer. How the family wishes to address these needs An action plan which identifies specific interventions/support and who this will be provided by as well as the date for review and a review of progress made against the action plan. The assessment took some time I had to reword some of the questions for fear of giving offence. The assessment forms were lengthy and there was some duplication. Emotional warmth under parenting Capacity and Emotional and behavioral development under the heading Childs developmental Needs. I found it difficult to know what to include under some of the headings. In Calders study (2003) the practitioners found the heading for the childs developmental needs the most challenging of the three headings. A number got confused between social presentation and self-care skills and the majority struggled with assessing identity. The task for practitioners is to specify what, in relation to health and development, the child is at risk of and how significant they consider this risk to be (Horwath, 2010). The original Framework for the assessment of children in need and their Families has guidance and support materials which explain the risk of harm, reducing the Framework to the Triangle and a set of descriptions separates the needs from the risk of harm. Which could lead to a loss of focus on the child and their needs (Platt, 2006). Both parents in this case were happy to carry out the assessment some parents can be unco-operative or even hostile Brandon et al, (2009). This could also cause a lack of focus on the needs of children. Brandon et al, (2009) found that good parental engagement can also disguise risk of harm to a child. It is important hear what children have to say (Archard and Skivenes, 2009). I did engage the two year old with my identity badge which she recognized the picture but in this case I wasnt able to interview the child because of her understanding and limited speech. I was able to observe her though and record my observations. Brandon et al. (2009) describe the various ways in which professionals dont include children in the assessment. These include young people and siblings and a failure to address the needs of children who chose not to or are unable to speak because of disability, trauma and fear (Brandon et al 2009). Groups of children in need that are hard to assess included: disabled children; adolescents; children of different cultures and faiths; and children in asylum-seeking and refugee families (Brandon et al, 2009). Another group of children that also has been found to be difficult to assess are children in need from higher socioeconomic groups. These cases were found challenging by social workers because: the parents were more aware of their rights (Brandon et al, 2009). Care must be given to recording accurately what the child says and managing that information, especially if it is negative about the parents so not to expose the child to any more risk Practitioners are responsible for gathering information and they also have to share the findings of the assessment with family members. From the assessment I identified a problem under the heading Child Developmental Needs Health the two year old daughter was growing physically but was not developing speech and had limited eye contact. The family had just moved from another area. Their daughter had been born premature at 31 weeks and she had had follow up appointments at hospital now that they had moved the hospital was too far away. The follow up at hospital was important for her developmental reviews. So the first identified need was to register at the Doctors and explain that she needs a referral to the hospital for a full pediatric review. Speech was a problem in that she was making the occasional sound and not forming her words properly. I made the speech therapy referral and gained assurances that her parents would take her. We discussed taking her to a nursery to mix with other children. After talking it was decided so that mum could go too to join a mother and toddler group. So things moved swiftly we put a time scale on these three major things of three weeks. I arranged to visit again in two weeks.

Alzheimers Disease Essay -- Diseases Research Essays

Alzheimer's Disease The disease called Alzheimer’s is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States (Weiner, 1987). It is estimated that the elderly population will double between now and 2030. During this period, the number of elderly will grow by an average of 2.8% annually (U.S. Census Bureau, 2001). By 2050, the number of people with Alzheimer’s is estimated to range from 11.3 million to 16 million (Alzheimer’s Association, 2005). These startling numbers should prompt an examination into one of the leading causes of death among this group of people. Understanding what Alzheimer’s is and the known causes of the disease are a good starting point. For those who have aging family members, knowing the risk factors and warning signs of Alzheimer’s can be beneficial to both the patient and his family. Finally, once the patient has been diagnosed as having Alzheimer’s, a plan for treatment as well as providing the family and caregivers with a support syste m can help ease those involved through a very challenging, heartbreaking time. The Alzheimer’s Association (2005) defines the disease as â€Å"a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys a person’s memory and ability to learn, reason, make judgments, communicate, and carry out daily activities†. Contrary to popular belief, Alzheimer’s is not the result of normal aging, although it normally occurs more frequently in people who are over the age of 65 (Gruetzner, 1988). Studies performed on the brains of deceased Alzheimer’s patients show several irregularities. The most obvious abnormality is in the signal-transmitting chemicals, where a 40-90% decrease in the enzyme CAT is found. This enzyme lies in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus regions of the brain. When CAT is decreased, it causes cholinergic or acetylcholine-releasing nerve terminals to diminish. These chemicals are important for communication between nerves. Also found during these autopsies were double strands of neurofibullary tangles, senile plaque (decaye d neural material), and granulovacular degeneration-all which are associated with mental impairment. Neurofibullary tangles normally do increase with age, but Alzheimer’s patients show a very high density of the tangles. The brain has also been found to contain abnormally high concentrations of aluminum (Weiner, 1987). While much is known about the end results of Alzheimer’... ...illick, 1998). While at the present time little is known about the causes of Alzheimer’s and there is no existence of a cure, current research combined with the latest in technology is hopeful for a breakthrough. Not only are new drugs being developed, but also the possibility of vaccines are on the horizon. Keeping up with the latest clinical trials, findings and treatment options can be a challenge, but doing so can arm patients and caregivers with a powerful tool. Only through education and progress in research can this deadly disease become extinct. Works Cited: Alzheimer’s Association. (2005). What is Alzheimer’s disease? Retrieved March 30, 2005, from http://www.alz.org/AboutAD/WhatIsAD.asp Gillick, Muriel R. (1998). Tangled minds: understanding Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. New York: Penguin Group. Gruetzner, Howard. (1988). Alzheimer’s: a caregiver’s guide and source book. New York: Stephen Kipper. U.S. Census Bureau. (2001). Sixty-five plus in the United States. Retrieved March 30, 2005, from http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/statbriefs/agebrief.html Weiner, Michael A. (1987). Reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s. New York: Stein & Day.