mississippi burning trial Essay -- essays research papers

The Mississippi Burning Trial† was not for the cold-blooded murders of three young civil rights workers, but rather for the violation of their civil rights. The federal government wanted to break Mississippi’s â€Å"white supremacy† stronghold on the South. â€Å"The Mississippi Burning Trial† proved to be the opportunity to do so. The three branches of the federal government and their various departments were actively involved in bringing about this civil rights trial in Mississippi and these activities and personal views are well documented in court records, department records, and the press. The federal government’s Michael Schwerner, James Chaney, and Andrew Goodman were working to register black voters in rural areas and small towns of Mississippi. Their deaths were brutal at the hands of local Klu Klux Klan members. Brutality, however, was the norm for dealing with â€Å"outsiders, niggers, and nigger lovers† who dared to try to force Mississippi to change. The violence and racist language that make our skin crawl today was not only accepted by the majority of white Mississippians, but was openly practiced. Being of like minds,the powers of Mississippi knew they could count on one another for support from the local to the national levels. The federal government had the manpower, communications network, and finances to break apart Mississippi’s white racist unity. If racial equality were to succeed in the South, it would have to come by way of the powerful federal government. In 1964 The Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) organized a 600 volunteer campaign to go into Mississippi and register black voters. It would be highly dangerous for there was little to no protection offered by local and county officials against KKK violence. J. Res Brown, one of only four black lawyers in Mississippi warned, â€Å"You’re going to be classified into two groups in Mississippi: niggers and nigger-lovers, and they’re tougher on nigger lovers.† Michael Schwerner, a Jewish New Yorker, had already spent six months in Mississippi working for the Congress of Racial Equality. He knew how bad it was in Mississippi. He described Mississippi, â€Å"Is the decisive battleground for America. Nowhere in the world is the idea of white supremacy more firmly entrenched, or more cancerous, than in Missi... ...Sheriff Lawrence Rainey. Three defendants had no verdict. Judge Cox sentenced Bowers to ten years and Cecil Price to six. In defending his sentences Judge Cox was quoted as saying, â€Å"They killed one nigger, one Jew, and a white man. I gave them what I thought they deserved.† The South was shocked that even seven of the defendants were found guilty; the rest of the nation was relieved. The Imperial Wizard of Mississippi’s Klu Klux Klan was sentenced to prison. The arrogant Judge Cox had been humbled. "The Mississippi Burning Trial† was the first trial in Mississippi history where white jurors found white men guilty of crimes against â€Å"outsiders, niggers, and nigger lovers†. The controlling white supremacist mentality of Mississippi had been cracked. From the President of the United States and the US Supreme Court to the FBI field workers and Navy Sailors, the federal government had invested a great deal of man-hours and money into this civil rights trial. The federal government viewed this partial victory as a giant step towards civil rights equality not only in the state of Mississippi, but the rest of the South.

Analysis of Financial Performance of Pz Cussons 2012

ANALYSIS OF THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF PZ CUSSONS PLC AND RESEARCH MATRIX Background Information of the Company PZ Cussons Plc. is a UK based consumer products group. The principal activities of the group are the manufacture and distribution of soaps, detergents, toiletries, beauty products, pharmaceuticals, edible oils, fats, electrical goods and nutritional products.The company’s products can therefore be categorised into personal care, home care, baby care, beauty products, food and nutrition and electrical goods. They have supply chain and distribution networks in Africa, Asia and Europe. Their mission is to enhance the lives of customers with quality, value and innovation. Their vision is to be a growing and dynamic company who are passionate about their leading brands and drive innovation in everything they do.The company has four major strategies which are operating in selected categories where their brands have a strategic advantage and offering growth opportunities which are profitable; operating in selected geographies either through their own infrastructure or through partnership; operating a flexible and evolving supply chain designed to service their categories and working with people who share their unique CAN DO values. The company’s major competitors are Mcbride Plc. , Kao UK Ltd, Creightons Plc. , and Swallowfield Plc. Marketline, 2012). Interpretation of Financial Statements Using Ratio Analysis Profitability Ratios These ratios measure the ability of a company to generate earnings in relation to its sales, assets and equity (Ready Ratios, 2012). 2012 2011 Return on Capital Employed 49. 6 = 8. 16% 107. 3 =16. 43% (PBIT/Total Assets-Current liabilities) 930. 5 – 322. 4 938. 5 – 285. 6 Return on Equity (ROE) 34. 4 = 7. 1% 70. 4 = 14. 85% (Profit after tax/Shareholders’ funds) 458. 3 474 Operating Profit Margin 49. 6 = 5. 77% 107. 3 = 13. 1% (PBIT/Sales) 858. 9 820. 7 Gross Profit Margin 309. 2 = 40% 325. 2 = 39. 6% (Gross Profit/Sales) 858. 820. 7 Overheads/Sales 134 + 125. 4 = 30% 135 + 83. 3 = 26. 6% 858. 9 820. 7 Sales Growth 858. 9- 820. 7 = 4. 65% (Yr 2 Sales- Yr 1 Sales/ Yr 1 Sales) 820. 7 The ROE is low 7. 51%, down from 14. 85% in 2011 which shows that a much lower profit has been made on the shareholders’ investments.This is largely due to the decrease in profits for the year. The reduction in profit has also impacted on the ROCE which is down to 8. 16% from 16. 43% in 2011. There is a marginal increase in the gross margin. This is as a result of an increase in the cost of sales which could have been affected by the rise in costs of raw materials as pointed out in the Chairman’s statement and offset by a small 4. 65% increase in sales. The operating profit to sales has reduced drastically, as a result of a high increase in overheads and the revenue increase.The increase in overheads was due to exceptional items related to administrative expenses. From the annual report, it can be seen that there was a supply chain optimisation project initiated to tackle rising material costs, wage inflation in emerging markets and to reduce overheads of manufacturing activities. This project is an exceptional item included in the operating profit. Other exceptional items included are the acquisition of Fudge by the company and an impairment of the Australian home care brand due to worsening trade conditions.It could be said these are one-off items which impacted on overheads and resulted in a reduced operating profit for the year but the group will need to improve its margins and control overheads to enhance its profitability. Liquidity Ratios These ratios measure the ability of a company to meet its short term obligations as they fall due (Ready Ratios, 2012). 2012 2011 Current Ratio 393. 3 = 1. 22 417. 4 = 1. 46 (Current Assets/Current Liabilities) 322. 285. 6 Current Ratio excluding current debt 393. 3 = 1. 70 417. 4 = 1. 65 322. 4 – 90. 8 285. 6- 32. 5 Acid Test/ Quick Ratio 393. 3 – 173. 6 = 0. 68 417. 4 – 151. 7 = 0. 93 (CA – Inventories/ CL) 322. 4 285. 6 Acid test excluding current debt 393. 3 – 173. 6 = 0. 95 417. 4 – 151. = 1. 05 322. 4 – 90. 8 285. 6 – 32. 5 The current ratio has fallen from 1. 46 to 1. 22 likewise the acid test ratio which has fallen from 0. 93 to 0. 68. There is an increased inventory level which may justify the statement in the financial review that â€Å"there were high working capital levels especially in Nigeria†. Another aspect to consider is the cash balance which was significantly lower by 34. 6 % to the previous year. It is useful to consider the business context. From the same eview, it could be noted that some capital expenditure took place which affected the cash level, the major one being the acquisition of Fudge which was mentioned above and an investment in a joint venture. Another key cash outlay was their contribution to the closed UK salary scheme during the de-risking exercise. The ratios are also impacted by the inclusion of borrowings in current liabilities which means the debt is repayable in the current year. If the ratios are recalculated by excluding the current debt, the current ratio would be more acceptable 1. 70, a marginal increase from 2011.The acid test ratio excluding the borrowings is 0. 95, a marginal decrease from 1. 05. This is because for the acid test, current liabilities (excluding debt) have increased more than current assets (excluding inventory). Given the explanations stated, these ratios are probably good results but a trend analysis may shed more light on the ratios. Activity/ Efficiency Ratios These ratios analyse how well the company’s assets and liabilities are utilised (Collier, 2012). 2012 2011 Debtors Collection Period 114. = 49 days 122. 5 = 54 days (Trade Receivables/Sales) (858. 9/365) (820. 7/365) Payment Period 104 = 69 days 117. 8 = 87 days (Trade Payables /Cost of Sales) (549. 7/365) (495. 5/365) Asset Turnover 858. 9 = 92. 3 % 820. 7 = 87. 4% (Sales/Total Assets) 930. 5 938. 5Inventory Turnover 549. 7 = 3. 16 x 495. 5 = 3. 26 x (Cost of Sales/Inventories) 173. 6 151. 7 365/3. 16 = 116 days 365/3. 26 = 112 days It may appear that the company is doing a good job at managing its receivables and payables with a decrease in both the collection and payment periods but knowledge of the credit limit and terms might have helped in analysing the situation as well as comparison with the industry average.Asset turnover has risen from 87. 4% to 92. 3% indicating that the company has been able to generate more sales with their asset base. This is as a result of an increase in sales revenue and a lower level of current assets, especially the decrease in cash level. Inventory turnover has declined from 112 days of inventory holding to 116 days. Both ratios are quite high which implies that inventory is been kept in the stores for a long time betwe en its purchase and its sale. The company would need to be able to manage its inventories more efficiently.Gearing Ratios It measures the level of debt/borrowings in relation to shareholders’ equity (Collier, 2012). 2012 2011 Gearing 0 = 0 15 = 3% (Long term debt/equity + debt) 458. 3 + 0 474 + 15 Gearing (including current debt) 0 + 90. 8 = 16. 54% 15 + 32. 5 = 9. 87% 458. 3 + 0 + 90. 474 + 15 + 32. 5 Interest Cover 49. 6 = 13. 78 x 107. 3 = 41. 26 x (PBIT/Interest Payable) 3. 6 2. 6 The gearing is 0 for 2012 indicating that the debt is repayable within the current year. By including the current debt, the gearing ratio shows an increase from 9. 87% in 2011 to 16. 54% in 2012. This is a more realistic debt level as the Statement of Cash Flows in the annual report reveals a ? 9. 4m borrowing in 2012. The interest cover has declined from 41. 26 times to 13. 78 in 2012. This is due to the decrease in operating profits but nevertheless the interest cover is still healthy. Shar eholder Return Ratios These ratios measure the return to shareholders on their investment in the business (Collier, 2012). 2012 2011 Dividend per share (DPS) 6. 717p 6. 06p Market value per Share ? 3. 23 ? 3. 4 (Both disclosed in the annual report) Dividend payout ratio 28. 8 = 83. 72% 26 = 36. 93% (Dividends paid/Profit after tax) 34. 4 70. 4 Dividend yield ? 0. 06717 = 2. 08% ? 0. 0606 = 1. 66% (DPS/Market value per share) ? 3. 23 ? 3. 64 Earnings per share (EPS) (Disclosed in income statement) 8. 03p 16. 48pPrice/earnings ratio ? 3. 23 = 40. 22 x ? 3. 64 = 22. 09 x (Market value per share/EPS) ? 0. 0803 ? 0. 1648 The earnings per share have greatly reduced from 16. 48 to 8. 03 due to the decrease in profits, as there has been no change in shareholder capital. The dividend paid has increased slightly, despite the fact that profits were low and this consumed a high portion of the after-tax profits as shown by the dividend payout ratio. This would suggest the company has a high shar eholder value.The dividend yield is an effective interest rate which fluctuates in relation to the share price. The yield has increased slightly due to the marginal increase in dividends paid and the reduction in the market value of the shares. The price/earnings ratio has seen a dramatic increase from 22. 09 to 40. 22 which is largely due to the decrease in the EPS. It however reflects that investors may have a high expectation for future growth. Ratio analysis is more useful when the ratios are interpreted as a trend over time or by comparison to industry averages, to competitor ratios or to predetermined targets.As such, two years is too short to draw meaningful conclusions about the performance of the group (Collier, 2012). Below is a five year summary from which the trend can be understood more clearly. PZ Cussons Five-Year Summary of Performance |In ? m |2012 |2011 |2010 |2009 |2008 | |Sales Revenue |858. 9 |820. 7 |771. 6 |838. 1 |660. 9 | |Operating Profit |49. 6 |107. |101. 4 |86. 2 |76. 4 | |Operating Margin |5. 77% |13. 1% |13. 14% |10. 28% |11. 56% | |Sales growth (year on year) |4. 65% |6. 36% |-7. 93% |26. 8% |- | |Current Ratio |1. 22 |1. 46 |1. 84 |1. 94 |2. 25 | |Gearing |0 |3% |6. 19% |10. 3% |14. 66% | |Earnings per share |8. 03p |16. 48p |14. 89p |11. 64p |11. 04p | |Dividends per share |6. 717p |6. 61p |5. 90p |5. 27p |4. 70p | Note: The EPS and DPS were disclosed in the financial statement. Whilst the operating margin and sales growth are based on the information in the table which were also gotten from the company’s financials, the calculation of current and gearing ratios are below: 010 2009 2008 Current ratio 403. 7/219. 1 354. 9/182. 6 327. 4/145. 4 Gearing 30/(458. 8 + 30) 44. 9/(389. 9+ 44. 9) 59. 9/(348. 7 + 59. 9) The figures show an increase in sales over the years with a sharp decrease from year 2009 to 2010, though a good operating margin was generated. This could imply that a low cost base was being maintained.There has been a steady improvement in profits with a substantial reduction in 2012 though there was a lower margin in 2009 which would suggest that profits as a return on sales was quite low. The EPS has increased year on year with a drastic decrease in 2012 due to lower profits. The DPS has increased marginally year on year which reflects a high shareholder value. The current ratio has declined over the years. It could be that there have been high inventory levels. It is vital to note that a working capital ratio that is too high may imply that the company is not utilizing its assets effectively as could have been the case in 2008.The company should seek to manage its working capital more efficiently. The gearing ratio has been on the decrease to a point of no long term debt in 2012. This may appear to be a good thing but it is worth noting that long term borrowings are needed to fund current assets. Research Matrix The matrix below shows a summary of the journal articles read in relation to this work. It identifies some themes found in the literature. The themes are ranked on a scale of importance with 1 being less important and 5 being extremely important to the analysis of my work. Authors of Journal Articles |Scale of Importance | | |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 | |Roman (2011) ; Sundkvist, Hedman| | |Profitability | | | |and Almstrom (2012) | | | | | | |Muradoglu, Bakke and Kvernes | | | |Gearing | | |(2005) | | | | | | |Cette, Durant and Vilette (2011)| | | | |Profitability : ROCE | |Koonce and Lipe (2010) | | | |Earnings | | |Bierman and Hass (2009) | |Earnings Growth | | | | |Banos-Caballero, Garcia-Teruel | | |Working Capital | | | |and Martinez-Solano (2012) | | | | | | |De Wet and Du Toit (2007) | | | | |Profitability : ROE | |Lifland (2011) | | | |Working Capital | | |Dossi and Patelli (2010) |Non-financial | | | | | | |Measures | | | | | Explanation and Analysis of Research Matrix According to Sundkvist, Hedman and Almstrom (2012), the profitability of a company is dri ven by controllable factors which are the internal resources of the firm such as raw materials and uncontrollable factors such as government regulations.One way of increasing profitability is to reduce costs. In doing this, the costs have to be broken down and cost drivers identified (Roman, 2011; Sundkvist, Hedman and Almstrom, 2012). This theme is important as cost reduction is a crucial way to maintain profitability. In the case of PZ Cussons, the supply chain optimisation project was initialised to cut down on manufacturing overheads. Muradoglu, Bakke and Kvernes (2005), argue that gearing ratio is vital in apprasing bankruptcy risk and investors like a low gearing ratio as there is a lower risk that they lose money on their investments. This theme is very important as a very high gearing increases the financial risk of a company.Cette, Durant and Villetelle (2011) stress the limitation of ROCE in that when a firm’s future outlook is good and this in turns leads to an inc rease in assets and there is no change in profit, then the ratio goes down implying the firm is less profitable irrespective of better prospects. This is extremely important as it highlights issues that should be taken into account when interpreting this ratio. Koonce and Lipe (2010) argue that the earnings trend of a company affects the investors’ acumen about the future prospects of that company as such a positive earnings trend enhances the price-earnings ratio. This theme is very important as it helps in our understanding of the price-earnings ratio. According to Bierman and Hass (2009), EPS growth can be ascertained by the use of share/stock repurchase and the variations in the rates used in profit retention. He argues for the use of earnings growth models.This theme is of little important to my analysis as there was no share repurchase in the current year of PZ Cussons and growth models were not used in my work. Based on the research carried out by Banos-Caballero, Garc ia-Teruel and Martinez-Solano (2012), they claim that a high investment in working capital has the ability to improve the performance of a firm in profit-terms up to an optimal point at which higher working capital levels would have a negative effect on performance and this point is reached when the cost of holding working capital exceed the benefits. This theme is important as it seeks to explain working capital management. De Wet and Du Toit (2007) emphasise the pitfalls of return on equity measure.As such the earnings figure can be subject to manipulation legally due to changes in accounting policy. This is extremely important as it cautions us in our interpretation of the ROE. Lifland (2011) argues that effective working capital management is characterised by an increase in asset turnover and a decrease in receivables and inventories. He also highlights the fact that companies may have to seek external finance to meet working capital requirements. This is very important as it se eks to give insight on the interpretation of working capital ratios In determining financial performance, it is also useful to consider non-financial measures such as employee and customer satisfaction as well as measuring business processes.Though these are supplementary measures, they cannot be substituted for financial measures (Dossi and Patelli, 2010). It is good to draw attention to this but it is of less importance to my work as I only consider the financial ratios. It is crucial to bear in mind that there are limitations inherent in the use of ratio analysis, some of which were pointed above. Another factor is that they are based on historical records. The values could be affected by inflation so it is useful to modify the profits to reflect holding gains and losses which result from variation in the value of assets and liabilities (Cette, Durant and Villetelle, 2011). Despite all this, ratios remain a significant tool in analysing financial statements (Collier, 2012).Based on my analysis, PZ Cussons seems to performing quite well; the business environment and the challenges in the different divisions might account for the lower performance this year. However, it is vital to note that this analysis was based on annual reports which are produced in part for public relations. As such companies seek to promote their interests therein. To fully understand the company performance, an evaluation of the industry information and competitor performance would be required. References: Banos-Caballero, S. , Garcia-Teruel, P. and Martinez-Solano, P. (2012) â€Å"How does working capital management affect the profitability of Spanish SMEs? † Small Business Economics, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 517-529. Bierman Jr , Harold and Hass, J.E. (2009) â€Å"Explaining Earnings Per Share Growth†, Journal of Portfolio Management, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 166-169. Cette, G. , Durant, D. and Villetelle, J. (2011) â€Å"Asset Price Changes and Macroeconomic Measurement of Pro fitability†, Review of Income & Wealth, vol. 57, no. 2, pp. 364-378. Collier, P. M. (2012) Accounting for Managers Interpreting Accounting Information for Decision Making 4th edn. Sussex: John Wiley & Sons. De Wet, J. H. V. H. and Du Toit, E. (2007) â€Å"Return on equity: A popular, but flawed measure of corporate financial performance†, South African Journal of Business Management, vol. 38, no. 1, pp. 59-69. Dossi, A. and Patelli, L. 2010) â€Å"You Learn From What You Measure: Financial and Non-financial Performance Measures in Multinational Companies†, Long range planning, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 498-526. Koonce, L. and Lipe, M. G. (2010) â€Å"Earnings Trend and Performance Relative to Benchmarks: How Consistency Influences Their Joint Use†, Journal of Accounting Research, vol. 48, no. 4, pp. 859-884. Lifland, S. A. (2011) â€Å"The Corporate Soap-Opera â€Å"As the Cash Turns†: Management of Working Capital and Potential External Financing Needsà ¢â‚¬ , Review of Business, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 35-46. Marketline (2012) ‘Company Profile PZ Cussons Plc’. Marketline Report [Online]. Available at www. marketline. com (Accessed: 7 November 2012). Muradoglu, G. , Bakke, M. nd Kvernes, G. L. (2005) â€Å"An investment strategy based on gearing ratio†, Applied Economics Letters, vol. 12, no. 13, pp. 801-804. PZ Cussons (2012) Annual Reports and Accounts. Available at http://www. pzcussons. com/pzc/ir/reports (Accessed: 6 November 2012). Ready Ratios (2012) Reference. Available at http://www. readyratios. com/reference (Accessed : 5 December 2012). Roman, F. J. (2011) A Case Study on Cost Estimation and Profitability Analysis at Continental Airlines, American Accounting Association. Sundkvist, R. , Hedman, R. and Almstrom, P. (2012) â€Å"A model for linking shop floor improvements to manufacturing cost and profitability†, International

The Lost Symbol Chapter 107-109

CHAPTER 107 The stone table felt cold beneath Katherine Solomon's back. Horrifying images of Robert's death continued to swirl through her mind, along with thoughts of her brother. Is Peter dead, too? The strange knife on the nearby table kept bringing flashes of what might lie in store for her as well. Is this really the end? Oddly, her thoughts turned abruptly to her research . . . to Noetic Science . . . and to her recent breakthroughs. All of it lost . . . up in smoke. She would never be able to share with the world everything she had learned. Her most shocking discovery had taken place only a few months ago, and the results had the potential to redefine the way humans thought about death. Strangely, thinking now of that experiment . . . was bringing her an unexpected solace. As a young girl, Katherine Solomon had often wondered if there was life after death. Does heaven exist? What happens when we die? As she grew older, her studies in science quickly erased any fanciful notions of heaven, hell, or the afterlife. The concept of â€Å"life after death,† she came to accept, was a human construct . . . a fairy tale designed to soften the horrifying truth that was our mortality. Or so I believed . . . A year ago, Katherine and her brother had been discussing one of philosophy's most enduring questions–the existence of the human soul–specifically the issue of whether or not humans possessed some kind of consciousness capable of survival outside of the body. They both sensed that such a human soul probably did exist. Most ancient philosophies concurred. Buddhist and Brahminical wisdom endorsed metempsychosis–the transmigration of the soul into a new body after death; Platonists defined the body as a â€Å"prison† from which the soul escaped; and the Stoics called the soul apospasma tou theu–â€Å"a particle of God†Ã¢â‚¬â€œand believed it was recalled by God upon death. The existence of the human soul, Katherine noted with some frustration, was probably a concept that would never be scientifically proven. Confirming that a consciousness survived outside the human body after death was akin to exhaling a puff of smoke and hoping to find it years later. After their discussion, Katherine had a strange notion. Her brother had mentioned the Book of Genesis and its description of the soul as Neshemah–a kind of spiritual â€Å"intelligence† that was separate from the body. It occurred to Katherine that the word intelligence suggested the presence of thought. Noetic Science clearly suggested that thoughts had mass, and so it stood to reason, then, that the human soul might therefore also have mass. Can I weigh a human soul? The notion was impossible, of course . . . foolish even to ponder. It was three days later that Katherine suddenly woke up from a dead sleep and sat bolt upright in bed. She jumped up, drove to her lab, and immediately began work designing an experiment that was both startlingly simple . . . and frighteningly bold. She had no idea if it would work, and she decided not to tell Peter about her idea until her work was complete. It took four months, but finally Katherine brought her brother into the lab. She wheeled out a large piece of gear that she had been keeping hidden in the back storage room. â€Å"I designed and built it myself,† she said, showing Peter her invention. â€Å"Any guesses?† Her brother stared at the strange machine. â€Å"An incubator?† Katherine laughed and shook her head, although it was a reasonable guess. The machine did look a bit like the transparent incubators for premature babies one saw in hospitals. This machine, however, was adult size–a long, airtight, clear plastic capsule, like some kind of futuristic sleeping pod. It sat atop a large piece of electronic gear. â€Å"See if this helps you guess,† Katherine said, plugging the contraption into a power source. A digital display lit up on the machine, its numbers jumping around as she carefully calibrated some dials. When she was done, the display read: 0.0000000000 kg â€Å"A scale?† Peter asked, looking puzzled. â€Å"Not just any scale.† Katherine took a tiny scrap of paper off a nearby counter and laid it gently on top of the capsule. The numbers on the display jumped around again and then settled on a new reading. .0008194325 kg â€Å"High-precision microbalance,† she said. â€Å"Resolution down to a few micrograms.† Peter still looked puzzled. â€Å"You built a precise scale for . . . a person?† â€Å"Exactly.† She lifted the transparent lid on the machine. â€Å"If I place a person inside this capsule and close the lid, the individual is in an entirely sealed system. Nothing gets in or out. No gas, no liquid, no dust particles. Nothing can escape–not the person's breath exhalations, evaporating sweat, body fluids, nothing.† Peter ran a hand through his thick head of silver hair, a nervous mannerism shared by Katherine. â€Å"Hmm . . . obviously a person would die in there pretty quickly.† She nodded. â€Å"Six minutes or so, depending on their breathing rate.† He turned to her. â€Å"I don't get it.† She smiled. â€Å"You will.† Leaving the machine behind, Katherine led Peter into the Cube's control room and sat him down in front of the plasma wall. She began typing and accessed a series of video files stored on the holographic drives. When the plasma wall flickered to life, the image before them looked like home-video footage. The camera panned across a modest bedroom with an unmade bed, medication bottles, a respirator, and a heart monitor. Peter looked baffled as the camera kept panning and finally revealed, near the center of the bedroom, Katherine's scale contraption. Peter's eyes widened. â€Å"What the . . . ?† The capsule's transparent lid was open, and a very old man in an oxygen mask lay inside. His elderly wife and a hospice worker stood beside the pod. The man's breathing was labored, and his eyes were closed. â€Å"The man in the capsule was a science teacher of mine at Yale,† Katherine said. â€Å"He and I have kept in touch over the years. He's been very ill. He always said he wanted to donate his body to science, so when I explained my idea for this experiment, he immediately wanted to be a part of it.† Peter was apparently mute with shock as he stared at the scene unfolding before them. The hospice worker now turned to the man's wife. â€Å"It's time. He's ready.† The old woman dabbed her tearful eyes and nodded with a resolute calm. â€Å"Okay.† Very gently, the hospice worker reached into the pod and removed the man's oxygen mask. The man stirred slightly, but his eyes remained closed. Now the worker wheeled the respirator and other equipment off to the side, leaving the old man in the capsule totally isolated in the center of the room. The dying man's wife now approached the pod, leaned down, and gently kissed her husband's forehead. The old man did not open his eyes, but his lips moved, ever so slightly, into a faint, loving smile. Without his oxygen mask, the man's breathing was quickly becoming more labored. The end was obviously near. With an admirable strength and calm, the man's wife slowly lowered the transparent lid of the capsule and sealed it shut, exactly as Katherine had taught her. Peter recoiled in alarm. â€Å"Katherine, what in the name of God?!† â€Å"It's okay,† Katherine whispered. â€Å"There's plenty of air in the capsule.† She had seen this video dozens of times now, but it still made her pulse race. She pointed to the scale beneath the dying man's sealed pod. The digital numbers read: 51.4534644 kg â€Å"That's his body weight,† Katherine said. The old man's breathing became more shallow, and Peter inched forward, transfixed. â€Å"This is what he wanted,† Katherine whispered. â€Å"Watch what happens.† The man's wife had stepped back and was now seated on the bed, silently looking on with the hospice worker. Over the course of the next sixty seconds, the man's shallow breathing grew faster, until all at once, as if the man himself had chosen the moment, he simply took his last breath. Everything stopped. It was over. The wife and hospice worker quietly comforted each other. Nothing else happened. After a few seconds, Peter glanced over at Katherine in apparent confusion. Wait for it, she thought, redirecting Peter's gaze to the capsule's digital display, which still quietly glowed, showing the dead man's weight. Then it happened. When Peter saw it, he jolted backward, almost falling out of his chair. â€Å"But . . . that's . . .† He covered his mouth in shock. â€Å"I can't . . .† It was seldom that the great Peter Solomon was speechless. Katherine's reaction had been similar the first few times she saw what had happened. Moments after the man's death, the numbers on the scale had decreased suddenly. The man had become lighter immediately after his death. The weight change was minuscule, but it was measurable . . . and the implications were utterly mind-boggling. Katherine recalled writing in her lab notes with a trembling hand: â€Å"There seems to exist an invisible `material' that exits the human body at the moment of death. It has quantifiable mass which is unimpeded by physical barriers. I must assume it moves in a dimension I cannot yet perceive.† From the expression of shock on her brother's face, Katherine knew he understood the implications. â€Å"Katherine . . .† he stammered, blinking his gray eyes as if to make sure he was not dreaming. â€Å"I think you just weighed the human soul.† There was a long silence between them. Katherine sensed that her brother was attempting to process all the stark and wondrous ramifications. It will take time. If what they had just witnessed was indeed what it seemed to be–that is, evidence that a soul or consciousness or life force could move outside the realm of the body–then a startling new light had just been shed on countless mystical questions: transmigration, cosmic consciousness, near-death experiences, astral projection, remote viewing, lucid dreaming, and on and on. Medical journals were filled with stories of patients who had died on the operating table, viewed their bodies from above, and then been brought back to life. Peter was silent, and Katherine now saw he had tears in his eyes. She understood. She had cried, too. Peter and Katherine had lost loved ones, and for anyone in that position, the faintest hint of the human spirit continuing after death brought a glimmer of hope. He's thinking of Zachary, Katherine thought, recognizing the deep melancholy in her brother's eyes. For years Peter had carried the burden of responsibility for his son's death. He had told Katherine many times that leaving Zachary in prison had been the worst mistake of his life, and that he would never find a way to forgive himself. A slamming door drew Katherine's attention, and suddenly she was back in the basement, lying on a cold stone table. The metal door at the top of the ramp had closed loudly, and the tattooed man was coming back down. She could hear him entering one of the rooms down the hall, doing something inside, and then continuing along the hall toward the room she was in. As he entered, she could see that he was pushing something in front of him. Something heavy . . . on wheels. As he stepped into the light, she stared in disbelief. The tattooed man was pushing a person in a wheelchair. Intellectually, Katherine's brain recognized the man in the chair. Emotionally, her mind could barely accept what she was looking at. Peter? She didn't know whether to be overjoyed that her brother was alive . . . or utterly horrified. Peter's body had been shaved smooth. His mane of thick silver hair was all gone, as were his eyebrows, and his smooth skin glistened as if it had been oiled. He wore a black silk gown. Where his right hand should have been, he had only a stump, wrapped in a clean, fresh bandage. Her brother's pain-laden eyes reached out to hers, filled with regret and sorrow. â€Å"Peter!† Her voice cracked. Her brother tried to speak but made only muffled, guttural noises. Katherine now realized he was bound to the wheelchair and had been gagged. The tattooed man reached down and gently stroked Peter's shaved scalp. â€Å"I've prepared your brother for a great honor. He has a role to play tonight.† Katherine's entire body went rigid. No . . . â€Å"Peter and I will be leaving in a moment, but I thought you'd want to say good-bye.† â€Å"Where are you taking him?† she said weakly. He smiled. â€Å"Peter and I must journey to the sacred mountain. That is where the treasure lies. The Masonic Pyramid has revealed the location. Your friend Robert Langdon was most helpful.† Katherine looked into her brother's eyes. â€Å"He killed . . . Robert.† Her brother's expression contorted in agony, and he shook his head violently, as if unable to bear any more pain. â€Å"Now, now, Peter,† the man said, again stroking Peter's scalp. â€Å"Don't let this ruin the moment. Say good-bye to your little sister. This is your final family reunion.† Katherine felt her mind welling with desperation. â€Å"Why are you doing this?!† she shouted at him. â€Å"What have we ever done to you?! Why do you hate my family so much?!† The tattooed man came over and placed his mouth right next to her ear. â€Å"I have my reasons, Katherine.† Then he walked to the side table and picked up the strange knife. He brought it over to her and ran the burnished blade across her cheek. â€Å"This is arguably the most famous knife in history.† Katherine knew of no famous knives, but it looked foreboding and ancient. The blade felt razor sharp. â€Å"Don't worry,† he said. â€Å"I have no intention of wasting its power on you. I'm saving it for a more worthy sacrifice . . . in a more sacred place.† He turned to her brother. â€Å"Peter, you recognize this knife, don't you?† Her brother's eyes were wide with a mixture of fear and disbelief. â€Å"Yes, Peter, this ancient artifact still exists. I obtained it at great expense . . . and I have been saving it for you. At long last, you and I can end our painful journey together.† With that, he wrapped the knife carefully in a cloth with all of his other items–incense, vials of liquid, white satin cloths, and other ceremonial objects. He then placed the wrapped items inside Robert Langdon's leather bag along with the Masonic Pyramid and capstone. Katherine looked on helplessly as the man zipped up Langdon's daybag and turned to her brother. â€Å"Carry this, Peter, would you?† He set the heavy bag on Peter's lap. Next, the man walked over to a drawer and began rooting around. She could hear small metal objects clinking. When he returned, he took her right arm, steadying it. Katherine couldn't see what he was doing, but Peter apparently could, and he again started bucking wildly. Katherine felt a sudden, sharp pinch in the crook of her right elbow, and an eerie warmth ran down around it. Peter was making anguished, strangled sounds and trying in vain to get out of the heavy chair. Katherine felt a cold numbness spreading through her forearm and fingertips below the elbow. When the man stepped aside, Katherine saw why her brother was so horrified. The tattooed man had inserted a medical needle into her vein, as if she were giving blood. The needle, however, was not attached to a tube. Instead, her blood was now flowing freely out of it . . . running down her elbow, forearm, and onto the stone table. â€Å"A human hourglass,† the man said, turning to Peter. â€Å"In a short while, when I ask you to play your role, I want you to picture Katherine . . . dying alone here in the dark.† Peter's expression was one of total torment. â€Å"She will stay alive,† the man said, â€Å"for about an hour or so. If you cooperate with me quickly, I will have enough time to save her. Of course, if you resist me at all . . . your sister will die here alone in the dark.† Peter bellowed unintelligibly through his gag. â€Å"I know, I know,† the tattooed man said, placing a hand on Peter's shoulder, â€Å"this is hard for you. But it shouldn't be. After all, this is not the first time you will abandon a family member.† He paused, bending over and whispering in Peter's ear. â€Å"I'm thinking, of course, of your son, Zachary, in Soganlik prison.† Peter pulled against his restraints and let out another muffled scream through the cloth in his mouth. â€Å"Stop it!† Katherine shouted. â€Å"I remember that night well,† the man taunted as he finished packing. â€Å"I heard the whole thing. The warden offered to let your son go, but you chose to teach Zachary a lesson . . . by abandoning him. Your boy learned his lesson, all right, didn't he?† The man smiled. â€Å"His loss . . . was my gain.† The man now retrieved a linen cloth and stuffed it deep into Katherine's mouth. â€Å"Death,† he whispered to her, â€Å"should be a quiet thing.† Peter struggled violently. Without another word, the tattooed man slowly backed Peter's wheelchair out of the room, giving Peter a long, last look at his sister. Katherine and Peter locked eyes one final time. Then he was gone. Katherine could hear them going up the ramp and through the metal door. As they exited, she heard the tattooed man lock the metal door behind him and continue on through the painting of the Three Graces. A few minutes later, she heard a car start. Then the mansion fell silent. All alone in the dark, Katherine lay bleeding. CHAPTER 108 Robert Langdon's mind hovered in an endless abyss. No light. No sound. No feeling. Only an infinite and silent void. Softness. Weightlessness. His body had released him. He was untethered. The physical world had ceased to exist. Time had ceased to exist. He was pure consciousness now . . . a fleshless sentience suspended in the emptiness of a vast universe. CHAPTER 109 The modified UH-60 skimmed in low over the expansive rooftops of Kalorama Heights, thundering toward the coordinates given to them by the support team. Agent Simkins was the first to spot the black Escalade parked haphazardly on a lawn in front of one of the mansions. The driveway gate was closed, and the house was dark and quiet. Sato gave the signal to touch down. The aircraft landed hard on the front lawn amid several other vehicles . . . one of them a security sedan with a bubble light on top. Simkins and his team jumped out, drew their weapons, and dashed up onto the porch. Finding the front door locked, Simkins cupped his hands and peered through a window. The foyer was dark, but Simkins could make out the faint shadow of a body on the floor. â€Å"Shit,† he whispered. â€Å"It's Hartmann.† One of his agents grabbed a chair off the porch and heaved it through the bay window. The sound of shattering glass was barely audible over the roar of the helicopter behind them. Seconds later, they were all inside. Simkins rushed to the foyer and knelt over Hartmann to check his pulse. Nothing. There was blood everywhere. Then he saw the screwdriver in Hartmann's throat. Jesus. He stood up and motioned to his men to begin a full search. The agents fanned out across the first floor, their laser sights probing the darkness of the luxurious house. They found nothing in the living room or study, but in the dining room, to their surprise, they discovered a strangled female security guard. Simkins was fast losing hope that Robert Langdon and Katherine Solomon were alive. This brutal killer clearly had set a trap, and if he had managed to kill a CIA agent and an armed security guard, then it seemed a professor and a scientist had no chance. Once the first floor was secure, Simkins sent two agents to search upstairs. Meanwhile, he found a set of basement stairs off the kitchen and descended. At the bottom of the stairs, he threw on the lights. The basement was spacious and spotless, as if it were hardly ever used. Boilers, bare cement walls, a few boxes. Nothing here at all. Simkins headed back up to the kitchen just as his men were coming down from the second floor. Everyone shook their heads. The house was deserted. No one home. And no more bodies. Simkins radioed Sato with the all-clear and the grim update. When he got to the foyer, Sato was already climbing the stairs onto the porch. Warren Bellamy was visible behind her, sitting dazed and alone in the helicopter with Sato's titanium briefcase at his feet. The OS director's secure laptop provided her with worldwide access to CIA computer systems via encrypted satellite uplinks. Earlier tonight, she had used this computer to share with Bellamy some kind of information that had stunned the man into cooperating fully. Simkins had no idea what Bellamy had seen, but whatever it was, the Architect had been visibly shell- shocked ever since. As Sato entered the foyer, she paused a moment, bowing her head over Hartmann's body. A moment later, she raised her eyes and fixed them on Simkins. â€Å"No sign of Langdon or Katherine? Or Peter Solomon?† Simkins shook his head. â€Å"If they're still alive, he took them with him.† â€Å"Did you see a computer in the house?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am. In the office.† â€Å"Show me.† Simkins led Sato out of the foyer and into the living room. The plush carpet was covered with broken glass from the shattered bay window. They walked past a fireplace, a large painting, and several bookshelves to an office door. The office was wood paneled, with an antique desk and a large computer monitor. Sato walked around behind the desk and eyed the screen, immediately scowling. â€Å"Damn it,† she said under her breath. Simkins circled around and looked at the screen. It was blank. â€Å"What's wrong?† Sato pointed to an empty docking station on the desk. â€Å"He uses a laptop. He took it with him.† Simkins didn't follow. â€Å"Does he have information you want to see?† â€Å"No,† Sato replied, her tone grave. â€Å"He has information I want nobody to see.† Downstairs in the hidden basement, Katherine Solomon had heard the sounds of helicopter blades followed by breaking glass and heavy boots on the floor above her. She tried to cry out for help, but the gag in her mouth made it impossible. She could barely make a sound. The harder she tried, the faster the blood began flowing from her elbow. She was feeling short of breath and a little dizzy. Katherine knew she needed to calm down. Use your mind, Katherine. With all of her intention, she coaxed herself into a meditative state. Robert Langdon's mind floated through the emptiness of space. He peered into the infinite void, searching for any points of reference. He found nothing. Total darkness. Total silence. Total peace. There was not even the pull of gravity to tell him which way was up. His body was gone. This must be death. Time seemed to be telescoping, stretching and compressing, as if it had no bearings in this place. He had lost all track of how much time had passed. Ten seconds? Ten minutes? Ten days? Suddenly, however, like distant fiery explosions in far-off galaxies, memories began to materialize, billowing toward Langdon like shock waves across a vast nothingness. All at once, Robert Langdon began to remember. The images tore through him . . . vivid and disturbing. He was staring up at a face that was covered with tattoos. A pair of powerful hands lifted his head and smashed it into the floor. Pain erupted . . . and then darkness. Gray light. Throbbing. Wisps of memory. Langdon was being dragged, half conscious, down, down, down. His captor was chanting something. Verbum significatium . . . Verbum omnificum . . . Verbum perdo . . .

Observation Performed at Atascadero Lake Park

This paper will include observations of interactions between other children that appeared to be in his respective age group as well as children of the opposite sex and In some cases younger and older. Through the use of Piglet's theory of child development and other resources I will compare the child's development as compared to other children In his age range, as well as ascertaining and conveying the parenting style that I observed during this time.Observation of a 3 Year Old Boy Upon arriving at the Decorator Lake Park I positioned myself at a bench close to the play area. This area Included many of the usual types of equipment that one old expect to see at a park that Is frequented by young children. Clearly most of the play equipment was of modern construction and design and It being a beautiful sunny day, the park was full of children of various ages and stages of development.The child I observed primarily was a male approximately three to four years of age and was very active during the time he was at play. He appeared to be at a normal state of development upon my initial observation and this point was only confirmed as I continued to watch Children between the ages of three and four typically walk more rhythmically and re able to easily go from a walk to a run, they Jump and are more able to throw and catch object much more effectively, essentially there gross motor skills advance (Beer).Children in this age range also exhibit improvement with their fine motor skills that allow them to use zippers and eating utensils much more effectively (Beer). The young boy I was observing displayed an excellent ability to climb and run, his balance and depth perception seemed to be very appropriate for this age range. There were many other children of various different ages and sexes at the park as well as the child that I was observing. He seemed especially adept at interacting with many of the other children.Although there were many different toys and pieces of e quipment to play on I also observed several of the children pretending that they were on a ship at sea or performing in the circus, according to Pigged this is part of the operational stage which represents a stage of development that usually occurs Detente ten ages AT two Ana seven (Plague, EYE). One AT ten most villous attributes of this stage is the extraordinary increase in representational, or symbolic, activity (Pigged, 1951). Pigged felt that make believe play was an excellent way for hillier to strengthen newly acquired representational schemes (1951).The child that I was observing seemed to have excellent manual dexterity, he was able to swing from bar to bar on the Jungle gym with ease. He was able to climb up and down the various ladders and chain ropes, crawl through the many openings of the mock tree house that had been provided by the designers of this particular park. One of the longest periods of time he spent on one task was during his time in the sand box. He focus ed a great deal on building what appeared to be a pyramid or some sort of castle.The focus the he exhibited on the end result, I found to be remarkable, however once he had made the decision that it met his expectations he made it a point to not only destroy what he had been painstakingly working on for the better part of forty minutes he also smoothed over the area that he had been working, almost seeming to be concerned that there was no visible evidence remaining. There was a great deal of interaction between the young man and his peers he seemed to have no issue with the sex of the other child, however I did observe at one point that he was holding the hand of a girl who appeared to be around the same GE as he.He appeared to be attempting to persuade her to Join him on the swings. She however was not interested in that particular activity. She actually looked as if she wanted to leave the sandy area of the playground and move onto the grass which would have involved navigating a small step up. When the girl attempted to step up she tripped, causing the boy made a valiant attempt to stop her from falling, to no avail. He was however successful in aiding her to stand back up and helped to bush of the sand. I will say from that point forward the girl was not as eager to hold his and as she clearly felt that was what had caused her to fall.After observing this boy for some time it became clear that he was there with two other children. One a male that was younger than he and the other a female that looked to be approximately four to five years old. In addition after hearing some discussion I was able to ascertain that these children were there with the boys mother and grandmother. Although I did not witness any direct disciplinary steps taken by either of the adult authority figures it was clear that both of the adults were very engaged in what the children were doing.However they allowed the children to lay on the various types of equipment and really only be came involved with specific instructions if it seemed that any of the children were considering leaving the immediate play area. I really felt that the adults were allowing the children to explore and engage in whatever activity they so choose provided it was not an activity that could potential cause harm. In this particular case on this particular day the parental figure was clearly exhibiting the authoritative method of child rearing.According to Beer the authoritative child rearing style is the most successful approach that involves high acceptance and involvement, which includes adaptive control techniques and appropriate autonomy granting (up. 260-261). Although I had only a few opportunities to hear conversations between the adult figure and the child I was serving It was clear Tanat communication was Tree Tooling In ten sense Tanat when the boy expressed what he wanted to do the parent was very responsive to the idea.The youngest of the three children in this group began to have some sort of issue with being unable to navigate the low hanging swing bridge. Subsequently he began to cry which then turned into a fully fledged protest. The boy that I was observing immediately came to his younger peer's assistance. He was able to hold onto the younger child allowing him to make it across and back. This show of empathy which becomes an important part of proboscis and altruistic behavior, according to Beer empathy becomes more common in early childhood and typically preschoolers rely more on words to communicate empathic feelings. (p. 60). In this particular case it was clear that the older boy was in fact talking the younger child through the necessary steps in order to successfully traverse this bridge. This boy seemed especially adept with social interaction and seemed able to move room situation to situation with ease and was comfortable engaging with children of different sexes, ages and points in development. In some instances he seemed to almost make a point to become involved with all of the groups of children. Additionally he appeared to make a point to try to include some other children that were more focused on solitary activities.This I found to be almost deliberate, it seemed that not only was he concerned that a few of the children were playing alone, he persisted in his invitation to Join the other children even when the â€Å"lone wolf† expressed no or very little desire to participate in any group activity. Comparing the child that I was observing to several of the other children that appeared to be in his approximate age range his development seemed to be at least comparable and in some cases further along that the others.With regards to his ability to communicate with the others as well as his ability to move from group to group with a great deal of ease he exhibited an excellent ability to vacillate between appropriate energy levels and vocal volume that would be appropriate to the circumstances to which he wa s about to enter. This displayed to me that the child was experienced with many different types of play or social situations and was able to differentiate each situation without disrupting the other children's focus.This was in clear contrast to several of the other children of the same approximate age that clearly felt it was necessary to make a grand entrance. The amount of time that I spent observing this child's adeptness to navigate through a fairly complicated social playing field displayed how impressive this ability truly was. During the final thirty minutes of my time at the park I really tried to focus on pavement and physical acuity. The boy tended to focus much of his attention on the â€Å"Jungle gym â€Å"equipment.This particular apparatus offered many types of activities, slides, rope swings, monkey bars, which this particular child seemed especially skilled in, also various ladders of different shapes and moving in multiple directions. I can assure you this was no t the park toys of my younger days. The equipment at this park seemed well designed offering the children many different opportunities to discover any hidden acrobatic skills that they may be harboring.All in all this observation made it clear that this young child, this boy of three or four years old, was agile and energetic, had clearly been exposed to many types of social solutions, Ana parents Tanat succeeded to ten autonomy tattle style Ana was developing both physically and cognitively at an appropriate level. In my opinion in many cases he was a bit advanced compared to other children that I observed during my time at Decorator Lake Park. The one thing that impressed me the most was his ability to socialize, to communicate and yet seem to really enjoy his time at the park.

To what extent do different approaches to change management facilitate or hinder organisational unification when companies acquire assets?

Abstract This paper describes three major approaches to change management, such as Kotter’s eight-step mode, Bridge’s transition model and Prosci’s ADKAR model. The focus on change management theories and leadership structure is important in order to provide viable recommendations to the top-management team at White Bird, whose performance with regards to change management is compared to the one of Perdue Farms. It has been also determined the most appropriate organisational structure for White Bird along with expanding the integration of employees and achieving adequate unification. Introduction The occurrence of change in the organisational context is an important precondition for business success. White Bird has tried to stabilise its integration processes within the formed holding (Cameron and Green, 2012). The recognition of applicable HR management issues is fundamental to provide properly structured orientation to the company (Hayes, 2010). The objective of this paper is to explore to what extent different approaches to change management facilitate or hinder unification when companies acquire assets. Comparative Case Study of White Bird and Perdue FarmsKotter’s Eight-Step ModelThe agriculture holding White Bird, which is based in Russia, is at a stage of integration and revitalisation of its HR management tasks. The process of managing business change in this organisation is fundamental to its improvement and growth. The acquisition of the organisation has led to the use of strong authoritative management (Cameron and Green, 2012). White Bird has been engaged in a process of applying crucial HR practices. In comparison, another company that operates in the agricultural sector in a developed country is Perdue Farms. This company, similarly to White Bird, relies on the implementation of change management theories in order to achieve a competitive advantage (Elliott, 2011). One of the change management theories that produce fast and effective results is Kotter’s eight-step model (Kotter, 1996). The focus of this theory is on the establishment of a sense of urgency, for ming a powerful coalition and developing vision. Both White Bird and Perdue Farms demonstrate the application of these principles of change management in their structure. White Bird is focused on ensuring a smooth change process, which includes the importance of making a relevant decision regarding the top-management team. Even though the present leadership style in the company is authoritative in nature, it could be beneficial for the organisation to develop another type competencies and leadership (Hayes, 2010). Participative leadership would provide a significant basis for the smooth integration of change management practices in White Bird. Participative or democratic leaders offer guidance to group members and allow input from other individuals in order to ensure a high level of motivation and creativity (Kotter, 1996). Perdue Farms has a flexible structure of leadership, which has contributed to the success of the company (Elliott, 2011).Bridge’s Transition Model of Change ManagementAnother change management theory that can be considered by White Bird is Bridge’s transition model, which provides a good understanding of what actually takes place when an organisational change occurs. Bridge differentiates between the processes of change and transition, implying that change is based on situational factors (Bridges, 2009). Therefore, the best organisational structure for this type of business would be a matrix structure, which combines elements of divisional and functional structure. As a result, the organisation of business activities would be properly completed considering the emphasis on dual management that would expand the decision-making skills of team members (Cameron and Green, 2012). A similar model has been applied at Perdue Farms, which has improved efficiency and reduced production cost to a significant extent (Elliott, 2011). White Bird can also maintain excellence in quality by integrating employees to corporate culture in order to create a single, unified organisation. It can be argued that White Bird should proceed in a manner that is consistent with its overall mission and objectives.Prosciâ€℠¢s ADKARModelThe change management model of Prosci, identified as ADKAR, can provide adequate orientation to the agriculture holding in terms of allowing change management teams to focus on achieving specific business outcomes (Hiatt, 2006). In general, ADKAR stands for awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement. These elements have proved efficient to the functioning of Perdue Farms, whose performance can serve as a relevant example of successful change management initiatives for White Bird. The most significant benefit associated with Prosci’s model of change management is that it provides a clear direction for managers to manage change in accordance with the organisation’s competencies, corporate culture and orientation to change (Hayes, 2010). Elements of employee participation and engagement are important in the process of maintaining organisational change at White Bird. In addition, the organisation should be able to implement new skills and behaviou rs along with the necessity to sustain the change (Hiatt, 2006). In conclusion, it can be presented the argument that the approaches of Kotter, Bridge and Prosci to change management can facilitate the process of organisational unification. Conclusion This paper focused on the determination of the extent to which different approaches to change management can facilitate or hinder organisational unification (Cameron and Green, 2012). Such discussion took place with regards to the performance of White Bird compared to the one of Perdue Farms. It has been concluded that Kotter’s eight-step model, Bridge’s transition model and Prosci’s ADKAR can represent significant benefits to organisations in a process of change (Hayes, 2010). Such findings have important implications to the leadership orientation and business structure of White Bird. References Bridges, W. (2009). Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change. Philadelphia: Da Capo Press. Cameron, E. and Green, M. (2012). Making Sense of Change Management: A Complete Guide to the Models Tools and Techniques of Organizational Change. London: Kogan Page. Elliott, S. (2011). Perdue Goes to the Farm with an Earnest Approach. The New York Times [online]. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/27/business/media/27adco.html?_r=0 [Accessed: 12 August 2014]. Hayes, J. (2010). The Theory and Practice of Change Management. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Hiatt, J. (2006). ADKAR: A Model for Change in Business, Government and Our Community. Loveland: Prosci Inc. Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading Change. Watertown, MA: Harvard Business Press.

CRITICAL THINKINKG Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CRITICAL THINKINKG - Annotated Bibliography Example From the survey, only 505 boys and 390 girls had the acceptable levels of fat content in their skins. The research measured the fat content in three major skinfolds which were the triceps, abdominal fat and subscapular fat. The research indicates that 14.3% of all boys examined were centrally obese, whereas 18.2% fell in the same criterion. The research which largely centers on BMI of children indicates that childhood obesity is a central cause of adulthood obesity. Rawlins, E, Baker, G, Maynard, M, & Harding, S 2013, Perceptions of healthy eating and physical activity in an ethnically diverse sample of young children and their parents: the DEAL prevention of obesity study, Journal of Human Nutrition & Dietetics, 26, 2, pp. 132-144 This research focuses on obesity among children between the ages of 8 and 13 years. The research assesses the dietary intakes of 70 children, 31 male and 39 female. The research equally compared the results from the survey to the interviews of 43 parents, 34 of whom were mothers and the remaining 9 were single or divorced fathers. Rawlins et al (2013), show that the lack of education on healthy living in the school curriculum, in the UK and the rest of the world, is the core cause of morbid and central obesity among students. However, the research also focused on ethic and cultural education or dietary preference and the linkage between ethnicity and obesity among students in the United Kingdom. In addition to ethnicity, social-economic backgrounds were a variable used in the research. The paper concludes that diversity in most cultural frameworks shaped the lifestyle of children in various schools due to the peer influence. In the UK, as Penn and Kerr (2014) present, 30% of all children aged 2-25 years are obese. The paper further indicated that obesity in early childhood translated in increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer later in life.

Multivariate and Methodology Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Multivariate and Methodology Critique - Essay Example The research process involved the use of a questionnaire and the survey items were measured on a Likert scale that ranged from 1 to 5. 1 meant that the person strongly disagreed whereas 5 meant that one strongly agreed. The unit of analysis was, therefore, statistical numbers derived from the questionnaire. There was the use of a questionnaire in this study, the questionnaire had in it the five point Likert scales that ranged from 1 to 5, it also used the scale developed by Maignan and Ferrell (2000). The scale used four dimensions of CSR which include legal, economic, ethical and discretionary responsibilities. However, all of the scales were eventually measured on the five point Likert scale. Data was collected from 172 participants who were top level managers. There was the use of probability in the study as it was used to pick the 172 partipants from eight hundred randomly selected service as well as manufacturing organizations that existed in Pakistan at the time. Simple random sampling was used in picking the eight hundred organizations. The probability using random sampling ensured that the whole population was covered and that there were no uncovered loopholes in the population. Complete the table rows for the omnibus multivariate hypotheses. Insert cursor in first cell, type #, then simply press the Tab key to move from cell to cell. If more rows are needed, use the Enter key to add rows after the last row. Add a note if any variables were originally ordinal but assumed to be scale. The study is reliable as it administered its questionnaire amongst a diverse population. The diverse population was gotten from simple random sampling. The statistical methods used to show relationships were also on point as they were correctly done and suitable for this type of study. The study was ethical as the participants were informed about the mission and objectives of the