Taylorism Is An Outmoded And Outdated Form Of Technical Control Essay Example for Free

Taylorism Is An Outmoded And Outdated Form Of Technical Control Essay Perfected by Henry Ford, Taylorism was developed in the early 20th Century and was a revolutionary outlook on scientific management. Its aim was to make the workplace a science, taking all control away from the worker and placing total power in the hands of management. By observing workers behaviour and how long it was taking for tasks to be completed he believed he could say how much an average worker could produce under optimum conditions. Using this he devised a means of detailing a division of labour in time-and-motion studies and a wage system based on performance. At the time and throughout the last century Taylorism was and has been the only way to manage, but is it now outdated and irrelevant. I hope to be able to provide some of the arguments for and against this viewpoint and give examples of Taylorism. First, what exactly is Taylorism? Simply Taylorism is the breaking down of the production process into simple, menial tasks to the extent that even the most unskilled worker can be efficient. He researched these methods knowing that management lacked the knowledge to maximise production and that workers were not efficient. Taylor spoke about rewarding good men i.e. good employees, with higher pay for completing tasks or working harder. He called for scoring and ranking workers, thus posing the argument: how can one compare someone who is really good at a given task against someone who is good at another task? The two individuals may well be very good at what they do; however, it quite often requires a mix of these talents to produce a quality product or service. Taylor also aimed to transfer the control of the work process away from the individual worker and instead have the work performed in a way that is detailed by management who train the worker and share all the responsibilities. He used pig-iron handlers during the American-Spanish war to test his theories. He picked the four best workers and, in exchange for a higher wage, asked them to work under a managers orders. The manager had complete control, telling them when they could have a break, when to pick up more iron, how much to lift etc. The experiment was a resounding success; with one man Schmidt working at a constant 47.5 tonnes a day. This was used to show that Taylorism could work. However it could be argued that the experiment was fixed as it used workers who were mentally sluggish and therefore, by their nature, were more likely to follow orders than to think for themselves. Nevertheless Taylorism became the standard for businesses worldwide and this led to a clockwork world of tasks timed to the hundredth of a minute for standardized factories, machines and the de-humanising of men and women. A man named Braverman argued in his book in the 70s that because of Taylor and Ford, more and more jobs became and are becoming deskilled and de-humanised and the thought processes are being taken over by managers and programmed into machines (Braverman 1974). This raises a very important point about Taylorism; it makes processes so precise and repetitive that humans are being turned into machines. In this state as machines, humans are very easy to control and so it could be argued that Taylorism, whilst being effective as a production method, is also designed to control the workforce and thus highly skilled workers threaten labour control. Read more:Â  Scientific Management Taylorism Such early 20th century thought is being practised not only in business, but in the schools as well where students, like workers, are be scored and ranked. Now we have moved to a system where this ranking and grading of students and schools is of such importance that they are no longer run by teachers, but managed by managers to improve efficiency. Whilst not being a strict example of Taylorism, it shows how Taylors ideas have changed the way people think in that people now assume anything and everything can be ranked. Whilst on the subject of culture changes that have been influenced by Taylor, it can be argued that Taylorism has led to gender differences. Women have been, at least they were, categorized into certain jobs; mainly clerical and secretarial. This may not be as true today with many high-powered businesswomen in the world but, especially in the 60s, this was true. Taylorism is scientific management but how scientific is it? In Websters book there is a case where a businessman complained about how slow his secretary worked and asked, How many times a minute should she be able to open and close a file drawer? The workers handbooks answer would be Exactly 25 times. Times for other open and close operations would be .04 minutes for opening and closing a folder, and .026 minutes for opening a standard centre desk drawer (Webster, J 1990). Another example of the scientific nature of Taylorism can be seen in UPS, the parcel company. Management have said that workers should walk at 3ft per second, packages should be carried under the left arm and that drivers should step into the van with their right foot first whilst holding the keys in the middle finger of the right hand. These are two classic and blatant time-and-motion pigeonholing that leads to the de-humanizing of the worker. This pigeonholing can be classically seen in some of todays big business, especially in fast-food chains. McDonalds, the most classically discussed example, where there is absolutely no autonomy for the worker; they have no option about what to do. Machines are set to cook quarter-pounders in 107 seconds and fries in 150 seconds. Guns exist that put exactly the same amount of sauce in each burger and fill the drinks to the right level. All the worker has to do is put it together and place in a bag. Even the bagging process is Taylorised; workers must place the goods in the bag in the correct order. Ritzer sees McDonalds as a paradigm of efficiency that has led to a consumer being able to go into any McDonalds in the world and expect the same service and the same product. This very tedious monotonous work has very little job satisfaction and so to keep the worker motivated McDonalds have used Taylors idea about incentives. McDonalds have a star system which rewards hard working individuals with stars. These stars are worn on the name badge to show the consumer that they are a noted worker. More importantly it develops a friendly rivalry within the store as workers compete to win stars. This leads to more productive and efficient workers. Some workers can take this to extremes however. A friend of mine started in McDonalds and almost straight away was working up to two hours overtime on closing shifts. He earned his stars very quickly as well as employee of the month two months in a row and within 8 months was promoted to floor manager. This is, in my view, a slightly extreme case as he is naturally a hard worker but shows how hard work is rewarded in McDonalds. The efficiency of McDonalds and its ability to retain workers has made it a very successful multinational company. Leidner argues in his book that the drive for efficiency within McDonalds has led to inefficiency for the consumer as it turns them into involuntary unpaid labour because they have to queue for the food, clear their own rubbish away etc. For McDonalds to be as efficient as it is, it must offer a very restricted menu so that deliveries and production can be streamlined. This leads to a loss for the consumer who can only expect a very small choice from McDonalds. In the beginning this may have been a problem but now people go to McDonalds and expect a burger, fries and a drink which are the same every time. Despite these critiques of Taylorism there are authors who believe that Taylorism is as relevant today as it ever was. Taksa argues in her 1992 article that Taylor and his ideas are still useful in resolving todays management issues especially as firms are larger these days. The limiting of verbal exchange due to written instructions means that the teaching mangers are also under as much control as the workers from the planning group (Taksa,1992). This is especially useful in the large firms of today where middle management can be very large and therefore they must be put under the same controls as the workers. Many firms however are extremely efficient and successful without adopting Taylorist methods. It can be argued that Taylorism is not suitable for every type of business. An example of this is Dixons, where I used to work, where if any type of technical control would greatly hinder the sales of goods and insurance. The salesperson must have the freedom to react to the customers situation and what they say. There would be no way of, for example, telling sales staff that this type of person must have this product or that the sale must be complete in x minutes. It would be impossible to implement as, unlike McDonalds, every customer is different with different needs and without talking these needs cannot be ascertained to result in the sale of a product. Even shops are individual, while common theme run from shop to shop, where products are placed and how they are displayed is up to the mangers discretion and not controlled by main management. So to conclude; Taylorism is a very restrictive practise which leads to the de-humanising of the worker and complete management control. However it is an extremely efficient and productive system. I would say that in certain business environments, like McDonalds, it is the only way to manage that would produce effective results. However nowadays individuals require job satisfaction out of their roles and to that end Taylorism is outdated as it allows no sort of autonomy and thus make working very dull. To that end I cannot conclude either way; Taylorism is very effective in the food sector where customers are indistinguishable from each other but would be highly ineffective once individuals needs must be catered for. Bibliography Braverman, H.: Labour And Monopoly Capital: The Degradation Of Work In The 20th Century, 1974. Monthly Review Press, NY Leidner, R: Fast Food, Fast Talk, 1993. University Of California Press Ritzer, G: The McDonaldisation Of Society, 1993. Pine Forge Press Taksa, L: Scientific Management: Technique Or Cultural Ideology?. Webster, J: Office Automation, 1990. Harvester Wheatsheaf

Sales System for Customer Management Software Program

Sales System for Customer Management Software Program Sales Management Coursework Assignment Outline what you believe to be going wrong with the sales efforts at Gardnov. Richard Booth is the newly appointed sales manager of Gardnov Limited, he has spent his first four weeks by simply observing how the sales force operated by accompanying them on sales visits and by talking to the customers. According to his observation, he found the company sales force are generally lacking in motivation and without energetic. Even customers can feel about that. Therefore, Richard has to do something in order to arouse the motivation of the sales force. As no new account has been opened during the past four months, it means that the sales force havent expend their market and just keeping the existing customers. Sales will not grow lots if new account hasnt been opened. Richard found the sales force are not trying very hard to get new customers. Richard had visited some customers in each region and he was depressed to hear that even regular customers felt that they didnt relate closely to Gardnovs sales force, customers felt the sales force has been more like order-takers instead of order-makers. It shows that the sales force are not putting efforts on the customers, customers feel that they are unimportant because the sales force showed little interest in them. Besides, a lot of customers reflected that the sales people were unable to answer questions about some of the products in the catalogue. It shows the sales people have lack of knowledge about the products that they are selling, it makes customers without confidence to buy the products because even the sales people did not know the details of the products. They felt that the salespeople showed little concern, spent less time on them, and had little enthusiasm for the products they were selling. Outline what steps Richard should take to investigate further the problems highlighted by his initial research, whilst gaining/maintaining the support of the sales force. By gaining/maintaining the support of the sales force, Richard analysed his initial research, and he will need more research to investigate further problems. By investigating the problems, he will use primary research and secondary research. According to the existing situation, Richard has already done some primary research which included: spending his first four weeks observing how the sales force operated by accompanying them on sales visits and talking to customers. By communicating with the customers directly, Richard can be able to understand what customers need and want from the sales force, and also be able to know if the sales force are effective or not. By observing the sales force, he knew how they work normally and in which aspects that they need to improve to achieve the sales profit. Richard will also need to find out how the company can help the sales force, supporting them and motivate them to sell more products to customers. Besides, Richard also use other ways of primary research to investigate how he can support the sales force and improve the problems in the sales force. He may send questionnaires to every customers (may enclose a brochure or leaflet which include the introduction of new products of the company or even with discount coupons), therefore he will be able to get more opinions about the sales force and he will directly know the problems in the sales force because customers are the most important sources of a company. After analyzing those statistic results, he can be able to take steps to improve sales performance accordingly by using those opinions from customers. Apart from primary research, Richard can use secondary research to investigate more information and can find out more ways to solve out the problems of the sales force. He can use internet research to get some ideas to maintaining the support of the sales force, internet is very useful nowadays, therefore lots of information can be found in internet. By using the research, Richard can investigate more about the problems of the sales force, e.g. to motivate the sales force by using rewarding methods, training the sales force†¦..etc. After Richard knows the problems of the sales force, he can get some solution by using research and therefore he can be able to gaining and maintaining the support of the sales force. Research can help Richard a lot, by taking some marketing research, he can be able to define the problems, decision alternatives and the research objectives. Then it can develop the research plan from the data sources he found, the research approaches including face to face interview customers, questionnaires, internet searching solution. So that Richard can take those steps to improve the sales performance in the sales force and therefore can lead the sales force and make them to develop effective selling habits and finally increase the profits of the company. What are the disadvantages of the present salary-only compensation plan? Salary-only compensation is mean straight salary, the sales people receives a fixed amount of money at fixed intervals, such as weekly or monthly. These security-oriented people prefer base salary or drawing account so that they can depend on some regular income to meet basic living expenses. In Gardnov Limited, the sales force are each paid a straight salary averaged  £21,000 each, within a range of  £16,500 to  £27,300, depends upon his age and the length of time he has been with the company. The disadvantages of straight-salary method of compensation plan are: It provides no financial incentive to put forth extra effort. Thats mean the sales force will not put much more efforts if the salary is fixed, they wont get more salary if they gain some new customers or sell more products to customers. Therefore they will not work very hard to sell the products to customers because they can still obtain the same amount of salary every month. It may increase selling costs because salaries go on when sales are not being made. If the sales force are not putting effort on selling the products to customers, then the sales profit will not made but Gardnov Limited still need to pay salary to the sales force because of its straight-salary. Therefore it might become a big expenditure if sales force didnt earn any sales profits for Gardnov Limited. It often leads to income inequities, since the least productive salespeople tend to be overpaid, and the most productive to be underpaid. There have six salespeople in Gardnov, if only few salespeople working hard and selling products to customers, then they will feel the straight-salary is not equities because they are working harder than other salespeople. They tend to be underpaid and the others tend to be overpaid, so that Gardnov Limited will need to make sure every salesperson are working their best to sell the products to customers under and let the salespeople think Gardnov Limited is fair to them. It also leads to adequate, but not superior performance. By using straight-salary method, it would lead adequate sales profits by sales force, but it will not leads to superior performance because it cannot motivate the salespeople to put a lots of efforts on their selling job, as they can get the same amount of salary each month even though they put little effort on it. The pay of the salary in Gardnov Limited is depends on the salespeoples age and the length of time they have been with the company. Therefore if the youngest salesperson works very hard and sells lots products to customers, he will not get the high pay and he may even get the lowest pay in the company because of his age and the length of time in Gardnov. It will discourage his working enthusiasm and ambitions because he knows that he just get the same pay every month. On the other hand, the oldest salesperson will not working hard as well if he knows that he will get highest pay. Under this circumstance, it cant motivate both of them to work and sell products for Gardnov initiative. And therefore the salary-only compensation plan might not suitable for Gardnov at this moment. Produce some initial recommendations on how Richard might improve sales performance. There have some ways to improve sales performance, it might help Richard to improve the sales performance. Improving team performance is very important for Gardnov, the sales force are aligned with the Gardnovs mission and culture. Gardnov has a committed and empowered workforce. Improving the utilization of the salespeople will help to increase sales volume and profitability of Gardnov, it can improve the sales performance by improve the sales force team workforce. Training is one of the way that Richard can take, according to the case study, customer complain that the salespeople were unable to answer questions about some of the products in the catalogue, they felt that they didnt relate closely to Gardnovs sales force. Therefore customer already felt Gardnovs sales force are not professional because they are deal with their problems. Training is a important job for Richard, it can develop the sales force into a successful, productive part of the team. Sales training and sales force development should be thought of as a long term, by training them more knowledge of the products they are selling, the skills to deal with customer, satisfy customer needs and wants. Motivation is another important part of improving the performance of the sales force. There are many things can motivate a salesperson to perform better, for example, salespeople can be motivated of they feel a lot of work to do on the job will lead to better performance, with better performance leading to higher rewards. Therefore Richard might try to reward them to sell more products to customer, it might help the sales force to increase sales because the salespeople will begin a healthy amount of competition. Another motivation way to motivate the sales force perform better is changing the compensation plan of Gardnov. At the moment Gardnov is using straight salary and they get paid depends on their age and the length of time with the company. Therefore some salespeople might think its unfair and it will not motivate them to work harder because they will not get more paid if they work harder and selling more products to customer. So there have others method of compensation plan, e.g. straight commission. Straight commission is the person receives an amount that varies with results, usually sales or profits. It provides incentives rather than security, the salespeople will increase their productivity because they can get their own commission rewards after selling products to customers. For example, a salesperson may receive 10% of commission on all sales, which mean if he sold  £400, he can get  £40 of commission with his base salary. Therefore income is directly related to productivit y, its easy to calculate, so salespeople may keep track of their earnings. Richard has to develop a sales system to invest in a customer management software program, therefore all the data will be in one locale, enabling Gardnov to increase sales while simultaneously being more efficient.

Adidas and Reebok Marketing Communication Strategies

Adidas and Reebok Marketing Communication Strategies Introduction: This reported is presented with intent to draw would the comparison in the marketing communication strategies and mix adopted by the shoes brands Adidas and Reebok. The dual brands are functioning in a non-monopolistic global market environment which imposes the need to be market savvy and creative on the part of the business houses such as Adidas, Reebok and many other established brands to not only retain their existing market segment but also grow into new market on a local, national and international plane. There is a pre-existing need to modify strategies in context to pricing, advertising, product lines, product quality and marketing communication strategies. Failure to do so on the part of the business houses could adversely affect the sales of the product and lead the company and the product to an undesirable state of declination. The fact cannot be denied that the athletic shoe brand market has been emerging to be extremely competitive and a few brand names such as Adidas, Reebok, Nike, Puma have successfully captured certain market segments. These brands recognise the need to retain their market position and work towards market growth in the process. Adidas and Reebok, for the sake of exemplification have proven the fact that besides high quality products, a good market communication strategy and mix is vital for survival and simultaneous growth in a market which is constantly driven by a competitive atmosphere. I intent to utilize the following techniques to present a comparative analysis on the strategies adopted by Adidas and Reebok: Primary Research: Consumers would be interviewed and data compiled would be analyzed and inferences would be drawn on that basis. Secondary Research: Secondary Research would be gathering, analysing and segregation of data from websites, business journals and books. Business Analytical Tools: S.W.O.T. Analysis, Marketing Mix Market and Literature Review: Adidas: The German National Adolp Dassler could be credited with the creation of the phenomenal brand Adidas. His nickname Adi and the first syllable of his last name Das put together created the brand name Adidas. History states that Adolf was a shoe fanatic who spent several hours in his workshop designing shoes with intent to perfect it and to surpass anyone in this line of work. His dedication towards his cause led to the creation of this brand which in todays day and age is the second best global athletic shoe brand commanding a market position of 33% internationally after Nike. This brand came in to limelight with the 1926 Olympic Games wherein the sport star of the Games Jesse Owens wore Adidas shoes which performing at the Olympics. This led to instant recognition of this brand and soon the sales was reported to have gained huge momentum. The Olympic Games was the most crucial turning point in the history of the brand Adidas. From then on, Adidas, the Business house has been essentially sponsoring Global Sports Events, Olympic Games and many such events and has amassed mass popularity for their product lines. This strategy of the organization has helped the brand gain great worldwide media coverage for their product lines and the sales have been reported to grow in continuity. Zidane, Beckham and Kaka are the celebrities who wear Adidas shoes while performing at the games. The dual effect of high media coverage and the celebrity wearing Adidas creates a celebrity of sorts of the shoe brand Adidas. Today celebrity soccer players such as Kaka, Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and many more are being sponsored by Adidas. Adidas has been successfully in existence for around 80 years being an integral part of the sports world providing hi-tech sports footwear, accessories and apparel. At the moment the business house takes pride in commanding a world position in the athletic shoe brand market. Adidas products especially shoes are sold all over the globe being available in almost every country of the world with multiple retail outlet wooing the consumers proving the fact that the business house has carved a distinctive niche for itself in the global market. Adidas has graduated from a small workshop in a little know German village to a world renowned global enterprise. (http://www.adidas-group.com/en/ourgroup/history/history.aspx) The distinctive logo it possesses and the catchy advertising slogan Impossible is Nothing further consolidates the brand image and popularity. Reebok: Reeboks United Kingdom-based ancestor company was started off to cater to one basic need which was to help athletes run with speed of lightning. Joseph William Foster in 1890s created one of the first known running shoes with spikes in them. By the period of 1895, Foster was in business handmade shoes by hand for the countrys top runners; and not before much time his fledgling company, J.W. Foster and Sons, created success by catering to an international customer of highly known athletes. The family-owned business house with pride created the running shoes which were used by athletes in the 1924 Summer Games celebrated in the film Chariots of Fire. In 1958, Fosters grandsons commenced a companion company that was christened by them as Reebok, named for an African gazelle. In 1979, Paul Fireman, who was a partner in an outdoor sporting goods distributorship, noticed Reebok shoes at an international trade show. Later on, he went on to negotiate for the North American distribution license and made a grand introduction of three running shoes in the U.S. that year. At the selling price of $60, Reebok was the most expensive running shoes on the market. Currently, Reebok International is a highly marked player in the sports and fitness products market, with a particular emphasis on footwear. Its prime strengths lied in its size and massive brand awareness. While athletic shoes are clearly its core products, concerns are being brought up over its comparative lack of interest in the associated athletic apparel market, which is over double the dimensions of the footwear global market. (http://bostonjobsource.com/reebok.html) Methodology: The methodology to execute this report successfully was primary and secondary method techniques. Primary method comprised of Consumer poll wherein a set of questions was asked to consumers of athletic shoes for their responses. The questionnaire comprised 10 questions based Reebok and Adidas drafted to draw answers which facilitated a comparative analysis While carrying out the secondary research, books and websites and learning modules were studied and comprehended. Employing the primary and secondary research techniques data compilation and analysis was carried out to draw inferences. http://media.katu.com/images/060124adidas_reebok.jpg Analysis and Discussion: Core Competencies (Jobber 2004) Adidas Core Competencies Technology Customer focus Brand recognition Supply chain Collaboratively competitive Reebok Core Competencies Trend Identification Ability to market to a niche segment Womens shoe design Design expertise Celebrity relationships S.W.O.T Analysis: (Belch 2004) A S.W.O.T Analysis in conducted of a business house helps us in understanding the strengths of the organization, the weaknesses it is confronted with, the opportunities the organization could avail of and the threats which present harm its growth, diversification and existence. Adidas Reebok Strength The prime strength of the organization is its 8 decades of existence in the global market. The employment of high end technology in the production process improves quality, precision and durability which are the most desired aspects by athletes. The organization has the largest international portfolio of celebrity sports ambassadors. The business house as a part of promotion sponsors football teams and has a high consumer brand loyalty mainly in U.S.A and India. Statistics and surveys indicate that Adidas has the maximum level of popularity and brand image in India. Reebok presents growing sales revenue. ON account of a part of a strategy to expand quality market share, the company indulged in the process of investing in three key products and marketing platforms: Performance, RBK and Classic. Reebok International happens to be the second largest producer of athletic shoes in the US, following Nike. The Reebok brand succeeds in accelerating sales pushing it closer to huge competitors such as Adidas. Reebok prides itself in being the number two or number three brand in most of its global markets. It dominates on 10% of the global market. The business house succeeds in increasing profits even though retail conditions are challenging. Weakness The pricing strategy of Adidas for all its products including athletic footwear lacks flexibility and is highly rigid and this proves to be a weakness in a general price conscious economy. Adidas is hovered over with a close competitor in the form of Nike, Puma and many more in the global market. The Indian subcontinent, which in now identified as a potentially growing market with high potential of revenue, the brand has not been showing good revenue results. The business has low market share in the apparel segment. Reebok has always focused on athletic shoes and not apparel. Here is where the business lags behind. The apparel market is twice as large as the footwear market and the competitors such as Adidas and Nike take advantage of this and sell their apparel products which add on heavily to their annual global turnover Opportunity Adidas should avail the opportunity to explore new world markets in the global arena. Health consciousness among the people in general is creating a good need for athletic shoes which should be skillfully tapped by Adidas. Creative advertising employed in continuity could open up opportunities of market growth and sustenance. The shoes are priced below average with a starting range of 45 dollars which is 15 dollars less than any other brand which sells at a basic 60 dollar price tag. Reebok could boost its price as it has a large consumer base worldwide and a price deviation is not expected to hinder sales but increase profitability. The organization could work on creating a better brand awareness in order to increase volume of sales. The brand could employ the best of technology to add quality and precision to its products. Threat Statistics show that Reebok, a competitor of Adidas has a good market share and employs a higher sum for market communication strategies. This presents a threat which is growing for Adidas. New entrant brands such as GAP, CAT prove to be a threat as they are eating in on the market share of Adidas which it has created over a period of time The brand is heavily reliant on footwear sales for its revenue input. This could pose a threat as there are continuous new entrants in the athletic footwear market. Reebok needs to diversify into other areas such as bags, sports equipments and fashion accessories to stay afloat in this highly competitive market which is unpredictable. Adidas commands a global share of 16% while Reebok stands at 6% Marketing Mix: (Pickton 2005) Product: ADIDAS: This brand has a huge product line of athletic footwear and apparels making it one of the most sought out brands besides Nike. The product is highly advertised through sports events where it gains good media coverage. Adidas uses cutting edge technology to offer comfort and style in their product which are light in weight. Undoubtedly, the products of Adidas have great value for money. Adidas shoes are known to have a grip which the sole provides and this is on account of good design and is useful especially in hiking. They go with ease on the legs and prevent any kind of twist or sprain. Reebok: The product line of Reebok is limited to footwear. Reebok has a good line of womens footwear. The brand has invested highly in technology to better its product lines. In the apparel sector the brand is lacking far behind from Adidas. Place: Adidas and Reebok have been selling in almost every nation of the world and they follows one level channel or an indirect channel to make their product reach out to the final consumer. The products are manufactured by the producer and it then reaches the retailer who in turn sells it to the final consumer. Price: Adidas shoes are priced higher than that of Reebok. Adidas can afford to charge higher than Reebok as Adidas is a far more established brand than Reebok. The quality of Adidas is known to be better than that of Reebok Promotion: Reebok: The promotional technique used by Reebok is basic advertising. The brand needs to develop better promotional strategies. New punch lines and slogan should be used by Reebok to create an impact on the consumers. It is observed that Reebok has the potential to closely compete with Adidas. Adidas: Sponsoring large scale sports events, adverting through different forms of media. Adidas have been constantly engaged in brand building programs. Adidas has joined in with the strategy of high fund allocation to boost sales and compete. Adidas with their innovative campaigns have proven to be at par and have to a large extent created the much desired impact which they set out to create at the onset of bringing about an improvisation of their promotional propaganda. Conclusion: It should be understood that footwear is no longer considered as a product that just offers a sense of protection for feet. What was hitherto taken as a Want is at the present day a basic Need. Today, the footwear business is a widespread and dynamic global business operation comprising of huge economies of scale. The athletic shoe segment is tremendously competitive in nature with the phenomenal players such as Nike, Adidas, Reebok and New Balance strategizing meticulously to retain their consumer market share and the small time players such as Puma attempting to gain large market share. The athletic footwear industry stresses branding more than any other competitive benefit. By the employment of advertisements, celebrity endorsements, varied promotions, and licensing agreements, the top enterprises or rather branded companies in this industry have allocated much of their resources to creating the much required brand recognition and loyalty. Significant features of this highly competitive market segment are expensive and continuous advertising, celebrity endorsements, brand awareness techniques etc. Nike, Adidas, Reebok and a few more brands are the market leaders in the world due to their market communication and mix innovative strategies. (Bovee 2003) Recommendations: It is recommended that Reebok work on improving its promotional strategies. Reebok should also focus on the apparel segment which is a large and promising market. The business house has developed a good consumer base and can work on increasing the prices of their products as this would bring in higher revenue, part of which could be employed for advertisement and promotion expenditure. Adidas should work towards improving market share and being at par with Nike which is currently the world leader in Athletic footwear. Adidas should focus on roping in more celebrities to endorse their products as celebrities are undoubtedly crowd pullers. It is also recommended that Adidas improve its product lines substantially as variation in products could lead to better and improved sales which form a major objective of any business organization. (Pettit 2003)

The Transformation of Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities :: Tale Two Cities Essays

The Transformation of Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities         Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Charles Dickens' novel A Tale Of Two Cities, Sydney Carton is a man of several distinct characteristics.   Carton is shown originally to be a frustrated alcoholic, but then turns out to be a very noble and genuine man. Sydney Carton is also shown in the novel to be somewhat immature in his actions and thoughts.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout the book, Sydney Carton does not always act or seem like he is the age that he is.   He is depicted in the novel to be middle-age, perhaps in his mid-forties, yet several times he shows some very immature actions and feelings.   One example is his feelings for Lucie Manette.   Even after Lucie is married to Charles Darnay, whom she loves, Sydney refuses to give up his love for her.   For someone in his mid-forties, this is somewhat an immature action. Had he been more mature, he might have forgotten about Lucie when she was married and found someone else.   Another perhaps less important but very noticeable example is his appearance.   He didn't seem to care what people really thought about him or the way he was dressed, and remained very calm and relaxed, maybe even carefree, most of the time he was in court.   This also gives Sydney Carton an immature appearance in the novel.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the beginning of the story and a large part of the novel, Sydney Carton is shown to be a very arrogant, frustrated man with a drinking problem. Several times in the novel he indulged in his drinking to the point of becoming drunk or close to it.   Many times that he is seen, he is drinking wine or has a flask of liquor in his hand.   This may keep him calm or help him to remain composed in the court, but it becomes more to the point of being a necessity or habit.   Also, his drinking causes him to be loose with his tongue when he is with Charles Darnay after the trial, which makes Charles angry with him.   This behavior was very ill-mannered and could have been prevented to give Sydney Carton a better appearance and attitude.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Later in the novel, towards the end, Sydney seems to change his

The Right to Bear Arms Essay -- argumentative, persuasive, gun control

Currently, The United States of America is at war against 27 words that were written by James Madison in 1789. The Bill of Rights is known as the first 10 amendments to The Constitution of the United States. The Bill of Rights states the rights of its citizens. The Second Amendment states: â€Å"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed†(Madison). Many people have argued that â€Å"to keep and bear arms† is not very obvious. James Madison is not alive to clear up this misunderstanding that, for hundreds of years, has caused controversies. Some experts argue that, gun ownership laws should be relaxed because this country cannot guarantee the safety of its citizens. Others say that gun ownership laws should not be relaxed because it would increase the number of weapons and increase the availability of weapons for criminals. And thus, the debate over the right to bear arm s continues, again. Gun ownership is a hot topic in this country. The United States has almost always been a country know for its’ lenient gun laws. â€Å"Gun Ownership is a civil liberty protected by the Second Amendment of The Constitution† (Roth 1). The Constitution says that we can â€Å"bear arms†, which in turn, makes it very complicated to make a simple change/addition of words. States can choose to make restrictions to state laws as long as it follows the amendments and the U.S. Constitution. For example, states can take different paths when it comes to the death penalty as long as it is constitutional. â€Å"Illinois is one of only two states—the other is Wisconsin—that does not allow some sort of concealed carry by its’ residents† (Brownfield). 48 other states allow concealed we... ...eryone on the ‘lookout’, it is hard to just live your life. â€Å"None of these bills actually prevent violence. Rather, they help deteriorate the quality of life in our communities† (Roth 1). Guns are ruining our communities by showing the people that it is acceptable to take action if you are frightened. Sometimes, taking action can be the worst possible solution to a crisis. If a person takes action, it shows that you are brave, but, it also shows the criminal that you are actually a threat to them. This would raise the death toll significantly. As you now know, gun ownership is a very arguable topic. Countless people believe that guns will help citizens protect themselves when targeted for a crime, whereas, a large handful of citizens say that guns â€Å"help deteriorate the quality of life in our communities† (Roth 1). What if all the guns in the world just vanished?

Forward the Foundation Chapter 28

27 It was a lovely day, neither too warm nor too cold, not too bright nor too gray. Even though the groundskeeping budget had given out years ago, the few straggly perennials lining the steps leading up to the Galactic Library managed to add a cheerful note to the morning. (The Library, having been built in the classical style of antiquity, was fronted with one of the grandest stairways to be found in the entire Empire, second only to the steps at the Imperial Palace itself. Most Library visitors, however, preferred to enter via the gliderail) Seldon had high hopes for the day. Since he and Stettin Palver had been cleared of all charges in their recent assault and battery case, Hari Seldon felt like a new man. Although the experience had been painful, its very public nature had advanced Seldon's cause. Judge Tejan Popjens Lih, who was considered one of, if not the most influential judge on Trantor, had been quite vociferous in her opinion, delivered the day following Rial Nevas's emotional testimony. â€Å"When we come to such a crossroads in our ‘civilized' society,† the judge intoned from her bench, â€Å"that a man of Professor Hari Seldon's standing is made to bear the humiliation, abuse, and lies of his peers simply because of who he is and what he stands for, it is truly a dark day for the Empire. I admit that I, too, was taken in-at first. ‘Why wouldn't Professor Seldon,' I reasoned, ‘resort to such trickery in an attempt to prove his predictions?' But, as I came to see, I was most grievously wrong.† Here the judge's brow furrowed, a dark blue flush began creeping up her neck and into her cheeks. â€Å"For I was ascribing to Professor Seldon motives born of our new society, a society in which honesty, decency, and goodwill are likely to get one killed, a society in which it appears one must resort to dishonesty and trickery merely to survive. â€Å"How far we have strayed from our founding principles. We were lucky this time, fellow citizens of Trantor. We owe a debt of thanks to Professor Hari Seldon for showing us our true selves; let us take his example to heart and resolve to be vigilant against the baser forces of our human nature.† Following the hearing, the Emperor had sent Seldon a congratulatory holo-disc. On it he expressed the hope that perhaps now Seldon would find renewed funding for his Project. As Seldon slid up the entrance gliderail, he reflected on the current status of his Psychohistory Project. His good friend-the former Chief Librarian Las Zenow-had retired. During his tenure, Zenow had been a strong proponent of Seldon and his work. More often than not, however, Zenow's hands had been tied by the Library Board. But, he had assured Seldon, the affable new Chief Librarian, Tryma Acarnio, was as progressive as he himself, and was popular with many factions among the Board membership. â€Å"Hari, my friend,† Zenow had said before leaving Trantor for his home world of Wencory, â€Å"Acarnio is a good man, a person of deep intellect and an open mind. I'm sure he'll do all that he can to help you and the Project. I've left him the entire data file on you and your EncyIopedia; I know he'll be as excited as I about the contribution to humanity it represents. Take care, my friend-I'll remember you fondly.† And so today Hari Seldon was to have his first official meeting with the new Chief Librarian. He was cheered by the reassurances Las Zenow had left with him and he was looking forward to sharing his plans for the future of the Project and the Encyclopedia. Tryma Acarnio stood as Hari entered the Chief Librarian's office. Already he had made his mark on the place; whereas Zenow had stuffed every nook and cranny of the room with holo-discs and tridijournals from the different sectors of Trantor, and a dizzying array of visiglobes representing various worlds of the Empire had spun in midair, Acarnio had swept clear the mounds of data and images that Zenow had liked to keep at his fingertips. A large holoscreen now dominated one wall on which, Seldon presumed, Acarnio could view any publication or broadcast that he desired. Acarnio was short and stocky, with a slightly distracted look-from a childhood corneal correction that had gone awry-that belied a fearsome intelligence and constant awareness of everything going on around him at all times. â€Å"Well, well. Professor Seldon. Come in. Sit down.† Acarnio gestured to a straight-backed chair facing the desk at which he sat. â€Å"It was, I felt, quite fortuitous that you requested this meeting. You see, I had intended to get in touch with you as soon as I settled in.† Seldon nodded, pleased that the new Chief Librarian had considered him enough of a priority to plan to seek him out in the hectic early days of his tenure. â€Å"But, first, Professor, please let me know why you wanted to see me before we move on to my, most likely, more prosaic concerns.† Seldon cleared his throat and leaned forward. â€Å"Chief Librarian, Las Zenow has no doubt told you of my work here and of my idea for an Encyclopedia Galactica. Las was quite enthusiastic, and a great help, providing a private office for me here and unlimited access to the Library's vast resources. In fact, it was he who located the eventual home of the Encyclopedia Project, a remote Outer World called Terminus. â€Å"There was one thing, however, that Las could not provide. In order to keep the Project on schedule, I must have office space and unlimited access granted to a number of my colleagues, as well. It is an enormous undertaking, just gathering the information to be copied and transferred to Terminus before we can begin the actual work of compiling the Encyclopedia. â€Å"Las was not popular with the Library Board, as you undoubtedly are aware. You, however, are. And so I ask you, Chief Librarian: Will you see to it that my colleagues are granted insiders' privileges so that we may continue our most vital work?† Here Hari stopped, almost out of breath. He was sure that his speech, which he had gone over and over in his mind the night before, would have the desired effect. He waited, confident in Acarnio's response. â€Å"Professor Seldon,† Acarnio began. Seldon's expectant smile faded. There was an edge to the Chief Librarian's voice that Seldon had not expected. â€Å"My esteemed predecessor provided me-in exhaustive detail-an explication of your work here at the Library. He was quite enthusiastic about your research and committed to the idea of your colleagues joining you here. As was I, Professor Seldon†-at Acarnio's pause, Seldon looked up sharply-â€Å"at first. I was prepared to call a special meeting of the Board to propose that a larger suite of offices be prepared for you and your Encyclopedists. But, Professor Seldon, all that has now changed.† â€Å"Changed! But why?† â€Å"Professor Seldon, you have just finished serving as principal defendant in a most sensational assault and battery case.† â€Å"But I was acquitted,† Seldon broke in. â€Å"The case never even made it to trial.† â€Å"Nonetheless, Professor, your latest foray into the public eye has given you an undeniable-how shall I say it?-tinge of ill repute. Oh yes, you were acquitted of all charges. But in order to get to that acquittal, your name, your past, your beliefs, and your work were paraded before the eyes of all the worlds. And even if one progressive right-thinking judge has proclaimed you faultless, what of the millions-perhaps billions-of other average citizens who see not a pioneering psychohistorian striving to preserve his civilization's glory but a raving lunatic shouting doom and gloom for the great and mighty Empire? â€Å"You, by the very nature of your work, are threatening the essential fabric of the Empire. I don't mean the huge, nameless, faceless, monolithic Empire. No, I am referring to the heart and soul of the Empire-its people. When you tell them the Empire is failing, you are saying that they are failing. And this, my dear Professor, the average citizen cannot face. â€Å"Seldon, like it or not, you have become an object of derision, a subject of ridicule, a laughingstock.† â€Å"Pardon me, Chief Librarian, but for years now I have been, to some circles, a laughingstock.† â€Å"Yes, but only to some circles. But this latest incident-and the very public forum in which it was played out-has opened you up to ridicule not only here on Trantor but throughout the worlds. And, Professor, if, by providing you an office, we, the Galactic Library, give tacit approval to your work, then, by inference, we, the Library, also become a laughingstock throughout the worlds. And no matter how strongly I may personally believe in your theory and your Encyclopedia, as Chief Librarian of the Galactic Library on Trantor, I must think of the Library first. â€Å"And so, Professor Seldon, your request to bring in your colleagues is denied.† Hari Seldon jerked back in his chair as if struck. â€Å"Further,† Acarnio continued, â€Å"I must advise you of a two-week temporary suspension of all Library privileges-effective immediately. The Board has called that special meeting, Professor Seldon. In two weeks' time we will notify you whether or not we've decided that our association with you must be terminated.† Here, Acarnio stopped speaking and, placing his palms on the glossy, spotless surface of his desk, stood up. â€Å"That is all, Professor Seldon-for now.† Hari Seldon stood as well, although his upward movement was not as smooth, nor as quick, as Tryma Acarnio's. â€Å"May I be permitted to address the Board?† asked Seldon. â€Å"Perhaps if I were able to explain to them the vital importance of psychohistory and the Encyclopedia-â€Å" â€Å"I'm afraid not, Professor,† said Acarnio softly and Seldon caught a brief glimmer of the man Las Zenow had told him about. But, just as quickly, the icy bureaucrat was back as Acarnio guided Seldon to the door. As the portals slid open, Acarnio said, â€Å"Two weeks, Professor Seldon. Till then.† Hari stepped through to his waiting skitter and the doors slid shut. What am I going to do now? wondered Seldon disconsolately. Is this the end of my work? 28 â€Å"Wanda dear, what is it that has you so engrossed?† asked Hari Seldon as he entered his granddaughter's office at Streeling University. The room had been the office of the brilliant mathematician Yugo Amaryl, whose death had impoverished the Psychohistory Project. Fortunately, Wanda had gradually taken over Yugo's role in recent years, further refining and adjusting the Prime Radiant. â€Å"Why, I'm working on an equation in Section 33A2D17. See, I've recalibrated this section†-she gestured to a glowing violet patch suspended in midair in front of her face-‘taking into consideration the standard quotient and-There! Just what I thought-I think.† She stepped back and rubbed her eyes. â€Å"What is it, Wanda?† Hari moved in closer to study the equation. â€Å"Why, this looks like the Terminus equation and yet†¦ Wanda, this is an inverse of the Terminus equation, isn't it?† â€Å"Yes, Grandpa. See, the numbers weren't working quite right in the Terminus equation-look.† Wanda touched a contact in a recessed wallstrip and another patch sprang to life in vivid red on the other side of the room. Seldon and Wanda walked over to inspect it. â€Å"You see how it's all hanging together fine now, Grandpa? It's taken me weeks to get it this way.† â€Å"How did you do it?† asked Hari, admiring the equation's lines, its logic, its elegance. â€Å"At first, I concentrated on it from over here only. I blocked out all else. In order to get Terminus to work, work on Terminus-stands to reason, doesn't it? But then I realized that I couldn't just introduce this equation into the Prime Radiant system and expect it to blend right in smoothly, as if nothing happened. A placement means a displacement somewhere else. A weight needs a counterweight.† â€Å"I think the concept to which you are referring is what the ancients called ‘yin and yang.' â€Å" â€Å"Yes, more or less. Yin and yang. So, you see, I realized that to perfect the yin of Terminus, I had to locate its yang. Which I did, over there.† She moved back to the violet patch, tucked away at the other edge of the Prime Radiant sphere. â€Å"And once I adjusted the figures here, the Terminus equation fell into place as well. Harmony!† Wanda looked pleased with herself, as if she'd solved all the problems of the Empire. â€Å"Fascinating, Wanda, and later on you must tell me what you think it all means for the Project. But right now you must come with me to the holoscreen. I received an urgent message from Santanni a few minutes ago. Your father wants us to call him immediately.† Wanda's smile faded. She had been alarmed at the recent reports of fighting on Santanni. As Imperial budget cutbacks went into effect, the citizens of the Outer Worlds suffered most. They had limited access to the richer, more populous Inner Worlds and it became more and more difficult to trade their worlds' products for much needed imports. Imperial hyperships going in and out of Santanni were few and the distant world felt isolated from the rest of the Empire. Pockets of rebellion had erupted throughout the planet. â€Å"Grandfather, I hope everything's all right,† said Wanda, her fear revealed by her voice. â€Å"Don't worry, dear. After all, they must be safe if Raych was able to send us a message.† In Seldon's office, he and Wanda stood before the holoscreen as it activated. Seldon punched a code on the keypad alongside the screen and they waited a few seconds for the intragalactic connection to be established. Slowly the screen seemed to stretch back into the wall, as if it were the entrance to a tunnel-and out of the tunnel, dimly at first, came the familiar figure of a stocky powerfully built man. As the connection sharpened, the man's features became clearer. When Seldon and Wanda were able to make out Raych's bushy Dahlite mustache, the figure sprang to life. â€Å"Dad! Wanda!† said Raych's three-dimensional hologram, projected to Trantor from Santanni. â€Å"Listen, I don't have much time.† He flinched, as if startled by a loud noise. â€Å"Things have gotten pretty bad here. The government has fallen and a provisional party has taken over. Things are a mess, as you can imagine. I just put Manella and Bellis on a hypership to Anacreon. I told them to get in touch with you from there. The name of the ship is the Arcadia VII. â€Å"You should have seen Manella, Dad. Mad as anything that she had to go. The only way I was able to convince her to leave was to point out that it was for Bellis's sake. â€Å"I know what you're thinking, Dad and Wanda. Of course I would have gone with them-if I could have. But there wasn't enough room. You should've seen what I had to go through just to get them onto the ship.† Raych flashed one of his lopsided grins that Seldon and Wanda loved so much, then continued. â€Å"Besides, since I'm here, I have to help guard the University-we may be part of the Imperial University system, but we're a place of learning and building, not of destruction. I tell you, if one of those hot-headed Santanni rebels comes near our stuff-â€Å" â€Å"Raych,† Hari broke in, â€Å"How bad is it? Are you close to the fighting?† â€Å"Dad, are you in danger?† asked Wanda. They waited a few seconds for their message to travel the nine thousand parsecs across the Galaxy to Raych. â€Å"I-I-I couldn't quite make out what you said,† the hologram replied. â€Å"There's a bit of fighting going on. It's sort of exciting, actually,† Raych said, breaking into that grin again. â€Å"So I'm going to sign off now. Remember, find out what happened to the Arcadia VII going to Anacreon. I'll be back in touch as soon as I'm able. Remember, I-† The transmission broke off and the hologram faded. The holoscreen tunnel collapsed in on itself so that Seldon and Wanda were left staring at a blank wall. â€Å"Grandpa,† said Wanda, â€Å"what do you think he was going to say?† â€Å"I have no idea, dear. But there is one thing I do know and that is that your father can take care of himself. I pity any rebel who gets near enough for a well-placed Twist-kick from your dad! Come, let's get back to that equation and in a few hours we'll check on the Arcadia VII.† *** â€Å"Commander, have you no idea what happened to the ship?† Hari Seldon was again engaged in intragalactic conversation, but this time it was with an Imperial navy commander stationed at Anacreon. For this communication, Seldon was making use of the visiscreen-much less realistic than the holoscreen but also much simpler. â€Å"I'm telling you, Professor, that we have no record of that hypership requesting permission to enter the Anacreonic atmosphere. Of course, communications with Santanni have been broken for several hours and sporadic at best for the last week. It is possible that the ship tried to reach us on a Santanni-based channel and could not get through, but I doubt it. â€Å"No, it's more likely that the Arcadia VII changed destination. Voreg, perhaps, or Sarip. Have you tried either of those worlds, Professor?† â€Å"No,† said Seldon wearily, â€Å"but I see no reason if the ship was bound for Anacreon that it would not go to Anacreon. Commander, it is vital that I locate that ship.† â€Å"Of course,† the commander ventured, â€Å"the Arcadia VII might not have made it. Out safely, I mean. There's a lot of fighting going on. Those rebels don't care who they blow up. They just train their lasers and pretend it's the Emperor Agis they're blasting. I tell you, it's a whole different game out here on the fringe, Professor.† â€Å"My daughter-in-law and granddaughter are on that ship, Commander,† Seldon said in a tight voice. â€Å"Oh, I'm sorry, Professor,† said an abashed commander. â€Å"I'll be in touch with you as soon as I hear anything.† Dispiritedly Hari closed the visiscreen contact. How tired I am, he thought. And, he mused, I'm not surprised-I've known that this would come for nearly forty years. Seldon chuckled bitterly to himself. Perhaps that commander had thought he was shocking Seldon, impressing him with the vivid detail of life â€Å"on the fringe.† But Seldon knew all about the fringe. And as the fringe came apart, like a piece of knitting with one loose thread, the whole piece would unravel to the core: Trantor. Seldon became aware of a soft buzzing sound. It was the door signal. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Grandpa,† said Wanda, entering the office, â€Å"I'm scared.† â€Å"Why, dear?† asked Seldon with concern. He didn't want to tell her yet what he had learned-or hadn't learned-from the commander on Anacreon. â€Å"Usually, although they're so far away, I feel Dad and Mom and Bellis-feel them in here†-she pointed to her head-â€Å"and in here†-she placed her hand over her heart. â€Å"But now, today, I don't feel them-it feels less, as if they're fading, like one of the dome bulbs. And I want to stop it. I want to pull them back, but I can't.† â€Å"Wanda, I really think this is merely a product of your concern for your family in light of the rebellion. You know that uprisings occur all over the Empire all the time-little eruptions to let off steam. Come now, you know that chances of anything happening to Raych, Manella, or Bellis are vanishingly small. Your dad will call any day to say all is well; your mom and Bellis will land on Anacreon at any moment and enjoy a little vacation. We are the ones to be pitied-we're stuck here up to our ears in work! So, sweetheart, go to bed and think only good thoughts. I promise you, tomorrow, under the sunny dome, things will look much better.† â€Å"All right, Grandpa,† said Wanda, not sounding entirely convinced. â€Å"But tomorrow-if we haven't heard by tomorrow-we'll have to-to-â€Å" â€Å"Wanda, what can we do, except wait?† asked Hari, his voice gentle. Wanda turned and left, the weight of her worries showing in the slope of her shoulders. Hari watched her go, finally allowing his own worries to come to the surface. It had been three days since the hologram transmission from Raych. Since then-nothing. And today the naval commander at Anacreon denied ever having heard of a ship called Arcadia VII Hari had tried earlier to get through to Raych on Santanni, but all communication beams were down. It was as if Santanni-and the Arcadia VII-had simply broken off from the Empire, like a petal from a flower. Seldon knew what he had to do now. The Empire might be down, but it was not out. Its power, when properly wielded, was still awesome. Seldon placed an emergency transmission to Emperor Agis XIV. 29 â€Å"What a surprise-my friend Hari!† Agis's visage beamed at Seldon through the holoscreen. â€Å"I am glad to hear from you, although you usually request the more formal personal audience. Come, you've piqued my interest. Why the urgency?† â€Å"Sire,† began Seldon, â€Å"my son, Raych, and his wife and daughter live on Santanni.† â€Å"Ah, Santanni,† the Emperor said as his smile faded. â€Å"A bunch of misguided wretches if I eve -â€Å" â€Å"Sire, please,† broke in Seldon, surprising both the Emperor and himself with this flagrant breach of Imperial protocol. â€Å"My son was able to get Manella and Bellis onto a hypership, the Arcadia VII, bound for Anacreon. He, however, had to remain. That was three days ago. The ship has not landed at Anacreon. And my son seems to have disappeared. My calls to Santanni have gone unanswered and now the communication beams are broken. â€Å"Please, Sire, can you help me?† â€Å"Hari, as you know, officially all ties between Santanni and Trantor have been severed. However, I still hold some influence in selected areas of Santanni. That is, there are still a few loyal to me who have not yet been found out. Although I cannot make direct contact with any of my operatives on that world, I can share with you any reports I receive from there. These are, of course, highly confidential, but considering your situation and our relationship, I will allow you access to those pieces that might interest you. â€Å"I am expecting another dispatch within the hour. If you like, I'll recontact you when it arrives. In the meantime, I'll have one of my aides go over all transmissions from Santanni for the past three days to look for anything pertaining to Raych, Manella, or Bellis Seldon.† â€Å"Thank you, Sire. I thank you most humbly.† And Hari Seldon dipped his head as the Emperor's image faded from the holoscreen. Sixty minutes later Hari Seldon was still sitting at his desk, waiting to hear from the Emperor. The past hour had been one of the most difficult he had ever spent, second only to the hours after Dors's destruction. It was the not knowing that did Hari in. He had made a career of knowing-the future as well as the present. And now he had no idea at all about three of the people most precious to him. The holoscreen buzzed softly and Hari pressed a contact in response. Agis appeared. â€Å"Hari,† began the Emperor. From the soft slow sadness in his voice, Hari knew this call brought bad news. â€Å"My son,† said Hari. â€Å"Yes,† replied the Emperor. â€Å"Raych was killed, earlier today, in a bombardment on Santanni University. I've learned from my sources that Raych knew the attack was coming but refused to desert his post. You see, a good number of the rebels are students and Raych felt that if they knew that he was still there, they would never†¦ But hate overcame all reason. â€Å"The University is, you see, an Imperial University. The rebels feel they must destroy all things Imperial before rebuilding anew. The fools! Why-† And here Agis stopped, as if suddenly realizing that Seldon did not care about Santanni University or the plans of the rebels-not right now, at least. â€Å"Hari, if it makes you feel any better, remember that your son died in defense of knowledge. It was not the Empire Raych fought and died for but humanity itself.† Seldon looked up out of tear-filled eyes. Weakly he asked, â€Å"And Manella and little Bellis? What of them? Have you found the Arcadia Hl?† â€Å"That search has proved fruitless, Hari. The Arcadia VII left Santanni, as you were told. But it seems to have disappeared. It may have been hijacked by rebels or it may have made an emergency detour-at this point, we just don't know.† Seldon nodded. â€Å"Thank you, Agis. Although you have brought me tragic news, at least you have brought it. Not knowing was worse. You are a true friend.† â€Å"And so, my friend,† said the Emperor, â€Å"I'll leave you to yourself now-and your memories.† The Emperor's image faded from the screen as Hari Seldon folded his arms in front of him on his desk, put his head down, and wept. 30 Wanda Seldon adjusted the waistband of her unisuit, pulling it a little tighter around her middle. Taking up a hand hoe, she attacked some weeds that had sprung up in her small flower garden outside the Psychohistory Building at Streeling. Generally Wanda spent the bulk of her time in her office, working with her Prime Radiant. She found solace in its precise statistical elegance; the unvarying equations were somehow reassuring in this Empire gone so crazy. But when thoughts of her beloved father, mother, and baby sister became too much to bear, when even her research could not keep her mind off the horrible losses she'd so recently undergone, Wanda invariably found herself out here, scratching at the terraformed ground, as if coaxing a few plants to life might somehow, in some tiny measure, ameliorate her pain. Since her father's death a month ago and the disappearance of Manella and Bellis, Wanda, who had always been slim, had been losing weight. Whereas a few months ago Hari Seldon would have been concerned over his darling granddaughter's loss of appetite, now he, stuck in his own grief, seemed not to notice. A profound change had come over Hari and Wanda Seldon-and the few remaining members of the Psychohistory Project. Hari seemed to have given up. He now spent most of his days sitting in an armchair in the Streeling solarium, staring out at the University grounds, warmed by the bright bulbs overhead. Occasionally Project members told Wanda that his bodyguard, a man named Stettin Palver, would badger Seldon into a walk out under the dome or try to engage him in a discussion of the future direction of the Project. Wanda retreated deeper into her study of the Prime Radiant's fascinating equations. She could feel the future her grandfather had worked so hard to achieve finally taking shape, and he was right: The Encyclopedists must be established on Terminus; they would be the Foundation. And Section 33A2D17-in it Wanda could see what Seldon referred to as the Second, or secret, Foundation. But how? Without Seldon's active interest, Wanda was at a loss as to how to proceed. And her sorrow over the destruction of her family cut so deep that she didn't seem to have the strength to figure it out. The members of the Project itself, those fifty or so hardy souls who remained, continued their work as well as possible. The majority were Encyclopedists, researching the source materials they would need to copy and catalogue for their eventual move to Terminus-when and if they gained full access to the Galactic Library. At this point, they were working on faith alone. Professor Seldon had lost his private office at the Library, so the prospects of any other Project member gaining special access were slim. The remaining Project members (other than the Encyclopedists) were historical analysts and mathematicians. The historians interpreted past and current human actions and events, turning their findings over to the mathematicians, who in turn fit those pieces into the great Psychohistorical Equation. It was long painstaking work. Many Project members had left because the rewards were so few-psychohistorians were the butt of many jokes on Trantor and limited funds had forced Seldon to enact drastic pay cuts. But the constant reassuring presence of Hari Seldon had-till now-overcome the difficult working conditions of the Project. Indeed, the Project members who had stayed on had, to a person, done so out of respect and devotion to Professor Seldon. Now, thought Wanda Seldon bitterly, what reason is left for them to stay? A light breeze blew a piece of her blond hair across her eyes; she pushed it back absentmindedly and continued her weeding. â€Å"Miss Seldon, may I have a moment of your time?† Wanda turned and looked up. A young man-she judged him to be in his early twenties-stood on the gravel path next to her. She immediately sensed him to be strong and fearsomely intelligent. Her grandfather had chosen wisely. Wanda rose to speak with him. â€Å"I recognize you. You are my grandfather's bodyguard, are you not? Stettin Palver, I believe?† â€Å"Yes, that's correct, Miss Seldon,† Palver said and his cheeks reddened slightly, as if he were pleased that so pretty a girl should have given him any notice. â€Å"Miss Seldon, it is your grandfather I'd like to talk to you about. I'm very worried about him. We must do something.† â€Å"Do what, Mr. Palver? I am at a loss. Since my father†-she swallowed hard, as if she were having difficulty speaking-â€Å"died and my mother and sister disappeared, it is all I can do to get him out of bed in the morning. And to tell you the truth, it has affected me very deeply as well. You understand, don't you?† She looked into his eyes and knew that he did. â€Å"Miss Seldon,† Palver said softly, â€Å"I am terribly sorry about your losses. But you and Professor Seldon are alive and you must keep working at psychohistory. The professor seems to have given up. I was hoping that maybe you-we-could come up with something to give him hope again. You know, a reason to go on.† Ah, Mr. Palver, thought Wanda, maybe Grandpa has it right. I wonder if there truly is any reason to go on. But she said, â€Å"I'm sorry, Mr. Palver, I can think of nothing.† She gestured toward the ground with her hoe. â€Å"And now, as you can see, I must get back to these pesky weeds.† â€Å"I don't think your grandfather has got it right. I think there truly is a reason to go on. We just have to find it.† The words struck her with full force. How had he known what she had been thinking? Unless-â€Å"You can handle minds, can't you?† Wanda asked, holding her breath, as if afraid to hear Palver's response. â€Å"Yes, I can,† the young man replied. â€Å"I always have, I think. At least, I can't remember not doing it. Half the time I'm not even consciously aware of it-I just know what people are thinking-or have thought. â€Å"Sometimes,† he continued, encouraged by the understanding he felt emanating from Wanda, â€Å"I get flashes of it coming from someone else. It's always in a crowd, though, and I can't locate whoever it is. But I know there are others like me-us-around.† Wanda grabbed Palver's hand excitedly, her gardening tool tossed to the ground, forgotten. â€Å"Have you any idea what this might mean? For Grandpa, for psychohistory? One of us alone can do only so much, but both of us together-† Wanda started walking into the Psychohistory Building, leaving Palver standing on the gravel path. Almost to the entrance she stopped and turned. Come, Mr. Palver, we must tell my grandfather, Wanda said without opening her mouth. Yes, I suppose we should, answered Palver as he joined her. 31 â€Å"Do you mean to say I have been searching Trantor-wide for someone with your powers, Wanda, and he's been here with us for the past few months and we never knew it?† Hari Seldon was incredulous. He had been dozing in the solarium when Wanda and Palver shook him awake to give him their amazing news. â€Å"Yes, Grandpa. Think about it. I've never had occasion to meet Stettin. Your time with him has primarily been away from the Project and I spend the majority of my time closeted in my office, working with the Prime Radiant. When would we have met? In fact, the one time our paths did cross, the results were most significant.† â€Å"When was that?† asked Seldon, searching his memory. â€Å"Your last hearing-before Judge Lih,† Wanda replied immediately. â€Å"Remember the eyewitness who swore that you and Stettin had attacked those three muggers? Remember how he broke down and told the truth-and even he didn't seem to know why. But Stettin and I have pieced it together. We were both pushing Rial Nevas to come clean. He had been very steadfast in his original claim; I doubt that either one of us would have been able to push him alone. But together†-she stole a shy glance at Palver, who was standing off to the side-â€Å"our power is awesome!† Hari Seldon took all this in and then made as if to speak. But Wanda continued. â€Å"In fact, we plan to spend the afternoon testing our mentalic abilities, separately and together. From the little we've discovered so far, it seems as if Stettin's power is slightly lower than mine-perhaps a five on my rating scale. But his five, combined with my seven, gives us a twelve! Think of it, Grandpa. Awesome!† â€Å"Don't you see, Professor?† Palver spoke up. â€Å"Wanda and I are that breakthrough you're looking for. We can help you convince the worlds of the validity of psychohistory, we can help find others like us, we can help put psychohistory back on track.† Hari Seldon gazed up at the two young people standing in front of him. Their faces were aglow with youth and vigor and enthusiasm and he realized it did his old heart good. Perhaps all was not lost, after all. He had not thought he would survive this latest tragedy, the death of his son and the disappearance of his son's wife and child, but now he could see that Raych lived on in Wanda. And in Wanda and Stettin, he now knew, lived the future of the Foundation. â€Å"Yes, yes,† agreed Seldon nodding forcefully. â€Å"Come you two, help me up. I must get back to my office to plan our next step.†

Biography

From the early ages of her life Purvi Patel has had an interesting life. From her very early years in India to parenthood, family has been has been the greatest aspect of her life. She was the oldest of four, two younger sisters, Pinku and Chacu, and a brother, Mitul. They lived in Nadiad a small town in Gujarat, India. While growing up there wasn't much to do that was fun. Her parents, Surendra and Amita, were very strict and wouldn't allow her to go anywhere or do anything after dark. As she got older she started taking on more responsibility.At age 11 she had started taking care of her siblings more often and started cooking and cleaning. Her mother made her learn these things at a young age to know what to do later on in her life. While going into her teen years she ended high school at the age of 16 and went to college the same year. While in college she was attacked by a dog contagious with rabies. After she got her rabies shot she was okay. Later the next day they killed the r abid dog. As the years passed she needed to get married. She had an arranged marriage with Amrish Patel at the age of 18.In India at the time there were rarely any love weddings; marriages mainly all were arranged. They grew to love each other soon after. Shortly after they both had immigrated to America and both attended college again. Family life soon followed. When she was 22 in 1993 her daughter, Jasmine was born, though during that time it was a very hard time because of all that was going on. Purvi was still in college and they were looking for a house, but the day Jasmine was born her husband, Amrish, had bought a million dollar lottery ticket which he ost by one number, but they ended up getting $17,000.They kept it in the bank for good use. At the time they were still in college. Her husband, Amrish, had majored in computer technology. Purvi majored in medical technology. She had gotten a Job at a blood bank though she really wasn't too happy about it; she doesn't like bloo d, but she ended up liking it. Amrish became a computer technologist. Soon after, they had bought a house in Piscataway, New Jersey. Then Dhiral was born in 1997 when Purvi was 26.Then in 2006 they moved to Greenville, Illinois, and are currently proud owners of the Econolodge Inn and Suites here in Greenville. Then in the December of 2009 the family went to India for my Purvi's brother's wedding which was also an arranged marriage. The cultural difference from coming from another country made a big impact on her life. From her arranged marriage and her loving and caring family she has grown to be someone who has been through a lot. Now Purvi Patel lives in Greenville living her life in a way to keep adding to this biography. biography By dapdusa Biography Have you ever dreamed of becoming a chemist, a scientist or even an Inventor? Shakes Lean Managing Tomato is recently on her way of becoming the successful one. She Is now taking Bachelor of Science In Chemical Engineering at Technological university of the Philippines Manila, her stepping stone to success. Shakes Is the youngest and the only daughter of Madame Balls Tomato and General Managing Tomato. Manmade, 45 years old, Is a Sound System Operator whileGeneral, 43 years old, Is a Freelancer. On November 11, 1994, Shakes was born at the city of Manhandling, seven months after the DNA Computing was demonstrated by the famous chemical Engineer and Inventor Leonard Deadline. He was one of the persons who inspired her to pursue her dreams. Both parents were catholic by religion and for that their children followed their beliefs. Shakes and her brother Deeds Kyle Tomato grew up to be religious children since they were taught to be a good follower of Christ in Catholic Church. Guidance and manners were properly implemented by their parents.They see to it that good education will be given to Shakes and Kyle. Like any other child of today's generation, Shakes entered the nursery at Rembrandt Christian School in Guenon City, her first experience of attending a school. Her kindergarten was at Dilemma Preparatory School Annex in Novelistic, Guenon City and she was always on top of the class. Grade school was also a memorable part of Geisha's life and as always, she was on a competitive rank. She's very active both in extracurricular and academic studies. Having good grades strengthens her to fulfill her dreams.Freshmen, sophomore, Junior and senior are full of enjoyment, competition and trials for a teenager like Shakes. Friends are unavoidable but she managed to balance her studies and friendship. She took the first half of her high school life at Dilemma Preparatory School Main in Commonwealth, Guenon City and graduated at Saint Anthony Academy of Guenon City in Dang erous. Being on top in mathematics and science, Shakes decided to take an engineering course. Choosing a career of being a Chemical Engineer someday, Geisha's family and her good foundation of education plays a great role in her life.I might say that It Is not the wealth or Influence of environment but having a good foundation In the family and with the support of good education produce a better Individual. Biography By Mural-Galore Eng 002 / MIFF proof. Canoga, Have you ever dreamed of becoming a chemist, a scientist or even an inventor? One. She is now taking Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering at Technological University of the Philippines Manila, her stepping stone to success. Shakes is the youngest and the only daughter of Madame Balls Tomato andGeneral Managing Tomato. Manmade, 45 years old, is a Sound System Operator while General, 43 years old, is a Freelancer. On November 11, 1994, Shakes was born at the the famous Chemical Engineer and inventor Leonard Deadline. He was one of the Dilemma Preparatory School Main in Commonwealth, Guenon City and graduated at education plays a great role in her life. I might say that it is not the wealth or influence of environment but having a good foundation in the family and with the support of good education produce a better individual.