Dakota Office Products

Dakota Office Products Study Case Why was Dakota’s existing pricing system inadequate for its current operating environment? – profits only when clients placed large orders for cartons – real drop of profit if many clients place small orders – wrong cost determination for individual customers wrong cost determination for new services provided by DOP (to small charges for the â€Å"desktop† delivery, then the actual cost of it) 2. Develop an activity-base cost system for Dakota Office Products based on Year 200 data. Calculate the activity cost-driver rate for each DOP activity in 2000. Activity cost-driver rates: Activity One: process cartons in and out of the facility Rate=(90% of Warehouse Personnel Expense + Cost o Items Purchased)/cartons processed Rate=(90%*2,400,000+35,000,000)/80,000=464. 5 $/per carton Activity Two: the new desktop delivery service Rate=(10% of Warehouse Personnel Expense + Delivery Truck Expenses)/desktop deliveries Rate=(10%2,400,000+200,000)/2000=220 $/per carton Activity Three: order handling Rate=( Warehouse Expenses + Freight)/ number of orders Rate=(2,000,000+450,000)/(16,000+8,000)=102. 08 $/per order Activity Four: data entry Rate=Order entry expenses/Order lines Rate=800,000/150,000=5. 3 orders/per line 3. Using your answer to question 2, calculate the profitability of Customer A and Customer B. Activity One: process cartons in and out of the facility –> Number of cartons ordered Activity Two: the new desktop delivery service –> Number of desktop deliveries Activity Three: order handling –> Number of orders (manual + EDI) Activity Four: data entry –> Number of line items Manufacturing Overhead cost-driver rates Customer A Customer B Customer A†¦ Dakota Office Products Dakota Office Products Study Case Why was Dakota’s existing pricing system inadequate for its current operating environment? – profits only when clients placed large orders for cartons – real drop of profit if many clients place small orders – wrong cost determination for individual customers wrong cost determination for new services provided by DOP (to small charges for the â€Å"desktop† delivery, then the actual cost of it) 2. Develop an activity-base cost system for Dakota Office Products based on Year 200 data. Calculate the activity cost-driver rate for each DOP activity in 2000. Activity cost-driver rates: Activity One: process cartons in and out of the facility Rate=(90% of Warehouse Personnel Expense + Cost o Items Purchased)/cartons processed Rate=(90%*2,400,000+35,000,000)/80,000=464. 5 $/per carton Activity Two: the new desktop delivery service Rate=(10% of Warehouse Personnel Expense + Delivery Truck Expenses)/desktop deliveries Rate=(10%2,400,000+200,000)/2000=220 $/per carton Activity Three: order handling Rate=( Warehouse Expenses + Freight)/ number of orders Rate=(2,000,000+450,000)/(16,000+8,000)=102. 08 $/per order Activity Four: data entry Rate=Order entry expenses/Order lines Rate=800,000/150,000=5. 3 orders/per line 3. Using your answer to question 2, calculate the profitability of Customer A and Customer B. Activity One: process cartons in and out of the facility –> Number of cartons ordered Activity Two: the new desktop delivery service –> Number of desktop deliveries Activity Three: order handling –> Number of orders (manual + EDI) Activity Four: data entry –> Number of line items Manufacturing Overhead cost-driver rates Customer A Customer B Customer A†¦

Twilight 13. CONFESSIONS

13. CONFESSIONS Edward in the sunlight was shocking. I couldn't get used to it, though I'd been staring at him all afternoon. His skin, white despite the faint flush from yesterday's hunting trip, literally sparkled, like thousands of tiny diamonds were embedded in the surface. He lay perfectly still in the grass, his shirt open over his sculpted, incandescent chest, his scintillating arms bare. His glistening, pale lavender lids were shut, though of course he didn't sleep. A perfect statue, carved in some unknown stone, smooth like marble, glittering like crystal. Now and then, his lips would move, so fast it looked like they were trembling. But, when I asked, he told me he was singing to himself; it was too low for me to hear. I enjoyed the sun, too, though the air wasn't quite dry enough for my taste. I would have liked to lie back, as he did, and let the sun warm my face. But I stayed curled up, my chin resting on my knees, unwilling to take my eyes off him. The wind was gentle; it tangled my hair and ruffled the grass that swayed around his motionless form. The meadow, so spectacular to me at first, paled next to his magnificence. Hesitantly, always afraid, even now, that he would disappear like a mirage, too beautiful to be real†¦ hesitantly, I reached out one finger and stroked the back of his shimmering hand, where it lay within my reach. I marveled again at the perfect texture, satin smooth, cool as stone. When I looked up again, his eyes were open, watching me. Butterscotch today, lighter, warmer after hunting. His quick smile turned up the corners of his flawless lips. â€Å"I don't scare you?† he asked playfully, but I could hear the real curiosity in his soft voice. â€Å"No more than usual.† He smiled wider; his teeth flashed in the sun. I inched closer, stretched out my whole hand now to trace the contours of his forearm with my fingertips. I saw that my fingers trembled, and knew it wouldn't escape his notice. â€Å"Do you mind?† I asked, for he had closed his eyes again. â€Å"No,† he said without opening his eyes. â€Å"You can't imagine how that feels.† He sighed. I lightly trailed my hand over the perfect muscles of his arm, followed the faint pattern of bluish veins inside the crease at his elbow. With my other hand, I reached to turn his hand over. Realizing what I wished, he flipped his palm up in one of those blindingly fast, disconcerting movements of his. It startled me; my fingers froze on his arm for a brief second. â€Å"Sorry,† he murmured. I looked up in time to see his golden eyes close again. â€Å"It's too easy to be myself with you.† I lifted his hand, turning it this way and that as I watched the sun glitter on his palm. I held it closer to my face, trying to see the hidden facets in his skin. â€Å"Tell me what you're thinking,† he whispered. I looked to see his eyes watching me, suddenly intent. â€Å"It's still so strange for me, not knowing.† â€Å"You know, the rest of us feel that way all the time.† â€Å"It's a hard life.† Did I imagine the hint of regret in his tone? â€Å"But you didn't tell me.† â€Å"I was wishing I could know what you were thinking†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hesitated. â€Å"And?† â€Å"I was wishing that I could believe that you were real. And I was wishing that I wasn't afraid.† â€Å"I don't want you to be afraid.† His voice was just a soft murmur. I heard what he couldn't truthfully say, that I didn't need to be afraid, that there was nothing to fear. â€Å"Well, that's not exactly the fear I meant, though that's certainly something to think about.† So quickly that I missed his movement, he was half sitting, propped up on his right arm, his left palm still in my hands. His angel's face was only a few inches from mine. I might have – should have – flinched away from his unexpected closeness, but I was unable to move. His golden eyes mesmerized me. â€Å"What are you afraid of, then?† he whispered intently. But I couldn't answer. As I had just that once before, I smelled his cool breath in my face. Sweet, delicious, the scent made my mouth water. It was unlike anything else. Instinctively, unthinkingly, I leaned closer, inhaling. And he was gone, his hand ripped from mine. In the time it took my eyes to focus, he was twenty feet away, standing at the edge of the small meadow, in the deep shade of a huge fir tree. He stared at me, his eyes dark in the shadows, his expression unreadable. I could feel the hurt and shock on my face. My empty hands stung. â€Å"I'm†¦ sorry†¦ Edward,† I whispered. I knew he could hear. â€Å"Give me a moment,† he called, just loud enough for my less sensitive ears. I sat very still. After ten incredibly long seconds, he walked back, slowly for him. He stopped, still several feet away, and sank gracefully to the ground, crossing his legs. His eyes never left mine. He took two deep breaths, and then smiled in apology. â€Å"I am so very sorry.† He hesitated. â€Å"Would you understand what I meant if I said I was only human?† I nodded once, not quite able to smile at his joke. Adrenaline pulsed through my veins as the realization of danger slowly sank in. He could smell that from where he sat. His smile turned mocking. â€Å"I'm the world's best predator, aren't I? Everything about me invites you in – my voice, my face, even my smell. As if I need any of that!† Unexpectedly, he was on his feet, bounding away, instantly out of sight, only to appear beneath the same tree as before, having circled the meadow in half a second. â€Å"As if you could outrun me,† he laughed bitterly. He reached up with one hand and, with a deafening crack, effortlessly ripped a two-foot-thick branch from the trunk of the spruce. He balanced it in that hand for a moment, and then threw it with blinding speed, shattering it against another huge tree, which shook and trembled at the blow. And he was in front of me again, standing two feet away, still as a stone. â€Å"As if you could fight me off,† he said gently. I sat without moving, more frightened of him than I had ever been. I'd never seen him so completely freed of that carefully cultivated facade. He'd never been less human†¦ or more beautiful. Face ashen, eyes wide, I sat like a bird locked in the eyes of a snake. His lovely eyes seem to glow with rash excitement. Then, as the seconds passed, they dimmed. His expression slowly folded into a mask of ancient sadness. â€Å"Don't be afraid,† he murmured, his velvet voice unintentionally seductive. â€Å"I promise†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hesitated. â€Å"I swear not to hurt you.† He seemed more concerned with convincing himself than me. â€Å"Don't be afraid,† he whispered again as he stepped closer, with exaggerated slowness. He sat sinuously, with deliberately unhurried movements, till our faces were on the same level, just a foot apart. â€Å"Please forgive me,† he said formally. â€Å"I can control myself. You caught me off guard. But I'm on my best behavior now.† He waited, but I still couldn't speak. â€Å"I'm not thirsty today, honestly.† He winked. At that I had to laugh, though the sound was shaky and breathless. â€Å"Are you all right?† he asked tenderly, reaching out slowly, carefully, to place his marble hand back in mine. I looked at his smooth, cold hand, and then at his eyes. They were soft, repentant. I looked back at his hand, and then deliberately returned to tracing the lines in his hand with my fingertip. I looked up and smiled timidly. His answering smile was dazzling. â€Å"So where were we, before I behaved so rudely?† he asked in the gentle cadences of an earlier century. â€Å"I honestly can't remember.† He smiled, but his face was ashamed. â€Å"I think we were talking about why you were afraid, besides the obvious reason.† â€Å"Oh, right.† â€Å"Well?† I looked down at his hand and doodled aimlessly across his smooth, iridescent palm. The seconds ticked by. â€Å"How easily frustrated I am,† he sighed. I looked into his eyes, abruptly grasping that this was every bit as new to him as it was to me. As many years of unfathomable experience as he had, this was hard for him, too. I took courage from that thought. â€Å"I was afraid†¦ because, for, well, obvious reasons, I can't stay with you. And I'm afraid that I'd like to stay with you, much more than I should.† I looked down at his hands as I spoke. It was difficult for me to say this aloud. â€Å"Yes,† he agreed slowly. â€Å"That is something to be afraid of, indeed. Wanting to be with me. That's really not in your best interest.† I frowned. â€Å"I should have left long ago,† he sighed. â€Å"I should leave now. But I don't know if I can.† â€Å"I don't want you to leave,† I mumbled pathetically, staring down again. â€Å"Which is exactly why I should. But don't worry. I'm essentially a selfish creature. I crave your company too much to do what I should.† â€Å"I'm glad.† â€Å"Don't be!† He withdrew his hand, more gently this time; his voice was harsher than usual. Harsh for him, still more beautiful than any human voice. It was hard to keep up – his sudden mood changes left me always a step behind, dazed. â€Å"It's not only your company I crave! Never forget that. Never forget I am more dangerous to you than I am to anyone else.† He stopped, and I looked to see him gazing unseeingly into the forest. I thought for a moment. â€Å"I don't think I understand exactly what you mean – by that last part anyway,† I said. He looked back at me and smiled, his mood shifting yet again. â€Å"How do I explain?† he mused. â€Å"And without frightening you again†¦ hmmmm.† Without seeming to think about it, he placed his hand back in mine; I held it tightly in both of mine. He looked at our hands. â€Å"That's amazingly pleasant, the warmth.† He sighed. A moment passed as he assembled his thoughts. â€Å"You know how everyone enjoys different flavors?† he began. â€Å"Some people love chocolate ice cream, others prefer strawberry?† I nodded. â€Å"Sorry about the food analogy – I couldn't think of another way to explain.† I smiled. He smiled ruefully back. â€Å"You see, every person smells different, has a different essence. If you locked an alcoholic in a room full of stale beer, he'd gladly drink it. But he could resist, if he wished to, if he were a recovering alcoholic. Now let's say you placed in that room a glass of hundred-year-old brandy, the rarest, finest cognac – and filled the room with its warm aroma – how do you think he would fare then?† We sat silently, looking into each other's eyes – trying to read each other's thoughts. He broke the silence first. â€Å"Maybe that's not the right comparison. Maybe it would be too easy to turn down the brandy. Perhaps I should have made our alcoholic a heroin addict instead.† â€Å"So what you're saying is, I'm your brand of heroin?† I teased, trying to lighten the mood. He smiled swiftly, seeming to appreciate my effort. â€Å"Yes, you are exactly my brand of heroin.† â€Å"Does that happen often?† I asked. He looked across the treetops, thinking through his response. â€Å"I spoke to my brothers about it.† He still stared into the distance. â€Å"To Jasper, every one of you is much the same. He's the most recent to join our family. It's a struggle for him to abstain at all. He hasn't had time to grow sensitive to the differences in smell, in flavor.† He glanced swiftly at me, his expression apologetic. â€Å"Sorry,† he said. â€Å"I don't mind. Please don't worry about offending me, or frightening me, or whichever. That's the way you think. I can understand, or I can try to at least. Just explain however you can.† He took a deep breath and gazed at the sky again. â€Å"So Jasper wasn't sure if he'd ever come across someone who was as† – he hesitated, looking for the right word – â€Å"appealing as you are to me. Which makes me think not. Emmett has been on the wagon longer, so to speak, and he understood what I meant. He says twice, for him, once stronger than the other.† â€Å"And for you?† â€Å"Never.† The word hung there for a moment in the warm breeze. â€Å"What did Emmett do?† I asked to break the silence. It was the wrong question to ask. His face grew dark, his hand clenched into a fist inside mine. He looked away. I waited, but he wasn't going to answer. â€Å"I guess I know,† I finally said. He lifted his eyes; his expression was wistful, pleading. â€Å"Even the strongest of us fall off the wagon, don't we?† â€Å"What are you asking? My permission?† My voice was sharper than I'd intended. I tried to make my tone kinder – I could guess what his honesty must cost him. â€Å"I mean, is there no hope, then?† How calmly I could discuss my own death! â€Å"No, no!† He was instantly contrite. â€Å"Of course there's hope! I mean, of course I won't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He left the sentence hanging. His eyes burned into mine. â€Å"It's different for us. Emmett†¦ these were strangers he happened across. It was a long time ago, and he wasn't as†¦ practiced, as careful, as he is now.† He fell silent and watched me intently as I thought it through. â€Å"So if we'd met†¦ oh, in a dark alley or something†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I trailed off. â€Å"It took everything I had not to jump up in the middle of that class full of children and -† He stopped abruptly, looking away. â€Å"When you walked past me, I could have ruined everything Carlisle has built for us, right then and there. If I hadn't been denying my thirst for the last, well, too many years, I wouldn't have been able to stop myself.† He paused, scowling at the trees. He glanced at me grimly, both of us remembering. â€Å"You must have thought I was possessed.† â€Å"I couldn't understand why. How you could hate me so quickly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"To me, it was like you were some kind of demon, summoned straight from my own personal hell to ruin me. The fragrance coming off your skin†¦ I thought it would make me deranged that first day. In that one hour, I thought of a hundred different ways to lure you from the room with me, to get you alone. And I fought them each back, thinking of my family, what I could do to them. I had to run out, to get away before I could speak the words that would make you follow†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He looked up then at my staggered expression as I tried to absorb his bitter memories. His golden eyes scorched from under his lashes, hypnotic and deadly. â€Å"You would have come,† he promised. I tried to speak calmly. â€Å"Without a doubt.† He frowned down at my hands, releasing me from the force of his stare. â€Å"And then, as I tried to rearrange my schedule in a pointless attempt to avoid you, you were there – in that close, warm little room, the scent was maddening. I so very nearly took you then. There was only one other frail human there – so easily dealt with.† I shivered in the warm sun, seeing my memories anew through his eyes, only now grasping the danger. Poor Ms. Cope; I shivered again at how close I'd come to being inadvertently responsible for her death. â€Å"But I resisted. I don't know how. I forced myself not to wait for you, not to follow you from the school. It was easier outside, when I couldn't smell you anymore, to think clearly, to make the right decision. I left the others near home – I was too ashamed to tell them how weak I was, they only knew something was very wrong – and then I went straight to Carlisle, at the hospital, to tell him I was leaving.† I stared in surprise. â€Å"I traded cars with him – he had a full tank of gas and I didn't want to stop. I didn't dare to go home, to face Esme. She wouldn't have let me go without a scene. She would have tried to convince me that it wasn't necessary†¦ â€Å"By the next morning I was in Alaska.† He sounded ashamed, as if admitting a great cowardice. â€Å"I spent two days there, with some old acquaintances†¦ but I was homesick. I hated knowing I'd upset Esme, and the rest of them, my adopted family. In the pure air of the mountains it was hard to believe you were so irresistible. I convinced myself it was weak to run away. I'd dealt with temptation before, not of this magnitude, not even close, but I was strong. Who were you, an insignificant little girl† – he grinned suddenly – â€Å"to chase me from the place I wanted to be? So I came back†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He stared off into space. I couldn't speak. â€Å"I took precautions, hunting, feeding more than usual before seeing you again. I was sure that I was strong enough to treat you like any other human. I was arrogant about it. â€Å"It was unquestionably a complication that I couldn't simply read your thoughts to know what your reaction was to me. I wasn't used to having to go to such circuitous measures, listening to your words in Jessica's mind†¦ her mind isn't very original, and it was annoying to have to stoop to that. And then I couldn't know if you really meant what you said. It was all extremely irritating.† He frowned at the memory. â€Å"I wanted you to forget my behavior that first day, if possible, so I tried to talk with you like I would with any person. I was eager actually, hoping to decipher some of your thoughts. But you were too interesting, I found myself caught up in your expressions†¦ and every now and then you would stir the air with your hand or your hair, and the scent would stun me again†¦ â€Å"Of course, then you were nearly crushed to death in front of my eyes. Later I thought of a perfectly good excuse for why I acted at that moment – because if I hadn't saved you, if your blood had been spilled there in front of me, I don't think I could have stopped myself from exposing us for what we are. But I only thought of that excuse later. At the time, all I could think was, ‘Not her.'† He closed his eyes, lost in his agonized confession. I listened, more eager than rational. Common sense told me I should be terrified. Instead, I was relieved to finally understand. And I was filled with compassion for his suffering, even now, as he confessed his craving to take my life. I finally was able to speak, though my voice was faint. â€Å"In the hospital?† His eyes flashed up to mine. â€Å"I was appalled. I couldn't believe I had put us in danger after all, put myself in your power – you of all people. As if I needed another motive to kill you.† We both flinched as that word slipped out. â€Å"But it had the opposite effect,† he continued quickly. â€Å"I fought with Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper when they suggested that now was the time†¦ the worst fight we've ever had. Carlisle sided with me, and Alice.† He grimaced when he said her name. I couldn't imagine why. â€Å"Esme told me to do whatever I had to in order to stay.† He shook his head indulgently. â€Å"All that next day I eavesdropped on the minds of everyone you spoke to, shocked that you kept your word. I didn't understand you at all. But I knew that I couldn't become more involved with you. I did my very best to stay as far from you as possible. And every day the perfume of your skin, your breath, your hair†¦ it hit me as hard as the very first day.† He met my eyes again, and they were surprisingly tender. â€Å"And for all that,† he continued, â€Å"I'd have fared better if I had exposed us all at that first moment, than if now, here – with no witnesses and nothing to stop me – I were to hurt you.† I was human enough to have to ask. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Isabella.† He pronounced my full name carefully, then playfully ruffled my hair with his free hand. A shock ran through my body at his casual touch. â€Å"Bella, I couldn't live with myself if I ever hurt you. You don't know how it's tortured me.† He looked down, ashamed again. â€Å"The thought of you, still, white, cold†¦ to never see you blush scarlet again, to never see that flash of intuition in your eyes when you see through my pretenses†¦ it would be unendurable.† He lifted his glorious, agonized eyes to mine. â€Å"You are the most important thing to me now. The most important thing to me ever.† My head was spinning at the rapid change in direction our conversation had taken. From the cheerful topic of my impending demise, we were suddenly declaring ourselves. He waited, and even though I looked down to study our hands between us, I knew his golden eyes were on me. â€Å"You already know how I feel, of course,† I finally said. â€Å"I'm here†¦ which, roughly translated, means I would rather die than stay away from you.† I frowned. â€Å"I'm an idiot.† â€Å"You are an idiot,† he agreed with a laugh. Our eyes met, and I laughed, too. We laughed together at the idiocy and sheer impossibility of such a moment. â€Å"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he murmured. I looked away, hiding my eyes as I thrilled to the word. â€Å"What a stupid lamb,† I sighed. â€Å"What a sick, masochistic lion.† He stared into the shadowy forest for a long moment, and I wondered where his thoughts had taken him. â€Å"Why†¦ ?† I began, and then paused, not sure how to continue. He looked at me and smiled; sunlight glinted off his face, his teeth. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Tell me why you ran from me before.† His smile faded. â€Å"You know why.† â€Å"No, I mean, exactly what did I do wrong? I'll have to be on my guard, you see, so I better start learning what I shouldn't do. This, for example† – I stroked the back of his hand – â€Å"seems to be all right.† He smiled again. â€Å"You didn't do anything wrong, Bella. It was my fault.† â€Å"But I want to help, if I can, to not make this harder for you.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He contemplated for a moment. â€Å"It was just how close you were. Most humans instinctively shy away from us, are repelled by our alienness†¦ I wasn't expecting you to come so close. And the smell of your throat.† He stopped short, looking to see if he'd upset me. â€Å"Okay, then,† I said flippantly, trying to alleviate the suddenly tense atmosphere. I tucked my chin. â€Å"No throat exposure.† It worked; he laughed. â€Å"No, really, it was more the surprise than anything else.† He raised his free hand and placed it gently on the side of my neck. I sat very still, the chill of his touch a natural warning – a warning telling me to be terrified. But there was no feeling of fear in me. There were, however, other feelings†¦ â€Å"You see,† he said. â€Å"Perfectly fine.† My blood was racing, and I wished I could slow it, sensing that this must make everything so much more difficult – the thudding of my pulse in my veins. Surely he could hear it. â€Å"The blush on your cheeks is lovely,† he murmured. He gently freed his other hand. My hands fell limply into my lap. Softly he brushed my cheek, then held my face between his marble hands. â€Å"Be very still,† he whispered, as if I wasn't already frozen. Slowly, never moving his eyes from mine, he leaned toward me. Then abruptly, but very gently, he rested his cold cheek against the hollow at the base of my throat. I was quite unable to move, even if I'd wanted to. I listened to the sound of his even breathing, watching the sun and wind play in his bronze hair, more human than any other part of him. With deliberate slowness, his hands slid down the sides of my neck. I shivered, and I heard him catch his breath. But his hands didn't pause as they softly moved to my shoulders, and then stopped. His face drifted to the side, his nose skimming across my collarbone. He came to rest with the side of his face pressed tenderly against my chest. Listening to my heart. â€Å"Ah,† he sighed. I don't know how long we sat without moving. It could have been hours. Eventually the throb of my pulse quieted, but he didn't move or speak again as he held me. I knew at any moment it could be too much, and my life could end – so quickly that I might not even notice. And I couldn't make myself be afraid. I couldn't think of anything, except that he was touching me. And then, too soon, he released me. His eyes were peaceful. â€Å"It won't be so hard again,† he said with satisfaction. â€Å"Was that very hard for you?† â€Å"Not nearly as bad as I imagined it would be. And you?† â€Å"No, it wasn't bad†¦ for me.† He smiled at my inflection. â€Å"You know what I mean.† I smiled. â€Å"Here.† He took my hand and placed it against his cheek. â€Å"Do you feel how warm it is?† And it was almost warm, his usually icy skin. But I barely noticed, for I was touching his face, something I'd dreamed of constantly since the first day I'd seen him. â€Å"Don't move,† I whispered. No one could be still like Edward. He closed his eyes and became as immobile as stone, a carving under my hand. I moved even more slowly than he had, careful not to make one unexpected move. I caressed his cheek, delicately stroked his eyelid, the purple shadow in the hollow under his eye. I traced the shape of his perfect nose, and then, so carefully, his flawless lips. His lips parted under my hand, and I could feel his cool breath on my fingertips. I wanted to lean in, to inhale the scent of him. So I dropped my hand and leaned away, not wanting to push him too far. He opened his eyes, and they were hungry. Not in a way to make me fear, but rather to tighten the muscles in the pit of my stomach and send my pulse hammering through my veins again. â€Å"I wish,† he whispered, â€Å"I wish you could feel the†¦ complexity†¦ the confusion†¦ I feel. That you could understand.† He raised his hand to my hair, then carefully brushed it across my face. â€Å"Tell me,† I breathed. â€Å"I don't think I can. I've told you, on the one hand, the hunger – the thirst – that, deplorable creature that I am, I feel for you. And I think you can understand that, to an extent. Though† – he half-smiled – â€Å"as you are not addicted to any illegal substances, you probably can't empathize completely. â€Å"But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His fingers touched my lips lightly, making me shiver again. â€Å"There are other hungers. Hungers I don't even understand, that are foreign to me.† â€Å"I may understand that better than you think.† â€Å"I'm not used to feeling so human. Is it always like this?† â€Å"For me?† I paused. â€Å"No, never. Never before this.† He held my hands between his. They felt so feeble in his iron strength. â€Å"I don't know how to be close to you,† he admitted. â€Å"I don't know if I can.† I leaned forward very slowly, cautioning him with my eyes. I placed my cheek against his stone chest. I could hear his breath, and nothing else. â€Å"This is enough,† I sighed, closing my eyes. In a very human gesture, he put his arms around me and pressed his face against my hair. â€Å"You're better at this than you give yourself credit for,† I noted. â€Å"I have human instincts – they may be buried deep, but they're there.† We sat like that for another immeasurable moment; I wondered if he could be as unwilling to move as I was. But I could see the light was fading, the shadows of the forest beginning to touch us, and I sighed. â€Å"You have to go.† â€Å"I thought you couldn't read my mind.† â€Å"It's getting clearer.† I could hear a smile in his voice. He took my shoulders and I looked into his face. â€Å"Can I show you something?† he asked, sudden excitement flaring in his eyes. â€Å"Show me what?† â€Å"I'll show you how I travel in the forest.† He saw my expression. â€Å"Don't worry, you'll be very safe, and we'll get to your truck much faster.† His mouth twitched up into that crooked smile so beautiful my heart nearly stopped. â€Å"Will you turn into a bat?† I asked warily. He laughed, louder than I'd ever heard. â€Å"Like I haven't heard that one before!† â€Å"Right, I'm sure you get that all the time.† â€Å"Come on, little coward, climb on my back.† I waited to see if he was kidding, but, apparently, he meant it. He smiled as he read my hesitation, and reached for me. My heart reacted; even though he couldn't hear my thoughts, my pulse always gave me away. He then proceeded to sling me onto his back, with very little effort on my part, besides, when in place, clamping my legs and arms so tightly around him that it would choke a normal person. It was like clinging to a stone. â€Å"I'm a bit heavier than your average backpack,† I warned. â€Å"Hah!† he snorted. I could almost hear his eyes rolling. I'd never seen him in such high spirits before. He startled me, suddenly grabbing my hand, pressing my palm to his face, and inhaling deeply. â€Å"Easier all the time,† he muttered. And then he was running. If I'd ever feared death before in his presence, it was nothing compared to how I felt now. He streaked through the dark, thick underbrush of the forest like a bullet, like a ghost. There was no sound, no evidence that his feet touched the earth. His breathing never changed, never indicated any effort. But the trees flew by at deadly speeds, always missing us by inches. I was too terrified to close my eyes, though the cool forest air whipped against my face and burned them. I felt as if I were stupidly sticking my head out the window of an airplane in flight. And, for the first time in my life, I felt the dizzy faintness of motion sickness. Then it was over. We'd hiked hours this morning to reach Edward's meadow, and now, in a matter of minutes, we were back to the truck. â€Å"Exhilarating, isn't it?† His voice was high, excited. He stood motionless, waiting for me to climb down. I tried, but my muscles wouldn't respond. My arms and legs stayed locked around him while my head spun uncomfortably. â€Å"Bella?† he asked, anxious now. â€Å"I think I need to lie down,† I gasped. â€Å"Oh, sorry.† He waited for me, but I still couldn't move. â€Å"I think I need help,† I admitted. He laughed quietly, and gently unloosened my stranglehold on his neck. There was no resisting the iron strength of his hands. Then he pulled me around to face him, cradling me in his arms like a small child. He held me for a moment, then carefully placed me on the springy ferns. â€Å"How do you feel?† he asked. I couldn't be sure how I felt when my head was spinning so crazily. â€Å"Dizzy, I think.† â€Å"Put your head between your knees.† I tried that, and it helped a little. I breathed in and out slowly, keeping my head very still. I felt him sitting beside me. The moments passed, and eventually I found that I could raise my head. There was a hollow ringing sound in my ears. â€Å"I guess that wasn't the best idea,† he mused. I tried to be positive, but my voice was weak. â€Å"No, it was very interesting.† â€Å"Hah! You're as white as a ghost – no, you're as white as me!† â€Å"I think I should have closed my eyes.† â€Å"Remember that next time.† â€Å"Next time!† I groaned. He laughed, his mood still radiant. â€Å"Show-off,† I muttered. â€Å"Open your eyes, Bella,† he said quietly. And he was right there, his face so close to mine. His beauty stunned my mind – it was too much, an excess I couldn't grow accustomed to. â€Å"I was thinking, while I was running†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused. â€Å"About not hitting the trees, I hope.† â€Å"Silly Bella,† he chuckled. â€Å"Running is second nature to me, it's not something I have to think about.† â€Å"Show-off,† I muttered again. He smiled. â€Å"No,† he continued, â€Å"I was thinking there was something I wanted to try.† And he took my face in his hands again. I couldn't breathe. He hesitated – not in the normal way, the human way. Not the way a man might hesitate before he kissed a woman, to gauge her reaction, to see how he would be received. Perhaps he would hesitate to prolong the moment, that ideal moment of anticipation, sometimes better than the kiss itself. Edward hesitated to test himself, to see if this was safe, to make sure he was still in control of his need. And then his cold, marble lips pressed very softly against mine. What neither of us was prepared for was my response. Blood boiled under my skin, burned in my lips. My breath came in a wild gasp. My fingers knotted in his hair, clutching him to me. My lips parted as I breathed in his heady scent. Immediately I felt him turn to unresponsive stone beneath my lips. His hands gently, but with irresistible force, pushed my face back. I opened my eyes and saw his guarded expression. â€Å"Oops,† I breathed. â€Å"That's an understatement.† His eyes were wild, his jaw clenched in acute restraint, yet he didn't lapse from his perfect articulation. He held my face just inches from his. He dazzled my eyes. â€Å"Should I†¦ ?† I tried to disengage myself, to give him some room. His hands refused to let me move so much as an inch. â€Å"No, it's tolerable. Wait for a moment, please.† His voice was polite, controlled. I kept my eyes on his, watched as the excitement in them faded and gentled. Then he smiled a surprisingly impish grin. â€Å"There,† he said, obviously pleased with himself. â€Å"Tolerable?† I asked. He laughed aloud. â€Å"I'm stronger than I thought. It's nice to know.† â€Å"I wish I could say the same. I'm sorry.† â€Å"You are only human, after all.† â€Å"Thanks so much,† I said, my voice acerbic. He was on his feet in one of his lithe, almost invisibly quick movements. He held out his hand to me, an unexpected gesture. I was so used to our standard of careful non-contact. I took his icy hand, needing the support more than I thought. My balance had not yet returned. â€Å"Are you still faint from the run? Or was it my kissing expertise?† How lighthearted, how human he seemed as he laughed now, his seraphic face untroubled. He was a different Edward than the one I had known. And I felt all the more besotted by him. It would cause me physical pain to be separated from him now. â€Å"I can't be sure, I'm still woozy,† I managed to respond. â€Å"I think it's some of both, though.† â€Å"Maybe you should let me drive.† â€Å"Are you insane?† I protested. â€Å"I can drive better than you on your best day,† he teased. â€Å"You have much slower reflexes.† â€Å"I'm sure that's true, but I don't think my nerves, or my truck, could take it.† â€Å"Some trust, please, Bella.† My hand was in my pocket, curled tightly around the key. I pursed my lips, deliberated, then shook my head with a tight grin. â€Å"Nope. Not a chance.† He raised his eyebrows in disbelief. I started to step around him, heading for the driver's side. He might have let me pass if I hadn't wobbled slightly. Then again, he might not have. His arm created an inescapable snare around my waist. â€Å"Bella, I've already expended a great deal of personal effort at this point to keep you alive. I'm not about to let you behind the wheel of a vehicle when you can't even walk straight. Besides, friends don't let friends drive drunk,† he quoted with a chuckle. I could smell the unbearably sweet fragrance coming off his chest. â€Å"Drunk?† I objected. â€Å"You're intoxicated by my very presence.† He was grinning that playful smirk again. â€Å"I can't argue with that,† I sighed. There was no way around it; I couldn't resist him in anything. I held the key high and dropped it, watching his hand flash like lightning to catch it soundlessly. â€Å"Take it easy – my truck is a senior citizen.† â€Å"Very sensible,† he approved. â€Å"And are you not affected at all?† I asked, irked. â€Å"By my presence?† Again his mobile features transformed, his expression became soft, warm. He didn't answer at first; he simply bent his face to mine, and brushed his lips slowly along my jaw, from my ear to my chin, back and forth. I trembled. â€Å"Regardless,† he finally murmured, â€Å"I have better reflexes.†

Functional Area Interrelationships Essay

The primary goal of this paper is to outline the functional area interrelationships of Kudler Fine Foods- a high-end, successful food store that feature some of the finest wines, cheese, produce, and pastries. Kudler has been in business for 15 years to date and target store locations that caters to the wealthy and cleaver shoppers. This paper will detail how Kudler strong mission, vision, values, and goals can be credited to the success of the company. Low high-end food cost for good quality food and store convenience is also key reasons for Kudler success. Kudler Fine Foods availability of upscale food choices within a customer’s state or country is massive and will be over-the-top accessible in every country via Internet. Kudler also had a strong collaboration process that ensured all objectives were convey clear and concise. The importance will set the tone of the company decision making and all agreements with all parties as to what they are to expect. Kudler Fine Foods stakeholders are those who makes up the company indirect or direct. This can be anywhere from customers, banks, to staff, all get a chance to share in the business success. Kudler keeps up with the going trends of society through strong marketing, and this is one other area that can be credited to their success. Functional Area Interrelationships Kudler Fine Foods is a specialty food store featuring the best domestic and imported foods including produce, cheeses, pastries, and wines. Kudler currently services three locations in the San Diego metropolitan area, La Jolla, Del Mar, and Encinitas. Each store is within a stylish shopping center and consists of approximately 8,000 square feet that provides ample room for their wide variety of specialty foods. This paper will detail Kudler’s primary reasons for existence, analyze the reason for the type of organizational structure, identify and explain the steps of the collaboration process. It will also identify the use of lateral and vertical collaboration and provide an example, and identifying the key stakeholders and the collaborative interactions among them to achieve success. Organization’s Existence Kudler Fine Foods mission states that they are committed to providing their customers with the finest selection of the very best foods and wines so that culinary visions can come true (Apollo Group, Inc., 2011). Their vision statement is in align with their mission statement in that â€Å"they want be the premiere gourmet grocery store for those savvy shoppers who are searching for the finest meats, produce, cheeses, and wine† (Apollo Group, Inc., 2011). Kudler’s primary reason for existence is a mixture of their mission and vision statements along with the values the company holds and is to offer customers an upscale shop that has many of the finest choices of foodstuff from around the world and is available at one convenient location. Kudler’s has strategic marketing goals in place to reach more customers through expansion, including the use of an Internet market. An increase in revenues as well as lowering costs are strategic moves for Kudler’s to make while holding true to their mission statement of providing the highest quality products available. Organizational Structure The most common types of organizational structures are chosen based on the company goals and strategic plans. Small businesses usually start with a flat organizational structure. The employees of various backgrounds share business decisions and responsibilities. Kudler Fine Foods was the result of a developed business plan after six months, when Kathy Kudler, the vice-president of another company, looked for new opportunities and to open the first store in June 18, 1998. Kudler Fine Foods has a product organizational structure commonly used in retail companies that have stores in various cities. Each city where they have a store still needs local human resources, managers, and marketing departments to carry out business functions locally. Kudler Fine Foods has different food departments from bakery, meat and seafood, cheese and diary, and wine. The diverse product lines may consider a product structure. Depending on the product expertise and top priority, taking the different aspects of the products and the variance of merchandise, are part of a product organization that focuses on a superior product quality, and with the extensive collection of fine foods that Kudler Fine Foods provide to their customers in their different locations. Collaboration Process In the collaboration process it is important to identify the right type of collaboration. For example, for Kudler Fine Foods it is better to have opened collaboration, vertical or horizontal collaboration. In the collaboration process, the company needs to make sure the objectives are clear, to understand the expectations, decision making, and agreements. The identification of the interested parties to meet the company objectives can understand the customer’s needs, interests, and expectations. The company must be willing to work with each individual for an honest, open atmosphere. It is important in the process of collaboration to create a deliberate structure that includes checkpoints, true information to engage in the process, and make decisions. Productive meetings and well defined structures can help the company as well as taking responsibility for planning, and using the appropriate technology for the benefit of the business. Kudler Fine Foods must have an open channel of communication with their customers by frequently providing surveys to the customers, what they can improve in the business and make the necessary changes to accomplish customers’ expectations and company goals. Possessing a strategy plan and reviewing the company goals is a key to having an action plan and a collaboration process, always to look for innovation, new technologies, and look how to expand business, and continue providing excellent service and gourmet products. Lateral and Vertical Collaboration Kudler Fine Foods strives to be the best at providing hard to find specialty foods; they offer the finest organic ingredients in meats, produce, cheeses, and wines (Apollo Group Inc., 2011). Kudler demonstrates vertical collaboration as the only specialty store in the area the products offer the customer a unique buying experience by striving to find the finest imported foods and wines that other stores do not carry. Kudler strives to be the best by catering to the customer’s needs, if there is a particular item the customer is looking for, Kudler works to bring that item to the customer. Kudler demonstrates lateral collaboration in the special organic foods they provide, Kudler purchases these products from local organic farmers where they give support to them as suppliers. Kudler also shows lateral collaboration buy hiring chefs and local celebrities to host in store parties that teach customers how to prepare specialty foods (Apollo Group Inc., 2011). Kudler should work on continuing to provide these specialized products as this the key to the business; they would do well in looking into the global market to provide items from different cultures as well as continuing to work with local suppliers. Key Stakeholders and Collaborative Interactions Stakeholders in a business are those that have an indirect or direct connection with the organization because of the effect by the organizations actions. The key stakeholders for Kudler fine foods are the staff, customers, wholesale suppliers, banks, competition, and Kathy Kudler the owner (Apollo Group Inc., 2011). The role of the stakeholders differs with the staff because it is critical to the operations as those interacting with the customers day-to-day. The customers are the reason for the business and provide for the business. The wholesale suppliers where the products come from and those that provide the quality for the customers. Banks give the credit that allows Kudler to conduct business. The competition keeps Kudler on their toes and makes them strive to be better. Kathy has the vision of the organization, is the main manager and controls the finances (Apollo Group Inc., 2011). Conclusion In conclusion, Kudler Fine Foods has its challenges to maintain one of the world’s finest food stores across the country and further for another 15 years. Their 8,000 square feet store that anchors within stylish shopping centers provides comfortable shopping for its customers. The sale of some of the finest diverse pastries, cheese, meat, dairy, etc. to a very diverse society on all four corners of the world took putting in place a strong collaboration process and dedicated stockholders. Because of those involved at the strategic planning stage gaining a clear understand as to what it was Kudler Fine Foods was trying to accomplish through goals, mission, and visions, the business remains successful to date. References Pearce, J. A. II, & Robinson, R. B. (2009). Strategic management: Formulation, implementation, and control (11th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Thompson, A. A., Gamble, J. E., & Strickland, A. J. (2006). Strategy: Winning in the marketplace: Core concepts, analytical tools, cases (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Kudler Fine Foods. Universioty of Phoenix Student Website. Retrieved from: https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/cist/vop/Business/Kudler2/intranet/index.asp Ross strategy. Collaborative process. Retrieved Aug 8, 2013 from: http://www.rossstrategic.com/collaborative. Suttle.R .( 2013) Chron. Types of Organizational Structure in Management. Retrieved August 8, from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/types-organizational-structure-management-2790.html Uren. S, (2013) Green Biz.com 5 Steps to successful collaboration. Retrieved Aug 8, 2013 from: http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2013/02/19/5-steps-successful-collaboration

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Not sure - suggest Wealth Management and Compliance in the UK - Essay Example These factors subject the historic wealth management attractiveness to low capital and low risks, but with high liquidity in the affected sectors (Fischer, Jonge, Ko, and Toepfer, 2013). The direct commercial effects of the vaulting regulatory costs include depreciation of the wealth management earnings, firms leaving or exiting the sector, and other firms withdrawing their products and services. Notably, these regulatory changes are affecting many businesses across the world; however, United Kingdom is one of the countries that the regulatory changes are affecting its firms. There are numerous regulatory measures in the United Kingdom, but the key regulatory measures that apply in the UK market space include Retail Distribution Review (RDR), (Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive the (AIFMD), and Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). The FSA created Retail Distribution Review programme in June 2006; however, the programme became operation in December 2012. The FSA’s agenda in creating the RDR is to protect the customer. This programme will affect firms all over re value chain including the product manufacturers. Nonetheless, the major firms that will be affected include the asset managers and insurers and distributors including IFA’s, bonks and wealth managers. The RDR’s main aims include driving the structural changes across the retail investment industry for the customers to have confidence on the products and services they offered (RBC Wealth Report, 2013; Pg. 28). In other words, the RDR compels the firms to provide services and products that suit the needs of consumers. The RDR changed several fundamental aspects of distribution of corporate pensions and investment products including state of advice, adviser changing, professionalism standards, and platforms (Lassignardie, 2013; Pg. 25) . The RDR regulations are currently affecting the distribution models and intermediary markets. On the other hand, the ejection of commission

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Problems and disadvantages of agile software development - Literature review Example Application of the software requires much input from individual and team members. Agile development requires constant adjustments to the processes for the purposes of reflecting situations as hand. In this case, the software requires individuals to constantly switch roles as needed alongside adapting to work environment. Such a domain makes processes secondary to people (Eran and Hillel, 2011). Additionally, agile does not allow for application of narrow responsibilities, policies, processes and multi-purpose methodologies. Consequently, there is much difficulty in merging agile with some organization cultures since it requires identification of a team capable of working independently from the rest (Highsmith and Cockburn, 2001). Those included in such a team are always not subject to same rules as the rest of the organization. At the same time, the constituted team cannot fit well within traditional organizational culture. The implementation of the software requires change in organi zational leadership and culture. Agile is considered a highly participative style of software development hence affecting efficiency of the processes owing to the number of participants involved. The software restricts the size of the team involved in a project which naturally extends project sizes. Barlow et al., (2011) asserts that agile team can be applicable in large projects where the project is sub-divided into relatively independent sub-projects. Such approach has negative consequences since it requires recruitment of higher-level project management capable of coordinating smaller teams (Rizwan, 2012). Development of agile software calls for sub-division of complex project based on architecture. Such division yields different results as opposed to division according to features. The software emphasizes on the use of face-to-face and spontaneous communication which limits its applications. In office environment it requires that the

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Argumentative Structure in A Long Way Gone and Sizwe's Test - A Comparative Study - Essay Example More importantly each of them have revealed an as yet undiscovered face to the causes that they explore – adding significantly to our understanding of them and their potency. The purpose of this paper is to discern the argumentative structure in either narration and to provide a comparative study based on specific examples from either. Very often, such a study in itself can be very fruitful towards understanding the works better as a pivotal change in narration, a particular emphasis on a style of argument that permeates a given work, or certain paragraph that stand out clearly in it’s narration as opposed to the rest of the text, add significantly to the depth of the work and subconsciously affects the reader’s enjoyment adding or subtracting from it as the case maybe. Before we proceed to the core of our discussion, it would be advisable to consider both works separately and understand the gist of their argument, as this would be important for understanding why a particular work has adopted a particular point of narration. A Long way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, written by Ishmael Beah, published in 2007, is an autobiographical account of the plight of boy soldiers in world’s conflicts and in particular tell this story from the war ravaged Sierra Leone. ... He presents his story in front of the United Nations where he meets many other people like him and story carries him to the United States where he begins a new life 2. The story tells the hardship of the life of boy soldiers, children who anywhere else in the world are still in the innocence of their childhood and hands that carry books haven’t yet the crassness of a knife. Sierra Leone opens before us in wonderful detail, with the layers of it’s social interaction being visible in greater strides finally dissolving into a medley of social interactions that we all can identify and relate to. Sizwe’s Test by Jonny Steinberg, published in 2008, tells the story of the AIDS epidemic in South Africa. No other country perhaps has been at the peril of this scourge as perhaps South Africa where one in eight men are HIV positive1. Steinberg is puzzled that despite this, most people do not get tested for HIV, nor do they adopt widespread safe sex practices. His story tells us the complex socio – economic realities in the suburban slum of Lusikisiki, thorugh the eyes of Sizwe – a local shop owner 3. The story begins and then proceeds at a casual tone of narration, getting the reader to the characters and the environment in which they live. Then they reveal in wider and ever expanding circles the layers of this semi-urban community and finally tells us why the people are so stigmatized about HIV. Sizwe has had unprotected sex with many women and is at great risk himself, but he refuses to get tested. He becomes the window through which Steinberg narrates the tale of Lusikisiki. The absolute lack of privacy, the fear of being shown as

The Final Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Roles of an Hr Manager Essay The administrative roles of human resource management include policy formulation and implementation, housekeeping, records maintenance, welfare administration, legal compliance etc. i. Policy maker: The human resource manager helps management in the formation of policies governing talent acquisition and retention, wage and salary administration, welfare activities, personnel records, working conditions etc. He also helps in interpreting personnel policies in an appropriate manner. ii. Administrative expert: The administrative role of an HR manager is heavily oriented to processing and record keeping. Maintaining employee files, and HR related databases, processing employee benefit claims, answering queries regarding leave, transport and medical facilities, submitting required reports to regulatory agencies are examples of the administrative nature of HR management. These activities must be performed efficiently and effectively to meet changing requirements of employees, customers and the government. iii. Advisor: It is said that personnel management is not a line responsibility but a staff function. The personnel manager performs his functions by advising, suggesting, counseling and helping the line managers in discharging their responsibilities relating to grievance redressal, conflict resolution, employee selection and training. Personnel advice includes preparation of reports, communication of guidelines for the interpretation and implementation of policies, providing information regarding labor laws etc. iv. Housekeeper: The administrative roles of a personnel manager in managing the show include recruiting, pre-employment testing, reference checking, employee surveys, time keeping, wage and salary administration, benefits and pension administration, wellness programmes, maintenance of records etc. v. Counselor: The personnel manager discusses various problems of the employees relating to work, career, their supervisors, colleagues, health, family, financial, social, etc. and advises them on minimizing and overcoming problems, if any. vi. Welfare officer: Personnel manager is expected to be the Welfare Officer of the company. As a Welfare officer he provides and maintains (on behalf of the company) canteens, hospitals, creches, educational institutes, clubs, libraries, conveyance facilities, co-operative credit societies and consumer stores. Under the Factories Act, Welfare officers are expected to take care of safety, health and welfare of employees. The HR managers are often asked to oversee if everything is in line with the company legislation and stipulation. vii. Legal consultant: Personnel manager plays a role of grievance handling, settling of disputes, handling disciplinary cases, doing collective bargaining, enabling the process of joint consultation, interpretation and implementation of various labor laws, contacting lawyers regarding court cases, filing suits in labor courts, industrial tribunals, civil courts and the like. In some organizations, the above administrative functions are being outsourced to external providers in recent times, with a view to increasing efficiency as also cutting operational costs. Technology is being put to good use to automate many of the administrative tasks. Operational Roles These roles are tactical in nature and include recruiting, training and developing employees; coordinating HR activities with the actions of managers and supervisors throughout the organization and resolving differences between employees. i. Recruiter: â€Å"Winning the war for talent† has become an important job of HR managers in recent times in view of the growing competition for people possessing requisite knowledge, skills and experience. HR managers have to use their experience to good effect while laying down lucrative career paths to new recruits without, increasing the financial burden to the company. ii. Trainer developer, motivator: Apart from talent acquisition, talent retention is also important. To this end, HR managers have to find skill deficiencies from time to time, offer meaningful training opportunities, and bring out the latent potential of people through intrinsic and extrinsic rewards which are valued by employees. iii. Coordinator/linking pin: The HR manager is often deputed to act as a linking pin between various divisions/departments of an organization. The whole exercise is meant to develop rapport with divisional heads, using PR and communication skills of HR executives to the maximum possible extent. iv. Mediator: The personnel manager acts as a mediator in case of friction between two employees, groups of employees, superiors and subordinates and employees and management with the sole objective of maintaining industrial harmony. v. Employee champion: HR managers have traditionally been viewed as ‘company morale officers’ or employee advocates. Liberalisation, privatisation and globalization pressures have changed the situation dramatically HR professionals have had to move closer to the hearts of employees in their own self interest. To deliver results they are now seriously preoccupied with: l Placing people on the right job. l Charting a suitable career path for each employee. l Rewarding creditable performance. l Resolving differences between employees and groups smoothly. l Adopting family-friendly policies. l Ensuring fair and equitable treatment to all people regardless of their background. l Striking a happy balance between the employees personal/professional as also the larger organisational needs. l Representing workers’ issues, problems and concerns to the management in order to deliver effective results HR managers have to treat their employees as valuable assets. Such an approach helps to ensure that HR practices and principles are in sync with the organisation’s overall strategy. It forces the organisation to invest in its best employees and ensure that performance standards are not compromised. Strategic Roles An organisation’s success increasingly depends on the knowledge, skills and abilities of its employees, particularly as they help establish a set of core competencies (activities that the firm performs especially well when compared to its competitors and through which the firm adds value to its goods and services over a long period of time, e.g. ONGC s oil exploration capabilities and Dells ability to deliver low cost, high-quality computers at an amazing speed) that distinguish an organisation from its competitors. When employees’ talents are valuable, rare, difficult to imitate and organised, a firm can achieve sustained competitive advantage through its people. The strategic role of HR management focuses attention on how to enable ordinary employees to turn out extraordinary performance, taking care of their ever-changing expectations. The key areas of attention in this era of global competition include effective management of key Resources (employees, technology, work processes), while delivering cost effective, valueenhancing solution.

Solid Waste Management Techniques For Jalgaon City Environmental Sciences Essay

Solid Waste Management Techniques For Jalgaon City Environmental Sciences Essay Solid waste management in India has become a major environmental issue of study increasing environmental concerns and interest in material and energy conservation have lead to increasing advancement in management of solid waste over the past two decades. This paper attempts to put together available information and analyze the problem of solid waste. Proper management of solid municipal waste can play an important role in generation of social, economic and environmental benefits. This paper revolves around the urban solid waste also outlines a solid waste management in Jalgaon city. This paper discusses various future projections for estimating the growth of MSW and the impact of such growth. This paper concludes about collection, transportation and disposal of solid waste for Jalgaon city. The conclusion and recommendation will helpful in disposing of solid waste in scientific manner for Jalgaon City. Keywords: Solid waste management, Environmental issues, future projections. INTRODUCTION In last few years in Jalgaon city the increase in solid waste management plays significant role. This is because of rapid economic development and rapid increase in population in Jalgaon city. This trend is due to change in the living standards of Indian peoples, changing lifestyle and food habits. The municipal council in Jalgaon city therefore, facing the problem of reinforcing their available manpower, equipments and machineries for excellent municipal solid waste management. Solid waste management is undoubtedly an increasingly important element in terms of efficiency and profitability for any municipality, particularly in Jalgaon City. Its especially complex dimension is a result not only of the direct relationship with a number of factors that originate the living standard of a society, but also of our continuously rising consuming lifestyle which analogically enhances the existing operational difficulties. Waste collection transportation is one of the major parts of the process of solid waste management which consists of generation, collection, transportation, treatment and final disposal [3]. It is statistically proved that a major proportion of the total cost for solid waste management is spent into municipal solid waste collection transportation and disposal. Having pinpointed the economic significance of waste collection transportation and disposal, it is equally important to underline that it is also one of the most difficult operational probl ems faced by local authorities in Jalgaon city. The sheer enormity of the project dictates that well organized, well managed teams perform the necessary duties on a daily basis, in order to sustain the demanding hygienic standards that are expected by the Jalgaon citys residents. URBAN SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT Due to rapid industrialization in urban areas huge quantity of municipal solid waste and e-waste is generated. During the mid seventies the per capita solid waste generated lies in between 100 to 350 gm/day for Indian cities whereas in late eighties, it ranges in between 300 to 530 gm/day. Presently the per capita solid waste and e-waste generated daily in developing country like India ranges about 150 gm in small villages to 550 gm in large town [1]. The urban population is currently about one quarter of total population. The collection of waste is tedious problem as house hold waste are thrown outside in the streets and also due to narrow lanes, the smaller vehicles to collect the waste can reach only to the selected accessible points. Hence, unskilled labours are used to sweep the narrow streets and collect the waste and garbage. Though unskilled labours rates are relatively less due to large scale manpower it is estimated that India spends five times as much on sweeping as on refuse collection[2]. Poor motivation of workers, inadequacy of supervisory and management skills at local government levels are leading causes of low productivity. The problem needs to pay attention at proper levels. The three Rs of waste management namely Reduce, Recycle and Recover. The recycling is achieved through kabaries (peoples handling waste) who goes to door to door and collect bottles, broken plastics, metals, waste papers, etc. this material is recycled for manufacturing the secondary product. 2.1 Land filling Like other cities in Jalgaon city most of the waste is used for land filling. The methods followed are not in keeping with modern practices for sanitary land filling. The municipal solid waste is directly dumped on land filling area. This dumping is normally done in depressions which are prone to flooding. Due to this surface water contamination causes due to flooding of such low laying areas and also the ground water pollution causes due to dumping of such waste. Diversion of land for waste disposal is impossible since areas with the largest concentration of solid waste would also be the areas with serious scarcity of vacant lands. This causes ill-effect on the health on the community residing nearby, causes bad odor and the community nearby liable to fear of explosion of methane gas that can accumulated at land fill sites[3], which significantly contributes to global warming. 2.2 Composting The excellent option for solid waste management is composting for urban solid waste in India [4]. The composting may be by aerobic or anaerobic decomposition. In urban solid waste in India a huge quantity of organic content and moisture is present. Conceptually, the idea of composting is appealing as it helps to recycle the nutrients back to the land. Composting process requires segregation of material which is achieved by recycling by kabadies. The composting however still remains strong option for small and medium towns. Semi-mechanized aerobic composting is suitable to reduce the waste volume in the towns. 2.3 Incineration Incineration is the most important treatment method for destruction of all high calorific and highly toxic solid waste. High temperature incineration at 12000C mineralizes all kinds of organic material in solid waste [4]. Nearly 99.99% of various compounds are destructed. Incineration serves dual purpose of reduction of toxicity and the volume of the waste which is an important consideration when the disposal of waste is finally destined for landfills. The technology for incineration is not available indigenously and import options are highly capital intensive. 2.4 Anaerobic digestion [4] For high moisture and organic content of Indian Wastes, the anaerobic digestion is another suitable option. However, there are no ready technologies for processing heterogeneous material such as urban solid waste. The existing methods are suitable to homogeneous materials. The cost of cleaning and separating mixed heterogeneous wastes are likely to be high. A good way to avoid these problems is to intercept suitable wastes at the point of generation before it is mixed with other wastes. Kitchen and vegetable market wastes are largely suited for this purpose. These wastes can be collected and treated at source, if space permits. The resulting bio-gas can be used for captive energy use such as lighting and cooking etc. few bio-gas systems are currently available to treat wastes of fruit and vegetable origin. Though currently unfeasible as a large scale option, bio-gas systems can effectively handle localized and specific wastes and contribute to environment friendly disposal of wastes. THE CASE OF JALGAON CITY The Jalgaon Municipal limit covers an area of 68.24sqkm, out of which 11.45sqkm is the old municipal limit and 56.79sqkm is the extended additional area. This indicates that the Municipal territorial jurisdiction has increased more than four times i.e. from 11.45sqkm to 68.24sqkm. The overall population density of Jalgaon city, according to 2001 census5 is 53.94 inhabitant/hectares. The population of Jalgaon city will grow from 3, 68,000 in 2001 to 8,55,821 in 2033 as per the table 1 shown below. The population of Jalgaon city will increase nearly 43% till 2033. The municipal solid waste generated in the city is 226 tons/day as shown in Table (3). TABLE (1) Population Projection [6] Method Population Projection Geometric rate of increase 2001 2006 2011 2021 2033 368000 430903 530607 693214 855821 With rapid urbanization, industrialization and population growth the municipal solid waste (MSW) which has been a problem in past has become a serious threat in recent years and the situation is going to be worst in coming years if appropriate measures are not taken immediately, keeping in view the seriousness of the issue and its linkages with the economic growth, environmental degradation and health hazards. Dumping the waste as a waste has two fold negative implications. On the other hand, it pollutes the air, water and land resulting in diseases and destruction of human habitat. Garbage collection and disposal, as SWM was known earlier, constituted an obligatory function of the municipalities and continues to be so. As per the guidelines of Honorable Supreme Court of March 1999 and Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, September 2000, solid waste management system has been recognized. However, comprehensive rules at the national level came to be framed only after the Supreme Court passed orders in the public interest. The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) notified the Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules in September 2000 and they are applicable to every municipal body in the country. It was mandatory for the city of Jalgaon also to revamp its SWM services, since there is a need to make substantial improvement in the SWM practices prevailing in the city to meet the standards. It was necessary to address this problem systematically by going into all aspects of the Solid Waste Management (SWM) and devise a simple but cost effective system which must ensure desired level of collection, transportation and disposal. The civic services in the city of Jalgaon are managed by Jalgaon City Municipal Corporation. Managing solid waste generated in the city collection, transportation and its safe disposal is one of the most priority area of attention for improvement of the Municipal Solid Waste Management in light of the MSW Rules 2000. Like most of the cities towns in India, this service falls short of the desired level in Jalgaon as the present systems adopted are outdated and inefficient to meet the standards (MSW Rules 2000). Lot of factors contribute to this present status, the main being lack of knowledge and improper choice of technology coupled with a lack of long term planning. Jalgaon City Municipal Corporation has initiated the process of taking correctiv e measures by implementing a new collection and transportation system along with processing and disposal system comparable to those of modern era. Figure. 1. Solid Waste Disposal Sites [5] 3.1 Existing Status of Collection and Disposal The Jalgaon City Municipal Corporation is responsible for collection, disposal and management of MSW within the city. Due to rapid urbanization and increase in population waste collection and its transportation and disposal is a challenging task to the urban local bodies. No specific land was reserved for compost depot in the sanctioned development plan of the old city limits. The waste generated is disposed in an unscientific manner. The manpower and transport system is inadequate for the waste management of the city. The solid waste generated in the city mainly consists of domestic refuse (including slum area), waste from commercial areas, vegetable and fruit markets, slaughter houses, bio-medical wastes, wastes from hotels and restaurants and industrial solid wastes [7]. The waste generation is large in the high-income groups followed by middle and low-income group. TABLE (2) Physical composition of solid waste in Jalgaon city[5] Sr. No. Physical Composition Income Groups (%) LIG MIG HIG 1 Compostable 45.0 72.2 68.0 2 Paper 4.5 4.25 5.5 3 Plastic 3.5 2.9 3.6 4 Glass 0.9 0.0 09.0 5 Metal 0.5 0.0 0.5 6 Rag 5.4 0.13 1.7 7 Earthen matter 40.0 20.3 11.4 8 Leather 0.2 0.22 0.3 The average collection efficiency for MSW in Indian Cities is about 72.5% and around 70% of the cities lack adequate waste transport capacities (TERI 1998). Open dumping of garbage facilitates the breeding for disease vectors such flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, rats and other pests (CPCB 2000) FUTURE SCENARIO Waste generation and its impacts in India, the amount of waste generated per capita is estimated to increase at a rate of 1% 1.33% annually [8]. The calculated value of per capita waste generation in 1997 is 0.468 kg. It is estimated that the total waste quantity generated in 2047 would be approximately above 260 million tones more than five times the present level. Generation of waste in Jalgaon City The Jalgaon Municipal area is subdivided in 16 health units for collection and transportation of waste. The average per capita waste generation is 0.491kg/capita/day [12]. The amount of waste generated is about 226 tons per day as shown in Table (3). Proposed Technological Inventions Jalgaon city has lagged behind in terms of adopting technologies for solid waste management. In particular, collection, treatment and disposal of waste require urgent consideration. Collection of waste The preferred option would be to revamp the existing collection service structure to provide community with waste bins, conveniently placed for the people to deposit domestic waste, and door to door collection of waste [9]. Solid waste treatment and disposal techniques Disposal is a no alternative option because it is the last functional element in the solid waste management system and ultimate fate of all waste that are of no further value. Proper segregation of waste would lead to better options and opportunities for its scientific disposal [10]. Recyclable for example, could be straightway transported to recycling units, which, in turn, would pay the corporation for it, thereby increasing their income. Finally, the inert material that will be required to be sent to landfill would be of much lower quantity compared to un-segregated waste, consequently increasing the life of our existing disposal facilities. Segregation should be done into following ways for Jalgaon city, Wet organic matter Composting Dry organic matter Fuel bricks Plastic items Recycling Construction waste Paving blocks Scrap materials Recycling Inert other materials Land filling Strategic Planning (Flow Diagram) For SWM For Jalgaon City Dry Organic Matter Plastic Items Construction Waste Scrap Materials Inert and other Building Materials Wet Organic Matter Composting Fuel Bricks Recycling Paving Blocks Recycling Land filling Segregation Waste Disposal Site TS- 1 TS- 1 TS- 1 TS- 1 HU-2 HU-12 HU-13 HU-14 HU-1 HU-3 HU-4 HU-16 HU-5 HU-6 HU-7 HU-8 HU-9 HU-10 HU-11 HU-15 Figure 2. Strategic Planning (Flow Diagram) For SWM For Jalgaon City Solid Waste Collection, Transportation Model for Jalgaon City Collection Home to Home Collection Mechanical Road Swiping Manual Road Swiping Bulk Generator Litter Bins Transfer Station (Compactor) Transportation Processing and Disposal Processing Unit Segregation Wet Organic Matter Wet Organic Matter Dry Organic Matter Plastic Items Construction Waste Scrap Material Inert and other Building Material Fuel Bricks Recycling Paving Blocks Recycling Land filling Figure 3. Solid Waste Collection, Transportation Model for Jalgaon City Composting Composting is one system which transforms the biodegradable organic material into biologically stable material and in the process reduce the organic volume of waste; to destroy pathogens, insects eggs and other unwanted organisms and weed seed that may be present in municipal solid waste and to retain the maximum nutrient (NPK) content and to produce a product that can be used to support plant growth and as soil amendment [11]. The solid waste from Jalgaon city has been found to contain on an average range of 30 to 40% biodegradable matter. Apart from it, the CN ratio of waste (i.e. 20) on average is within range required for composting i.e. 20 to 25% [11] It was estimated that depending on locality and climate 450 to 500kg of compost can be produced from 1 tons of waste. Based on above discussion it is recommended that composting can be considered as safe, economic disposal method of municipal solid waste generated from Jalgaon city. Dry organic matter may be used for preparation of fuel bricks as energy source. After segregation of solid waste recyclable items are separated out and resource can be utilized for paving blocks. Land filling Solid waste management may be used to improve natural features by raising the level of low lying land to enable it to be used for cultivation or industrial development. The percentage of inert, inorganic and non-biodegradable organic matter is present in adequate quantity in solid waste of Jalgaon city and as for as this quantity is concerned the use of sanitary land filling seems alternative to use as means of disposal land filling method is cheapest method of refuse disposal. TABLE (3) Total Waste Generation for Jalgaon City [5] Health Unit Nature of Generators And Expected Quantity in Kilograms 0.491 / Capita / Day Residents Families Commercial Property Hotels Road Sweeping Debris Nos Quantity of Waste Generated in Kg Nos Quantity of Waste Generated in Kg Nos Quantity of Waste Generated in Kg Length of the Road in Km Quantity of Waste Generated in Kg 1 7555 14221 22 5.87 4 72.28 21.37 1942.11 2 7020 10377 265 70.76 10 180.7 39.49 3588.85 3 5821 10474 2704 721.97 44 795.08 24.26 2204.75 4 5012 9019 4569 1219.92 45 813.15 15.6 1417.73 5 4456 8020 163 43.52 1 18.07 9.06 823.37 6 5714 10286 589 157.26 40 722.8 31.52 2864.54 7 3766 6639 1490 397.83 75 1355.25 16.81 1527.69 8 6166 11096 747 199.45 30 542.1 27.12 2464.67 9 3905 8604 379 101.19 5 90.35 22.07 2005.72 10 11565 20277 1354 361.52 18 325.26 30.62 2782.75 11 6633 11939 209 55.8 11 198.77 28.81 2618.25 12 8374 14653 372 99.32 40 722.8 34.67 3150.81 13 3430 6173 766 204.52 27 487.89 23.05 2094.78 14 10726 19307 383 102.26 9 162.63 29.23 2656.42 15 2375 3816 823 219.74 14 252.98 27.76 2522.83 16 6070 12066 144 38.45 9 162.63 38.12 3464.35 98588 176967 14979 3999.39 382 6902.74 419.56 38129.61 Total Waste Generation in Tones: 226 CONCLUSION Based on physical composition and characteristics of solid waste in Jalgaon city composting can effectively handle solid waste containing wet organic matter in Jalgaon city. For collection of solid waste door to door collection system will be effective one, vehicle. For that purpose Jalgaon city must be divided into 16 health units four transfer stations are recommended. After segregation of solid waste wet organic matter must be used for composting dry organic material to be used for for fuel bricks, plastic items, iron items, scrap material to be used for recycling pupose. Inert and other building material should be used for land filling. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The literature reviewed in this paper is the part of ongoing thesis work named Solid waste management techniques for Jalgaon city at SGB University, Amravati under the guidance of Prof. M. Iqbal. The author thanks the Principal, J. T. M. C. O. E. Faizpur, Dist- Jalgaon for extending all facilities for conducting the research work.

The Womens Ordination Movement Theology Religion Essay

The Womens Ordination Movement Theology Religion Essay The question of whether or not women should be ordained set apart for religious leadership and/or to administrate certain religious rites has been present within Christian and Jewish groups since early in U.S. history. Women are regularly ordained within some religious groups. Others restrict ordination to men. Others continue to debate the question. Though U.S. Protestants did not first ordain women until the 1800s, women had for a long time prior to that been religious leaders both in their churches and in the public square. Perhaps one of the most famous examples of this is found in the story of Anne Hutchinson, who in the 1630s in Massachusetts challenged male authorities by holding meetings with women to discuss her pastors sermons. Her actions led to a trial, a conviction, and banishment to Rhode Island. While many women during this era exercised religious leadership, it was not until the mid-1800s that a woman was formally ordained to Christian leadership. Congregationalist Antoinette Brown was ordained in 1853 when she was called to become pastor of a church in New York. Unitarian Universalist leader, Olympia Brown, was ordained about a decade later, in 1863, and AME Zion minister, Mary Jane Small, was ordained in 1898. These ordinations of women and others that followed are indicative of significant changes that occurred in the mid-1800s and early 1900s in the roles of women in religious and public life. These changes were not without controversy as exemplified by the contentious debates that emerged as some groups supported and others vehemently opposed the ordination of women. The theologies and/or polities of some Christian groups and denominations afforded women early access to ordination. For example, the Quakers insistence that all people are equal before God provided support for those who sought gender equity in churches and society; as a result, though Quakers did not formally ordain anyone to ministry in favor of recording ministers, they did acknowledge women as authoritative preachers. The group known as the Shakers that emerged in the 18th century not only sprung up under leadership of a woman, Ann Lee, but also believed that Jesus would return to earth as a woman. Northern Baptists (later known as American Baptists) likewise demonstrated early support of women as preachers by supporting the ordination of Edith Hill in 1897, setting the stage for a continuation of the practice within that Baptist group. Also, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many Holiness and Pentecostal groups regularly ordained women. In addition to these pioneers in the movement are other traditions, including Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and the United Church of Christ, who in the twentieth century engendered and then formalized support for the ordination women. These traditions often faced inner conflicts over the question of ordaining women. In the late 1960s, for example, three Lutheran bodies (the Lutheran Church in America, the American Lutheran Church, and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod), held a consultation on the ordination of women but were unable to reach a consensus. Both the Lutheran Church in America and the American Lutheran Church eventually approved the ordination of women. The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod experienced significant upheaval over the issue and over other issues having to do with scriptural authority and interpretation. The conflict resulted in the formation of a new denomination, the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, for med in 1987 by a merger of the Lutheran Church in America, the American Lutheran Church, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church, from its inception ordained both women and men. The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod continues to limit ordination to men. Other Christian groups, for example, many Baptists and the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, have consistently opposed the ordination of women. Many Baptist groups and congregations also deny women ordination, though Baptist polity allows for each local church to determine its own belief and practice. In 1964, Addie Davis became the first Southern Baptist woman to be ordained. In the early 1980s, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) passed a resolution stating that offices requiring ordination are restricted to men. Supporters of this resolution point to sections of a denominational statement of beliefs, The Baptist Faith and Message, that states the following: [The churchs] scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture (The Baptist Faith and Message, 2000). While this is an official SBC stance, neither denominational resolutions nor Baptist Fait h and Message statements are binding upon local congregations. Thus, decisions about ordaining women finally reside with each SBC church. Groups who oppose womens ordination do so primarily on the basis of their interpretations of biblical texts. Arguments include, generally, the perspectives that the New Testament does not report the existence of any women pastors, that pastors who represent the people before God should, like Christ, be male, that New Testament guidelines for church order do not include instructions that specify women, and that some New Testament texts forbid women to be pastors or have roles of authority over men (i.e. I Timothy 2:11-12). Those who support womens ordination also voice arguments based on biblical interpretation. For example, evidence exist in Old and New Testament texts of times when women exercised leadership over both males and females; and Paul stated clearly in Galatians 3:27-28 a theology of gender equity (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus). A number of biblical scholars and theologians, including feminist scholars, have emphasized biblical examples of womens leadership and gender equity. Some Hebrew Bible scholars argue on the basis of their reading of Genesis 1 and 2 that both genders are created equally in Gods image. Protestant supporters include in their arguments the traditional Protestant emphasis on the priesthood of all believers. The late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries have witnessed a resurgence of the debate over womens ordination. By the end of the twentieth century, many Protestant and Jewish groups accepted women in the role of pastoral leader or rabbi. Some groups, however, continued to oppose womens ordination and for some of those groups the debate has intensified. The 2000 revision of the Baptist Faith and Message, cited above, has reignited and intensified the debate amongst Baptists as proponents of ordination argue that the 2000 language about women leaders is anti-woman and opponents insist that the revision only underscores a biblical mandate that while women and men are of equal value, the role of pastor is restricted to men. The 1963 Baptist Faith and Message, which the 2000 version revises, does not include a statement limiting the pastoral office to men. Moderate Baptist groups such as the Alliance of Baptists, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and the American Baptist Churches , U.S.A. take a more proactive and supportive stance toward ordaining women. In recent decades, the debate has also intensified within the Roman Catholic tradition. Throughout the 1970s, Roman Catholics debated whether or not the priesthood should be open to women. A final ruling on this question was published in the Vaticans 1976 Declaration on the Question of the Admission Women to the Ministerial Priesthood; the Declaration stated that the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith judges it necessary to recall that the Church, in fidelity to the example of the Lord, does not consider herself authorized to admit women to priestly ordination. Throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, support nevertheless grew for the ordination of women to the Roman Catholic priesthood. Early in the 1990s, Vatican leaders began to take actions they hoped would quiet public support for womens ordination. These actions included pronouncements against ordaining women as well as disciplinary actions against individuals who advocated openly for womens ordination. Pope John Paul II issued a statement in 1994 underscoring the teaching of the 1976 Declaration and further stating that the teaching was not open to debate. The 1990s also saw debate sparked within the ranks of those Roman Catholics who supported womens ordination. Notably, feminist biblical scholar Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza argued at a 1995 Womens Ordination Conference that women should aim not for ordination but rather for a discipleship of equals that resisted the overwhelming patriarchy of the Roman Catholic Church (Schussler Fiorenza, 1983). Others at the conference maintained a stance in favor of womens ordination. In the initial decades of the twenty-first century, the debate over womens ordination continues within the Roman Catholic Church. The issue of womens ordination has also stirred controversy within Jewish communities. The question was first posed in 1889 by Mary M. Cohen in Jewish Exponent: Could not our women be ministers? (Nadell, 1988, 1). In 1972, many years after the publication of this question, the Sally Jane Priesand became the first female rabbi within Reform Judaism in the U.S. Amy Eilberg in 1985 became the first woman received into the rabbinate within Conservative Judaism. To date, no women have become rabbis within Orthodox Judaism, though debate over the question continues within that Jewish sector. Other religious groups in the U.S. also debate what roles women can hold. For example, a controversy currently exists among Muslims over to what extent women can act as imams; most agree that while women can lead a gathering of women in prayer, women cannot lead a mixed gender group in prayer. Jehovahs Witnesses consider all persons ordained upon public baptism. Women are commonly appointed as full time ministers in order to evangelize or to serve as missionaries. However, the roles of deacon and elder as well as the authority to perform baptisms, funerals or weddings are restricted to male Witnesses. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints does not ordain women but the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints adopted the practice in 1984. Several organizations have emerged over time to support women clergy. One of the earliest was the Womans Ministerial Conference, founded in 1893 in Boston, Massachusetts. The International Association of Women Preachers was founded in 1919 by M. Madeline Southard, a Methodist minister from Kansas. Both of these groups supported women who believed they had a call to preach and advocated publicly for women in religious leadership. The Women Church movement, which began in the U.S. in the 1970s primarily to support Roman Catholic women who sought ordination, has kept alive ecumenical dialogue about the ordination of women as well as about other ecclesial and societal issues that impact the lives of women. Jill Crainshaw See also Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Feminism, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Rosemary Radford Ruether, Southern Baptist Convention, Women-Church Movement. Sources Keller, Rosemary Skinner, and Rosemary Radford Ruether, eds. Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2006. Keller, Rosemary Skinner, and Rosemary Radford Ruether, eds. In Our Own Voices: Four Centuries of Womens Religious Writing. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1995. Nadall, Pamela. Women Who Would Be Rabbis: A History of Womens Ordination, 1889-1995. Boston: Beacon Press, 1988. Reid, Daniel G., ed. Dictionary of Christianity in America. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1990. Schussler Fiorenza, Elisabeth. Discipleship of Equals: A Critical Feminist Ekklesialogy of Liberation. New York: Crossroad Publishing Co., 1983.