How organizations manage resistance to change

How organizations manage resistance to change Severe competitive and economic pressures that organizations face today were unthinkable a few decades ago. In order to shed excess costs and to respond more nimbly to customers and competitors, they are being urged to adopt new organizational forms, tightened inter organizational linkages and improved management practices (cf. Miles and Snow 1980, Johnston and Lawrence, 1988). Any change in organization is followed by a kind of resistance from its employees. In this assignment a few methods that can be used to overcome change in the organization are described. Technology developments, social and demographic shifts, competition of changing market and economic issues, tend an organization to implement change in it as well. The rapid and dynamic change in market has increased consumerism. Whether it is an automobile industry or cosmetic industry or IT industry, consumer today has lots of choices these days that they need not have to wait for longer for any product. This changing market scenario imparts a message to managing bodies that the way of work should also change with the changing market. From managerial point of view a change is referred to as change in work pattern, work routine and work culture inside the working atmosphere. Change is normally a reaction to changing commercial, technological, economical, structural and strategic environment in which the company operates (Barbara Senior, Organizational Change). For example; departmentalization, job redesign, implementation of an international division are the examples of structural c hanges whereas work processes, methods and equipments are technological changes. Change should be welcomed as it can produce positive benefits for the individuals, bring opportunities for personal change and development, reduces boredom of work, provides new challenges and an opportunity to participate and shape the outcome. But unfortunately as change is accompanied by resistance, it is very important that the Change Manager anticipate and plan strategies for dealing with resistance not only at the introduction of change but also for monitoring the change over long term (Ronald, G and Smith, J 1995). It is helpful to understand why people resist change, because understanding this allows us to plan strategies to reduce resistance from the beginning. Kotter and Schlesinger identified the basic reasons of resistance to change are communication gap and inadequate information that creates misunderstanding, sense of insecurity, different assessment of situation and disagreement over advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, individuals are more concerned with the implic ations for themselves (Management by Robbins and Coulter). Organizations do not change, individuals do. No matter how large is the project you are taking on, the success of project ultimately lies with each employee doing their work differently multiplied across all of employees impacted by the change (Web 1). Individual barriers to change include- tradition and set ways; loyalty to existing relationships; failure to accept the need for change; insecurity; preference for the existing arrangements; break up of work groups; different person ambitions; fear of power; skills and income; inability to perform as well in the new situation as for example, when quality control methods based on statistical models were introduced into manufacturing units, the quality control department have to learn the new methods. Some may fear that they will be unable to do so and may develop negative attitude towards the change or perform poorly if required to use the new methods. Sometimes change is resisted because of failures in the way it is introduced to the e mployees and the management fails to explain the need for change and its future benefits. Poor employer relations, lack of involvement in process and failure to offer support and training for the introduced change are the other reasons for change resistance (Web 2). Resisting change takes many forms (Web 3) and the more obvious form is of active resistance, objection and refusal to cooperate with the change occurs. Sometimes, resistance appears to be individual and sometimes it is clearly situational. It may be passive in which colleagues agree to a change but are unwilling or unable to implement something new. This subtle form of resistance is dealt with more difficulty. For example, at a staff meeting everyone agrees to follow a new procedure, but after several weeks it is being discovered that the procedure has not been implemented yet. Another example of this kind is the introduction of new computers at the new place but virtually no one is using them for the purpose for which they are intended, since the staff had their own machines. The employee consents to change by agreeing to it but later he only changes to appear cooperative, but in fact he is doing most things the way he was before the change. At the moment the change program is announced, many employees will employ tactics to protect themselves, their turf, and ultimately their place in the organization.  Some will aggressively challenge the necessity for change. This is a time waster and thus prevents critical objectives from being met. Every person who facilitates the change process must work diligently to build consensus. The employee must be assured that every idea is worth considering. If anyone argues, he or she can be asked to explain why he or she feels the way they do and ask for three or four suggestions for making the process work.  Some managers and members of the leadership team will avoid change by passively refusing the commitment to the process. Often these leaders will resist the change effort by being unavailable for meetings, denying resources, or withholding feedback. The leadership is a particularly difficult foe, because change efforts often require the use of resources managed by the l eadership, such as time and money. Without these resources change efforts are likely to fail. Accountability with consequences is the primary means for assuring leadership participation. Many employees and organizational leaders search for personal or professional diversions during the change process that will ultimately hinder the effort. A distracted individual can undermine the change effort by not being present physically or mentally when his or her critical input is needed. Not being mindful of change creates an unnecessarily difficult experience for every member of the team. Such carelessness calls to mind the wasted energy expended when one runs against the wind. Change efforts provide an opportunity for every one affected to secure a new place in the organization or make a decision to seek a better fit elsewhere. Ken Hultman argues that while no-one is a perfect change agent, managers have to be impeccable role models for bringing up a successful change. The essential attributes of such a person include the ability to be a clear thinker who is able to get a view about organizational situation and reach at logical conclusions. Hultman suggests few things in creating the right environment for change to occur. Firstly we must do things to establish a positive climate (p172) and secondly we must attempt to create environmental conditions that encourage an interest in improvement. Managers must demonstrate that how changes will improve employees circumstances and that there are opportunities in the change such as enabling colleagues to increase their knowledge and skills leading to genuine achievements and progress They must cultivate a value for collaborative working among staff and colleagues need each other to complete their tasks, it is easier to develop values of co-operation and mutuality. W hatever are the circumstances management must stay calm. At the heart of Hultmanà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s analysis is a set of humanistic values along with an assumption that one cannot even hope to influence another colleague without firstly demonstrating that they will have their needs met in some way. It is likely to be counterproductive by getting impatient, exasperated and angry. Being a change manager it is his/her duty to reduce the resistance towards change and towards change and to increase the enthusiasm and level of commitment for the change. While likely to encounter the people who resist change, people who welcome change will also be encountered and by knowing the reasons for their acceptance to change, the communication plan will be better formulated. People will accept change when they see possibility that they will gain something from the change. The gain may be either personal like, money; increased job security; status; self satisfaction; less effort and time and gain in better personal contact or other like it provides new challenges, likeness of the source, reduction in boredom etc. In order to reduce resistance to change, the manager should involve people affected by change, actively seeking their thoughts and reactions to proposed changes. They must develop a proper attitude towards resistance to change and realize that it is neither good nor bad. The best way to minimize resistance to change is to involve those responsible for implementing it and those affected by it. People are more motivated towards successful completion when they feel that they are the valued participants in planning and implementing the change. Also ensure that people from all the levels of organization are involved in planning the change process and they should be listened carefully. In the early stages, manager should not launch into lengthy diatribes justifying the change as people are not interested in that. They want to be heard and have their concerns attended to. They must recognize that it takes time to work through reactions to change. Then people should be engaged in dialogue ab out the change. They should do this only after understanding the specific concerns of others completely. Change must be realistic, achievable and measurable. Communication and education is helpful method to sort out the things when resistance is due to lack of information or inappropriate information and analysis. Though time consuming, this method provides great employee support if persuaded. When cause of resistance is difficulty in adjustment to changes, management support and facilitation do work at times. This is expensive and still unreliable way to overcome the change. Manipulation of some information is necessary some times in order to avoid negative reactions by the employee. The people that easily accept changes and get adapted to changing atmosphere can set an example for others and hence they follow the suit. Therefore, they should be the first target of change program. Three basic steps- planning, implementation, and evaluation of outcomes of both the plan and implementation are involved in the change process. Resistance to change should be dealt ideally with planning and early stages of implementation. For proper planning for change, a manager must consider about how and when the change is needed and the way it should be communicated to the employees for their better support. Managers should pay attention to the focus of change, the amount of change, and the rate of change in order to implement change. Evaluation of outcomes of change is also very important as all the change efforts are result oriented. If change is not monitored, its effectiveness cannot be measured. This can be done by collecting data and comparing the results against original goals. To wind up at the end of an interesting discussion we can conclude that a degree of resistance is normal since change is disruptive and stressful but in general, most people have mixed reactions towards purposed change, so the change agents can be helpful in highlighting the positive aspects in realistic manner. Although most people feel comfortable with minor changes, no one can live and work by yesterdayà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s reality. Managers must reduce change in very effective, meaningful and healthy way without hurting the sentiments of the employees. By providing resources to support the changes, allowing enough time and flexibility and with the widespread commitment of people throughout the organization, change efforts will succeed. (2) Hultman, K. (1998), Making Change Irresistible: Overcoming resistance to change in your organisation, Davies-Black Publishing, Palo Alto

The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion Chapter Twelve

Stefan heard a voice whisper, soft with pain, â€Å"Oh, no.† A voice that he'd never thought to hear again, that he would never forget. Ripples of chills poured over his skin, and he could feel a shaking start inside him. He turned toward the voice, his attention fixing instantly, his mind almost shutting down because it couldn't cope with so many sudden driving emotions at once. His eyes were blurred and could only discern a wash of radiance like a thousand candles. But it didn't matter. He could feel her there. The same presence he had sensed the very first day he'd come to Fell's Church, a golden white light that shone into his consciousness. Full of cool beauty and searing passion and vibrant life. Demanding that he move toward it, that he forget everything else. Elena. It was really Elena. Her presence pervaded him, filling him to his fingertips. All his hungry senses were fixed on that wash of luminance, searching for her. Needing her. Then she stepped out. She moved slowly, hesitantly. As if she could barely make herself do it. Stefan was caught in the same paralysis. Elena. He saw her every feature as if for the first time. The pale gold hair floating about her face and shoulders like a halo. The fair, flawless skin. The slender, supple body just now canted away from him, one hand raised in protest. â€Å"Stefan,† the whisper came, and it was her voice. Her voice saying his name. But there was such pain in it that he wanted to run to her, hold her, promise her that everything would be all right. â€Å"Stefan, please†¦ I can't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He could see her eyes now. The dark blue of lapis lazuli, flecked in this light with gold. Wide with pain and wet with unshed tears. It shredded his guts. â€Å"You don't want to see me?† His voice was dry as dust. â€Å"I don't want you to see me. Oh, Stefan, he can make anything happen. And he'll find us. He'll come here†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Relief and aching joy flooded through Stefan. He could scarcely concentrate on her words, and it didn't matter. The way she said his name was enough. That â€Å"Oh, Stefan† told him everything he cared about. He moved toward her quietly, his own hand coming up to reach for hers. He saw the protesting shake of her head, saw that her lips were parted with her quickening breath. Up close, her skin had an inner glow, like a flame shining through translucent candle wax. Droplets of wetness were caught on her eyelashes like diamonds. Although she kept shaking her head, kept protesting, she did not move her hand away. Not even when his outspread fingers touched it, pressing against her cool fingertips as if they were on opposite sides of a pane of glass. He couldn't think. His heart was threatening to come through his chest. Nothing mattered except that she was here, that they were here together. He didn't notice the strange surroundings, didn't care who might be watching. Slowly, so slowly, he closed his hand around hers, intertwining their fingers, the way they were meant to be. His other hand lifted to her face. Her eyes closed at the touch, her cheek leaning into it. He felt the moisture on his fingers and a laugh caught in his throat. Dream tears. But they were real, she was real. Elena. Sweetness pierced him. A pleasure so sharp it was a pain, just to stroke the tears away from her face with his thumb. All the frustrated tenderness of the last six months, all the emotion he'd kept locked in his heart that long, came cascading out, submerging him. Drowning both of them. It took such a little movement and then he was holding her. An angel in his arms, cool and thrilling with life and beauty. A being of flame and air. She shivered in his embrace; then, eyes still shut, put up her lips. There was nothing cool about the kiss. It struck sparks from Stefan's nerves, melting and dissolving everything around it. He felt his control unraveling, the control he'd worked so hard to preserve since he'd lost her. Everything inside him was being jarred loose, all knots untied, all floodgates opened. He could feel his own tears as he held her to him, trying to fuse them into one flesh, one body. So that nothing could ever separate them again. They were both crying without breaking the kiss. Elena's slender arms were around his neck now, every inch of her fitting to him as if she had never belonged anywhere else. He could taste the salt of her tears on his lips and it drenched him with sweetness. He knew, vaguely, that there was something else he should be thinking about. But the first electric touch of her cool skin had driven reason from his mind. They were in the center of a whirlwind of fire; the universe could explode or crumble or burn to ashes for all he cared, as long as he could keep her safe. But Elena was trembling. Not just from emotion, from the intensity that was making him dizzy and drunk with pleasure. From fear. He could feel it in her mind and he wanted to protect her, to shield her and to cherish her and to kill anything that dared frighten her. With something like a snarl he raised his face to look around. â€Å"What is it?† he said, hearing the predator's rasp in his own voice. â€Å"Anything that tries to hurt you-â€Å" â€Å"Ask me anything else and I'll do it,† Stefan said. The killer would have to shred him nerve from nerve, muscle from muscle, cell from cell to make him leave her. â€Å"Stefan, it's only a dream,† Elena said desperately, new tears falling. â€Å"We can't really touch, we can't be together. It's not allowed.† Stefan didn't care. It didn't seem like a dream. It felt real. And even in a dream he was not going to give up Elena, not for anyone. No force in heaven or hell could make him†¦ â€Å"Wrong, sport. Surprise!† said a new voice, a voice Stefan had never heard. He recognized it instinctively, though, as the voice of a killer. A hunter among hunters. And when he turned, he remembered what Vickie, poor Vickie, had said. He looks like the devil. If the devil was handsome and blond. He wore a threadbare raincoat, as Vickie had described. Dirty and tattered. He looked like any street person from any big city, except that he was so tall and his eyes were so clear and penetrating. Electric blue, like razor-frosted sky. His hair was almost white, standing straight up as if blown by a blast of chilly wind. His wide smile made Stefan feel sick. â€Å"Salvatore, I presume,† he said, scraping a bow. â€Å"And of course the beautiful Elena. The beautiful dead Elena. Come to join her, Stefan? You two were just meant to be together.† He looked young, older than Stefan, but still young. He wasn't. â€Å"Stefan, leave now,† Elena whispered. â€Å"He can't hurt me, but you're different. He can make something happen that will follow you out of the dream.† Stefan's arm stayed locked around her. â€Å"Bravo!† the man in the raincoat applauded, looking around as if to encourage an invisible audience. He staggered slightly, and if he'd been human, Stefan would have thought he was drunk. â€Å"Stefan, please,† Elena whispered. â€Å"It would be rude to leave before we've even been properly introduced,† the blond man said. Hands in coat pockets, he strode a step or two closer. â€Å"Don't you want to know who I am?† Elena shook her head, not in negation but in defeat, and dropped it to Stefan's shoulder. He cupped a hand around her hair, wanting to shield every part of her from this madman. â€Å"I want to know,† he said, looking at the blond man over her head. â€Å"How long?† said Stefan, unimpressed. â€Å"A long time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The blond man's gaze turned dreamy, as if looking back over the years. â€Å"I was tearing pretty white throats when your ancestors were building the Colosseum. I killed with Alexander's army. I fought in the Trojan War. I'm old, Salvatore. I'm one of the Originals. In my earliest memories I carried a bronze ax.† Slowly, Stefan nodded. He'd heard of the Old Ones. They were whispered about among vampires, but no one Stefan had ever known had actually met one. Every vampire was made by another vampire, changed by the exchange of blood. But somewhere, back in time, had been the Originals, the ones who hadn't been made. They were where the line of continuity stopped. No one knew how they'd gotten to be vampires themselves. But their Powers were legendary. â€Å"I helped bring the Roman Empire down,† the blond man continued dreamily. â€Å"They called us barbarians-they just didn't understand! War, Salvatore! There's nothing like it. Europe was exciting then. I decided to stick around the countryside and enjoy myself. Strange, you know, people never really seemed comfortable around me. They used to run or hold up crosses.† He shook his head. â€Å"But one woman came and asked my help. She was a maid in a baron's household, and her little mistress was sick. Dying, she said. She wanted me to do something about it. And so†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The smile returned and broadened, getting wider and impossibly wider, â€Å"I did. She was a pretty little thing.† Stefan had turned his body to hold Elena away from the blond man, and now, for a moment, he turned his head away too. He should have known, should have guessed. And so it all came back to him. Vickie's death, and Sue's, were ultimately to be laid at his door. He had started the chain of events that ended here. â€Å"Katherine,† he said, lifting his head to look at the man. â€Å"You're the vampire who changed Katherine.† â€Å"To save her life,† the blond man said, as if Stefan were stupid at learning a lesson. â€Å"Which your little sweetheart here took.† A name. Stefan was searching for a name in his mind, knowing that Katherine had told it to him, just as she must have described this man to him once. He could hear Katherine's words in his mind: I woke in the middle of the night and I saw the man that Gudren, my maid, had brought. I was frightened. His name was Klaus and I'd heard the people in the village say he was evil †¦ â€Å"Klaus,† the blond man said mildly, as if agreeing with something. â€Å"That was what she called me, anyway. She came back to me after two little Italian boys jilted her. She'd done everything for them, changed them into vampires, given them eternal life, but they were ungrateful and threw her out. Very strange.† â€Å"What was even stranger was that she never got over you, Salvatore. You especially. She was always drawing unflattering comparisons between us. I tried to beat some sense into her, but it never really worked. Maybe I should have just killed her myself, I don't know. But by then I'd gotten used to having her around. She never was the brightest. But she was good to look at, and she knew how to have fun. I showed her that, how to enjoy the killing. Eventually her brain turned a little, but so what? It wasn't her brains I was keeping her for.† There was no longer any vestige of love for Katherine in Stefan's heart, but he found he could still hate the man who had made her what she was in the end. â€Å"Me? Me, sport?† Klaus pointed to his own chest in unbelief. â€Å"You made Katherine into what she is right now, or rather your little girlfriend did. Right now, she's dust. Worm's meat. But your sweetie is just slightly beyond my reach at present. Vibrating on a higher plane, isn't that what the mystics say, Elena? Why don't you vibrate down here with the rest of us?† â€Å"If only I could,† whispered Elena, lifting her head and looking at him with hatred. â€Å"Oh, well. Meanwhile I've got your friends. Sue was such a sweet girl, I hear.† He licked his lips. â€Å"And Vickie was delectable. Delicate but full bodied, with a nice bouquet. More like a nineteen-year-old than seventeen.† Stefan lunged one step forward, but Elena caught him. â€Å"Stefan, don't! This is his territory, and his mental powers are stronger than ours. He controls it.† â€Å"Precisely. This is my territory. Unreality.† Klaus grinned his staring psychotic grin again. â€Å"Where your wildest nightmares come true, free of charge. For instance,† he said, looking at Stefan, â€Å"how'd you like to see what your sweetheart really looks like right now? Without her makeup?† Elena made a soft sound, almost a moan. Stefan held her tighter. â€Å"It's been how long since she died? About six months? Do you know what happens to a body once it's been in the ground six months?† Klaus licked his lips again, like a dog. Now Stefan understood. Elena shivered, head bent, and tried to move away from him, but he locked his arms around her. â€Å"It's all right,† he said to her softly. And to Klaus: â€Å"You're forgetting yourself. I'm not a human who jumps at shadows and the sight of blood. I know about death, Klaus. It doesn't frighten me.† â€Å"No, but does it thrill you?† Klaus's voice dropped, low, intoxicating. â€Å"Isn't it exciting, the stench, the rot, the fluids of decomposing flesh? Isn't it a kick?† â€Å"Stefan, let me go. Please.† Elena was shaking, pushing at him with her hands, all the time keeping her head twisted away so he couldn't see her face. Her voice sounded close to tears. â€Å"Please.† â€Å"The only Power you have here is the power of illusion,† Stefan said to Klaus. He held Elena to him, cheek pressed to her hair. He could feel the changes in the body he embraced. The hair under his cheek seemed to coarsen and Elena's form to shrink on itself. â€Å"Stefan, I don't want you to look at me-â€Å" Eyes on Klaus, Stefan gently pushed the coarsened white hair away and stroked the side of Elena's face, ignoring the roughness against his fingertips. â€Å"But of course most of the time it just decomposes. What a way to go. You lose everything, skin, flesh, muscles, internal organs-all back into the ground†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The body in Stefan's arms was dwindling. He shut his eyes and held tighter, hatred for Klaus burning inside him. An illusion, it was all an illusion†¦ â€Å"Stefan†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It was a dry whisper, faint as the scratch of paper blown down a sidewalk. It hung on the air a minute and then vanished, and Stefan found himself holding a pile of bones. â€Å"And finally it ends up like that, in over two hundred separate, easy-to-assemble pieces. Comes with its own handy-dandy carrying case†¦Ã¢â‚¬  On the far side of the circle of light there was a creaking sound. The white coffin there was opening by itself, the lid lifting. â€Å"Why don't you do the honors, Salvatore? Go put Elena where she belongs.† Stefan had dropped to his knees, shaking, looking at the slender white bones in his hands. It was all an illusion-Klaus was merely controlling Bonnie's trance and showing Stefan what he wanted Stefan to see. He hadn't really hurt Elena, but the hot, protective fury inside Stefan wouldn't recognize that. Carefully, Stefan laid the fragile bones on the ground and touched them once, gently. Then he looked up at Klaus, lips curled with contempt. â€Å"That is not Elena,† he said. â€Å"Of course it is. I'd recognize her anywhere.† Klaus spread his hands and declaimed, † ‘I knew a woman, lovely in her bones†¦' â€Å" â€Å"No.† Sweat was beading on Stefan's forehead. He shut out Klaus's voice and concentrated, fists clenched, muscles cracking with effort. It was like pushing a boulder uphill, fighting Klaus's influence. But where they lay, the delicate bones began trembling, and a faint golden light shone around them. â€Å"‘A rag and a bone and a hank of hair†¦ the fool he called them his lady fair†¦ ‘ â€Å" The light was shimmering, dancing, linking the bones together. Warm and golden it folded about them, clothing them as they rose in the air. What stood there now was a featureless form of soft radiance. Sweat ran into Stefan's eyes and he felt as if his lungs would burst. † ‘Clay lies still, but blood's a rover†¦' â€Å" † ‘And the crack in the teacup opens a lane to the land of the dead . . .' â€Å" â€Å"No.† Dizziness swept over Stefan as he felt the last surge of Power sigh out of him. A breath lifted the figure's breast, and eyes blue as lapis lazuli opened. Elena smiled, and he felt the blaze of her love arc to meet him. â€Å"Stefan.† Her head was high, proud as any queen's. Stefan turned to Klaus, who had stopped speaking and was glaring mutely. â€Å"This,† Stefan said distinctly, â€Å"is Elena. Not whatever empty shell she's left behind in the ground. This is Elena, and nothing you do can ever touch her.† He held out his hand, and Elena took it and stepped to him. When they touched, he felt a jolt, and then felt her Powers flowing into him, sustaining him. They stood together, side by side, facing the blond man. Stefan had never felt as fiercely victorious in his life, or as strong. Klaus stared at them for perhaps twenty seconds and then went berserk. His face twisted in loathing. Stefan could feel waves of malignant Power battering against him and Elena, and he used all his strength to resist it. The maelstrom of dark fury was trying to tear them apart, howling through the room, destroying everything in its path. Candles snuffed out and flew into the air as if caught in a tornado. The dream was breaking up around them, shattering. Stefan clung to Elena's other hand. The wind blew her hair, whipping it around her face. â€Å"Stefan!† She was shouting, trying to make herself heard. Then he heard her voice in his mind. â€Å"Stefan, listen to me! There is one thing you can do to stop him. You need a victim, Stefan-find one of his victims. Only a victim will know-â€Å" The noise level was unbearable, as if the very fabric of space and time was tearing. Stefan felt Elena's hands ripped from his. With a cry of desperation, he reached out for her again, but he could feel nothing. He was already drained by the effort of fighting Klaus, and he couldn't hold on to consciousness. The darkness took him spinning down with it. Bonnie had seen everything. It was strange, but once she stepped aside to let Stefan go to Elena, she seemed to lose physical presence in the dream. It was as if she were no longer a player but the stage the action was being played upon. She could watch, but she couldn't do anything else. In the end, she'd been afraid. She wasn't strong enough to hold the dream together, and the whole thing finally exploded, throwing her out of the trance, back into Stefan's room. â€Å"Stefan? Are you okay?† He looked wildly around the room as if trying to find something. â€Å"Elena!† he said, and then he stopped, memory clearly returning. His face twisted. For one dreadful instant Bonnie thought he was going to cry, but he only shut his eyes and dropped his head into his hands. â€Å"Stefan?† â€Å"I lost her. I couldn't hold on.† â€Å"I know.† Bonnie watched him a moment, then, gathering her courage, knelt in front of him, touching his shoulders. â€Å"I'm sorry.† His head lifted abruptly, his green eyes dry but so dilated they looked black. His nostrils were flared, his lips drawn back from his teeth. â€Å"Klaus!† He spat the name as if it were a curse. â€Å"Did you see him?† â€Å"Yes,† Bonnie said, pulling back. She gulped, her stomach churning. â€Å"He's crazy, isn't he, Stefan?† â€Å"Yes.† Stefan got up. â€Å"And he must be stopped.† â€Å"But how?† Since seeing Klaus, Bonnie was more frightened than ever, more frightened and less confident. â€Å"What could stop him, Stefan? I've never felt anything like that Power.† â€Å"But didn't you-?† Stefan turned to her quickly. â€Å"Bonnie, didn't you hear what Elena said at the end?† â€Å"No. What do you mean? I couldn't hear anything; there was a slight hurricane going on at the time.† â€Å"Bonnie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Stefan's eyes went distant with speculation and he spoke as if to himself. â€Å"That means that he probably didn't hear it either. So he doesn't know, and he won't try to stop us.† â€Å"From what? Stefan, what are you talking about?† â€Å"From finding a victim. Listen, Bonnie, Elena told me that if we can find a surviving victim of Klaus's, we can find a way to stop him.† Bonnie was in completely over her head. â€Å"But†¦ why?† â€Å"Because vampires and their donors-their prey-share minds briefly while the blood is being exchanged. Sometimes the donor can learn things about the vampire that way. Not always, but occasionally. That's what must have happened, and Elena knows it.† She expected Stefan to be deflated, but he wasn't. â€Å"A vampire,† he said simply. â€Å"A human Klaus made into a vampire would qualify as a victim. As long as they've exchanged blood, they've touched minds.† â€Å"Oh. Oh. So†¦ if we can find a vampire he's made†¦ but where?† â€Å"Maybe in Europe.† Stefan began to pace around the room, his eyes narrowed. â€Å"Klaus has a long history, and some of his vampires are bound to be there. I may have to go and look for one.† Bonnie was utterly dismayed. â€Å"But Stefan, you can't leave us. You can't!† Stefan stopped where he was, across the room, and stood very still. Then at last, he turned to face her. â€Å"I don't want to,† he said quietly. â€Å"And we'll try to think of another solution first-maybe we can get hold of Tyler again. I'll wait a week, until next Saturday. But I may have to leave, Bonnie. You know that as well as I do.† There was a long, long silence between them. Bonnie fought the heat in her eyes, determined to be grown up and mature. She wasn't a baby and she would prove that now, once and for all. She caught Stefan's gaze and slowly nodded.

Helping Children Master the Basic Facts Essay

The chapter â€Å"Strategies for Multiplication Facts† provides detailed overview of strategies used for mastering and enlarging multiplication facts. It is suggested that basic facts may be improved due to relating existing knowledge to new facts. The author outlines five group strategies stating that the first four are easier and they cover 75% of multiplication facts. Nevertheless, it is noted the offered strategies are simply suggestions, not the rules to follow. Actually, these strategies help students think of various facts easily. The special attention in the chapter is paid to doubles, zeroes and ones, helping facts, division facts and ‘near facts’, etc. It is noted that fact remediation should be used in case when students are unable to master basic facts mentioned above. Such students need new approach to comprehend basic facts. Therefore, fact remediation is of great importance, because it aims at providing hope for students having problems with mathematics. Often students experiencing difficulties with getting facts, start thinking they are unable to learn facts at all. The author recommends to â€Å"let these children know that you will help them and that you will provide some new ideas that will help them as well†. (184) It is admitted in the chapter that students who comprehend the basic multiplication facts doesn’t reason better that student who find it difficult to get the idea of basic facts. The author states that nowadays the goal of mathematics isn’t simply to learn how to count, instead it aims at learning how to reason, how to make the sense of things around. What is more important, mathematics develops the skills of critical thinking and punctuality. Mathematics teaches students to solve problems and, therefore, students experiencing difficulties with mastering basic facts shouldn’t be excluded from mathematical experiences. Summing up, the author claims that all students should be involved in â€Å"exciting and meaningful experiences, they have real motivation to learn facts and real opportunities to develop relationships that can aid in that endeavor†. (185) References Van De Walle, John. (2003). Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally. USA: Allyn & Bacon.

Conservation of art works essays

Conservation of art works essays Principles of conservation (need to know) Preservation safeguards and protects art works, no direct intervention to the art work, climate control, appropriate packaging, appropriate display, controlling access. Conservation some direct intervention to art works to stabilise it chemical of physical repairs are sympathetic to original using like materials, prevents further deterioration, procedures are reversible. Restoration - incorporates preservation and conservation, the aim is to make the art work appear undamaged or like new, restoration is ethically problematic. Factors for safe storage and display Too much light causes objects to deteriorate Up to 50 lux for works on paper including photographs Up to 200 lux for paintings in oil, acrylic and enamel Up to 300 lux for objects of glass, ceramic and stone UV light is associated with sunlight Never display an artwork in direct sunlight Up to 30 microwatts per lumen is acceptable for works on paper Up to 75 microwatts per lumen for paintings Variations in humidity may damage artworks High humidity may cause mould to grow or metals to corrode Low humidity may cause cracking and embrittling of organic materials Recommended relative humidity level for museums is 55% (+/- 5%) or 50%-60% High and low temperature and variations in temperature may damage artworks Recommended temperature for museums in 21c (+/- 1c) This temperature must be maintained 24/7 Artworks must not be placed near heating appliances Insects are a common cause of damage to art works, especially in storage areas They lay eggs which are tiny and resistant to fumigation Good housekeeping is the best solution to this problem ...

same sex marriage

same sex marriage

Summer School Study Abroad Scholarship Application Essay

Summer School Study Abroad Scholarship Application - Essay Example I believe these courses would help me attain my ultimate career goal. All good packages come with costs, so is the case of YISS. I belong to a middle class family with income that just suffices living costs and does not contribute to savings. A referral to financial statement will support my stance. I will be able to bear my expenses to some extent, but I will also require financial assistance. This is the reason why I have applied for need based scholarship programme. I believe that an individual has a give and take relationship with the society. Contribution to society is paid back in the form of a better & safe community for the future generations. I respect the fact that YISS is offering need based scholarship and desire to benefit from it. But this does not end here, as a helping hand extended towards me today will encourage me to help others in future. It will also develop goodwill of Korean society on international

Service Operations Management2014 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Service Operations Management2014 - Essay Example To this end, the paper will make use of developmental strategies espoused by Cooper and Kleinschmidt (2011) as being integral to launching a product or a business unit in any market. These concepts include defining the target market, identifying the needs, preference and wants of the potential customer, as well as defining the product and/or business concept, its specifications and requirements, in an adequate and satisfactory manner. In order to be able to maximize sales, it is important that we understand the nature of the target customer, more so their preference and desires. Through this, the business is able to establish the existence of a potent customer base as well as learn how to render the service or product in the best way that meets the needs of the customers. In addition, the business is able to develop appropriate marketing strategies capable of reaching the customer base as well as ways of improving the delivery of the marketing strategies (Neelankavil and Rai, 2014). Availing information on the service package on the other hand enables the business to define the different services bundles ranging from supporting facility to facilitating goods, explicit to implicit services, and their impacts on the wellbeing of the business. For years, the target market for fast food businesses has been the young generation. This is so because the young people have an insatiable appetite for good food available on the go. This group also forms the largest of our target market for this business, and in addition to which we are introducing other food that appeal to the elderly as well. This diversification is aimed at reaching out to a larger market segment in order to guarantee quantifiable sales at the onset of the business, and to lay ground for our brand identification as an all-inclusive one. Shenkar, Luo and Chi (2014) advance that focusing on a younger market segment is important to the success of a business as it allows the business to