The Game-Changer free essay sample

CRAAACK! I take two steps backward, hear screams from the stands, and fall down next to home plate. As I lower my head to the dirt, I spit out a thick mixture of blood and teeth. I was just hit straight in the mouth by an 80 mile-per-hour fastball. When the ambulance arrives, I stand up, to the surprise of terrified parents muttering about possible brain damage. My teammates stare at me as if I have risen from the dead. My solemn, stern coach is crying. I began to think that my life would never be the same, but did not realize that it may have changed in a positive way. What turned out to be the last baseball game I would play in high school would also prove to be the climax of my decade-long obsession with the sport. For the majority of my childhood, baseball was my life. I did not refer to periods of the year as â€Å"winter† or â€Å"summer†, but rather â€Å"the off-season† and â€Å"game time†. We will write a custom essay sample on The Game-Changer or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page My bedroom was filled to the brim with autographed balls, posters, and bats. I could not possibly comprehend how any American citizen could dislike our national pastime, and secretly held grudges against those who did. I could play, too. Boy, could I play. I was a member of the citywide all-star team from the age of 9 onward. I hit my first homerun at age 11, and let everyone I had ever met know it. All of my friends were fellow baseball players, and we would spend long summer days playing catch and homerun derby, talking about how someday we would play together in the big leagues. High school baseball was something completely different for me. The added pressure brought by weeklong tryouts, brutally lengthy practices, and the hope of progressing toward the Varsity team took some of the fun out of the game. My hobby turned into a hassle, and my nerves began to keep me from playing as well as I could. My dream of being a Varsity baseball player was closer than ever, but I was now playing with the hope of impressing the older players and the head coaches, instead of for my own enjoyment. After a life-changing moment or a near-death experience, many people choose to re-evaluate their lives. I did something very similar after the warm July night when I lost my teeth. When the pitch came, I thought it was a curveball, and stayed in the box to impress the Varsity players with my bravery. The pitch never curved, and my life has changed drastically ever since. At first, I felt that nothing positive could possibly come out of a fractured jaw, the loss of six front teeth, and a seemingly wasted summer spent traveling to dental appointments and eating soft foods. I quickly realized, however that I did not have to let sports determine the course of my high school life, and that I had numerous other interests and talents to explore. I knew that I would be free to live my life as I truly wanted, and so I gave up my beloved sport. It was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made, but one that has made me into a stronger person. Before, I could be defined as a â€Å"baseball kid†, but now I truly have too many different interests to be grouped into one category. In the year since my injury, I have been able to pursue many new facets of social and academic life. I have found the confidence to do things which I was previously hesitant to do, like join the school chorus, try out for the musical, and even start my own club. By re-evaluating my life through the decision to give up baseball, I have been able to experience many things that my previous sports-minded self would never have considered taking part in. Although my baseball accident was one of the worst events to ever occur in my life, the resulting decisions that I was able to make about my future have profoundly changed my outlook on life and allowed me to find my true self.

Tell Me Your Dreams essays

Tell Me Your Dreams essays The latest novel written by Sidney Sheldon, Tell Me Your Dreams, is about three stunning young women. Their names are Ashley Patterson, Toni Prescott, and Alette Peters. They all live in Cupertino, California and work at Global Computer Graphics, a successful, fast-growing young company with two hundred employees in Silicon Valley. Ashley Patterson is a confused woman, but is smart and beautiful. Shes lonely, timid, and certainly convinced shes being stalked. Toni Prescott is an insolent, British flirt with a passion for Internet dating and cabarets. Alette Petters is a wannabe artist who chooses quiet, dreamy weekends with handsome painters. Ashley reminds herself of her high school boyfriend, Jim Cleary. He was the most popular boy in Bedford Area High School. He was on the football team, was handsome and amusing and had a killer smile. He had promised her that they would run away together to Chicago, but Ashley was left at the station watching the train to Chicago leave. Toni had met Jean Claude Parent in an on-line chat room. Jean told her all about Quebec City. Toni was interested and would like to go to Quebec one day. Toni and Jean talked on-line every chance they get. Alette also met a guy, Richard Melton, in the Museum of Modern Art, in San Francisco. They talked about great artist and about Alette growing up in Rome. Alette assured Richard that shed see him again soon. Ashley receives an invitation to her Ten-Year Class Reunion. She decides to go and reunite with all her classmates except the person she wanted to see, Jim. A close friend of hers, Florence Schiffer, tells her the horrible news of Jim. The day after the graduation party, Jims parents came back and found his body stabbed to death and castrated. She believes her father had killed Jim for her father told Jim to stay away from Ashley. Dennis Tibble was Global Computer Graphics computer gen...

Pagan Influence in the Culture of Ukraine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 11

Pagan Influence in the Culture of Ukraine - Essay Example   Although this construct may come as something of a shock to many, the different methods whereby Ukraine and the influences that have acted upon as compared to the United States ultimately make for a very distinct culture (Schulman 1998). The first determinant of this is the level to which paganism plays into the fabric of society. True, the nation itself has been â€Å"Christian† since the time of Prince Vladimir the Great (circa 988 AD), the long history of the people and the subsequent invasions from the East, including Mongols, Tatars, Khazars, and a litany of other peoples from the steppes of Central Asia meant that a great deal of diverse pagan beliefs were interjected into the culture of the nation as a function of the various tribes and kingdoms that spent time ruling over Ukraine (Holmes 2007). This level of paganism is exhibited in a litany of different ways within the culture; one of these being the celebration of the holiday â€Å"Ivana Kupala† which celebrates the life force of the rivers, lakes, and streams and continues to be celebrated throughout Ukraine and many other Eastern European countries (Culture and Arts 2009). Similar winter solstice activities have also engrained themselves into the culture as dances around the base of fir trees, harvest celebrations, days for the dead, and a litany of other pagan holidays and references pervade the culture in ways that would not necessarily be the case in the United States. There are of course a number of superstitions that continue to pervade the culture as well. An example of this includes the belief that whistling indoors means that the individual will soon have no money.  Ã‚  

Ch 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ch 1 - Essay Example Discuss This From Deming’s Point Of View. You Should Focus On The High School Level. Merit pay can be defined as the bonus paid to the employees in terms of their better performance (Union of Canadian Correctional Officers, â€Å"Merit Pay†). It can be stated that merit pay has also been given to the teachers for their better performances in teaching the students. Deming’s 14 Points can be observed as the series of points designed for enhancing the performances of a company’s management and for providing appropriate training to the employees to perform better in the allotted tasks (Pippenger, â€Å"W.  Edwards  Deming’s  14  Points  of  Management†). From Deming’s 14 Points viewpoint, it can be observed that politicians and educational boards are emphasizing more on merit pay in order to improve the teaching quality of the teachers in guiding the students effectively. In relation to the context, it is assumed that the educa tional boards desire to implement business models into the operational process in order to operate efficiently similar to industry or company. This is because Deming’s 14 Points help the employees to improve their working effectiveness through creating long-term and positive relationship with the company. Keeping in knowledge about the consequences after the implementation of Deming’s 14 Points, it can be stated that the politicians and the educational boards can seek to implement the principles of Deming in order to enhance the teachers’ quality along with strengthening the relationship among the teachers, students and higher officers of the high school (Winn and Green, â€Å"Applying Total Quality Management to the Educational Process†). However, it is also observed that merit pay to the teachers also can play a negative role because the merit pay in the high schools can destroy the thought of working in a team along with breaking the relationship among the teachers in teaching students effectively (Ravitch, â€Å"My View: Rhee is wrong and misinformed†). Question 2: Each Person In The Group Should Select One Of Deming’s 14 Points And Relate It To A Personal Experience They Have Had At College. Discuss The Benefits Obtained From The Point Being Used Or Discuss The Problems Caused From The Point Not Being Used. Be Specific In Your Response. According to the presented scenario, ‘every employee should be involved in transforming the management according to Total Quality Management (TQM) approach in order to succeed in enjoying the full advantages of the planning’ principle has been selected among the 14 points of Deming’s principles for fulfilling the objective of the paper. From the personal perception about this principle, it can be stated that every member or staff of a college should be involved in the decision making process. It would facilitate to ensure that every staff has the proper and righ t information about the strategies that have been considered in the operational process for improving or developing their educational processes in order to facilitate information sharing and train students for better qualification. By implanting this principle within the colleges operations, they will enjoy certain advantages while achieving their primary objectives. The advantages that can be identified include the fact that through the incorporation of this process, the teachers would work in a team or in a group in order to lead the educational process of a college systematically and communicate with each other effectively

Key Transformation for Deckers Outoor Corporation Research Paper

Key Transformation for Deckers Outoor Corporation - Research Paper Example Therefore, this assignment utilizes the Burke-Litwin Causal Model in discussing how these factors integrate with each other in Deckers Outdoor Corporation (DOC). It is necessary to note that all factors are critical when the enhancement of performance of an organization is the key point (Burke & Litwin, 1992). According to the model, structure refers to an arrangement of functions, responsibilities of those working in an organization, those authorities represented in the organization, as well as communication that assist the organization to attain it goals and strategy. Identification of DOC structure will aid in comprehending the variables highlighted above. Deckers utilize a decentralized structure for its management. In this method of management, the top management delegates the key responsibilities of the organization to the middle managers, who in turn direct the workforce on what they ought to do. It is, therefore, evident that the top management spends much of their time in de veloping useful ideas that would propel the company to attain success (Burke & Litwin, 1992). At Deckers, the application of the decentralization principle has significantly assisted it in various ways. As this structure allows the employees involvement in decision making for the organization, it makes them feel empowered unlike in a centralized management system. These employees attain satisfaction after seeing their ideas being implemented for the growth of the organization. Moreover, decentralization relieves the owner of DOC from pressures that emanate from managing the operations of an organization solely. After the delegation of such duties to other individuals in the organization, the owner of DOC spends adequate time in devising strategies to utilize in the expansion of the business (Burke & Litwin, 1992). Such a principle permits him to have unlimited time to meet those clients known to donate drastically to the intensification of the organization’s activities. At De ckers, communication is vital for its success. This is because communication is a vital constituent for the development of such an organization. According to sources, Deckers has implemented a flexible communication program to enhance understanding for every worker in the organization. For instance, at the quarter end of the organization’s calendar, the CEO meets with all employees in the corporate office in order to discuss issues of significance to both the company, as well as the individuals. They refer this meeting as all hands meeting, where they discuss a wide variety of topics such as salary increments, compensations along with any changes that the company would find it convenient to implement. It is thus clear that the overall structure of DOC plays a crucial part towards its growth. The other transactional variable described by the model concerns with the tasks and skills held by an individual. Therefore, this part of the assignment aims to understand the task perfor med by Deckers’ employees, along with their skills. According to sources, Deckers is a footwear manufacturer located in several states of America. The most current information reveals that Deckers manufactures six dissimilar brands of footwear. The increase in the products provided by Deckers allows it to employ an approximated 1900 staff across the states. Recruitment of a large proportion of staff in the organization attracts different skills, and this enhances the organization’

Advantages and disadvantages of Private labels for Reliance Retail Ltd

Advantages and disadvantages of Private labels for Reliance Retail Ltd Indian retail sector is valued at US$ 353 billion in 2009 2010 and is projected to reach US$ 543.2 billion by 2014. The Indian retail sector is the second-largest employer after agriculture IBEF Retail (2010), and this sector is primarily much unorganized / traditional. Organized retail in India is still in the nascent stage with only 5% penetration, The retailer, Ernst Young, Jan (2009) and this signifies the immense potential this holds for growth. Traditional Kirana stores (small mom-and-pop general stores) are now being replaced by large format stores like Hypermarkets, Supermarkets and other Specialty stores and these shifts is mainly due to the increased consumer expectations increase in the consumer class and will grow nearly from 50 million at present to 583 million by 2025. As discussed earlier Indian retail sector is highly unorganized and the access of modern retail is very negligible (5% penetration). And with the relaxation of Government policies pertaining to retail sector and with more addition of retail space every year will definitely boost the growth of modern / organized retail in India. And even the mindsets of Indian consumers are changing they are now very demanding in terms of value and a shift from low price goods to more focus on convenience and all this with a superior shopping experience, also they are more brand conscious these days. IBEF Retail, (2010) There are only a handful of organized key retailers in the Indian retail sector: Group Store Brands Tata Landmark(books and music), Croma( electronics), World of Titan (watches), Tanishq(jewellery), Titan Eye+ (eye wear),Westside (lifestyle retail store), Star Bazaar (hypermarket), Fashion Yatra (fashion store) Reliance Group Reliance Fresh (neighborhood store), Reliance Super (mini-mart), Reliance Mart (supermarket), Reliance Digital (consumer durables and information technology), Reliance TimeOut (books, music and entertainment), Reliance Trends (apparel and accessories), Reliance Wellness (health, wellness and beauty), iStore (Apple products), Reliance Footprint (footwear), Reliance Jewels, Reliance Living (home ware, furniture) and Reliance AutoZone (automotive products and services) Future Group Central (shopping mall), Big Bazaar (hypermarket), Pantaloons (fashion outlet), Blue Sky (sunglasses), eZone(electronics), KBs Fair Price (essential products), Navaras(jewellery), Planet Store (multi-brand sports and lifestyle speciality retail), aLL(fashion garments), Ethnicity (Indian ethnic wear), Home Town (home needs), Furniture Bazaar (furniture), Electronics Bazaar (electronics), Home Bazaar, Collection I (furniture), Brand Factory (multi-brand readymade apparels), Gen M One Mobile (cell phones), M-Port (electronics), Shoe Factory (footwear) and Depot (books and music) Few more to the list would be players like RPG group, K Raheja group, Landmark group, Bharti group, Mahindra group, Aditya Birla group and Vishal retail. IBEF Retail, (2010) In 2009 Reliance Retail as a part of its growth strategy planned to introduce Private labels in FMCG segment for selling in its retail stores (Livemint.com 2009). In view of the above it is decided to carry out a study to weigh the existing opportunity for Reliance Retail Ltd, acquisitions if any? And to evaluate the benefits of introduction of Private labels in its retail stores. Conceptual underpinnings of the research Retailing amongst the worlds biggest industries. From the marketing standpoint retailers are closer to consumers than the manufacturers (Reynolds 2004b, p.3). Many factors are accountable for the current changes in the modern retail management. Many large retailers have huge turnovers and employee strengths Wal-Mart employs 1.8 million worldwide and Carrefour the largest European retailer (no.2) has more than 12,000 stores across the globe. Joachim Zentes, (2007). ESTABLISHED FORMATS: Kirana stores Departmental stores Evolution of Retail in India: EMERGING FORMATS: Hypermarkets Supermarkets Specialty storesetc CONVENTIONAL FORMATS: Melas Mandis The advantages of Private Label: The key advantage from a retailer perspective could be the Private labels will fill the needs gap that is present in the market place unique product or a differentiated product in the market place. The critical aspect of the private label for the retailer is that it gives the retailer a higher profit margin than what is offered on other brands. Though the Private label introduction may not always be advantageous to the retailer as they may face hostile response from other brand manufacturers and hence the retailer must have a good monetary base Swapna Pradhan,(2008) Mergers Acquisitions: Both these terms are used as though they were identical, but in real sense they are both different. An acquisition occurs when one company takes over the management of another business clearly establishing itself as the new owner of that firm. Merger occurs when two companies agree mutually to work together as a single entity going forward. This can be mergers of two companies of equal size or unequal sizes Edward Gerald, (2005) Companies through Mergers Acquisitions can expect to achieve: Edward Gerald, (2005) Competitive advantage over others Increase its market share / profitability To enter new markets / geographies Access to latest technology / talent Diversification into new businesses Purpose The key focus of this study is to explore: The advantages / disadvantages for Reliance Retail Ltd after introducing Private labels? And also explore if there is any scope for growth by inorganic means. SWOT for Reliance Retail Ltd Research questions What are the advantages / disadvantages for Reliance Retail Ltd with the introduction of Private Label? Is there any opportunity for Reliance for acquisitions in retail space? Scope of the present research project: The current study is carried out at the Reliance Fresh outlets located in Bangalore, India, due to restrictions and limited time available. Such a study can also be carried out at Reliance fresh stores across all the major Indian cities. Section -2: Research methodology 2.1 Research strategy Research methodology is a systematic method of solving a research problem. It includes the set of methods and techniques required to approach a particular research problem. In general marketing research process can be split into the following broad steps: Ranjit Kumar,(2005) Data Collection Research Design Problem Definition Data Analysis Report Presentation 2.2 Sampling Sampling can be defined as a process of drawing conclusions to the whole but by only probing a part of it Ranjan Kumar, (1996). Private Labels has already been introduced by few of retail giants here in India and Mergers Acquisitions in Indian retail space is almost negligible in order to probe further into this Reliance fresh outlets (Store Managers) in Bangalore will be contacted. And Convenience sampling will be used as the sampling technique as this will be more appropriate for such a study. The sample size of 15 Reliance fresh stores has been selected here. 2.3 Data collection Data collection forms an important part of any research project. Data can either be from Primary or Secondary sources. Primary data refers to the data collected by the researcher in context to the research and these are mainly collected through a structured Questionnaire consisting of both open ended and closed ended questions. For the current study primary data forms the core. The questionnaire will be sent to the concerned personnel via email and also based on requirement they may also be contacted on their phones. Secondary data can be from trade associations, journals, news articles and other research information providers like IBEF (Indian brand equity foundation) 2.4 Data analysis Data obtained from the sources will be processed to obtain information using which the researcher will arrive at a conclusion and make his recommendations / give insights (Decision making) to the client. 2.5 Validity and Reliability Validity and Reliability are often associated with each other. Reliability is defined as any test or procedure yielding the same output for a given set of repeated trials. Reliability does not mean Validity. Validity in general refers to the concepts conclusions that correspond to the real world. Edward Richard, (1986) 2.6 Access The research is primarily based on the ease of data accessibility and for this research store managers of Reliance Retail Ltd in Bangalore will be contacted either by sending the questionnaire via email or by contacting them on phones and prior to this we are required to fix a suitable time slot with the Store manager for the interview. And the final output from this study will be shared with all the Store managers who has been interviewed during this study. 2.7 Gantt Chart Task Description Weeks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 1 Literature Review 1.1 Workshop on user needs 1.2 Draft of methodology 1.3 Evaluation of methodology 2 Specification of Integrated System 2.1 Inventory of resources in selected regions 2.2 Review of existing facilities 2.3 Specify technical developments required 2.4 Impact analysis of different scenarios 2.5 Prepare detailed business plans 3 Feasibility Studies for each region    3.1 Review existing practices    3.2 Review technologies (state of the art)    3.3 Sensitivity analysis of scenarios    3.4 Report on most suitable options 4 Project Management and Coordination Dissemination of information: Workshops Milestones and Deliverables Guideline for methodology Interim Reports Business Plans for four regions Draft Public Workshop on results Final Report

The Characters of F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby Essays

The Characters of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the main characters Tom and Gatsby are both similar and different in their attitudes and their status. Both Tom and Gatsby have attained great wealth and live in very lavish conditions. They differ greatly, on the other hand, in the way that they acquired this wealth, and the way in which they treat other people. Even though both characters have great amounts of wealth, they are almost complete opposites due the way in which they acquired their wealth. Tom and Gatsby are very similar in their wealth and lavishness. Gatsby spends his money on any whim, regardless of what it may cost. His parties, for example, cost him huge amounts and are held almost every weekend. Trucks must bring in the food, and the servants work all day to prepare and organize the grounds. The beverages are also brought in by the truckload, and all of the attendees drink heavily. Gatsby then hires a complete string orchestra, a jazz band, an opera singer, and various other entertainers. Most importantly, Gatsby does all of this just to get Daisy's attention, and he has enough wealth to keep doing it every day for as long as it takes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gatsby's costly personal possessions also show his ease of spending money. He buys a hydroplane just to take it out several times, not on a long journey, but for a short flight across the sound. Gatsby's car, "was a rich cream color, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hatboxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns."(68), clearly a very lavish and expensive automobile. La... ...ored and throws him away. In essence Gatsby's death is inevitable, just as Tom and Daisy dispose of a city when they do not like the rumors or some of the people, so do they get rid of Gatsby when they realize that he is really not one of them, and that he cannot become one of them because he is too full of hope and life and love.    Works Cited Bewley, Marius. "Scott Fitzgerald's Criticism of America." Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Great Gatsby. Ed. Ernest Lockridge. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968. 37-53. Fitzgerald, F. Scott.   The Great Gatsby. New York:   Simon & Schuster Inc, 1995. Possnock, Ross. " 'A New World, Material Without Being Real': Fitzgerald's Critique of Capitalism in The Great Gatsby." Critical Essays on Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Ed. Scott Donaldson. Boston: G.K. Hall & Co., 1984. 201-213.