The Confederate War How Popular Will, Nationalism, And...

In 1997, famed Civil War historian Gary W. Gallagher produced a rather extraordinary scholarly work entitled The Confederate War: How Popular Will, Nationalism, and Military Strategy Could Not Stave off Defeat. Throughout the course of his work, Gallagher takes issue with the model put forth by many contemporary historians that the collapse of the Confederacy was more a case of internal decay on the Southern home front rather than military defeat on the field of battle. As a persuasive alternative, Gallagher contended that these historians are guilty of failing to realize the complex interplay between military actions during the war and the morale of the Confederate civilian population. As argued by Gallagher, the Southern war effort, as exemplified by Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, served to boost Southern morale, nationalism, and dreams of independence. This was accomplished, according to Gallagher, not just during the height of Lee’s triumphs in 1862 and 1863, but up to the final desperate months of the war’s conclusion. To bolster this position against contemporary historians, Gallagher used a specific methodology to both undermine other historians while simultaneously buttressing his own positions. Gallagher used a format that, at first, discussed what other historians have asserted in their respective works. Then, Gallagher made his own assertions discounting the positions of his scholarly contemporaries. In this fashion, Gallagher’s book is an exercise in rhetoricShow MoreRelatedMcPherson and Hearn on Abraham Lincoln Essay2681 Words   |  11 PagesMcPherson, Lincoln succeeded in combining military pragmatism with the political ideologies of the North, as well as Lincoln’s own idealism, thus assuring Northern victory. However, not all historians agree that Lincoln was a masterful tactician. Chester Hearn, believes that although Abraham Lincoln was one of America’s most venerable statesmen, his presidency was m arked by flaws and a general misunderstanding of how war is waged. McPherson’s Tried by War and Hearn’s Lincoln, The Cabinet and the GeneralsRead MoreEruopean Expansion4283 Words   |  18 PagesAmerica Explain how the Great Awakening, an intensely religious movement, contributed to the development of the separation of church and state in America. Compare and contrast the French colonies in North America with their British and Spanish counterparts. Consider, for example, location, timing, economy, political organization, and religious influences. The French and Indian War has also been called the â€Å"Great War for Empire.† Explain why this might be an appropriate name for this war. It is sometimesRead MoreThe Most Controversial American Presidents9333 Words   |  38 PagesContents Argument 2 Chapter I. George Washington 4 I.1 Early life 4 I.2 Presidency 5 I.3 Retirement and death 6 Chapter II. Abraham Lincoln 7 II.1 Early life and education 7 II.2 Presidency and the Civil War 8 II.3 Assassination 13 Chapter III. J. F. Kennedy 15 III.1 Early life and education 15 III.2 Presidency 17 III.3 Assassination 19 Chapter IV. Richard Nixon 21 IV.1 Early life and education 21 IV.2 Presidency 22 IV.3 Death and funeral 23 Chapter V. Theodore Roosevelt 24 V.1Read MoreStruggle for Black Americans: Civil Rights Movement Essay2552 Words   |  11 Pagesand improve their standing in society; through the use of media, that through time would be shown right in the home of Americans by Tv. Lobbying congressmen to support their cause from marches to Sit ins. Reconstruction would start after the Civil war. President Lincoln had started the crusade in helping Black Americans for civil rights with the Emancipation proclamation, freeing all the slaves in the current rebeling states in 1863. This would then lead to the 13th Amendment (1865), the 14th AmendmentRead MoreEssays for the American Pageant, 14th Ed.11068 Words   |  45 PagesEssays for The American Pageant, 14th ed. Part One 1. From the perspective of Native Americans, the Spanish and English empires in America had more similarities than differences. Assess the validity of this generalization. Response Strategy It is important to develop a clear thesis on the validity of the statement at the outset of the essay. A good essay could be developed on either side of the issue or in support of a middle-of –the-road position. Supporting paragraphs should beRead More International Free Trade and World Peace Essay6197 Words   |  25 Pagesand problematic nature of key terms such as free trade, war, and peace this study must be qualitative. For example, which countries would one consider practitioners of free trade? The United States, the proverbial torch carrier of open markets and trade liberalization, maintains protectionist policies in several of its sectors such as agriculture. If we were to succeed in classifying each country according to its openness in trade, how would we tally their conflicts? Again, in the case of theRead MoreContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 Pages Gordon, Martin P. Loeb, and Chih-Yang Tseng 8. Accounting and strategy: towards understanding the historical genesis of modern business and military strategy Keith Hoskin, Richard Macve, and John Stone 9. Modernizing government: the calculating self, hybridization, and performance measurement Liisa Kurunmaki and Peter Miller  ¨ 10. Analytics of costing system design Eva Labro 11. Understanding management control systems and strategy Kim Langfield-Smith v vii xi 1 20 42 69 92 117 146 166

All My Sons Essay - 1222 Words

Life is full of many hard decisions that people have to take, often on the spur of the moment. Some we get right others turn horribly wrong. Joe Keller, the tragic hero of Arthur Millers play All My Sons, was no different. His whole life was dedicated to his family and their well being but all his plans were undone by one fatally flawed decision. The audience can relate to Joe and feel sympathy for him because he was a good man who did many great things for his family and in the end paid the ultimate price. Towards the end of the play, Joes son Chris anguishes over the fatally flawed decision made by his father, thus eliciting the sympathy of the audience. However, this is not enough to detract from the audience relating to Joe as a†¦show more content†¦Joe doesnt have many bad qualities in him the only times the audience do see such qualities is when he speaks ill of Steve to others like when he says, I owe him a good kick in the teeth(Act 2, p47). However, the audience knows he does not really mean these things but only says them to cover up his fatal mistake. So we forgive Joe his mistake because as Plutarch, the Delphic priest, said almost 2000 years ago, to make no mistakes is not in the power of man and also because Joe tries to rectify his mistake by offering to give Steve a good job when he gets out of priso n and offering to help Steves children. Joe has spent his life making many decisions most of which appear to have been good decisions resulting in his family enjoying a comfortable life. The audience admires him for this. Unfortunately, late one night Joe made a hurried decision, which he believed he could get away with. The reasons for his decision comes to light near the end of the play, in Act 2, when he tells Chris why he made that decision, Im a business man, a man is in business; a hundred and twenty cracked, youre out of business, you got a process, the process dont work youre out of business; you dont know how to operate, your stuff is no good; they close you up, they tear up your contract what the hells it to them? You lay forty years into a business and they knock you out in five minutes, whatShow MoreRelatedEssay on Conflict in All My Sons1102 Words   |  5 PagesConflict in All My Sons The conflict in the play â€Å"All My Sons† in embodied by two different sets of values. The older generation represented by Joe and Kate strongly believed in family values and Pursue of the American dream at any cost. In contradiction, Joe and Anne express the younger generation’s ethics and ideals clearly shown in the thoughts of idealism that money is not the most important thing in life. Even though the younger generation’s ideals are sometimes thought of as being irrationalRead MoreAll My Sons By Arthur Miller1631 Words   |  7 PagesDramatic tension is a figurative device an author would use to add tension to conflict between characters. In Arthur Miller’s play, All My Sons, dramatic tension is created by using theoretical devices and language, utilizing conflicting character personalities, dramatic irony, and character development, to exhibit dramatic tension in order to keep the audience engaged in the play. ACT 1 At the beginning of Act One, when Keller gives the audience first impressions of characters, the audience beginsRead MoreAll My Sons Critical Essay590 Words   |  3 PagesAll my Sons - Critical Essay All my sons written by Arthur Miller is a dramatic play which shows actions and consequences and morality and studies the theme of idealism verses realism, social responsibility and the American dream. This play takes place after World War II, in the year 1947. The play shows conflict between a Father and a son and how quickly a family can fall apart following a serious revelation. Arthur Miller uses techniques such as characterization, stage directions and a delayedRead More All My Sons : The Influence of Larry Essay789 Words   |  4 PagesAll My Sons : The Influence of Larry In the book All My Sons, Larry has a big influence on the play. He is part of many of the problems shown in the book. Larry was Joe Keller’s older son and was reported missing three years before the time when the play is set. One of the first things mentioned is that Larry’s tree had been broken down by a gust of wind. You find out that the tree, being Larry’s tree really meant something to the family as Frank says â€Å"What’d Kate say?† this shows thatRead MoreThe American Dream in All My Sons by Arthur Miller1618 Words   |  7 PagesMiller show that the American Dream has become perverted in ‘All my Sons’ ´? Do you think Miller is totally against the concept? Or just what it had become in his time? â€Å"Seven Deadly Sins: Wealth without work Pleasure without conscience Science without humanity Knowledge without character Politics without principle Commerce without morality Worship without sacrifice.† Mahatma Gandhi ‘The social, economical and educational equal rights for all citizens’. The previous line summarizes the definitionRead MoreAn Analysis of Sacrifice in Arthur Millers All My Sons4310 Words   |  18 PagesIn All My Sons sacrifice plays a crucial role in almost every part of the play. Miller explores the impact of sacrifices made for one’s family versus humanity as a whole, explicitly the direction and intention of a sacrifice. As part of this essay, I will identify and explain what I consider to be the most important in the play. The second aspect of sacrifice in All My Sons which I will examine in this essay involves the idea that not all sacrifices are actually conscious decisions; many of the actsRead MoreDramatic Tension in Millers All My Sons Essay894 Words   |  4 PagesDramatic Tension in Millers All My Sons This extract begins with Chris and Ann deciding how theyre going to break the news to the Kellers. They start with Joe Keller, and he somewhat approves. The scene is lighthearted until Keller finds out the George is on the phone for Ann from Columbia. This drives is suspicions and gets him very protective. He begins to try and hint to Chris that Ann is here to try and convict him of the death of Larry. Chris then gets veryRead MoreEssay on Manipulative Kate of All My Sons by Arthur Miller1116 Words   |  5 PagesManipulative Kate of All My Sons by Arthur Miller All My Sons is a play about the trials and tribulations of the normal everyday suburbia. The play brings out the reality that not everything is perfect. Holes are created by the fight between good and evil. In this play the evil is the act of lying, and the good is the innocence of ignorance. The play starts with an everyday business man given the age-old fight of man versus himself. He had to decide whether or not to ship defective parts. OnRead MoreEssay about Disillusionment in All My Sons by Arthur Miller615 Words   |  3 PagesDisillusionment in All My Sons by Arthur Miller One of the central themes of All My Sons is the disillusionment of the young, and this theme can be traced through the character Chris, who comes to be disenchanted with his family, society and himself by realizing that none of these is as moral as he once believed. When he finally finds out through questioning his father that his father is, in fact, guilty of knowingly shipping out the cracked cylinder heads, he says to his father â€Å"What the hellRead More The Dangers of Shirking Responsibility in Arthur Millers All My Sons 967 Words   |  4 PagesThe Dangers of Shirking Responsibility  in Arthur Millers All My Sons  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Arthur Millers All My Sons is a well-made play in every sense of that term. It not only is carefully and logically constructed, but   addresses its themes fully and effectively. The play communicates different ideas on war, materialism, family, and honesty. However, the main focus, especially at the plays climax, is the issue of personal responsibility. In particular, Miller demonstrates the dangers of shirking

Exam 2 Study Guide Free Essays

1. Federal income tax laws allow a firm to deduct all legitimate business expenses when calculating its taxable income. A)Â  True B)Â  False Correct Answer(s):| False| 2. We will write a custom essay sample on Exam 2 Study Guide or any similar topic only for you Order Now A major criticism against sales quotas is that: A)Â  Activity quotas usually lead to high-pressure selling. B)Â  Quotas are not fair to the sales force. C)Â  Quotas cannot stimulate sales of profitable products. D)Â  Quotas are not realistically attainable. E)Â  It is very difficult to set quotas accurately. Correct Answer(s):| E| 3. The most widely used type of sales quota is one based on: A)Â  Selling expenses. B)Â  Sales volume. C)Â  Missionary selling activities. D)Â  Gross margin. E)Â  Net profit. Correct Answer(s):| B| 4. A well-designed plan for paying salespeople’s expenses should: A)Â  Allow sales reps to earn the same net income whether they are at home or on the road. B)Â  Pay for all entertainment expenses incurred by a salesperson. C)Â  Cut down on nonselling activities. D)Â  Pay the same amount to each salesperson. E)Â  Allow just a small amount of expense account padding. Correct Answer(s):| A| 5. A sales quota will most likely act as an aid in: A)Â  Controlling and directing salespeople’s activities. B)Â  Helping prepare a job description. C)Â  Forecasting sales. D)Â  Conducting sales training programs. E)Â  Establishing territories. Correct Answer(s):| A| 6. In which of the following situations will the sales rep most likely be on an unlimited expense payment plan? A)Â  Manufacturer of electric motors opening a new territory in California. B)Â  A driver-salesperson for soft drink bottler covering part of southern Illinois. C)Â  Wholesaler of office supplies selling to retail stores in North Carolina. D)Â  Small manufacturer of fishing tackle who has weak financial capability. E)Â  Detail sales rep for pharmaceutical manufacturer, calling on doctors’ offices in Atlanta. Correct Answer(s):| A| . A company is likely to use a sales volume quota when management wants: A)Â  A balanced effort between selling and non-selling activities. B)Â  A salesperson to develop a new market. C)Â  To increase its gross margin. D)Â  To correct an unbalanced inventory situation by pushing sales of one item. E)Â  To keep its selling expenses at 6 percent of net sales. Correct Answer(s):| D| 8. An unlimited-payment plan for controlling sales force expenses: A)Â  Allows for cost differentials due to variations in territories or jobs. B)Â  Is not a good plan when the salespeople are dealing with customers at the executive level. C)Â  Eliminates expense account padding. D)Â  Is a poor plan to use when the salespeople are calling on new accounts. E)Â  Is a good plan for a financially weak firm. Correct Answer(s):| A| 9. A characteristic of a sound sales force expense plan is that it: A)Â  Is designed so that the reps neither profit nor lose under the plan. B)Â  Does not hamper the performance of selling activities. C)Â  Is simple and economical to administer. D)Â  Does All of these. E)Â  Accomplishes only two of A-B-C. Correct Answer(s):| D| 10. Which of the following is an advantage of a limited payment plan for controlling sales force expenses? A)Â  High caliber salespeople generally prefer this plan. B)Â  It is good when there are cost-of-living differentials among the territories. C)Â  It eliminates cheating on expense accounts. D)Â  Management can budget its sales expenses more accurately. E)Â  It eliminates disputes between management and sales reps. Correct Answer(s):| D| 11. Motivation is the only requirement for successful sales performance. A)Â  True B)Â  False Correct Answer(s):| False| 12. What motivates a sales rep at one time may not motivate him or her at another time. A)Â  True B)Â  False Correct Answer(s):| True| 13. Which of the following is (are) true about reps who in the disengagement stage of their careers? A)Â  Their sales levels peak because of the vast experiences they have. B)Â  Usually the psychological impact of a disruption in their personal lives causes their sales to decline. C)Â  Their sales peak because of their long term relationship with customers. D)Â  An assignment to a special project is one way to increase their motivation. Correct Answer(s):| D| 14. Which of the following will most likely satisfy a sales rep’s hygiene needs, in contrast to his motivator’s needs? A)Â  Give the rep more responsibility. B)Â  Provide a satisfactory compensation plan. C)Â  Give the rep more opportunity for personal growth in his career. D)Â  Have a recognition banquet honoring this rep. E)Â  None of these meet hygiene needs. Correct Answer(s):| B| 15. Intrinsic rewards are provided by others. A)Â  True B)Â  False Correct Answer(s):| False| 16. When planning and conducting a sales contest, management should: A)Â  Run the contest for at least six months. B)Â  Not build the contest around a theme. C)Â  Not give cash as an award. D)Â  Use an outside consulting firm to conduct the contest, thus ensuring objectivity. E)Â  Provide each salesperson with a reasonably equal chance to win. Correct Answer(s):| E| 17. A recently promoted district sales manager was nominated by her company to attend an executive development program conducted by a well-known university. In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, this program is most closely related to the rep’s need for: A)Â  Love and acceptance. B)Â  Self-actualization. C)Â  Safety. D)Â  Physiological support. E)Â  Belonging to a group. Correct Answer(s):| B| 18. Intensity refers to how long the salesperson will continue to put forth effort. A)Â  True B)Â  False Correct Answer(s):| False| 19. A sales meeting is least likely to be used as a vehicle for: A)Â  Counseling salespeople about their personal problems. B)Â  Boosting sales force morale. C)Â  Improving sales reps’ selling techniques. D)Â  Announcing changes in a company’s policies on pricing and channel structure. E)Â  Getting salespeople better acquainted with top management. Correct Answer(s):| A| 20. Which of the following specific incentives do salespeople prefer? A)Â  Additional vacation time. B)Â  A pay raise. C)Â  A better car. D)Â  Better fringe benefits. E)Â  Merchandise. Correct Answer(s):| B| 1. A sales compensation plan involving a combination of salary plus commission on net sales is popular because it: A)Â  Provides the reps with more security than other plans. B)Â  Offers some of the advantages of a salary plus the incentive and flexibility features of a commission. C)Â  Is the lowest cost plan. D)Â  Provides more incentive than other plans. E )Â  Gives management the greatest degree of control over the reps. Correct Answer(s):| B| 22. A good plan for compensating a sales force should: A)Â  Strive to correlate a sales representative’s rewards with his or her results and efforts. B)Â  Provide a regular (steady) income or an incentive income, but not try to do both. C)Â  Equate the level and the method of compensation. D)Â  Discourage a sales representative from spending time on non-selling activities. E)Â  Not be used to control sales force activities. Correct Answer(s):| A| 23. Which of the following features is least likely to be found in a good sales compensation plan? A)Â  The plan provides a regular income plus some incentive pay. B)Â  The plan is fair to both management and the sales force. C)Â  The plan provides a competitive level of pay. D)Â  The basic plan is changed frequently in order to provide flexibility. E)Â  The plan is economical to administer. Correct Answer(s):| D| 24. Which of the following is an example of conflicting goals in a sales force compensation plan? A)Â  Provide security of income to sales representatives, but open new markets. B)Â  Develop a plan that is both flexible and fair to the sales representatives. C)Â  Design an extremely flexible plan, yet one which also is simple to understand and easy to administer. D)Â  Provide a competitive level and a competitive method of compensation. E)Â  None of these involves a conflict of goals. Correct Answer(s):| C| 25. Management wants aggressive selling in a job that involves virtually no missionary activities. The company is not financially strong, so management wants the compensation costs related directly to sales revenue. This firm should use a plan for paying its sales force. A)Â  Straight salary. B)Â  Combination. C)Â  Salary plus bonus. D)Â  Straight commission. E)Â  Salary plus commission. Correct Answer(s):| D| 26. Successful companies in the 21st century: A)Â  Will reward selling as much as possible. B)Â  Will primarily reward maintaining market share. C)Â  Will reward immediate results. D)Â  Will reward gaining customers with fewer calls. E)Â  Will reward building customer share over the long term. Correct Answer(s):| E| 27. In which of the following situations is the tactical implementation most consistent with the strategic planning? A)Â  The strategy of introducing a new product to increase market share is implemented by paying the salespeople a straight commission. B)Â  When the strategy calls for aggressive selling to liquidate excess inventories, management offers the reps a larger commission. C)Â  To provide extra service to hold existing accounts, management increases its emphasis on commission payments. D)Â  The strategy of attracting the top level of graduating college students is implemented by paying lower starting salaries with prospects for future increases. E)Â  There really is no relationship between compensation tactics and marketing strategies. Correct Answer(s):| B| 28. A straight salary plan is the most widely used method for compensating a sales force. A)Â  True B)Â  False Correct Answer(s):| True| 29. Which of the following job elements is hardest to measure objectively in a sales force compensation plan? A)Â  The value of the salespeople’s efforts spent in training their customers’ sales force. B)Â  The reps’ entertainment expenses. C)Â  The gross margin by product line that a rep contributes. D)Â  The volume of sales received over the phone or by mail. E)Â  The number of calls made on new accounts. Correct Answer(s):| A| 30. A limitation of the straight-commission method of paying a sales force is that this method usually: A)Â  Means that compensation expenses are a fixed cost. B)Â  Does not provide incentive for the sales representatives. C)Â  Attracts a poor caliber of sales representatives. D)Â  Makes it difficult to supervise and direct the activities of salespeople. E)Â  Discourages the sales representative from working long hours. Correct Answer(s):| D| 31. In addition to their large buying size, strategic accounts are likely to be differentiated from smaller accounts by their: A)Â  Complex buying process. B)Â  Desire to concentrate on domestic markets, to the exclusion of foreign markets. C)Â  Preference for using a line organizational structure. D)Â  Desire to avoid dealing with a selling team – preferring instead to deal with one sales rep. E)Â  None of these is correct. Correct Answer(s):| A| 32. A district sales manager for a cosmetics manufacturer supervised 160 salespeople who sold on a door-to-door basis. Seventeen of these district managers reported to one divisional sales manager. This situation seems to be violating the organizational principle that: A)Â  Span of control should be reasonable. B)Â  Organization should be stable, but flexible. C)Â  Organization should reflect a market orientation. D)Â  Organization should be build around activities. E)Â  Balance and coordination is needed in an organization. Correct Answer(s):| A| 33. In contrast to consumer purchasing, in organizational buying: A)Â  Fewer people are involved in making the decision. B)Â  Decisions are made more quickly. C)Â  Decisions are based upon economics more than emotions. D)Â  Decision makers are more often the user of the Product. E)Â  All of these. Correct Answer(s):| C| 34. In recent years firms have restructured their sales organizations around their best selling products. A)Â  True B)Â  False Correct Answer(s):| False| 35. In today’s marketing environment, geographical specialization is not used very much in sales force organizations. Difficulty: Easy A)Â  True B)Â  False Correct Answer(s):| False| 36. Which of the following organizational structures will most likely be used by a large company selling several unrelated technically complex products? A)Â  Geographical specialization with each rep selling the full product mix. B)Â  Line organization. C)Â  Customer specialization. D)Â  Product specialization. E)Â  Any of the above is equally likely to be used. Correct Answer(s):| D| 37. Citizenship behaviors are things people do on-the-job that are above and beyond their formal job requirements. A)Â  True B)Â  False Correct Answer(s):| True| 38. When IBM reconfigured its sales force by assigning reps to different industries, it was using: A)Â  Geographic specialization. B)Â  Market specialization. C)Â  Sales force specialization. D)Â  Product specialization. E)Â  None of these. Correct Answer(s):| B| 39. Although more expensive, team selling is by far the best method of calling upon accounts and should be used for all routine selling situations. Difficulty: Medium A)Â  True B)Â  False Correct Answer(s):| False| 40. All of the following are typical problems that producers experience when using an independent sales force (such as, manufacturers’ reps, wholesale distributors), EXCEPT: A)Â  The producer is frustrated over the lack of control it has over the independent sales force. B)Â  The producer must compete with other firms for the selling time of the rep’s or wholesale distributor’s sales force. C)Â  The independent sales forces are not familiar with the market the producer wants to reach. D)Â  It is difficult to get these reps and agents to service an account because they get no commission for this work. E)Â  It is difficult to get an independent sales force to perform non-selling activities. Correct Answer(s):| C| 41. The amount and type of leadership received by salespeople: A)Â  Should be the same for all reps. B)Â  Should vary among reps based on their individual differences. C)Â  Should vary over time, based on the stability of the business environment. D)Â  Usually should increase as the sales force gets larger. E)Â  Both B and C are correct. Correct Answer(s):| E| 42. Which of the following behaviors is a transformational leader behavior? A)Â  Recognizing. B)Â  Rewarding. C)Â  Role modeling. D)Â  Indirect supervision. E)Â  None of these. Correct Answer(s):| C| 43. Excellent transactional leadership by the sales manager involves: A)Â  Informing. B)Â  Clarifying. C)Â  Monitoring. D)Â  Verbal feedback. E)Â  All of these. Correct Answer(s):| E| 44. Charisma is something most commonly associated with: A)Â  Transactional leadership. B)Â  Citizenship behavior. C)Â  Task orientation. D)Â  Transformational leadership. E)Â  None of these. Correct Answer(s):| D| 45. Usually salespeople working on a straight commission generally receive less leadership and supervision than those who work for a straight salary. A)Â  True B)Â  False Correct Answer(s):| True| 46. Personal characteristics associated with excellent leadership include all of the following, except: A)Â  high self-confidence B)Â  older age (50 years, plus) C)Â  high energy level. D)Â  creativity. E)Â  eagerness to take risks. Correct Answer(s):| B| 47. Transactional-oriented leaders are typically very charismatic. A)Â  True B)Â  False Correct Answer(s):| False| 48. When a leader anticipates, analyzes, and makes decisions, the leader uses: A)Â  Problem-solving skills. B)Â  Social skills. C)Â  communication skills. D)Â  Persuasive skills. E)Â  None of these. Correct Answer(s):| A| 49. The two distinct styles of leadership are transactional and task orientation. A)Â  True B)Â  False Correct Answer(s):| False| 50. Situational leadership involves which of the following leader behaviors? A)Â  informing basic rules. B)Â  verbal feedback. C)Â  articulating a vision. D)Â  individualized support. E)Â  All of these. Correct Answer(s):| E| 51. Team selling is not the best alternative in every situation because: A)Â  it tends to be expensive. B)Â  it does not lend itself to complex situations. C)Â  customers generally do not like it. D)Â  there is no specialization of marketing activities. E)Â  All of these 52. An organization is: A)Â  Something needed to get the job done. B)Â  Not needed if you have a small company. C)Â  Simply an arrangement – a working structure – of activities involving a group of people. D)Â  Needed before doing any strategic planning. E)Â  None of these is even close. 53. Citizenship behaviors: A)Â  Those behaviors that a salesperson performs as a member of his/her community. B)Â  Are only performed by the top executives in a sales organization. C)Â  Those behaviors that are above and beyond the formal job requirements. D)Â  Are performed by members of the Board of Directors E)Â  None of these. 54. Which of the following factors account for the growing use of e-commerce and telemarketing as a form of sales force specialization? A)Â  Many buyers prefer it over personal sales calls in certain selling situations. B)Â  Many marketers find that it increases the efficiency of their selling effort. C)Â  It is especially adaptable to major-account selling. D)Â  All of these contribute to telemarketing’s growth. E)Â  Only A and B are correct. 55. A major limitation of the functional type of sales organization is that: A)Â  Functional executives can only recommend to a field sales manager regarding assignments for the salespeople. B)Â  Managerial specialists cannot be used effectively. C)Â  It cannot be used very well if the firm sells a wide line of complex, technical products. D)Â  Some of the line sales officers or the salespeople may be getting orders from more than one person. E)Â  None of these. 56. A formal organization’s well-being often is maintained by a system known as: A)Â  The informal organization. B)Â  Management by objectives. C)Â  Team selling. D)Â  Internationalizing the sales operations. E)Â  Strategic planning. 57. A drawback to a line and staff sales organization is that: A)Â  It cannot be used by a company that sells to many different types of customers. B)Â  It is difficult to separate planning and operating activities. C)Â  Problems may arise when staff executives take on line authority, instead of acting only as advisers. D)Â  The span of control usually is too large. E)Â  It discourages the use of the division of labor. 8. If a manager wants to motivate experienced salespeople to perform at higher levels or to do certain aspects of their jobs better, the best leadership behavior or style to use is: A)Â  task-orientation. B)Â  verbal feedback. C)Â  articulate a vision. D)Â  transactional. E)Â  Both A and D. 59. Leadership is a process in which one person influences other people’s behavior toward the accomplishment of specific goals. A)Â  True B)Â  False 60. To do the best leadership, a sales manager should exhibit: A)Â  Transformational, but not transactional leader behaviors. B)Â  Transactional, but not transformational leader behaviors. C)Â  Both transformational and transactional leader behaviors. D)Â  Let the salespeople lead themselves. E)Â  None of these. 61. When sales-volume quotas are based on territorial potentials: A)Â  For psychological reasons, quotas should usually be set a little lower than the expected potential. B)Â  Territorial sales potentials are not a good base for setting volume quotas. C)Â  Sometimes quotas based on territorial potentials have to be adjusted downward because a new rep is covering that district. D)Â  Quotas should be related directly to territorial sales potential with no further changes being made. E)Â  It is a good idea to base quotas on last year’s sales alone. Correct Answer(s):| C| 62. For which of the following sales jobs will management most likely use an activity quota? A)Â  Wholesale hardware sales rep. B)Â  Life insurance sales rep. C)Â  Liquor distributor’s sales reps calling on retailers. D)Â  Wholesaler’s salespeople selling office supplies. E)Â  Missionary sales rep for a soap manufacturer calling on grocery stores. Correct Answer(s):| E| 63. Role conflict arises when: A)Â  Reps are uncertain of their authority to meet price competition. B)Â  Reps are unclear about their organizational relationship with staff executives. C)Â  Reps are unsure of how much time and energy to devote to field duties requested by a marketing research manager. D)Â  Reps are trying to serve both the company and the customer. E)Â  Reps question their power to grant credit. Correct Answer(s):| D| 64. Herzberg maintained that job satisfaction is primarily associated with hygiene needs. A)Â  True B)Â  False Correct Answer(s):| False| 65. All of the following normally are considered to be elements (building blocks) in a sales compensation plan, except: A)Â  Commission. B)Â  Bonus. C)Â  Sales contest with cash prizes. D)Â  Salary. E)Â  Insurance and pension plans. Correct Answer(s):| C| 6. It is a good idea to pretest a compensation plan and introduce it to the sales force before the plan is installed on a permanent basis. A)Â  True B)Â  False Correct Answer(s):| True| 67. Which method of compensation is most appropriate for detail or missionary salespeople? A)Â  Incentive plus commission. B)Â  Straight salary. C)Â  Straight commission. D)Â  Commission plus expense. E)Â  Expenses only, because detail and missionary salespeople are, by definition, not compensated. Correct Answer(s):| B| 68. In a sales force compensation plan, an example of indirect financial compensation is: A)Â  Salary payment. B)Â  Paid vacation. C)Â  Field supervision. D)Â  Christmas cash bonus. E)Â  Air-conditioned office. Correct Answer(s):| B| 69. Most companies want to keep their expenses directly related to sales volume. Consequently, expense account policies usually do not play a role in a firm’s strategic marketing planning. A)Â  True B)Â  False 70. A sales quota is a performance goal assigned to a marketing unit for a specific marketing unit for a specific period of time. A)Â  True B)Â  False 71. A manufacturer has 20 sales representatives using their own cars to cover territories of various sizes in the eastern half of the United States. To reimburse these people for the use of their cars, the plan most equitable to both management and the sales force is a: A)Â  Payment of actual expenses as reported by the sales representatives. B)Â  Flat rate per mile. C)Â  Fixed allowance per month. D)Â  Flexible allowance such as the Runzheimer plan. E)Â  Graduated mileage allowance; for example, 30 cents a mile for the first 12,000 miles a year and 24 cents a mile for all mileage above 12,000. 72. Which of the following sales force business expenses is likely to generate most questions from government tax auditors? A)Â  Hotel bills. B)Â  Gifts. C)Â  Postage. D)Â  Telephone. E)Â  Taxi fares. 73. Which of the following is the best definition of motivation? A)Â  Behavior that is consistent with your attitudes. B)Â  Doing things that satisfy you. C)Â  The desire to expend effort to fulfill a need. D)Â  Your reaction to role conflict and role ambiguity. E)Â  Achieving the goals you set for yourself. 74. Which of the following is a major trend today in sales force compensation? A)Â  Straight commission plans are increasing as a percentage of total plans. B)Â  Companies are designing plans which stress customer satisfaction rather than straight sales volume. C)Â  The average level of pay is decreasing. D)Â  Fringe benefits are not being used as much as in the past. E)Â  Combination plans are declining in popularity. 75. The sales compensation plan that typically provides maximum security and stability of earnings for most sales reps is: A)Â  Straight commission. B)Â  Straight salary. C)Â  Salary plus commission. D)Â  Salary plus bonus. E)Â  Commission plus fringe benefits. 76. A straight commission plan based on sales volume is payment for performing a unit of work, and the plan constitutes a direct (variable) expense for management. A)Â  True B)Â  False 77. A company is likely to use a line organization when: A)Â  Management wants to use various marketing specialists. B)Â  The market consists of quite different groups of customers. C)Â  The company is small and sells a few related products. D)Â  Management believes in a policy of decentralization. E)Â  The sales force is large. 78. Of the four basic sales organization structures, the structure which has been recently adopted by some of the U. S. ‘ biggest companies is: A)Â  Line organization. B)Â  Line and staff organization. C)Â  Functional organization. D)Â  Horizontal organization. E)Â  None of these. 79. Some firms establish a separate sales force to sell to strategic accounts. Difficulty: Easy A)Â  True B)Â  False 80. The personal characteristic of initiative implies: A)Â  The leaders must believe in themselves. B)Â  The leaders are independent, self starters. C)Â  The leaders have high energy levels. D)Â  The leaders exhibit creativity. E)Â  All of these. 81. High-performing reps that appreciate autonomy respond well to heavy doses of transactional leader behaviors. A)Â  True B)Â  False 82. The most widely used type of sales quota is one based on sales activities. B)Â  False 83. With regard to compensation, which of the following is true? A)Â  Companies change their compensation plans more frequently than they change their strategies. B)Â  Compensation plans should be reviewed frequently to make sure that they are consistent with strategies. C)Â  Most firms change their compensations plans at least once in two years. D)Â  Firms should only change their compensation program when the salespeople are dissatisfied. E)Â  All of these are true 84. Which of the following roles ordinarily is not a part of a buying center? A)Â  User. B)Â  Director. C)Â  Influencer. D)Â  Decider. E)Â  Gatekeeper. 85. A drawback to organizing the sales force in a geographical specialization is that: A)Â  customers may get called on by multiple reps from the same selling firm. B)Â  it results in more travel time for each sales rep. C)Â  it leads to uneven coverage of the market. D)Â  there is usually no specialization of marketing activities. E)Â  All of these are drawbacks. 86. A trend in sales force re-structuring is to: A)Â  move toward flatter organizations. B)Â  structure around people, not activities. C)Â  make the organization as inflexible as possible. D)Â  move decision-making authority to the managers (i. e. , away from subordinates). E)Â  All of these. How to cite Exam 2 Study Guide, Papers Exam 2 Study guide Free Essays

Conflict Resolution Solving a Workplace Dispute free essay sample

A hypothetical workplace dispute is presented and several options for resolving it are discussed. This paper details a scenario of a fictitious work dispute between an employee and supervisor and subsequently the entire staff, after the employee was not promoted as agreed. The paper then presents four options for solving the dispute authoritative command, problem solving, compromise and expansion of resources. The dispute occurring began between an employee and a supervisor. The employee had worked for the company for three years, working towards a position as a supervisor. This was noted in their performance review and was also incorporated into their work plan. The employee both worked and completed studies in business to assist them in gaining the expected promotion. After three years, the promotion became available. The employee was told by the department manager that they would not be getting the promotion but that somebody else would be hired from outside of the organization. We will write a custom essay sample on Conflict Resolution: Solving a Workplace Dispute or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The position was advertised and a new person recruited. The employee inquired as to why they would not be considered for the position but was given no direct answer. The employee initiated discussion with their boss to find out the reasons for their non-promotion, but was given no specific reasons.

Stroke free essay sample

A stroke can cause memory loss, speech impairment, reasoning ability, loss of vision, paralysis, coma, and death, depending on what region of the brain is affected. Strokes are considered to be medical emergencies that require immediate treatment. About one third of strokes can be followed by transient ischemic attacks (mini-strokes). These strokes temporarily interrupt blood flow to the brain and cause similar symptoms like sudden vision loss or temporary weakness in a limb. Quick treatment can improve the chances of survival and increase the degree of recovery. A person who may have suffered a stroke should be seen in a hospital emergency room immediately. To be most effective, blood clot prevention treatment should begin within three hours of a stroke. More than half a million people in the United States experience a new or recurrent stroke each year. Three million Americans are currently permanently disabled from stroke. Stroke is the leading cause of disability. We will write a custom essay sample on Stroke or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Stroke kills about 150, 000 Americans each year. Two thirds of strokes occur in people over age 65. Research shows that strokes affect men more often than women for some reason, although women are more likely to die from a stroke. Contributing factors in these types of strokes are usually atherosclerosis or hypertension. Risk factors for stroke involve sex, age, diseases, heredity, lifestyle choices and medical conditions. Men are more likely to have a stroke than women. The risk of stroke increases with age, doubling each decade after the age of 55. People with heart disease, diabetes, prior stroke or high blood pressure are at greater risk for stroke. People with a family history of stroke are at an increased risk of stroke. Patients with one or more transient ischemic attacks have ten times the risk of stroke. Stroke risk increases with high blood cholesterol, high red blood cell count, and obesity. African-Americans, Asians, and Hispanics all have higher rates of stroke than whites, in relation to higher blood pressure, for some reason. Stroke risk also increases with cigarette smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, cocaine and intravenous drug usage. Causes and symptoms: Study shows that there are four main forms of stroke: cerebral embolism, cerebral thrombosis, intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Cerebral thrombosis and cerebral embolism are known as ischemic strokes. They are caused by blood clots that block an artery supplying the brain. They can be in the neck or in the brain. These strokes account for seventy to eighty percent of all strokes. Intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage are hemorrhagic strokes that occur when a blood vessel bursts in or around the brain. They are caused by excessive internal pressure or trauma. Symptoms : Knowing the symptoms of a stroke is very important. Patients with symptoms of stroke should seek emergency treatment immediately. Certain symptoms of a stroke depends on the type of stroke. However, there are some characteristics that are common with all types of stroke. symptoms of a thrombotic stroke are more gradual while, an embolic stroke usually occurs suddenly may be very intense from the start. These ischemic strokes may include syptoms like decreased vision or blurring in both or one eye, severe headaches, numbness, weakness or paralysis of the face, arm, and legs (usually occurring on one side of the body) dizziness, along with loss of balance and coordination. Though, hemorrhagic strokes are different. Symptoms of a subarachnoid hemorrhage include severe headache that begins suddenly, vomiting, nausea, stiff neck, light intolerance and loss of consciousness. An intracranial hemorrhage may exhibit extreme hypertension, loss of consciousness, paralysis (especially on one side of the body), seizure, vomiting, severe nausea, altered mental state weakness, numbness, severe or sudden headache. Diagnosis Diagnosing a stroke usually begins with a careful medical history, especially concerning the distribution and onset of the symptoms and the presence of risk factors, so that other possible causes are excluded. Performing a brief neurological exam may be used to identify the location and degree of any deficits, such as vision loss, weakness, or lack of coordination. Once stroke is suspected imaging technology is used to determine which type of stroke the patient has suffered. Blood and urine tests are run to look for abnormalities. A non contrast computed tomography scan (CT scan) is used to identify hemorrhagic strokes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can detect ischemic strokes, caused by blood clots, earlier and more reliably than CT scanning. Other investigations include electrocardiogram, angiography, ultrasound, and electroencephalogram. Prevention: The risks of stroke can be reduced through daily, basic lifestyle changes. These changes include getting regular exercise, stop smoking, controlling blood pressure, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding excessive alcohol and drug consumption, getting regular checkups, following a nutricious diet and taking the required medications to prevent the risks of stroke. Research shows that treatment of atrial fibrillation may also significantly reduce the risk of stroke. Warfarin (Coumadin) has also been proven to be more effective than aspirin for those with higher risk of stroke.

Fire Science Fair Project Ideas

Fire Science Fair Project Ideas Are you looking for a science fair project that involves fire or combustion? Here are some ideas for fire projects to get you brainstorming. What chemicals burn in different colors?What substances can mask the colors of flames?Which type of oil produces the least soot when it burns? You can collect soot (carbon black) by burning in a container and wiping it down between tests or by examining a filter paper (or coffee filter) placed in with the test oil.Analyze whether burning trash is a good alternative to landfills.Examine the effects of flame retardant chemicals on growing plants or on animals, such as insects or aquarium fish.Which common materials (e.g., paper, foam, cloth, vinyl) produce the worst smoke/air pollution when burned?Examine how controlled burning is used for forests and parks.Examine the effects of ash on soil composition.How does diminishing oxygen affect the appearance of a flame?Does it matter what type of wax is used to make a candle?Can you construct candles using liquid oils or other fuels besides wax? More Science Fair Project Ideas

Google Innovation & Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Google Innovation & Technology - Essay Example 50 percent of the audience is from outside the United States and the company is having 5,680 full-time employees working for the betterment of the company, over the years we have seen so many new services started by Google, such as Google Earth, G-Mail, G-Talk, Google Books, Google Cash, Google Desktop, Google Adwords, Google Adsense, and Google Maps. The services that Google is providing is exactly by putting the needs of the customers first, although every website claims to put their customers first but not the case with Google, which doesn't offer anything that is not beneficial to the visitors/users, even the search engine is fast and easily loadable, it doesn't advertise anything that can prove to be distracting the visitors/users and exactly the same way they have taken very good care of small things that can create more value in the eyes of visitors/users, the Google co-founder L. Page has said that "The perfect search engine [Google] would understand exactly what you mean and give back exactly what you want", this is clearly showing the signs of highly innovated technology, as the matter of fact, it is Google's goal to provide the visitors/users the information they seek in an absolute form. Google has gained success and popularity in an unusual way, they haven't really done any advertisement of their own and also haven't run any such campaigns, but their success and fame is from the word of mouth, just like from one person to another, another strange thing one can notice about google is the first online company who's stated goal is to have its users leave its website as soon as possible, which means that they want every thing to work fast perhaps just on a click, the time is taken by a query is even less than half a second, Google doesn't rely on big servers in fact they claim to have networked PCs that made their work so fast and innovative, another good thing found in google is that it has used a "Page Rank" technology in their search engine, through this technology they are able to rank websites that are mostly visited by the users for the purpose of information through Google, another technology used by google is "Hypertext-Matching Analysis".

The impact of the crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The impact of the crisis - Essay Example It has been found out that the cause that resulted in such a drastic financial condition was the excessive borrowing that the countries belonging to the Euro zone had undertaken. Adding on to this problem there was lack of competitiveness in specific countries of this zone which resulted in the imbalances in the trade of these countries and also an increase in the current account deficit. This led to a weakening of the financial condition of the banks and they had problems in getting any further funding. Hence the credit and cash crisis in the country set in. While in Greece the problem surrounded every aspect of the economy in the countries like Spain and Ireland the problem was solely linked with the crisis that took place in the banking sector due to the unavailability of credit. This essay would look into the various aspects of the financial crisis that have taken place in the European Union and the effects of such liquidity crisis on the financial markets of these countries. The crisis in the Euro zone had far reaching effects on the entire world. Background of the crisis Most of the economic systems of the world are interconnected and therefore any adverse situation in one country would have its effect on the other countries as well. ... 726-741). The major problem that the countries faced was a common monetary policy but a different fiscal policies for each of the countries since the countries had different sets of government. The European Union was formed with a motive of maintaining a uniform monetary policy in all the member nations of the EU. The nations included in the list of the nations in the EU would have a common currency known as the Euro and it would be circulated over the borders of these nations. The main motive behind this process was bringing in all the countries of Europe in the same platform for international trade and to increase the intensity of competition. This in turn would increase the domestic production of the countries and would add to the GDP of the individual nations. In the previous days most of the East European countries followed the communist ways of governance. The EU would ensure that that the market economies structure along with free trade and competitive atmosphere is introduced in the country. The Euro Crisis was a combination of a debt crisis, lack of competitiveness and a banking sector credit crisis. The credit condition of the countries during this time was at a worse situation. The Monetary union of the European nations made a provision to the countries for guaranteeing loan for each other (Galil and Soffer, 2011, pp. 3101-3119). Since most of the nations lacked the creditworthiness due to the shortage of immediate cash and the financial conditions of the countries were intertwined, the entire Euro zone fell under this debt trap. Therefore along with the countries with adverse budgetary conditions, the ones which had proper condition of public

Self-Disclosure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Self-Disclosure - Essay Example Sadness is expressed when one is in such condition as discouraged, gloomy depressed or downhearted. It is a difficult moment of every human being. Empathy is regarded when people have the ability and will for sensing people’s emotions that are accompanied by the capability to imagine what they think or feel (Spence, Fox, Golding & Daiches, 2012). It is expressed when one feel stressed when we detected another person’s fear or anxiety. Sympathy goes beyond one’s empathy since it is acknowledging another person’s emotional hardships and providing comfort and assurance. Personally has been a victim of grapevine information. This is due to the fact that all human beings are front of informal person to person means of circulating information or gossip. Handling rapine information is a real challenge but when handled in a proper way cannot lead to fighting. The best way I can handle is through dialogue and understanding the root cause of the information, eventually the situation is contained leaving both parties satisfied (Spence, Fox, Golding & Daiches, 2012). Good moral values guide me to control expressing my emotions to any other person except in the circumstance when in depression. I have spent some time without expressing my emotions. It was last during a session when I was given an opportunity to represent my institutions in competition and was ranked the best; it was a moment of great joy for my life. I felt like it was like a turning point my

An overview of project management

An overview of project management Project management is an essential component of the organizational structure and its use is built into the organization’s work flow process. An effective project management will influence the organizational outcomes. The project means a temporary effort undertaken to produce a unique product (PMI, 2004). On the project, it can be divided into several phases which include project conception and initiation, project definition and planning, project execution, project performance and control, and project close. The project usually has an objective to meet specific requirements of the organization and has a specific time to accomplish it either long time or a short time. A project is temporary which has a beginning and has the end in a specific time, and therefore defined scope and resources. According to Gaddis (1959), a project is an organization unit dedicated to the attainment of a goal. It is generally the successful completion of a developmental product at point in time, with in the cost estimate, and in conformance with prearranged performance specifications. A project is fundamentally an approach of working, an approach of organizing people, and an approach to manage tasks. A project starts at a defined point of time, ends at specific in time and, is complete when the outcome is completed (Newton, 2005). Hurricanes (2002) stated that a project is an impermanent in nature that has specific start and finish. Other than that, project is a unique, one time undertaking. It can be said like that because the project cannot be done exactly in the same approach by the same project manager and within the same environment The application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques are important to project management, which enables project activities meet the project requirements. Its a strategic competency for organizations, which enable to organize to get project results which to fulfill the business goals. The project management involves the process of directing and controlling a project from start to finish. The purpose of project management is to predict as many risks and problems as possible besides planning, organizing and controlling the activities. So, the project is completed as successfully as possible in spite of all the risks. Project Management is formal discipline that has been developed to manage projects (Newton, 2005). There are many activities that can benefit from project management like building a ship, construct a house, launching new products, information technology systems project and many more. Project Management is the process of guiding a project from its beginning through its performance to its end (Portny, 2006). There are includes three basic operations in project management, which are planning, organizing and controlling the project. Project management knowledge draws on nine areas. Figure 1 below illustrates the project management knowledge area: In project management, there is a key element that is included in a project management framework like project stakeholder. The stakeholders are the people who involved in the project activities. The stakeholder in project management can include the project manager, project sponsor, the project team, support staff, suppliers, opponents, client, users and many more. In this paper, the project manager roles and skills will be discussed in depth. The project manager cooperates closely with the other stakeholders. So this paper will discuss in depth the project manager roles and skills in the project management process. Project manager (PM) is generally taken to be the person accountable for delivering a project which runs smoothly on the designated period, within the cost plan and to the preferred performance or quality standards determined by the client (Sommerville, Craig Hendry, 2010). Project Manager is one of the stakeholders in any project management in the organization. Project Manager is responsible for delivering all the components of the project. Project Manager can be full time or the role of project manager given by the condition. Steyn (2008) stated that the project manager is the bonding medium holding the project together. The project manager’s influence the achievement the project, either success or fail. Project Manager should cooperate closely with the stakeholders, especially the sponsor and project team to meet the expectation of the project. The Project manager is the person ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the project (Heerkens, 2002). The project m anager can be called as team leader in a group. Project managers often are considered the direct leadership component essential to project success. The project manager is the element of project success in the company or organization. The project manager is responsible for managing the project’s scope, project schedule, and project cost to support the client or customer expectations for the successful completion of the project. The success or failure of a project is influenced by the project manager’s appointment. Petty (2009) indicates the project’s managers has the capability to connect between the organization which able to perform and serve the project. It is a critical factor of project success in the organization. The work of project manager does vary from project to project. The Project manager is responsible for scoping out the work, planning it and determining what resources are required, getting the resources allocated, and then managing the completion of the task required and ensuring any problems that may cause the completion of the tasks to be delayed. A project manager works according to project management approach. A project manager is the person responsible for leading a project from its initiation to complete. This includes planning, execution and managing the people, resources and goals of the project. Project Management, it is important to have project manager which is acting as manager. 97% of successful projects was led by qualified project managers which is who can often help to affect success factors (Schwalbe, 2006). As project manager, they can have many job description based on the organization and also based on the project. Although it is based on the organization and the project, there are similar tasks that project manager perform. There are several job categories for project manager which includes: Project Manager for a Consulting firm Project Manager should plans, schedule, and controls activities to fulfill the objectives of the project by applying technical, theoretical and managerial skills. Those skills are to meet the project requirements. Apart from that, the project manager should coordinate and integrates team and build a good relationship with the clients and associates to make sure the project is successful. Information Technology Project Manager for a financial services firm Project Manager should manage, prioritizes, develops, and implement information technology solutions to meet business needs. For example, project manager prepares and executes project plans using project management software in accordance with the standards. It is vital to have plans which are built a Gantt chart in order to make sure the project could finish at the specific time. Information technology project Manager for a nonprofit consulting firm. The project manager responsibilities include business analysis, project requirement gathering and project planning, budget estimating, project development, project testing, project implementation, and many more. For nonprofit consulting firm, project manager should work with various resource providers to ensure the development or project completed on specific times, high quality and cost effective for the project. Project Manager Roles are very important and more challenging other than the typical functional manager. Project Manager. The project manager roles are a success factor for project management in organizing. Project Manager is an individual that in charge of developing, in conjunction with the Project Sponsor. The Project Manager then makes sure that the project is delivered on time, within the budget and to the specific quality standard. Project Manager also ensures that the project is effectively resourced and manages relationships with a wide range of groups including all the project stakeholders. The Project Manager is also responsible for managing the work of consultants, allocate and utilize all the project resources in a professional manner and maintaining a cooperative, motivated and successful team. Project managers are professed to be leading a various set of people with direct control over the team members (Baker, Murphy Fisher, 2008). A number of roles are identified for the project manager such as planned all the activities, tasks, schedules and budgets. Other than that, he or she is organizing, selecting and placing the project team. The project manager is leading the project team and control all the activities and schedules. Besides that, the project manager also is able to select and develop a project team and give a motivation to the team members. Apart from that, the project manager also should always communicate with the project team and all stakeholders. The project manager also is the person who able to solve the problem, make a decision. A project managers responsibilities include overall management The project manager plays their role from the beginning of the project until the end of the project. Below is the roles should be required of a project manager. Manager Project Manager must oversee and manages the work and the employees Facilitator Project Manager must ensure that all resources are available when it’s needed as well can solve any problems. Communicator Project Manager must effectively communicate with top management, customer, project team, and the other stakeholders. The project manager must frequently communicate with the stakeholders in order to manage the works and all the work can be done by all the participants in the project. Politician Project Manager must act as a politician, which is able to influence the people and able to make a decision. Project Manager should know how to get things done, how to operate with the system, how to get people to collaborate and how to influence the people Negotiator Project Manager must act as negotiator which able negotiates with the stakeholders. The Negotiator is the skilled at getting what is needed for the project to be successful. For example, a Project Manager negotiates with senior management for more resources, negotiate with functional managers to get a particular project team member or to use a functional resource, negotiate with vendors for shorter lead time, negotiate with clients about project goal changes and others. Project Manager also has responsibility in project management as follows: Defining the scope Planning the scope Activity and resource planning Developing schedules and timescales Cost estimating Budgeting Completing documentation Risk analysis Risk management Progress monitoring Team Management Business Partnering Scalability and portability analysis Quality control To be a good project manager, it is important to possess several skills in order to manage the project in the organization. Project managers need to have a wide variety of skills which can help them to do the best in project management. All the skills that possess by the project manager is determinant of the success of the project in project management. It is to fulfill the responsibilities as the project manager. There are several major knowledge and skill categories for project manager. Skills requirement of the project manager divided into four categories (Heerkens, 2002). Below are the four major knowledge and skills categories of the project manager. Project management process skills Project Management process skills are the knowledge and skills related to the mechanism of project management. The project manager should be knowledgeable about tools, techniques and process technology in project management as well able to apply them in real situations. For instance, the project manager should know how to develop a complete customer document, build a network diagram, and build a work breakdown structure. With all these skills, the project manager will able to facilitate and organize the project plan. Project Manager also can encounter all the problems during the project management activities and will get respect from all the team members and other stakeholder. Interpersonal and behavioral skills Interpersonal skills are the tools of people used to interact and communicate with other people in the organization. Interpersonal communication skills has seven main areas that required by the project manager, including verbal communication skills, nonverbal communication skills, listening skills, negotiation skills, problem solving skills, decision making skills and assertiveness. Project Manger skills in dealing with the people are immeasurable valued. Besides the interpersonal skills, project manager also needs to have behavioral skills like personal conduct, style and approach. Technology management skills As we know, most of the project is surrounded with the technology. It is referring to the process areas at the core of the project that used information technology infrastructure. The technology skills required might include software and hardware in order to do the task. The ability of the project manager to coordinate the application of technology is the key success as project manager. It is important to project manager to have adequate knowledge and skills that embedded with the technology. There are several technology management required by project manager such as proficiency in project core technology, proficiency in the supporting technology area, industry knowledge, patent knowledge, design skills, and many more. The project manager should familiar with the technology applied in the project. The project manager must able effective in the use of technology. Desired personal traits To be a successful project manager, a personal trait is most important. Personal traits means is the action, attitudes and behavior should project manager have. Possessing personal traits will become a good project manager and be able to performing the duties as a project manager. The desirable traits should possess by project manager such as honesty and has integrity. Other than that, project manager should thinks like a generalist, has high tolerance with other people, and process-oriented, self-aware, open and accessible, politically, and decisive. The manager’s leadership role is of great importance in motivating people and creating an effective working environment in order for the project team to encounter greater challenges in today’s environment. The characteristics of a project manager to indicate the type of leader and leadership style that the project manager applies during the management of projects. All project managers need to demonstrate leadership skills and managerial skills. Leadership and management are terms often used in managing the organization or company. The project manager must be a leader and manager. A leader focuses on long term objectives and give inspiration to people to achieve the project management the goals in the organization (Schwalbe, 2011). Meanwhile, a manager deals with day-to-day project activities in order to achieve the goals. The leadership skills of project manager are very important to lead the project to success. Leadership can be defined as a style of behavior designed to integrate both the organizational requirements and personal interests in the pursuit of some objectives. Managers hold a leadership responsibility. Project managers are often selected or not selected because of their leadership styles (Kerzner, 2001). The leadership role is crucial to facilitating various project success factors that contribute to project execution. According to Anantatmula (2010), the project manager’s leadership roles and responsibilities influence the project deliverables and the project performance. Besides that People skills are essential when a project manager become. People skills are leadership circles of leaders that are encouraged to share the vision and team members are encouraged to be service oriented. The leader also has good relationships with customers or vendors. Barnard (1938) suggested the functions of a leader are needed to have both managerial and emotional functions. Managerial and emotional functions are called as cognitive and cathe ctic. Cognitive functions are managerial functions which involve directing, guiding the people, and constraining choices and actions, meanwhile cathectic functions are emotional functions which include motivational as well emotional aspects towards the objectives of the project and increasing trust and commitment to a larger moral purpose. Leadership and People skills are very important for a project manager to manage the project in the organization from the beginning until the end. All the skills are crucial in order to facilitate the project and make sure the project run smoothly within the time, scope and the cost. The project manager that is trusted by the team and gets the team to work together will communicate successfully. Project team members need to collaborate, share, collaborate and integrate information and knowledge to meet project objectives. A project manager does not communicate with language only, but also with character, which includes attitude, behavior and personality. Project manager with characteristics will allow team members to take responsibility for their work, developing trust, collaboration and teamwork; and sharing the vision will apply during the execution of a project. Besides acting as manager, project manager also act as a facilitator and also as a communicator. He or she must ensure that all resources and work are available when needed and that any problems are resolved. The project manager also must effectively communicate with top management, customer, project team, and other participants in project management. Other than that, the project manager should act as a politician and also negotiator. When they act as a politician, the project manager able to influence the others and have a great influence in decision making. It is important for a project manager to be a negotiator because they need to negotiate with all the stakeholders in managing all the process in the project management activities. The factor which may cause the project management to fail is by assigning the wrong person as project manager. Responsibilities of a Project Manager are to ensure successful completion of a project within a specific time and within the budget allocation. However, it involves many other stages in project management. Project manager plays a key role in helping projects and organization success. The project manager must perform a variety of job duties and have many skills. It is to develop skills in project management, general management, and also their application area such as in the information technology area. To be a successful project manager, they must care about everything and responsible in broad areas including for a project, company, project team members and also the project manager itself. To be a successful project manager, it should be somebody who consistently completes the project and meet the organization goals and also project management goals. The project must getting deliverables completed and handed over. When the project is completed, it can see the business profit increasing and leaves the customer with smiles on their faces. In the nutshell, it can be said that project manager gives big influence to the project management which involve in all the activities of the project management. 1

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Mikey Ritualistic Sacrifice in Ancient Greek Mythology The ritual of sacrifice in Greek literature played a prominent role in societal influence, defining many aspects of their culture. Sacrifice was the foundation of moral concern, as well as an effective means of narrative development in Greek tragedy. The thematic reoccurrence of sacrifice in Greek literature reveals its symbolic importance. At a time when politics and religion were one in the same, sacrifice was crucial in regulating governmental issues. Tragedies manipulate rituals in order to portray a community’s current sense of order or disorder. The pattern of sacrifice typically entails conflict between the needs of an individual and those of a community in crisis, ultimately resolved in favor of the community through willing participation of the sacrificial victim (Easterling 188). Rites of sacrifice serve to rectify corrupted relations, and maintain moral balance. The social order of Greek life is constructed, by sacrifice, through irrevocable acts; religion and political existence were thoroughly integrated forcing all other life functions to reflect this foundation. In Greek literature, the role of sacrifice served many functions. The literal meaning of sacrifice, in most instances, juxtaposes the consequences of its perpetrations, ultimately establishing beneficial results. Most importantly, sacrifice was the basis of the relations maintained between men and gods, establishing a means of contact and interaction. Additionally, the practice of ritual sacrifice helped to classify the gods, and differentiate them from one another: double aspects of a single deity, hierarchical relations between two dietes, or the outstanding nature of one particular deity. And finally, sacrifice functions directly to clarify the political rights of each individual and reveal the structures of their social body (Sissa and Marcel). However, various implementations of sacrifice can possibly induce different res ults depending on the direction of the interaction. For example, sacrifice can take place between a god and animals, humans, or another god thus revealing rites both of, and to mythological gods. Mortals made sacrifices at any time, to any god during the occurrence of something that fell with that deity’s’ jurisdiction, or as a payment of a vow (Sissa and Marcel). Rites of sacrifice were also the focus of many cultural festivals in which additional purposes were combined, such as rites of initiation, purification, fire, blood and oath. These rites presented themselves in all facets of Greek culture, producing ritualistic transfers of virtue, possessions, and power seeking to redress past injustices or to return existence to the status quo.

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 30

Matt watched Mrs. Flowers go over Sheriff Mossberg's badge, holding it lightly in one hand and running her fingers over it with the other. The badge came from Rebecca, Sheriff Mossberg's niece. It had seemed entirely a coincidence when Matt had almost run into her earlier that day. Then he'd noticed that she was wearing a man's shirt as a dress. The shirt had been familiar – a Ridgemont sheriff's shirt. Then he had seen the badge still attached to it. You could say a lot of things about Sheriff Mossberg, but you couldn't imagine him losing his badge. Matt had forgotten all sense of gallantry and snatched at the little metal shield before Rebecca could stop him. He'd had a sick feeling in his stomach then, and it had only gotten worse since. Mrs. Flowers's expression was doing nothing to comfort him. â€Å"It wasn't in direct contact with his skin,† she said softly, â€Å"so the images I get are hazy. But oh, my dear Matt† – she lifted shadowed eyes to his – â€Å"I am afraid.† She shivered, sitting at her kitchen table chair, where two mugs of hot spiced milk sat untouched. Matt had to clear his throat and touch the scalding milk to his lips. â€Å"You think we need to go out to look.† â€Å"We must,† said Mrs. Flowers. She shook her head, with its soft, wispy white curls, sadly. â€Å"Dear Ma ma is most insistent, and I can feel it too; a great disturbance in this artifact.† Matt felt the faintest shade of pride tingeing his fear for having secured the â€Å"artifact† – and then he thought, yeah, robbing badges from the shirts of twelve-year-old girls is really something to be proud of. Mrs. Flowers's voice came from the kitchen. â€Å"You'd best put on several shirts and sweaters as well as a pair of these.† She emerged sideways through the kitchen door, holding several long coats, apparently from the closet in front of the kitchen door, and several pairs of gardening gloves. Matt jumped up to help her with the armfuls of coats and then went into a coughing fit as the smell of mothballs and of – something else, something spicy – surrounded him. â€Å"Why do – I feel – like Christmas?† he said, forced to cough between each few words. â€Å"Oh, now that would be Great-Aunt Morwen's clove preservation recipe,† Mrs. Flowers replied. â€Å"Some of these coats are from Mother's time.† Matt believed her. â€Å"But it's still warm out. Why should we wear coats at all?† â€Å"For protection, dear Matt, for protection! These clothes have spells woven into the material to safeguard us from evil.† â€Å"Even the gardening gloves?† Matt asked doubtfully. â€Å"Even the gloves,† Mrs. Flowers said firmly. She paused and then said in a quiet voice, â€Å"And we'd better gather some flashlights, Matt dear, because this is something we're going to have to do in the darkness.† â€Å"You're kidding!† â€Å"No, sadly, I am not. And we should get some rope to tie ourselves together. Under no circumstances must we enter the thicket of the Old Wood tonight.† An hour later, Matt was still thinking. He hadn't had any appetite for Mrs. Flowers's hearty Braised Eggplant au Fromage dinner, and the wheels in his brain just wouldn't stop turning. I wonder if this is how Elena feels, he thought, when she's putting together Plans A, B, and C. I wonder if she ever feels this stupid doing it. He felt a tightening around his heart, and for the three-hundred-thousandth time since he'd left her and Damon, he wondered if he'd done the right thing. It had to be right, he told himself. It hurt the worst, and that's the proof of it. Things that really, really hurt are the right thing to do. But I just wanted to say good-bye to her†¦. But if you'd said good-bye, you'd never have left. Face it, moron, as far as Elena goes you're the world's biggest loser. Ever since she found a boyfriend she liked better than you, you've been working like you were Meredith and Bonnie to help her keep him and keep away The Bad Guy. Maybe you should get you all little matching T-shirts saying: I am a dog. I serve the Princess Ele – SMACK! Matt leaped up, and landed crouching, which was more painful than it looked in movies. Rattle-Smick! It was the loose shutter on the other side of the room. That first bang had really been a slam, though. The exterior of the boardinghouse was in pretty bad shape, and the wooden shutters there sometimes suddenly came free of their wintertime nails. But was it really just a coincidence? Matt thought, as soon as his heart had stopped galloping. In this boardinghouse where Stefan had spent so much time? Maybe somehow there were still remnants of his spirit around, tuned to what people thought within these halls. If so, Matt had just been given a solid whack to the solar plexus, from the way he felt. Sorry, bud, he thought, almost saying it out loud. I didn't mean to trash your girl. She's under a lot of pressure. Trash his girl? Trash Elena? Hell, he'd be the first person to knock out anybody who trashed Elena. Provided Stefan didn't use vampire tricks to get in front of him! And what was it Elena always said? You can't be too prepared. You can't have too many subplans because, just as sure as God made a pesky shell around a peanut, your major plan was going to have some flaws. That was why Elena also worked with as many people as possible. So what if C and D workers never needed to get involved. They were there if they were needed. Thinking this, and with his head feeling a lot clearer than it had since he had sold the Prius and given Stefan's money to Bonnie and Meredith for plane fare plus, Matt went to work. â€Å"And then we took a walk around the estate, and saw the apple orchard, and the orange orchard, and the cherry orchard,† Bonnie told Elena, who was lying down, looking small and defenseless, in her four-poster bed, which had been hung with dusty-gold sheer panels, right now held back by heavy tassels in various shades of gold. Bonnie was sitting comfortably in a gold upholstered chair that had been drawn to the bed. She had her small bare feet up on the sheets. Elena was not being a good patient. She wanted to get up, she insisted. She wanted to be able to walk around. That would do her more good than all the oatmeal and steak and milk and five-times-a-day visits from Dr. Meggar, who had come to live at the estate. She knew what they were all really afraid of, though. Bonnie had blurted it all out in one long sobbing, keening wail one night when the little redhead had been on duty beside her. â€Å"Y-you screamed and all the v-vampires heard it, and Sage just picked up Meredith and me like two kittens, one under each arm, and he ran to where the screaming was. But b-by then so many people had gotten to you first! You were unconscious but so was Damon, and somebody said, ‘They-they've been attacked and I th-think they're dead!' And every-b-body was s-saying, ‘Call the G-Guardians!' And I fainted, a little.† â€Å"Shhh,† Elena had said kindly – and cannily. â€Å"Have some Black Magic to make it feel better.† Bonnie had had some. And some more. And then she'd gone on with the story. â€Å"But Sage must've known something because he said, ‘Here, I'm a doctor, and I'm going to examine them.' And you would really believe him, the way he said it!† â€Å"And then he looked at both of you, and I guess he knew right away what happened, because he said, ‘Fetch a carriage! I need to take them t-to Dr. Meggar, my colleague.' And the Lady Fazina herself came and said that they could have one of her carriages, and just send it back wh-whenever. She's sooooo rich! And then, we got you two out the back way because there were – were some bastards who said, let them die. They were real demons, white like snow, called Snow Women. And then, then, we were just in the carriage and, oh my God! Elena! Elena, you died! You stopped breathing twice! And Sage and Meredith just kept doing CPR on you. And I – I prayed so h-h-hard.† Elena, fully into the story by now, had cuddled her, but Bonnie's tears kept coming back. â€Å"And we knocked at Dr. Meggar's as if we were going to burst the door in – and – and someone told him – and he examined her and said, ‘She needs a transfusion.' And I said, ‘Take my blood.' Because remember in school when we both gave blood to Jody Wright and we were practically the only ones who could do it because we were the same kind? And then Dr. Meggar got two tables ready like that† – Bonnie had snapped her fingers – â€Å"and I was so scared I could hardly hold still for the needle, but I did. I did, somehow! And they gave you some of my blood. And, meanwhile, you know what Meredith did? She let Damon bite her. She really did. And Dr. Meggar sent the carriage back to the house to ask for servants who ‘wanted a bonus' because th-that's what it's called here – and the carriage came back full. And I don't know how many Damon bit, but it was a lot! Dr. Meggar said it was the best medicine. And Meredith and D amon and all of us talked and we convinced Dr. Meggar to come here, I mean to live, and Lady Ulma is going to turn that whole building he was living in into a hospital for the poor people. And ever after that we've just been trying to get you well. Damon was fine the next morning. And Lady Ulma and Lucen and he – I mean it was their idea but he did it, sent this pearl to Lady Fazina – it was one that her father had never found a client rich enough to buy, because it's so big, like a good handful in size but irregular, that means with twists and turns, and a sheen like silver. They put it on a thick chain and sent it to her.† Bonnie's eyes had filled again. â€Å"Because she saved both you and Damon. Her carriage saved your lives.† Bonnie had leaned forward to whisper, â€Å"And Meredith told me – it's a secret, but not from you – that being bitten isn't that bad. There!† And Bonnie, like the kitten she was, had yawned and stretched. â€Å"I would have been bitten next,† she'd said almost wistfully, and quickly added, â€Å"but you needed my blood. Human blood, but mine especially. I guess they know all about blood types here because they can taste and smell the differences.† Then she gave a little jump and said, â€Å"Do you want to look at the fox key half? We were so sure it was all over and we'd never ever find it, but when Meredith went in the bedroom to get bitten – and I promise that was all they did – Damon gave it to her and asked her to keep it. So she did and she took good care of it and it's in a little chest Lucen made out of something that looks like plastic but it's not.† Elena had admired the little crescent, but other than that there was nothing to do in bed but talk and read classical books or encyclopedias from Earth. They wouldn't even let her and Damon rest in the same room. Elena knew why. They were afraid she wouldn't just talk to Damon. They were afraid that she would get near to him and smell his exotic familiar smell, made up of Italian bergamot, mandarin, and cardamom, and that she would look up into his black eyes that could hold universes inside the pupils, and that her knees would go weak and she'd wake up a vampire. They didn't know anything! She and Damon had been safely exchanging blood for weeks before the crisis. If there was nothing to drive him out of sanity again, the way the pain had before, he would conduct himself like a perfect gentleman. â€Å"Hm,† Bonnie said, upon hearing this protest, pushing a tiny throw pillow around with toenails that had been painted silver. â€Å"I maybe wouldn't tell them that you've been exchanging blood so many times from the beginning. It might make them go ‘Aha!' or something. You know, read something into it.† â€Å"There's nothing to read into. I'm here to collect my beloved Damon and Stefan is just helping me.† Bonnie looked at her with her brows knitted and her mouth pursed, but didn't venture a word. â€Å"Bonnie?† â€Å"Um-hm?† â€Å"Did I just say what I thought I said?† â€Å"Um-hm.† Elena, with one motion, gathered an armful of pillows and deposited them on her face. â€Å"Could you please tell chef that I want another steak and a big glass of milk?† she requested in a muffled voice from under the pillows. â€Å"I'm not well.† Matt had a new junk car. He was always able to get his hands on one when he really needed it. And now he was driving, in fits and starts, to Obaasan's house. Mrs. Saitou's house, he corrected himself hastily. He didn't want to tread on unfamiliar cultural customs, not when he was asking for a favor. The door at the Saitous' was opened by a woman Matt had never seen before. She was an attractive woman, dressed very dramatically in a wide scarlet skirt – or maybe in very wide scarlet pants – she stood with her feet so far apart that it was hard to tell. She wore a white blouse. Her face was striking: two swaths of straight black hair and a smaller, neater swath of bangs that came to her eyebrows. But the most striking thing of all about her was that she was holding a long curved sword, pointed directly at Matt. â€Å"H-hi,† Matt said, when the door swung open to reveal this apparition. â€Å"This is a good house,† the woman replied. â€Å"This is not a house of evil spirits.† â€Å"I never thought it was,† Matt said, retreating as the woman advanced. â€Å"Honest.† The woman shut her eyes, seemed to be searching for something in her own mind. Then, abruptly, she lowered the sword. â€Å"You speak the truth. You mean no harm. Please come in.† â€Å"Thank you,† Matt said. He'd never been so happy to have an older woman accept him. â€Å"Orime,† came a thin, feeble voice from upstairs. â€Å"Is that one of the children?† â€Å"Yes, Hahawe,† called the woman that Matt couldn't help thinking of as â€Å"the woman with the sword.† â€Å"Send him up, why don't you?† â€Å"Of course, Hahawe.† â€Å"Ha ha – I mean ‘Hahawe'?† Matt said, turning a nervous laugh into a desperate sentence as the sword swung by his midriff again. â€Å"Not Obaasan?† The sword-woman smiled for the first time. â€Å"Obaasan means grandmother. Hahawe is one of the ways to say mother. But mother won't mind at all if you call her Obaasan; it's a friendly greeting for a woman of her age.† â€Å"Okay,† Matt said, trying his best to seem like an all-around friendly guy. Mrs. Saitou gestured him up the stairs and he peeped into several rooms before he found one with a large futon in the exact middle of a completely bare floor, and in it a woman who seemed so tiny and doll-like as not to be real. Her hair was just as soft and black as the sword-woman's downstairs. It was put up or arranged somehow so that it lay around her like a halo as she lay on the bed. But the dark lashes on the pale cheeks were shut and Matt wondered if she had fallen into one of the sudden slumbers of the elderly. But then quite abruptly, the doll-like lady opened her eyes and smiled. â€Å"Why, it's Masato-chan!† she said, looking at Matt. Bad beginning. If she didn't even recognize that a blond guy wasn't her Japanese friend from about sixty years ago†¦ But then she was laughing, with her small hands in front of her mouth. â€Å"I know, I know,† she said. â€Å"You're not Masato. He became a banker, very rich. Very thick. Especially in the head and the stomach.† She smiled at him again. â€Å"Sit down, please. You can call me Obaasan if you want, or Orime. My daughter was named for me. But life has been hard for her, as it was for me. Being a shrine maiden – and a samurai†¦it takes discipline and much work. And my Orime did so well†¦until we came here. We were looking for a town that would be peaceful and quiet. Instead, Isobel found†¦Jim. And Jim was†¦untrue.† Matt's throat swelled with the desire to defend his friend, but what defense could there be? Jim had spent one night with Caroline – at Caroline's pressing invitation. And he had become possessed and had brought that possession to his girlfriend Isobel, who had pierced her body grotesquely – among other things. â€Å"We've got to get them,† Matt found himself saying earnestly. â€Å"The kitsune who started it all – who started it with Caroline. Shinichi and his sister Misao.† â€Å"Kitsune.† Obaasan was nodding her head. â€Å"Yes, I said there would be one involved from the very beginning. Let me see; I blessed some charms and amulets for your friends†¦.† â€Å"And some bullets. I just sort of filled my pockets,† Matt said, embarrassed, as he spilled out a jumble of different calibers on the edge of her futon cover. â€Å"I even found some prayers on the Web about getting rid of them.† â€Å"Yes, you've been very thorough. Good.† Obaasan looked at the hard copies he'd printed of the prayers. Matt squirmed, knowing that he had only been running down Meredith's To-Do list, and that the credit really belonged to her. â€Å"I'll bless the bullets first and then I'll write out more amulets,† she said. â€Å"Put the amulets wherever you need protection most. And, well, I suppose you know what to do with the bullets.† â€Å"Yes, ma'am!† Matt fumbled in his pockets for the last few, put them into Obaasan's outstretched hands. Then she chanted a long, elaborate prayer holding her tiny hands out over the bullets. Matt didn't find the incantation frightening, but he knew that as a psychic he was a dud, and that Bonnie had probably seen and heard things he couldn't. â€Å"Should I aim for any particular part of them?† Matt asked, watching the old woman and trying to follow along on his own copy of the prayers. â€Å"No, any part of the body or head will do. If you take out a tail, you'll make it weaker, but you'll enrage it, as well.† Obaasan paused and coughed, a small dry old-lady cough. Before Matt could offer to run downstairs and get her a drink, Mrs. Saitou entered the room with a tray and three cups of tea in little bowls. â€Å"Thank you for waiting,† she said politely as she knelt fluidly to serve them. Matt found with the first sip that the steaming green tea was much better than he'd expected from his few experiences at restaurants. And then there was silence. Mrs. Saitou sat looking at the teacup, Obaasan lay looking white and shrunken under the futon cover, and Matt felt a storm of words building up in his own throat. Finally, even though good sense was counseling him not to speak, he burst out, â€Å"God, I'm so sorry about Isobel, Mrs. Saitou! She doesn't deserve any of this! I just wanted you to know that I – I'm just so sorry, and I'm going to get the kitsune who's at the bottom of it. I promise you, I'll get him!† â€Å"Kitsune?† Mrs. Saitou said sharply, staring at him as if he'd gone mad. Obaasan looked on in pity from her pillow. Then, without waiting to gather up the tea things, Mrs. Saitou jumped up and ran out of the room. Matt was left speechless. â€Å"I – I – â€Å" Obaasan spoke from her pillow. â€Å"Don't be too distressed, young man. My daughter, although a priestess, is very modern in her outlook. She would probably tell you that kitsune don't even exist.† â€Å"Even after – I mean how does she think Isobel – ?† â€Å"She thinks that there are evil influences in this town, but of the ‘ordinary, human' kind. She thinks Isobel did what she did because of the stress she was under, trying to be a good student, a good priestess, a good samurai.† â€Å"You mean, like, Mrs. Saitou feels guilty?† â€Å"She blames Isobel's father for much of it. He is a ‘salaryman' back in Japan.† Obaasan paused. â€Å"I don't know why I have told you all this.† â€Å"I'm sorry,† Matt said hastily. â€Å"I wasn't trying to snoop.† â€Å"No, but you care about other people. I wish Isobel had had a boy like you instead of her daughter.† Matt thought of the pitiful figure he'd seen at the hospital. Most of Isobel's scars would end up invisible under her clothes – presuming she learned to speak again. Bravely, he said, â€Å"Well, I'm still up for grabs.† Obaasan smiled faintly at him, then put her head back down on the pillow – no, it was a wooden headrest, Matt realized. It didn't look very comfortable. â€Å"It's a great pity when there has to be strife between a human family and the kitsune,† she said. â€Å"Because there are rumors that one of our ancestors took a kitsune wife.† â€Å"Say what?† Obaasan laughed, again behind concealing fists. â€Å"Mukashi-mukashi, or as you say, long ago in the times of legend, a great Shogun became angy at all the kitsune on his estate for the mischief they made. For many long years they were up to all sorts of pranks, but when he suspected them of ruining the crops in the fields, that was it. He roused every man and woman in his household, and told them to take sticks and arrows and rocks and hoes and brooms and flush out all the foxes that had dens on his estate, even the ones between the attic and the roof. He was going to have every single fox killed without mercy. But the night before he did this, he had a dream in which a beautiful woman came and said she was responsible for all the foxes on the estate. ‘And,' she said, ‘while it is true that we make mischief, we repay you by eating the rats and mice and insects that really spoil the crops. Won't you agree to take your anger out just on me and execute me alone instead of all the foxes? I will come at dawn to hear your answer.' â€Å"And she kept her word, this most beautiful of kitsune, arriving at dawn with twelve beautiful maidens as attendants, but she outshone all of them just as the moon outshines a star. The Shogun could not bring himself to kill her, and in fact asked for her hand in marriage, and married her twelve attendants to his twelve most loyal retainers as well. And it is said that she was always a faithful wife, and bore him many children as fierce as Amaterasu the sun goddess, and as beautiful as the moon, and that this continued until one day the Shogun was on a journey and he happened to accidentally kill a fox. He hurried home to explain to his wife that it hadn't been intentional, but when he arrived he found his household in mourning, for his wife had already left him, with all his sons and daughters.† â€Å"Oh, too bad,† Matt muttered, trying to be polite, when his brain elbowed him in the ribs. â€Å"Wait. But if they all left†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I see you're an attentive young man,† the delicate old woman laughed. â€Å"All his sons and daughters were gone†¦except the youngest, a girl of peerless beauty, although she was just a child. She said, ‘I love you too much to leave you, dear father, even if I must wear a human shape all my life.' And that is how we are said to be descended from a kitsune.† â€Å"Well, these kitsune aren't just causing mischief or ruining crops,† Matt said. â€Å"They're out to kill. And we have to fight back.† â€Å"Of course, of course. I didn't mean to upset you with my little story,† Obaasan said. â€Å"I'll write out those amulets for you now.† It was as Matt was leaving that Mrs. Saitou appeared at the door. She put something into his hand. He glanced down at it and saw the same calligraphy that Obaasan had given him. Except that it was much smaller and written on†¦ â€Å"A Post-it note?† Matt asked, bewildered. Mrs. Saitou nodded. â€Å"Very useful for slapping on the faces of demons or the limbs of trees or such.† And, as he stared at her in complete amazement, â€Å"My mother doesn't know all there is to know about everything.† She also handed him a sturdy dagger, smaller than the sword she was still carrying, but very serviceable – Matt immediately cut himself on it. â€Å"Put your faith in friends and your instincts,† she said. Slightly dazed, but feeling encouraged, Matt drove to Dr. Alpert's house.